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Gol d Refin'd; 
 
 O R, 
 
 Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 
 
 Proving Baptifm in Water an Holy In- 
 itiation of Jefus Chrin\ and to con- 
 tinue in the Church to the End of the 
 World. 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 It is clearly evinced, That Bapti\o y of Baptifm, is not 
 Afperfion or Sprinkling, or pouring a little Water 
 upon- the Face, or any other part of the Body : 
 But that it is Immerfion, or dipping the whole 
 Body, &c. 
 
 Alfo that Believers are only the true Subjects ([and 
 not Infants} of that holy Sacrament. 
 
 Likewife Mr. Smythies Arguments for Infant-Baptifm 
 in his late. Book, entitled, the 'Non-Commmicxnt, 
 (and all other Obje&ions} fully anfwered. 
 
 By BEN J, KEACH, 
 
 Author of TPonoAon'A, A Key 
 to open Scripture-Metaphors. 
 
 Ifa. i. 22. Thy Silver is become Drofs. 
 
 London, Printed for the Author, and are to be fold 
 i>y Nathaniel Crouch, at the fign of the Bell in 
 the Poultry. 1689. 
 

 
 THE 
 
 EPISTLE 
 
 To all that love our Lord Jefiis 
 Chrift in Sincerity. 
 
 IT may pofjtbly be a little wondred at, that Ifhould 
 -write, at this time any thing upon this SubjeSf, 
 which may feem to revive the Controverfie,of which 
 little has been written of late Tears 5 it may 
 therefore feem necejjary 1 fhould $ea\ fomething by way 
 ef Apology for my felf. Firjl of all, I mft tell you, 
 that this Treatife was wrote the laft Summer, altho it 
 had no Birth till now, and many fyow what Provo- 
 cations 1 had about that time to write in behalf of. .our 
 Pratlict in refpeft of Baptifm: having heard how a 
 worthy Miniftir (whom I refpeil and honour') who 
 livith not far off from me, had publicly preactfd up the 
 baptizing, oj little Babes, tearing very hard uponthof: 
 of our Perfwafion -, and could 1 have had a friendly 
 Conference with him, 'tis lify this had notfeen the Sm, 
 Befidesjwe were challenged to difpute the Point with 
 fome Miniflers oj 'the Church of England much about 
 the fame time, not far from London : But tbo they 
 had rendred 11s as odious as they well could {and as 
 if we had nothing to fay for our Pracliee, viz. for bap- 
 tising Men and Women) yet when all came to all, none 
 ef them would appear to defend what they had (poken, 
 A 2 which 
 
The Epiftle to the Reader. 
 
 'tebicbcaufed'fomtto conclude it did behove*m, mfom 
 other to write -fimetbing ahmt it. Moreover, a. godly 
 Friend (offome Eminency in London) jent for me to \ 
 his Houfe (who, tho a Baptifi, yet wal\s with our 
 Brethren called Independents) and defined me that I 
 'would be pleafed to write a Sheet or two upon Bap- 
 tifm, chiefly,, to (hew what it was, fith he perceived 
 many good People were, mijlatyn therein, and did, as 
 hi conceived, take that to be Baptifm, or Baptising, 
 •which was not the thing, he having examined what the 
 GreeJ^word Ba-t] i£<y Baptizo did fignify, and found 
 by Lexicons, and by conferring with Scholars, it did 
 not fignify Ajperfion, Springing, no* pouring, nor any 
 other Washing than Immerfion, or total dipping of 
 the Body in Water } and therefore did conclude it ne- 
 tefjary this thing fhould be further opened, and 'wfrftld 
 have me to confer with one able Ptrfon who well un- 
 der food the Greel^ tongue about it, which I was 
 -willing to do,: Nay, and kfides all this, when we 
 wrote our Key to open Scripture-Metaphors, wl 
 pomifed the Reader we would write fomething con- 
 certing this very matter, as you may fee if you read 
 Pag. $8. Part 2. which, though it be above fix 
 Years ago, we never performed till now. All theft 
 things confidered together, with that great Jmpulfe of 
 Spirit J found to do it, I thought I ha4 a fufficient 
 Call to undertake the Wo)\, altbo I l^now it has been 
 more effectually managed by far abler Pens fome Tears 
 fince, yet I conclude Qwith others') afhort%aft of 
 afmatt Price might come into more Hands than bigger 
 Volumes would do. 
 
 Moreover I muft confefs^ 1 have not a little wondred 
 tofeefo many Eminent Fathers,. and famous Di- 
 vines, both Ancient and Modern, fpeafyng fo clear- 
 ly as to the literal, proper and genuine Signification of 
 the word Eaptizo, and yet finding fo many wife and 
 horned Men of late foftrangely contradicting tbmfelves 
 ' 7 by 
 
The Epiftle to the Reader. 
 
 by their own Pratlke. I trri >fure if Prejudice and' 
 Partiality were laid aftde, and Men would deal faith- 
 fully with' their own Conferences, they mufl confefs our 
 Frattice of immerfion £or dipping Believers i* 
 Water in the Name of the Father, &c. ) mufi of 
 neceffity be congruous both with the literal and (pintail 
 Signification of the word Baptiftn, and Practice of ffer 
 Apples and Primitive Church ; andfo it will be found 
 We day, and that they have no juji caufe given them to 
 reproach or charge us as they do : who laying the Foun- 
 dation of their own Houfefalfe, or not according to the 
 Palern\ and not contented foto do neither, but vi'ifie 
 and reproach them who build exactly according to the 
 Direction of the Mafier-Builder : We marvel how they 
 canfatisfy themfelves to t>eep up that Practice of theirs 
 of Rantifm, ftnee there Is nothing to be fold in the 
 Defence of it from God's Word -, and if once it was 
 laid afide ( with the wrong SubjecT) as an unwar- 
 rantable Rite, and they would cleave to the Prinitivt 
 Inftitution and Pratlke, what a glorious Reformation 
 in point of Cburch-Conftitution and Difiipline would 
 there be ! and what a fweet harmony and ' Vnhm 
 would follow among ft us ! for there has been no one 
 thing that hath caufed like Contention in the Church 
 for many Tears, as this of Infant s-fprin^ting hath. 
 If our Brethren would but lay this ferioufly to Heart, 
 I can't but thinly it would put them to a (land or 
 paufe about it. It had need lie clear in the Word of 
 God, fincefo great a ftrefs as the Foundation of their 
 Church in fuch an eminent manner (inrefpeft of its 
 Confutation) is laid upon it, and it being that main 
 thing that obftrufts and hinders that bleffed Vnion and. 
 Fellowship amongslfo many good Chr'iftians as it dotb, 
 who hardly in any other things differ at all in any 
 A)fide of Faith or Practice. And whereas our Bre- 
 thren feem to fly for Refuge to that indirect and remote 
 Signification of tte word Baptizo of wafhing, yit 
 
 hm 
 
The Epiltle to the Reader* 
 
 four apparent is it, that it means no other Wafhing \ 
 but fuch'as is by dipping, fwilling, or total wetting, 
 that thing, Part, Member, or Perfon all over in 
 Water, that is faid to be baptised ; forth all dipping.' 
 or baptising maybe called a wafhing, yet all wafhivg . 
 is not dipping, &£ In a proper fenfe the word Eap- { 
 tize, Wilfon in his Dictionary faith, is derived from % 
 BecTrleo, Tingo, to dip, or plunge into the Water* 
 and fignifieth primarily fuch a kind of wafhing 
 as is ufed in Bucks where Linnen is plunged 
 and dipt, &c. But how evident it is, that fprin^ling, 
 & pouring is no fuch wafhing, viz. baptising, 
 
 Ainfworth upon Lev. 15,$. fays, to baptise, or 
 wafb his Flefh, as is txprejfed ver. 15, 16, meanitb 
 his whole Body, lifymfe (_faith a great Author ~) the, 
 Hebrews affirm in every place, where it is faid in 
 the Law of bathing the Flefh, arid wafhing the 
 Cloaths of the Unclean, it is not meant but of- 1 
 baptizing the whole Body, &c. but. if the Greek 
 word would bear fp) inkling or pouring, yet that 
 will not jufiifi Men thus to baptise, becaufe not ac- 
 cording to the Vfage of the Primitive Church ', nor. 
 doth it anfwer or reach the Signification of this Ordi- 
 nance, which is the Death, Burial, and ilefurreftion 
 of Jefus Chrift, together with our Death to Sin, 
 and rifwg with him to walk in nevvnefsof Life* 
 to reprefent which- great My fiery, it was ordained, as 
 you will find if you read this Treatife. 1 have ken 
 the larger upon this, becaufe if Baptifm is "nothing "* 
 lefs, nor more, nor. any other Att than Immerfien, or 
 total dipping the .whole Body,%cc. than abundance of 
 godly Chriflians rmfi fee^ after true Baptifm -, neither 
 can Infants, it appears from hence, be the Subjects of 
 it, fiih their tender Bodies can't bm it in thefe cold . 
 Climates, without palpable danger of their Lives, as 
 our Oppofites conjefs, and formerly, by wofnl Experi- 
 me, found to be fo. fifa cbrifi never appointed an, 
 
 Crdi* 
 
The Epiftle to the Reader.' 
 
 Ordinance to defiroy the Lives of any of his Creatures. 
 But why will not our Brethren Igepto the great ftfli- 
 iulion, and ex aft Rule of the Primitive Church? 
 Muft we content onrfelties with that Light which the 
 Church had in refyeft of this and other Gofpel-Truths 
 
 at the beginning of the Reformation, fince Goi 
 
 hath brought forth greater ( to the praife of his own 
 rich Grace*) in our Days? And why floould a Tra- 
 dition of the Antichriftian State, be Jo \ealoufty de- 
 fended ? The Church will never certainly appear in its 
 primitive Glory, till this Rubbilb beremovd ;whkh k 
 nfthinglejs than to take a Stone of Babylon, and lay it 
 in Sionfor a Foundation. Befides, it doth not a little re- 
 fed upon the Hvnour of the Lord Jefm, thus to derogate 
 from his holy Law, who is appointed. Heir of both 
 Worlds \ who hath fettled in his Church that Religion, 
 and every Ordinance thereof, which muft remain unaltera- 
 ble to the end of Time, or Confnmmation of all things. 
 He (as our Mutators well fay) k the Builder of God's 
 Houfe, propagating a holy ( not a Jjejhly ~) Seed for 
 bimfelf; and hath appointed, and fixed on the Matter 
 and Form thereof, as feemed good in his own fight, 
 who is the brightnefs of the Father's Glory, and 
 cxprefs Image of his Perfon, &c. And what an 
 account our Brethren or others will be able to give to him, 
 for prejuming to do any thing contrary to the Apoflolical 
 Cmftitution, when he comes to judg the Qiiici* and 
 the Dead, I tgwwnot, 
 
 ^As touching that great Argument for Infant-Baptifm^ 
 ta\en from the Covenant made with Abraham, tho 
 fomethingis here faid in Anfwer, and enough hath been 
 fold by others formerly, yet I muft acquaint the Reader,, 
 there is a. mofl excellent Treatife prepared, written by ? 
 very worthy and judicious Perfon (and ready for a' 
 timely Birth') wherein that grand Objection, and all 
 ethers are anjwtrsd (^beyond what any I thin^ have. 
 hitherto dm.y But if m fhwld grant ail they 
 
 fry 
 
The EpiftJe to the Reader. 
 
 fay of Abraham'* Pletyly Seed, 'and Foederal 
 Holinefs, yet that will not prove Children to ham 
 a Right to Baptifm, becaufe Baptifm (^as well as 
 Circumcifion was") is a mux pofitive Law, and 
 wholly depends an the Will and Pleafure oj the Law- 
 giver : which is in this treatife opened and afferttd a- 
 gain and again, and not without good Reafon. But 
 left Ijhould keep the Reader too loong at the Door, 
 1 [hall conclude this Epiftle with my hearty Prayers^ 
 that God would be pleafed in Mercy to open our Bre- 
 thren* Eyes, or ours, wherein either they or we lit 
 fhort as touthing any part of God's Will, and let #* 
 firm to live in Love and Concord together:, wherein 
 we do, or can agree, 'tis truth I contend for, and 
 that* Truth winch was once delivered to the Saints % 
 end fhall, J hope, whilft J am in the Body, who 
 now Qas well as formerly) jubferibe my filf thy Ser- 
 vant jor Jefm fake> 
 
 Aug. 6. 1 688. Benj. Keach. 
 
 >A£verti[ement. 
 
 IF anydefirc to be furnifhed with that ex 4 
 ctllent Book, written fome times frace by 
 Mr. William Kiffin, proving no unbaptized Perfon 
 ought to be admitted to the Lord's Table ; may 
 have them at Mr. Hath. Crouch\ at the fign of 
 the Bell in the Poultry > or at the Authors Houfe 
 so Southward 
 
 Gold 
 
( 1 ) 
 
 fi 
 
 
 Gold Refin'd- or, 
 
 (Baptifm in its Primitive <Purity^ 
 
 
 *>/ 
 
 CHAP, e 
 
 Wherein the Baptifm of Water it f roved 
 to be that intended in the Commtffion y 
 and fo a (landing Ordinance till the End 
 of the World. 
 
 I Having for many Years iaft part obferved 
 with what ftrength of Argument fome: 
 worthy Chriftians have laboured to defend 
 the Sacred Ordinance of Baptifm; and 
 how they have endeavoured to refine ic 
 from all Human Mixtures, to the great Satisfacti- 
 on and Eftablifhment of many Perfons in the 
 Land ; yet notwithstanding, finding how' that ftill 
 a- Multitude of gracious People remain very ig- 
 norant about it, and others very obftinately and 
 reproachfully do flight and contemn it, caffing 
 very fcandalous and fcurrilous Reflexions upon 
 thofe who praftife it according to the Primi* 
 tive Infticution, both from the Pulpit and the 1 
 Prefs : I have been put upon writing, fomething 
 farther in the Defence of our felyes and Pra&tce 
 herein. B And 
 
2 Cold Lepnd^ <?r, 
 
 And that I may the mote regularly proceed iti 
 
 this Work, I fhall endeavour to prove Eaptifm 
 
 in Water to be that Baptifm. which is intended 
 
 in the-Conrariflion *, and therefore to abide as an 
 
 undoubted and ftanding Ordinance of the Lord 
 
 Jefus Chrifl until his fecond Coming, or the End 
 
 of the World. 
 
 Water Bap- Firft of all, it may be neceflary to fliew you, 
 
 tifm an In- that this Ordinance was inftituted and ordained 
 
 ftitution of by our Lord Jefus, and given forth by him foon 
 
 Chrifl. after he rofe from the Dead, and a little before 
 
 he afcended into Heaven ; fee Mat. 28. 1 8,1 9,20,. 
 
 Mark 16. 16. And Jefus came, and fpake unto 
 
 them, faying, All Power is given unto me in Heaven and 
 
 in Earth, Go ye therefore,, and teach all Nations, 
 
 baptising them in the Name of the Father, and of the 
 
 Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to oh- 
 
 ferve all things that 1 have commanded yon : and lo, 
 
 I am -with you alway even to the end of the World. 
 
 The Lord Jefus firft of all aiferteth his Power 
 
 and Authority. Secondly, he delegates a Power 
 
 to his Difciples. Thirdly, he fubjoyns a gracious 
 
 Promife to them. 
 
 1. The Power and Authority which he after- 
 teth to himfelf is, all Power in Heaven and 
 Earth ; Power toinftitute and appoint Laws and 
 Ordinances, how and after what manner God 
 ought in GOfpel-Times to be worfhipped 5 Power 
 to give Repentance and Remiflion of Sins -, Power 
 to congregate, to teach, and govern his Church 
 as the fupream Lord, Head, and Ruler thereof ; 
 yea, and Power to give Eternal Life to whom- 
 soever he pleafeth. This was inherent in him as 
 God blefled for ever, given to him as our Me- 
 diator, given to him when he came into the 
 World, but more efpecially confirmed to him 
 and manifefted to be given him at his Refurre&i- 
 
 oa 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 
 
 on, and Afcenfion into Heaven. And having de- 
 clared himfelf Supream Lord and Law-giver, He 
 
 2. Delegates a Power to his Difciples,Cr0 ye then- 
 fore and tench all Nations, baptfcjng them *, the GreeJc 
 word tutStfldJoum make Difciples, that mud be 
 by preaching the Gofpel to them, inftru&ing 
 them in the Principles of the Chriftian Faith, 
 teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I haw 
 commanded you ; and lo y I am with yon alway to 
 the end of the PPor/^that's the Promife. Thefe are 
 the words of the great Commiflion, which 
 contains part of the lad Will and Teftament of 
 the ever blelfed Jefus, the glorious Teftator of 
 the New Covenant, wherein Baptifm is found 
 and exprefly given forth, and with as great Au- 
 thority, and in as folemn a manner as ever was 
 any Precept or Ordinance that we read of in all 
 the Book of God. 
 
 Object. But 'tis not [aid, baptise them in Water, k 
 mayjherefore intend the Baptifm of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Anfw. To which we anfwer j As 'sis not faid 
 baptize them with Water, fo 'tis not faid bap- 
 tize them with the Holy Spirit : They were 
 commanded to baptize, that's evident) and that 
 it was Water our Saviour did require them to 
 baptize with, and not the Spirit, we prove, 
 
 Firft, Becaufe the Baptifm of the Holy Spirit' 
 was never by our Saviour or his Apoftles com- 
 manded, it was never injoyn'd as a Precept or 
 Duty K) be done, but was always mentioned as 
 a Promife, He fhall baptise you with the Holy Ghoft 
 and with Fire. And again, Te fhall be baptised 
 with the Holy Ghoft not many days hence : Ic argues 
 great Weaknefs, or elfe Wilfulnefs, that Men 
 fhould fee no better how to diftinguifh be- 
 tween a Baptifm that was commanded as a 
 Duty w be dpne, and a Baptifm promifed, 
 £ 2 which 
 
Gold Refind '•> or, 
 
 which was never injoyned as a thity. 
 
 Secondly, It cannot mean the Eaptrfm of the 
 Holy Ghoft, becaufe the Difciples of Chrifl 
 ( nor no Man under Heaven ) had ever any fitch 
 Power delegated or given to them, as to baptize 
 with the Holy Ghoft \ 'tis ftrange Perfons fhould 
 be fo blind and bold to think ( much lefs to 
 8fcr) that meer Men can give the Holy Spi- 
 rit, or adminifler that Baptifm, as if the Holy 
 Ghoft was at the difpofal of the Will of Man, 
 or that Men know whom to give it to, which 
 indeed only lies hid in the Breaft of God 
 himfelf, who beftcws it to whom and in what 
 manner he pleafeth. And therefore, 
 
 Vmdly, We do affirm from the Authority of 
 God's Word, that to baptize with the Holy 
 Spirit is the peculiar Prerogative Royal of Jefos 
 Chrif?, and that he. did never impower any 
 Difciple of his to give it, He fyaU baptise you with 
 t'm Holy Spirit. The Father by him, and he im- 
 mediately by himfelf in his own Perfon diftri- 
 butes or gives fordi of the Spirit according to 
 the good Pleafure of his Will, without impar- 
 ting with this Sovereign Prerogative, or pecu- 
 liar Power to any other. Now fince ChrifE's 
 pifciples could not baptize with the Spirit, and 
 yet are commanded to baptize, it follows clear- 
 ly it muft be Water. 
 
 Object. Doth' not the Apoflle (hew that Mn had 
 Pjwer to give the Spirit <? what fife is the meaning of 
 thefe words, be therefore that mmftretb to yon the 
 Spirit? k appears thai Perfons who preached 
 mimftred the Spirit. 
 
 Anjw. By the Spirit is meant the GofpeT, or 
 Word of Chrift i as the Law is called the Letter, 
 fo is-tke New Teftament called thcM'iiflration of 
 
 the 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. * 
 
 the Spirit, 2C0Y.3.6. The words that I fpea^ hnta 
 you, faith Ghriji, are Spirit, &c. Dofti God ( as. 
 if the Apoftle mould fay } concur with our Mi- 
 niftry, and give the Spirit 80 thofe who hear it, 
 and help us to work Miracles to confirm it ? And 
 is this dQrie by our preaching the Law, or by the 
 hearing of Faith, that is, the Word of Faith, vfc 
 the Gofpel, fee verf. 2. or by preaching the 
 Word of Chrift? 
 
 Fourthly, The Baptifm in the Commiflion can- 
 not intend that of the Holy Ghoft } becaufe the 
 Spirit's Baptifm fignifies the miraculous Effufion, 
 or extraordinary Gifts thereof £ and not the 
 faving Influences, Graces, and Operations of it ) 
 which but a few, and thofe too in the Primitive 
 Time, did partake of; but the Baptifm in the 
 Commiflion is injbyned on all that are made 
 Difciples in all Nations, and in every Age, even 
 to the end of the World. 
 
 Fifthly, It muft be Water- Baptifm, becaufe 
 our Saviour joyneth it with Repentance and 
 Believing. Now all along in order of Pra&ice 
 thefe two went together both before this time 
 and alfo afterwards. You may be fure had it 
 been any other Baptifm, it would never have been 
 thus joyned together in order of words, with 
 that Baptifm that was fo united in order of 
 Practice with Repentance and Faith, without the 
 leaft intimation of any thing by our Saviour to 
 the contrary. 
 
 Sixthly, Becaufe 'tis a Baptifm that is to be 
 acbniniftred in the Name of the Father, of the 
 Son, and Holy Spirit, how can any with the 
 leaft fliadow of Reafon, fuppoie it fhould be 
 meant of the Baptifm of the Holy Spirit, fith 
 j&jstobeadrniniftred in the Name of the Holy 
 Spirit ! Were any cm baptized with the Holy 
 B 5 Spine 
 
I 
 
 Gold Refined ; er y 
 
 Spirit in tfoe Name of the Father, Son and 
 Holy Ghoft? The Spirit was that with which 
 they were baptized-, and therefore not bap- 
 tized in the Name o*f the Spirit. 
 
 Seventhly, The only way "further to remove this 
 Objection, is to obfervewhat the practice of the 
 Difciples was after the Afceniion of Chrift jn the 
 execution of this great Commiflion : What was 
 it they baptized with ? See Afts 8. 36. And they 
 came to a certain Water -, and the Eunuch faid, See, 
 here k Water. Verf. 28. Tiny went both down kt9 
 the Water, and Philip baptised him. AcTs 1 o. 47, 
 |.8. Can any Man forbid Water, that theft fooxld not 
 baptised f ■ — ; And he commmded them to be bap- 
 ti\ed in the Nam of the Lord Jtfus. That Baptifm 
 which in the Corrrmiffion the Lord Jefiis com- 
 manded his Difciples to baptife with, was the 
 Baptifm which they after his Afcenfion did bap- 
 tize with ; and that it was Water the Scriptures 
 we have now cited do evidently fhew i certainly 
 the Apoftles well underflood what Baptifm it 
 was their blefied Mafter did command them to 
 adminifter. 
 
 Eighthly, Befides, were it not the Baptifm of 
 Water which was given to them in the Commif- 
 fjon, Matth. 28. 19, 20. They did that in his 
 Name, i. e. by his Authority, which they had 
 ho Authority to do, for other Commiffions they 
 had not, this being the only place where Water- 
 baptifm is mentioned, as being inftituted and gi- 
 ven in Commiflion to them to adminifter, and to 
 all other Difciples and Miniflers of Chrift to the 
 
 #*»*<P- end of the World. 
 
 nfm an Or- 
 
 dinance of Now> SecondIy? that this Holy Ordinance of 
 emit to the £ap t if m doch Q ommt to the end of the World 
 tndojthe is evident, 
 World. : ri1% 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 7 
 
 Fir (l t Beeaufe whatfoever is given forth by Je- 
 fus Chrift, is given forth by him as he is King, 
 and Mediator of the New Covenant, and as part 
 of his laft Will and Teftamenc ; and his laft 
 Will and Teftament, I hope, all will grant ftands 
 in full force asd virtue, and every Part and 
 Branch of it unalterable to the end of the World: 
 
 . Though it be a Man's Covenant, or Teftament, yet 
 if it be confirmed, no Mm difanmtUeth, or addeth 
 thereto*. How much more dangerous then is it Gal. 3* 
 for any to difannul, alter, add to, or diminifh 1 $•■ 
 
 from the laft Will and Teftament of the Lord 
 Jefus the Son of God, who feceived Command- 
 ment from the Father what he fhould fay and 
 fpeakf ; And -was faithful to him that appointed * J on - '2. 
 him, as a Son over his own Hoife || ? 49* 
 
 Secondly, The Arguments that Men bring a- il He ^3'5- 
 gainft the continuation of Baptifm, tend to root 
 out all other Ordinances of the Lord Jefus as 
 well as this. Why may they not deny Preach- 
 ing to continue, as well as Baptizing, fince 
 Teaching is commanded by no other Author icy 
 than this ? Are they not both exprefly given forth 
 
 • and joined together by our Saviour in this his laft 
 and great Commiffion ? 
 
 May I not argue chus j If Teaching continues 
 to the end of the World, Baptifm continues ? 
 But Teaching none denies to continue, Ergo Bap- 
 tifm continues. Do but obferve the conjun&ion 
 between Teaching and Baptizing in the Commif- 
 fion, Go, teach all Natim, bapri\ivg them *, and 
 again, teaching them, &c. Bapcifm is fenc'd in 
 on both fides, 'tis fecured, one would think, (as 
 our Lord Jefus has placed it) from all Force and 
 Violence whatfoever ; and that fuch muft be im- 
 pudently bold as dare attempc to raze ic out, 
 or feek to difannul it, and make it of none 
 effect. B 4 Toird- 
 
8 Gold Refit d '•> or, 
 
 Thirdly, The Promife that is fubjoined in ex- 
 
 prefs words, in the CommifTion, clearly proves 
 
 the continuation of this Ordinance j And h, lam 
 
 ypith you always to the end oj the World } not to the 
 
 end of that Age only as fome affirTi). Sec our 
 
 . . late Annotators on thefe words, " I am, and I 
 
 < m f ,, " will he with you 5 and thofe who fucceed you 
 
 pnoj Fool s « in the Work of the Miniftr)sbc j ng ca ij e d f me 
 
 nno .on « t | ier€M1C0) j w jjj ^ w j t | 1 y 0Uj p rote( f t ing you 
 
 WVWK <cj n t}lat ordinance, and blefrng you, and all 
 
 *9?20. « ot j ler my f a i r hful Minifters, that labour for 
 
 "making me and my Gofpel known, with fuc- 
 
 " cefs to the end of the World ; not of this Age 
 
 "only, but till the end of the World — —or till 
 
 " the World fhall be determined, and the New 
 
 <c Heavens and the New Earth fhall appear. 
 
 Fourthly, The practice of the Apoftles and 
 Difciples of Chrift, afrer'his Afcenfion into Hea- 
 ven, clearly proves, that the Baptifm of Water 
 doth continue ; for how frivolous is that Obje- 
 &ion that fome make againft it, vv\* it was to 
 abide no longer than till the. Baptifm of the Spi- 
 rit (which fay they was ChrifTs Baptifm) took 
 'ghee, feeing it is fo evident and plain in the Acts 
 of the Apoftles, and m divers other places, that 
 k was both taught and praftifed, after that great 
 Effufion, or pouring forth of the Holy Spirit, 
 which was the Baptifm promifed, and was rlrft 
 of all made good to the Apoftles and Saints of 
 *A&s 2. 1, God at JerufaUm,\ When the Day of Pentecoft was 
 ?, 3, ' juUf corn;, and they were all with one accord in one 
 .place * ', by t.he Jielp and power of which Spirit 
 $t. Peter preached to thofe jews that had put 
 Chrift to death ; At the hearing of which Ser- 
 mon, many' of them being pricked in their Hearts, 
 cried out, What (lull we do } Then (aid Peter, 
 Repent; and he baptised every one of yon in tk Name 
 
Baptifm in its Vrimitivt Parity. 
 
 of Jefa Chrifl, for the-remiffion of Sins, and ye {hall 
 receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Now the Bap- 
 tifm here enjoined on thefe Peniccncs, could not 
 be that of the Spirit *, for how abfurd would that 
 render the reading of the words, Repent, and be 
 bmitei with the Spit, and, ye jhall receive the Gift 
 of. the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Fijthly, But to make k appear yet more fully, 
 that Baptifm in Water continued after the com- 
 ing of the Spirit, or great Effufion of the Holy 
 Ghoft, fee, Acts 10. *cis faid, Wlnle Peter yet 
 fp-a^e thefe words, the H4y Ghoft jell on all them 
 which hard the Wrrd, ( that was on Cornelius and . 
 thofe with him}. And they of the Circumcifm, 
 whkh believed, wen aftonifhed,, as many as came 
 "with Peter, beciufe on the Gentiles aifo was poured 
 out the-Qift of the H)ly Ghoft, Verf. 45. For they 
 Heard them (pial^ with tongues, and magnified God. 
 Then anfwsred Peter, verf. 46. Can any Mm for- 
 bid Water, that thefe fhmld not be baptised, which 
 have received the Holy Ghoft as well as we £ verf.47. 
 And he commanded them to be baptised in the Name of 
 tht Lord, verf. 48. • Here the very Perfons who 
 were baptized with the Holy Spirit, were com- 
 manded inthe Name (that is, by the Authori- 
 ty ) of the Lord Jefus, to be baptized in Wa- 
 ter \ and it was a thing that no Man did or ought 
 tpdeny^obe their indifpenfable Duty j fo that 
 the higheft Gifts or Endowments of the Holy 
 Ghoft, cannot excufe or exempt any Perfons from 
 phis Blefled Ordinance of Baptifm in Water j and 
 how bold and daring muft that Man needs feem 
 to be, who (hall adventure to fay, 'tis a low and 
 carnal thing, and I forbid it to fuch who have 
 the Spirit s Baptifm. I would to God this were 
 laid to Heart, for fuch Men are certainly grown 
 to a great degree of Pride and Arrogance, a> 
 
 well 
 
to Gold RefirPd, or, 
 
 well as se argues palpable Blindnefs, Infidelity and 
 Difobedience, and that they have loft their Way, 
 and go aftray in untrodden Paths, who ftnll fpeak 
 at fijeh a rate* 
 
 Objift.^ But fay fome, The Baptifm mentioned 
 by you in both thefe places, was done in the 
 Name of the Lord Jefus, and not in the Name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghoft, and fo not according to the Commiflion, 
 and therefore not die fame Baptifm. 
 Anjw. To be baptized in the Name of Jefus 
 Jewel B.of Chrift, is to be baptized as Chrift Inftituted, 
 Sal.&&p, Commanded, and Ordained ; and as a Learned 
 in Confit. Perfon faith, Thefe words, In the Name of Chrift, 
 Harding, fignifies «o more that.Baptifm was adminiftred 
 only in the Name of Chrift, not of the Father 
 and the Holy Ghoft, than thefe words, Paul a 
 Servant of Jefus Chrift, argues, that he was a 
 Servant of Chrift only, and not of the Father 
 and Holy Ghoft alfo: Or as if thofe words of 
 Paul to the Keeper of the Prifon, Believe on the 
 Lotd Jefa Chrift, fhould be thought to free him 
 from a neceffity of believing in the other two 
 Perfons - for as he that believes aright in Jefus 
 Chrift, believes alfo in the Father and Holy 
 Spirit 5 fo he that is baptized in a right manner, 
 is baptized in the Name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Bufbecaufe 
 the Lord Jefus more immediately, and as our 
 Sovereign Lord, Law-giver and Mediator, infti- 
 tuted and gave forth this Command, they are 
 faid to be baptized in his Name, meaning, they 
 were baptized by his Authority. 
 Cyprian p eter ^ fa^ C yp?ian, makes mention of Jefus 
 E l i I 5 -* ^"^ ' not as .# tne Father were to be omit- 
 dd Jubai- ted, but that the Son might be joined to the Fa- 
 <w. ther, <jr*. 
 
 And 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 1 
 
 And St. Anflin faith, They were commanded Auguftin. 
 to be baptized in die Name of Chrift > and tho Ub. 3. a- 
 the Father ancj Holy Ghoft were not mentioned, gainjl Ma- 
 yet we underftand they were not other wife bap- xim.B£. of 
 tized, than in the Name of the Father, Son, and the Arri- 
 Holy Ghoft. Why doft'thou not apprehend, ans,c. 17. 
 when it is faid of the Son, All things were made 
 by Mm, that the Holy Ghoft alfe, though not 
 mentioned, is there Iikewife underftood ? 
 
 " To be baptized into Chrift Jefus, (_ faith Eidogim of 
 *Eulogu*$~) fignifies, to be baptized according Alexandria 
 f to the Precept of Chrift, that is, into the Fa- l. 2 . contra, 
 "ther, Son, and Holy Ghoft. And that other Novation, 
 *\_into his Death ] is typically reprefenting a pud Pho- 
 " his Death in Baptifm. The fame Patri- tium in 
 * arch, in the fame place, a little before faith BiHiotbica. 
 " thus, What is faid in the Afts, of thofe that 
 '• had received the Baptifm of John f that they 
 " were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jefus, 
 " denotes, that they were baptifed according to 
 " the Inftiturkm and DoSrine of the Lord Jefus ; 
 " that is to fay, they were baptized into the 
 u Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. 
 " For fo the Lord Jefus Chrift taught and cora- 
 " manded his Difciples to baptize, Mat. 28. 19,20. 
 Objeft. Notwithftanding what we.have faid 
 yet, faith the Objector; John Baptift oppofeth 
 his Baptifm to the Baptifm of Chrift j which 
 could not have been done, if the Baptifm with 
 Water was an infeparable Companion of ChrhTs 
 Do&rine y How could John fay, Verily, I baptize 
 you with Water, but he fhaU baptise you with the Ho- 
 ly Gbofl ? &c. Moreover, if Chrift had been 
 commanded to baptize with Water as well 
 as John, the words would .have run this, Verily, 
 1 baptke you with Water only, but he {hall baptise 
 yon alfo with the if*'* 
 
 Anfw. 
 
12 Gold Refind, or, 
 
 Aifiv. Thus to diftinguiih the Eaptifm of Wa- 
 ter, and that of the Spirit, into John's and 
 ChrifVs, and pppofe thefe two one to the other, 
 as if the one of thefe were diftf uctive to the 
 ether, as if that of John's were his own, and 
 none of ChriiVs, is very ridiculous, and argues 
 great darknefs in the understanding of thefe op- 
 pofersof Water-baptifm, for 'tis undeniably evi- 
 dent, that this of Water ( as well as that of the 
 Spirit) was given forth by Chrift himfelf, and as 
 part of his teft Will and Teftaraent, to abide to- 
 gether with teaching, believing and repenting 
 to the end of the World. 
 
 Thefe Men would fain have us believe, that 
 the Baptifai of Water was the Baptifm of 
 John's, and none of Chrift's, but as if John had 
 inftituted it, and not Chrift, and as if John were 
 the Author of it,and Chrift the Finifher > whereas 
 nothing is more clear that Chrift, (confidefd as 
 God) was the Author, and the fir ft that ordained, 
 appointed and inftituted it to be adminiftred by 
 John j and after John's deceafe, yea, and after 
 his own Death, and Refurreclion too, gave or- 
 der to its continuance. And for the obfervation 
 of it amongft all Nations, our late Annotators 
 alfoonJWat. 3. 5. agree with us exactly herein, 
 He (_that is, John) -was ftnt to baptise in Water --,[0 as 
 from this time (fay they) the Injtimion of the Sa- 
 crament of Biptifm mujl be dated. 
 
 Nothing can be more evident, than that the 
 Baptifm with Water was ChriiVs Baptifm j and 
 howbeit it is called John's, as John was the forft 
 Minifter and Meffengcr from Chrift tp begin it, 
 For, bshnld, J fend my Mifcger, and he jbiU pe- 
 paremyrvaybijorevt, CrithCfaift, MaLg, 1. It was 
 ChrifVs Appointment in whofe Name, and not 
 in fobn\k was begun and difpenfed always even 
 
 in 
 
Baftifbt in its Primitive Purity. 1 3 
 
 in that juncture wherein John himfelf was living * 7 
 and one would think Men could not be fo blind to 
 fuppofe it ceafed in John fith our Lord Jefus after 
 his Death and Refurreclion, gives fpecial Com- 
 mand for the continuation of it, in the Name oj the ' 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft, in all 
 Nations to the end of the World : And in regard 
 alfo that the Apoftles after ChrifTs Afccnfion into 
 Heaven preached the fame Doctrine of Repen- 
 tance, and commanded fuch who were difcipkd 
 to be baptized in Water *, in the Name of the Act 2.39. 
 Lord Jefus, which fignifies, as we have already &? . l6t 
 fhewed,nothing lefs than according to the Inftitu- & 10.47. 
 tion of Chrift, and that glorious Commiflion 
 they had received from him. 
 
 Therefore John Baptized only as ChrifVs Ser- 
 vant, and it was from Heaven he received Com- 
 miflion to Baptize ; and our Lord's Submiflfion to 
 i? himfelf as adminiftred * by John, to fulfil all 
 righteoufnefs, ("that is, as one obferves, the Righ- 
 teoufnefs of his own Law, i. g. the Gofpel, to be 
 an Example to us, and the father's glorious Ap- 
 probation of His Son in his Obedience herein, by 
 a Voice from Heaven at the time of his com- 
 ing cut of the Water ) one would think might 
 put an end to thefe foolifh Objections. 
 
 Jefus Chrift we fay, owned Water- baptifm to 
 be his Ordinance, by fubjeding himfelf to it, tho 
 adminiftred by his fervant jfa/;?} and the Father 
 ratified it alfo, as well as the Holy Ghoft,the one 
 by that Voice from Neaven^faying, This is my £7- 
 loved Son, in whom I am well plufed;, and the 
 other in coming down, or depending (in avifible » M 
 manner) Uty a Dove, and lighting ufpnfiim *. And *' ^' 
 certainly had not this Ordinance been to abide, l6 *L7 6 
 our Saviour would not have given fuch a Com- 
 miflion a little before Ire afrerided ifcto' Hraveri 
 
 for 
 
14 GoldRejwd > or, 
 
 for the continuance, of it to the World's end. 
 Nay, if it had beentoceafe, he would doubdefs 
 have given fome hint of it, and have told his 
 Difcipks plainly when at Jerufalm, they fhould 
 be anointed with Power from on High, they 
 mould go and Preach the Gofpe! to all the World, 
 or make Difciples of the Nations, but not 
 baptize them any more, for that the way of Re* 
 pentance and Faith, and the Spirit's Baptifm, 
 was all the Baptifm they mould teach and inftrucl: 
 the People in. Moreover, had Peter known 
 this to have been the Mind of his BlefTed Ma- 
 fter,he would doubtlefs have faid to them, Aft. 2. 
 (when they asked what they mould do ?_) Repent, 
 and believe in Chrift for the remiflion of your 
 Sins, but in the Name of Jefus Chrift be not 
 baptized in Water never a one of you, as 
 fome while fince every Penitent was required to 
 be, for that was a Diipenfation and Baptifm ©f 
 John, and had its time for a while, meerly. to 
 prepare the Way of Chrift, but now is abo- 
 limed and out of date •, ye muft forfake Jobrfs 
 old Adminiftration of Water-baptifm, that be- 
 ing a carnal and low thing, and look wholly to a 
 higher and more fublime Baptifm, i. e. that of 
 the Holy Ghoft : And had he known this to be 
 the Mind of his Mafter, would not he rather 
 have faid concerning Cornelius, and* thofe with 
 him, Atts 10. £inftead of faying, Who can 
 forbid Water ?} Who can require Water, that 
 thefe Perfons mould be Baptized, who have re- 
 ceived the Holy Spirit as well as we I 
 
 No doubt had Water-Baptifm ceafed, or been 
 aboliftied, we fhould have had fome difcovery of 
 it as well as we have of the Ceafingof Circum* 
 cifion and other Rites of the Mofaied Law *, for 
 the Apoftles, we find, were as ready, and as care- 
 ful 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Pntity. 1 5 
 
 ful to make known the Ceflation of fuoh Rites, 
 as Carnal Ordinances that were not to abide in the 
 Church, as they were in eftablifhing and confir- 
 ming all thofe Precepts they knew were to con* 
 rinue to the end of the World. 
 
 If therefore, I fay, Water-Baptifm muft not 
 have remained, or if it were not, according to 
 ChrhTs Will and Teftament an infeparable Com- 
 panion ot his Doctrine, we fhould have had fome 
 hint or intimation of it, either by ChrhTs own 
 Mouth, or by the Mouths of his Apoftles, who 
 were to deliver and command nothing to Peo- 
 ple, but what they had received of the Lord Je- 
 fus,or what was commanded them of the Lord as 
 concerning the Ceflation of that Service, or any 
 Toleration of any one Perfon to omit it,but as we 
 find it given forth by Chrift, and pra&ifed by his 
 Apoftles and Primitive Saints, even from the 
 beginning of it, which was in John's baptizing 
 in Water. So we find it, ad JHre y to continue as 
 part of his Mind and Teftament, amongft other 
 things, not a tittle of which Teftament is yet an- 
 nihilated, nor (hall, till he come to take an ac* 
 count of all Men in refpeft of their Obedience 
 or Difobedience,as to the preceptory part of his- 
 Will contained therein. 
 
 But furthermore,whereas thefe Objectors feem 
 to intimate, that Jefus Chrift was not command- 
 ed, or commiflionaced from the Father to bap- 
 tize with Water as John was, becaufe 'tis faid by 
 John, I vtrily baptise you with Water, hut he fhatt 
 baptise you with the Holy Spirit ; as if Chrift had 
 nothing to do to meddle with the Baptifm of Wa- 
 ter as any Ordinance of his, or to give any or- 
 der about it, or had any more power to difpence 
 or enjoin it, than John had power to meddle in, 
 or take upon him to baptize with die Spirit* 
 
 which 
 
it Gold Kc finds or, 
 
 which peculiarly belongM to Chrift, as that of 
 Water peculiarly belonged to John. 
 
 To what they fpeak upon this account, we 
 muft fay, and tell them, that Jefus Chrift had 
 Command and Commifiion from the Father, as 
 Mediator, to give forth and enjoin Water-bap - 
 tifm, though he committed the a&ual Admini- 
 ftration of it to his Difcipies; for fith he com- 
 manded them to do it, and fo Baptized, faith 
 an eminent Writer, per alios at leaf*, if not per 
 fe i read John 9.22. And after tbefe things came 
 Jeftis and bis Difcipies into the Land of Jwka, -and 
 there he tarried with them, and baptised. And John 
 alfotvas baptising in Enon near Salim* &c. verf. 
 23. Which is more fully explained, Chap. 4. 2. 
 When therefore the Lord grieve how the Pharifees hid 
 heard that Jefm made and baptised more Difcipies 
 than John, though Jefus himfeff baptised not, but his 
 Vifciples. Now if he had not received Command 
 from the Father thus to do, his Teftimony is not 
 true ; which to fay, as the fame Author obferves, 
 were Blafphemy \ for note, what he affirms, John' 
 12. For I have not fpofyn of my felf but the Father 
 which fent me, he gave me a Commandment what J 
 jhokldfay,and what Ijhouldfpea^—Wbatfoever If'pea^- 
 therefore, even as the Father faid unto me, jo I fpea^. 
 Wherefore fince he did, by the Hands of his 
 Difcipies, baptize in Water in Judea, and made 
 and baptized more Difcipies than John, he did 
 it by Command from his Father : And indeed 'tis 
 evident that the People generally flock'd to him 
 for the Adminiflration of Water-baptifm at lafr, 
 and 4eft John, infomuch as he in his Miniftrvy 
 even of Water-baptifm, increased, and Johndt- 
 creafed, John 3.26, 27. Thofe words of John, 
 in Amwer to the jews, do plainly intimate no 
 Icfs, but that this very thing was intended bv 
 
 thcfe 
 
Bafttfm m its Primitive runty. 1 7 
 
 thofe ExpreflTions of his, though there might be 
 more than this meant, And they came to John, and 
 [aid unto him, Rabbi, be that was with thee beyond 
 Jordan, to whom thou bears ft Witnefs, behold, the 
 ]ame baptiieth, and all Men come to him, John an- 
 fwered, A Man am receive nothing^ except it be given 
 tim jrom Above. Verf. 28. Te your f elves bear mt 
 witnefs, thatPfrid, I am not the Chrifi, bat J am. 
 fent bejarehim. — — He mu$ increafe, but I mnft.de- . 
 creafe, verf. 30. Doth he baptize ? as If John 
 fhould fay, that is a fign he is fent of Qod : and 
 do all Men come to him ? do they rather go to 
 him to be baptized than come to me? Why 'tis 
 no more than what I have told you, Hi fhiU in- 
 crease, but I mud decrease j He and his Miniftry 
 muft and (hall flourish, or increafe in Honour, 
 and Dignity, and Reputation in the World ; He 
 is the Rifmg Sun, to give you notice of which, I 
 was butas the Morning Star *, He mud mine eve- 
 ry day more and more. I have had my time, 
 and near finifhed my Courfe, but do not think 
 that the Baptifm of Water fhall ceafe with me i 
 for as he baptizeth, and rifeth more and more 
 in Efteemand Honour •, fo he will do, and his 
 miniftration of this very Ordinance will increafe 
 and be magnified in his Hands, more than it has 
 been in mine. I hope none will think it abfurd 
 tounderftand John's words after this manner, for 
 it mjift neceffarily be taken in this fenfe, in any 
 folid understanding, I verily baptise you with WatiY 
 only; as if he mould fay* but he jhaU baptise yon 
 alfo with the Holy Spirit. He is impowred to di- 
 fyenfe higher Matters to you than Water only, 
 with which he baptizeth £ as you- tell me) as 
 well as I, "though not himfelf, but his Difcipfeii 
 I can go no further than to that outward Admi^ 
 nifhration of Water, but he fhall baptize you 
 C with 
 
1 8 Gold Refind'^ ot\ 
 
 with the Holy Ghoft. In which words John doth 
 not oppofe his Baptifm to the Baptifm of 
 Chrift, as if that which is called his, were none 
 of Chrift's, but rather chat John might magnify 
 the Perfon of Chrift above himfelf; as who 
 fhould fay, I can but difpenfe with the bare 
 oatward Sign, but Chrift, who though he came 
 AJUr mij yet is preferred -before n?e 9 in whofe 
 Name, a and not in my own, I baptize, and 
 whofe the Baptifm is that I difpenfe, and not my 
 own ; he Is able, befides the Sign, to vouchfafe 
 you the very Thing fignified. 
 
