A Christian Plea, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Objection 2
OBJECTION II.
But baptiſme is corruptly adminiſtred in the churches aforeſaid: as namely, in the Church of Rome, with the ſigne of the croſſe, with exorciſme,*Animadv. p. 68. &c. exſ…ation, ſalt, ſpittle, oyle, and other mo ſinfull additions and corruptions of their owne, as prayer read by the Prieſt in an unknowen tongue, &c. and in the church of England alſo with the ſigne of the croſſe, and with prayer read out of a book preſcribed by men, &c. Beſides that in the church of England, they uſe the ſigne of the croſſe, for a token that they ſhall not be aſhamed to confeſſe the fayth of Chriſt crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner against ſinne, the world, and the Divel, &c. And in the church of Rome, they hold that baptiſme conferreth grace by the very action done, &c. Therefore in their ſinful eſtate, & abuſe of baptiſme, it is not unto them Gods ordinance, but an Idol, not true baptiſme, but falſe; not a true ſacrament, but a falſe, and a lying ſigne, as circumciſion alſo in Iſraels apostaſie was unto them: &c.
ANSWER.
1. True it is, that there are great abuſes and corruptions in their eſtate and miniſtration, and erroneous opinions held by them thereabout. But vvill it therefore follow, that the Baptiſme there had, is not Gods ordinance, but an Idol, not true baptiſme but falſe, not a true ſacrament but a lying ſigne, and a fiction? &c. Or will it follovv, becauſe of their errours & corruptions, that therefore the baptiſme there had, is to be renounced, and another new one to be received? If ſo, then hovv wil they plead for the baptiſme miniſtred among themſelues, that it should not alſo be ſo eſteemed, and renounced, in regard of their errors, and the corruptions in their eſtate & miniſtration, that are among themſelues ſundry waies?
2. And how will they shew, that the baptiſme there had is in deed an Idol unto them, in their eſtate and participation thereof? Is every thing that is abuſed or miſapplied by mē, ſtraightway an Idol? or doe they that are baptiſed bowe downe to it, and vvorship it? Though alſo if that were done unto it, as vvas unto the Sunne heretofore among the Ievves, why might it not yet ſtill notvvithſtanding be true Baptiſme and Gods ordinance in it ſelf, as the ſunne was the true ſunne, and Gods creature (notwithſtanding all their abuſe thereof) euen unto them, and in that their …, vvhiles they made it an Idol to themſelues, & committed idolatrie … unto. Of vvhichwhich point I shall ſpeak more hereafter. In the meane … let it here be obſerved, that they baptize onelyonly in the Name of the … and vvith acknowledgment of the Articles of the Chriſtian faith: as in their forme of baptiſme may be ſeen: And as the Martyrs, being urged about their baptiſme received among them, hauehave alwaies acknovvledged.
3. Hovv alſo will they proue, that it is a lying ſigne unto them in their eſtate: ſeeing Baptiſme (as the other Sacraments both in Iſraell and under the Goſpell) hath this in it to be a ſigne, by the ordinance & appointment of God, not at the wil and pleaſure of man? And God is the God of trueth, & appointeth no lying ſignes, but true & holy ones, for his praiſe and our comfort. Neither can mans iniquitie make Gods ſignes to be lying ſignes: though they may otherwiſe be abuſed extremely. Sinful therfore and erroneous it is ſo to think, if not alſo blaſphemous ſo to ſpeak.
4. Difference then is to be put betvveen Gods ordinance, and mans corruption; between the baptiſme it ſelf, & the maner of adminiſtration thereof; betvveen the ſigne of God, & the errors of men thereabout; between the ſacrament vvhichwhich God hath inſtituted & giuen to his people, & between the churches eſtate where it is adminiſtred. Gods ordinance, Gods baptiſme, Gods ſigne and ſacrament, is holy and ſo to be acknovvledged: whenas Mans corruption & unlawfull miniſtration, the churches eſtate and erroneous opinions thereabout, are ſinfull and accordingly to be eſteemed. And who dare or can annihilate Gods ordinance, for mans erroneous perſwaſions, or the churches corrupt miniſtration thereof? Let theſe things be diſtinguished carefully, and the trueth vvill appeare preſently. Othervviſe a thouſand errors and evils wil enſue, if theſe differences be not duly reſpected, both in this, & in other queſtions of like ſort.
5. About mariage they hauehave corruptions, errors, & abuſes in their eſtate: will they therefore ſay, that their mariage is not true matrimonie unto them, but an Idoll and lying ordinance? & ſo make themſelues baſtards, illegitimate and baſe borne? Or think they that therefore their mariage should be renounced, and a new mariage, or nevv vviues to be gotte agayne? 1 Tim. 4, 1, 2, 3.
6. Meat and drink, flesh and fish, beare & wine, are dayly much abuſed unto gluttony and drunkennes; and ſundry erroneous opinions alſo are held thereabout, among them. Beſides that the Apoſtle ſaith of ſome, their bellie is their god. Phil. 3, 19. Shal we therefore ſay, that theſe things are not the true creatures of God unto them in their eſtate, but Idols & lying creatures, or accurſed and deteſtable things, &c. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3, 4.
