Of Religious Communion Private and Public, Part 4
The outvvard Baptism receaved in Engl: is lavvfully reteyned.
ANd to Prove our Profession of Christ false; & vsus the teachers, false Prophets, M. Helwhe takes his first ground out of our Apology; where a true visible Church is described, a company of people called, & separated from the world, by the word of God, &c: & therevppon concludes peremptorily, that we all are mere†Pag. 12… 124. Ioh. 7. 7 & 14. 17 & 16. 9 & 17 25 1. Ioh. 5. 1…. Infidels, vnbeleevers, & without Christ: & takeing it for our own graunt, that before our separation we were of the world, that is, of them that h…e Christ; & cannot receav the spirit of truth; & that beleev not in Christ, but ly in wickednes: he goes about to prove, that if then we were of the world, we are so still, because we have not been ioyned to Christ, by amending our lives, & by being baptized, & so by putting on of Christ, by baptism. Act. 2. 38. Gal. 3. 27.
The effect then of all is, that, because we have not taken vp a new outward washing, or baptism (for that of amendment of life, he but ads for fashion) as he hath done, therefore we are, of the world, Infidels, haters of Christ, & what not?
For answer then, first we graunt that remayning in the assemblyes, weANSW. were not separated from the world, to wit, in our fellowship; but doth it follow therevppon, that till our separation we were of the world, namely in our persons? which is, as if he should conclude, that because in a confused heap (as are the assemblyes) the good stones are not severed from the rubbish, therefore even they, as the rest, are rubbish also. Were such of the Corinth: as thorough errour, or evill custome, or other infirmity, continued communion with the Idolaters in their idolatrous feastings in the … Cor 6.Idoll temples, (whom the Apostle therefore exhorts to separate themselves, & to come from among them,) were they, I say infidels, & darknes? or doth not the same Apostle their expresly call them beleevers, light, righteousnes, notwithstanding that their great fayling, & evill, of ignorance, or humayn fraylty, out of which the Lord did call them? Or was Mr Helw: himself all the whyle he was vnseparated, an Infidell, without Christ, & his spirit, & hateing him? If so he were, (considering the great shew he made of fayth, & love in, & to Christ, & the singular manifestations of the spirit) he was a notorius hypocrite as the earth bore: but if on the contrary, he did not then hate Christ, but had fayth, & grace, (though in never so small a measure, his proof is of no force, but he himself proved a vayn man, that would deny the grace of God in himself, to advantage an errour agaynst other men: Which is a kynde of blasphemy agaynst the H: Ghost, though not of mallice, as was that of the Pharisees, yet of preposterous, & pervers Zeal: ofIoh. 1. …. which I wish all the Lords people may beware.
2dly, it is not true he sayth, that none can come, & be ioyned to Christs without Rom. 11 …0.Baptism. The Scriptures testify, that so many as beleiv in Christ, receav him: are‡Gal. 2. …0. ingrafted into him: haveing himEph. 3. …7. liveing in them, & dwelling in theyr hearts. Which fayth is before Baptism in some men a longer tyme, in some a shorter, &Mat. 28 …9 in some also dying vnbaptised. Math. 8. 10. & 15. 28. Act. 10. 4. 35. Luke 23. 40. &c. And according to this was the tenour of Christs commission to his Apostles by teaching to†Act 11. …6. make disciples or Christians, & to bring men to beleiv, & after to baptise them. And to baptize any of years, but being before ioyned to Christ by actuall fayth, & so makeing manifestation,Mark. 16 …6. were to prophane Gods ordinance. Neyther is it Pauls meaning where he tels the Galatians, that they which had been baptized into Christ, had put on Christ, that they were not ioyned to Christ before their outward baptism, but to shew, that their baptism was a lively signe of their vnion with, & incorporation into Christ, & participation of the washing of his blood, & spirit, as also an effectuall means more, & more, to apply theRom: … 14. same vntounto them: being all their life long to † put on the L: Iesus Christ, & the new man, as the same Apostle teacheth. And for Act. 2. 35. it shewesEph. 4 24. indeed, that they who believ, & repent, are to be baptized, to wit, being vnbaptized before as they then were, & as we now are not; God haveing also added to the outward washing, or baptism, though in the false Ch:, the inward washing of the spirit to repentance, & amendment of life.
To his inference, that if Engl: be Babilon, out of which the Lords people are to M Hel…come, Pag. 12… 128.& baptism the seal of the Covenant of grace, as we teach, then we reteyn the baptism of Babilon thereby to be sealed vntounto the convenant of grace. I answer, that we reteyn the seal of the Covenant of grace, though ministred in Babilon: &ANSW not the baptism of Babilon, but the baptism of the Lord in it self, & by the Babilonians spirituall, vsurped, & prophaned: but by fayth, & the spirit now sanctifyed to our vse. Which we therefore reteyn, as we do the same gospell, or Covenant, by the same men, & means there taught, & administred vntounto vsus: bringing both the one, & other thence, as were the holy vessels of the Lords house, of ould, brought out of Babilon civill,Dan. 5 …. 2. 3. 4. &c. with Es… 17. 8 9 &c. after their prophanation there. And as well may the doctrines of fayth there ministred, & thence brought by vsus, be called the stoln bread of Babilon, as he in wantonnes of wit calles the Baptism, the stoln waters of Babilon.
So that it is neyther true he sayth, that we were Infidels, & without Christ, till our separation: nor that men are made Christians by Baptism: nor that we reteyn the Baptism of Babilon. Neyther yet, though we ought to receav a new outward washing (which we neyther think, nor he proves) it being but our fayling of ignorance in an outward ordinance, were we thereby debarred from being true Christians, no nor from being a true visible Church.