 The Baptifm then of Water, in *the Name of 
 Chrift,- together with Repentance from dead 
 Works, and Faith in his Name, John Baptijl was 
 the flrft Minifter to begin, in which refpecl it 
 was called fomenmes his y but he left it, after a 
 while, to Chrift himfelf and his Difciplesto car- 
 ry on, who all, till Chrift was actually crucified, 
 preaeh'd and pra&ifed the felf-(ame things that 
 /A did, as did the Difciples after his Reiur- 
 re<2ion. 
 
 All the difference between the admimftration 
 of Baptifm, as difpenfed by John and the Difci- 
 pldsof Chrift, before Chrift's Death and Refur- 
 re&ion, and the Adminiftration of it afterwards 
 were only in fome Circumftantiais j which briefly 
 take as follows. 
 
 \ i. The Baptifm in Water which was Chrift's, 
 and of which Joim was but a Minifter, together 
 with "Chrift's other fiifciples before, Chrift's 
 Death, &c. 
 
 . Was then the Eaptifm of Repentance for 
 the Remiftion of Sins by Chrift, who was to 
 come, i. e. e're long, to fuffer Death, Be buried, 
 and rife again, 
 
 3. But 
 
Bafrifin in its Primitive Purity. %9 
 
 2. But after Chrift had fuflfered,it is the Bap* 
 tifm of Repentance, and Faith, for the Remiifioji 
 of Sins by Chrift that is already come, hath 
 died, was buried, and is rifen again for our Ju- 
 ftification ; they baptized into Chrift to futfer* 
 now we are baptized into Chrift who hathfuf- 
 fered. 
 
 3. Neither can this feem ftrange to any Man, 
 firh the Do&rine which John, Chrift himfelf, and 
 his Difciples, preached before our Saviour fuf- 
 fered, differed in the fame refpecl; alfo, for they 
 all then preached Repentance, Faith and Salva- 
 tion by Chrift, tofuffer. 
 
 But had John lived till Chrift had fuffered, he 
 would have preached Repentance, and Faith, and 
 adminiftred Eaptifm as we now do, vi\. in and 
 by Chrift, who hath fuffered j and this is all the: 
 difference, I fay, that I know of, £ which is on- 
 ly circumftantial ) between the preaching the 
 Gofpel, and baptizing, before the Death of 
 Chrift, and that after his Death ', wherefore the 
 Word of the Gofpel under John,znd after Chrift's 
 Death and Refurre&ion, is called the very fame 
 Word -, and the Word that Peter preached to 
 Cornelius and his Houfe, is faid to begin from 
 John's Baptifm, as the fame Word which John 
 came preaching -, fo that the Baptifm with which 
 John came baptizing, continues ftill, and was 
 preached and piadifed by Command from 
 Chrift, by the Mouth of Peter, on Difciples be- 
 lieving, in that very place Acls 10. And this not Ads ro. 
 in honour of John, as fome frivoloufly affirm, -3^37>33? 
 bat as a tiling which ought to be done, as in 30,4^41, 
 force a-new from the Lord jefus, in whole Name 
 Peter adminiftred it, and not without Warrant 
 from Chrift fo to do - y He commanded them to be bap- 
 ti\ed in the Harm of th$ Lord. .. 
 
 C % Qbjrtf. 
 
20 Gold Refnd h or, 
 
 Objefi. But doth not Paul pofitively affirm, 
 he was not fent to baptize, but to preach the 
 Gofpel, i Cor. i. 17. and that he thanked God 
 he baptized no more of them than Crifpus. and 
 Gains., and the Houfhold of Stephana* * 
 
 Anfw. Paul cannot mean, Chrift fent him not 
 at all to baptize ', or, that the Gofpel he was 
 commanded to preach,had net Baptifm enjoyned 
 to be preached and pra&ifed, as an infe parable 
 ■Companion of it, (^becaufe his Lord and Matter, 
 as we have (hewed, hath joyned Preaching and 
 Baptizing together in his great Commiffion ) 
 Mat. 28. 19,-20. and fo to continue to the End 
 of the World. 
 
 Moreover, Teaching and Baptifm, Faith and 
 Baptifm, Repentance and Baptifm were always 
 preached and pra&ifed , together : Eur he means 
 this of Baptizing was not his chief bufinefs j nor 
 did Chrift require him abfolutely to the aftual 
 difpenfing of the Ordinance of Baptifm with his 
 own Hands, but to preach the Gofpel, in which 
 Baptifm as well as Repentance and Faith were 
 contained, and as a facred Ordinance thereof, 
 which he wasfent to preach as well as any other 
 Gofpel- Institution, and that he did preach it, 
 ctherwife he could not have laid as he did, 
 Acts 20. that he had not fhun'd to declare the 
 whole Counfel of God, and fo, that it was done 
 too by himfelf or fame other, but it was not in 
 his Commiflion, that he mull adminifter it id 
 but his own Peribn ; for it is evident, the Admi- 
 riiilration or"A<ft of Baptizing was not tied up to 
 the Apollles, or to the more ordinary Minifters, 
 but that any faithful gifted-Difciples might admi- 
 nister it as well as they ", nor doth the Efficacy of 
 Baptifm depend in the leaftupon the Quality of 
 the Pcrfon adminiftring of ir< whether it be 
 
 ? Paul, 
 
Baft'tfm in its Primitive Purity. 2 1 
 
 Paul, Apollos, or Cephas, or any other Difciple 
 much inferiour to them in Capacity or Office, 
 it is no matter ; for Ananias, a private Difciple, 
 baptized ; and Philip, who was no other than a 
 Deacon, or Over-feer of the poor, baptized ma- 
 ny in the City of Samaria, Act. 8. fo that we find 
 in the Primitive Times the fimple Ad of bap- 
 tizing was a Work inferior, fervile and fubfer- 
 vient to that of preaching the Gofpel, or Do- 
 ctrine of Repentance, Faith and Baptifm in 
 drift's Name for RemifTion of Sins, which was 
 the great Work the Apoftles were more efpeci- 
 ally fent to do, yet baptize they fometimes did, 
 C when probably it was defired of them, or when 
 the Multitudes to be baptized were fo great that 
 it required their help with others to do it ; ~) nor 
 is it rational to believe that Peter himfelf and the 
 eleven did baptize all the three thoufand, Aft, 2. 
 without the hands of the 120 j though at that 
 occafion the Apoftles might baptize fome like- 
 wife, there is no reafon to doubt. 
 
 VVhen therefore Paul fays, Chrifl: fent him net 
 to baptize, he intends not, that that Ordinance 
 was none of thofe things he had in Commiflion 
 to meddle with (for had it been fo, he went be- 
 yond his Commiflion in baptizing thofe few he 
 did baptize with his own Hands, which were ab- 
 furd to think, iich he was fo faithful a Servant 
 of Jefus Chrifl, and positively affirms, that he 
 ■would not dare to fpeal^ of any of thofe things which 
 Chrifl had not wrought by him ) to ma\e 'the Gentiles v> onit x - ; 
 obedient by Word or Died : The words [ not fent ] * \<&, 
 do not import not at all, as appears by thefe 
 Scriptures, John 6. 27. 1 Tim. 2. 14. Epbef. 6. 12. 
 therefore he muft mean not chiefly, or only fent 
 to baptize, but to preach the Gofpel , cr not 
 fent perfonally to do it, as I might further 
 C 3 make 
 
12 Gold Refind ; or, 
 
 make appear in refpeft of Chrift himfelf, who, 
 as Mediator of the New Teftament, (_ as hath 
 been proved,} received Command from the Fa- 
 ther to baptize ; but yet in the like fenfe ic 
 might be faid, he was not commanded to bap- 
 tize, i. i. personally to difpenfe the Ordinance 
 himfelf, for had he received fuch a Conimiffion^ 
 he had not fulfilled it ', for howbeit, it is faid 
 he baptized more Difciples than John, yet he 
 himfalf difpenfed Baptifm to none with his own 
 Hands, John 4.1,2. but by the Hands of his 
 Difciples. 
 
 If what we have faid here in Anfwer to this 
 Objection were well confidered, it will appear 
 to confute fuch who object againft the practice 
 of Baptifm, for want of a due and lawful Mini- 
 fter or Adminiftrator, indued with an extraordi- 
 nary Call and Power to work Miracles. 
 
 Sith the Aft of baptizing is a more inferior 
 thing than that of preaching the Gofpel, and 
 {hat any gifted Difciple may baptize •, all that is 
 recorded of Ananias firnefs or qualification 
 ( who baptized Paul') is, that he was a Difci- 
 ple, Afts 9. 10. And there yvas a certain Difciple at 
 Damafcus named Ananias -, and there is no caufe 
 to doubt but many fuch Difciples were imploied 
 ijn baptizing thofe 3900 converted by Petef% 
 Sermon, Atts 2. io that there is no reafon to tie 
 up this 'Adminiftration to ordinary Minifters or 
 Paftors of 'Churches, much lefs to the great A- 
 pottles, or fuch who have an extraordinary 
 Miflion, fith Paid faith he was not fent to bap- 
 tize, intimating, as you heard, that that work 
 was not limited to the Apoftclical Office, or 
 that ic muft be done by Men extraordinarily 
 qualified and called forth, and none elfe. 
 
 More" 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 23 
 
 Moreover, whereas 'tis faid by fome, that he 
 who takes ijpon him to baptize, ought to- have 
 Power to work Miracles as the Apoftles did; 
 this (hems very ftrange, feeing the Text faith 
 exprefly, that John the Eaptift,the firftandmoft %/;. 10.41, 
 eminent Baptizer, did no Miracle, yet the ' , 
 People made no Objection againfl him, or his 
 Power to baptize notwithstanding. 
 
 Quefl. But had not John an exprefs Com- 
 miffion. to baptize ? 
 
 Anfiv: That his Baptifm was from Heaven, or 
 that he did receive Command to baptize,, 'tis evi- 
 dent ; yet we read not when or how he received 
 fuch Commifllon; but let his Commiffion be 
 what it would, and never fo full, it could not be 
 fuller or more plain than the CommiiTion we 
 have left us by Jefus Chrift, Mat. 28. 19, 20. 
 
 Go, teach all Nations, baptfyng them and lo, 
 
 1 am with you always, to the end of the Word. 
 
 Now as this Commiffion authorizes the Difci- 
 ples of Jefus Chrift to preach to the end of the 
 World, fo it equally impowers them to baptize ; 
 and the fame Argument that is brought againfl 
 baptizing, vi\. not having an extraordinary Miffi- 
 on, holds as ftrong againfl Preaching, and the 
 practice of all Ordinances whatfoever as well 
 as that; therefore how cftngerous a thing is it 
 for any to plead far the non-continuance of 
 Baptifm in the Church, or to fay it ceafed when 
 the extraordinary Gifts ceafed, fith there is no 
 other Commiffion that injoyns Chrift Y Difci pies 
 to preachy &c. but that which as we.Il. injoyns 
 them to baptize thofe who are difcipled by the 
 Word. 
 
 Objetf. Eux fince the pra&ice of Baptifm 
 in Water was loft in the Apoftacy, how could 
 it be reftored again without a new Miffion ? 
 
 • C 4 Anfw. 
 
24 Gold Kefind •, or, 
 
 Anjw. That makes againft the Reftoration of 
 other Gofpel-Ordinances which ^vere loft as 
 well as Baptifm, in refpeft of the Purity of 
 them, as pra&ifed in the Primitive Times: 
 But as the Children of Ifrael had loft for. ma- 
 ny Years the Ordinance of the Feaft oj Taber- 
 nacles, yet by reading in the Eook of the Law 
 there was fuch a thing required, they imme- 
 diately revived it and did as they found it 
 written without any new Miflion, or extraor- 
 dinary Prophet to authorize diem fo ; to do 5 
 even fo ought we to acl, God's Word being 
 a Warrant fufficient to juftify us in fo doing. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Shewing what. B apt i fin is from the literal 
 and true genuine and proper Significa- 
 tion of the word Baptifm. 
 
 I 
 
 N fhewing the ^gnification of the word Bap- 
 tlfm, we will, with all Impartiality, give the 
 Judgment of the Learned \ 'tis a Greek word, 
 therefore let us fee what the Learned in that 
 Tongue generally have, and do arnrm to be the 
 exprefs f ignificaticn thereof ; And fuch hath been 
 our care and pains, together with a Friend of 
 f Mr. De- nutifcj (Tome time fince deceafed *, who was 
 Jaime. feveral months in my Houfe ) as to examine the 
 Writings of divers eminent Men upoa this Ac- ' 
 count, amongft which are Scapula and Stephanas, 
 Pafor,- Minfhew, and LeigbsCritka Sacra 3 Orotic., 
 Voffiuf, Cafaubon, Stlden, Mr. Daniel Rogers, Midi, 
 'fbapiiers;, Dr, T^y/or, Dr. fiwmond, Dr. Cave, Hi* 
 
 jjchirn^ 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 2 5 
 
 fycbhis, Bnd<ew, ^e^Erafmm^chanan^LutkYjllyrU 
 cut, Zanchy, Ola/fins, &c. who with many other 
 Learned Men, nay all indeed who are imparcial, 
 
 i agree with one Voice, that the primary, proper, 
 and literal fignification-of Bct-sr-n'^y, Baptijo is 
 
 i tnergo, iwnwgo, fubmergOyAbruo, item tingo quod fit 
 
 ! imwrgcndo, that is, in Englifh, to mmerge, plunge 
 under, overwhelm, as alfo to dip, which fs done 
 
 i by plunging. 
 
 True in a lefs proper or remote fenfe, becaufe 
 things that are wafhed, are commonly dipped or 
 covered all over in Water, it is put for warning, 
 Lnfyn.^S. Hzb. 9. 10. Mirlfj.q. And we 
 dare modeftly aflert, that no Greek Author of 
 any credit, whether Heathenifh or Chriftian, 
 has ever put Baptizing for Sprinkling, or ufed 
 thofe words promifcuoufly ; the Greeks have a 
 peculiar word to exprefs Sprinkling, vb^, ppr'i- 
 £<y, Ranti^o, which as a Learned * Author ob- * S.Fifher, 
 ferves, is ever ufed in Scripture by the Holy Spi- 
 rit, when he fpeaks of fuch a thing as Sprinkling, 
 yea, 'tis ufajf three times in one Chapter, vi\. 
 Mb.- £.13,19,21. and is always translated Sprink- 
 ling : Neither is there, faith he, any one place 
 of Scripture, wherein the word £p/Ti£a is 
 rendred to baptise, or ufed to fignify baptizing : 
 Neither is there one Scripture wherein the word 
 B*TTif<y, Baptijo, is rendred Springing, or ufed 
 to fignify fuch a thing as Sprinkling. This being 
 Co y and certainly fo it is i How ftrangely hath 
 the World, and many Godly Chriftians, been 
 deceived, thinking they have been Baptized, 
 when in truth they never were to this day, but 
 only Aanti\ed. 
 
 We have had many long and tedious Difputes, 
 
 :and perplex'd Co nt rover fies, about the true 
 Form or Manner of Baptizing, whereas che thing 
 
 in 
 
26 Gold Refin>d^ or, 
 
 in difference, is properly not the Manner or 
 FormofEaptizing, but what Baptifm is j for, as i| 
 one obferves, A Man may ride many ways, vi\.'\ 
 Eaft, Weft, &c. backward, forward, apace, 
 or.flowly, &c. yet all this is riding ftill, whilft 
 the Man moves to and fro on Horfe-back, be- 
 caufe the very formality of that A&ion of riding, 
 confifts in being carried by a Beaft y but while he 
 moves upon his own Legs up apd down, you can- 
 not at that time denominate him riding. Inl 
 like manner a Man may be Bapttyd [ Anglke,\ 
 Dipped ~] or put under the Water many ways,! 
 vi\* forward, backward, Tideway, towards the 
 right Hand or Left, with a quick or flow Motion, -,\ 
 and yet all the while be Baptized ; if he is puc i 
 under the Water, for in fuch refpecYthe Form cr 
 manner of Baptizing, i.e. Dipping) dothconfift : 
 the manner of Baptizing is one thing, and the | 
 manner of Rantizing is another : Sprinkling is : 
 Sprinkling, let it be done how you pleafc, buc { 
 i t never was, nor never will be Baptizing. 
 
 And that Baptifm is any thing jgfe than Dip- i 
 ping* or Warning, which is by plunging ofdip- 
 ping, we do utterly deny ; for as the cutting oft' 
 a little bit of the Foreskin of the Flefli, and i 
 Circumcfr not the twentieth part round, is not Circumci- i 
 /torty a cut- fion 3 fo fprinklinga little Water on the Face is | 
 'ting the not Baptifm : As .it would be ridiculous, and ve- j 
 fire-Sty* ry abfurd to call that Circumciiion, fo it is as falfe ij 
 "round about and ridiculous to call Sprinkling, Baptizing. 
 quite off. If Accidentals, or meer Acceifaries, be. want- ; 
 
 ing unto Baptifm £ faith one ) there may be I 
 right Baptifm notwithftancfing, but abftraft die | 
 abfolutely Necelfaries, 'tis not only none of the i 
 Baptifm of-Chrift, but truly not any Baptifm | 
 at ail. 
 
Baft if m in its Trimitive Parity. 27 
 
 Objett. But the word Bsltti^co, though it fig- 
 tifies not to Sprinkle, yet not only to Dip and 
 overwhelm in Water, but alfo to Wafh, and 
 "0 'tis rendred in the Lexicons, as mull be ac- 
 knowledged by you. 
 
 Anfw. If the word Bclitti^u do fignify to 
 wafh, yet it is a real total vvaihing, only fuch a 
 warning as is by Dipping, Plunging, or Twilling 
 the Subject in Water, and that fignificacion is 
 far off from Sprinkling : Can any thing be faid to 
 be truly wafh'd, that hath only a little Water 
 fprinkled upon it ? Danvers 
 
 The beft Lexicons, and moft eminent Cri- Treatife of 
 ticks, as well as the holy Scripture, do moft Baptijm, 
 plainly decide the Controverfy, as Mr. Danv&s 2d. Edit. 
 and others obferve. p. 1 8 2. 
 
 . Scapula and Stephens, two as great Mafters of 
 the Greek Tongue as moft we have, do tell us, 
 in their Lexicons, that &Mrri£»> from B&wtw, 
 fignifies mer go dimmer go, obno\ item tingo, quod fit 
 immergtndQ) inficer{ imbusre, viz. to dip, plunge, 
 overwhelm, put under, cover over, to die in 
 colour, which is done by plunging. 
 
 Grotius fays it fignifies to dip over Head and Grotius. 
 Ear s. 
 
 Pafor, An Imraerfton, Dipping, or Subrner- Pafor. 
 fion. 
 
 Voffius fays, It implieth a warning the whole Voffius. 
 Body. 
 
 Mhcozm in tys Dictionary, fays, that Banrnffua. Mwcsus. 
 a, BaTTjJ'o;, h in the Latin Baptipnus, in the 
 Dutch Doopfct, or Doopen Baptipnm or Baprifme, to 
 dive or duck in Water ; and the fame with the • 
 Hebrew Tabal> which the Septuigint, or Seventy ^3£3 
 Interpreters, render by BctTTi(eo, Baptlfo to 
 dip, as thefe Texts in the old Teftamesc fhew, 
 Gen. 37, 31. Exod. 12.22. Lev. 4, 6. and 17. 14. 
 
 Dent. 
 
28 GoldRefmd) or, 
 
 Dent. 2,3. 24. Num. 1 6. 18. 2 King. $. 14, &c. 
 Cafau- This, faith Cafaubon, was the Rite of Bapti 
 
 bon. zing, that Perfons were plunged into the Wai 
 
 ter, which tte very word Bapti\o fufficiently de I 
 monfh ates. Which as it does not extend fo fai 
 as to fink down to the Bottom, to the hurt o 
 the Perfon, fo is it not to fwim upon the Saj 
 
 perficies — Baptifm ought to be adminiftrec [ 
 
 by plunging the whole Body in Water. 
 
 Dr. Du- Alfo I find our late Famous, Learned, and Re^i 
 
 Veil. verend Dr. Du-Veil, in his Literal Explanation; 
 
 ofrhe^/, Chap. 1. verf. 5. citing the fame! 
 
 Author in thefe words, The word MmrY^Gm 
 
 favs Cafaubon, is to dip or plunge, as if it werdl 
 
 to dye Colour. 
 
 Liegh. Leigh in his Critica Sacra, faith, its native and! 
 
 proper iignification, is to dip into the Water, on 
 
 to plunge underwater, Mat. 3. 6. AttsS. 38J 
 
 and that it is taken from a Dyer's Fat,and imports 1 
 
 a dying, or giving a frefh Colour •-, for whichj 
 
 alfo he quotes Cafaabon, Bucanan, Bullhger, ZancbyA 
 
 Spankm'ms : Ke faith withal, that fome would jl 
 
 have it fignify Warning •, which fenfe Erajmus^ 
 
 he fliith, oppofed, affirming that it was not other-] 
 
 wife fo, than by Confequencej for the proper j 
 
 fignification was fuch a dipping or plunging, 
 
 as Dyers ufefor dying of Clothes. 
 
 De prim. Salmafim faith/that that is not Baptifm which,! 
 
 paP<e,p,ioz. they give to Children, but Kantifin. 
 
 Beza. ' B®@i on Mat.%. 1 1. . faith, the word Bapti^o fig- j 
 niffes to dye, by dipping or wafhing. 
 De Jure Selden faith, That the Jews took that Baptifm 
 Nat, &c. wherein the whole Body was not baptized, to j 
 I.2.C.2. be void. 
 
 Treatife of ' m Mr. Darnel Rogers faith, That the Minifter is to . 
 Sacr.parA. dip in Water, as the meeteft Aft the word Bap-\ 
 c.3.p,i77. tfy notes it, for the Greeks wanted not other 
 
 words 
 
B aft i 'fin in its Primitive Purity. 29 
 
 words to exprefs any other Aft befides Dipping, 
 if ;he Inftitution could bear it. What refem- 
 blance of the Burial and Refurreftion of Chrift 
 is in Sprinkling ? All Antiquity and Scripture . 
 confirm, that it was Dipping. 
 
 If you would, faith Dr. Taylor, attend to the Rule of 
 proper fignification of the word, Baptifm iigni- Confciexce, 
 fies plunging in Water, or dipping with wafli- 1. 3.C.4. 
 ing. 
 
 . In the Synod of Celichyth, where Wolfred Arch- An.D.2r6. 
 Bifhop of Canterbury prefided, as 'tis cited by 
 Dr. Da-Veil, it was ordered that the Presbyters 
 fhould rake- heed, that when they adminiftred 
 the Sacrament of Baptifiri, they (hould not do 
 it by pouring Water, but always by plunging, ac- 
 | cording to the Example of the Son of God, 
 j who was plunged in the Waters of Jordan. 
 
 The fame Reamed Author affirms, this was 
 I the conftant practice of the Univerfal Church, till 
 1 the time of Clement the $tb, who #£is crowned 
 jPope, faith he, Anno 1305, under whom firft 
 of all the Second Synod of Ravenna approved 
 the Abufe introduce into fome Churches, about 
 an hundred Years before that Bapjifm, without 
 any Neceflity, fhould be adminiftred by Afper- 
 fion. Hence, faith he, it came to pafs, that con- 
 trary to the Analogy, or intended myfticai iig- 
 nification of this Sacrament, all the Wed, for 
 the moft part in this Age, they ufe Rantijm, 
 that is, Sprinkling inftead of Baptifa, -as Zepper 
 fpea.ks, -to the great fcandal of the. Greeks and 
 Ruffians, who to this day plunge into the Water 
 thofe they Baptize, and deny any one rightly CW.Flor. 
 baptized, who is nqt plung'd into the Water, §.9. e.g. & 
 according to the Precept of Chrift, as we may livuf Infant 
 find in Sylvefkr, Sguropulus, and CaffMder 5 -the Sapti fm y 
 .Cuftomof the Ancient Church was not Sprink- p 693. 
 
 ling, 
 
3<d Gold Kefiud \ or^ 
 
 ling, but Immerfion, in purfuance of the fenf 
 of the word Bapti^p in the Commandment, an 
 Duffer Da- f t j, e Example of our Bleffed Saviour, fait 
 to.L3.a4. Dr. Taylor. 
 
 Reg.i$. t The Greek word Baptein, Q faith Salmaftm 
 Num.9. ^ f com w hich the word Baptism derives, fign 
 ^.Martins fi es immerfion ', not did the Ancients othei 
 Lije,N.i6. ways Baptize, 
 
 Diatribe on Mr * J^fo ^ e ^ e -^h* f ^ at ^ ere was no f m 
 Titus 2 2 t ^' mg as s P Yllt k!' m S or Rantifm ufed in Baptifm i 
 *' 'the Apoflles Days, nor many Ages after: He ha 
 fpoke more proper if he had {aid, there was n 
 Rantifm- ufed in the Apoflles Days-buc Eaptifn 
 than to fay no Rantifm- ufed in Baptifm, fith h 
 could not be ignorant but that they are twi 
 diflind Actions, and it*cannot be Baptifm at al 
 if it be only Sprinkling or Rantifm as is nov 
 ufed, Dipping or Immerfion being the ver 
 Thing, not an Accident, but an Effential, fo ah 
 folutely n^fefTary, that it can't be the thin 
 without it. 
 Pan. Car j^ ancient Vfe of Baptifm, faith Cbamier, wa 
 thol.Tom.4. to dip the whole Body into the Element, therefore *dl 
 I.5. c.2.i John baptise h a River. 
 Annfhai. m Neither is it amifs to give you what Br. Ham 
 John 1 2. V mon d fpeaks upon this account in his Annota 
 Mat. 2. uons upon John 13. 'to. where he faith, tha 
 Ba'ttJi^Q- fignifies an Immerfion, or washing th 
 whole Body, and which anfwereth to the Hebrew 
 Word n^DB" ufed for dipping in the Old Teftament 
 and therefore tells m upon Matth. 3. j. that Johr 
 baptised in a River, vi\. in Jordan, Mark i.-$ 
 in a Confluence of Water* as _/£non, John 3. 23 
 ■ becaufe "'tis f aid there was much Water ; which he fur- 
 ther makes out by the -Name by which the Greek; 
 called the Lakes where they ufed to wafh; alfo th 
 Ancients, he favs, called their Baptifterions, or th 
 
Bavtifm in its Primitive Purity. 3 1 
 
 Veffels containing their Baptifmal Water, Colum- 
 bethras, w?;, fw'mming or diving-places, being 
 made very -large with Partitions for Men and Wo- 
 men. 
 
 To all thefe famous Authors, ic may do well 
 to add our lace Annotations, begun by the 
 Learned Mr..p00/,newly printed,fee what they fay Poofr 
 on Mat. 5. 6. A great part of tbofi 'who went out to Annotat. 
 hear John win baptised, that is, dipped in Jordan, 
 and on Mai. 28. 20. fay they, it is true, the fir ft 
 Bavtifm of which we read in holy Writ, were by Dipping 
 the Ptrfons bapli\etL 
 
 The Dutch Tranflation, according to their 
 Language, reads Dipping. 
 
 Matth. 3. 20. Jefm ge doopt \ijnde, is terftont 
 opgt-klommon uit bet Water. 
 
 And when Jefus was dipp'd he came out of 
 the Water ; hence they, for John the Eaptift, 
 read John the Dipper ', and for he. baptized 
 them, be dipp'd them. Why our Translators, who 
 have been fo faithful and exad generally in all 
 things £as is acknowledged by all Learned Godlv 
 Men in the tranflating the holy Bible ) fhould 
 leave the word Baptifm ( it being a Greek 
 Wordj and not translate it into our Language, as 
 the Dutch have done into theirs, I know nor, 
 unlefs it were to favoifr their own Practice of 
 Bantifing or Sprinkling, which the word Baptix? 
 will in no wife bear, as is confeft by a whole 
 . cloud of Witnelfes. 
 
 Mr. Ball in his Catechifm renders it warning Ball. 
 I by Dipping. 
 
 See alfo Dr. Ames in his Marrow* of Divini- Boo^_ r. 
 ty. Cap. 404 
 
 Mr. Wilfon in his Di&iosary faith, to baptize, Wilfin. 
 is to dip into the Water, or to plunge one into. 
 I the Water. 
 
 Alfo 
 
32, Gold R (fin d; or± 
 
 Alfo in the Common-Prayer-Book dipping 
 into the Water is given as the proper and. pri- 
 mary Signification of the word. 
 
 We will leave this to the Confideration of 
 allthinking Men, ic being fo, i. e. that Baptifm 
 is Dipping or Plunging the Body all over in Wa- 
 ter, whether Infants can be the Subjects' of it, 
 fith their tender Bodies cannot bear being plun- 
 ged thus into the Water in cold Climates, with- 
 out palpable danger of their Lives. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Proving that Baftifm is dipping, plunging, 
 and covtring the Body all over in 
 Water from the PraBice of the Pri- 
 mitive Times. 
 
 CErtainly no better courfe or way in the 
 next place we can take to find out what 
 Baptifm is, than to examine the Scripture, and 
 fee what the thing was which the Saints pradi- 
 fed in the Primitive Time, where we read they. 
 did baptize, or were baptized: for as the Jews 
 in Circumcifion air along were to praclife that 
 Rite, as it was commanded, and pra&ifed by 
 Abraham '-, and keep the Pafleover as it was given 
 to them from the Lord by Afofes, together with 
 all other Ordinances and " Services whatfoever, 
 it behoved them to obferve the firft or Primi- 
 tive Inftitution and Practice of every particular 
 Duty, and were not to derogate from thence 
 in any thing whatfoever i and .for their adulte- 
 rating 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity* 33 
 
 rating any of the Ordinances of God, they 
 brought themfelves under the Wrath of God, 
 and many heavy Judgments from him, v.s the 
 Old Teftament doth fufficiently vvitnefs ', fo it 
 behoveth us, I fay, to fee to the frrft or Pri- 
 mary InfHcution and Practice of Baptifm in the 
 Gofpel-Time, that being a Pattern or Rule to 
 us, and to all Chriftians to the end of the World, 
 in rcfpec~t of every Gofpel-Ordinance ; and if 
 we derogate from that Rule, we muft expect to 
 meet with fharp Rebuke from the Almighty firft 
 or lair. Now that that Ordinance which is called 
 Baptifm, is Immerfion, Dipping, or Plunging into 
 Water, will appear, tf we obferve the Practice 
 of John the Baptift, who was the firft that was 
 fent by Chrift to baptize; read Mit. %.6. he 
 'tis positively faid baptized in a River, vi\. in 
 the River Jordai. 
 
 Diodate on this place in his Annotations, faith Diodate 
 lie plunged them in Water •, and our late Anno- Annotat. 
 tators fay he dipp'd them in Jordan. Pool's 
 
 Moreover 'tis faid that John was baptising in Amotat. 
 J$xior\maY Salimj the Reafon is given, becanfe Joh. 2, 2?, 
 tbm riffu much Water. Now if it had not been 
 dipping or covering the Body in Water, this 
 could be no reafon, for a little Water would 
 have ferved to fprinkk thoufands, as Cornelm 
 a, Lapide notes. 
 
 Pifcator on this Paflage faith* that Baptifm Was See Mr. 
 dipping the Body in Water. Gofnold's 
 
 Alfo our late Annotators t upon the place fay Doclrine cj 
 thus, yi\. It is from hence apparent, that both Ckifi Baptifm, 
 on& John baptised by dipping the Body in the Water, p a g. 20- 
 life [bey need not have fought places where had been + p olV 
 a great pUnty of Water, they fay well, and lei's Annot. ori 
 they could not fpeak unlefs they would ftifle j i 1# 2.23. 
 their Confciences, or offer Yieknce K> their 
 D Reafon : 
 
34 Gold Refin'd; or, 
 
 Reafon : but if they ha,d from hence faid, it is 
 apparent that Chrift and John Bapti%td, and not 
 R&ntk$d Perfons, they had come off better, and 
 had undeceived the People. 
 
 Secondly, 'Tis faid when our bit fled Saviour 
 
 , was baptized by John in Jordan; he went up 
 
 Aft' a 8 rtraightway out of the Water, &c. and Philip 
 
 Acts 8. 3 > anc j l j le £ um < n 'tis- faid went both down into 
 
 3?' the Water, and that they came up out of the 
 
 Water. 
 
 The Affembly in their Annotations on tins 
 Text, fay, they were wont to dip the whole Bo- 
 dy ; and Pifcator on the place £ as I find him 
 quoted by a worthy Divine ") faith, the ancient 
 manner of Baptifm was that, the whole Body 
 was dipp'd into the Water. 
 
 Certainly it had been a vain and weak thing 
 for them to have gone down into the River to 
 be fprinkled with a little Water. 
 
 There is no ground to think they would ever 
 have done fo, if Sprinkling or Rantifm had been 
 the Ordinance required of them, the manner 
 was not to apply Water to the Subieft, as fome 
 do, but the Subject' to (nay into) the Water. 
 
 In Mx>\ i. 9. Tis faid, Jefus was baptized 
 of John in Jordan : Now, faith one on this place, 
 it had been non-fenfe for Mart^ to fay that Jefus 
 was baptized in Jordan, if it had been fprink* 
 ling, becaufe the Greek reads it into Jordan, 
 Ei? 70V 'loqJailuj, could Jefus be faid to be 
 fprinkled into Jordan ? 'tis proper to fay he was 
 bapnz'd, that is, dipp'd into Jyrdan, and that 
 was the Ad and nothing elfe, 2s all the Learned 
 acknowledg. 
 
 Moreover, Philip needed not to have put that 
 noble Perfon, who was a Man of great Authority 
 under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians;, to .the 
 
 trouble 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 3 5 
 
 trouble to come out of his Chariot ("if Sprink- 
 ling had been Baptifm) and to go into the 
 Water and dip him ; or if Sprinkling might Hare 
 done as well as Dipping, fure Philp would on 
 this occafion have difpenfed with Immerfion, 
 and let Rantifm have ferved, considering he was 
 a great Man and en a Journey ; he might have 
 fetch'd a little Water in his hand and have 
 fprinkled him in the Chariot. But as Philip 
 had preach'd Baptifm to him, fo there is like 
 ground to think that the Eunuch very well »n- 
 derllood what it was, and readily fubmitted to 
 it •, but if Sprinkling would not excufe them, I 
 know not how any Chriftian can think it may 
 excufe us in thefe days ; we have no Reafon to 
 think Chrift Jefus, or his Apoftles, did do or 
 teach any thing in vain, yet fo we muffc con- 
 clude, if he went into a River to receive no more 
 than Sprinkling ; and fo we muft think of Philip 
 and the Eutuch alfo. 
 
 . But to proceed, here I cannot well omit that 
 which Mr. Daniel Rogers, a mofl worthy EngliOl Rogers fa 
 Writer, hath faid in a Treacife of his, It ought his Treatije 
 ( faith he ) to be the Churches part to cleave to the of the tw6 
 Inftitution+ which is Dipping, efpeciaUy it being not SicramWtt^ 
 left arbitrary by our Church to' the Difcrefion of the par,r 1. 
 Mniflcry but required to dip or divt : And further cha£. 5. 
 faith, that he betrays the Church, whofe Officer he is, 
 to a dijordefd Error, if he cleave not to the Infiituti* 
 on, rphich is to Dip. What abundance of Be- 
 trayers" 'of the Truth and Church too have we 
 in thefe da^s ? How little is the Inftitucion or 
 Practice of the Primitive Chriftians minded a- 
 mongft many good Men ? and where is the Spi- 
 rit of Reformation ? And doubtlefs that fa- 
 mous Author, and Learned Cncick Cafahbon 
 was in the right $ will you have his words ; 
 D 2 "I 
 
Gold Refind \ or, 
 
 " I doubt not, faith he, but, contrary to our 
 " Churches Intention, this Error having once 
 j i, " crept in, is maintained fhll by the Carnal 
 " Eafe of fuch as, looking more at themfelves 
 " than at God, ftretch the Liberty of the 
 " Chupch in this cafe deeper and further than 
 " either the Church her felf would, or the So- 
 " lemnefs of this Sacrament may well and fafely 
 
 " admit. Afterwards further faith, I confeis 
 
 " my felf unconvinced by Demonfiration of 
 " Scripture far Infants Sprinkling. 
 
 But Oh! how hard is it to retraft»an Error 
 which has been fo long and generally received, 
 efpecially when there is Carnal Eafe and Profit 
 attending the keeping of it up, and when the 
 contrary Practice, I mean dipping, is look'd up- 
 on fo contemptible a thing, and thofe who do 
 it are daily, by the ignorance of foolifh Men, 
 reproached and vilified, as it is now as well as in 
 former days. 
 
 Ads. 8. 58. And they went' both down into 
 
 tkt Water, bath Philip and the Eunuch, and he- 
 baptised him. 
 
 f We may fee, faith Calvin, what fafhion the 
 53. " Ancients had to adminifter Baptifm, for they 
 " plunged the whole Body into the Water : 
 " The ule with us is now, faith he, that the 
 44 Mjnifter carts a few drops of Water only upon 
 " the Bpdv, 01 upon &.%. Head. 
 
 And upon John's baptizing in Mnon near Sa- 
 iim, Jch.o,. 23. faith the fame Calvin, "From 
 " this place we may gather that John and Chriji 
 " adminifrred Baptifm by plunging the whole 
 " Body into the Water. 
 
 The Learned C ajet xuupon Mat. 5. 5. faith, 
 Chrift sfcended out of the Water j therefore 
 Chrift wa* baptized by John, nee by fprinking. 
 
 or 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 3 7 
 
 or by pouring Water upon him, but by Immer- 
 fion, that is, by dipping or plunging into the 
 Water. 
 
 Moreover, Mtfculits on Mat. 3. calls Eaptifm Mufcul. en 
 Dipping, and faith, the Parties baptized were .-^6*. 3. 
 dipped, ilot fprinkkd. 
 
 Objift. But it is (till objected, Sprinkling is 
 Baptizing, fay you what you will \ and Baptifm 
 fignifies Sprinkling as well as Dipping. 
 
 Anfw. To this we always anfwer, and again 
 fay and teftify, that the Greek word to fprinfye; 
 is, g^FTif*, Rantixp ; and that the Tranflators 
 themfelves never fo much as once, in all the New 
 Te (lament, render Baptifm, Sprinkling 5 and 
 where is the Man that affirms the word fignines 
 Sprinkling f 
 
 Objett. But the word Biptkp will bear VVafli- 
 ing. 
 
 AjiJw. V Ve anfwer then, Tis filth wafhing as 
 is done by dipping •, fo much as is baptfyd, or 
 warned, is dip'd, and your Rantifm is no warn* 
 ing j and we alio fay, and that too with good 
 Authority, that though the word Baptitpdoth 
 fometimes allow of that Acceptation, yet it is 
 not the direct, immediate, genuine, and prima- 
 ry fignification of it, for that is to dip, or 
 plunge, as you fee in the Lexicons. But at the 
 beft 'tis but indirectly,collateraIly,by the by £as 
 one obferves ) fo meant, or improperly and re- 
 motely, that it fo fignifies : And we ask, Whe- 
 ther when we try any Master by the fignirlcation 
 of the word as 'tis in the Original, we fhall go 
 t6 the direct, original, prime, and proper, -or 
 to the occasional, remote, indirect and impro- 
 per iigniucation to be tried by ? Your practice 
 ic feems is built only upon the indirect, impro- 
 per and remote acceptation of the word, and 
 D 3 there- 
 
3 3 Gold Refijfd\ or, 
 
 therefore is at belt only an uncouth, indirect, im- 
 proper and far-fetcrfd pra&ice •, and indeed, as 
 the word is found in Scrip ture,refpe&ing ChrifVs 
 Ordinance of Baptifm, it is evident to all whack 
 fignifies. 
 
 Objeft. But the Pbarifees ; Ma:t\ j. 4. held 
 th* rvtfhing of Hands , Veffils, Cups, Pots, and 
 Bids, &c. and there VVafliings are called Bap* 
 tifm. 
 
 Anfw. Yea, and what then, for, faith Mt.WUfii, 
 to baptize, is to dip or plunge primarily, and 
 Signifies fuch a warning as is ufedi in Bucks where- 
 in Linnen is plunged and dip'd ; and thus they 
 wafh'd their Veflels, Hands, and Cups, zi\. they 
 (willed, rinfed, cleanfed, and totally warned, 
 dip'd, or wetted them all over wich Water, or 
 elfe you may be furc it could never be laid they 
 baptized them. But, Sirs, who-ever wafhes 
 'JJands, Cups, Pots, or Beds," by fprinkJing a 
 few Drops of VVater upon them ? there is 
 no wafhing by fuch a kind of Sprinkling. O 
 that you would give over fuel* Arguing, fince 
 the practice of Baptifm in the Primitive Times 
 doth, as you have heard, evidently (hew that 
 the Baptized were always dipped all over in 
 'Water; Certainly 'tis no Baptifm at all, if not 
 foadminiftred. 
 
 Cb'yM. Poth it follow that we muft Baptize 
 fo now ? That was hi a hot Country ; but we 
 live in a cool Climate, and when Children were 
 pipt, fome of them died ; and Ged will bivi 
 Jitrey^ not Sacrifice. 
 
 Aifa. Ought you not to make Qod's Word 
 your Rule ? Have yen a Difpenfation to make the 
 Commandments of God void by your Tradi- 
 tions, ? yye conclude, the Inftitution of Chrift; 
 and the Pra&ice of the Primitive Church, ought 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity, 39 
 
 co be followed in all things as near as we can. But 
 you fay this is a cold Climate : Pray, Sirs, did 
 not Chrift, when he gave forth his Commiflion 
 to his Apoftles, to teach and make Difciples, 
 and Baptize, bid them go into all the World, 
 and into- all Nations ? Were they not to go into 
 cold Countries as well as Hot ? And, were # they 
 not to teach the fame Doctrine, and adminifter 
 the fame Ordinances alike where-ever they 
 come ? Or, did he tell them they fhould Baptivj 
 thofe in hot Countries that were Difciples, and 
 fomtiy fuch who received the Word in cold 
 Countries ? Unlefs you can prove this, I am furc 
 all you fay is nothing. 
 
 Certainly you were as good never pretend 
 to Baptize, but wholly deny it, and caft it off as 
 a low and carnal Thing, as fome do, as to do 
 another thing in the room of it, which Chrift 
 never commanded, and call it his Ordinance ; 
 Which we do declare and teflify, by the Autho- 
 rity of God's Word, and a great Cloud of Wit- 
 ness, who all underftand the Greek Tongue, 
 (_ may be better than fome of you do ) that 'tis , 
 no Baptifra at all, but a thing of Man's devifing 
 brought in, in the room of ChrilVs Baptifm, and 
 unjuftly fathered upon him. 
 
 Sirs, How dare you, In the Name of the Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Holy Qhoft, fay, J Baptise thee, &c. 
 when you do but Ranti\e the Perfon ? for you 
 neither dip the Perfon, # nor wafh him. Has the 
 Holy Trinity given you 'any Authority fo to do ? 
 For God'sfake, for time to come, ufe the Names 
 of thole Perfons by whofe Authority it was firfl 
 fet on foot and given forth, rill you can fhew. 
 you have Authority from Jefas Chrift to fprinr 
 k]e, or pour a little Water upon the # Face of a 
 poor Infant, or an adult Perfon. Nor is ic any 
 D 4 marvel. 
 
4<3 Cold Refind-, or, 
 
 marvel, when they did dip poor Children in 
 Water, that fome of them died, (1th they are 
 not the true Subjefte of Baptifm ; if they had, 
 no doubt God would have preferved them, as 
 well as he did thofe Babes whom once he re- 
 quired to be Circurnciie \ Can any' believe 
 God would command any fuch thing to be done, 
 that mould endanger the Life of a Child ? that 
 was dcuDt!efs a juft Rebuke for the prophanation 
 of ChriiTs Wetted Ordinance, lie^ill one day, I 
 fear, fay, Who hath nqnind this at ynur hinds? 
 Nay, and who knows what Judgments and 
 VVratli may come upon this Land for the abo- 
 minable abufe of the Sacred Infticuucn of Bap- 
 tifm. God many times [hews Men their 5m, by 
 the punifhment he brings upon them, if ycu are 
 fo fond 'of Humane Traditions and Innovati- 
 ons. 
 
 Objtft. But why muft the whole Body be 
 dipp'd > may not the Head be fuffiCient, that be- 
 ing the principal Part? 
 
 An fa. I mull confefs, in a late Difcourfe I had- 
 with a Minifler of the Church of England, he 
 pleaded for this, feeing he eoui"d not defend Ran- 
 tlj'm. But to give a direct Anfwer, pray confider 
 whether it be the Perion, (_vl\. the Man or Wo-- 
 man) or part of the Perion that Chriil com- 
 manded to be baptized j if not the whole Body, 
 why. might it noc ferve only to warn or dip the 
 Hand' ? Eut if it were tke Hands only, or the 
 Feet; or the Head only that was to be gapcized, 
 I*, f. dipped, a fmallVeflel of Water would have 
 ferved, and no need for Chifl or John to have 
 gone into Rivers and Places where there was 
 much Water, to baptize. 
 
 2. Is itnotfaid, John baptized him, i.e. our 
 bleiled Saviour, not part of him : Eut as the blef- 
 • - - fed 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 4t 
 
 fed Virgin bore him in her Womb, and brought 
 hl'n forth, and laid him in a Manger $ fo John bap- 
 tized, or dipped him, that is, his whole Body in- 
 to Jordan, or in the River Jordan. Moreover, 
 *cisfaid, Afts 8. 12. fheytpgrt baptised, both Men 
 and Womin, ( that is, the Bodies, the whole Bodies 
 of thofe Men and Women) and not fome Part 
 or Members of them : If this be not granted, 
 we mall be run into many ftrange Abfurdities ai- 
 mofr every where in reading the Sctiptures, 
 
 3. To put this out of dou'ot, 'tis evident the 
 whole Body ought to be dipp'd or baptiz'd, be- 
 caufe'(aswe (hall fnew in the next Chapter) 
 Baptifm is a Figure of the Burial and Refur- 
 fe&icn of Jefus Chflft,. nay, called a Burial. 
 Now a Perfon is not faid to be buried, that is 
 nor totally covered in the Earth \ no more can a 
 Man be faid to be baptiz'd, except he be covered 
 all over in the Water. 
 