7. Euen about the Bible and the Scriptures themſelues alſo, they hauehave ſundry corruptions, abuſes, and errors, among them, in their eſtate and miniſtration. Shall vve therefore ſay, that the Bible is not the true vvord of God, but an Idol & lying book unto them? 2 Tim. 3, 15, 16, 17.
8. Yea and the very terme of abuſe, vvhichwhich theſe men uſe, doth plainly shevv that it is not indeed an Idoll and lying ſigne: but onelyonly is abuſed by them, vvhether idolatrouſly or otherwiſe, as by mans corruption hath come to paſſe vvith Gods ordinances, in all ages of the world.
9. And novv to make it more plain, obſerue that it is one thing to ſay of this or that thing, that it is not the Lords, but an Idoll, a lye, a deteſtable & curſed thing, &c. And another to ſay, Men make this or that to be unto them an Idol, or a vaine thing and unprofitable: or that they hold this or that errour about it: or doe thus and ſo abuſe it, &c. For the one reſpecteth the nature or being of the thing according to Gods ordinance; the other reſpecteth the abuſe thereof through mans corruption and iniquitie. The Sunne, Moone and ſtarres (as I noted ere while) were idolatrouſly abuſed by the Heathen and Ievves of old: and divers erroneous opinions alſo held thereabout among them. Deu. 4, 19, and 17, 3. with 2 King. 23, 5, 11. Jer. 8, 2. and 44, 17. Should vve therefore ſay they were not the true creatures of God unto them, but Idols and lying ordinances? Or vvas not God then the Lord of hoſts, but of Idols and lying creatures? And had he not ſtill the ſame ſunne, moone, ſtarres and other creatures (vvhichwhich they did ſinfully vvorship) to be as armies about him alvvay readie to doe his wil? Or vvere they, becauſe of ſuch abuſe, by anie to be renounced, and a nevv ſunne, moone, ſtarres, & other creatures to be created, and had a fresh: if they had ben able to procure it. Thus againe vve may ſee that difference is to be put betweene the being or nature of things in themſelues, according to the inſtitution of God; and betvveene the corrupt abuſe of them, as men make them to be unto themſelues, by their idolatrie or other iniquitie, in this or that reſpect.
10. The Ievves profaned the Temple many vvaies and ſundry times: they ſet Idols and altars up in it, and tables of money chaungers, & ſeats of them that ſold doues: & made it an houſe of Marchandize, & a denne of thieues, in their abuſe thereof. 2 Kin. 16, 10— 16. 2 Cro. 28, 24. and 33, 4, 7▪ Jer. 7, 11. Mar. 11, 15, Joh. 2, 14, 16. Was it not novv therefore the houſe of God, but an Idoll and lying ordinance unto them? Or ceaſed it novv to be the Temple of God, becauſe it vvas ſo profaned and abuſed by them? Or vvere they now for the abuſe thereof utterly to reject it, and to build a nevv one? Did not both the church in former times, and aftervvard Chriſt himſelf and his Apoſtles, and the vvhole church in that age, ſtill hold and uſe the Temple, as the Lords houſe, & his ſacred ordinance for the ſervice of his Name? 2 King. 19, 14. and 22, 3, 4, 5. 2 Chron. 29, 3, 4, 5. and 34, 8. Mar. 12, 35. Luk. 19, 45, 46, 47. and 21, 37, 38. Ioh. 7, 14. Act. 3, 1. with Eſa. 56, 7. The like alſo may be obſerved about the Sabbath, and the profanation thereof, in Iudah and in Iſrael. Neh. 13, 15 — 22. Ier. 17, 21 — 27. Amo. 8, 5.
11. And vvhereas they ſay, that circumciſion was alſo a lying ſigne, and falſe ſacrament, to Iſraell in their defection, hovv doe they proue it? Where doth the Scripture teach it? will they hauehave us take it on their bare vvord, and beleeue that their ſayings are Oracles? Or vvill they be wiſer and more righteous then God himſelf:*2 Kin. 9, 6. & 13, 22, 23. Hoſ 4, 6, 12. & 14, 1. Amos 7, 2, 5, 15. Mic. 6, 2, 3, &c. with Lev. 26, 25. vvho accounted them ſtill to be his people and under his covenant, and himſelf to be their God: and upon this ground, called them to repentance, and shewed them many favours: and bare vvith them a long time, and aftervvard avenged the quarrell of his covenant upon them, as he had ſpoken long before? The hiſtorie of the Scriptures, & books of the Prophets, make this matter ſo plaine, as there is ſcant any chapter at all, that doeth not manifeſt theſe things, and convince their errour. Some particulars I hauehave shewed heretofore‡Advert. p. 59 — 63. otherwhere, and shall novv treat of it further hereafter, in anſwer of another objection here follovving thereabout.