 4. We have fhewed how all the Learned a- 
 gree, and pot!tiveIy*aifert, that Baptifm was ad- 
 miniftred in the Primitive Times, by a total 
 dipping the Body in Water. And indeed at. 
 flrft, when this Innovation of Rantifm came in, 
 they »fed to fprinkle the Body all over, being 
 ftre it ivas not one Part, but the whole Body 
 that was to be baptized, and fo 'they Rantiz'd 
 the whole Body. But you are gone here too, 
 for you in (your Pract.ice,and in your own Senfe") 
 Baptize but the Face only \ fo that all your Peo- 
 ple are unbapcized Perfons, as evident as any. 
 thing- can be, take it how you will, if it fhould 
 be granted, I mean, that Sprinkling is Bap- 
 
 #tifm, 
 
 CHAP' 
 
42 GoldRcfiad -■> or. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 f roving that Baft if m if Dippings T lung- 
 ing, or Burying the whole Body in Wa- 
 ter, In the Name, &c. from the Spi- 
 ritual or Metaphorical figmfication of 
 thyf C off el- Ordinance or Adminiftra- 
 tion. 
 
 TO make it appear yet more fully, that Bap* 
 tifm is riot fprinkling, pouring, nor any 
 other thing, than dipping, plunging, or cover- 
 ing of the Body in Water, we fhali proceed to 
 examine what it was ordained for by our Lord 
 Jefus Chrift, to hold forth, -er to be a Sign or 
 Reprefentation of ; • for like as in the Holy Sacra- 
 ment of the Supper, it behoveth us to know, 
 what the breaking of the Bread, and pouring 
 forth of the Wine fignifies, or are Figures of; 
 fo in like manner we ought ( with as great care J 
 ro endeavour to know what is held forth, or re- 
 prefented to us, as the Holy Signs of the BlefTed 
 Sacrament of Baptifm *, for as all true Chrifti- 
 ans readily do confefs and agree with us, that the 
 Ordinar.ce cf the Lord's Supper is nor, cannot 
 be rightly nor truly adminmred, if the great 
 Ends and Defign of Jefus Chrift, in the Institu- 
 tion of it, are not anfwered thereby, or what 
 it was ordained and appointed to fignify, plainly 
 held forth and reprefented in its admmiftration \ 
 but it is contrary wife a .great abufe and propha- 
 
 nation 
 
Bavtifm in its Primitive Purity. ' 43 
 
 nation of It ; and from hence we, and all true 
 Proteftants, always fay, Let us keep to the exaft 
 words of the Inftitution, and manner of its firft 
 Celebration, that fo the great Things fignffied, 
 both by the breaking the Bread, and pouring 
 forth the Wine, may clearly appear, and be 
 reprefented in the Adminiftration thereof. 
 
 Now then, this is that which we affirm, -m. 
 That as the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was 
 ^rdained to hold forth the breaking of Chriffs 
 Body, and. the pouring forth of his Blood ; So 
 in like manner the Sacrament of Baptifin was 
 inftituted and appointed, to hold forth Chrift 
 was really dead,.buried, and that he arofe again 
 for our Jufhficajion. And that this is fo, we 
 fnall not only prove it from the plain Authority 
 of God's Word, but by the joint Teftimony of 
 almoft a 1 .! famous Writers and Divfnes we have 
 liiet with, Ancient or Modern. And indeed we 
 cannot but be much affefted with the great Love 
 and Goodnefs of our Blelfed Saviour in the In- 
 itiation of thefetwo great Ordinances, it being 
 his gracious Defign and Condefcention, hereby 
 to hold forth, or preach, as I may fay, to the 
 very fight of our vifible Eyes by thefe fir and 
 proper Mediums, the glorious Doclrine of his 
 Death, Burial, and Refurre&ion, which in the 
 Miniftration of the Word, is preached or held 
 forth to the hearing of our Ears, that fo we 
 might the better and more efte&ually be efla- 
 bliihed and grounded in the fure and ftedfaft 
 belief thereof-, which is indeed abfolutely ne- 
 ceflary to Salvation, as the Apoftle doth plainly 
 teftify, 1 Cor, 1 5. 1. a, 3, 4. Moreover, Brethren, 
 J declare unto you the Gofpel which I peached unto 
 you, which alfo you received , and wherein you 
 ft and y verf. u 
 
 By 
 
44 Gold Kefmd\ or, 
 
 • 
 
 By which alfi you are faved, if you fyep in memb- 
 ry what I preached unto you, nnUfs ye havt believed, 
 in vain, verf. 2. 
 
 For I delivered unto ytu firft of all, that which I 
 a!fo received, how Chrift died jor our Sins, according 
 to the Scripture, vcrf. 3. 
 
 And that he was buried, and that he rofe again the 
 thWd day acceding to the Scriptures, verf. 4. 
 
 This being fo, let none blame us for contend- 
 ing fa earnestly for this Ordinance according to 
 the Primitive Purity, or its Original Glory, 
 wherein, according to the gracious Defign of Je- 
 fus Chrift we daily receive, in beholding the Ad- 
 miniftration of this Sacrament,(as well as in the 
 Lord's Supper what is reprefented to us)fuch a blef- 
 fed ef lablifliment in the Truth of the Doctrine of 
 ChrifVs Deajh, Burial, and Refurreftion,as well as 
 in many other Refpe&s,the Profit and life appears 
 to us, no Ordinance being more fignificant, or 
 ordained upon more weighty and glorious Pur- 
 pofes and Defigns : for certainly, if we confider 
 the grand Errors and Herefies of the prefent 
 Age, fo boldly maintained amongftus, Q>y thofe 
 deceived People who cry up the Light within to 
 be the True Chrift ^ or that the Light or Power 
 •in that Perfon, called Jefivs of Nazareth, difrind 
 and apart from the Body that was Crucified, &c. 
 is all the Chrift they own) it will ckarly con- 
 vince us how gracious Chrift was to appoint this 
 Ordinance, bcfides the Word to confirm us in 
 the Belief, that thQ True Saviour was a Man, and 
 that he did die, and was buried, and rofe again, 
 which we fee in a Figure reprefented before our 
 Eyes, in the admihii rratibn of this Ordinance ; 
 And that this is fignified in Baptifm, we fhall 
 now prove i 
 
 ■n 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 45 
 
 Firft, From the Scripture. 
 
 Stcondfy, By the Confenc and Agreement of 
 2 Cloud of Witnelles. 
 
 1. The flrft Scripture is Rom, 6. Therefore we 
 jkt buried with Ckift in Baptijm : He feems, fay p 00 pj j^ m 
 our late Annctators, to allude to the manner of mat 
 Baptizing in thole warm Eaftern Countries, 
 which was to dip or plung the Party baptized, 
 and as it were to bury him for a while under 
 Water. 
 
 'Cajetan, upon this place, faith, we are buried Cajetan. 
 with him by Baptifm into Death. By our Bury- 
 ingjhe declares our Death by the Ceremony of 
 Baptifm ; becaufe he that is baptized is put un- 
 der Water, and by this carries a Similitude of 
 him that was buried, who was put under the 
 Earth now, becaufe none are buried but dead 
 Men — from this very thing that we are buried 
 in Baptifm, we are afllmufated to Chrift buried, 
 or when he* was buried. 
 
 The Atfemblite Annotations on this place of Affemblies 
 Scripture fay likewife thusf i, e. in this Phrafe Annetat, 
 the Apoftle feemed- to allude to the ancient 
 manner of Baptizing, which was to dip the ; 
 Party baptized, and as it were to bury them 
 under Water for a while, and thenraife them 
 tfp again out of it, to reprefent the Burial of 
 the old Man and our Refurredion to newnefs 
 of Life : the fame faith Diodate. 
 
 Tikmu^ a great Protefiant Writer, fpeaks Tilerlus h 
 fully in this cafe ; " Baptifm, faith he, is the bit Difput, 
 " firft Sacrament of the New Teflament, infti- p. 8 8 6,8 8 9 
 " tuted by Chrift, in which there is an exacl; 890. on 
 " Analogy between the Sign and the Tiling Rom. 3.4. 
 *\ fior.iried i the outward Kite in Baptifm is three- 
 fold: 
 
 I, Termer- 
 
A6 Gold Refined; or, 
 
 I." Tmmerfion into the Water. 
 
 2. Abiding under the Water. 
 
 3. A Refurre&ion out. of the Water. 
 The Form of Baptifm, vh. internal and etfen- 
 
 tial, is no other than the Analogical Proportion 
 whicfy the Signs keep with the Things fignified 
 thereby ; for the Properties of the Water in 
 warning away the Defilements of the Body, do 
 in a moft fuitable Similitude fet forth the Effi- 
 cacy of Chrift's Blood in blotting out of Sins *, 
 fo dipping into the Water doth in a moft lively 
 Similitude fet forth the Mortification of the old 
 Man, and rifing out of the Water, the Vivifi- 
 cation of the new Man : The fame plunging into 
 the Water, faith he, holds forth to us that hor- 
 rible Gulf of Divine Juftice, ia which Chrift, 
 for our fakes,was for a while in a manner fwallow- 
 ^ ed up — -abiding under the Water (how little 
 & rAve ' time foever ) denotes his Defcent into Hell * 
 even the very deepeft of Lifelefnef£ which ly- 
 ing in the fealed fir guarded Sepulchre, he 
 was accounted as one dead ; rifing out' of the 
 Water, holds forth to us a lively Similitude of 
 that Conqueft which this dead Man got over 
 Death in like manner, faith he, 'tis there- 
 fore meet that we being baptized into his Death 
 and buried with him, fhould rife alfo with him, 
 2nd fo go on in a new Lite, — ■ 
 Ambrofe. &• dmkrofi faith Water h that wherein thi Body 
 is plunged to wafh all Sin arviv, thert all Sin is 
 buried : we fuppofe he means 'tis a Sign of this, 
 to fhew that all Sin is buried. 
 
 Many other of the Ancient Fathers fpeak to 
 
 the fame purpofe, as is obferved by the famous 
 
 •SVf.D'.Du Sir Norton Knatchbul in his Learned Notes printed 
 
 Veil on at Oxford, i6tj. (cited by Dr.Da^Q the 
 
 ^icls 2. fen.e "and meaning of Peter Q faith he) cha: 
 
 Baptifm, 
 
Bapifm in its Vrimitive Tarity, 47 
 
 Baptifm, which now faves us by Water, that is, 
 by the ailiftance of Water, and is AntitypiCal 
 to the Ark of Noah, does not fignifie the laying 
 down the Filth of the Flefh in the Water, but 
 the Covenant of a good Confciense towards 
 God, while we are plung'd in the Water, which 
 is the true ufe of Water in Baptifm, thereby 
 to teftify our Belief in the Re furred ion of JefuS' 
 Chrift. '■> fo that there is a manifeft Antlthsfs be- 
 tween thefe words by Water, and by the Rejmrefti- 
 on i Nor is the Elegancy of it difpleailng. c &s 
 jf he fhould fay, the Ark of Noah, not the Floc&i, 
 was a Type of Baptifm, and Baptifm was an 
 Antitype of the Ark, not as Baptifm is a wafh- 
 ing away the Filth of the Flefh by Water, 
 wherein it anfwers not at all to the Ark, but as 
 it is the Covenant of a good Confcience towards 
 God by the Refurre&ion of Chrft, in the Be- 
 lief of which Refurretfion we are faved, as they 
 were faved by the Ark of Noah : For the Ark 
 and Baptifm were both a Type and Figure of 
 the RefurrecYion ; fo that the proper end jof 
 Baptifm ought not to be underftood as if it 
 were a fign of the warning away of Sin, altho 
 it be thus oftentimes taken metonymically in 
 the New Tefhment, sind by the Fathers, but a 
 particular ft gnal of the Refurreclion by Faith in 
 the Hefurre&ion of Chrift, of which Baptifm is 
 a lively and emphatical Figure, as alfo was the 
 Ark out of which Noah returned as from the 
 Sepulcher to a new Life,and therefore not unapt- 
 ly called by Philo, the Captain oj the new Creature; 
 And the Whales Belly out of 'which Jonas', after 
 a burial of fhree days, was fet at liberty: And 
 the Cloud and the Red-Sea in which the Peo- 
 ple of~ip r all a^e faid to have been baptized j 
 that k, net wafhed, but buried j for theV were 
 
 all 
 
4$ Odd Refind \ or, 
 
 all Types of the fame tiling as Baptifm, vir, 
 not the wafhing away of Sin, but of the Death 
 and Refurre&ion of Chrift, and our own* to 
 which the Apoftles, the Fathers, the Schola- 
 fticks, and all Interpreters agree. The thing is 
 fo apparent as not to need any Teftimonies. But 
 becaufe there are not a few who do not vulgarly 
 teach this Do&rine, it will not be fuperfluous 
 to produce fome of thefe innumerable Te/ii- 
 mpnies, that I may not feem to fpeak widiout 
 Brok -, and firft let us begin with St. Paul, 
 Rom. 6. 3, itwvp ye not that fo many of you that have bun 
 4. baptised into Chrifi, were baptised into his Death s 
 Col. 2. 1 2. therefore roe are buried tvith him in Baptifm into 
 1 Cor. 1 5. Death, &c. Elfi what fhall they do that are bap- 
 29. ti\ed for the Dead, if the Dead rife not at all <j 
 As if he had laid, if there be no Rcfurre&ion, 
 Why are we baptized ? In vain does the Church 
 ufe the Symbol of Baptifm if there be no Re- 
 furrcftion. The like Testimonies frequently 
 Ignat. occur among the Fathers — * that believing in 
 Epift. ad his Death we may be made Partakers of his Re- 
 Tral. id furreftion by Baptifm. Eaptifm was given in 
 Epift. ad Memory of the Death cf our Lord \ we per. 
 Philadelp. f orm t { ie Symbols of his Death and Refurredion 
 
 in Baptifm. 
 7uHin We know but one faving Baptifm, in regard 
 
 <. , there is but one Death for die World, and one 
 
 J *' J ' Refurredion from the Dead, of which Baptifm 
 
 is an Image. 
 Baftl the Here Paul exclaiming, they pafs'd through 
 Great. the Sea,and Vvere all baptized in the Cloud, and 
 f Bapl of in tlie Sea f j he calls Baptifm the Tallage of 
 Selmck* the Sea * for it was a flight of Deaih caufed by 
 
 the Water. 
 Chryfoftom. To be baptized, and fo plunged,and to return 
 Ambrof. up, and rife out of the Wadr ? is a Symbol 
 
 of 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Parity. 49 
 
 of tlie defcent into the Grave, and return from 
 tfience. 
 
 Baptifm is a Pledg and Reprefentation -of the 
 Refurreftion f] ; Baptifm is an Earnefi of the jl LaAant.^ 
 Refurreclion ; Immerfion is a Reprefentation of Bernard/ 
 Death and Burial. Innumerable are tue Te- 
 ftimonies which might be added. But fcjiefe I 
 think fufficient to prove that Baptifm is an 
 Image of the Death and Refurre&ion of Cnrift, 
 (from hence we acknowledg the Myftery of 
 our Religion, his Deity and Humanity ) and of 
 all the Faithful who are baptized in his Faith^ 
 from Death to Sin, to newnefs of Life, which. 
 if they lead in this World, they have a moll 
 affured hope, that being dead they (hall here- 
 after rife to Glory with (Thrift: — Which things 
 if (o, dwhat Affinity is to be feen between a 
 Burial and a Warning,. that Chriftian Baptifm 
 fhould be thought to draw its Original from 
 Jewifh Lotions ? for if it were true that the end 
 of our Eaptifm were to ilgnify a Walhing, or 
 Ablution ; or if it were true, that the Jews of 
 old did admit their Children or Profcly tcs into 
 their Church, by the adminiftration of any 
 diving, as it is aiferted by many* Learned Per- 
 fons of late Days ; yet to prove that our Bap- 
 tifm is indeed an Image of Death, and Refur- 
 redion, not of warning, enough hath been 
 laid. Thus far Sir Norton KnatcbkuL 
 
 And indeed, what this great Man hath aifer- 
 ted, and clearly demonftrated, doth fully dcted 
 our Brethren, wiio argue for their Childilh Ran- 
 tifm, affirming, Though Dipping was che Bap- 
 tifm that was praclifed in the Primicive Time* 
 yet it doth noc from thence follow, that Dip- 
 ping is eflential to Baptifm * they are the words.- 
 
 & ol ' 
 
Gold Refiy?d\ or, 
 
 of our late Annotators on Mat. 5. 6. The'Reafon 
 they give is, Becaufe, the wafhing of the Soul with . 
 the Blood of Chrift, the thing, fay they, fignifed by 
 Baptifm, being exprejfed by Sprinkling, or pouring 
 Water, as well as by Dipping, or being buried in 
 Water. 
 
 In Anfwer, we fay with St. Bernard, viz. Im- 
 merfion is a Representation of Death and Burial. 
 
 But faith the famous Dr. Du-Veil, To fu'oftitute 
 in the room of Immerfion, either Sprinkling, or 
 any other way of applying Water to the Body 
 to fignify the fame thing, is not in the Power of 
 the Difpenfers of God's Myftenes, or of the 
 Church, for that, £ faith he ~) as Thomas Aquinas 
 excellently well obferves, It belongs to the S'ipii- 
 fizr to determine what Sign is to be iiftd for the figni- 
 p cation ; but God it is, who by things fenfible,*figni- 
 fies Spiritual things in the. Sacrament. To which 
 let me add, Shall frail and {illy Man feek out, or 
 contrive new Rites, or Signs, having other fig- 
 nifications than everthegreat Lawgiver appoin- 
 ted or intended, and call them by his Name, 
 zi\. Ordinances or Sacraments of Chrift ? Will 
 Gcd, I fay, ever, think you, fufter any Man, to 
 invent, out of his own Brains, new Signs or Sym- 
 bols- of Divine Gofpel-Myfteries, and father 
 them upon him? What Ordinance hath he 
 ordained to figuify the fprinkling of the -Bleed of 
 Chrift ? this cannot certainly ftand with his Care, 
 Wifdom, and Faithfalnefs ; you may as well, no 
 doubt, and be as far juftified, to contrive fome 0- 
 ther proper and fit Signs or Figures of ether Go- 
 fpel-Myfteries, and call them Sacraments of 
 Chrift, as to change his Holy Inft.mtion of Im- 
 merfion, or Dipping, defigned and ordained by 
 him, chiefly as it meft clearly appears to repre- 
 &ne his Death, Burial, and Rcfurrection into 
 
 Sprinkling, 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Parity, 5 r 
 
 . Sprinkling, or Pouring, and make ic rcprefent 
 warning in, or fprinkling with the Blood of 
 Chrift, and then fay, and not blufh, It may ferve 
 as we PI. 
 
 Cbjecl. But do you not acknowledg Baptifm 
 to fignify our being warned in the Blood of 
 Chrift ? 
 
 Anfip, In Anfwer to this, we do fay, in a 
 more remote fenfc -Eapcifm doth hold forth our 
 being warned or bathed in Chrift's Blood, which 
 we doubt not but is ilgnified in that of Titit*-$. 
 5. by the warning of Regeneration ; and in Htb* 
 10. 22. Yet certainly Sir Norton Knatcbbul is in 
 the right, The proper end of Baptifm, faith he, ought 
 not to* be under ftoo4, as if it were a Sign oj the 
 washing away of Sin, although it be ojt?n*times tafyn 
 this Metonymkally in the New Teftament. This 
 therefore, we fay, Warning is not at all the main 
 or principal thing, or fuch as is immediately, or 
 primarily, but only remotely, and fecondarily 
 Signified thereby. But the Death, Burial, and 
 Refurre&ion of Chrift, which is the Rife and 
 Root, the, Original and Meritorious Caufe of all 
 
 ^the Good we partake of, is the principal Thing 
 fignifled hereby. But what advantage is it to 
 you. that are only for Rantifm, for us to own 
 Warning is fignified by Baptifm i fith Sprink- 
 ling can, as you ufe it, in no proper manner re- , 
 prefent Warning ? But fuppofe it did anfwer in 
 that, yet it cannot be Baptifm, becaufe it cannotj 
 nor does it in any refpeft reprefent the Death, 
 Burial, and Refurredion of Chrift -, nor our 
 death to Sin, and rinng again in a Figure, to 
 walk m newnefs of Life-, which Baptifm we 
 have fhewed was appointed to do, and therefore 
 can be no other but * Immerfion, Dipping and 
 Plunging, or covering the Body in Water, which 
 £ 2 doth 
 
5 2 Geld Refindi oir y 
 
 doth refemble, and moffc lively hold forth the 
 Things fignified thereby to our fight. 
 
 Yea thefe Matters, vh(. ChrifFs Death, Bu- 
 rial, and Refurre&iorj, are the cardinal or 
 great Things to be confidered } for as in the 
 Lord's Supper remotely many Things may be 
 fignified to us, yet all the Things cannot plainly 
 be reprefented to our Eyes ', but fuch Things 
 that are the more immediate .Significations of ic 
 are the proper Caufe of all the*refr, vfy. Chrifl 
 Crucified, and our feeding on him by Faith, or 
 the breaking of his Body, and the pouring forth 
 of his Blood, are moft lively fet forth and re- 
 prefented to our vifible fight: So in Baptifm 
 likewife, the main and more immediate Signifi- 
 cations, which are the Death, Burial, andRefur- 
 re&ion of our Bletfed Saviour, with our death 
 unto Sin, and vivification to a new Lite, is clearly 
 i;efembled, though the Fruit cf his Death, and 
 Remifllon cf Sin, and Purging, &c. are confe - 
 quently gathered from ic alfo. 
 vin./.d. Calvin faith, Baptifm m ifi ftpidturav>, in quurn 
 (5, mdll nip jam mortui nwtiio tradlndi fwtt '■, I. e. 
 
 Thar, Baptifm is a form or way of Burial, and 
 ncne but iuch as are already dead to Sin, or 
 have repented from dead Works, are to be bu- 
 ried. * 
 chv. Alfo Learned Zanchy, I find, writes thus on 
 
 Col. 2. 12. Of Regeneration, faith he, there are 
 tw'o pans, Morrrhcatibrj and Vivification, that 
 is called a Burial with Chrifl, this a RefurrecVion 
 with Chrifl , the Sacrament of both thefe, faith 
 he, is Baptifm, in which we are overwhelmed 
 or buried, and after that do come forth and rife 
 again: It may net be faid truly, but facratnen- 
 raily, of all that are Baptized, that they are 
 LuTried with ChrHt, and raited with him, 
 
 but 
 
Boiptifm in its Primitive Parity. ( 53 
 
 but only of fuch as have true Faith. 
 
 Now we may appeal to all the World, whe- 
 ther Zanchy doth not clearly and evidently tefti- 
 fy the fame thing which we aflert, iii%. that Bap-* 
 tifm«isandcan be no other than Immerfion, or 
 Dipping, ilth Sprinkling, all muftconfefs, doth 
 not reprefent, in a lively Figure, the Burial and 
 Refurre&ion of Chrift, nor our dying, or being 
 dead to Sin, and Viviflcation to Newnefs of Life, 
 faith he, Sacramentally, i. e. Analogically ; and 
 in refped of the near Refemblance, yet truly to 
 be buried with, and raifed with Chrift. This, 
 we fay, cannot be faid of them that are 
 fprinkled only ; for if in refped of Mortification, 
 and Vivification, they may be denominated, bu- 
 ried, and jraifed with Chrift, yet that outward 
 Rite and Ceremony cannot of it felf denominate 
 them fo much as Sacramentally buried and raifed 
 with Chrift, for there is not fo much as any like- 
 nefs of fuch Things in ir. But in true Baptifm, 
 -ai total dipping the Body fn Water, and rai- 
 ding it again, it is in a lively Figure held forth to. 
 our fight. Chrvlb- 
 
 Moreover Chryfoftom faith that the old Man o' 
 is buried and drowned in the Immerfion under 
 Water •, and when the Baptized Perfon is after- 
 wards raifed up from the Water, it rcprefents 
 the Refurre&ion of the new Man to newnefs of 
 Life, and therefore concludes (faith my Author) 
 that the contrary Cuftom, being net only a- 
 gainft Ecclefiaftical Law, but againft the Ana- 
 logy and Myftical Signification of the Sacra* 
 ment, it is not to be complied with. 
 
 It has been too long, God grant Men Light 
 to fee their Error, anddofo no more. Prim.cft- 
 
 *A\Co Dr. Cave faith that the Party baptized (liamty 9 . 
 was wholly immerged, or put under the Water, p. 320,, 
 E 3 which 
 
54 Gold Refind'^ or, 
 
 which was the almoft conftant and univerfal 
 Cuftom of thofe Times, whereby they did mod 
 notably and fignificantly exprefs the great Ends 
 and Etfeds of Baptifnv, for, as in immerging 
 there are in a manner three feverai Afts, the 
 putting the Perfon into the Water, his abiding 
 under the Water, and his rifing up again, there- 
 by representing ChriiVs Death, Burial, and Re- 
 furre&ion } and in our Conformity thereunto, 
 cur dying to Sin, the deftru&ion of its Power, 
 and our Refurre&icn to a new courfe of Life. 
 By the Perfon's being put into the Water, was 
 Jiviiy reprefcnred th<? putting off the Eody of 
 t\\t Sins of tlie Flefh, &c. by his being under it, 
 which is a kind of Burial into Water, his entring 
 into a (late of Death, or Mortification, like as 
 Chrift remained for feme time undenche. Scare 
 or Power of Death ; therefore it is faid, as mi* 
 ny as an baptised into Chrijl, are biptiyd into his 
 Death, Sec. And then, by his Emerfion, or 
 riling up cut of the Water, is fignified his en- 
 tring upon the new conrfe of Life ; that like 
 as Chrift was railed by the Glory of the ba- 
 ther* fo we (hould walk in newncls of Life. 
 Vzizusitp' We are laid (Taith Par aits) to die, and to be 
 en Urfin, buried with Chnfi in Eaptifm — — and further 
 p. 375. fliews, that the external Act of being buried in 
 Water in Eaptifm, is a lively Emblem of the 
 Internal Work of Regeneration.' 
 Au.tin. This, faith Au^Mn, fpeaking of t'nefe tilings, 
 
 is by a Sacramental Metonimy, and the meaning 
 of it is, not that one thing is changed really into 
 another, bur becaufe the Sign doth fo lively *re- 
 fembie the tiling llgniiied. 
 
 Thus all Men may fee how the Learned 
 agree with us, that chefe Scriptures do hold forth 
 Espdfm to be a lively Refernblance of ChrifVs 
 
 Death, 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Tttrity. 5 5 
 
 Death, Burial and Refurrection, and not of the 
 fpiritual thirTgs fignifled only, vi\. our Mortifi- 
 cation of Sin, and rifing to Holinefs in a way 
 of likenefs to Chrift's Death and Refurre&ion, 
 but alfo the outward Rite or Form of Admi- 
 niftration of the Sign it felf — to be done in 
 a way of likenefs or lively Refemblance to them 
 both j fo that either our Brethren and other 
 Pedo-Baptifts muft deny the Apoftle fpeaks here 
 at all of the Ordinance of Eaptifm, or elfe confefs 
 they have no Baptifm ; I mean none of Chrift's 
 Sacrament of Baptifai, their's not anfwering nor 
 reprefenting any fuch things that Baptifm was 
 appointed to do, and ftill does among thofe 
 Chriftians and Churches who have it according 
 to the Primitive Jmftitution reftcred to them, 
 and pra&ifed by them. 
 
 We are, faith Mr. Leigh [ buried with him in -Atwotat. on 
 Baptifm unto Death :~1 Baptifm, faidi he, is an Rcm.6.4. 
 Inftrument not only of thy Death with Chrift, 
 which is the killing of Sin, but alfo of thy Bu- 
 rial with him, &c\ He alludes to the manner in 
 which Baptifm was then adminiftred, which wa.s 
 to plunge them in Water -, the plunging of them 
 into Water which were baptized, was a Sign 
 of their Death and Burial with Chrift. r 
 
 Dr. Jtr. Taylor, late Bifhop of Down, in his , \ a >'" 
 Plea for theBaptifts faith, "■ This indeed is truly ° r \ w/ f 
 " to be baptized, when it js both in the Symbol ° ^ °* 
 " and in the Myftery '■> whatever is lefs than this, Fro P' 
 " is but the Symbol only, a meer Ceremony, P* 2 4 2 * 
 " an opus operatum, a dead Letter, an empty 
 " Shadow, an Inftrument without an Agent to 
 " manage, or force to a&uate it. 
 
 E 4 CHAP. 
 
^ Gold Refind; or. 
 
 CHAP. V, 
 
 Proving Baptifm to he Immerging or Dip- 
 ping, from thofe Typical 'and Metapho- 
 rical Baptifms fpok?n of in Scripture. 
 
 THat we might remove every ftumbling-block 
 Qut of the way, if poflible,* we fhali Chew 
 you what thofe Metaphorical Baptifms fpoken 
 of in the Scripture do hold forth. 
 
 r . We read of the Baptifni of Afflictions or 
 ■ Why peat Suj ^ er ' n . es > Afat * 20. 22, 2?. Ma)\ 10. 38. £*£. 
 Aftiitions I2# 5°*' ^ have a Baptifm to be baptised with, and 
 are called ^ ovp am J ^ r ^ tn ^ *$ it be accomplifhed ! From 
 '■Raptiftn, t ^ ie ^ cera ^ Signification of the word Baptiy, vi\. 
 drown, immerge, plunge under^overwhelm, great 
 Afflictions come to be called Baptifrn, and figr.i- 
 fies, as Vo^im fhews, not every light Affii&ion, . 
 but that which is vehement and overwhelming, as 
 there are Waves of Perfection and Tribulation 
 niention'd in Scripture ; fo fuch as are drewn'd 
 and overwhelm^ by them may feem in a my- 
 stical way to be baptized j the reafon of the 
 Metaphor is taken from many deep Waters to 
 which Calamities are compared j Hi dnw me 
 out of great Waters, With David, Pfal. 32. 6. 
 i am come inM deep Waters where the Floods over- 
 fhv(>~ : mt, Pfal. 69. 1, 2. and hence great Affiicli- 
 pns are called Waves, or compared to the 
 Waves of the Sea that overflow, Tny Wavts and 
 ■thy Bi'Jows are gone over me, Pfal. 42. 7. Chrifl 
 fpake of his Sufferirsg, who was as it • were 
 'v drowned, 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 57 
 
 drowned, or drenched, or overwhelmed in Mi- 
 fery, no pare free: every Suffering is not the 
 Baptifm of Suffering, but great and deep Afflicti- 
 ons, fuftering unto Blood and Death, in.oppofi- 
 tion to a IelTcr degree or meafure of them, being 
 dipp'd and plunged into Afflictions. 
 
 Mr. Wilfon on the Baptifm of Affliction renders 
 it to plunge into Afflictions or Dangers as it were, 
 faith he, into deep Waters ; fo that it appears 
 alio from this Metaphorical Notion of Baptifm, y 
 to baptize is to dip, or overwhelm, or cover 
 the Body lb Water. See what our laftandbeft SteConti- 
 Annotators pofitively affirm on Afatth. 20. 22. mat i on f 
 Ti be baptised, is to be dipped in Witer, fay they, Mr t> J\\ 
 Metaphorically ; to be phtvged in A'Jli5lions, 1 am, <' t /" 
 faith Cbrifii to be baptised with Blood, overwhelmed .. '„ 
 with Sufferings and Aftiftions ■-, are yon able fo to 
 be? fcc. 
 
 2. We read of the Baptifm of the Holy 
 Ghoftand Fire : I indeed baptise yon with Water, J^'y}' 1 ^ 
 faith John, but he (hill baptise you with the Holy ™arK T ■ & 
 Spirit a>id with Fire. Now the Queftion is, What ' 5 * J ■' 
 we are to underftand to be meant by the Bap- 
 tifm of the Holy Ghoft ? whether the fanctifying 
 Gifts and Graces of the Spirit are intended 
 hereby, wljich all the Godly receive ? or thofe 
 extraordinary Gifts or miraculous Effufions of 
 the Holy Ghoft only, vahich many teceived in 
 the Primitive Times-? 
 
 I know fome are ready to make ufe of the 
 Baptifm of the Spirit to juftify their Rite of 
 Sprinkling or Pouring, becaufe God is faid 
 to pour the Spirit rfpon his People, and to 
 fprinkle them with clean Water, which we 
 do grant does intend the Graces of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Eu$ 
 
58 GoldRefiad; <T, 
 
 But certainly if they didconfider the ground! 
 and reafon why Perfons were faid to be bap-j 
 tized with the Spirit, they would foon perceive] 
 this Argument would utterly fail them likewife, 
 or ftand them in no (lead. 
 Wnat it is For we do affirm that every Believer who 
 to be bap- hath the Holy Spirit, cannot be faid to be bap- 
 ti?ed with tized with the Spirit ; like as every one that is 
 the Spirit, under Affii&ions and Sufferings, cannot be faid to 
 be baptized with Sufferings, as we have (hewed. 
 
 Bur in the nrft place, it is neceffary to under- 
 hand the difference between the Baptifm com- 
 manded and the Baptifm promifed ; the Baptifm 
 commanded is that of Water, the Baptifm pro- 
 mifed was that of the Spirit. Our Saviour 
 after his Refurre&ion gave forth his Commiffion 
 Mat 8 to ^ s Difciples, to teach and baptise, and then 
 ,2 ° king affmb'ed together with them, commanded them 
 that they fhould not depart from Jerufalem, but 
 * wait for the Promife of the Father, which, faid be, 
 ye have heard of me, Acls i . 4. What was that ? 
 why 'cis expreft in the fifth Verfe, Te fhall be 
 bapti^d with the Holy Ghoft not many days hence j 
 and this was made good to them on the day 
 of Pentecoft, Ads 2. 1, 2 3. which was no other 
 than tlie Spirit in an extraordinary manner, or 
 the miraculous Gifts thereof j thefe tn*e Apofljes 
 and believing Jews received n*rit, and in the 
 Act. 1 0.46. tenth Chapter of the Acls the fame extraordina- 
 ry Gifts, cr Baptifm of the Spirit, die believing 
 Gentiles received, I mean Cornelius, and thofe 
 wirh him, for they fpafy with Tongues and magni- 
 fied God: and Pettr faich* Chap. 11. Aid as I 
 (pafy witothem, the Holy Ghoft fell on them, as on 
 us at the fir ft ; then, fakh he, / rememhred the 
 word, &c. Te jhall be -bap',i\ed with the Holy 
 Qhojt, ver. 15, id. 
 
 Now 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 59 
 
 . Now no ocher Gifts of the Spirit than thefe 
 
 great, and extraordinary, and miraculous Ef- 
 
 fulions of the Spirit we do conclude is or pan 
 
 be intended or meant by the Baptifm qf 
 
 the Holy Ghoft. And that you may fee we 
 
 are not alone in this Opinion, fee what Dr. Vi* p y p u 
 
 Veil faith on Acts 1. 4, 5. fhall.be baptized, v -j* m 
 
 the Greek word B^jrjfjpe^, fays Cafaubon, is to A< ^ 
 
 dip or plunge, as if it were to dye Colours; in ' '^ ,5 * 
 
 which fenfe, faitli he, the Apoflles might be 
 
 truly (aid to have been baptized 3 for the Houfe 
 
 in which this was done was filled with the 
 
 Holy Ghcftj fo that the Apofiks might feem 
 
 to have been plunged into it, as in a large Fifli- 
 
 Pond. 
 
 Hence Oeatmenitts on A&s 2. fakh,a Wind fill'd Oecume- 
 the whole Houfe, that it feemM like a Fifh-pond, nius on 
 becaufe it was promifed to the Apodles, that Acts 2. 2. 
 they mould be baptized with the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 To the fame effect, faith another, as is noted g ee j^ exj t0 
 in our Book of Metaphors, Baptifm is put for p m j^jm 
 the miraculous Effufion of the Holy Spirit upon Metaphors ' 
 theApoftles, and other Believers in the Primi- i m4 , P o5. 
 tive Church, becaufe of the Analogical Immer- 
 iien or Dipping, for fo Baptkp iignifies , for the 
 Houfe where the Holy Spirit came upon the 
 Apoftks was fo filled that they were (as it 
 were) drowned in it ', or the reafon of the Me- 
 taphor faith he may be from the great plenty 
 and abundance of thofe Gifts in which they 
 were wholly immerg'd, as the Baptized are 
 dipp'd under Water. 
 
 And it appears by what Mr. Delaun hath philolegii 
 written and tranflated out of Tropical Writers, Sacra, 
 that Glajfiiis and others aflert the fame things. p. 1 90. 
 
 And fo likewife . Mr. Gofnold, a worthy and Treat, of 
 learned Man, underftood it, fpeaking of thofe Bapt.p.52» 
 
 Scrip- 
 
to Gold Refindi or, 
 
 . Scriptures ; We have here cited, faith lie, thefc 
 places diligently compared together, evidently 
 (hew that the Baptifm of the Spirit is a diftinft 
 Baptifm from that of Water, and hath no Rer 
 ference at all to the inward fanftifying Graces 
 of the Spirit \ hut no;es out the moft extraor* 
 dinary Gifts of the Spirit that ever were given 
 to the Sons of Men, therefore called the Bap- 
 tifm of the Spirit. 
 
 Objeft. But yet this Baptifm however was by 
 a pouring forth of the Spirit, and why may 
 not Baptifm be adminiftred fo ? 
 
 Anfw. Tk evident 'twas not by a fprinkling 
 or dropping of the Spirit, and therefore no 
 ways for your turn ; and though it was by a 
 pouring out, or a pouring forth of the Spirit, 
 yet in fuch fort that the Houfe in which they 
 were is faid to be filled, and fo they immerg'd 
 or baptized with it : But however, all confefs 
 this was but a Metaphorical Baptifm, and there- 
 fore y<mr Argument from hence at beft is but 
 far fetched, and fignifies. nothing, for 'tis a 
 itrange way to go to the Metaphorical Notion 
 of a word to prove a Practice that is contrary 
 to the literal and proper Signification thereof. 
 Moreover, if this be granted which we have 
 hinted here, it may ferve to detect the Error 
 of fomc Men who own no other Eaptifm than 
 that of the Spirit, and think that the ordinary 
 Gifts and Graces of the Spirit is the Baptifm 
 of the opirit, which there is no ground, as I 
 can fee, to believe j nor was there any other 
 Eaptifm to •ontinue to the end of the World, 
 but that of Water without dcubt, fith the 
 Baptifm of the Holy Spirit was given only to 
 the Apoftles and Saints 1 in the Primitive Time 
 for die Confirmation of the Gofp, 1, • as thefe 
 
 Scriptures 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 6 1 
 
 Scriptures fhew, Mar^ 16, 16, 17, 18, 20. Htb. 
 2. 3, 4. Therefore letfuch take care who fay 
 hey have the true Baptifm, and are baptized 
 ,\ith the Spirit, left they are found Liars, and 
 :o be indeed without any Baptifm at all } for 
 hough the Saints before that grgat Effufjon of 
 he Spirit, nay before Chrift was mantftfted 111 
 :he Flefh, had the Holy Spirit, and fome of 
 :hem in a glorious manner i yet, as fome learned 
 Men obferve, they were not faid to be baptized 
 With it : fo likewife Believers in thefe days have 
 che-Spirit of Chrift in the ordinary Gifts and 
 Graces thereof, yea and the Promife ot Chnft 
 is, that the Blefled Spirit the Comforter mall 
 abide with us for ever, yet are not we, nor any 
 how baptized with it, nor have any ( as I 
 humbly conceive} 'fince thofe miraculous and 
 extraordinary Gifts ceafed in the Church. 
 
 thirdly, There is another Typical or Metapho- 
 rical Baptifm fpoken of, vi\. the Children of If- 
 ml, or the Fathers are faid to be baptized to 
 Aiofes in the Cloud, and in the Sea, 1 Cor. 10* 
 Some have of late intimated, That the Rain that 
 fell from the Cloud, fprinkled them as they pad: 
 through* the Sea, ancl from hence would have 
 Baptifm to be Sprinkling : Truly, if that was a 
 Baptilm, vi\. it raining upon them, the Peo- 
 ple may fave their Mony, and never go to fried ■ 
 nor Minifter more to Chriften their Children, for 
 'tis but to carry them abroad when it rains, and 
 they will be fo baptized j and it will be as true a 
 Baptifm, no doubt : for the ufmg the Name of 
 the Father, &c. doth not make Baptifm, though 
 true Baptifm cann't be warrantably adminiftred 
 without mentio*ng the Names of the Sacred 
 Trinity. Eutv/e muft conclude, there was fome- t 
 thing tKc than that which thefe Nfen fuppofe in 
 
 ihit 
 
I, 2. 
 
 6l Cold Refined ; or, 
 
 that Cafe, which caufed the Apoftle to fay, Our 
 Fathers -were baptised unto Mofes, in the Cloud, and 
 in the Sea. It was doubtlefs a Type and plain Fi- 
 gure of Gofpel-dipping, or burying in Water ', 
 for they were overwhelmed, 'tis evident, as it 
 were, in the Ootid, and in the Sea. 
 
 And we muft give our late Aviotators their 
 SeeCenti- due at this turn alfo, for they fpeak much 
 nuatlon 0/ tne f cn fe of the Spirit of God in that pjace 5 
 Mr. PooFi p fa y t ake their own words, after they have gi- 
 Amiotat. on ven thefenfe of divers Learned Men upon the 
 1 Cor. 1 o. T CX t j this they fix upon us to be moft probably 
 the meaning of the Scripture 5 "Others, fay 
 " they, -moft probably think, that the Apoftle 
 l< maketh ufe of this term, in regard of the 
 " great Analogy betwixt Baptifm, £ as it was 
 " then ufed ) the Perfons going down into the 
 " Waters, being dipped in them ; and the Ifra* 
 " elites going down into the Sea, the great Re- 
 " ceptacle of Water, though the Waters at that 
 " time were gathered on heaps on either fide of 
 " them ; yet they feemed buried in the Waters, 
 " as Perfons in that Age were when they were 
 
 "baptized, A very plain Figure doubtlefs, 
 
 they having the Water on each fide of them j 
 and to which they might have added, the Wa- 
 tery Cloud over them, whether it broke down 
 upon them or no, they were, as it were, buried 
 in the Cloud and in the Sea y(o that this Notion 
 of Typical Baptifm makes nothing for Sprink- 
 ling. 
 
 And thus we hope we hav.e fully evinced, and 
 clearly proved, to all unbyafs'd Men^what Bap- 
 tifm is. you have heard. 
 
 Fir ft, It is im merging, or dipping into the 
 Water, from the proper, literal, and genuine 
 figniflcaiion of t-fie word Baftkp. 
 
 Secondly, 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 6 j 
 
 secondly, From the manner of Eaptizihg in 
 the Primitive Times. 
 
 Thirdly, From the Spiritual Signification of the 
 Holy Ordinances of Baptifm, together with the 
 great Defign and End of Chrift in the Infticution 
 of it. 
 
 Fourthly and Iaftly, From the Typical and Me- 
 taphorical Baptifms we read of in the Scrip- 
 tures. We mail now proceed to fpeak of the 
 Perfons who are the true Subjects of Baptifm in 
 the next place. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Proving Believers, or Adult Perfons, on- 
 ly to be the Subjefis of B apt i Jm, from 
 CbrijVs great Commijfion, Mat. 28. 
 
 WE having clearly evinced and proved 
 what Baptifm is, and that Rantifm is not 
 the Ordinance, 'tis clearly another Aft ', nor is 
 Baptifm any other thing than Immerging, Dipping, 
 or Plunging the Body all over in Water : And this 
 being fo, we may from the whole infer, that ail 
 thofe who have been only fprtftgled, whether as 
 Children, or Adult, are all Unbaptized Per- 
 fons, and will certainly be fo found in the Day 
 of the Lord 5 let their Teachers affirm or fay 
 what they will for their calling it Baptifm, does 
 not make ic to be fo : for fuppofo the Jews, or 
 the OrT-fpring of Abraham, to whom Ged com- 
 Tnanded Circumcifion, inftead of doing that Act, 
 fhouid have devifed feme other Thing in the 
 
 room 
 
Gold Eefind \ or s 
 
 room of it , as the pairing off the Nails oi 
 their Children at eight davs old, and have gi- 
 ven that ASt the name of Circumcifion, would 
 that have made it Circumcifion ? And truly,they 
 might have as good a Pita, no doubt, forfuch art 
 Invention, confidering how dangerous and grie- 
 vous a thing Circumcifion was to little Children, 
 as the firil Inventers of Sprinkling a little Wa- 
 ter on the Face of a Babe could pretend unto, 
 in changing Baptijm into Rantifm. 
 
 Now, in the next place it behoveth us to en- 
 quire, who or what kind of Perfons they are, 
 that our Lord jefus Chrift hath required to be 
 baptized ; and there is no better way certainly 
 to know this, than to go to the great Commif- 
 fion, Matth. 28 19,10. All Power, faith Chrift, 
 is given to me in Heaven and Earth. Go ye there- 
 fore, teach all Nations, baptising them, &c. 
 
 1 . Firft obferve, that this CommifTion was gi- 
 vefe forth by Chrift, juft as he came out of the 
 Grave, or rofe from the Dead. Certainly what he 
 faid at other time?, fhouid with all care be 
 minded, he being the Son of God ; but much 
 more now at this time. If God. fhouid have fent 
 a Saint from the Dead, to let us know what we 
 fhculd do,- would we not give all diligent heed 
 to him ? but much more to Jefus Chrift. 
 
 2. Fn the fecond place, especially confidering 
 the Power and Authority he teftiries the Father 
 had given to him as Mediator, vi\. to be Head 
 and chief Governour of his Church 3 or King and 
 Lawgiver in. ail Spiritual Things and Matters 
 over the Souls and Confciences of Men, all 
 Power to difjjpfe of all things in Heaven and 
 Earth, cr Power o*ver Men and Angels, *. e. 
 Power to make and give torth Laws, Statutes, 
 and Ordinances, how, and after what manner 
 
 God 
 
Baft if rn in its Primitive Parity. 65 
 
 God ought by us to be worshipped in Gofpel- 
 days, a Power that is given to him alone, whofe 
 Laws and Appointments none have any Power 
 todiipenfe with, nor change or alter the Admi- 
 nifttotion of to the end of the World ; Go ye 
 therefore, teach all Nations, baptizing them, 8tc. 
 
 3. Obferve what is Antecedent to Baptifm, 
 Teach all Nations ; there mud be teaching, they 
 muft be firft Taugrtt, or made Difciples, for the 
 word fjut^iiuaoLTi, as is well known and con- 
 fefs'd by all, doth fignify, to difcipulize, or make 
 Difciples, and next baptize them. And this 
 alfo we find was his own practice, firft to make 
 Difciples, and then to baptize them ; John 4. 
 1,2. Jefm (^tisfaid there} made and baptked 
 more Difciples than John '■, it is not rantize therm, 
 and then teach or make Difciples of them, as 
 the manner of fome now-adays is, and for a 
 long time has been* 
 
 Lord, that ever Men fhould be fo bold and 
 prefumptuous, as once to attempt to alter or 
 change any <thing of this Holy or Grea^t Com- 
 million, or adventure to do Things contrary to 
 what is given forth here by Jefus Chrift, as King 
 and Law-giver of the New Teftament. Wliat 
 will they fay when God rijes up ? Wo at mil they art- 
 fwerhim when he vifiteththem ? Job 31. 14. 
 
 4. Note the Extent of the Commiffion here 
 given by Chrift to his Difciples, Go teach ail Na- 
 tions, baptising them, Go into all Nations ; or, as fvlak 16* 
 Marl^ has it, Into all the V/wld, Eaft as well as 1 . k 
 Weft, North as well as South, into Cold Coun- 
 tries as well as Hot, ?.nd make Difciples where- 
 
 ever you come, and Baptise them, &c. not Ran- 
 ri\pthem-, not dip them in hot Climates, and 
 fprinkle them in Cold. 
 
 F <• Obferve 
 
66 Gold Rtfind'j or, 
 
 5. Obferve in whofe Name they are required 
 to baptize, vi%. in the Name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Ghoji ; into the Name, fo 
 the Greek : In the Name doth not only imoprt 
 the naming of the Names of the Father, Won, 
 and Holy Spirit, buc in the Authority, and into 
 the Profeflion of the Bleffed Trinity, of the one 
 Divine Being, dedicating the Perfons baptized 
 (faith our Annotators) to^od the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghcft. But how dare any pre- 
 fumeto Ranti\e a Babe that is uncapable to be 
 taught or made a Difciple by teaching ? In the 
 Name of the Glorious Trinity, can they fay and 
 prove it, Chrift hath given them any fuch Au- 
 thority ? I am fure they have no Warrant nor 
 Authority fo to do, from this Bleffed Commif- 
 . fion of Jefus Chrift — It was by dipping of Adult 
 Objta, p er f ons t j ien — B ut j t was i n an k 6t country, fay 
 
 our late Annotators, where at any time, without the 
 davger of Perfons Lives, it might be fo done, 
 Anfw. Doth not our Bleffed Saviour's Words imme- 
 diately fallowing fully anfwer this* Objection, 
 and, lo I am with you always to the end of the 
 World? Has not Chrift Power to preferve, 
 protect, and uphold all fuch Perfons which he 
 commands to be Baptized ? Nay, can we 
 think Chrift would inftitute an Ordinance 
 to deftroy the Lives of any Perfons ? Befides, 
 We know he has prefer ved thoufands in this 
 cold Climate ; nay, and never did I hear of 
 any one Perfon that received the Ieaft Hurt 
 or Damage by being Baptized according to the 
 Commiflion of Chrift ; though fome have* 
 gone into the Water in the time of the 
 great Froft, and at other Times of bitter Froft 
 and Snow ; nay, and Perfons very Aged, and of 
 both Sexes, and fome that have been very weak 
 
 and 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. #7 
 
 and fickly — though our Adverfaries have falfly 
 reported to the contrary. Eut can they be (o 
 #r left to themfelves, to think this will be a 
 good Plea for them, for changing this Ordinance 
 of Jefus Chrift, when he comes to call all Men 
 to an account? certainly they will find them- 
 felves deceived. 
 
 But fay our late Annotators, Where it might tie, PoolV An* 
 "we judg it reasonable, and mofi refemblmg our burial notat. on 
 •with Chrift, by Baptifm into Death, but we can't thinly Mat. 2 8.20 
 it neceffary, for God loveth Mercy rather than Sacrifice. 
 Anfw. Sirs, wherefore do you judg it rea- 
 fogable, and not neceffary ? Is it not necef- 
 fary for you to do what Chrift hath com- 
 manded, and when at no time there is any 
 danger of the Lives of Perfons ? If you will fol- 
 low your Matter's Command, and only Baptize 
 fuch who are made Difciples, vk^ believing Men 
 and Women ; is it not neceffary for you to 
 do Chrift's Work, as Chrift has required ? Is ic 
 neceffary you mould alter any of his Holy Laws, 
 and make void one of the great Sacraments of 
 the New Teftament by your Traditions i I pray, 
 my dear Brethren, confider more ferioufly of 
 it. 
 
 From hence it is evident, that thofe who 
 ought to be Baptized, are Difciples, and none 
 elfe i andthataDifcipleisone that is a Believer, 
 one that is taught, or has learned of Chrift ; 
 The Difciples were fir ft called Cbriftians in Antioch, Pool'* An* 
 Afts 11.26, Not only, fay our Annot ators, a% $cho- notat. on 
 lars were called amongft the Greeks from their Ads 11. 
 Mafters,^. Plaionifts, Pythagoreans, to teach us 26. 
 whom we profefs to learn of, and be inftru&ed 
 by, but to mind us of our Unclion, for Chrifti- 
 ans are Anointed ones, 1 John 2.27. Such Difci- 
 ple* are the true Subje&s of Baptifm. 
 
 F 2 Yea, 
 
458 G *M Reftfd 5 or, 
 
 Baxter on Yea, Chrift ( faith Mr. Baxter ") in his Com- 
 Confimati- miflion, directeth his Apoftles to make Difci- 
 on and Re- pies, and then baptize them, promifmg, That 
 fianratiofi, he that believetb, and Is baptised, {hall be {a- 
 pag. 27. ved. 
 
 And in another Book of his, fpeaking of the 
 See Mr, fame Commiffion, This, faith he, is not like 
 Tomes'.* fome occafional mention of Baptifm, but is the 
 Boo^calVd very Commijfion it felf of Chrift to his Difciples, 
 Feb de fe, for Preaching and Baptizing, and purpofely ex- 
 Baxter'j preffeth their feveral Works, in their feveral 
 Difpute of Places and Order. 
 
 Right to Their firft Task is, to maty Difciples, faith bj?, 
 
 Sacraments, which are by Marl^ called Believers. 
 p. 149. The fecond Work is, To Baptise them ; where- 
 
 to is annexed the Promife of Salvation. 
 See Dan- The third Work is, To teach them all other 
 vers on things, which are after to be learned in the 
 Baptifm, School of Chrifl. To contemn this Order, (faith 
 p. 2, 3. ne } * s to contemn all Rules of Order : for where 
 can we expect, to find it, if not here ? I pro- 
 fefs my Confcience is fully fatisfled from this 
 Text, that there is one fort of Faith even Saving, 
 that muil go before Baptifm, the profefllon 
 whereof the Minifter muft exped : What can 
 any Eaptift fay more ? 
 
 Let Mr. Baxter tell us what difference there is 
 between contemning-that Order (Shrift hath left 
 in his great Commiflion, and a direct derogating 
 from it, or acling quite contrary to it: And is 
 not this*fo, -ci\. to Rantize or Sprinkle, inftead 
 of Baptize. and Sprinkle flrft, before they are 
 taught or made Difciples ? nay, and fuch too, 
 who are not capable to be taught or made Difci- 
 ples of: Is not this to flight, if not to contemn 
 ChriiVs Order in his Commiflion ? for fith Chrift 
 appoints fuch, that by Teaching are made Dif- 
 ciples 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 6y 
 
 ciples to be Baptized, he excludes all other the 
 inftitution of Chrift in this his Commiflion, be- 
 ing doubtlefs a perfeft Rule ', and thofe who do 
 otherwife, follow their own Inventions. 
 
 I find Mr. Danvers cites Mr. Perkins, ( I have Danvers 
 not that Book of Mr. Perkins ~) fpcaking to this &>*£. of 
 purpofe, on the words of the Commiflion, Baptifm^ 
 Teach all Nations, baptising them, &c. "I ex- P< !■> 4. 
 * plain rhefe Terms, faith he, thus : Mark, Perkins. 
 ^ firft of all it is faid, teach -, that is, make Dif- 
 " ciples, by calling them to believe and repent. 
 " Here we are to confider the Order whicn God 
 ^ obferves in making with Men a Covenant in 
 " Baptifm. 
 
 " Firft of all he calls them by his Word, and 
 " Commands to believe, and to repent. In the 
 
 " Second place, God makes his Promife of 
 " Mercy and'Forgiveneis. , And, 
 
 "Thirdly, He Seals his Promife by Baptifm. 
 " — They, faith he, that know not, nor ccnfi- 
 " der this Order which God ufcd in Covenant- 
 " ing with them in Baptifm, deal prepofteFoufly, 
 " over flipping the Commandment of Repenting 
 "and Believing. 
 
 It appears to me as if God will fomecimes 
 make Men fpeak the Truth whether they will or 
 no, and confirm his own blefled Order, though 
 they contra iict. their own Pra&ice thereby. 
 
 Partus (die fame Perfon faith} upon Mat.%* p^xus. 
 5< (hews, that the Order was, that Confeftion as 
 a Teftimony of True Repentance go firft, and 
 then Baptifm for Remiffion of Sins afterwards. 
 
 What Commiflion our Brethren have got, who 
 fprinkle Children, I know not, let them fetch a 
 thoufand Confequences, and unwarrantable Sup- 
 pofitions for their Practice, it fignifies nothing, 
 if Chrift has given them no Authority or Rule " 
 F 3 to 
 
76 Gold Refin d\ or, 
 
 to do what they do in his Name. Natural Con 
 fequences from Scripture we allow, but fuch 
 which flow not naturally from any Scripture we 
 deny ; Can any think Chrift would leave one of 
 the great Sacraments of the New Teftament, not 
 to be proved without Confequences. For I am 
 fure there is no Eaptifm to be adminiftred be- 
 fore the Profeflion of Faith in the Commiflion, 
 nor no where elfe in ChrifVs New Teftament 5 
 and that Faith is required in the fecond place as 
 pre-requifite unto Baptifm, is very plain from 
 Mark^x6, 1 6. They muft be Believers, none are 
 fit Subjects of Baptifm, but they that believe, 
 and are capable to believe •, He that believeth, and 
 is baptised, jhdl be faved, &c. not he that is 
 baptized, and then believes. Take heed you 
 do not invert ChrifVs Order *, and if there is no 
 Baptifm to be found in the New Teftament to 
 be pra&ifed before Faith, much lefs Sprinkling 
 or Rantifm is there required. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Proving Believers to he the only true $ib- 
 jetts of Baptifix, from the Apoftles 
 Dottrine, and the Prattice of the Pri- 
 mitive Churches. 
 
 WE read that the Apoftles, according to 
 the Commitfion Chrili gave them, 
 preach'd the Gofpel of the Kingdom, having 
 received the Spirit from on high, and began 
 at Jentfalem as he had commanded them, and 
 
 ft 
 
i; aftifm in its Primitive Purity. 7 1 * 
 
 fo endeavoured to make Men and Women 
 Difciples, i. e. bringing them to the fenfe and 
 fight of their Sins, and knowledg of their loft 
 and miferable condition by Nature, as being un- 
 converted and without Chrift ; and in Acls 2. 
 where Piter preached the firft Sermon that was 
 preached after the Afcenfion of the Lord Jefus, 
 And when they heard this ( the Text faith ) they 
 were picked in their Hearts, and [aid unto Peter 
 and the reft of the Apoftles, Men and Brethren, what 
 jhall we do * then faid Peter, REPENT AND 
 BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the Name 
 of Jefus Chrift, for the Kemijfton oj Sins, and ye [ball 
 receive the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, &c. 
 
 And then they that gladly received the Word, were 
 baptised ', and the fame day there was added to than 
 about three thoufand Sods. 
 
 Pray obferve the Footfteps of this Flock, I 
 mean the manner of the Conftitution of this 
 Church, it being the firft Church that was plan- 
 ted in the Gofpel-days, it was the Church ac 
 Jerufalem, and indeed the Mother-Church; for 
 evident it is, all other Gofpel-Churches fprang 
 at firft from this, and hence fome conceive the 
 Apoftle calls this Church Jerufalem above *, being * Gal. 4. 
 the Mother of ws all, faid to be above, not only 26* 
 
 becaufe fhe was in her Conftitution from Hea- 
 ven, or by Divine and Evangelical Inftitution, 
 but alfo might be faid to be above in refpecl of 
 Dignity or Priviledg, being firft conftituted,'and 
 having the firft Fruits of the extraordinary Gifts 
 of the Spirit poured out upon them; and be- 
 sides, having all the great Apoftles at firft & 
 Members with her ; and hence 'tis that all other 
 Churches were to follow the Church of God 
 that was in Judea, and were commended in 
 fo doing, and certainly 'tis the Duty of all 
 F 4 Churchci 
 
1 "J I Gold Re fin d •, or, 
 
 Churches fo to walk unto the end of the 
 World. 
 
 But to proceed, ABs 3. we find Philip, being 
 by the Providence of God caft into Samaria, he 
 preaches Jefus Chrift to them, and when they be- 
 A&8.12. iieve ^ Philip, preaching the things concerning the 
 . " ' ' ' Kingdom oj God, and the Name of Jefus Chrift, 
 they were bapthti both Men and Women : not till 
 they were Difciples, and did believe, were any 
 baptized : ' [_Men and Women,'] not Children, not 
 theni and their little Babes', if Philip had fo' 
 done, he had acted contrary to his Matter's 
 Commiffioti. In the fame Chapter we find he 
 Aft. 3. $£, preached Chrift to the Eunuch alfo, And they 
 37. came to a certain Water; and the Eunuch (aid, See, 
 ben is Water, what doth hinder me to be baptked * 
 ver. 37. And Philip fold-, If thou believe ft with all 
 thine Heart, thou may ft. And the Eunuch anfwered, 
 and „/ 'aid, I believe that Jefrn Chrift is the Son of 
 G*d : And they both went down into the Water, both 
 Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptised him. There 
 muft be Faith or no Baptifm, thou mayft or 
 thou onghtcft, 'tis lawful, or according to Chnft's 
 Pools An-, Lav, i, e. his Commiflion. A Verbal Profeflion 
 * is not fufficient, fay our late Annotators on 
 ^jB^.8.37. this place. Philip in God's Name requires a 
 Faith as with all the Heart, and not fucH 
 ■,s S'm-n .Magus had, who is faid to believe, 
 and.be baptized, verf, 13. this was (Tay they") 
 the only thing neceifary, either then Or now if 
 rightly underfiood. 
 i^yter on How ^ as ^ jr rowr , 5 f a j E h Mr. Baxter, but by 
 fonfimat. t f ieir p ro f t flion, that the Samaritans believed 
 p. 27. Pr?i:ip preaching the things concerning the King- 
 dom of God, and the Name of Jefus Chrifl, 
 betore they were baptized both Men and Wo- 
 nk ? and, faith he, Philip caufed the Emnch 
 
Baptifrt in its Vrimitivt Purity. 7> 
 
 to profefs before he would baptize him, that he 
 believed that Jefus Chrift was the Son of God. 
 
 Moreover, in the tenth of the Acls we find Act. io» 
 Cornelius and thofe with him were firffc made 45?47j4^» 
 Difciples by Peter's preaching, and the Spirit's 
 powerful Operation, and then were baptized*, 
 Who nan forbid Water (fz\i\\ he) that thefefhoutd not 
 be baptised, who have received the Holy Ghoft as well 
 as iv?? And he commanded them to be baptised in 
 the Name of tie Lord Jefus ; chat is, by the Au- 
 thority of Cnrift according to the Commiffion, Acts 16. 
 So in Acls 1 6. when the poor trembling Jaylor 21,22 22. 
 was made a Difciple, i. e. did believe with his 
 whole Houfe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, he was 
 with his whole Houfe baptized; fo Lydia be- 
 ikved and was baptized, Acls 16. 14. the like 
 in Ms 18. Crifpus believing on* the Lord, and Ads 18.8. 
 many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were 
 baptked. 
 
 The Chief Ruler believed with all his Houfe 
 and were baptized, he believed, his Houfe be- >, 
 lieved, the Jaylor believed, all runs in their 
 believing, all mufl by believing be made Difci- 
 ples, or not be baptized. Luther 
 
 Luther faich that in Tines part, the Sacra- t m **u 
 ment of Baprifm was adminiftred to none <% Le'j 
 except it were to itjioie that acknowledged and L^Dan- 
 confeflfed their Faith, and knew how to rehearfe * ' g " 
 the fame, and why are they now ? Baptifm 
 
 See Mr. Baxter in his fixteenth Argument a- J~J r '* s 
 gainft Mr. Blake, if there can be no Example ^ Dif ma „ 
 given in Scripture of any one that was baptized t - J" " 
 without the Profeflion of a faving Faith or any '$ Qfy 
 Precept for fo doing, then rnuft we not baptize 
 any without. 
 
 But, faich he, the Antecedent is true, there- 
 fore fo is the Confequent. 
 
 1. I 
 
74 Gold Refined \ or^ 
 
 i. I have, faith he, fhewed you, John re- 
 quired the Profeflion of true Repentance, and 
 that his Baptifm was for Remifl*on of Sins. 
 
 2. When Chrift layeth down the Apoftolical 
 Commiflion, the Nature and Order of the Apo- 
 ftles Work, it is firfl to make them Difciples, 
 and then to baptize them in the Name, &c. 
 
 That it was faving Faith that was required of 
 the Jews and profeft by them, Afts 2. 38. is 
 plain in the Text. 
 
 The Samaritans believed, and hSd great Joy, 
 and were baptized, &c. 
 
 The Condition upon which £ faith he") the 
 Eunuch muft be baptized was, if he believed 
 with all his Heart. 
 
 Paul was baptized after Converfion, Afts 9.18. 
 
 The Holy Ghoft fell on the Gentiies before 
 they were baptized, Acts 10. 44. 
 
 Lydia's Heart was opened before fhe was bap- 
 tized, and was one the Apoftle judged faithful, 
 Attsi6. 14. 
 
 So he goes over with all the Scriptures we 
 have mentioned, proving they were Believers, 
 and none elfe, that all along in the New Tefta- 
 ment were baptized 5 'tis ftrange to me that the 
 Man mould have fuch clear Light and plead 
 for the Commiflion, and thje Practice of the 
 Primitive Chriftians. an$ yet dare attempt to 
 fprinkle Children, having neither a Command 
 from Chrift, or a Precedent from the Apoftles 
 for any fuch ching. 
 
 Objeft. I know 'tis objected Baptifm was ad- 
 miniftfed only to Believers in the Apoftles time, 
 but that was the Infancy of the Church. 
 
 Anfiv. I am not a little troubled to hear any 
 Man to argue after this manner *, for though it 
 be granted in the Apoftles days the Church 
 
 was 
 
Baftifm in Us Trimitive Purity. f% 
 
 was newly conftituted, and fo might be faid 
 to be new born j yec to fay that was the Infancy 
 of the Church, ( as Infancy imports in our 
 common Acceptation, Weaknefs or Imperfecti- 
 on 3 is a falfe and foolifh Aflertion. 
 
 i. Becaufe that was in truth the time of 
 the Churches greateft Glory, Perfection and 
 Eeauty, and very foon after the Apoftles fell 
 afleep, the Church, though flie grew older, 
 yet (he decayed, and Corruptions crept in} 
 the Church might in that refpe& be compared 
 to a glorious Flower, that as foon as ever it is 
 blown and quite put forth it is in its Glory, 
 and let it ftand a while and it foon fades, and 
 lofes much of its Luftre and Beauty j even fo A 
 did the Church of God: and it was foretold alfo Afts 2 °* 
 by the Apoftles, it would fo after their de- 
 parture come to pafs, by the entring in of 
 grievous Wolves who mould not (pare the Flock, 
 i. e. the Church 5 nay, the Spirit of Antichrift, 2 Theff. 2. 
 Paid faith, or My fiery of Iniquity, did even then 7« 
 
 wor£ in the Apoftles days. And St. John fpeaks l J ohn 2 « 
 to the fame purpofe, Little Children, it is the Uji *&• 
 
 time: and as ye have heard that Antichrift fhall 
 come, even now are there many Antkhrifts, whereby 
 we know that this is the laft time : and indeed all 
 generally believe the Church continued not a 
 pure Virgin to Chrift much longer than one 
 hundred Years after his Death j now then (hall 
 any prefume to fay that was the Infancy of the 
 Church, as if the Church arrived to clearer 
 Light, Strength, and Glory in after-Times. 
 
 But, 2. Had not the Gofpel-Church in that 
 Age the extraordinary Apoftles with it, like 
 to whom never any rofe after to fucceed them \ 
 nay fuch who were converfant with the Lqrd 
 jefus after he rofe from the Dead, and fpake A#s 1. 3. 
 
 to 
 
7 6 Gold Kefindh or, 
 
 Aft. 1 0.4 1. to him mouth to mouth, and did eat and drink 
 with them ? as Peter faith, A6is 1 o. 
 
 3. Had not the Church then extraordinary 
 Gifts, nay, fuch an infallible Spirit and Prefence 
 of Chrift with her, that her Sons could clearly 
 difcern Spirits, and know when they fpeak, and 
 when the Spirit fpakeinthem? Now frul^ J, not 
 the Lord. 
 
 4.. Was not that Church fet up to be aPat^rn, 
 or perfect Copy, after which all fucceeding 
 Churches were to write? can we think that 
 others ever attained to the like, much .lefs* to 
 greater Light and Knowledg than they? Thefe 
 things considered, fully fhew the folly and weak- 
 nefs of this Aflertion and Objection. 
 
 But if Believers were the only Subjects of 
 Baptifm in the Primitive Time, and this was 
 according to .the Commiflion of Chrift and 
 Practice of thofe days, how came this Order 
 and Adminiftration to be altered and changed, 
 I mean by whole 6 Authority? nay, and which is 
 worft of ali, if that Infant-Baptifm may be 
 deem'd to be a Divine Rite, or an Ordinance 
 of God, fith 'tis not recorded in the Scrip- 
 ture, nor pra&ifed in the Apoftles Time, it 
 renders not only the Gofpel-Church weak and 
 imperfect, but Chrift himfelf unfaithful, or lefs 
 faithful than Afofes, who was but the Servant, 
 and yet left nothing dark or unwritten which 
 God commanded him, but did do every thing 
 exactly according to the Patern fhewed him 
 in the Mount. 
 
 Nay, and by the fame Argument ( fmcc In- 
 fant-Baptifm was not inftituted by Chrift, nor 
 pra&ifed in the Primitive Church ~) and yec 
 n^y be admitted as a Divine Ordinance of Chrift, 
 and fa prsclifcd by Christians j why may not 
 
 all, 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 77 
 
 all, or many other Rices and Sacraments owned 
 and maintained in the Romijb Church, be admit- 
 ted alfo ? But, 
 
 Objeft. I have heard fome fay, Is it my where 
 forbid ? 
 
 Anfw. To which I anfwer, where are fuch 
 things as Croflings, Salt, Spittle, and Sureties,^. 
 forbid ? At this Door what Inventions and In- 
 novations may not come in, or be admitted, 
 of fuch a dangerous Confequence is this, that 
 it would undo us all i 
 
 Objeft. But fay you at that time, i. e. at the 
 firft preaching the Gofpel and planting Churches, 
 Adult Perfons were baptized only becaufe they 
 were before they believed either Jews or Hea- 
 thens*; but when they believed and were bap- 
 tized, their Children had a right to Baptifm 
 likewife. • 
 
 Anfw. This is foon faid, but hardly, nay not 
 at all to be proved. For it cannot be their 
 Childrens right without Authority or Command 
 from Chrift : for if we fhould grant all our 
 Brethren fay concerning Abraham's Seed, and of 
 their Childrens being in Covenanr, this will 
 not juftify their Practice of baptizing them, if 
 they argue thus till Dooms-day, except Chrift. 
 hath left them a Precept, or his Church a Pre- 
 cedent fo to do; for Abraham's Seed, though 
 they were fuch a thoufand times ever, had*no 
 right to Circumcifion until he received the 
 word of Command to circumcife them from 
 the great God. Nor had Lot, and other godly 
 Men in that day, any right to that Ceremony 
 who were not of Abraham's Family, becaufe 
 God limited his Command to himfelf, his Sons, 
 and Servants, or fuch who were bought with 
 Mony, and fo came into his Houfe, 
 
yg Gold Refiud -, w, 
 
 Secondly, We defire it may be confidered, 
 that the Hiftory we have of the Gofpel-Church 
 in the Apoftles days from the firft planting of 
 the Church at Jerufalem, till St. J»hn received 
 his Revelations, contains more than fifty Years, 
 and there was no fewer than three thoufand 
 Perfons baptized at once in that firft Church j 
 fo that we may conclude there were many 
 thousands of Believers who doubtlefs had many 
 Children born unto them during the time of 
 the Gofpel contained in the Hiftory we have 
 recorded in the New Teftament, and yet we 
 read not of one of their Children upon the 
 account of federal Holinefs, and their Parents 
 covenanting with God, baptized ; and can any 
 be fo blind as to think the holy God Would 
 have left this thing fo in the dark without 
 the leaft hint or intimation, had it been any 
 of his Mind or Counfel that Believers Seed 
 fhould be baptized ? I am fure they cannot 
 fay it, without reflefting upon the JFaithfulnefs, 
 Care, and Wifdom of God. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Proving Believers- the only true Subjetts 
 &f Baftifm from the [fecial ends of 
 this holy Sacrament. 
 
 W'Hat the fpecial end and ufe of Baptifm 
 is,comes next in order to be confidered, 
 wherein it will more fully and clearly appear 
 that no Infant in Non-Age ought by any means 
 co be baptized, 
 
 Firft 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Parity. 7$ 
 
 Firft of all, it was ordained to be a Sign 
 or Figure unto the Baptized of fome inward 
 Spiritual Grace, vi\. of the Perfon's Death unto 
 Sin, and Vivification to a new Life buried with 
 him in Baptifm, i. e. Chrift. doth certainly ex- 
 prefly relate immediately (if not wholly ) in 
 thofe Texts of Scripture to that outward Sign 
 it felf, as that in which there is a plain Re- 
 prefentation of the Myftery and inward Grace, 
 we are faid to be buried and rifen both in Sig- 
 nification, andalfo in lively Reprefentation of 
 the inward and fpiritual Burial and Refurre&ion 
 with Chrift. 
 
 Secondly, Here is mention made of the Sign, 
 and of the Thing fignified. And as for that 
 which is fpoken of under this Expreflion, Buried 
 in Baptifm, 'tis delivered as a Medium f faith 
 one) whereby, as a Motive whereunto, and 
 as a Reafon wherefore, as an Image and Re- 
 prefentation, wherein we are both to read, and Rom. 6. 
 remember, and alfo praftife and perform that 2, 4, <, 6* 
 other; for, do but mark, how fhaU we that are 
 dead to Sin, ( i. e, fhould be ) live nny longer 
 therein ? Know ye not, that as many of you as were 
 baptised into Chrift, i. e. into, or in token of an 
 Intereft in him, and of a Onenefs and Fellow- 
 ship with him by Faith, are baptized into his 
 Death ? i.e. in token of fuch a Communion with 
 the Power of his Deaths as to kill Sin, and cru- 
 cifie the old Man, fo that henceforth we fhould 
 not ferve Sin * therefore hence it is, faith he, 
 that in Baptifm, (i. e, the outward Sacrament) 
 we arc buried with him, i. e. outwardly, vifibly, 
 bodily in Water into his Death, i. e. in token and 
 refemblance of our dying unto Sin by virtue of 
 his Death?. That we fhould be ever praftically 
 mindful of this, that lihe as Ckrift rofe again 
 
 after 
 
So CsldRefind; er, 
 
 
 after he was dead, fo we ffjo'uld rife to a mw 
 Life ; for if we have ken planted together in the. 
 lifyncfs of his Death, (_ i. e. fignally in outward 
 Baptifm, fpiritually, and really in the inward 
 Work of Death unto Sin, &c. performed by the 
 Spirit upon the Soul ) we [ball be alfo in the lify- 
 nefs of his Rep.imclion. 
 
 Thirdly, This Eurial and Refurre&ion that is 
 immediately expreifed by thefe words, Buried, 
 with him in Baptifm, wherein ye are alfo rifen with 
 him, is made a Motive, Argument, and Incite- 
 ment to the fpiritual Death and Refurrc&ion > 
 for therefore are we perfwaded to die, to Sin 
 and live righteoufly, becaufe in Baptifm we are 
 buried in Water, and raifed again, in token that 
 we ought fo to do -, and to this end are we 
 baptized, and buried, and raifed therein, and 
 fo interefted into all the other Benefits of 
 Chrift's Death, Remiflion of Sins, and Salvation, 
 vi\. that we mould die to Sin and live holily, 
 and to the end alfo that we may thereby be 
 put in mind fo to do. 
 
 Now if this Death and Burial in Baptifm be 
 to this end, vi^, to teach us, and (hew us how 
 we muft die to Sin : Then I infer two things, 
 
 Fir ft, That the burial in Baptifm, here fpo- 
 ken of, is not the death to Sin ; for the Motive, 
 and things we are moved to do, are two ; and fo 
 are the Sign, and the Thing fignified. 
 
 Secondly, That" Infants are not capable Sub^ 
 jects of Baptifm : for this Sacrament calls for 
 Under ftanding, and Judgment, and Senfes to be 
 exercifed in all that partake tliereof, or elfe the 
 whole work will be altogether infignificant. 
 Therefore, faith one, to carry a poor Babe to 
 Baptifm, k as much as to carry it to hear a 
 
 Pareus, Sermon. - ■■ A Sign, as Panm obferveth, is 
 
 fonie 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. § I 
 
 fbme outward thing appearing to the Senfe, 
 through which fome inward thing is at the 
 fame time apprehended by the Underftanding. 
 
 " Therefore, faith Mr. Perkins, the preaching Perkins 
 " of the Word, and the adminiftration of Sacra-* Cafe of 
 " ments are all one in fubftance ; for in the one the Confc. 
 " Witnefs of God is feen, and in the other heard, p. 177. 
 
 Secondly, Another end of Eapcifm is, that it 
 might be a fignal Reprefentation of a Believers 
 Union with Chrift, hence called a being baptized 
 into Chrift, and a putting on of Chrift. 
 
 As many as have been baftked into Chrift i have 
 fut on Chrift, and .are all one in Chrift J e fits, faith j^rer on 
 Mr. Baxter, and are Abraham'/ Seed, and Heirs r nfom 
 according to Fromife, Gal. 3. 27, 28, 29. ^' 
 
 This fpeafcs the Apoftle of the probability "'3 2, 
 grounded on a credible Profeflion, &c. 
 
 And further, faith he, our Baptifm is the So- 
 lemnvqng of our Marriage with Chrift, and 'tis a, ' 
 mw and flxange tynd of Marriage where there is no 
 Profefflon of Confent. 
 
 Now if this be true which Mr. Baxter affirms, 
 and I fee no caufe to doubt of it 5 ( mod wor- 
 thy Men, as well as Scripture, agreeing in this 
 cafe with him) how abfurd and ridiculous a 
 thing is the Invention of Infark-Baptifm, fith all 
 Men know they are not capable to fignify their 
 Confent cf Marriage with Chrift 3 if any thing 
 in the Wo, /Id cuts in pieces the very Sinews of 
 Infants Baptifm 'tis this ; for there is a Con- 
 tract made between both Parties before the So- 
 lemnization of Marriage*, and how can a 
 Babe of two or ten days old do that? 'tis a 
 ftrange Marriage if it be not done, though more 
 ftrange indeed without the other. Buc may be 
 fome will fay 'tis a Marriage by ProKy or Sure- 
 ties, as Princes fometimes are married, 
 
 G . ' Anf*. 
 
$2 Gold Reflnd ; or, 
 
 Anfw. Sometimes there has been fome fuch 
 like A&ion done I muft confefs : But does not 
 the Prince actually confent fo to be married ? 
 But all this while, who has required any thing of 
 this at our Hands ? Are not Sureties in Bapcifm 
 a meer human Invention? and have cot our 
 Brethren caft it away as fuch ? 
 
 The third end of Baptifm, as Mr. Perkins 
 obferves, is this, vk. Tis a Sign to Believers of 
 the Covenant on God's part of the wafting away 
 oj our Sins in the Blood of Chrift ; we fee, faith he, 
 what k done in Baptifm, the Covenant of Grace is 
 folemnh^d between God and the Party baptised \ and 
 in- tins Covenant fometUng belongs to God, and 
 Something to the Party baptized. Are Infants ca- 
 pable thus to covenant with God ? though we 
 doubt not but it is fo in fome good fenfe be- 
 tween the Almighty and a Believer, who is the 
 only Subject, i. e. there is indeed a mutual Sti- 
 pulation on both Parties in that Solemnity, but 
 an Infant can do nothing herein. 
 
 " Baptifm, faith Bnllkger, is an Agreement or 
 " Covenant of Grace which Chrift enters into 
 u with us when we are baptized, &c. 
 
 Fourthly, Baptifm is called the Baptifm of Re- 
 pentance for the RemifTion of Sins > one end of 
 this Ordinance therefore is this, ia\. To teftify 
 the Truth of our Repentance, and to engage u& 
 thereby to bring forth Fruits meet for amend- 
 ment of Life. 
 
 " As their Sins are not forgiven them, faith 
 " Mr. Baxter, till they are converted , fo they 
 " muft not be baptized for the Forgivenefs of 
 "Sins, till they profefs themfelves converted r 
 " feeing to the Church ton ejfe & non apparere is 
 " all one. Repentance towards God, and Faith 
 " towards our Lord Jefus Chrift, is the fum of 
 
 « chat 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Tarty. 8i 
 
 *that preaching that makes Difciples, ASfs 20. 
 u 2i. Therefore both thefe muft by Profeffion 
 " feerh to be received, before any ac Age are 
 " Baptized. And that no other, fay I, befidesi 
 them at Age ought to be baptized, by this very 
 Argument is very clear and evident. 
 
 Bitllinger, as he is quoted by Mr. Baxter, I find Bullinger 
 fpeaketh thus, titi. " To be baptized in the Name on Aft. 
 " of our Lord Jefus Chrift, faith he, is by a Sign 2. 38. 
 " of Baptifm, to teftify that we do believe in 
 "Chrift for the Remiffion of Sins : Firft, mark, 
 " it is not only an Ingagement to believe here- 
 after j but the Profeffion, faith he, 6f a pre- 
 " fent Faith. Secondly, And that not a com- 
 " mon Faith, but that which hath RemiffiQii of 
 " Sin. 
 
 Farewel to infant Baptifm ; a prefent Faith is 
 required of fuch that are to be baptized, nay, 
 and more, a prefent profeffion of it too. Infants 
 have neither Faith, nor can they profefs it, 
 Ergo they are not to be baptized. 
 
 Fifthly, Another End of Baptifm is, ( as one 
 well obferves") to evidence prefent Regenera* 
 tion j whereof, faith he, it is a lively Sign or -,. - 
 "Symbol— Hence 'tis called the Wafting of Rege- "**• fc 
 Titration j what fignifies the Sign, where the Thing ^ . £* * 
 fignified is wanting ? Baptifm is frequently cal- ., jP u ' 
 led the Lover of Regeneration, it being a Sign or !!? . r * 
 Figure of it to the Perfon Baptized. » 
 
 "Chrift hath inftituted no Baptifm, faith £ rl £ . 
 " Mr. Baxter, but what is to be a Sign of prefent 11£jZ * 
 * c Regeneration *, but to Men that profefs not a " r * uan- 
 M Juftifykig Faith, it cannot be adminiftred as a ve * 
 " Sign of Regeneration. Therefore he hath 
 inftituted no Baptifm to be adminiftred to fuch. 
 ttoes not this Argument make void the Baptifm 
 ©f Iufancs, as well as Adult Unbelievers, by the 
 G 2 An«i- 
 
84 G'ld Refind j dr, 
 
 Ancients? Let" Mr.Mtf^take it again, but with* 
 a very little alteration. Chrifl hathinftitxtedno Bap- 
 tifmbut what is to be a, Sign oj prefent Regeneration v 
 but to little Babes that profffs not a juftifying Faith, it' 
 cannot be adminiflred as a Sign of prefent Regeneration, 
 therefore be bath inftituted no Baptifm to be admini- 
 ftred to Infants. The ftrefs of the Argument lies 
 in the Inflitucion of Chrifl, in that no Baptifm 
 is instituted and commanded by Chrift, but what 
 is a Sign of prefent Regeneration, not Future ', 
 therefore Infant-Baptifm can be no Baptifm of 
 Chrifl. 
 
 Sixthly, Baptifm is called, An Anfwer of i good 
 * ct * 3» Confcieme i by the Refurreftion of Chrifl from the 
 21 • Dea^ j or the Covenant of a good Confcience by tbs 
 Refurrettion of Chrifl, ( as faith Sir Norton Knatch- 
 buljri his Learned Notes printed at Oxford y i6i7.) 
 in the belief of which Re (me ft ion roe are faved, faith 
 he, as they were faved by the A)\. But now In- 
 fants cannot Covenant thus, nor Witnefs thus in 
 Baptifm by a Belief of the Rcfurreftion, (which 
 faith the laid famous Learned Man ) Baptifm is 
 an emphatical Figure, or a particular Signal ot, 
 to the Perfon baptized. 
 
 See what our Late Annotators fpeak upon the 
 place 3 "In Baptifm, fav they, there is a folemn 
 " Covenant, or mutual Agreement between God 
 " and the Party baptized, wherein God offers, 
 "applies, and fealshis Grace, ftipulating or re- 
 " quiring the Parries acceptance of that Grace, 
 tc and devoting himfclf to his Service '-, and 
 '■ when he, our of a good Confcience doth in- 
 " gage and promife this, which is to come up to 
 4 ■ the terms of the Covenant, that may be pro- 
 
 " pcrly called the Aifwir of a good Confcience 
 
 " it feeprs, fay they, to bean allufion to the man^ 
 6< ner cf Baptizing, where the Minifler ask'd 
 
 "die 
 
Baptifm In its Primitive Purity. 8 $ 
 
 " the Party to be Baptized concerning his faith 
 "inChriftj and he accordingly anfwered him, 
 "Deft thou believe ? I believe, &c. A&S3.37. 
 Now, are Children capable to do any of this ? 
 Can they covenant whh Gfod ? Qsta they anfwer 
 a good Confcience, by believing the Refur- 
 re&ion of Chriit ? or can Baptifm appear, 
 to be a Symbol of it to them? No, nor in- 
 deed can Rantifm be fo to any other, I mean 
 to the Adult. 
 
 Seventhly, Baptifm hath another End and life 
 afligned to it, vi\. That the Party baptized may 
 have an orderly entrance into the Vifible Church, 
 and fo have a right to partake of all other Or- 
 dinances and Priviledges thereof, as breaking of 
 Bread, &c. This hereafter I fhall make fully ap- 
 pear ; nor is it any other thing than is generally 
 owned by Chriitians, and eminent Men ; but In- 
 fants cannot be admitted to thofe Priviledges, 
 zi\, to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, &c, 
 and therefore ought not to be baptized ; for 
 he that has right to one, cannot be denied 
 the other, by any Ground or Authority frpm 
 God's Word. 
 
 Q 3 CHAR 
 
S6 Gold R$tC&\ or y 
 
 CHAP, IX. 
 
 Containing fever al other Arguments, fro^ 
 ving, why not Infants^ hut Believers 
 only^ are the true Subjetts of Bay- 
 tifm. 
 
 r. TF there is no word of Institution, or any 
 
 Argument, A thing in the Commiflfion of Chrift for Bap- 
 tizing Infants, but .of Believers only, then not 
 Infants but Believers only ought to be Bap- 
 tized. 
 
 But there is no word of Initiation, or any 
 thing in the Commiilion of Chrift, for baptizing 
 Infants, but of Believers only *, Ergo, not In- 
 fants, but Believers only are the Subjects of Bap- 
 tifm. 
 
 The Major Proportion is undeniable: for if 
 Infants may be baptized in the Name, &c. with- 
 out any Authority from Chrift, or word of In- 
 ftitution, or the leaft intimation of it in the 
 great Commiflfion , what Innovation can we 
 keep out of the Church ? This is enough to caufe 
 any Proteftant to renounce his Religion, and 
 cleave to the Romifh Communion, who aflerts 
 the Church's Power is fuch, that without a 
 word of Inftitution, fhe may do the Lord 
 
 knows what. Nor do they, as far as I can 
 
 find, aflert Infant- Baptifm from the Authority 
 eff the Scripture -, but from the Power Chrift 
 has left in the Church, in which they feem more 
 
 honeft 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. %j 
 
 honeft than fome Protectants, that pretend to 
 maintain this Bite, by plain Scripture-proof, 
 without the leaf!: ftiadow or intimation of any 
 fuch thing, to the palpable Reproach of the 
 Chriftian Religion. 
 
 As to the Minor, 'tis evident, and owned by 
 the Learned, that thofe who are enjoined to be 
 baptized, in the Commiflion, Math. 28. are firft 
 to be taught, or made Difciples : But Infants 
 cannot be made Difciples, being uncapable of 
 iteaching '■>• therefore there is nothing in that 
 Commiflion of Infant-Eaptifm : If they have 
 any other vyord of Inftitution or Commiflio% 
 let them produce it, we profefs we know of 
 none. 
 
 Objctt. Chrifl: commanded his Difciples to 
 baptise till Nations j Children are part of the Na^ 
 jions, therefore may be baptized ; Thus you fee 
 we have Authority to baptize Children from 
 the great Commiflion. 
 
 Anfw. Let me haye the lame liberty to argue, 
 and fee what will follow, vi\. Chrift commanded 
 his Difciples to baptize all Nations v but TurJ^s, 
 Pagans, and Infidels, with their Children, are 
 part of the Nations, Ergo, Turks, Pagans, and 
 Infidels, and their Children, may be baptized al- 
 fo. Sir, I will appeal to you, is not this Infe* 
 rence as good and as juftifiable as yours? Come 
 put it to your Confidences ; Can you fuppofe any 
 fhould be baptized by virtue of the words of 
 Chrift in the Commiflion, but Difciples only ? 
 
 Objett. Well, what though that be fo ? yet we 
 affirm, that Infants are Difciples, and therefore 
 may be baptized. 
 
 Anfw. What if we fhall grant you that Infants 
 
 are Difciples, £ which we can never do, it being 
 
 utterly folfe") yec they are not fuch Difciples 
 
 Q 4 * thac 
 
S3 Gold Keftnd :, or, 
 
 that Chrift in the Commiffion requires to be bap- 
 tized, becaufe they were to be made Difciples, 
 by being taught * and that Infants cannot "be faid 
 to be, we are fure. 
 
 The Lord Jefus hath plainly excluded Infants 
 in his Commitfion from this Adminiftration, ac- 
 cording to ordinary Rule •, for in that he commands 
 them to Baptise Difcifles, upon preaching fir ft to 
 them, it follows, that none but fuchwhoare fo 
 taught, and fo by teaching made Difciples, are 
 by virtue of the Commimon, to be baptized y 
 Infants, after an ordinary rate are uncapable of 
 underftanding the Gofpel, when preaclVd, and 
 therefore are uncapable of being made Difciples 
 thereby, and there is no other way, according to 
 ordinary Rule, of being made Difciples but by that 
 means : And this the Apoftles could eafily under- 
 hand, as knowing that under the term Difciple, 
 in common fpeech, and in the whole New Te- 
 ftament, thofe only are meant, who being 
 taught, profeiled the Do&rine preached byfuch 
 a one as John's Difciples, Chriffcs Difciples, arid 
 the Difciples of the-Pharifecs, &c. and according- 
 ly the Apoftles adminiftred Baptifrri. ; And in 
 that Chrift appoints thefe to be Baptized, we 
 <ay, he excludes all others , for the Inftit'ution, 
 Commiffion, and Commandment of Jefus Chrift, 
 is moft certainly the' only Rule, according to 
 which we arc to adminifter the Sacrament of 
 F»aptifrm and all ether Holy Things •, and they 
 that do otherwise, open a Door to all Innovati- 
 ons, and follow their Own Inventions, and are 
 guilty of Wili-worfhip. If you fhouldfay, In- 
 fants are Difciples femintdly in and by their Pa- 
 rents : as if Relievers could beget Believers, 
 or Difciples of Chrift by natural Generation, is 
 abfcrd and ridiculous, the Chriflian. Church be- 
 ' ing 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 89 
 
 ing not made up of Pcrfons bv meer Humane 
 Birch, but Spiricual Regeneration. And to fay 
 that Infants are born Difciples by the relation 
 to the Covenant, and fo have the Seal fct on 
 them, without any precedent Teaching, is but an- 
 unapproved Di&ate ', as if a Title to Eaptifm 
 were in its Nature a Seal of the Covenant, which 
 the Scripture no where afjrms; nor is there 
 any Rule for baptizing of Perfons becaufe of 
 Relation to the Covenant, fith Baptifm wholly 
 depends upon a pofitive Inftitution. 
 
 '■Objeft. But you further argue, that Infants are 
 called Difciples, Aft. 1 $.*io. Becaufe the Yoak 
 laid upon the Necks of the Difciples, was Cir- 
 cumcifion ; and Circumciiion belonged to Infants, 
 trgo 9 Infants are Difciples. 
 
 Anfw. To this we Anfwer, That there is no 
 colour of Ground or Reafon of giving the Name 
 of Difciples from that Text to Infants : for* tho 
 crjie, they are called Difciples, upon whofe Necks 
 the falfe Erethren would have put that Yoak of 
 Circumciiion j yet what's this, fith Adult Belie- 
 vers of the Gentiles alfo were required by the 
 Jews to be circumcifed, as Timothy, Aft. 16. %. 
 And tho it be granted that they would have had 
 Infants, as well as the converted Gentiles, to 
 be circumcifed, yet the putting the Yoak of 
 Circnmcifion, is not actual Circumciiion in the 
 Fiefh j for that the Jews, as well as their Chil- 
 dren, were able to bear for many Age?. But 
 the Yoak of Circumcifion is the necefTity of 
 it upon Mens«Confciences, and therewith to 
 oblige them to keep the whole Law of Mo- 
 fes> or they could not be faved -, and this was noc 
 that which they would have put upon Children, 
 but upon the Difciples, h e. thefaithful Brethren 
 inChrift J<-fus. 
 