12. In the meane time, vvhat will they ſaye to the circumciſion of Iudah in their eſtate of apoſtaſie: vvhen they fell into moſt wicked Idolatrie: and that not onelyonly of Iſraels, but euen of the heathens, beſides all that they had of their owne moſt ſinfully vvithall. Was Circumciſion novv alſo among them, none of Gods ordinance, but an Idoll? vvas it not the true ſacrament of circumciſion, but a falſe and lying ſigne, a deteſtable & curſed ſacrament, unto them, in that eſtate? Were not they now ſtil the people of God? Or had God broken his covenant vvith them on his part, & turned his ordinances into Idols unto them, becauſe of their idolatries and tranſgreſſions of his covenant? Was not God ſtill true, and his ſignes and ſacraments, true ſignes and ſacraments ſtill unto them on the Lords behalf; though they vvere become lyers and idolaters themſelues? Doth God ceaſe to be true, if man become a lyer? God forbid. Rom. 3, 3, 4.
13. Or hauehave the Gates of hell more prevayled againſt the Chriſtian church ſince Chriſts comming, then they did or could againſt the church of the Ievves before his comming in the flesh? Mat. 16, 18. Did not God when once he had giuen his ſigne of Circumciſion, ſo continue it ſtill through all generations untill the comming of Chriſt: notwithſtanding al the apoſtaſie both of Judah and Iſraell, that then fel out ſundry times? And hath not the Lord done likewiſe hitherto, and vvill ſo doe unto the end. concerning the ſigne of Baptiſme, in the Chriſtian church, notwithſtanding the apoſtaſies and iniquities fallen out therein? If not, how then alſo and vvhere, hath the ſacrament of baptiſme ben continued and derived unto theſe men them ſelues, from Chriſt and his Apoſtles, unto this day? as I noted here before alſo to be obſerved. Or is one and the ſame baptiſme, in one and the ſame Church, an Idol and lying ſigne unto ſome; and the ordinance of God, & a true ſigne unto others, that doe there receiue it? And this alſo in their infancy? Or when they come to yeeres, can they make that which is an Idol and a lying ſigne (which is meer vanity and of the divell) novv to be unto them the holy ordinance & true ſigne of the Lord, vvhichwhich he hath giuen and inſtituted in his church? Eyther therefore it muſt be acknovvledged to be Gods ordinance and his true ſigne (though corruptly miniſtred and abuſed) or if it be an Idol & lying ſigne, it is to be rejected, & another baptiſme to be obteyned, that is appointed and approved of the Lord. Halting betvveen two opinions pleaſeth not God. If it be an Idol and lying ſigne, it is not the Lords: And if it be the Lords (as vve hauehave shewed it to be) then it is no idoll or lying ſigne, but Gods ordinance and true ſigne, ſtill continued in their corrupt eſtate and miniſtration.
14. Neyther doth this hinder, but that in any churches (whether ſincere or apoſtate) yea in the beſt that are or ever were, the ordinances of God may become unprofitable unto men by their owne ſinnes, circumciſion may be made uncircumciſion to ſuch as break the law: that is, it may become unprofitable, and be accounted for uncircumciſion unto them. Rom. 2, 25, 26. And baptiſme therfore in like ſort, being novv come in the place thereof. But shall we therefore ſay, that circumciſion, or baptiſme, or any other conſtitutions of God in ſuch Churches unto ſuch perſons, are not the Lords ordinances, nor his true ſignes and ſacraments, but Idols and lying ſignes, deteſtable and accurſed ſacraments and conſtitutions? Take an other inſtance in the Lords ſupper. Was the Lords table in the church of Corinth, a table of Divels? or the Lords ſupper an Idol, and a lying ſigne and deteſtable ſacrament, to ſuch as eat it unvvorthily? Or vvas it not in deed the Lords ordinance, & his holy Sacrament unto thē, though ſinfully abuſed by them: as is manifeſt both by the Apoſtles words, when he calleth it, the not diſcerning of the Lords body, but becomming guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord: & by the Lords ſevere chaſtiſing of them for this cauſe. 1 Cor. 11, 27 — 30. Which hovv should it be, if it were not the Lords ordinance unto them, vvhichwhich he had giuen to his church & people? Doth the Scripture ſo ſpeak of Idols and lying ſignes any where? Or doth the Lord ſo punish the neglect or contempt of them? Nay on the contrarie, the Lord ſeverely punisheth the regarding and reteyning of Idols: & the Scripture ſpeaking of them, termeth and eſteemeth them to be†See M. A…nſw. Arrow againſt Idolatrie, pag. 13, & 14. things of naught, as it were filths, doung or excrements, lothſome things or deteſtable, and abominations, vanities, lyes, unprofitable, falſe-vanities, leaſings, and vaine-iniquitie, &c. So far is the Scripture from ſpeaking or eſteeming ſo honourably of them, as it doth of the Sacraments and ordinances of the Lord, though ſinfully corrupted and abuſed.