90 Cold RefirPd' 7 or^ 
 
 ». II. If Faith and Repentance be required as pre* 
 
 requifite of all them that are to be baptized 5 then 
 
 none but Believers ought to be baptized — but 
 
 . Faith and Repentance is required of all fuch 5 
 
 Ergo, &c. 
 
 The Major Proportion cannot be denied, with- 
 out a palpable violation of ChrifVs Precept, and 
 by the fame Rule that Infants may be baptized, 
 notwithftanding this Ibfolute prerequifite, Unbe- 
 lievers may, invalidate the Rule of Chrift, or 
 render it defective, and you give all away to the 
 Enemy. The Minor has been fufficiently proved. 
 
 is 8. jj- t } m bzii eve f} y thou may% elfe he might not ; 
 
 that it feems was abfolutely neceflary, Repent, and 
 be baptised every one of you, A&.2. 35,37. and,thofe 
 of the Church of England fay the fame thing. 
 
 In the Rubrick, What is required of Perfons that 
 ure to be baptised / that's the Queftion. 
 
 Anfwer, Repentance, whereby they forfafy Sin ; 
 and, Faith, whereby they ftedfaftly believe the Promife 
 of God made to them in that Sacrament. 
 
 ۥ m* If there be no Precedent in the Scripture, (as 
 there is no Precept ) that any befides fuch who 
 profeffed Faith and Repentance, were baptized -, 
 then none but fuch ought to be baptized : but 
 there is no Precedent that any befides fuch who 
 profefled Faith and Repentance were baptized ; 
 Br go, none but fuch ought. 
 
 Had Infant-Baptifm been any Appointment op 
 Inftitiation of Chrift, we fhould certainly either 
 have had Precept or Example in the Scripture to 
 warrant the (ame ; but in as much as the Holy 
 Scripture is wholly Client therein, there being 
 not one Example, or the leaft Syllable to, be 
 found for any fuch Pra&ice, we may be fure it is 
 none of ChriiVs Ordinance. 
 
 If 
 
Baptifm in its Vrimitive Vwfitj. . 9I 
 
 If our Brethren have any Precedent or Exam- 
 ple for it, let them (hew it, for we declare and 
 teftify, there is none as we know of. 
 
 And that there is neither Precept nor Exam- 
 ple for Infants Baptifm, we have it confefled by v 
 many of them who were for it. 
 
 'Erafmns faith, It is no where exprefled in the Vnionof 
 Apoftolical Writings, that they baptized Chil- tbeCbmb. 
 dren. And again$ upon Rom. 6. Baptizing of 
 young Infants was not, faith he, in ufe in St. 
 Paul's Time. 
 
 Calvin alfo confefleth, it js no where exprefly #h Bool^ of 
 mentioned by the EvangeMs, that any one hjltt.c.16. 
 Child was baptized by the Hands of the Apo- 
 ftjes. 
 
 Lndovicus Vives faith, None of old were wont j)t cUtt. 
 to be baptized but in a grown Age j and who p«,lib.i. 
 defired it, and underftood what it was. ca p. 27 „ 
 
 The Afagdeburge?ifeSy as I find them quoted by Magdeb. 
 Mr. Danvsrs, do fay, that concerning the bapti- j n cent, r. 
 zing of the Adult, both Jews and Gentiles, we |, 3 . p.496. 
 have fufficient Proof from the 2ct,Btb, loth^n^ 
 1 6th Chapters of the Atts j but as to the bap- 
 tizing of Infants they can meet with no Ex- 
 ample in Scripture. 
 
 Dr. Taylor faith, ** It is againft the perpetual lib. Pn$b. 
 " Analogy of ChrifVs Doftrine to baptize In- p. 239. . 
 " fants j for befides that, Chrift never gave any 
 " Precept to baptize them, nor ever himfelf, 
 " nor his Apoftles £ that appears ) did baptize 
 " any of them : All' that either he or his Apo- 
 *' ftles faid concerning it, requires fuch previ- 
 * c ous Difpofitions to Baptifm, of which Infants 
 " are not capable, and thofe are Faith and 
 " Repentance. And not to inftance in thofe in- 
 <c numerable places that require Faith before 
 £ Baptifm there needs no more but this one of 
 
 "our 
 
$ -Id Keftnd; or, 
 
 a our blefled Saviour : Hz that belhveth and h 
 " biptiyd, fiall'be frM\ but he that believrtb not, 
 " jhall be condemned : plainly thus Faith and Bap- 
 " tifm will bring a Man to Heaven ; but if he 
 " hath no Faith. Bapcifm fhall do him no good : 
 " fo ths :ifm, faith he, be neceflary, f<* 
 
 " is Faith much more 5' for the want of Faith 
 " damns abfotutely, it is not faid fo of the wane 
 " of Baptifm. 
 
 A»g. IV. H Paul declared the whole Counfel of Qod 
 unto the Churches and Primitive Chriftians, and 
 yet never declared or made known to them In- 
 fants Baptifm. Then Infants Baptifm is none 
 of the Counfel of God. But Paul did de- 
 clare unto the Churches and Primitive Chri- 
 ftians the whole Counfel of God, but never de- 
 clared any thing to them of Infants Baptifm. 
 Ergo. 
 
 The Major Proportion can't fairly be denied : 
 and as to the Minor, fee Afis 20. 27. Fsr I havz 
 not [harmed, faith he, to declare unto you all the 
 Counfel of God. It appears by the Context; tha t 
 he concluded he could not be pure from the 
 Blood of all Men, if he had not been faithful 
 in this matter, (. e, in making known all the 
 whole Will of God to them. Paul was the 
 great Apoftle of the Gentiles, and he fpake 
 thefe words to a Gentile Church, vi£i the 
 Church at fcpbefa, and therefore it is the more 
 remarkable,' God hath by his Mouth made known 
 all things that are riece'ffary for us to know or 
 undei ftand of his Counfel, or our Duty. See our 
 late Annotators on this Verfe. 
 VooYs An- <f God's Decree to (kvt all that believe in 
 not at. on " Chrifr, or the whole Dottrine of Chriftianity, 
 A&.20.27* <c a£.it direfts to an holy Life j whatfoever - Ood 
 
 " requires 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Parity. P3 
 
 : * requires of any one in order to a • bleflcd 
 " Ecernicy : this is that which ( (ay they ) the 
 " Pfwifees reje&ed, Lufyi. 30. and fo do all 
 " wicked and ungodly Men, wlio refufe to take 
 " God's Counfel, or to obey his Command. Now 
 Baptifm is that part of God's Counfel which the 
 Phmfm rejected againft themfelvcs. Moreover 
 in Chap. 19. it appears he opened and ex- 
 plained that great Ordinance to.thofe Chnfli- 
 ans at Epbefus, at the firft Plantation of the 
 Church there, but not a word of their Duty to 
 baptize their Infants , nor was there any rea- 
 fon he fhould, it being none of God^s Counfel. 
 
 . If whatfoever is neceflary to Faith or Pra- Arg. V. 
 clice, is left in the written Word, or made 
 known to us in the Holy Scripture, that be- 
 ing a compleat and perfect Rule, gnd yet In- 
 fant- Baptifm is not contained or left therein, 
 then Infant-Baptifm is not of God. But what- 
 foever is neceffary to Faith or Practice, is left in 
 the written Word, or made known to us in _ 
 the Holy Scripture, &c. and yet Infarit-Eaptifm 
 is not contained therein. Erg9> Infinc-Bap- 
 tifm is not of God. 
 
 That the Holy .Scripture contains irf ic all 
 things that are necelfary for us to believe and 
 pra&ife in order to Eternal Life,, is ticknow- 
 Iedg'd by all worthy Men both Ancient and 
 Modern > and that Infants Baptifm is not con- 
 tained in die holy Scripture we have proved. 
 
 The holy Scriptures, faith At banafiHt y being Arhanafius 
 iafpired from God, are fufficient to all Inftru&i- agunh thi 
 ons of Truth. Gmnfis. 
 
 Ifyihim faith, Let us which will have any Ifychks 
 thing obferved of God, learch no mor«fr6uc ltu t $.c.i6. 
 that which the Gofpei doth give unto us. ' on Levit. 
 
 Ail ' 
 
94 
 
 GtldReffo'ds or, 
 
 Chryf. on m All things, faith Cbryfoftom, be plain and clear 
 2 Thef. & in the Scripture'; and what things foever be 
 a Tim, 3. needful, are manifeft there. 
 
 If there be any thing needful to be known 
 
 or not to be known, we (hall learn it by the 
 
 Holy Scriptures *, if We (hall need to reprove a 
 
 Falfhood, we fhall fetch it from thence ; if to 
 
 be corrected, to be chaflened, to be exhorted, 
 
 or comforted*, to be fhort, if ought lack, that 
 
 ought to be taught or learned, we fhall alfo 
 
 learn it out of the fame Scriptures. 
 
 Aug. to the . Augu^in faith, Read the Holy Scriptures,wherc» 
 
 Brethren in in ye fhall find fully what is to be followed, an4 
 
 iheWildem. what to be avoided. 
 
 Lib. 2. of And again he faith, In thefe therefore, which 
 Chriftian are evidently contained in the Scriptures, are 
 Doftrine, found all things which contain Faith, manner 
 c. 3. of living, Hope and Love. 
 
 In bis 1 $2 Let us feek no farther than what is written of 
 Epifile to God our Saviour, left a Man would know more 
 Fortunac. than the Scriptures witnefs. 
 
 Luther Luther faith, there ought no other Doctrine 
 upn Gal. to be delivered, or heard in the Church, be- 
 1. p. fides the pure Word of God, that is the Holy 
 
 Scriptures, let other Teachers, and Hearers, with 
 their Do&rine be accurfed. ♦ 
 Bafil in his ' Bdfil faith, that it would be an Argument of 
 Sermon de Infidelity, and a moft certain fign of Pride, if 
 fide. any Man fhould rejed any things written, and 
 
 mould introduce things not written. 
 
 Calvin./,4. Let this, faith Calvin* be a firm Axiom, thac 
 
 JnjHt.c.8. nothing is to be accounted the Word and 
 
 Sermon 8. Will of God to which place fhould be given 
 
 in the Church, but that which is contained in 
 
 the Law and Prophets' and after in the Apo- 
 
 ftolical Writings. 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Twit}. 95 
 
 It is, faith Tlwphilaft, the. part of a DiaboK- theopfr. 
 cal Spirit to think any thing Divine, without lib. 2. Pap 
 the Authority of the Holy Scripture, chal. 
 
 BtUamm faith, that though the Arguments Bellarm. 
 of the Anabaptifts, from the defeat of Command in his Boo^ 
 or Example, have a great force againft the Lu- de Bapt. 
 tberansy for as much as they ufe that Rite every- /. 1. c, 8. 
 where, having no Command or Example theirs 
 is to be .rejected ', yet is it of no force againft 
 Catholic^ who conclude the Apoftolical Tra- 
 dition is of no lefs Authority with us than the 
 Scripture j for the Apoftles fpeak with the fame 
 Spirit with which they did write ; but this of 
 baptizing of Infants is an Apoftolical Tradi- 
 tion, &c. 
 
 And laftly, to clofe with this Argument, take 
 what Mr. Ball faith, " We mull for every Ordi- . Mr \ Ball 
 * nance look to the Inftitution ( faith he ) and *? bis An* 
 "neither ftretch it wider, nor draw it narrower f wer t0 *be 
 " than the Lord hath made it * for he is the Infti- New-Eng- 
 " tutor of the Sacraments, according to his own ™ n< * &-. 
 " pleafure, and 'tis our part to learn of him both " frj » P- 3#, 
 "to whom, how, and for what end the Sacra- 39* 
 " ments are to be adminiftred ; in all which we 
 " muft affirm nothing but what God hath taught 
 " us, and as he taught us. If this worthy Man 
 fpeak Truth, as be fure he did, and his Do- 
 ctrine be imbraced, certainly our Brethren 
 muft never fprinkle, nay baptize, one Child any 
 more. 
 
 If no Man or Woman at any time or times Arg. V& 
 were by the Almighty God, Jefus Chrift, nor 
 his Apoftles neither commended for baptizing 
 any one Child cr Children, nor reproved for 
 neglecting to baptize fuch j then Infants Baptifm % 
 
 k not of, nor from God. 
 
 But 
 
<?6 Geld Refind \ or^ 
 
 But no Man or Woman. was at any time 
 or times either commended by the Almighty 
 God, &c. for baptizing any one Child or Chil- 
 dren, nor reproved for neglecting to baptize 
 fuch. Ergo, Infants Baptifm is not of, nor from 
 God. 
 
 This Argument remains good and unanfwera- 
 ble, unlefs they can fhew us that there is fome 
 Gofpel- Ordinance and univerfal Duty injoyned 
 on Men, that no Man or Woman was ever 
 commended for doing it, nor reproved for neg- 
 lecting it : when they can (hew chat, this Argu- 
 ment will be invalid. 
 
 . VII. That Dodrine that refkfls upon the Honour, 
 Care and Faithfulnefs of Jefus Chrift our blefled 
 Mediator and glorious Law-giver, or renders 
 him lefs faithful then Mofes, and the New Te- 
 ftament in one of its great Ordinances, nay Sa- 
 craments to lie more dark and obfeure in God's 
 Word than any Law or Ordinance of the Old 
 Tefhment did, cannot be of God. But the 
 Doftrine of Infants Baptifm reflects upon the 
 Honour, Care, and Faithfulnefs of Jefus Chrift, 
 &c or renders him lefs faithful than Mfes, 
 and the New Teftament in one of its great 
 Ordinances, nay Sacraments to lie more dark 
 and oblcure in God's Word than any Law or 
 Ordinance of the Old Teftamenc Ergo, Infants 
 Baptifm cannot be of God. The Major certainly 
 none will deny. 
 
 The Minor is eailly proved : Can any thing 
 reflect more upon the Honour of Chrift, &c. 
 than this ? as if he mould neglect to fpeak cue 
 his Mind and Will tons plainly, or be fo care- 
 lefs about ir, that forry Man is fore'd to try his 
 Wit to fupply what is defective and wanting in 
 * tl is 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity, 
 
 this Matter in Chrift's Word *, for he is frrangely 
 letc of God and benighted, who will net confefs 
 Infant Baptism to need much of humane Crafc 
 and\Cunning to make it out fromChrift's New" 
 Teftamenr, and when he has done all, he leaves 
 it as doubtful as he found it in the Judgment of 
 indifferent Perfons. Did Mofis deal thus with 
 the Children of Ifrael i No, no. How careful 
 was he to deliver every Law, Statute, and Ordi- 
 nance exaftly, particularly the Law of the Palf- 
 over ! Do bet read how careful and circumfpeft 
 he was in that, in all refpe&s and matters re- 
 lating to it. Nay, and the Wifdomof God was 
 fuch, to leave'nothing then in the dark, but gave 
 order that all Things might be made plain, that 
 he that run .might read it, and he that did read, 
 might know the Duty, i. e. the Statute or Ordi- 
 nance, (tho in many things they might need in- 
 ftru&ion how in a right Spirit to be found in it, 
 and what it fignified.) But I dare affirm, no Man 
 who reads the New Tefhment, from the begin- 
 ning of Matthew to the end of the Revelations, a 
 thoufand times over, fhall ever from that Holy- 
 Word, or any place or part of it, find it to be 
 his Duty to baptize his Child ; the Word of God 
 is powerful in convincing Men cf their Duties, as 
 well as of their Sins ; but in this it fails, it has no 
 Power to convince Mens Confciences. The Faith 
 of Perfons muft (land in the Wit and Subcilty of 
 Men, in refpeft of Infant-Bapt ifm, and not in the 
 Power of God, and efficacy of his blelfed Word. 
 Lee fome fhew us the Perfon, who only by read- 
 ing the New Teftament was convinced" of Infant- 
 Baptifm* though, 'tis true, divers by reading of 
 the Writings of Learned Men, and their l'ubtil 
 and fophiflical Arguments, £for fo I muft call 
 them ) have been perfwaded to believe ic to be 
 H of 
 
5S Gold Refind-j or, 
 
 of God. — Yet, after all, fome of them have 
 plainly fignified the great Ground and Argument 
 they build upon, is this, vi-\. Becaufe fuch and 
 fuch Learned, Godly, and Wife Men, aflertitto 
 be a Truth of Chrift. So that it appears very 
 clear, they build their Faith herein, not upon 
 the Authority of God's Word, but upon the 
 Credit and Authority of Men. But certainly it 
 mud needs, as. I faid, reflect upon the Honour 
 and Faithfulnefs of Chrift, to conclude Infant- 
 Eaptifm to be of God : for can any think the 
 Lord Jefus would leave fo great an Ordinance, 
 or Sacrament, of the New Teftament, fo ob 
 fcure and dark in his Sacred Word, had it been 
 his Mind that' Believers fhould baptize their 
 Children, fmce the Apoitle magnifies ChrifVs 
 Faithfulnefs, who is the Son, above that of 
 Mofes, who was but the Servant? And Mofes 
 verily was faithful in all his Houfe as a Servant, 
 fer a Teftimony oj thofe things which were to be 
 fpofyn after, Hebr. 3. $. But Chrift as a Son 
 over his own Houfe, &c. ver. <5. and there- 
 fore was counted. ' worthy of more glory than Mo- 
 fes, ver. 3. 
 
 Be (ides, do but confider what Darknefs and 
 Confufion the Afierters of Infant-Baptifm feem 
 to be in, about the Proof and Right they fay 
 Children have to it. 
 
 1. Some of them' fay, it depends wholly upon 
 the Authority of the Church. 
 
 2. Others dare not baptize them, but as Be- 
 lievers and Difciples, and therefore affirm 
 they have Faith, &c, 
 
 3. Others can't believe this \ and therefore 
 though they likewife baptize them as Believers, 
 yet get'Sureties to ftand for thera. 
 
 4, Others 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 99 
 
 ^ 4. Others fay, they have a Right by the Faith 
 of- their Parents: fome are for baptizing all 
 Children, others none but the Children of Ee- 
 tie vers; 
 
 5. One fays, if either of their Parents are 
 Believers they may be baptised; fome fay both 
 Father and Mother, both mud be godly Perfons 
 and in the Covenant of Grace, or elfe the 
 Child has no Right to be baptized. No mar- 
 vel when Men have loft their way, they are thus 
 loft in a Wildernefs. 
 
 That Ordinance God has made*no Promife to A?g. vnL- 
 Perfons in their Obedience thereto, nor denoun- 
 ced any Threatning or Punifhment on fuch who 
 flight, negled, and contemn if, it is no Ordi- 
 nance of God. But God has made no Promife 
 to Perfons who baptize their Children, nor de- 
 nounced no Threatning or Punifhment on thofe 
 who flight, neglecland contemn it. Ergo, Infant- 
 Baptifm is no Ordinance of God. 
 
 Let any fuch who afTert Infant-Baptifm, fhew 
 us a Promife to the Obedient herein, or a Threat- 
 ning denounced againft the Difobedient thereto,- 
 and we will fay no more. There are Promifes 
 made to Believers in their being baptized, that's 
 evident 5 and Punifhments threatned on fuch who 
 reject the Counfel of God in that refpecl:, the 
 like there is in refpeft of any other Gofpel-Or- 
 dinance, but none of this in the Cafe of Infant- 
 Baptifm, • 
 
 H % GHAfc 
 
1CX,' 
 
 Gold Kefind * 9 or, 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Wherein the great Arguments, and pre- 
 tended Scripture- Proofs for Infant-Ba^ 
 tifm^ concerning the Covenant Circiwi- 
 cifion r and Infants Chttrch-memberfhip y 
 are Examined, and Anfwesed. 
 
 o 
 
 N E main and great Argument the Pedo- 
 baptifts bring for that pra&ice is this, iA\* 
 
 Children of Eelievers are in Covenants well as 
 their Parents. The Covenant made with Abraham 
 was the Covenant of Grace, or Gofpel-Cove- 
 nar.t, to which the Seal of Circumcifion was an- 
 nexed ; and as Circumcifion belonged to the 
 Abraham. Children of the Faithful under the Law, fo Bap- 
 tifm belongs to the Children of the Faithful un- 
 der the Gofpel, or elfe the Priviledges under the 
 Gofpel would be lefs than thofe were under the 
 Law. 
 
 Anfiv. There hath been enough faid, over 
 and over, by Mr. Tombs, Mr. Danvers, and ma- 
 ny others, to detecl and utterly vanquifh the 
 weaknefs of this Argument. 
 
 As, firft, it hath been proved, that the Cove- 
 nant of Grace made with Abraham and his Seed, 
 doth not intend his Carnal Seed according to the 
 Flefh j but his Spiritual Seed, or fuch who. had 
 the Faith of Abraham. And one would think the 
 Apoftle might be believed in his expounding that 
 
 Text, 
 
Baftifm in its Vrimitive Vtirity. 101 
 
 Text, vi\. To Abraham and to his Seed -were the 
 Promifes made, Gal. 3. 1 6. He jaith not,And to Seeds, 
 as of many, but as of one, And to they Seed, which k 
 Cbrift. Compare this with v. 29. If ye be Chips, 
 then are ye Abraham's Seed, and Heirs, according to 
 the Promife And again, in Rem. 9. 7,8. he faith, 
 Neithei- becaufe they arethe Seed of Abraham, are they 
 all Children ; but in Ifaac (hill thy Seed be called. 
 That is, they which are the Children of the Flefh, 
 thefe 'are not the Children of God : but the Children of 
 the Promife are counted for the Seed. 
 
 Could the Apoftle in plainer words have de- 
 tected the Error ot thefe Men, if he had met 
 with them in his day ? ! ris true, he did meet . 
 
 with fome, vi\. the Jews, or Abraham's natural 
 Seed, who were fo blind as thus to argue from 
 the Covenant made with Abraham; and con- 
 cluded, they were the true Seed and Children of 
 God, becaufe they were the OrY-fpring of Mra- 
 ham according to the Flefh. But as* John Bap- 
 tift firft endeavoured to undeceive them, when 
 he faw the Scribes and Pharijees coming to his Bap- 
 tifm — by faying, Thinly not to fiy with in your Mat. 3, 7, 
 felves, ye have Abraham to your Father, &c. So in 8, 9. 
 the next place, our Blefled Saviour himfelf, in 
 John. 8. likewife fhewed them their great Error 
 and Miftake herein, and that they might "§£ the 
 Children of the Devil, notwithfhnding they 
 were the Seed of Abraham according to the 
 Flefh, and thought themfelves fafe as being in 
 that Covenant made with him. 
 
 The Covenant of Grace there made with Abra- 
 ham and his Seed,extends to none but the Holy and 
 Eleft Seed, to none but the Spiritual Seed, to fuch 
 who are ChrifVs, or true Believers in Chrift only. 
 Now if the Covenant of Grace comprehends 
 none of *Abrabam\ carnal or flefhly Seed, but the 
 H 3 fpiritual 
 
102 Oold Refind; or 7 
 
 fpiritual Seed only, to what purpofe is there fo 
 many Sheets of Paper printed by Mr. Baxter, Mr. 
 Sidznham, &c. to prove the carnal Seed of Be- 
 lievers to have right to the Seal of the Covenant ? 
 Their Bunnefs is to prove all Believers Children 
 to be in the Covenant in the firft place, or all 
 they fay is nothing. 
 
 But, Secondly, if they could prove all the 
 Children of Believers to be in that Covenant 
 made with Abraham, yet it doth not from thence 
 follow neither, that therefore their Children may 
 be baptized, unlefsthey can (hew, the Lord Je- 
 fus hath in joined them fo to be, becaufe Baptifm 
 wholly depends .upon the Authority of ChrifVs 
 Institution, or pofitive Prefcri prion. 'Tis not 
 enough for any to fay, if Children are in Cove- 
 nant, they may be baptized. Who tells them 
 fo? Hath Chriftany where required k ? doth he 
 fay they ought, or that it belongs to them ? Had 
 it been Abraham's Duty to circumcife his Children, 
 becaufe they were in Covenant with him, before 
 God gave him a pofitive Law fo to do *, certainly, 
 had he done it without any Command of God, 
 and have called it God's Ordinance, he had ceas'd 
 being called any more Faithful Abraham. ' Come, 
 Sirs, your Confequences and Conclufions you 
 foayc fo long made a noife of, will make no 
 Gofpel-Precept, norhold equal weight with the 
 £allance of the Sanctuary. 
 
 For, thirdly, pray confider, Were there not 
 divers in the Covenant of Grace, i. e. in that Spi- 
 ritual, or Gofpel-Covenant God made with Abra- 
 ham, in that very day and time that the Law of 
 Circumcifion was given forth ? and yet they were 
 not, from that Ground, to be circumci fed, nor 
 were they at allcircumcifed, becaufe God did not 
 command them fo to be ? Was not Loi; a Godly 
 
 Man, 
 
Baftifmin its Primitive Purity. 103 
 
 Man, and in the fame Covenant of Grace ? to- 
 gether with Mlchifidec and others I might men- 
 tion ? Thefe were in Covenant, and yet without 
 the Seal, as you call it ■■> we do not read trey 
 we're circumci fed. And do, you not think that 
 many of the Females of Abraham's oflf-fpring 
 were in that Covenant of Grace ? yet they had 
 no right to Circumcifion, the Seal (as you called 
 it} of the Covenant, becaufe none but Males 
 were required or commanded to be circumcifed. 
 Suppofe Abraham mould have gone without a 
 Command or Word from God, and have Circum- 
 cifed his Females, and have reafbned after the 
 rate you do, vl\. 
 
 My Female children. are in Covenant-, and 
 fince the Covenant belongs to them, the Seal of 
 the Covenant belongs to them, which is, Cir- 
 cumcifion, therefore I will circumcife them 
 alfo •, would God have allowed him to do any 
 fuch Aft, think you ? You will reply, I am fure 
 that God would never have born with Abraham 
 in doing any fuch thing, becaufe he mult have 
 done it without a Command. 
 
 And, pray, how can you think he will bear 
 with you in Baptizing Children of Eelievers, fith 
 you have no more Command from God fo to do, 
 than Abraham had to Circumcife his FemaW 
 Children ? 
 
 You reply, They are in Covenant, and there- 
 fore to them belongs the Seal of the Covenant -, 
 even fo fay we, his Females might be in the fame 
 Covenant, and yet you would have condemned 
 fuch an Aft in him, though grounded upon the 
 very fame foot of an Account, which you fland 
 upon your own Juftifkation in, and acknowledg 
 no Fault, but contrarywife blame, nay, reproach 
 us for holding an Error, becaufe we cannot do 
 H a and 
 
104 Gold Eefindh or, 
 
 and pra&iceas you do in this cafe, without any 
 Authority frcm God's Word. 
 
 4/y.To prove further,that the Right 'of Circum- 
 cifion wholly depended upon the abfolute Will, 
 PJeafure, and- -Sovereignty of God, as Baptifm 
 now d i>th ; and that his Will, and not ours, nor 
 any Confequence that may be drawn from being 
 in the Covenant, can give a Perfon a right there- 
 to, without h;s Command or allowance -, 'tis to 
 be considered, that there were thofe commanded 
 to be Cireumcifed, who were not Q as there is 
 probable ground to believe ) in that holy and 
 blefied Covenant of Grace, God faid his Cove- 
 nant fhould not be efbblifhed with Jfomael, but 
 with Ifaac, yet he was Cireumcifed, Gen, 1 7. 20, 
 .21,2$. G4/.4. 29,30. The fame might be faid 
 of Efau, and thoufancis more qi ^Abraham's Car- 
 nal Seed : It was, it appears from hence, God's 
 Sovereign Will and Pleafure that gave right to 
 Circumcif2on, and net being in the Covenant. 
 
 Qjitft. But was not Circumcifion a Seal of the 
 Covenant of Grace under that Difpenfation, as 
 Baptifm is now a Seal of the fame Covenant un- 
 der this Difpenfation ? 
 
 Anfw, No, for Circumciflcn was only a Seal 
 to Abralurns Faith, or a Confirmation of that 
 Faith he had iorg befcre he was Cireumcifed'; 
 but io it could net be laid to be to any Infant 
 that had no Faith, It was jndeed a Sign put in- 
 to the FkOi of Infants ; but a Sign, and Seal top 
 only to 'Abr fcw, witneffing to him that he had 
 a Justifying Fuich •-, but to the Truth of the Pro- 
 anifes, there was 'tis evident, a two-fold Cove- 
 nant made with /.. , aham, 1. That he fhould be 
 the Father of many Ni*tions,and that the Land in 
 which he was a Stranger fhould be given to his 
 Seed y thefe Promifei feejn to relate to his Carnal 
 Seed. 2. That 
 
Baftifm in its Trimitive Purity. 105 
 
 2. That he fhould be the Father of the Faithful, 
 Rom. 4. 1 1. Heir of the World, Rom. 4. 1 3. and 
 that in him, and in his Seed all the Families of 
 the Earth fhculd be blefled, that is, Jefus Chrift, 
 Gal. 3.16. Now none could receive Circumci- 
 fion as fuch a Seal to them, but Abraham, be- 
 caufe none before circumcifed had fuch a Faith, 
 which intitled them to fuch fingufar Promifesf 
 The Apoftle in the fourth of the Romans fhews, 
 that Abraham was not juflified by Wcrks, nor 
 by Circumcifion, but by Faith, which he had 
 long before he was circumcifed; and fo but a 
 Seal or Confirmation of that Faich he had be- 
 fore, and to .aflure him of the Truth of the 
 Promifes made to him and to his Carnal and 
 Spiritual Seed. 
 
 You ought not therefore to call Circumcifion 
 a Seal to any but to Abraham, neither ought you 
 to call it a Seal of any ether thing to him than 
 what the Scripture calls it a Seal of, vi^. And 
 he received Circumcifion a Seal of the Righteoufnefs of 
 the Faith which he had being yet fwcircumcifed, 
 Rom. 4. 11, 
 
 And that you may fee we are not alone in Chryfoft. 
 this matter, fee what Chryfoftom and Tlmfiilaft, Theophi* 
 as 1 find them quoted by Mr. Danvers ; " It was Jaft. 
 " called a Seal of the "Righteoufnefs of Faith, p a g. 1 1 7. 
 " becaufe it was given to Abraham as a Seal and 
 " Teftimony of that Righteoufnefs which he had 
 " acquired by Faith. Now this feems to be the 
 " Priviledg of Abraham's alone, and not to be 
 " tranferred to others ; as if Circumcifion in 
 f* whom ever it was were a Teftimony of Di- - 
 c < vine Righteoufnefs ; for it was the Priviledg of 
 " Abraham- that he fhould be the. 'Father of all 
 " the Faithful, as well uncircumclfed as circum- 
 " cifed, being already the Father, having Faith 
 
 « in 
 
106* Cold RefirPd-y or^ 
 
 u in Uncircumcifion, he received firft the fign of 
 " Circumcifion. that he might be the Father 
 <c of the Circumcifed. Now becaufe he had 
 " this Priviiedg, in refpeft of the Righteoufnefs 
 <c vjhich he had acquired by Faith, therefore 
 " the fign of Circumcifion was to him a Seal 
 tt of the Righteoufnefs of Faith ; but to the 
 <e reft of the .Jews it was a fign that they were 
 <c Abrahams Seed, but not a Seal of the Righte- 
 " oufnefs of Faith, as all the jews alfo.were. 
 " not the Fathers of many Nations. 
 
 Moreover, it is evident a Seal is a Confirma- 
 tion of that which a Perfon hath made over 
 to him, and it doth infure him of it. Now to 
 call Circumcifion a Seal of the 'Covenant cf 
 Grace, 'tis all one as to fay all that were cir- 
 cumcifed,- were affured of all the BlefTings of 
 that Covenant, then muft all that were circum- 
 cifed be pardon'dand faved j and fo alfo would, 
 it follow in the cafe of Baptifm, were that ac- 
 knowledged to be a Seal to all thofe that are 
 baptize^ of the new Covenant. But in a word, 
 we know nothing called a Seal of the New 
 Covenant, but the holy Spirit, which the Saints 
 were faid to be fealed with after they believed, 
 Epbef.i. 13. & 4, 30. unto the day of Redemp- 
 tion ; God by fetting his Seal upon us aflures. 
 us that we are his, and that we mall have Eter- 
 nal Life. 
 
 Baptifm is called a Figure, but no where a 
 Seal and a Sign or Figure proper only to fuch 
 who . have Undemanding t6 -drfcern the Spiri- , 
 tual things and Myfteries that are reprefented 
 thereby, and wrought in them. 
 
 Object. Say what what you w\U y the Promlfe and 
 Covenant of Giace was to Abraham and his natural 
 Offtring. 
 
 Anfw, 
 
Baptifrn in its Primitive Purity. 1 07 
 
 Anfw. Why do you not believe the Apoftle 
 who tells you the quite contrary, and that he 
 [aid not of Seeds as of many, but to thy Seed> which 
 ts Chrift? 
 
 But if you will have it as you fay, fee what 
 abfurd Qjnfequences will follow and arife from 
 your Notion : And firft take what Calvin faith, Calvin on 
 Tis manifeft, faith he, chat the Pro mife under- Gen. 17.7. 
 flood of Spiritual Bleflfmgs pertaineth not to 
 the Carnal Seed of Abraham, but to the Spiri- 
 tual, as the Apoftle himfelf faith, Rom. 4. 8, 9, 
 for if you underftand the Carnal Seed, faith he, 
 then that Promife will belong to none of the 
 Gentiles, but to thofe alone who are begotten 
 of Abraham and Jfaac according to the Flefh; Ejtfos.Anne 
 by this it appears you go about to (hut out your Gen. 17.7. 
 felves and Children too from having any pars 
 in that Covenant made with Abraham. 
 
 Secondly, If God made the Covenant of Grace 
 w;th Abraham and his Carnal or Flefhly Off-fpring, 
 and fo with all Believers and their Children, 
 then all their Off-fpring muft have faving Grace 
 beftowed upon them and a new Heart, becaufe 
 thefe things are fome of the chief Eleffings con- 
 tained irfthenew Covenant. 
 
 Now do you fee that all the Children of Be- 
 lievers have the Grace of God bellowed upon 
 them, fo that they are new Creatures? certainly 
 no, for as Abraham had his Ifomael, and Ifaac his 
 Efaa, and David his Abfolom^ fo have mod or 
 many Believers wicked and ungodly Children, 
 and fo they live and die to the great Grief of 
 their Souls : You can't think that God fails in his 
 Prcmife, and that the Covenant of Grace is not 
 lb firm and fure as the Scripture declares it to 
 be, one of them will follow, or you muft con- 
 clude your felves miftaken in your Notion: 
 
 But 
 
1.08 GoldRefinds or, 
 
 But certainly they cannot raifs of Grace if 
 
 Mr. Blake, Mr.Blaty is right ; for, faith h^Chnfthnky is here* 
 
 p. 6. ditary; that' as the Children of a Noble- Man are 
 
 Noble, the- Child of a Free-Man free, of a fu)\ a 
 
 *Jjhehad Thy^., arid of a Jew\ a Jew fo * the Child of a 
 
 faid, Tbofe Chr'ifiian is a Christian. We will grant hjm they 
 
 who are are fo called, but withal rauft tell him, the 
 
 born oj the Children ofChrifllan People are by Nature 
 
 Spirit are the Children of Wrath as well as others; 
 
 jpiritual, he Fourthly, This would render Grc-ce to be a 
 
 had fpol>e Birth-Priviledg, as Mr. Danvm obferves, and 
 
 Truth. Regeneration tied to Generation, contrary to 
 
 the Scripture and all good Doctrine } as if a 
 
 Believer doth nor only beget a Child in natu- 
 
 ,ral Generation, but a Saint alfo. 
 
 Fifthly, Then the- Apoftle fpake not true in „ 
 faying the Children of the Flejh, thefe are not the 
 Children oj God, i. e. of the Promife, Rom. 9. 
 • Sixthly, And it alfo would follow, that all the 
 whole Off-fpring of Believers fhall be faved, 
 without you will affert the Doctrine of James 
 Arminius, that there is a falling away from 
 Grace. 
 
 ^Seventhly, And would it not follow alfo, that 
 all the Children of Believers know God, and 
 Ter.21.24. nec< * not be taught, faying, Know the Lord, jor 
 ( you know who faith ) they [hall all know me, 
 from the leafl of them to the greatefl of them ; that 
 is> all thofe who are in the New Covenant, which 
 you fay all Believers Children are, even in 
 the fame Covenant of Grace made with Abraham. 
 
 Eighthly, And "then it follows alfo that the 
 
 Covenant of Grace and Spiritual Bleflings made 
 
 with Abraham^ tied up to Believers and their Seecl 
 
 ' only 5 and if fo, what will become of all poor 
 
 Unbelievers and their perifhmg Off-fpring? 
 
 Objift: 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 09 
 
 Objeft. But does not Bapcifm come in the 
 room of Circumciiion, the one being a Figure 
 of the other ? 
 
 Anfw. There is no ground fo to believe, fince 
 :he Scripture gives not the leaft hint of any 
 fuch thing. 
 
 1 . For firfr, if it had, then when Baptifm 
 came in and was in force, Qircumcifion muft have 
 ceafed immediately : but after Baptifm was 
 commanded and admimftred, we find Circum- 
 cifion in being, and was not difaniruil'd till the 
 Death and Refurre&ion of our Saviour. Now 
 it would have vanquifh'd, as Shadows do, as 
 foon as. Baptifm the Antitype came in force, had 
 it" been a Type or Figure of Bapcifm, or come 
 in the room of it. 
 
 2. If Eaptifm had come in the room of Cir- 
 cumcifion, then the Church of God under the 
 Gofpel would have been juf[ like the National 
 Church of the Jews, vi% made up of the Flefhly 
 
 Seed ; but the Apoftle fhews the contrary, it 1 Pet. 2. 
 confifts of lively Stones, that is, a fpiritual and 4>$,tf>7» 
 not a carnal Seed. 
 
 g.Then Males only and no Females would have 
 been baptized j becaufe none but Male Cluldren 
 were to be circumcifed, as God commanded. . 
 
 4. Circumcifion was adminiftred on Abn- 
 ham's natural Seed without any Prcfeffion of 
 Faith ; but none are to be admitted to Baptifm 
 but by a ProfefTionof Faith, Repentance and Re- 
 generation. 
 
 The firft Birth, or being born in a flefhly 
 way by Carnal Generation, gave Abraham's natu- 
 ral Seed, a Right to Circumcifion j whereas the 
 Spiritual Birth or Regeneration gives a Right 
 only to Baptifm according to ChrifVs Com- 
 milTion, as we have proved, 
 
 5. 'tis 
 
iro Gold Refit? d\ or^ 
 
 $. 'Tis evident Circumcifion figured forth 
 -another thing, vi\. the Deftruftion of the Body 
 of Sin by Jefus Chrift, and the Circumcifion 
 of the Heart, and therefore not Baptifm, &c. 
 Very full and moft excellently you have to 
 Dr. Taylor this Point Dr. Taylor, who faith, " That the Ar- 
 Bilbop oj « gument from Circumcifion is invalid upon in- 
 Down, " finite Confiderations : Figures and Types prove 
 ?. 228. " nothing, unlefs a Command go along with 
 " them, or fome Exprefs to fignify fuch to be 
 " their purpofe *, for the Deluge of Waters, 
 " and the Ark of Noah were a Figure of Bap- 
 " tifm, faid Peter 5 and if therefore the Cir- 
 " cumftances of the one mould be drawn to 
 "the other, we fhould make Baptifm a Pro- 
 " digy rather than a Rite. The Pafchal Lamb 
 " was a Type of the Eucharift, which fucceeds 
 " the other, as Baptifm doth to Circumcifion 5 
 " but becaufe these was in the Manducatton of 
 "the Pafchal Lamfy 110 Prefcription cf Sacra- 
 * mental Drink, mail we thence conclude that 
 " the Eucharift is to be adminiftred but in one 
 " kind ? And even in the very inftance of this 
 " Argument, fuppofing a Correfpondency of 
 " the Analogy between Circumcifion and Bap- 
 f tifm, yet there is no Correfpondency of Iden- 
 " tity 5 for although it were granted,, that both 
 " of them did confign the Covenant of Faith, 
 "♦yet there is nothing in the Circumftance of 
 " Childrens being circumcifed that fo concerns 
 "that Myftery, but that it might very well 
 '" be given to Children, and yet Baptifm only 
 " to Men of Reafon, becaufe Circumcifion left 
 " a Character in the Flefh, which being im- 
 " printed upon Infants did its work to them 
 "when they came to Age*, and fuch a Cha- 
 " rader was neceflary, becaufe there was no 
 
 "word 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. I r : i 
 
 4t word added to the Sign ; but Baptifm im- 
 prints nothing that remains on the Body, 
 " and if it leaves a Character at all, it is ugon 
 " the Soul, to which alfo the Word is added, 
 " which is as much a part of the Sacrament, 
 " as the Sign it felf : for both which Reafons 
 " it is requifite that the Parties baptized fhould 
 " be capable of Reafon, that they may be ca- 
 tc pable both of the word of the Sacrament, 
 w and the imprefs made upon the Spirit ', fince 
 " therefore the Reafon of this Parity ; does 
 " wholly fail, there is nothing left to infer a 
 " neceflity of complying in this Circumfrance 
 tc of Age any more than in the other Annxes 
 " of the Type ; then the Infant muft alfo pre- 
 " cifely be baptized upon the eighth day, and 
 " Females muft not be baptized, becaufe noc 
 " circumcifed : but it were more proper if we 
 " would underftand it right to profecute the 
 " Analogy, form the Type to the Antitype by 
 " way of Letter, and Spirit, and Signification. 
 " And as Circumcifion figures Baptifm, fo alio 
 " the Adjuncts of the Circumcifion, fhall fig- 
 <c nifle fomething fpiritual in the Adherences 
 " of Baptifm j and therefore as Infants were 
 " circumcifed, fo fpiritual Infants (hall be bap- 
 " tized, which is fpiritual Circumcifion 5 for 
 <c therefore Babes had the Miniftry of the Type, 
 " to fignify that we muft, when we give our 
 " Names to Chrift, become Children in Ma- 
 " lice, and then the Type is made compleat, &c . 
 Thus far the Doftor. 
 
 Queft. But why may not Infants be baptized 
 " now as well as Children were circumcifed hereto- 
 * fore f 
 
 ■Anf». You may as well ask, why Nadab and Levit. i<r. 
 Abiim might noc have offered ftrange Fire, or 1, 2. 
 
 why 
 
U2 Cold*"Kefind\ or^ 
 
 why might not the Patfi ? carry the AxJ^ in a 
 Cart — The Reafon why they ought to do nei- 
 ther of thofe things were, becaufe God com- 
 manded them not fo to do. In like manner, 
 fay we, Children mufl not be baptized, became 
 God hath given no Command to do it. Cjr- 
 cumcifioii was exprefly commanded, both as .to 
 the Subject, Time, Age and Sex, which was as 
 you have heard, the Male Children at eight 
 Gen. 1 7. days old, with a fevere Penalty of the Parents 
 10,12,14. Difobedience. 
 
 But there is not one hint, or the lead colour 
 
 of ground for the baptizing of Infants in all 
 
 the New Tellament, as hath been proved ; and 
 
 yet the Gofpel is, as one obferves, asexprefsin 
 
 the matter of Baptifrn, as rlrft, touching the 
 
 Subject Men and Woman : Secondly, As to the 
 
 Time, vl\. when t ky. belUye : Thirdly, As to the 
 
 Qualifications of Baptifm, i. e. Faith and Kepen- 
 
 . tana: Fourthly, As to the end and ufe of it, to 
 
 (ignifie the Death, Burial, and RefirnBion of Ch'nft, 
 
 with our Death unto Sin, and riling again to 
 
 newnefs* of Life. Can any think the Servant 
 
 fliould be fo careful to give Direftions from 
 
 God in every cafe about the- circumcifing of 
 
 Children under the Law, and the Son of God 
 
 not to be as exprefs in all parts of inftituted 
 
 Worfhip and our Duties under the Gofpel ? 
 
 This "can't be thought •, fee what the Apoftle 
 
 faith, which, we before hinted, Hib. 3. 5, 6. 
 
 Quell. But Children were Members of the Jewifh 
 
 Mr.Smy- 'church as well as Adult Perfons, faith Mr. Smythks, 
 
 thies Vn- and fo fay other Pedo-BaptiJls> as Mr, Baxter, and 
 
 worthy mi ny more, and fince they were comprehended with 
 
 Communi- ' their Parents in that Church-^ate, they are fo fill 
 
 saHt,j).%8. m der the Goffrel, and therefore to be baptized. 
 
 Anfw. 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Parity. 1 1 3 
 
 Anfw. That Children were then admitted 
 Members of the Jewifh Church is granted, and 
 *tis as evident that God hath now quite pulled 
 down that Houfe of his, Q I mean that National 
 Church-ftate) and broke up Houfe- keeping, 
 and turned the Eond-Woman and her Son, (i. e. 
 the Flefhly Seed, Servants and Infants) all out of 
 doors '■, the natural Branches are broken off, and 
 God hath now built him a new, a glorious, and 
 more fpiritual Houfe, into which he admitteth 
 none as his Houfhold-Servants to dwell in his 
 Spiritual Family, but Believers only, or fuch as 
 profefs fo to be: Te alfo (faith Peter") as lively 1 Pet* 2.5: 
 Stones* art built up a Spiritual Houfe, &c. and 
 that the old Houfe, the Jewifh Church-ftace, 
 wirh all the Appurtenances, Rites, and Privi- 
 ledges of it, is pulled down, and a new one built, 
 into which Infants are not to be admitted, i& 
 very evident from what the Apoftle fpeaks,- 
 Heb. 7. 12. For the Prufihood being changed, there 
 is made of necejfi.y a Change alfo of the whole Law y 
 which muft needs include Circumciiion with all 
 the Appurtenances and Priviledges belonging 
 to it. And therefore as Infants Church-mem- 
 berfhip came in with the Law of Circumcifion, 
 fo it went out and was difamuTd with it y 
 they were, 'tis true, of the Houfhold of old* 
 but it was by a pofitive Law : Shew us the like 
 how and ycu do your bufinefs, or elfe you 
 jay nothing , For evident it is that what Prid- 
 liigis foeyer are given to any Perfons by an Aft 
 of Par!iav:r:t y which faid Law was to contlme in 
 force for fo long a time and no longer, when that time 
 is expired and another Parliament mahes a new 
 Law, wherein many things, are contained that were 
 in the firft, butthoje certain Priviledges given to thef: 
 Perfons. in the farmer Law, are hft out in this latter 
 I Aft* 
 
114 *^W Rtfif?d% or y 
 
 Aft, it would not be a jolly for any of them U plead 
 tbofi Priviledges ' by virtue of a Law that is gone, 
 and now not in force. Or if a Man fhould have a 
 Legacy bequeathed to him by the Will and Teflament 
 8j his Friend, and yet aft envoi ds Us Friend fees 
 caufe to make another Will', which is his lafl Witt and 
 Teftament, and in the lafi Will leaves him quite out 
 and gives him no fuch Legacy, it would be a fbotifb 
 tying for him to fie for the Legacy left him in the fir fl 
 Will, -which is void in Law by bis Friends lafi 
 Will and Teflament. Juft fo it is here *, there 
 was an old Law wherein Infants were admitted 
 to the Priviledges of being Members of the Na- 
 tional Church of the Jews, and fo alfo it was 
 in the old or former Will and Teflament j but 
 that Law was to continue but till Chrifl came, 
 and now he has made a new Law wherein 
 Mant-Church-memberfhip is quite left out, and 
 the Lord jefus has made another Will, his laft 
 Will and Teflament, wherein the old Privilecjg 
 is not bequeathed to Infants : Now is it not folly 
 in you to plead for that old Priviledg that was in 
 the former Teflament ? you muft find your Infant- 
 Church-memberfliip in the New Teflament, as 
 * For tho muft alfo the Seventh-day-Sabbath-Men the old 
 a time jor Jewifh Sabbath *, or elfe they and you too fay 
 the Worfhip nothing, but render your felves weak and ftraage- 
 of God is \y be-clouded : and certain I am, there is now 
 moral, yet no Inftitution, no Law, no Prefcription, no 
 the feventh Rule, no Example for keeping the Seventh-day- 
 day of the Sabbath in the new Law, in the new and laft 
 Weel^ was Will and Teflament cf Jefus Chrift 5 nor no 
 a meerpofi- Inftitution, no Law, no Precept, no Example 
 the Law, contained therein for Infant-Church-memberfhip, 
 given only no not the Ieaft hint or intimation that Infants 
 to the Pco- fhould be feUow~Citi\tns -with the Saints, and of 
 pie of Ifra- the Noujholi of God, neither arc they fo to be 
 eL V *CCoun- 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Vnrity. 1 1 J 
 
 accounted till they believe, and are to do Ser- 
 vice in the Houfe : for though we account our 
 Children of our Family notwithstanding they 
 can't do any Service therein, yet that is no 
 Argument they may be Members of God's 
 Church, unlefs by any Law or Institution God 
 has made them fo to be. The Houfhold of 
 God is called the Houfhold oj Faith, or a Family 
 chat confifteth of Believers *, therefore unjels 
 you can prove Infants to be Believers, they are 
 not of this Houfe ', for all that are to have ad- 
 tnhlion there mull be Believers, or profefs 
 themfelves foto be, as Mr. Baxter acknowledges, Baxter '« 
 or elfe no place for thera there, which Infants Conprma^ 
 cannot do. tm » 
 
 Objett. But it is ftill objected, that as the Jews 
 and their Children were broken off, fo the 
 Gentiles and their Children are ingrafted ip 
 their room, as Rpm. n. 20. becanfe of Vt- 
 belief they were broken off, and thou ftandeft by 
 Faith, &c. 
 
 Anfo. VVe anfwer,that the Reafon why the jews 
 and their Children were broken off, was not be- 
 caufe they had not believing Parents, for Abraham, 
 lfaac and Jacob were ftill the Parents of them all, 
 they were Abraham's Seed, according to the Flefh, 
 when they were broken off as well as before j bun 
 the true reafon was, becaufe the terms of (landing 
 in the Church were now altered: For before the 
 Gpfpel-Difpenfation came, they flood Members 
 of the old Jewifh Church, though as much un- 
 l>elieving for many Generations, as they were 
 when they were broken orTj but now Abraham's 
 Church-Irate is at an end, and all the Privi- 
 ledges and Immunities ceafe, the Jemfh Church 
 muft give way to the Gofpel-Church, tne M$- 
 ah being come } and about to build him up a hew 
 I 2 and 
 
n6 Gold Rejlnd, or, 
 
 dnd more glorious and fpiritual Houfe, into 
 which none are of right to enter "but fuch as 
 are frefeft Believers ; for the old Houfe or Tewifh 
 Church-flare was not intended to abide for ever, 
 but only until the time of Reformation, and then 
 the Law muft be changed, yea the Covenant 
 changed, which they not believing, nor clofing in 
 with, were broken off, they being willing to 
 abide in the old Houfe frill, and to remain 
 Church- Members upon the account of a meer. 
 flefhly and natural Eirth, crying out, Abraham is 
 m. 8. our Father, and we are his Seed, and are free, 
 and never were in Bondage, wherefore they 
 were broken off, and that whether they would 
 or not, by reafon of their Unbelief*, that is, be- 
 caufe they would not believe Chrift was the 
 true Mejfiah, and that the old Covenant and all 
 the Priviledges thereof were flying away, the 
 Subftance and true Antitype of all thofe Shadows 
 being come, zk. the Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 So that thus they were broken off by Unbe- 
 lief, and thox and thine, O Gentile Believer, (land 
 ir/ Faith, mark it, thou ftanJifi by Faith ; not 
 by virtue of any Birth-Prtviledg wharfoever, 
 but by Faith, thy (landing is by Faith; yet 
 •rot thy Seed by thy Faith, but thou thy felf 
 by thine, and they by their own ', Faith is that 
 bv which ( thou (tending and not thy Seed 3 
 haft right to ftand in the Church, and not they -, 
 but if thy Seed have Faith, and thou haft none, 
 they have right in the Church, and thou fhalt be 
 excluded. 
 
 Molt certain it is, that under the Law the 
 natural Seed or Progeny of Abraham, were afl 
 holy with an External, Ceremonial, or Typical 
 Holinefs, and conitquently they were then all 
 admitted to an external Participation of Church* 
 
 FriVi- 
 
Xaftifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 1 
 
 Privileges. But remarkable to this purpofe is 
 thai- Paifage of the Apoftle, 2 Cor, 5. 16. 
 Wherefore henceforth tyow we no Man after thi 
 Flejh f it feems then, that heretofore there had 
 been a knowledg taken of Perfons after the 
 Flefh j and 'tis as plain there was,that becaufe the 
 Tews were of the natural orflefhiy Seed of Abra- 
 ham, they were therefore all of them admitted 
 to the Priviledg of an external Church-mem- 
 "berfhip, while others were exempted. But we 
 fee the Apoftle refolveste^forffrtodifclaim any 
 fuch cognisance of them, or any others upon the 
 account of a meer flemly Defcent : And to this 
 very purpofe immediately fubjoyns in the fol- 
 lowing Verfe, Therefore if any Man be in Chrift, he 
 is a new Creature: old things are pafl away, all- 
 things are become new, the old Church, and old 
 Church-memberfhip, Rites, Ordinances and Pri- 
 viledges, and a new Church-ftate, new Ordi- 
 nances, a new Seed, and new way of Intro- 
 duction unto the Participation of the Priviledge 
 of Church-memberfhip now under this new 
 and more glorious Difpenfation, vi\. the Gofpel : 
 Nothing but a new Creature will ferve the 
 turn* for God expe&s that they that worjhip 
 him, do now worfhip him inspirit and in Truth 3 the 
 Priviledg of being admitted into God's Houfe, 
 and to ftand before his Prefence in the actual 
 Celebration of Gofpel-Ordinances, being novy 
 entailed only upon the Spiritual Seed, even fuch 
 who as lively Stones are built up a fpiritual Houfe, s 
 holy Priejihood to.ojfx up fpiritual Sacrifces accepta- 
 ble to God by J ejus Chnjt ', 1 Pet. 2. 3, 4, 5. or 
 fuch at lead as make a vifible ProfeQion there- 
 Ot. 
 
 And therefore, when this new and more -fpi- 
 ritual Difpenlacion was about to be a&'uaily 
 "I 3 intra- 
 
i8 Gold Rtfirfd ; or, 
 
 introduced and eftablifhed, John who was the 
 Harbinger of it gives fufficient notice thereof j 
 and to this purpofe deals plainly with the Jews, 
 i. t. the Pharijees and Saddttces that came to be 
 baptized of hirri, and tells them upon this ac- 
 count, Mat. 3. 9, io. Tftwfc not to fay' -within your 
 felves, We have Abraham to our Father: Fcf 1 
 . fay mto you, that God is able of thefe Stones to raift 
 up Children to Abraham. And now alfo is the Ax. 
 laid mto the root if the Trees : Therefore every Tru 
 that bringtth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down, 
 and tuff into the Fire, It cannot be denied but 
 that they had Abraham to their Father as much 
 now as before, only the terms of their (fending 
 in that Church was now changed *, fo tiiat every 
 Tree now of whatsoever natural Stock ot ex* 
 ternal Produftioti, that bringeth not forth good 
 Fruit, muft be hewn down *, and the reafon is 
 Jmdred for that, Now the Ax is laid to the toot 
 Of the TreeSj mark it, now \\s fo ; it was not 
 fo before, the Ax was never tilt now laid thus 
 unto the root of the Trees : which muft needs 
 be underftood in reference to that Birth and 
 FlefMy PrivHedg fpoken of before, which they 
 had fo long boafted Of, as the whole Context 
 (hews. But now God is refolved to make other 
 manner of work of it under the Gofpel-Difpen- 
 fation than he did before. Now the toot of 
 the Trees are /truck at, a Bar put, natural De- 
 scent or Extraction from a Religious Root, Ft. e. 
 feodly Parents") will not now ferve turn, as in 
 time part it did, to give any true Right or Ti- 
 tle to Church-Priviledges. Moreover, if God 
 now wiH not fuffer any of the natural Branches 
 to abide on their own natural Stock, vi\. Abrn- 
 bittoy be fure he will not admit any Gentiles, 
 fcfraftarc not natural Branches vi Abraham, to be 
 
 grafted 
 
B apt i fin in its Primitive Purity. 1 19 
 
 grafted into the good Olive, without Faich and 
 Regeneration. 
 
 Ofyft. But if Children may not be baptized* 
 this makes the Priviledg of Believers Children 
 under the Gofpel lefs than was theirs under the 
 taw i for their Children were admitted Members 
 of the vifible Church by Circumcifion \ and wc . 
 cannot but conclude, that our Priviledges for 
 cur felves and for our Children, are at lead 
 as large, great and comfortable as theirs, and 
 therefore our Infants are to be baptized. 
 
 Aifw. To this we reply, that we do not 
 doubt but that our Priviledges, in refpeft of the 
 Covenant of Grace, and all Spiritual Bleflings 
 are as great and comfortable as theirs, were \ 
 Wut the Covenant of Grace, the Bleflings and 
 Divine Priviledges thereof, were neither made 
 to the Jews natural Poflerity, nor to ours *, and 
 although Circumcifion was a Priviledg in fome 
 refpeft to the Jews above what the Heathens 
 had, yet it is termed by the Apoftle an intole- 
 rable Yoke •, Now therefore why tempt ye God to 
 put a Tofy upon the Nec\s of the Difciples, which 
 neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear | 
 Their Children were not circumcifed as Chil- 
 dren of Believers, and fo fealed with a ne\x 
 Covenant-Seal, as being made new Covenant- 
 Children thereby *, Circumcifion did not confer 
 Grace, nor make them Heirs of the Kingdom 
 of Heaven, it was therefore no more than an 
 external Priviledg to the natural Lineage and 
 Seed of Abraham, as a typical and fhadowy 
 thing, whereby his Poflerity was to be mark'd, 
 to diftinguifh them from all the Nations of the 
 Earth, and to keep that Line clear, from whence 
 Chrift according to the Flefti was to come, 
 afid to be a Sign in thoir Flefh to put them in 
 I 4 mind 
 
1 20 - Gold Refind s m^ 
 
 mind that God would perform the Promife 
 of the Mefltib made to Abraham, and alfo ro 
 oblige them to keep the Law, for he that 
 was circumcjfed was a Debtor to keep the 
 whole Law. 
 
 Hence ic was the Jewifh Chrlftians, inftcad 
 of looking upon Circumcifion to be a Priviledg 
 
 ♦ upon a fpiritual account, could not but acknow- 
 kdg it a great Mercy they were delivered 
 from it j and hence 'tis the Apoftle exhorts &c 
 
 y Saints to flandfafl in that Liberty in which thrift 
 had made them free, and not be intangUi again in 
 the To^e of Bondage. 
 
 Neither ought fuch a thing £ as Mr. Danvtrs 
 obferves3 to be any more efteemed the lofs of 
 a Priviledg than our not injoying Ikerally a 
 Wy Land, C'uy, Temple, a Succeflion of High- 
 Priefts, and Prieflhood, by Generation or Line- 
 al Defcent. ( For you know their Children were 
 Pricfls fucctfpvely in their Generations, a levin 
 begat a Prieft or Minifter, as well as they and 
 other Tribes begat Church-Members.) 
 
 Now though all thefe outward - Priviledges 
 are gone, yet our Priviledges being more fpiri- 
 tual, are greater both to our felves and Off- 
 fpring ; they lcok'd for Chrift to come as held 
 forth under many dark Types and Shadows, we 
 are allured he is come and has accompiifhM 
 what was foretold of him, We be fold in "the Glafs 
 a Cor. %. f xhe &ojpil as with open face the Glory oj the lord i 
 1 %' all thofe Types are explained and fpirkualized 
 to us, vvk. Circumcif:on, the Worldly San&uary, 
 tabernacle, the Candlefhck, Table, Shew-bread, 
 Cherubims, Mercy-feat, &c. which things and 
 many more we're Figures for the time then 
 prefent,' and were Shadows of good things to 
 come, but the Body or Subftance of them is 
 - "■ *•-*-"* ' chrift; 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 2 1 
 
 Chrift, who hath put an end to them, and mud- . 
 we now needs find cut fome other carnal or 
 external Rites to come in the room or ftead of 
 thefe or fome of thefe> or el(e think our Privi- 
 iedges are Iefs than theirs ? whereas indeed our 
 Privi ledges it appears are inlarged, and far 
 greater than theirs were, and hence they longed 
 many of them to fee thofe things that we 
 fee, &c. Jnftead of being a flefhly Nation we 
 are a holy Nation, a holy City, a (piritual and holy 
 Temple, a Royal Priefthond, and holy (not carnal) 
 Church-Members; Church-Members by Regenerati- 
 on not by Generation, not by the firfi Birth, but 
 by the new and fecond Birth ; if we and our 
 Children have not the fame Privi ledges don't 
 let us complain, whereas God hath been more 
 rich and bountiful to us, we and our Children 
 fit under the clear and glorious Revelation and 
 Miniftration of the Gofpel, can we or ours be 
 Iofcrs by this Change? Alas! as far as Chrift 
 excels Afbfei and Aaron, the Gofpel the Law, the 
 Antitype the Type, the fpiritual Birth the car- 
 nal, the extent of all Nations the Confines of 
 Judea ; fo far, faith one are we better and not 
 worte, and our Priviledges not leiler but far 
 greater *. our Children have great advantages in 
 having fuch Parents and Minifters to inftruct 
 them, to pray for them, and to fet before 
 them a good Example ', beildes, as foon as ca= 
 pable, they with ethers have the Gofpel preach- 
 ed clearly to them, and Grace offered and ten- 
 dered univerfally to all far and near, with Ho x 
 eiery one that thirtieth, came ye to the Waters, &c. 
 Ijd. 55. 1. The Spiri^alfo is in a glorious man- 
 ner communicated, to inable them and other, 
 to believe now in the Gofpel-days. The Law 
 was hard* I>* f*;\ and live ; and Circumcifion 
 
 ' • laid 
 
m Gold RefitPd', or, 
 
 laid them under a Bond to do and keep all 
 that God in his Law required, yea and under a 
 Curfe if they continued not in all things that wiu 
 there injoyned, which brought them into miferable 
 Bondage and Captivity} but now 'tis but to 
 believe, and thou (bait be faved : the Spirit faith, the 
 Scripture tvai not yet given ■— to wit, in that 
 Joh.7.32. manner nor meafure as afterwards, becaufe Chrifl 
 was not yet glorified. 
 
 So that it is no Abfurdity to grant that the Jews 
 might have Vriviledges in fome things more 
 than we *, and yet our Cafe and Condition with our 
 Children, to fpeak Amply, better than theirs, 
 tho the Covenant of Grace is not enlarged nor 
 leflened in refpe& of the fubftance of it; the 
 Promifes of Grace are ftill belonging to the Elec*, 
 to thofe that were given to Chrift, to Believers, 
 and to no other, nor never were 5 but the Privi, 
 ledges we have above them do abundantly re* 
 compence the defeft of thofe Priviledges of 
 theirs, whether real or fuppofed : And the 
 truth is, Priviledges are fo arbitrary and various, 
 depending fo much upon the Soveraignty of 
 God, that he gives them as he thinks gdod, and 
 oft-times takes them away without aligning 
 any fpecial Reafon of it ; fo that no Arguments 
 can be drawn fafely, as our Brethren do, vi\. 
 God gave fuch a Priviledg to the Jews, there- 
 fore we muft have fuch a Priviledg too, ex- 
 cept we can prove it is God's Will it mould 
 be fo. This Argument therefore is of no force, 
 without an Inftitution, here we are again, and 
 here we will fland; Circumcifion wholly de- 
 pended upon a pofitive Law; 'tis in vain there-, 
 fore to attempt to prove, that becaufe the Jews 
 had a Priviledg to circumcife their Children, 
 therefore we muft have a Priviledg to baptize 
 
 our 
 
Baftifmtn its Primitive Turity. 1 2 j 
 
 >ur Infants, fith they had a Command to do what 
 :hey did, and we have none •, befides, we have 
 (hewed there is no Scripture .that proves the 
 Baptifhl of Infants is a Priviledg granted by 
 the Lord in lieu of Circumcifion, it being in- 
 deed no Duty or Priviledg at all. 
 
 Laftly, before I clofe with this, take what 
 Mr. Drivers &ys, "If it mould be taken (faith Danvers 
 "he) for granted, .that Circumcifion was a on Ba j*' 
 " Seal of the New Covenant belonging to all P* l8o# 
 « the Children of Jfrael -, then would not the 
 " baptizing of the Children of Believers anfwer 
 * c it, neither amount to fo great a Priviledg, 
 " nor be equivalent to it for thefe Reafons : 
 
 " i#, There were all the Families and Tribes 
 " of Jfrael ("and all prcfdyted Strangers) with 
 " their Children, without diftin&ion of good or 
 " bad, to be circumcified : But here only one of 
 "a City, anc^ two of a Tribe; for Believers 
 " are but thin fown, and the Children of Un- 
 " believers and wicked Men are to receive no 
 " fuch benefit in the Judgment of many. 
 
 " And, 2itly r You would be very fhort in Bejides, 
 « another refpeft, as being at an utter uncerrain- they are at 
 « ty when you have a right Subject , for if the a lojs to 
 " Parent is an Hypocrite, or no elecl Perfon, fyow t*hat 
 "which is out of your reach to underftand, to do if the 
 " you cannot know whether the Child be fit Father only, 
 * for Baptifm ; for tlie Seed of a wicked Man or the Mo- 
 « you muft not meddle with by any means ; ther only is 
 " whereas there was not the lead doubt or <* Believer. 
 " (cruple in Jfrael as to the Subject, for the 
 " Father being one of Abraham^ Seed and cir- 
 " cumcifed, it was an infallible mark they were 
 " right. 
 
 " And, %dly, neither can the Child when he 
 " is grown up have any certain kaowledg that 
 
 " fuch 
 
T24 Cold Refindy or, 
 
 "fuch a Ceremony had pad upon him in Tr> 
 " fancy, he having no infallible mark thereof 
 " whereas the circumcifed Infant had an in- 
 "fallible Character and Mark in his Flefh, to 
 " afTure him that he had received chat Rite. 
 
 Object. But rvhat hope can we have of ou? ft* 
 fonts if they muft not be admitted unto Chrlflian Bap- 
 tifm, nor reputed as Members of the common Body and 
 Church of the Faithful f 
 
 Anfrvr Weanfwer ; Firft, if the hope of the ; 
 Parent for the Child's Salvation be grounded 
 upon the Adminiftration of an external Rice or 
 Ordinance in Infancy, then neither had the far 
 triarebs for above two thoufand Years any hope 
 of their Children, fith they had neither Circum- 
 cifion, Baptifm, nor any other External Rice, 
 which we find* otherwife by Noah's Prophecy, 
 Gen. 9. 26,27. 
 
 Secondly, We ask, whether God hath left it in 
 the Power of the Parent to fuve fir deflroy the 
 Soul of his Child, which your Doctrine doth im- 
 port ? 
 
 Thirdly, We demand what hopes are inten- 
 ded, and by what Scriptures the fame are an- 
 nexed to the Adminiftration of an Ordinance in 
 Infancy ? 
 
 Fourthly, We do fay there is a ground of 
 hope in Believers in behalf of their Children, 
 which is grounded upon plain Scripture without 
 baptizing them. 
 
 Fifthly, Doth Baptifm confer Grace or re- 
 generate- the Child? though fome have 4gno- 
 rantly afTerted that, yet we find many or you Qf 
 another mind. ' 
 
 Sixthly This Argument feems to carry in 
 it this Conclufion^i. e. That Chriftian People 
 by Infant Bapthm are allured according to 
 
 Goipel- 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 125 
 
 jofpel-grounds of the Salvation of their Chil- 
 dren : But there is ho Proof for it, it is but a 
 rancy, and we fuppofe 'tis not received as a 
 Xtuxh by many that oppofe us in this Poinc. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 Wherein many other pretended Scriftnre- 
 Poofs and Arguments for the baptizing 
 of Infants are anfvoered, as that, Suffer 
 little Children to come unto me, &c 
 and. Except a Man be born of Wa- 
 ter and of the Spirit, he cannot fee 
 the Kingdom of God, &c 
 
 THE next main Proof that is brought for 
 Infant-Baptifm, is taken from Mit. iy. 14. 
 Suffer little Children, and forbid them not to come un- 
 to me : for of fuch is the Kingdom of Heaven, 
 
 Objett. The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to Chrifiblef. 
 Infants, which is the greater 5 therefore, fay fid little 
 you, Baptifm belongs to them alfo, which is the Children^ 
 lefler. V*r not /aid 
 
 A'iftr. <i . That the Kingdom of Heaven belongs i,g baptised 
 to little Children we have no caufe to doubt: them: Nay^ 
 But that they have a right to Baptifm therefore, *& fad he 
 is deny'd*, May notour Brethren infer froihthe bipii^einbt 
 greater to the Idler thus as well, vi%. Infintsbe- a V with his 
 long to the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the greater ; own hmds^ 
 (Herertjm to them belongetb tbt Lord's Supper, which joh.4.1,2. 
 is the lejftr : and fure we are, that thofe who therefore no 
 are fa Submits of Baptifm ought not to be hfints. 
 
 denv'4 
 
i%6 GotdRefwd* or<> 
 
 deny'd the Sacrament of Bread and Wine. Hov 
 often mull we tell you that Baptifm whollj 
 depends, as to Subject, Time, End, and manner o 
 Adminiftration, on the words of Inftitution ? *ti 
 a pofltive Law, we muft go to . the Pleafure, anc 
 Will, and Defign of the Law-maker: what maj; 
 not Men infer after this fort ? 
 
 2. Were thefe little Children be ye fore the: 
 Children of Believers? If you can't prove this J 
 what fignifies all you fay ? and how this carl 
 be made appear I fee not*, for though Chritl 
 was then in the Coaft of Judea, yet that they^ 
 were Children of Godly Parent$ is a great j 
 Queftion. 
 
 3. If it fhould be granted they were Believer* 
 Children, yet it doth not appear how Httki 
 thefe Children were, we have no account ol 
 their Age. And as the Learned obferve, the 
 Greek work doth not always fignify a little 
 Child or Infant, as appears by 2 Tim. 5. 15. 
 *vhere the fame word is ufed, they might be 
 fiich who might be capable of teaching as for as 
 we know. 
 
 Dr. Tay- ** uc ^ ince Dr - !**• ^>^'» Bifhop of Down, hath 
 for, 0.220. *° **% answered this Objection, pray take what 
 ' he faith- upon the place. 
 
 " From^ the Action of ChriiTs bleffing In- 
 " fants, faith he, to infer that they were bap- 
 " tized, proves nothing fo much, as there is a 
 " want of better Arguments: for the Condufi- 
 "on would with more probability be derived 
 " thus, i. e. Chrift blefled Children and fo dif- 
 " miffed them, but baptized them not, there- 
 " fore Infants are not to be baptized. But let 
 " this be as weak as its Enemy, yet that Chrift 
 " did not baptize them, is an Argument fuffici- 
 f< ent, that he hath other ways of bringing them 
 
 «t0 
 
Eaptifm in its Trimitm Purity. 1 27 
 
 w to Heaven than by Eaptifm ; lie pafled an 
 11 A& of Grace upon them by Benediction and 
 " Imppfition of Hands. And therefore although 
 «' neither Infants, nor any Man, in pris nature- 
 " libus 9 can attain to a Supernatural End with- 
 "out the addition of fome Inftrument, or 
 <c Means of God's appointing, ordinarily and 
 f* regularly 5 yet where God hath not appointed 
 «' a Rule nor an Order, as in the cafe of In- 
 " fants we contend he hath not, the Argument 
 " is invalid. 
 
 " And as we are fure God hath not com- 
 «' manded Infants to be baptized -■> fo we are 
 " fure God will do them no Injuftice, nor damn 
 * them for what they cannot help, v% if the 
 u Parents baptize them not. 
 
 «* Many thoufand ways there are, by which 
 " God can bring any reafonable Soul to him j 
 " but nothing is more unreafonable than be- 
 " caufe he hath tied all Men of Years and 
 <c Difcretion to this way, therefore we of our 
 " own Heads (hall carry Infants to him that way, 
 " without his directions : the Conceit is poor 
 " and low, and the A&ionconfequenttoitis bold 
 "• and venturous * let him do what he pleafe with 
 " Infants, we muft not. Thus far the Doftor. 
 
 A fecond Scripture brought formerly by 
 Do&or Feetly, and of late by divers others, is 
 that in Job. 5. $. Except a Men be born egain of 
 Water and of the Spirit, k cennot enter into tht ' 
 Kingdom of God. • 
 
 Object. There is no other; way to regenerate 
 and favc Infants but by this of -Baptifrn, and fo 
 •to add them to the Church, therefore they 
 ought to be baptized. 
 
 Injome, faith Mr. Jfaac Ambrofe, the nm Birth Ambrof. 
 is wrought before Bepifm, as in the Eunuch* &c. New Bine 
 
 wp. 13. 
 
i2g Cold Kefindh or, 
 
 in -others k the new Birth wrought in Baptifm, which 
 indeed is the Sacrament of the new Birth, and Senl 
 of Regeneration, but bowfoever in Pedo-Baptifm, we 
 . fee the outward Seal, yet we feel not the manner oj 
 the inward wording, for this alfi is the fecret of the 
 Spirit. 
 
 Anfw. There is no pretended Proof for Infant- 
 Baptifm brought by the Aflerters of it, tliae I 
 wonder at more than this, efpecially confider- 
 ing how fully and excellently they are detected 
 by feveral able Men of their own Part}', yet 
 notwithftanding it feems to abide as a ftending 
 Do&rine in the National Church, as witnefs 
 
 their Catechifm Baptifm, wherein I was made 
 
 a Member of Chrift, a Child of God, md an InhvU 
 toroj the Kingdom oj Heaven. Pray fee how ex- 
 Charnock cellently the late .famous Stephen Chimock^ de- 
 on Regener. teds this Error ; " It is not, faith he, Ext err 
 Uft fol. « nal Baptifm (Tpeaking of Regeneration) many 
 p. 75. " Men take Baptifm for Regeneration, the An- 
 " cients ufually. give it this term ; One calls our 
 " Saviour's Baptifm his Regeneration — thiscon- 
 rt fers not Grace, but engageth to it : outwar4 
 u Water cannot convey inward Life. How caa 
 "Water, an external thing, work upon the 
 " Soul in a phyfical manner ? Neither can it 
 " be proved, that ever the Spirit of God i& 
 " ty'd by any Promife, to apply himfelf to 
 " the Soul in a gracious Operation, when Ws- 
 w ter is applyed to the Eody, If it were fo, 
 " that all that were baptized were regenera- 
 " ted, then all that were baptized fhould be 
 " laved, or elfe the Doctrine of Perseverance 
 w fails to the ground. Baptifm is a m.ans of 
 "conveying this Grace, when the Spine is 
 * ; pleafed to operate with it j but it doth not 
 " work as' a phyfical Caufc upon the Sonl as a 
 
 "Purgr 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 29 
 
 " Purge doth upon the Humours of the Body : 
 " for 'tis the Sacrament of Regeneration, as 
 " the LordVSupper is of Nourifhment. As a 
 " Man cannot be faid to be nourifhed without 
 ." Faith* fo he cannot be faid to be a new 
 "Creature without Faith: Put the moft deli- 
 " cious Meat into the Mouth of a dead Man, 
 " you do not nourifh him, becaufe he wants a 
 " Principle of Life to concod or digeft it. 
 " Faith only is the Principle of fpiritual Life, 
 " and the Principle which draws Nourifhment 
 " from the Means of God's Appointment. Some 
 " indeed fay, that Regeneration is conferred in 
 " Baptifm upon the ElecT:, and exerts it felf 
 " afterwards in Converfion^ but how fo active 
 *j a Principle as a Spiritual Life, mould lie dead 
 " and afleep fo long, even many Years, which 
 " intervene between Baptifm and Converfion, 
 " is not eafily conceivable. Thus far Mr, Char- 
 nocJ^ : others we find to agree with him here- 
 in. 
 
 Amefnis faith, outward Baptifm' cannot be a Pby* Amefius U 
 fical Inftrment of injufing Grace, becaufe it hath it Bell. Ener* 
 not in any wife in it felf. vat, Tom. 
 
 Our late Annotators agree dire&ly with thefe 5 3. 1.2. c.3. 
 nay, Dr. Cwen faith, that the Father of Lies bimfelf Pool's 
 could not well have invented a more pernicious Annotat. on 
 Opinion, or which might pour in a more deadly Poyfon Joh. 3. 5. 
 into the Minds of Sinners'. Dr. Owen 
 
 If Baptifm were meant here, then no Man in his TheoL 
 can be faved without being baptized. 1. 6. c. 5. 
 
 But none does die bufinefs better than the p. 477. 
 Learned Bifliop Taylor ^ "For, faith he, the Dr. Tay- 
 " Water and Spirit in this place, fignifies the lor's Liber. 
 " fame thing > and by Water is meant the Effects of Proph. 
 " of the Spirit cleanling and purifying the Soul, p» 231. 
 J as it appears in its parallel place, Chrift's 
 K " baptizing 
 
130 Gold Refitfd-) or, 
 
 «* baptizing with the Holy Ghbft and with 
 "Fire: for although this was literally fulfilled 
 " in the day of Pentecoft ; yet morally there is 
 a more in it j for it is the fign of the Effect 
 " of the holy Spirit, and his Productions upon 
 *■ the Soul : And you may as well conclude, that 
 S Infants muft alfo pafs through the Firey as 
 " through the Water. And that we may not 
 <c think this a trick to elude the preflure of 
 " this place, Peter faith the fame thing : For 
 " where he faith that Baptifm faves us, he adds 
 " by way of Explication* ( not the washing away 
 " of the ' Filth of th> FUfo, but the Anfwer of t 
 " good Confcience towards God ) plainly faying 
 < c that it is not Water, or the purifying of the 
 " Body, but cleanfing of the Spirit that doth 
 " that which is fuppofed to be the Efteft of 
 * Baptifm. But to fuppofe it meant of external 
 " Baptifm, yet this no more infers a neceflity of 
 " Infant-Baptifm, than the other words of Chrifl 
 cc infer a neceflity to give them the holy Com- 
 u munion, J oh. 6. $%. Except ye eat the Flefb of 
 "the Son oj Mat, and drinl^ his Blood, ye have no 
 " Life in yon j and yet we do not think thefe 
 <£ words a fuflficient Argument to communicate 
 " with them : if any Man therefore will 60 us 
 " Juftice, either let them give both Sacraments 
 <( to Infants, as fome Ages of the Church did, 
 " or neither : for the Wit of Man is not able 
 " to fhew a difparity in the Sanction, ofHntiie 
 " Energy cf i:s Expreflions. And therefore 
 " they were honefl that underftood the Obli- 
 u gation to be parallel, and performed it ac- 
 tc cordingly ; and yet becaufe we fay they wtre 
 €C deceived in one Inftence,and"yet the Obligation 
 " rail the World cannot reasonably fay but ) is 
 " the farac,they are honefi and readable that do 
 * "jttither: 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. I 3 I 
 
 t£ neither : and fure the Ancient Church did 
 u with an equal Opinion of neceflity give 
 " them the Communion, and yec now adav:? 
 " Men do not j Why fhould Men be more bur- 
 u dened with a Prejudice artd a name of Ob- 
 f liquicy for not giving Infants one Sacrament, 
 " more than you are difliked for not affording 
 " them the other ? Thus far Dr. Taykr, If whac 
 thefe great Men fay is not fufficient utterly to 
 invalidate this pretended Proof of Infant-Eap- 
 tiim, we know not what to fay. 
 
 A third Proof they bring to prove the bap- jfo p Y00 t 
 tizing of Babes, is taken from thofe places that j rm ^y^ 
 (peak of the baptizing of whole Houfholds, jjoufyolds 
 as the Jaylor and his Houfe, LydU and her examined* 
 Houfe, &c. 
 
 Object Whole Houfholds tvi seid rvercSapttyd, 
 therefore fome Children voire k the Primitive Jims 
 baptired. 
 
 Anfw. To which we anfwer, that the Confe- 
 rence is not natural from the Antecedent, un- 
 lefs you can prove there were no whole Houfholds 
 but in which were fome little Babes , make that 
 appear, and this is the beft Argument you can 
 bring.— But the contrary is very evident j for 
 how many hundred Houfholds or Families are 
 there in this City in which there are no lictle 
 Children, but all Adult Perfons? which being Co, 
 how uncertain is your Inference ? 
 
 Secondly, But fuppofe there were Children in 
 thofe Houfholds (for ufually in Scripture by a 
 Figure which is called Synecdoche ) the whole is 
 put for parr, or a part for the whole. 
 
 Hence we read Jernfalem, and all Jitdea y an4 
 all the Regions about Jordan v/tnt oat to he idpii 
 of John ) that is, many of thofe places in fm* 
 faltm, Jndi*> and in thole Regions. 
 
 K 2 So 
 
132 Gold Refind; or, 
 
 So'tis faid, i Sam.i. 21,22,23. That £%- v 
 »ifc, ^ a/i f?» /ft»ji rr?«t »p to ojfer unto the Lord 
 .yearly Sacrifice, &c. yet, verf. 27. 'tis asexprefly 
 faid, that Hannah and her Child went not up, who 
 were part of his Houfe, yet 'tis faid all his Houfe 
 (or Houfhold) went up. J&od. 9. 6. 'tis faid, All 
 the Cattle of Egypt died, that is, all that were in 
 the Field, fee Chap. 14. 26^ 28. and chap. 9. 26. I j 
 could give you many other Examples of the fame 
 nature wherein the whole is taken but for part % 
 And from hence 'tis that Dr. Hammond grants, 
 that no concluding Argument can be dedue'd 
 frcm the baptizing whole Houfholds, to baptize 
 Children -, and therefore, in his Judgment, Argu- 
 ments drawn from hence are better wav'd, than 
 made die of by the Defenders of Infant-baptifm. 
 And certainly the Dodor judges but rationally 
 therein (faith a worthy and Learn'd Man) be- 
 eaufe a clear Word of Institution (or plain Prece- 
 dents) % ought to be the ground of the practice of all 
 G of pel- drdinancesycfyccially in the cafe of Baptifm, 
 one of the great Sacraments of the New Tefta- 
 ments. 
 
 Thirdly, We will fee in the next place what 
 tke Holy Ghoft hath left on Record concerning 
 thofe whole Houfholds that are faid to be Bap- 
 tized. 
 
 Fir ft, The Jaylor's Houfhold, Acls 16. 33. He 
 -mas Baptised, and all his. Whether he had any 
 Children 'tis a great Queftion ', [ his ] may refer 
 to his Wife, Servants, and Domeftick Friends 
 and Relations, &c. However , 'tis exprefiy 
 faid, thatPattl avid Sitae fpa\e unto him the Word 
 of the Lord, and to all that were in bis Houfe j cer- 
 tainly they did not preach* to-little Babes : And, 
 Verf. 34. 'tis faid, He rejoiced, believengin God mth 
 MI hk Houfe. Obferve, (1 .") he and all his Houfe 
 
 had 
 
Baptifm in its Trimtive Purity, 1 3 3 
 
 h^fceCrofpcl preached to them. (2.) He and 
 aluSs Houfe believed : And (_ 3.) he and all his 
 Houfe rejoiced > as well as 'tis faid, He and all bU 
 
 were baptized. 
 
 "Can there be any Reafon given, faith Mr. 
 "Gofnold, why [_his } verf^. lhould be larger 
 "than [ all bis Houfe^\ verf. 32, 34. thefe two 
 " Verfes being a Key to the 55^ Verfe, (faith he) 
 " and this Houfhold a Key to all the other ? 
 
 The fecond Houfhold is that of Crifpus, Ads 18. The Second 
 8. And Crifpus the chief KuUr of the Synagogue, whole Htuf- 
 believed in God with all his Houfe : and many of the hold, 
 Corinthians, hiaring, believed, and were baptised. 
 All that is faid of his Houfhold, is, that they 
 believed i befides, the feepe of the Text (hews, 
 nqne were baptized, but fuch-who firft believed *, 
 and they, we fay, and none but they, are true 
 Subjects of Baptifm, that believe. 
 
 The third Houfhold, is the Houfhold of Su- r . 
 phantis, I baptised, faith Fad, the Hoifoold of Tne third 
 Stephanus, 1 Cor. 1. id. And, he faith, the Houfe ™>°J'™uf- 
 of Stephanus was the fir /I Fruits of Acaia, and that "" 
 they had additted themfdves to the Minijlry of the 
 Saints, which little Children were not capable 
 to do, Chap. 16. 15. 
 
 The fourth Houfhold is that of Lydia, A<fh 16. The fourth 
 14, 1$. Whether this good Woman was a Houftold.- 
 Maid, Widow, or Wife, is uncertain : If fhe had 
 been a married Woman, 'tis much there is no 
 mention made of her Husband : Eefides, fhe is 
 reckor/d the Head of the Family [ her ] Houf- 
 hold ; which would not have been, faith Mr. G.of- 
 nold, if at this time fhe had a Husband. Grant, 
 faith he, fhe were a Widow, yet fhe might have 
 no Children ', or if any, they might be grown 
 up j and to fuch Children we deny not Baptifm 
 upon profefllon of Faith. Befides, fhe was at 
 K 3 this 
 
134 G°M R*fitfd\ or, 
 
 this time from her own Dwelling, and thatflta* 
 ny miles diftant, for fbe was of the City of Tbji* 
 tira ; but now was at the City of Philip pi, where 
 (he was a merchandizing, being a feller of Pur- 
 ple. Grant fhe had Children, how unlikely^ 4 
 matter is it, faith he, that fhe fhould carry them 
 about with her, trading fo many miles diftant ? 
 But, finally, to refolve the Doubt, the laft Verfe 
 of this Chapter, calls them of the Houfe of £y- 
 dtd Brethren -, fbeyentred into the Houfe of Lydia ; 
 and yehm they had fan the Brethren, they comj§rted 
 them, and defarted. Who now can conclude ra- 
 tionally, that any Children were in any of thefe 
 Houfholds ? Tis a hard cafe Men are fore'd to fly 
 to fuehweak and unlikely grounds to prove their 
 pra&ice ; but as the Proverb goes, A poor Shift is 
 better than none at all. 
 
 The next Proof they bring to prove Infant- 
 Eapnfm,is from ABs 2. 39. The PiomfeU to you, 
 end to .your Children, &c. " 
 The Pwmlfe The Pedo-biptifis would fain have this Promife 
 is to you t0De 2 'Promife of External Priviledg, and fuch 
 and to your as £ !ves ChiSrcn of Believers 3 right to Bap- 
 Children " t ^ fn ' : ^ uc tliat there ' s no ^ cn tmn § ™ t5re * ea ft 
 Ad 2 29 tobe >P roved trom tn ' s P iace ' wc ^ aI l *&*$$ a p~ 
 Angered. ' P ear h j openingthe Text. 
 
 Firp, Us evident that Peter preach d this 
 Sermon to the Jew% and to many of them who 
 *had a hand in murthering the Lord of Life and 
 Glory: And this he laid home, and preft upon - 
 their Conferences very clofe ; and they being 
 priced in their. Hearts, cried oat, Men and Brethren, 
 A&. 2. 37. rphat foill we do ? If it be thus, we are loft Men 
 and undone. No : as if Peter fhould fay, po net 
 difpair, upon your Repentance there is Mercy 
 for you. tain faid Peter unto them, Repent, and 
 U baptised every one of you, for the Remjjion of Sins, 
 
 and 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive ?nrity. 135 
 
 andi ye (hall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit — , 
 for.^tbe Promife is unto you. Ay, this is good 
 fews indeed, they might fay j But what wjJJ 
 become of our Children, our Off-fpring ? for we 
 have wiftfd that his Blood might not only be 
 upon our felves, but alfo upon our Children. 
 Well* what tho ? let not this terrify you, nei- 
 ther as to drive you into defpair ; for the Promife 
 is not qnly to you who repent, &c. but to 
 your Children, or Off-fpring alio ; your Pofreri- 
 ty (hall not be loft,for the Promife is unto diem as 
 It is to you, vi\. if they repent -, and not only to 
 .them of your Race or Pofrerity, but alfo to all 
 that are afar of, meaning the Gentiles, who Eph.2.13. 
 were faid to be fome times afar off, But now if they 
 would know who of their Children, and thofe 
 who were afar off, the Promife was made unto ; 
 In the clofe of the Verfe, he refolves them in 
 tliefe words, Even to as many as the Lord our God 
 frail call. 
 
 The Promife therefore here evident, is that 
 of the Spirit, and all the Divine Graces and 
 ElefTings of it, which was promifed, and firft 
 tendered unto the Jews and their Off-fpring, 
 upon unfeigned Repentance, and turning to God ; 
 or being efte&ually called and brought over, to 
 dole in with the Tenders of Mercy -, and then to 
 the Gentiles, who in like manner mould be 
 wrought upon, or effe&ually called : This Pro- 
 mife was not made to their Children, as. Belie- 
 vers Seed, nor to them, or any other, uncalled 
 by the Lord, but with this exprefs Provifc, Evin 
 fo many as the Lord oar God jhall call. Which Calling, 
 or effe&ual Work of Grace upon their Souls,made 
 ihem capable Sub jecls of Baptifm: Nor are the 
 v/ords, to ysuarj your Children, mentioned as an 
 acknowledgment of a Priviledg to them above 
 K 4 others* 
 
j 35 Gold Refndh or, 
 
 others, being Abraham's -Seed according to *he 
 Flefh, but by reafon doubtlefs of their Wifh, 
 .M2t-.27.25. Jfis Blood be onus, and on our Children. 
 
 Nor is there the leaft intimation given of a 
 right to Baptifm to them, or their Children, as 
 the Children of Believers, but as an Exhortation 
 to them and theirs, to repent, and be baptised, as 
 their Duty, for their Benefit and Soul-advantage, 
 the Promife being not mentioned ; as though of 
 it felf it gave a title to Baptifm, either to them 
 or their Off-fpring, without Repentance. But as 
 a Motive, why both they and their Children 
 fhould a&ually repent, and be baptized, i. e. be- 
 caufe in {o doing, they would be. in the way .of 
 obtaining Remiffion of Sin, and receive the Ho- 
 ly Spirit, the two grand Branches of the Promife 
 here mentioned. Which Duty of Repentance 
 little Children being not capable of performing, 
 are not therefore according to this direction of 
 the Apofllf the proper Sttbjcfts of fuch an Or- 
 dinance. 
 
 By Children, here faith, a Learned Man, is not 
 meant their Infants, but the Pofterity of the 
 Jtnvs : And fo Dr. Hammond grants it, and there- 
 fore confefleth this place a very unconcluding Ar- 
 gument for Infant-Baptifm. 
 
 And, (ays he, though by Children be here 
 meant the Posterity of the Jews, yet not the 
 natural or carnal Seed neither, but the Spiritual ; 
 as appears by the laft words in the verfe, viz. 
 Evtu to as many as the Lord our God {ball cati 
 
 So that it is very evident, that this Text is 
 grofly abufed, by fuch as infer from hence a r 
 title to Baptifm, for Children of Believers, by 
 virtue of a Promife to them as fuch; whereas ic 
 js mamfeft from the whole fcope of the Context, 
 that it is only an jncourageaient to the Jevps 
 
 againft 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. i 37 
 
 againft Difpair,by reafon of their crucifying the 
 
 Son of God, letting them know that yet there 
 
 was hope of Mercy and Pardon for them and 
 
 their Children, upon the refpe&ive Repentance Pools An- 
 
 of both, or either of them. And to the fame not ' on A3. 
 
 purpofe our late Annotators I find give it, fpeak- 2 * 39* 
 
 ing of this Text. 
 
 A Fifth pretended Scripture-proof for Infant- Tjx Proof 
 Baptifm, is taken from 1 Cor. 7. 14. Elfe were f or Irf&nt- 
 your Children Unclean, but now are they Holy. Baptifm— 
 
 Objeft. From hence 'tis aflerted, That the Chil- (We were 
 inn of Believers are holy With a Federal or Covenant- your Chil- 
 Holimfs, and therefore to be baptised. dren »n- 
 
 Aufw. To this we anfwer, That the fame fort cleaner.) 
 of Holinefs which is afcribed to the Children, is anfwered. 
 to be underftood in reference to the unbelieving 
 Husband, or the unbelieving Wife, who are both 
 faid to be fan&ified by their refpeftive Yoke- 
 fellows j which cannot be meant of a federal or 
 a Covenant-holinefs, but that which is matrimo- 
 nial : For if we mud underftand it of a Co- 
 venant-holinefs, then it will follow, that the un- 
 believing Wife, or unbelieving Husband may, 
 upon the fame ground lay claim to Baptifm as well 
 as their Children, which yet your felves will noc 
 grant. Befides, it is evident from the words 
 themfelves, in which the Term Husband and 
 Wife are twice ufed, which fhews, that the Holi- 
 nefs is from the conjugal Relation, and cannot be 
 meant of any other than Legitimation. And the 
 term Unbeliever is alfo twice ufed, and faid to be 
 Sanctified, which can have no other fence but 
 this, that the unbelieving Yoke-fellow isfan&ifl- 
 ed, or made meet in refped of conjugal ufe, to 
 his or her Yoke-fellow : And fo though the one 
 bean Unbeliever, yet they might comfortably 
 enough live together in lawful Wedlock. See our 
 
 late 
 
1 38 Gold Refined - y or^ 
 
 PoolV late Armotators \ 1 rather thin^ ( fay they ) %% 
 Annotat. on fignifies brought into a Staff that the Believer, »?/$- 
 1 Cor. 7. out Offence to the Law of God, may continue in a 
 14. marr'ud Eft ate with fucb a Totyfellw, for eKc, 
 faith the Apoille, your Children were unclean, 
 that is, would be accounted illegitimate* Bg(i 
 now this being determined, that the Husband is 
 thus fanftified to the Wife, and the Wife to 
 the Husband, though the one be an Unbeliever, 
 hence it follows, that your Children are holy -> thac 
 is, lawfully begotten, which is the only fenle 
 oppofite to the Determination, ver. 12, 13. It 
 was, \is plain, about thi$ matter thofe Saints at 
 Corinth wrote to the Apoftle, and therefore ac- 
 cording to the fcope of the place it cannot in- 
 tend any thing c\k. And as for the ufe of the 
 word Holy for Legitimate, that it is in this fenfe 
 ufed elfe-where in the Scripture is evident from 
 JHaL 2.1$, where a Seed of God, or a Godly 
 Seed, can be underftood in no other fenfe 
 than that of a lawfui Seed, in oppofition to thofe 
 born by Polygamy. 
 
 \Neither ought any Man to infer Federal HolU 
 rtefs to be intended here, unjefs he can prove 
 from fome other Text in the New Teftamenc 
 any fuch Holinefs to be in Children, i. e. be- 
 caufe Parents are Believers and in the Covenant 
 of Grace, their natural Seed muft therefore be 
 fo efteemed, and have the like Right to Gofpel- 
 Eaptifm as. the Children under the Law had to 
 Circumcifion, which is no where to be found 
 in all the ' New-Teftament, but the quite con- 
 trary, as has been proved •, and therefore this 
 Interpretation ought not to be admitted, but 
 % Pet. 1. utterly to be reje&ed in regard of what the 
 20. Apoftle Fettr afferts. 
 
 How 
 
Baft if m in its VrUmtive Vurity. . 13$ 
 
 How falfe and ridiculous therefore is that 
 which Mr. Smythies hath lately affirmed : When- Smythies 
 fartft, faith he, God tnters into Covenant with the Non-com- 
 Parent, he enters into Covenant with the Children of mmicint> 
 that Parent., that is, the Children were included in p. 88. 
 the Covenant, and the Bleffings of that Covenant be- 
 longed to the Children as well as to the Parent. 
 They that will build their Faith upon fuch kind 
 of Men deferve to be deceived, who fpeak what 
 they pleafe, and prove nothing > as if this was fo 
 becaufe Mr. Smythies fays it. I mull charge it 
 upon him as falfe Do&rine, (1.) As being quite 
 •contrary to the Najcure of the Gofpel-Difpenfa- 
 tion and Confutation of the New Teftament- 
 Churnh, wherein the Flefhly Seed are reje&ed 
 and caft out in refpeft of Church-Priviledges and 
 "Ordinances. (jiS) What is this but to intail Grace 
 to Nature, and Regeneration to Generation ? in 
 oppofition to what our Saviour faith, John 3. 3. 
 and Paul,Ephef.2.i,2. (3.) It alfo contradicts all 
 Mens Experience. How palpable is it that Godly 
 Men have wicked Children now adays as well as 
 in former times ? What, wicked Children, and 
 yet in the Covenant of Grace ! Or, were they 
 in it, and are they now fallen out of it ? What 
 a Covenant tiien do you make that fure and 
 everlafting Covenant of Grace to be? 
 
 Befides, we have many learned Men and '&&.&$&- 
 Commentators of -our Mind upon this Text, as vers Treat. 
 -Mr. DenvWs obfcrves and quotes them. of Bapt. p. 
 
 ■ Ah(Tm faith, it is to hold without doubting ; i^5> 166* 
 whatfoever that Sanftification was, it was not of 
 Power to make Chriflians and remit Sins. 
 
 Ambrttfe upon this place, faith, the Children are Ambrofe, 
 holy becaufe they aTe born of lawful Marriage, 
 
 Melandihon in his Commentary upon this fame Melan<5t 
 Tex; faith thus, " Therefore Paul anfwers, that 
 
 n their 
 
*$0 GoldRefind\ or, 
 
 tc their Marriages are not to be pulled afunder for 
 " their unlike Opinions of God j if the impiotis 
 " Perfon do not cart away the other \ and for 
 " comfort he adds as a Reafon, The unbelieving 
 " Husband is fan&ified by the believing Wife, 
 « Meat is fan&ined -, for that which is holy in 
 " ufe, that is, it is granted to Believers from 
 " God j fo here he fpeaks of the ufe of Marriage 
 " to be holy, and to be granted of God. Things 
 " prohibited under the Law, as Swines Fleih, 
 " and a Woman in her Pollution, were called 
 " unclean. The Connexion of this, if the ufe 
 " of Marriage fhould notpleafe God, yourChik 
 " dren would be Baftards* and fo unclean : 
 " But your Children are not Baftards, therefore 
 "the ufe of the Marriage pleafeth God: And 
 " how Baflards were unclean in a peculiar 
 " manner the Law fhews, Dent. 23. 
 Camerar. Cammrius in his Commentary upon this place 
 alfo faith, (Tor the unbelieving Husband hath been 
 fan&ified, an unufual change of the Tenfe, that 
 is) "fandified in the lawful ufe of Marriage j 
 " for without this, faith he, it would be that 
 " their Children fhould be unclean, that is, in- 
 " famous and not legitimate, who fo are holy, 
 " that is, during the Marriage are without all 
 " blot of Ignominy. 
 Erafmus. Erafmus faith likewife. " Infants born of fuch 
 " Parents as one being a Chriftian, the other 
 " not, are holy legitimately * for the Converfi- 
 " on of either Wife or Husband doth not dif- 
 " folve the Marriage which was made when both 
 " were Unbelievers. 
 
 What Reafon now had Dr. Featlj and others. 
 to contemn this Expofition of the Text, con- 
 fidering what we and fo many, Learned Men 
 have declared as touching this matter? for a 
 
 more 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 14! 
 
 more fuller Anfwer read Mr. Danvers, p. i66 y 
 167, 168, 169. 
 
 But after all, (hould ic be allowed that the 
 Holinefs in this Text is indeed to be taken for a 
 Fader al or Covenant- Holinefs, yet we cannot there- 
 fore grant that this is a fufficient Proof for In- 
 fant-Baptifm 5 for let the Holinefs be what ic 
 will, whether Moral, Faderal, or Matrimonial, 
 neither of thefe is any where affigned to be 
 a ground of baptizing Infants ; the Institution, g a p^r m 
 Commiflion, and Pra&ice of the Apoftolical ^ ^ po * 
 Church being that alone that can warrant the t ' lve ^£J. 
 fame : Tis God's Word only, not Mens Reafon, w y f ^ ' 
 conceited Grounds and Inferences, that can jufti- s u fc e ft s r 
 fy a Pra&ice, or make a Gofpel-Ordinance j if ^ ] m ^ m 
 all therefore was granted which you affirm of p^s-whol- 
 the Covenant made with Abraham of Circum- jy Htfgn ^ 
 cifion and Fadtral-Hoiinefs, yet Infanc -Baptifm is whiqCqqj 
 gone, unlefs you can prove God hath from this &c< * 
 
 ground commanded you to baptize your Chil* 
 dren, or that they were for this Reafon ad* 
 mitted to Baptifm in the Apoftles Time ( for 
 all your Arguments from thence prove as 
 ftrongly, that your Infants may partake of the 
 Lord's-Supper, &c.~) But that any thing lefs than 
 a Profeffion of Faith and Repentance is or can 
 be a fufficient ground for baptizing any Perfon, 
 young or old, we do deny, iith the New Tefta- 
 menc is the only Rule or perfect Copy, by the 
 Authority of which we ought to aft and per- 
 form all Duties of inftituted Wormip, and ad- 
 miniffcer Sacraments, &c. which are mere po- 
 sitive Precepts, and depend only upon the Will 
 and Pleafure of the Law-maker. So much to 
 this pretended Proof of Infanr-Baprifm. 
 
 A fixth Proof of Infant-Baptifm is grounded 
 upon Ma>\ 16.16, Ht that btiiewh, and is bap- 
 
 t%J 9 
 
J42 Cold Rtfind % oy^ 
 
 ti\td> fhall befaved i bat he that believeth not> fhallba 
 damned. 
 
 Now they affirm that Infants are Believers, 
 
 and therefore are to be baptized. 
 
 JWr.Smy- Mr.Smythies fays, " Infants are Believers in a 
 
 HiksArgu- " fcnfc, or elfe they could not be faved^nor 
 
 mint 'that " nave r, 8 nt t0 tne Promifes of Chrift in the 
 
 Infants are " Gofpel j and if they are in any fenfe fuch Be- 
 
 BelUvers " ^ evers as are inticlcd to Salvation, they are 
 
 " fuch Believers as have a right to Baptifm 5 if 
 
 " the Eftate belongs to a Child in the Cradle, 
 
 " the Indentures and Seals of that Eftate be- 
 
 " long to him likewtfe : the Child of a Be-* 
 
 " liever may as well be called a Believer, as the 
 
 b " Child of a Profelyee was called a profely te : if 
 
 ? God gives Children but the denomination of 
 
 u Believers, it is fufficient to entitle them to 
 
 " Baptifm. Thus Mr. Smythits. 
 
 But how does it appear that Infants are Be- 
 lievers in any fenfe ? is there any Argument or 
 Scripture brought by this Man to prove them 
 fo to be I if he can prove they have Faith and 
 do believe in Chrift, he will do more than all 
 the Men that ever lived on Earth could do, I 
 mean Children, as fuch in common and in an or- 
 dinary way, to be Believers. True, nothing is too 
 hard for God to do : he that can make an Afs 
 to fpeak, can as well caufe a Babe to believe ; 
 But how does it appear God has given them 
 either tlie Habit of Faith, or the Ad of Faith, 
 or Faith in any fenfe to render them to be Be- 
 lievers? But 'tis intimated they an Belkvtrs by 
 their Parents Faith : why may not their Parents 
 Baptifm ferve as well as their Parents Faith, 
 and they receive the Lord's Supper for them 
 in their Names alfo, and that be imputed to the 
 Children by wwe of their Parents Faith ? And 
 
 what 
 
JBaptifm in its Primitive Parity, 143 
 
 what though the Eflati belongs to the Child in the 
 Cradle, together with the Indenture and Seals of that 
 Eftate, Is it required the Child in the Cradle 
 ihould therefore fet his Seal to the Indenture ? 
 is that requifite, or would it make the Eftate 
 the more firm or fure to him ? But when you 
 Can prove Grace and Salvation to be //ereditary y 
 and that the Father's being a Believer and a 
 godly Perfon,all his Children muft needs be fuch 
 *oo, you do your bufinefs. 
 
 Secondly, But why do you fay Children mud 
 be Believers, or elfe thev can't be faved ? who 
 told you fo ? Eecaufe Faith in Adult Perfons is Faith nor 
 required as neceflary in them, if they are faved. Baptifm _ U 
 Can't God fave poor Infants without they alfo ™t required 
 do believe? has God told you he cannot, or °f Infants, 
 will not fave them except they believe? I muft'ytf th V W 
 confefs I wonder at your Ignorance and daring be faved. 
 Boldntfs : God, as Dr. Taylor obferves, may have Dr. Tay- 
 many ways to magnify his Grace through Jefiu lor, p. 230. 
 C fo'ift to ttem which rve fyow not of , and what 
 have you to do with the Secrets of God? who 
 made you one of his Privy-Council ? you may 
 as Well fay, unlefs they repent they cannot be 
 faved from Chrift's words, Lu{\ 13. 3,-5. and 
 that they muft be obedient and take up the 
 Crofs, for. thefe things are required of Adulc 
 Perfons that would be faved as wdl as be- 
 lieving. 
 
 Tirirdly, Prove that God has given Children 
 the Denomination of Believers \ or if it was 
 granted he hath, would it therefore follow they 
 may be baptized ? certainly no, for we read of 
 many who werefaid to believe *, <hey had fome * See joh* 
 kind of Faith, and fo in fome fenfe had the 2. 23, & 
 denomination of Btlkim, and yet hud no rigbi cap. 8. 30, 
 
 to 5 h 44» 
 
144 Cold Refindi or^ 
 
 to Eaptifm, for fuch ought to have a true 
 
 Faith, or to believe with all their Hearrs, as 
 
 Philip faid to the Eunuch, Aft. 8. who are fit 
 
 Subjects of that Ordinance, or have a fufhcient 
 
 * I am Title to it : and would not that believing ( in 
 
 for Set to re- an Y ^ en ^ e ) y° u *P ea k °£ tnat entitles them to 
 
 peat this of- Salvation, give them as good a right to the 
 
 ten becaufe LordVSupper as to Eaptifm ? Come, Sir, you 
 
 there is the can ' c m ^ er a right to an Ordinance from what 
 
 like occafion grounds you pleafe. Eaptifm depends wholly, I 
 
 given, and &y a £ am > u P on the Authority of a pofitive Law, 
 
 it is a a °d cxprefe words of Inftitution * -, and none 
 
 full Anfwer but fuch who are made Difciples by preaching, 
 
 to all fuch or w ho do actually believe, ought from thence 
 
 Inferencse. to be baptized. 
 
 I wonder what Faith 'tis you fuppofe to be 
 
 in Infants I is it the Faith of the Church, as 
 
 Tho. Attftintu aflerts, which is intailed upon all 
 
 within the pale thereof? Or is it an Imputitive 
 
 Faith from the Parents in Covenant, as Mufcu- 
 
 lus and others maintain ? Or, is it the Faith of the 
 
 Gojjip or Surety, as many of your Church fay,*", e. 
 
 others believe for them ? Have they a juftijying 
 
 What Con- Faith, as Mr. Baxter intimates ? or a dogmatical 
 
 fit/ton is here Faith only, as in Mr. Bla^s Senfe? Some, as 
 
 among the Mr. Danvers obferves, fay 'tis a Phyftcal, fome 
 
 Pedo-Bap- a Metaphyseal, and fome a Hyptrphyfical Faith. 
 
 tip ? Some fay they are born Believers, others fay 
 
 they are made Believers by Baptifm. Now 
 
 when you tell us what Faith they have, we fliall 
 
 the better underftand you, and give you an 
 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Dr.Taylor. " A Perfonal and a&ual Faith, faith Dr. Taylor, 
 
 cc they have not, for they have no Atts of Un- 
 
 " demanding *, befides, how can any Man know 
 
 " they have Faith, fince lie never faw any fign 
 
 "of 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 145 
 
 * of it, neither was he told fo by any that 
 " could tell. Secondly ', faich he, Some fay they 
 " have Imputative Faith: But then fo let the 
 v Sacraments be too, that is, if they have the 
 "Parents Faith or the Churches, then fo lee 
 " Baptifm be imputed alfo by derivation from 
 " them : ' And as in their Mothers Womb, and 
 " while they hang upon their Mothers Breafb, 
 "they live upon their Mothers Nourifhment 5 
 " fo they may upon the Baptifm of their Pa- 
 " rents, or their Mother the Church : for fince 
 " Faith is neceffary to the fufception of Bap- 
 " tifm (_ and they themfelves confefs it, by ftri- 
 " ving to find out new kinds of Faith to daub 
 " the matter i ) fuch as the Faith, fuch mull be 
 " the Sacrament : for tliere is no proportion 
 " between an actual Sacrament, and an Imputa- 
 "tive Faith, this being in immediate fcnd ne- 
 " ceflary order to that. Thus faith the Bi- 
 fliop. 
 
 We know there are fome argue flirty for In- 
 fants having habitual Faith; but as the faid 
 Doctor faith, Are there any Acls precedent, conco- 
 mitant, or canfequent to this pretended Habit? this 
 flrange Invention, faith he, is abfolutely -with- 
 out- Art, without Scripture, Reafbn, or Authority. 
 Eut the Men are to be excufed, unlefs they had 
 any better Arguments to defend their Pradice \ 
 they are fore'd to confefs the Truth in the 
 main, %i\. That Faith is required of Perfons to 
 be baptized, and therefore they do wh3t they 
 can to prove Infants do believe. Eut I will con- 
 clude this with what the faid Doctor further faith, r> 4 Xa\Ior 
 " And if any Man runs for Succour to that ex- * \ A1 ' 
 u ploded Crefphugeton, that Infants have Faith, i * "* 
 * or any other infpired Habic of I know not 
 h " what* 
 
1^6 Gold Refit? d\ or, 
 
 « what, or how, we defire no more advan- 
 tage than that they are contained to an- 
 " fwer without Revelation againft Reafon, com- 
 " mon Senfe > and all the Experience in the 
 "World. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Containing an Anfvoer to feveral other 
 Arguments brought for Infant -B apt ifm. 
 
 Object, i. '~T~ i 'HMgh there is no plain Scriptures 
 JL for lafant-Baptifm, yet it may be 
 proved by Confidences ; you, it appears, deny direti 
 Confequehces from Scripture to be mandatory, and fo 
 oMging, and of Divine Authority, 
 
 Anfrv. We affirm, that in all pofitive or in- 
 ftkiued Worfhip (Tuch as Baprifm is} which 
 wholly depends upon the meer Will and Plea- 
 sure 5f the Law-giver, it is abfolutely necefla- 
 ry there fhould be an exprefs Command, or 
 plain and clear Examples, tho in other re- 
 fpecls we allow of natural Deductions and Con- 
 fequences from Scripture for the confirming and 
 enforcing of. Duties, and for the Comfort and 
 Inftruction of God's People. Bat as there is 
 neither exprefs Command nor Example for In- 
 fanr-Eaptifm ', fo it can'c be proved by any 
 Confequence or Inference, that naturally and 
 gthktylj rifes from any Scripture, as we have, 
 proved, nor does draw any luch Confluences 
 to prove it. 
 
 Ohjitti, 2. But there is nothing An all. the] Nerv 
 leMint kganfl leftnt-Baprifx, ' faith Mr. Smythks. \ 
 
 If 
 
Baftifm in Us Primitive Purity. 147 
 
 Jf indeed our Saviour had declared that Infants 
 (huld not be baptised, or if we had read of the 
 Apofiles Refafal of them \ then, Sec. there is no hint 
 from any exprefs word dropt . from drift, faich 
 Mr. Sidenhaw, or his Apofiles, nor any Phrafe which 
 doth forbid fitch- an Aft. 
 
 Anfw. We will anfwer with Tertullian : " For 
 " this is a certain Rule, faith he, if u be faid 
 " 'tis lawful becaufe the Scripture doth not for- 
 " bid it j it may equally be retorted, it is 
 " therefore not lawful, becaufe Qbe Scripture 
 " doth hot command it. That which is done 
 in the Worfhip and Service of God without 
 any exprefs Word dropt from Chnft or his 
 Apoftles, nor any Phrafe which doth fignify it 
 is his Will and Mind it ought to be done, is 
 unlawful and no better than Will-worfhip. 
 Mull Chrifl forbid Infant-Eaptifm ? muft he de» 
 clare in plain words they ought not to be bap- 
 tized, or elfe may they, ought they to be bap- 
 tized ? Is this good Divinicy with Mr. Smythies * 
 Certainly this Man can't long keep out of the 
 Romim Communion: Hath our Saviour decla- 
 red indeed that you fhall not have Crucifixesi 
 Beads, Altars, and' that you fhall not ufe Salt, 
 Spitde, Oil, or Chrifm in Baptifm? that ye 
 fhall not go on Pilgrimages, nor pray for the 
 Dead ? Hath Chrift, I fay, or his Apoftles, as 
 you read, forbid thefe things, and many more ©f 
 like nature? Or, did God forbid Nadab and 
 Abibu to offer ftrange Fire, who were defhroyed 
 for doing it? Levit. 10. 1, 2. Did God. forbid 
 Abraham to circumcife his Female Children, or 
 forbid hinvto circumcife his Male Children on 
 the ninth day ? and might he therefore do thefc 
 things— becauje God did no where tell him he 
 I 2 fhculd 
 
[48 Gold Refind-, or, 
 
 fhould not do (6 ? The like might fee faid con-' 
 cerning Bowing at the naming" of the Name of 
 Jcfus, Crofs in Eaprifm, Surplice in reading the 
 Service, Kneeling at the Sacrament, fct Forms 
 of Prayer ; you do thefe things becaufe not for- 
 bidden, and why rot admit of other Rites and 
 Innovations as well as thefe? Moreover, wh.t 
 exprefs word acainft Infants receiving the Sa- 
 craments? Befides, are Bells forbidden to be 
 baptized ? hath Chrift faid indeed, ye fhall not 
 baptize bells' ? k it therefore lawful to baptize 
 them ? You will object, May be that Bills are 
 not fit nor capable Subjects of fuch an Ordi* 
 nance ? But why are they not ? wherein are they 
 uncapable ? Can you not fprinkle a little Water 
 upon a Bell, and ufe the words cf Inflitution in 
 as folemn a manner as you do when you fprin- 
 kle a Child ( baptize it as you fay ) ? But are 
 they uncapable becaufe there is no word cf 
 Inilkudcn, nothing from the Mouth of Chrift 
 or his Apoftles, to iuflifle fuch a Practice ? We 
 fay the fame *in refpect of your baptizing 
 Children •, and if you fay, Bells are not «ipa- 
 ble of the ufe and end of Baptifm ; we have 
 proved the like concerning Infants. If God had 
 pleafed, he could have made them by an In- 
 stitution capable of fome facred ufefulnefs, yea 
 capable of Relative Holinefs or Confecration, as, 
 Aaron's Bells j Nay, and fince we read of Bells of 
 the Horfes that fhould be Holinefs to tbeLord, lech. 
 14. 20. Why may not that Text be a Proof 
 that Bells in Churches fhould be baptized, and 
 fo made holy likewife ? There are thofe you 
 know who plead for that Practice ( and have 
 baptized them for many Ages ) and they fay 
 there is as much ground from Scripture to do 
 
 that, 
 
Baptijin in its Primitive Purity. I49 
 
 that, as there is to baptize Children, both de- 
 pending, as they will tell you, upon die Au- 
 thority of the Church. 
 
 Sad it is that fuch a Gap as this fhould be 
 opened to all or any Inventions or Traditions 
 of Men : remember who it was that faid, Add 
 thou not to bis Word. That God has in all Ages 
 tefrifted his Abhorrence of Will- worfhip, and that 
 from this very reafon, becaufe he commanded 
 them not : 'tis evident they have built the high places Jer. 7 . 2 u 
 of Tophec, &c. which I commanded then [not, nei- 
 ther came it into my Heart. For this ca ufe God 
 threatned judgments upon Ifiael; Tmy havefet Ezek, 43. 
 their Tarefiold by my Twtfhirlds, and their Pofi by 8. 
 
 mj Poftsy- wherefore I haze confumed them. 
 
 God difcovers his fevere Difplcafure againfl 
 them, not for neglecting any part of his Wor- 
 fhip that he had commanded them, but for their 
 Prefumpticn in adding other things thereto, 
 calling them his Ordinances, which he had not 
 appointed nor commanded them. Will- worfhip 
 (f Sir 3 is an horrible Sin, when he who is to 
 perform the Duty mall dare to appoint the 
 Laws : Implying a peremptory- purpofe of no 
 further obfervanc*, than may confift with the 
 allowance of his own depraved Judgment and 
 Seif-Intereil*, whereas true Obedience mud be 
 grounded on the Authority cf that Power that 
 commands not the liking or approbation of the 
 Subject. Some Men will obey ib far as it con- 
 Ms with their Interefr, and alter, add to, cr 
 diminifh from, as they fee good. 
 
 i. This favours of horrible Pride : Shall Man 
 prefcribe unto God ways how he (hall be wor- 
 fnipped ? 
 
 2. Moreover, this oQ Will-worship was that 
 
 very Sin that overthrew the Nation of iftdeh 
 
 L 3 ■ fee 
 
150 Gold Refind; or, 
 
 fee Ifa. 24. $, 6. They have changed the Orfo. 
 vancts, &c. 
 
 3. And it alfo is Ciid to wound the Heart of 
 God, E%eL. 6. 9. namely* their fuperftttious and 
 
 * ^crrupt Mixtures in his Worfhip. And, 
 
 4. This renders the Service of Men abomi- 
 nable, when tbev make void the Commands of 
 God by their Traditions, and all they do to be 
 in vain, for ibfakhour Saviour, Ii vain they wor- 
 [Jrip rm y teaching jor Dothine the Commandments oj 
 Mn. 
 
 Objefi. 3. "But is it to be imagined, faith 
 " Mr. Smythies, that our Saviour, who took little 
 " Children up in his Arms, fhculd allow no 
 ic Ordinance for them by which they fhould be 
 " admitted into his Church ? 
 
 Anfrh. Muft he needs baptize them becaufe 
 he took them up in his Arms?. and becaufe he 
 blefled them, muft he receive them into his 
 Church? We have proved that they are not ca- 
 pable Subje&s of Got pel-Church-member flu p, 
 . neither did our Saviour baptize any with his 
 own Hands, Job. 4. t, 2. therefore not thofe 
 Children he took up into his Arms ', nor is this 
 any proof in the'Ieaft, i, ^ that Chrift muft 
 allow them an Ordinance, becaufe he (hewed 
 them the favour to take them up into his Arms. 
 "Tjs faid hi looQd uion the young Mm, and loved 
 hi)'!- j rnuft he therefore make him a Member of 
 his Church, whether he was fitly qualified for 
 i: or no? Chrift fnewed many great Favours 
 unto divers Pcrfons, that we do not read he 
 admitted into his Church. He may (he v one 
 Favour to, you, and yet deny you another 
 which you may not be capable of receiving. . 
 ~ 1 " Young Children, faith Latter, hear not, nor 
 J underftand the Word of God, one of *hkh 
 
 ■ "Faith 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 5 1 
 
 * c Faith cometh; and therefore if the Com- 
 u mandment be followed, Children ought not 
 " to be baptized. • 
 
 Belides, they might be Children able to re- 
 ceive Inftru&ion as far as you know, for fuch 
 we take fome times up into our Arms. Tertkk T *i* 
 lion, fpeaking of this place, faith, « Indeed the r^ m ™, 
 " Lord faid, do not ye hinder them to comeun- r I 00 ^ 
 " to me, let them come therefore, while they ^ a *' 
 u grow to Years, let them come while they ** 
 " learn, and while come, let them be taught j 
 " lee them become Chriftians, when they are 
 " able to know Chrift : Why doth innocent. 
 " Age haften to the Remiffion of Sins ? Men 
 " will deal more warily in Worldly Affairs \ fo 
 " that they who are not trufted with an Earth- 
 li \y Inheritance are trufted with an Heavenly 
 "one* let them ask for Salvation that. thou 
 " mayft appear to have given it to him. See 
 our further Anfwer to this Text, Chap. 9. 
 
 Objeft. 4. " But Infants were commonly bap- 
 " tized before. How can we, faith Mr. Smytbies, 
 " imagine that our Saviour fent to baptize Na- 
 " tions in which Infants before had commonly 
 " been baptized, and yet intend they fhould be 
 " excluded ? 
 
 Anfw. This is a new kind of Argument, but 
 proves noihing.. 
 
 For firft, 'Tis denied that Infants by any 
 Command of God were ever baptized in any 
 Nation, no not amongft the jews, much lefs 
 among the Gentile Nations ', but if they had 
 been baptized before, he might as well have 
 inferred ( and much better ) Infants Right to 
 the Sacrament of the LordVSupper, and have 
 faid, Can we imagine Chrift would have ex- 
 cluded tteiu from tfjat, coniidering they were 
 L 4 before 
 
1^2 Gold Refindh or, 
 
 before admitted to the Pafleover £ which there 
 is no great caufe to queftion. ") 
 
 But fecondly, We reafon thus •, If they were 
 before baptized, either they were baptized as 
 it was a Jewifh Rite and Cuftom, or elfe as an 
 Hcathcnilh one: If Baptifm of Infants before 
 was a Jewifh Rite, it was either appointed of 
 God, or elfe a Tradition of their own: If it 
 was a Tradition of their own, can you fuppofe 
 our Saviour would go about to own and efta- 
 blifh a Jewifh Innovation, or one of their hu- 
 man Traditions? and if it were* an Appoint- 
 ment of God, it is very much that no Mau 
 ever found it out before in all the Old Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
 Eut thirdly, If there had been any fuch le- 
 gal Ordinance, it had been abrogated, with all 
 other Jewifh Ceremonk^ -which flood fas the 
 b. p. io. Apoftle fhews ) in Meats and Drinks, and divers 
 WafhingS) and Carnal Ordinances impofed on ihm 
 until the time of Reformation. All thofe divers 
 Warnings that were under the Law it is evident 
 ceafed in the Eftablifhment of the new Tefta- 
 menr, and therefore how abominable falfe is 
 that which Mr. Smythies fays concerning Gofpel- 
 Baptifm ? 
 
 Obj'fft, $. " Our Saviour, (fays he Pag. 83.) 
 " took this Ordinance from the Cuftom of the 
 " Jews, who were wont to baptize thofe who 
 " forfook Heathenifm and embraced the true 
 <v Religion. And whenfeever they made Profc- 
 a lytes, they did not only baptize the Parent, 
 " but the Child likewife. 
 
 Anjw. Did any Man aflert till new the Bap- 
 tifm of Chrift to be a Legal Rite, or rather 
 that it fprung from Human Tradition? for 'tis 
 evident the Jews were not required to baptize 
 
 them 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 153 
 
 diem by any Appointment of God : for Cir- 
 cumcifion was the Rite by which Profelytes. 
 f who were Males) were added to the Jewifh 
 Church. 
 
 Eeildes, dotli not our Saviour plainly ind- 
 icate, that John's Baptifm was directly from 
 ftea"ven, and not of Men? And if Baptifm had 
 been fo frequently praftifed aniongft the jews, 
 wherefore did they fay to John, Why dolt thou 
 baptise, if thou art not that Chrift, nor Elias ? 
 J oh. 1. 25. But doth not Chrift fay, that the 
 jDo&rine he taught, he received from the Far 
 ther who fent him ? not from Mafis nor the 
 Jews: / have not jpofyn (faith he) of my felfr John 12, 
 but -the Father which fent me } gave me Commandment 
 what I fhoutd jay, and what Ifhould fpea^. Now 
 Baptifm is pofitively called a Principle of hrs 
 Po&rine, it was he that inftituted it and gave it Heb. 6. r, 
 forth, Mat. 28-. 1 9, 20. as a pure Gofpel-Ordi- 2, 5. 
 
 nance, as the alone Soveraign Lord and Law- 
 giver of his Church. Moreover, if all thofe di- 
 vers Warnings and carnal Ordinances amongft 
 the Jews are abohfhed, as you 1 heard before ; 
 how came this fuppofed Jewifh Rite to efcape? 
 Thefe things considered, we may perceive 'tis 
 ignorance through Tradition that makes a Pedo- 
 baptift : or rather a No-Baptift, Jind not Igno* 
 ranee ( as he affirms ) through length of time that 
 mal^s an Anabaptift (_falfly fo called) Pag. pi. 
 But 'tis the knowledg of God's Word, through 
 the help of the Spirit, by ^hich they, whom 
 he fo calls, come to cart off cn?c unwrk:en Tra- 
 dition of B-abis Kantifm, and to own no Bap- 
 tifm l.ut that which Christ, hath commanded, 
 and was pra&ifed in the Apoflolicsl Church. 
 
 And whereas he affirms the baptizing of Chil- 
 dren was all along ufed in the Primitive 
 
 Church 
 
I 54 Gold Refined ' 7 t>r^ 
 
 Church by the Holy Martyrs-, &c 
 
 We anfwer, It was never pra&ifed till the 
 
 Church came to adulterate the holy Inftituti- 
 
 ons of Chrift, and fell away to Error and Su- 
 
 perftition. 
 
 Curcellaeus " For ' ftich CifrcelLeM, in the two firft Cen- 
 
 M&itut " tunes after Chrift, Infant- Eaptifm was altoge- 
 
 Rd'ie Chri- " c ^ er un ^ nown > ^ uc m tnc cn ^ rc ^ anc * fourth it 
 
 ftian 1 i " was a ^ owec ^ ky fome few •, in the fifth and 
 
 c i*2 ' " " ^°^ ow ^ n g A § es ? lt was generally r^ejved into 
 
 " Cuftom. 
 
 And if the Cuftom of the Church is enough 
 to juftify Infant-Eaptifm, it will oblige us as to 
 receive many other Traditions or Ceremonies 
 likewife. 
 
 Objeft. 6. But there are divers very learned M&n, 
 roho hold Infant-Baptifm. 
 
 An(w. And are there not many very learned 
 Men who are againft baptizing them ? who fay 
 'tis an Invention of Men and no Ordinance of 
 Jefus Chrift? Befides, were not the Pharifees 
 and Lawyers learned Men, who rejefted the Com- 
 fti of God againft, themfehes, being not baptised? 
 God's purpofe is to confound the Wifdom of 
 Man. If Learning once comes to be made an 
 Idol of, God may leave thofe learned Men to 
 themfelves, and let them grope in Mid-day as 
 ' in the Night, notwithihmding all their Light, 
 Knowledg, and I earning. 
 
 Befides,. thete are learned Men of all Opini* 
 ons, many learned Cardinals, Priejls, and Jefuits 
 \n the Church of Rome, yet you will not make 
 that an Argument to believe Tranfnbflxntialion, 
 and other Errors maintained by them. 
 
 Objeft. 6. But -there are many : zwy holy and 
 po:cs Men, yea F afters oj Churches, that are for the 
 yajtfcjng oj little Iff ants : Niy> and why fho:dd fp 
 
 jerp 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive runty. 155 
 
 few learned Men be of your way if it were a Truth, 
 for mafl $ea^ again ft tbofe of 'your Perfwafion? 
 
 Anjw. 1. The more caufe of Grief. But 
 what though I muft tell you God's Word is • 
 to be your Guide, and not Men : every Man 
 muft give an account to God for himfelf. 
 
 Moreover, fome Godly Men who haye had 
 great Lighr, an4 were glorious Reformers too 
 in their day, yet lay fhort of fome great 
 Things and Duties; as Jebofapbat^Scc. who did 
 not remove nor pull down the high Places. 
 
 2. Light and Knowledg of Divine Truths 
 have broken forth gradually. When Reformation 
 firft begun, thofe godly Men laboured to reftore 
 the doctrinal part of the Gofpel, and yet great 
 Corruptions remained in point of Difcipline 
 (which Errors God hath iince by degrees 
 
 difcovered.3 
 
 5. Had the beft and late Reformers- (forfuch 
 you will find at laft the Baptifts to be in point 
 of the Adminiftrations of God's Houfeand holy 
 Temple ) been generally learned Men, 'tis very 
 like this Truth would have been more readily 
 received among fuch £ I mean learned Perfons ) 
 than we fee now it is, fo hard a thing is Self- 
 denial. 
 
 4. Moreover, the bafe Reproaches caft upon 
 the true way of Baptizing, hath doubtlefs laid a 
 great many of good Men under Temptations, 
 there being hardly any one Truth that has been 
 rendered more odious and contemptible than 
 Eaptizing, (i e. dipping of Men and Women in 
 Water} tho 'tis generally acknowledged by all, 
 that no other Action then that was pradifedm 
 >he Goipel-days in che Adminiftration of this 
 Ordinance, 
 
•1 
 
 J 56 GoIdRefindy &r\ 
 
 For the ■ '£ Some fay thofe Errors or unfound Prin- 
 
 Voftrine 0/ciples Cas I look upon them to be) mainrf 
 
 Free-willy taincd by divers Baptifts (who I doubt not 
 
 Falling a- are godly Chriftians) have like wife hindred 
 
 way totally the Reception and Promulgation 'of this blefled 
 
 jromaflate GofpeMnftitution among many worthy Perfons, 
 
 of true and kept them may be from indeavouring 
 
 Grace, &c. their Satisfaction herein ; tho ftis ftrange thac 
 
 are not fhould be a /tumbling Blo # ck to an}, fun there 
 
 looted upon were many Chriftians in 'the Apoflles Times, 
 
 as capital who in many things did diflent and differ ( in 
 
 Errors, viz. as great matters) one from another: befides, 
 
 fuch as will there are Men almoft of all Perfwafions thac 
 
 exclude hold thofe very Principles. 
 
 Men out of 6. Others think the Remifnefs of fome of the 
 
 the King- Baptized Churches about taking care of their 
 
 dom oj Ministers hath contributed fomething to it alfo i 
 
 Heaven, for nothing lies more clear in God's Word, 
 
 than that thofe who preach the Gofpel, fhould live of 
 
 the Oojpel , yea, have a comfortable Maintenance, 
 
 i. e. that they may be wholly fequeftred to the 
 
 i Cor. 9. Work of the Miniftry ( and be in a capacity to 
 
 7,8,9,10, give to others, and fo fhew themfelves Exam. 
 
 11, 12. pics in Rofpitality) ; and that their poor Wives 
 
 Matth. 10. and Children after their Deceafe, may not be 
 
 10. expofed to Want and Poverty. But I am glad 
 
 |.uk. 9. 5. to fecit, our Churches are now daily enlightned 
 
 into this indifpenfable Duty, and do endeavour 
 
 td reform accordingly ; and would they alfo. 
 
 * Eoh. <. labour to follow the Primitive Saints hftnging. 
 
 18/19. of Pfalms, and Hymns, and fpiritual Songs * y I do. 
 
 Col. 3. 1 6. not doubt but it would add to their Comfort 
 
 f Some and Glory, and many more than now do would 
 
 good c^i-P>nwithusf. 
 
 pans are not wilting to fake up on Ordinance, and fo joyn in with^ 
 
 the Baptifls, and thereby lofe another which they believe' is as grtat, 
 
 and a moft fweet and Soul-cotfolating one. 
 
 7. But 
 
Baft if m in its Trimitivt Parity. 1 57 
 
 -7. But to proceed : Be Cure the Examples of 
 hebeftMen under Heaven will never be a Plea 
 fufficicnt for any in the day of judgment, in do- 
 Og anv thing in God's Worfhip that he has noc 
 :ommandcd (^or given grounds for theObfcrva- 
 lon. of} or in their neglecting doing of thac 
 .vhich lie hath exprefly required.' Shall any be 
 illowed ar the lail day to plead thus, vi\. fuch. 
 md fuch good Men and able Minifters did fay 
 this was. a Truth and my Duty ? furely no. 
 
 8 . When Reformation is required of Men in 
 fo great a cafe as this, vi\. that which tends 
 to the razing the whole Constitution or (land- 
 ing of their Church, which, has been alio of 
 fuch a long continuation j it calls for grear Re- 
 fdution, Courage, and Self-denial, which is hard 
 for fome Men to arrive ac ; conudering alfo what 
 great Perfons and Reformers have been on their 
 fide ; and they not ferioufly minding the words 
 of the wife Man, where he fays, that the Path 0/Prov. 4. 
 the J aft is as a (hinkg Light, that fhinetb more and x 3. 
 
 more to the perfsSi day \ the Church as it was then 
 looifd out of the Wildermfsbut as the Morning, and but 
 a& fair ( comparatively } at the Moon -, but flnce Cane. 
 ( blelfed be God ) greater Light hath broken 
 forth, yea to fuch a degree that now flie feems 
 to be come forth as dear as the Sun, &c. And 
 fad it is to fee Men content themfelves to walk 
 only in that Light thofe worthy ChrifHans had 
 in the Morning of the Reformation, and refufc 
 to follow and embrace a higher and more clears 
 and Sun-fhining Glory. They might be accepted 
 then, fince their Day did not afford greater Ma- 
 nifeflations of Truth in thofe refpe&s \ but it may 
 not excufe our Brethren, nor may they be ac- 
 cepted in following them, fith Truth is broke 
 forth more per fpicuoufly in thefe. latter times. 
 
 9. Uffly, 
 
158 GoldRefm'd) or, 
 
 Ob;e&. 7'he People called Anabaptifls He -under 
 
 great Reproaches, as ij you baptifd People nailed. 
 
 Dr. Feat- Anfw. 'Tis no more than our Saviour foretold 
 
 ly and Mr. fhould befal his own People and faithful F6J- 
 
 Baxter/or- lowers, They jhalJ fpeal^ all manner of Evil againji 
 
 merly con- y ou * i^fly for ty Haw M*> &c. I am not igno- 
 
 traBed no rant what odious Lies and Reproaches have been 
 
 finall Gmlt ca ft u pon us in refpeft of baptizing Men and 
 
 and Shame Women naked : whereas 'tis notorioufly known 
 
 to them- t0 be utterly falfe and abominable, which 
 
 felves noon thoufands* can teftify to the contrary, who are 
 
 this refpeft j °£ different Perforations to us, who daily fee 
 
 fee Dipper I^rfons of both Sexes baptized by us, always in 
 
 dipped, ve Ty comely and decent Garments, provided 
 
 writ by on purpofe upon that account. 
 
 Featly. Objed. Ton have been formerly (ligmatixed and 
 
 accufed, as if you were againjl Magiflrates, or refiije 
 
 to obey Kings, and fuch as are in Authority ', and re- 
 
 fufe lawful Oaths: What fay you to the Munfter- 
 
 Story ? 
 
 Anfw, Thefe things our Enemies know to be- 
 falfe and vile Slanders, our Confeffions of Faith 
 from time to time do witnefs the contrary ; 
 What People plead for Subjection to Govern- 
 ment and Magiflrates which God has fee over 
 us, more than we always do ? And as touch- 
 ing that old Mtnjter-Story of John of Ley den, &c. 
 they that read the beft Hiftories of that bufi- 
 nefs, may find- many things to be falfe which 
 are charged againft thoie Anabaptifls: befides, 
 the Story of them was either written ( as 
 fome have very well obferved) by the ma- 
 Jirious Papifts, their old mortal Enemies ; or 
 dfe by envious Proteftants, who are willing ro 
 take up any bafe Reports, and improve thofe 
 Steries to blaft the Reputation of the whole 
 Farcy. Alas, I could here fo«n recite fome 
 
 Writings 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 59 
 
 H Writings of inveterated Spirits, who have in 
 as bafe a manner vilified and calumniated the 
 Efifcopals, nay and the Presbyterians, and Itide- 
 ptr.dints alfo, giving Inftances both in refpe& of 
 their vile Principles and Practices, Certainly 'cis 
 a (ha me for any good Men - to take up a 
 Charge againft fo great a Party of godly Chri- 
 stians from the venemous Pens of foch fhamekfs 
 Perfons. 
 
 But fuppofe the Munfter-Story as to matter 
 of Fad were true, and that fomeof thofe Ana- 
 baftljls, were very ill Men, and guilty of feveral 
 immoral Actions, and. held great Errors, yec 
 how unreafonable and uncharitable a thing is 
 it to render all thofe People of that Perfwa- 
 fion in thofe times, and alfo fince to be as bad 
 and as like guilty ? efpecially considering that 
 the Principle and Practice of baptizing believing 
 Men and Women in it felf is fo harmlel's a thing, 
 and no ways tends to lead Perfons to fuch 
 Evils ? For by the fame Rule might not the 
 heft and moft holy Church and People in the 
 World, or ever were in the World, be cenfured 
 and reproached, and neither the Churqfr of the 
 jews, nor the Gofpel-Church in the Apoftles 
 daysefcape, fith in theflrft there were very ill 
 Perfons, as Chora, Datban, and Ahirm, and many 
 others, and in the laft a Judas, a Vi-idophes, an 
 inepftuotts Ferfon*, who was guilry of worfe or * j Cor.<# 
 more fhameful Fornication then what was a- x 2 , 
 raongft the Gentiles, as the Apoftle affirms ? 
 Befides, as Mr. Danvtrs obferves, thofe of the 
 fame Opinion in former times are acknow- 
 ledged to be godly and good Men, or have an > 
 honourable Character given them, and this too 
 by the ample and authentick Teftimony from 
 their greaceft Enemies; he ciccs- Raiffiuf, 3 
 '• .• " Uhofy 
 
\6<? Gold Reflfdi ay 
 
 Bloody Inquilttor of rhofe in Francfr and Bannm^ 
 and Cajfander of thofe in Germany 5 nay* and 
 Mr. Baxter himfelf, who., though. he has &m 
 found free enough in his Reproaches, yet ft 
 give him his due, is pleafed. to witnefs to our 
 Innocency in this Nation, take his own words : 
 faith he, " That Anabaptifts are godly Men thac 
 Baxter in u differ from .us in a Point fa difficult, that ma- 
 hti Bool^ « n y f t h e p a pifts and Prelatifts have main-* 
 Principle of « t2 \ n ^ that it is not determined in the Scrip- 
 Love, p. 7. it. ture5 but dependeth upon Tradition of th« 
 " Church: And I know as good and fober Mea 
 « of that Mind, as of theirs who are moft a,- 
 « gainft them, &c. And again he faith, thrr 
 " Auguftfo, and many Children , of Christians 
 " were baptized at Age j and that the Contxo- 
 « verfie is of fo great difficulty, that if in all 
 " fuch cafes none that differ be tolerated, we 
 " may not live together in the World or Church, 
 " but endlefly excommunicate or profecute one 
 " another. But blefled be God we need not the 
 Teftimony of Men, having the Teftimony of cur 
 own Conferences Q which is our rejoycing J as the 
 2 Cor 1 Apoftle £ith, that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity \ 
 \ 2 ' not by flefhly V/ifdom, but by the Grace of God, we 
 have had our Conversation in the World. Tho there 
 may be fome of our Communion who may be 
 under Guilt and grofs Enormities, and miftaken 
 Principles and Notions, to our great Grief and 
 Sorrow (_ as well as amongft other Communities 
 of godly Chriflians) but Charity will cover a 
 multitude of Faulrs. 
 
 Objed. 8. But you lay too much (b-efs upon Baptifm * 
 
 Anfw. What fome may do, I know not, bucfc 
 
 am fure generally, we lay no more ftrefs upon \t\ 
 
 than we ought-, we fay, it is a Duty incumbent 
 
 upon all Believers — a holy Ordinance of Chrift*; 
 
 \ one 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 6 1 
 
 one of thfc grgat Sacraments of the New Teffo- 
 mewl and thqy that rejcft it, do rejeft part of 
 tfie'Counfel -of Qqd. Yet we do not lay fuch 
 ftrefs upon it, as fome do upon Infant Baptifm. 
 We do not fay, Men cannot be faved, unlefsthey 
 be baptized 5 provided -they do not fin againfl 
 their light and clear convictions of their own 
 Confciences.Tis evident tliere are thofe who have 
 aflerced, That Infants that die unbaptized, mall 
 not, cannot be faved •, which certainly is abomi- 
 nable to affirm : For were it our duty to baptize 
 our Children, yet can any think, that the omulion 
 of our duty to them herein, can exclude them 
 the Kingdom of Heaven ? but 'tis evident it is not 
 required, they are not the fubjefts of it. 
 
 Object 'Tisno where [aid, that Women received, the 
 Lords Supper, yet 'tis given to them : Why may not In* 
 fonts be Baptised as well, tho [there is nothing mention- 
 ed of their being Baptized in the Scripture. 
 
 Anfw, To this we Anfwer, That there is ground 
 •enough from the Scripture, for Women who are 
 baptized Believers, to receive the Lord's Sur> 
 per ', Let a Man examine b'mfelf, and fo let him eat, 
 faith the Apoftle, vi\. Man or Woman. . For £> 
 the Gnel^ word j\v$pa7ric fignifies. There is 
 on f Mediator between God and Man. Is not Wo- 
 man as well as Man intended there? ff there come 
 into your Affembly a Man having a Gold Ring^c. A 
 double-minded Man is unftable in all his ways. Are 
 not Women as well as Men, comprehended and 
 meant in thofe places as well as Men, tho not ex- 
 prefled ? 
 
 2. Were not Women as well asMen(\vho be- Aft. 8. i: 
 lieved) Baptized? Were ^$t Women Difciplqs, 
 and commanded t» be made difcipline by tfce 
 : preaching of the Gofpel in the Commiffion, as Mat. 28. 
 well as Men? 19,2c. 
 
 M And 
 
j6i 'Cold Refind; or, 
 
 And are not Males and Femals all one in Chrifl 
 Jefus ? Is not this a meer trifling Vanity, and 
 nought but a piece of Foolery and Deceit, to 
 
 darken Counfel with words -without Knowltdg ? 
 
 Women. were Baptized *, we read of Lydia, ait 
 honourable Woman that was Baptized. And wheji 
 :s 3. 12. tne y towdthis, 'tis faid, they were baptised both Attn 
 ' avd Women. And they that were required to be 
 Peptized, and did partake of that Ordinance, con- 
 tinued together in the ApofilesDoftrine, and in FeHow- 
 fhip, and in breaking of Bread and Prayer. This fuf- 
 ficiently proves Women received the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 * When fhall we fee the like proof for Babes 1 
 Baptifm ? 
 
 Were not Women Members of the Church > 
 and does not the Holy Supper belong to all Regu- 
 lar Members thereof? This Obje&ion feems to 
 reprefent thefe Men like a perfon almoft drovvn'd, 
 •who catches hold of any little Twig, or Flag, to 
 help him : But, Brethren, thefe things will ne- 
 ver do your bufinefs. 
 
 Objeft. If we ha.ve no Scripture-Example to bap- 
 tiy Infants : no more have you for the baptising fuch 
 Perfons as you do baptise, viz. thofe of Age, whofe 
 Parents were baptised and educated from their Youth 
 in the, Chriflian Religion \ for evident it is, thofe we 
 read of in the New Testament who were baptised, were 
 fuch who were newly Converted either from Judaifm, 
 m- Paganifm, to Cbriftianity. 
 
 Anfw. What tho we have no Example in the 
 Scripture of any befides fuch you fpeak of that 
 were baptized, Qthac being the. very beginning 
 of that G ofpel-A^Binift ration ) yet is not the 
 CommifTion a perfed Rule to fucceeding Ages, 
 as well as it was to that prefentAge? Evident it 
 is that by virtue of the Commifllon, none were 
 
 to 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 163 
 
 to be baptized but fuch as are difcipled, or firft 
 taught, before admitted to that Ordinance. If 
 the perfon be a Believer, we have no ground to 
 refute him, becaufe his Parents were Jews or 
 Heathens i fo we have no reafon to receive others 
 at all the more, becaufe their Parents were Chri- 
 (tians. 
 
 2. Can you prove that difference as to the ftate 
 of the Parents (jn refpe&of what you fpeak of) 
 doth give you a warrantable ground to aft con- 
 trary to the order and nature of the great Com- 
 miffion ? Afatth. 28. 19, 20. By the authority of 
 which, the Apoftles did baptize ( and all Mini- 
 sters ought to adminifler the fame Ordinance to 
 the end of the World. ) The nature and order of 
 the Commiflion cuts this Objection to pieces : 
 For if the perfon be I Difciple, a Believer, he 
 is to be baptized, let his Parents be Jews, Hea- 
 thens, or Chriftians, 'tis all one. If you had the 
 like grounds to baptize Infants, we ftiould con- 
 tend no longer with you. 
 
 3. When you can prove the Faith of the Pa- 
 rents, or their fubjeftion to the external Rite of 
 Baptifm, adds any fpiritual advantage to their 
 Children, or fuch as gives them a right to Bap- 
 tifm, we will give up the Controverfie. — 
 
 Object. But whereas yon fay, Baptifm was always 
 dune by dipping the Body all over in Water ^ how can 
 thai be^ fince fome were baptized in Houfes ? 
 
 Anfw. I anfwer, That is a fancy, a thing aver- 
 ted without the leaft fhadow of ground, tho no 
 lefs Men than our late worthy Annotate rs feemto 
 affirm this very thing --, for notwithftanding the 
 faylory andthofeof his, were baptized the fame Aflsi^. 
 hour of the Night, &c. Yet can any fuppofe 2 3» 
 they could not go out of the Houfe fo late? mighc 
 there not be a Pond,ojr fome River Bear i whither- 
 M 2 foever 
 
164 Cold Refindj or, 
 
 foever they went, or wherefoever it was done, 
 it is no matter, they were baptized ; which has 
 been fufficiently proved to be Immerfion, or dip- 
 ping the Body in Water. 
 
 Object. But fay what you will, the Baptifa of 
 Infants is of God ; for there wis a multitude of Chil- 
 dren of old baptised to Mofes in the Cloud, and in 
 the Sea, 
 
 Anfw. We have fhewed you that was but tropi- 
 cally called Baptifm •, and alfo that Baptifm is a 
 pure New-Teftament Ordinance ; tho 'tis like that 
 (as fome Learned Men have faid") might be a 
 Type of this Ordinance, they being as it were 
 buried or overwhelmed in the Sea, and under 
 the Cloud. But if that may jultifie Infant Bap- 
 tifm, it will allow you to baptize Unbelievers al- 
 fo-, for there was a multitude of mixt People 
 who went through the Sea with Ifrael, befides 
 much Cattel, And a mixt multitude went up alfo 
 with them, and Flocks, and Herds, even very much 
 Cattel, Exod. 12.38. All thefe were doubtlefs 
 baptized metaphorically and typically , as well 
 as Children under the Cloud, and in the Sea , 
 therefore this can be no proof for Infant-Eap- 
 tifm. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Tnrity. \ 6 5 
 
 G H A P. XIII. 
 
 Shewing the evilConfequences, Ahfiirdities, 
 and Contradictions, that attend Infant- 
 Baptifm^ as 'tis Ajferted and Pratlifed* 
 
 Object. Ty V T what harm is there in Baptkhg of 
 J3 Children ? is it not an innocent thing ? 
 can it do the Child any hurt ? 
 
 Anfiv, The harm will be to the Parents and 
 Minifters, who do that in Chrift's Name, which 
 they have no Authority from him to do. If it 
 do any harm to Infants,, 'tis not till they are 
 grown up, and then it may be a means to blind 
 their Eyes, and caufe fome of them to conclude, 
 they in Baptifm became the Children of God, 
 were regenerated, made Chriftians, Members 
 of. ChrifVand Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven ; 
 and caufe others to think they were then rightly 
 baptized, and fo to look after no other Bapcifm. 
 Whereas, poor Souls, they are all unbaptized 
 Perfons, having never had any Baptifm at all 
 but Rantifm, 
 
 Pray fee what Mr. Daruers hath faid upon this 
 RefpecTv 
 
 1. But is it no harm to alter Chrift's Order in Mr. Dan- 
 the Commiffion, who requires Faich and Repen- vert Bti^ 
 tance to precede, or go before Bapcifm •, or flrft of Baptifm, 
 to make them Difciples* by Teaching, and then p. 212, 
 to Baptize them I And for Men to invert this Or- 213,214. 
 der as to baptize them, & then teach cheraRepen- 
 M 3 tance 
 
1 66 Gold Refirfd ; or, 
 
 tance and Faith, fure it muft be an evil and hurt- 
 ful thing fo to do. 
 
 2. Is it not an evil thing to change the true 
 fub}e£b of Baptifm, who are Believing and Un- 
 demanding Men, to ignorant Babes, who neither 
 know good nor evil ? 
 
 2. Is it not an evil thing to fruftrate the facred 
 and fpiritual ends of Baptifm, which are many, 
 as you have heard ; and by adminiftring it ro poor 
 Babes, render it wholly an Infignificant thing ? 
 
 4. Is it not an evil and a fhameful thing to 
 change Baptifm into Rantifm, from Dipping the 
 whole Body,to Sprinkling or pouring a littleWater 
 upon the Face, and to pronounce an Untruth in 
 the Name of the Lord, faying, I baptize thee in 
 the Na;m oi the Father ■, of the Sen, and holy Sfrit, 
 you not doing the thing ? nor have any Autho- 
 rity fo to do, nor to baptize Children at all , 
 much lefs to fprinkle them. 
 
 $♦ Is it not an evil and harmful thing, and a 
 
 Heb.o 12 S reat error t°feV> Baptifm takes away Original 
 
 * 9 ' .' Sin? whereas nothing can do that, Cnor Actual 
 
 1 Ton. 1.7. ^ n nc i tne O Dut tne El° oc l °f Chrift. 
 J ' 6, Is it not a foolifh thing and a Lye, to fay, 
 
 Children have Faith, and are Difciples, who are 
 not capable of Underftanding ? to after t a thing 
 that no Man has any ground to believe, nor can\ 
 without offering violence to his Reajbn ? 
 
 7. Is it not a weak thing, to open a Door into 
 
 the Church, which Chrift hath fhut up ? t 
 
 8. Is it not weak and an abfurd thing to fay, that 
 
 _ , Infants can't be Saved except they be Baptized, 
 
 Jon. 3. 3. p art iy becaufe Chrift faith, Except a Man be bom 
 
 agak^ he cannot fee the Kingdom of God \ Bapiifm, 
 
 as fome of you fay, taking away Original Sin? 
 
 As if it were in the power, and at the will of the 
 
 Parencs to fave or damn, their Children. For 
 
 this 
 
Baftifm in its Primitive Purity. 16J 
 
 this is intimated by this Notion of yours •, If the 
 Parents or Friends baptize the Child, it ftiaH (_ if 
 it die in its Infancy} be faved --> hue if they, nor 
 no Other, indeavour to get it Baptized, the 
 Child is loft, and muftperifh. — "Howcanout- 
 "ward Water, faith Mr! Chmocl^, convey '^rjrbitm on 
 " ward Life ? How can Water, a material, thing, j^ iEmra t 
 "work upon the Soul in a. Physical manner? ^ 
 " Neither can it be proved, That ever the Spirit. " 
 " of God is tied by any Promife, to apply him- 
 "felf to the Soul in its Gracious Operations, 
 * when the Body is applied to the Water. ( He 
 fays, Water applied to the Body. ) Becaufe the 
 adult Perfon ( who fat under the preaching of 
 the Word ~) cannot be faved without Regenera- 
 tion. Can't God five poor dying Infants, un- 
 lefs the fame change by the Spirits Operations 
 pafs upon them ? Is not God a free Agent ? may he 
 not do what he pleafes, and magnifie his Grace 
 to poor dying Infants, through the Blood of his 
 Son, in other ways than we know of? Do, not 
 feeret things belong to him, what Vanity is there 
 in the minds of fome Men ? 
 
 8»Has God ordainedBaptifm to be an Ordinance 
 to fave the Souls of any Perfons, either the 
 Adult or Infants ? is the Opus operatum of Baptifm, 
 think you, a likely way or means to beget or 
 bring forth Children to Chrift, or make Difciples 
 of them ? Baptifm Agnizes no thing £ it being 
 but a Sign") where the inward Grace fignified by 
 it is wanting. 
 
 'p. Is it not ftrange that you (hould fay, That 
 'none but the Children of Believers ought to be 
 Baptized ? And that Baptifm is abfolutely ner 
 ceftary to Church-Communion, or an initiating 
 Ordinance ?. And yet commonly take into your 
 Churches, fuch Perfons (.that are converted} 
 M 4 whofc 
 
6% Gold Refinclh or, 
 
 whofe Parents were very wicked and ungodly 
 Perfofts as any in the Parifh, and fo fived and 
 died £ as far as you know ~) j and yet do you 
 mot account their Baptifm to be fufficient ? 
 
 10. Ts it not an hurtful and evil thing, to de- 
 file and pclute the Church, by bringing in the 
 Flefhy -Seed which Chrift hath cad out ? 
 
 ii. Is it not an evil and dangerous thing to lay 
 a foundation of Ignorance and Prophanenefs, and 
 to confound the World and Church together, 
 which ought to be feparated ? and to make the 
 Church National, which ought to be Congrega- 
 tional? 
 
 12. Ts it not an harmful and evil thing to 
 cftablifh Humap Traditions, and make them of 
 equal Authority with ChrifFs facred Inflituticns, 
 ard reproach them who will' not againft their 
 Confciences, do the fame things ? 
 
 13. Is it not an evil and harmful thing to 
 plead for Infant Baptifm, or rather Rantifm, and 
 make it a bone of Contention amongit Chrilti- 
 ansand 10 hinder thellnity of Churches and godly 
 Chrifiiatis? For was that Rubbifh gone, what a 
 glorious Harmony would follow, even fuch a Day 
 as would make all our Souls re Joyce ? for he is 
 blind who can't fee tliat that Relick is the caufe' 
 of cur Ud Divificns, 
 
 14. Is it net an evil and falfe thing to fay, Per- 
 for,s may have Grace" and Regeneration before 
 they knew God, or are called by his Word and 
 ho!y Spirit ? 
 
 1$. Is it not- a ftrange thing to fay^ Perfons 
 may be vifible and lawful Members of the Gofpel- 
 Church before- Convernon, and to deny them 
 one Sacrament, and yet give them another ? 
 
 }L 'Is it not a (alfe thing to fay, Perlbns may 
 believe and be faved by the Faith of others ? 
 
 47. ii 
 
Baptifm in its Vrimitive Turky. T 69 
 
 17. Is it not an evil thing and a contradi&ion 
 to fay, Baptifm is a Symbol of prefenc Regene- 
 ration, and yec apply it to Ignorant and Uncon- 
 verted Babes, wholly uncapable of Regeneration, 
 in whom none of the things fignified thereby, 
 do, or can appear ? 
 
 1 8. Is it not a falfe thing and a contradiction 
 to.fay, that Baptifm is a lively Figure of ChrirVs 
 Death, Burial, and Refurre&ion, and yet do no- 
 thing but fpr inkle, or pour .a little Water upon 
 the Face 5 by. which ad, all muft confefs nothing 
 of fuch things can thereby be reprefented ? 
 
 19. Is it not a ftrange and foolifh thing to fay, 
 Baptifm is an Ordinance of the Solemnisation of the 
 Souls Marriage with Cbrift; 'and to fay > 'tis aftrange 
 Marriage where nothing is profe(fed of a Content j and 
 yet adminifter it to Babes wholly uncapable fo 
 to do ? 
 
 20. Is it not a foolifh thing to cry out againft 
 Traditions, and all Inventions of Men, and yec 
 ftrive to uphold and maintain them ? And doth 
 not thefe things hinder that glorious Reformation 
 we all long for, an4 encourage Papifts ? 
 
 2 1 . Is it not ftrange Men mould fay,all the Chil- 
 dren of Belie versare in Covenant, and that there 
 is no falling from a Stare of Grace *, but that the 
 New Covenant is fb well ordered in all things, 
 and fure, that it will fecure all that are indeed in 
 it unto Eternal Life •, and yet many- of thefe 
 Children, who they fay, were in this Covenant, 
 perifli in their Sins, dying Unregenerate ? 
 
 .22. We will conclude this Chapter, as Mr,. 
 Danvers does with the words of Dr. Taylor, 
 " And therefore, faith he, whoever will perti- ~. ^ , w 
 "nacioufly perfift in his Opinion of Pedo-Bap- ^ p / 
 4< tifm, and praftife it accordingly, they pollute ' )0 '' 7 ' 
 "the Elood of the everlafting Covenant} they P ,2 44» 
 
 dif- 
 
170 Gold Refined 7 or, 
 
 «* difhonour and make a Pagentry of the Sacra- 
 "raentj they ineffectually reprefenc a Sepulchre 
 •'into the Death of Chrift, and pleafe them- 
 " felves in a Sign without effed : Making Bap- 
 "tifin like the Fig-Tree in the Gofpel, full of 
 "Leaves, but no Fruit. And they Invocatethe 
 " Holy Ghoft in vain, doing as if one fhould call 
 " upon him to illuminate a Stone or a Tree. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Baftifm in its Trimithe Tttrityi tji 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Proving Baptifm a great and gloriont 
 Ordinance, and that ^tit initiating or an 
 In-Ut into the Church* 
 
 TH E laft thing I fliall do, is to prove Be- 
 lievers Baptifm a very great and glorious 
 Ordinance, though much defpifed by Men, nay 
 by many Profeflbrs of this Age. 
 
 Firft of all, 'Tis a Principle of Chips Doc7rine % 
 nay, a Foundation-Prin-iple^ w\. of a true Gofpel- 
 Cburch-State ', fo that according to the Apo- 
 ftolical and Primitive-Inftitution, a Church can- 
 not be truly gathered without it. 
 
 Secondly, It appears to be a great Ordinance, 
 if we confider the CommilTion of Chrift. 
 
 i. Confider with what Authority our Saviour 
 gave it forth j All Power is given to me in Hea- 
 ven and Earth : Go ye therefor •?, teach all Nations^ 
 baptising them, &c. 
 
 2. In that it was one of the laft things he 
 gave in charge to hisDifciples before he went 
 to Heaven. And, 
 
 3. In that he joyns it to Teaching, exprefling 
 no other Gofpel-Ordinances betides, though he 
 gave other Commandments to them, Aff. 1. 
 
 4. In that no Ordinance is to be adminiftred 
 in a more folemn manner than this is, vi\, in 
 the Name of the Father; and of the Son, and of tht 
 toly Spirit. 
 
 We 
 
Gold Refin 4 % &<> 
 
 We are hereby obliged to believe in, adore, 
 and worfhip the whole Trinity. 
 
 Thirdly, No Ordinance in all die New-Te- 
 ftament wa$ ever fo grac'd, nor honoured with 
 fuch a Pretence as this was at the Baptifm of 
 Chrift; the three Perfons manifeft their Pre- 
 fence at this Solemnity, the Heavens were optned, 
 t.2.16, * n ^' a v ® a beard, faying, Ibis is py. bt loved Son, 
 ' in whom 1 am well pleafed ; i. The Father feals it 
 and honours it. 2. The Son is there, and fubje&s 
 to it, (hewing what an honourable refpeft he 
 has to it j nay and came many Miles upon no 
 other Eufinefs but to be baptized C as we reatf 
 of.) 3. The Spirit alfo defended lify a Dove, 
 and repd npn him; the. Holy Ghoft puts his 
 Seal upon it, and in a glorious manner owns it. 
 
 And then our Saviour faith,, it became him 
 to be obedient to it '-> 'tis, it fcems, a becoming 
 Ordinance, it became the Mailer, 'and doth it 
 hot become the Servant to fubmit to it? it 
 wis nct'too low for him, and is it too low for 
 thee I 
 
 He faid alfo it was a fulfilling of all Righte* 
 oufnefs \ that is, it became him to fulfil all the 
 Commands of his. Father, or do his whole Will, 
 which it appears he could not have done unlefs 
 he had been baptized. 
 
 And. in that of bejng a Patern or Example 
 to us, thofe who -neglect it, neglecl a mofi 
 righteous thing,- and do not rill up after their 
 Mafter. 
 
 Fourthly, Tis called a jujhfying oj God, and 
 our Difobedience herein a rejeftivg the Ceuvfel of 
 ■God, Luk. 7. 29,50. 
 
 Fifthly, It appears a great Ordinance, in that 
 the higheft, nay the extraordinary Gifts of the 
 Spirit can't exempt a Perfon from his Obedi- 
 ence 
 
Bayif/n in its Primitive Purity. 1 73 
 
 ence hereto, as appears in Cornrt°w\ cafe. Nay, 
 the greater Gifts and Graces a Perfon hath, the 
 more fit a Subject he is of this Ordinance (_as 
 'Peter's words do import.) Ad. 10.47. 
 
 Sixthly, Confider the great things and M> Se- 
 ries held forth hereby, vi\. the Death, Burial, 
 and Refurre&ion of Chrift, and our dying to 
 Sin, and Duty to walk in newnefs of Lite, it 
 preaches the Gofpel to our very fight in a 
 very lively Figure j and therefore a great Ordi* 
 nance. 
 
 Seventhly, Tis a Badg.of Chriftian Profefli- 
 on j and an Ordinance, as Mr. Baxter obferves, 
 of the Solemnization of the Souls Marriage- 
 Union with Chrift. 
 
 Eighthly, Confider die great Promifes made to . 
 thofe who are obedient to it, amongft other 
 things, Lo, 1 am with you always, even to the end of , 
 the World. And again, He that believeth, and is M4ric l6 ' 
 baptised, (ball be faved. If a Prince mall offer a l6 ' 
 
 Rebel his Life in doing two things, would he 
 neglect one of them, and fay this I will do, 
 but the other is a trivial tiling, I'll not do that? 
 Surely no, he would not run the hazard of his 
 Life fo foolifhly. 
 
 And then in Aft. 2. 38. Repent, and be baptised 
 every one of yon for Rjemiffian of Sin, anfyye fhall re- 
 ceive the Gift oj the Holy Spirit : See what greac 
 Promifes are made to Believers in Baptifm. 
 
 Ninthly, Nay, and Cornelius was warn'd from • 
 Heaven to fend for Peter, and, faith the Lord, 
 he fhall tell thee what thou jhalt do. Now one 
 thing that is expreft, and I think 'tis all that 
 Peter told him he fhould do £befides believing 
 on the Lord Jefus) was 10 be baptised. Certainly 
 thefe things demonstrate Eapcifnv to be a great* 
 
 Ordi- 
 
'{74 GoldRefiudi or 9 
 
 Ordinance; 'tis miraculouily confirmed from 
 Heaven (as it were) fo to be. 
 
 Tentlily, and laftly 9 Baptifm is an initiating 
 Ordinance, no regular or orderly coming into 
 the Church of God but at this door j and this 
 we fhall make appear, therefore a great Ordi- 
 nance. 
 - * Firft, Tis faid they that gladly received tht 
 
 * Wordy were baptised ; and the fame day there -win 
 added to them about three thoufand Souls : thoie 
 who were added unto this Church were hrft 
 baptized ; and obfervable 'tis, that as this was 
 the firft Gofpel-Church that was gathered after 
 the Afcenfion of Chrift: fo it is fet forth 
 as a Patern to all other Churches j for as others 
 were injoyned, fo they were commanded for 
 following the Church of God that /was in 
 Judaa. ' 
 
 Secondly, All along in the New Teftament, 
 where we read of the firft Plantations of the 
 Churches, we rind that all thofe who became 
 Members refpe&ively, were firft upon their 
 Proteffion of Faith baptized before they were 
 received as Members thereof 3 as Aft. 8. Aft. io. 
 Aft. 16. and Aft. 18 > 
 
 Toirdly, We read of none that were received 
 into the Eellowfhip of any Church that wesc 
 not firft baptized. 
 
 Fourthly, Becaufe thofe who were baptized, 
 GaLg. 27. were faid co be baptized into Chrift ; ICnovrye 
 not that fo many of us as vpert baptised into 
 Cbrift, &c. Rom. 6.3. 
 
 That is, into his Church or Myftical Body, 
 PooP* An- as our * ate Annotate- rs intimate, incorporated, i%- 
 not at. on i^^ted or plated into Chip, and Jo to be made 
 Horn! 5 % Mnbeq of hit ^fyfikal Body by Baptifm. 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Fnrity. 175 
 
 By one Spirit we fare faid) all to be btptiyd 
 into one Body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit, that 
 is, by the Authority and Appointment of the 
 Spirit, and by the Guidance, Conduft, and 
 Leadings of the Spirit 5 not that all that are true 
 Members of the Church are baptized with the 
 holy Spirit, fith the Eaptifm of the Spirit de- 
 notes (as we have elfe where proved) the ex- 
 traordinary Gifts or Effufion of the Holy Ghoft, 
 which was received in the Apoftles days, and 
 which continued not in the Church. And bavt 
 been alt made todrinJ^ into one Sprit. In thefe 
 words he alludes .to the Ordinance of the Sup- 
 per, which you may as well fay, is a fpiritua! 
 eating and drinking only, as fo to fj>eak of 
 Baptifm *, becaufe 'tis laid by one Spirit we are 
 all baptized, 'tis not faid with one Spirit. Be- 
 fides, fhould any aflert that the Apoftle means 
 the Baptifm Of the Spirit, and that the ordi- 
 nary Gifts and Graces of the Spirit is the Bap- 
 tifm of the Holy Spirit i then it would follow 
 that there are two Baptifms left in the Church, 
 which fecms to be contrary to what Paul faith. Eph. 4. %? 
 
 Fifthly, Becaufe the Lord Jefus hath joy ned 
 Faith and Baptifm together in the CommifTion, 
 and both were taught as beginning or fundamen- 
 tal Principles of his Bo&rine, or part of thofe 
 firft Rudiments that belongs to every Babe in 
 Chrift, or Chriftian Man and Woman, Htb. 5. 
 12. & 6. 1, 2. and all thofe fix Principles, as po^ *„ 
 our late Annotators affirm, are initiating, and fo f 
 they muft be ; for if they are Fundamentals, they „ , *, 
 muft either be Fundamentals of Salvation^ or elfe * * ' 
 of Church-Communion: Now Baptifm cannot 
 be a Fundamental of Salvation, therefore of 
 Church- Communion, how neceflary 'tis to lay a 
 fure Foundation no Man can be ignorant. 
 
 Cbjeff. 
 
Ii6 Geld Refind; or\ 
 
 Objeff. It is obje&ed from Rom. 6 A. that tut 
 fome, only; of the Church of the Romans were 
 baptized, becaufe the Apoftie faith, as many pf 
 you as were baptised, &c. from thence they would 
 conclude fome of them were not; 
 
 Anfw. Did the whole Church of the Roman 
 reckon themfelves, think you, to be dead to Sim, 
 and bound to live no longer therein ? If fo, then 
 Baptifm, which was" a Symbol of thofe things, 
 belonging to them all ; As many as are baptised in- 
 tocMifi-, were baptised into his Death, &c. i.e. in 
 token of it : And that they all fhould become 
 New Creatures, it is as if he fhould reafon 
 thus ; 
 
 As ntany of us as are baptized, muft know 
 this, that we were baptized into ChrifVs Death, 
 and therefore jnuft die to Sin, and live a new 
 Life. But we have all been baptized or buried 
 with Chrift in Baptifm into his Death ; there- 
 fore we muft all die to Sin, and live a new Life. 
 
 Did the Aportle intend hereby, do you think, 
 toprefs them all to die to Sin, and live to God? 
 if fo, that Argument he ufes (you may aflfure 
 your felves) reached them ali, which it could not 
 do if they had not all been baptized. 
 
 Sixthly, Baptifm is an initiating Ordinance, 
 appears, becaufe the way of inchurching Difci- 
 ples, or Men and Women, was one and the 
 lame in all the Churches of the Saints *, if fome 
 were net received rill Baptized, there were no 
 unbaptized Perfons ever received at all. But 
 fome were not received till baptized, Ergo. The 
 Reafon is not only, becaufe the way and order of 
 the Adminiftration of that Ordinance were one 
 and the fame in every Church, and fo Confufion 
 avoided -, but alio becaufe there is the lite parity 
 of Reafon, why all ihould and ought to be bap- 
 tized, 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Purity. 1 77 
 
 tized, as there is for fome, -fith the Ordinance 
 is initiating, and fo a great- Priviledg, and all 
 have right to the thing fignified thereby : Befides, 
 thole who believe, are required and commanded 
 to be baptized 5 and that which is the Duty of 
 one Difciple as a Difciple, is the Duty of every 
 Difciple j and by that Argument you may ex- 
 cufe one Man from one Sacrament, i>K. Baptifm, 
 you may excufe another from the Lord's Table, 
 upon a pretence he doth not fee it to be his Du- 
 ty, and yet admit him, and continue him a 
 Member.. 
 
 And that Baptifm is an initiating Ordinance, 
 we have all Chriftians of all Perfwafions one 
 with us, they generally a0ert the fame thing. 
 
 Juflin Martyr ', fpeaking of the Lord's Supper, Second A* 
 faith, Xl This Food we call the Eucharifl, to which fology to 
 " no Man is admitted, but only he that believeth Ant. Pius 
 *' in the Truth of our Dodrine,being waftie^ in the tbt Roman 
 " Laver of Regeneration for Remiffion of Sins, Emperor, 
 " and liveth as Chrift hath taught. That is, none c.8. §. 5. 
 were admitted to the Lord's Supper, but fuch 
 who were firft baptized. 
 
 The fame is hinted by a late famous Writer 
 concerning Cyprian, and other eminent Fathers, 
 about the 2d & $d Centuries, w\. " No unbap- 
 " tized Perfons were admitted to the Commu- 
 ie nion of the Church. 
 
 " Let them, faith Anftin, ( that is, the Ca&cu* Augufl. 
 « mens ) pafs through the Red Sea j that is, be 
 " baptized : and let them eat Manna, that is, the 
 "Body and Blood of Chrift. This (hews the pra- 
 ctice of the Church in his Days. . 
 
 Vrftnus faith* « Baptifm is a Sacrament of en- Urm.mhs 
 " trance into the Church, whence it cometh, Cattcktfn, 
 & that the Supper is prefented to none except 
 h fart baptized, 
 
 N Pr. 
 
\"j% Gold Refind, or, 
 
 nntiq cbrU Dr. Civ ?, fpealring of the Lord's Supper, faith, 
 Fiona, "From this Sacrament are excluded all unbap- 
 p. 374. " tized Perfons, and fuch who live in any known 
 
 " Sin, &c. 
 Marrow of * Baptifm is, faith Dr. Anus, a Sacrament cf 
 Db.p.181 "Initiation. 
 Elton on Elton on Col. 2. 1 1". faith alfo, " That Bap- 
 Co/. 2. 1 1. " tifm is the Sacrament of Incifion, or engrafting 
 p. 291. "into Chrift, fealing up our fetting into Chrift, 
 " which is only once done, never after to be 
 " done again, &c. 
 Vifcwfe oj Mr. Strong fays, " Baptifm is a Sacrament of " 
 the Cove- "Initiation, and the Ordinance of vifible ad- 
 *unt>$,226 "million into the Church: And as it is a Sin, 
 faith he," "to keep them out whofe Right it is ', 
 " fo it is a Sin alfo to admit them that haye no 
 " Right, becaufe the Ordinance of Chrift is abu- 
 " fed and mifplaced. 
 /{ftmb.Ca- The i4J[mbly fay in their Catechifm, " That 
 . tsjhlfm. " Baptifm is a Sacrament of the New Teftament , 
 
 " ordained by Jefus Chrift ; ■ — for the jbr 
 
 * ■ Imn admiffion of the Party baptized into die' 
 
 "Vifible Church, &c. 
 
 " Every Soldier that muft be admitted into an 
 
 plakSmp- " Army, faith Mr. Baxtir, muft be admitted, by 
 
 tm Proof, " hfting, & a folemn ingaging Sign — So every one 
 
 p. 24. "that hath right to be folemn'y admitted into 
 
 "the Vifible Church, muft orderly be admitted 
 
 " by Baptifm. ■ • 
 
 And again he faith, "We have no Preceptor 
 <L Example of admitting vifible Members any 
 " other way 5 therefore all that muft be admitted 
 • " vifible Members, muft be baptized. 
 
 I might write a Eook of things of this Na- 
 ture, ~as touching the Sentiments of worthy 
 Writers, being generally all of the fame Belief 
 and Prsfticej howfoever in other things they 
 
 may 
 
Eaptifm in its Primitive Purity. 179 
 
 may differ from us, and one from another ; nor 
 will thofe of the Church of England,. Pjubyteri- 
 anSy or Independents, admit any as Members in- 
 to their Communions, as to pajtake of the lord's 
 Supper, except they have been baptized in their 
 fenfe, they calling Sprinkling, or Pouring, B.ip- 
 tiding , which we deny to be the Ordinance. 
 
 Ob je&. Now dare yon deny a Man admittance into 
 the Church, who is truly Godly, and hath a lively 
 Faith * If he hath a right to Cbrifi, whois^ fignifiecL 
 in the Lord^s Supper , may he be denied the Sign, be- 
 caufi he is not baptised ? 
 
 Anjw.' How dares any Man, who fears God, 
 attempt to do any thing contrary to the Holy 
 Pattern jleft in Chrlft's New Teftament? it 
 Baptifm was ^pointed to be an Initiating Ordi- 
 nance into God's Houfe/tis not only a Man's Piety 
 that will ferve the turn, he muft come into the 
 Church at the Door Chrift hath ordained, or noc 
 come in at all. If Lot (hould have offered him* 
 felf to come into Abraham's Family, ( which was 
 then God's Church ) do you think Abraham 
 would have admitted him, ("though he was a. 
 Righteous Man ) unlefs he would firft confent to 
 be Circumcifed ( which was an Initiating Ordi- 
 nance at that time ) ? Certainly, no ; though he 
 \ hould fay he was not convinced of Circumcifion, 
 yet that would not have excufed him : God's 
 Laws are not to be difpenfed with to gratify the 
 Ignorance of Men. 'Tis a C^ueftion whether 
 V-T^ah knew he ought not to put forth his Hand 
 to fupport the Ark: Yet for doing that thing,God 
 fmote him with Death. Ignorance will not be 
 a fufficient Plea for doing God's Work, in other 2 S«nx $, 
 manner than he has appointed. 6* 7« 
 
 How dares any Man, who loves and defires to 
 
 honour the Lord Jefus, violate his Holy and Great 
 
 N 2 Com-, 
 
iSo Gold Refindh or, 
 
 Commiflion, Mattb. 28. or act and do contrary 
 thereto; who requires all Difciples to be bapti- 
 zed £ derogating from the Rule in one thing, 
 opens a Gap for>ther Diforders, and it renders 
 ChrifVs Institution a petty and indifferent thing ': 
 you may as well difpenfe £with the^aegled, or) 
 with the ignorance of Men in the Lord's Supper, 
 as well as fo to do in refpeft of Baptifm ; and lee 
 them abide Members who refufe to break Bread 
 with the Church, and yet would continue Mem- 
 bers, pretending ignorance ■■> perhaps they will 
 tell you, they can anfwer the End of that Ordi- 
 nance in breaking their common Bread, &c. 
 itn.14.1. ObjeSi. But doth not the^Apoftle fay, Such as 
 are rpea^ in the Faitb y receive yon, jte. 
 
 1 . It cannot be meant received into the Church, 
 becaufe they that the Apoflle there fpeaks of, were 
 in the Faith, or vifible Profeflion of the Gofpel, 
 and were Members of the Church, tho they were 
 weak ones, or but Babes in Chrift. 
 
 2. The weaknefs there meant,was about eating 
 Meats, and obferving days, &c, which were in 
 themfelves but indifferent things : And will you 
 render the great Sacrament of Baptifm like To 
 them ? It was no Sin to eat, or not to eat, but fo 
 it is not to be fubjeft, br not fubjeel: to Chrift's 
 Ordinances. 
 
 3. The receiving there intends dcuhtlefs no 
 more than this, to let the.m abide in their Affecti- 
 ons, or receive them as poor weak Children to 
 nourifh and pity them, and not to eenfure and 
 judg hardly of their doubtful thoughts. 
 
 But to conclude, fince my honoured Friend and 
 brother, Mr. William Kiftn, hath but lately wrote 
 io excellent a Book upon this very Subiecx, I (hall 
 fay no more to it, but refer the Reader for his 
 lurcher fatMaclion to that Treatife. Bat to pro- 
 * ceed 
 
Baptifm in its Primitive Parity. l $ ! 
 
 cced to a little Improvement : If Baptifm be Co 
 great an Ordinance as it feems it is, this may re- 
 prove all fuch who flight and difpife it, and may 
 ftir up all to an honourable efteem of it, and to 
 move fuch who are convinc'd of it, fpeedily to 
 fubmit -thereunto. 
 
 Let me conclude all with* one ufc of Caution to 
 my Brethren, that are baptized as Believers, and 
 yet cake liberty to walk in Communion with fuch 
 Churches a, s diflent from them, in refpeft of this 
 Ordinance, and fprinkle Babes. 
 
 I am more concerned about you, than any o- 
 ther People j becaufe you feem to pull down wirh 
 one Hand, that which you Build with the other. 
 Our Brethren with whom you Walk, may be 
 more Excufable than you can be, becaufe they 
 are faithful (I would hope J to their Light j 
 they will not have communion with any Perfons, 
 whom they judg in their Confciences are Unbap- 
 tized } but you believe thofe who have been only 
 Sprinkled in Infancy, are all Unbaptized Perfons, 
 or otherwife why were you Baptized afterwards ? 
 Who can juftifle you in this Practice ? 1 am per- 
 fuaded our Brethren cannot, will not do it, if 
 they rightly confider the light or dictate* of your 
 Confciences in this Matter : 'tis not what they are 
 jn their own Senfe, but what they are in your 
 judgment. Speak, are they Baptized? Or, is 
 not that they call Baptifm, in your Confciences a 
 Nullity? Nay, worfe, a Tradition of Men? nay, 
 a prophanation of the Sacrament of Baptifm? 
 How then can you juftify your felves in fuch a 
 Practice ? 1 have as much charity for our Bre- 
 thren, I hope, as moft of you have, and love 
 and honour them, yet dare not tranfgrefs or in- 
 vert ChrifVs holy Laws., and Gofpel-Order *, and 
 therefore take heed what y©w do, If there were 
 
 no 
 
•182 Gold Refind* or, 
 
 .' no Baptized Churches with whom you might 
 have Communion, fomewhst might be faid in 
 your Juftification. ( For upon a cafe of necetfity 
 that may be lawful, or be permitted to be done, 
 which other wife is utterly unlawful.") Befides, I 
 hear fome of you £ daily confefs ) they»believe 
 they are not fuch Orderly Churches as the Bapti- 
 zedCongregations are,(and that is the fum of what 
 I fay and believe concerning them ) why then do 
 you chufe to have Fellowship with them ? Ought 
 you not to follow the beft and higheft Reforma- 
 tion, and cleareft Difcovery of God, and to be in 
 the moft perfect and compleat Order of the Go- 
 fpel you are able to arrive to the knowledg of ?■■ 
 Yet are not you contented to lie fhort in doing 
 this. according to the Sentiments of your Minds 
 and Underfrandings ? Is this the way to that 
 longed-for Reformation ? Is not Truth and Ri'gh- 
 teoufnefs to be joyned with Peace and Love ? 
 Nay, and doth not my Love- run out to our Bre- 
 thren in a cleaner Channel than yours, ( who re- 
 folve my ArYe&ions fhall never pilot my -Judg- 
 ment orllnderftanding ? ) I have as great reafon 
 to love and honour fome of the Congregational 
 Way, as any one Man this day in England ', it 
 pleafingGod to work upon my Soul, I hope, ef- 
 fectually, when very young under the Miniftry 
 of one that is of that Perfuafion, who is yet 
 living, and none of- the meaneft Minifters, now 
 Preaching near rhis City j whofe Name is dear 
 tome, and one I do honour, £ and ever flntt ) 
 as long as I live in the World. Yet neverthe- 
 lefs, my blefled Lord and Saviour, and his Truth, 
 lies nearer my Heart. I fpeak the more upon 
 this account, not only to deliver your Souls from 
 Temptations, and disorderly Walking ; but alfo, 
 became I know it grieves many very gracious 
 
 Pci for 5, 
 
Bapllfr/t in its Primitive Purity. 1S3 
 
 Perfons, and weakens the hands of chofe who 
 carry on the Work of God amongft * us j and 
 feems to me to obitruft the further Glory and 
 Reformation of the Church. Yet I am for fuch 
 Communion with our Brethren, as we may war- 
 rantably promote, as to Pray and Preach toge- 
 ther, and to love and encourage Grace and Ho- 
 linefs in one another. 
 
 1*11 fay no more, I have done ; only remem- 
 ber that excellent faying of the Apoftle, Now I 
 pray y$u> Brethren, that ye remember me in all things, 
 and kjep the Ordinances as I delivered them to yd. 
 Would to God I could fay fo .of you. Tis not 
 enough to keep the Ordinances of Chrift, but fo. 
 to keep them as at firft delivered to the Saints. 
 Let us go forward, amj not decline, or feem to 
 draw back in our Zeal and Teflimony for the 
 Truth. Let us walk as we have attained j God 
 may bring our Brethren to fee wherein they come 
 fhort, as well as wherein they know they are 
 got before others. I hopej what I have, written 
 will be received in good part, aud none will be 
 offended 3 for I can appeal to God, the fearcher 
 of all Hearts, I have done ail that I have done 
 or writ in thisfreatifc, m the integrity and up- 
 rfghnefs of my Heart , and in fmcere love tQ 
 Chrift and his difpifed Ordinances, and to dif- 
 charge my Corifcience •, hoping a Blefling will at- 
 tend it,and that it will rcdownd to his Glory, and 
 the profit of his Church i and if fo, I matter, 
 not what Cenfures I lie under : For, my Record 
 is on high, and my.WitneJs- is in Heaven. I am con- 
 tented to be any thing or nothing, ftf 1 know, 
 my own deceitful Heart} that God may be All, 
 in all -j to whom be Praife and Glory, by jcfu9 
 Chrift, now and for evermore. Aim. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
• The Table of the Contents. 
 
 Chap. I. T) Aptifm o) Water only intended in the 
 J5 Commiflion, proved by Eight Reafons, 
 from Page i, to p. 6. Water* Baptifm t.o continue 
 to the end of the World, from p. 7, 8, p. Bap* 
 ti\ed in the Hume of Chrift, proved to be According 
 te the Commiffim, p. 1 1, 1 2. The Objection, that 
 the Baptifm in Water -was Johtfs Baptifm, An- 
 fwered, p. 12, 13, 14, 15, i6. Objeft. That 
 Paul rcas not fent to baptise, Anfoered, p. 20, 2 2 
 
 Chap. II. Opening the true genuine, literal, proper (ig- 
 nification of the word Baptizo, p. 24, 2 $, 26 
 
 Chap. III. Baptifm is Dipping, &c. proved from the 
 pratiia of the Primitive Church, p. 3 2, 3 9, &c. 
 
 Chap. IV. ~ Baptifm, Dipping, or Plunging, proved 
 from the Spiritual fignification of the Ordinance, 
 
 p. 42, 43, &c. 
 
 Chap. V. Baptifm proved Immerging or Dipping, from 
 the Typical and Metaphorical Baptifms, fpol^en of in 
 Scripture, p. $6, $7, &c. 
 
 Chap. VI. Believers the. only fubjeclsaf Baptifm from 
 the Comrnifpon, V* 6 h ^4> &c » 
 
 Chap. VII. Baptifm of Believers proved the only Sub- 
 jetts of it, from the praclice of the Primitive 
 Church, p. 76, 77, &c. 
 
 Chap. VIII. Believers the only Subjecls from the ends 
 of Baptifm, p. 78. Seven ends of Baptifm, p. 80 
 
 CI lap. IX. Containing Eight Arguments, provhg Be- 
 lievers the only, Subjecls, p. 85, to p. 99 
 
 Chap. X. The Arguments for Infant-Baptifm , An- 
 fmred, p. 100,10124 
 
 Chap. XI. Other Objeclions and pretended Proofs for. 
 Pedo-Baptifm, Anfrvered, p. 1 2 5, 1 26, &c. 
 
 Chap. XII. Anjwer to fever al Arguments, p. 1 45 
 
 Chap. XIII. Shewing the evil Confequents of Infant- 
 Baptifm, p. 1 5$, 166, &c 
 
 Chap. XIV. Baptifm a great Ordinance , and t Ini- 
 
 * tiating, p. 171,172, &c.