And as I have els where proved agaynst others (with whom these men consort, & both of them herein, with the Papists, that the Ch: is not gathered, Iustificat… pag 283▪ 384.nor men thereinto admitted by Baptism, so will I here for the same purpose further ad these Reasons.
And 1. the Ch: is not given to baptism, but bapt: on the contrary to the Church: as are all other the Lords publique ordinances, & oracles. Rom 3. 3… Psal. 14… 20.And since bapt: is a publique action, it cannot be performed but by publique authority in, & of the Church: which Church thefore must be presupposed; & before it.
2dly, Iohn the baptist did, as we know, baptize many, but yet neyther gathered Churches, nor receaved men into them: but lived, & dyed himself…th. 3. 6. a member of the Iewish Church. Math. 11. 11. Therefore the Ch: is not gathered by baptism.
3dly, If men be receaved into the Ch: by baptism, them must they, as occasion is, be cast out, by being vnbaptized: & so if God agayn give them repentance, they must be receaved in by a 2d baptism, & so by a 3d, or 4th, if occasion be. The truth is, such men must renue their Covenant with God, & his Ch: by which they were at the first receaved; but not their outward baptism, vntounto which these, & other mens fancy leadeth.
4thly, to receav in, & so to cast out members, are dispensations of Christs kingly office; whereas bapt: is a work of his Prophesy: which is indeed to be ioyned with mens admission into the Ch: & to follow vppon it immediately, if the persons be not before baptized.
Lastly, if the Ch: be gathered by baptism, then will Mr Helw: his Ch: appear to all men to be built vppon the sand, considering the bapt: it had, & hath: which was, as I have heard from themselves, on this manner. Mr Smith, Mr Helw: & the rest, haveing vtterly dissolved, & disclaymed their former Ch: state, & ministery, came together to erect a new Ch: by baptism: vntounto which they also ascribed so great vertue, as that they would not so much as pray together, before they had it. And after some streyning of courtesy, who should begin, & that of Iohn Baptist, Math: 3. 14. misalledged, Mr Smith baptized first himself, & next Mr Helwis, & so the rest, makeing their particular confessions. Now to let passe his not † sanctifying 1. Tim. … 4. 5.a publique action by publique prayer: his takeing vntounto himself that hono…, which was not given him, Heb. 5. 4.eyther immediately from Christ, or by the Church: his baptizeing himself, which was more then Christ himself did: I demaund into what Ch: he entered by baptism? or entering by baptism intoMath. 3. …4. no Ch: how his baptism could be true, by their own doctrine? Or Mr Smithes bapt: not being true, nor he by it entering into any Church, ho… Mt Helw: his baptism could be true, or into what Ch: he entered by it? These things thus being, all wise men will think that he had small cause eyther to be so much enamoured of his own baptism, or so highly to despis… other mens, for the vnorderly, or otherwise vnlawfull administratio… of it.
The next clamour he rayseth is agaynst our Prophets (whom he so bef…seth, as it by oft, & much so calling them, he would make them such) … that to draw people to separate, we call, & prove Engl: Babilon, Sodom, & Egipt, … M. Helwof which Gods people must come: but after, when we would perswade to the retey… of the baptism there receaved, we call it rebellions, & apostate Israell, whose circumcis… was not to be repeated, when vppon theyr repentance, they came vntounto the passover. For the reproof of which our doctrine, he affirmeth some, & inferreth sundry other vntruthes. As 1. that we teach men to reteyn the first, & cheif badg or mark of Babilon which is theyr Baptism, the seal of the Covenant of grace, as we say.
This Chaleng I answered even now; & shall further hereafter iustify (the L: assisting me) the reteyning our outward washing without repetition:ANSW▪ as I have also disproved that his 2d affirmation, that there cannot be a Ch: of vnbaptized Christians.
Besydes it is not true he sayth, that we have no other seal for our whole Christianity, then the Baptism we receaved in England. We have (besydes the inward seal of the spirit, & fayth) the promises of the gospell, & supper of the Lord, with many experiments of the love of God, sealing, & confirming vntounto vsus, that we are Christs.
His peremptory affirmation the we might have cryed long enough, Come from Israell, & separate your selves from Israell, before any fearing God, or haveing vnderstanding of his truth, would have followed vsus, is but his wilde guesse, without warrant. And the fear of God being the same, in the hearts of his people now, & of ould, yea greater conscience of sin being requyred now, according to the greater measure of revelation, why should not the conscience of the like estate of Engl: as well perswade men to separate themselves from the apostacy thereof to the true Ch: & ordinances; as it did such of all the tribes of Israell, as set theyr hearts to seeke the L: God of Israell, to separate 2. Chr. … 13 16.themselves, with the Preists, & Levites, from Ieroboams apostacy, to Iudah & Ierusalem?
Of like truth with the former is his after-affirmation, that if we were M. Helwtrue Israelites before our separation, then all we left behynde vsus are true Israelites: for so all the ten tribes vnderunder Ieroboam were true Israelites: & all we in the assemblyes before our separation were in one estate, &c.
It is true that the ten tribes in their apostacy, were true Israelites, naturally,ANSW & so were the Ismaelites, & Edomites Abrahams true naturall seed. But what is this to our question, which is not about mens naturall estate, but about their religious, & Church-state? The Ch: is not a naturall estate, neyther was Abraham & Israell Gods peculiar people, & Church, by nature (for they were†Eph. 2. … Deut. 7. 6. 7. 5. Rev 20. 26. by nature children of wrath, as well as others) but by grace, & because God loved them above other people, & separated them into Covenant with himself. Our question then being about religion, & mens religious estate. & as they are worshippers of God, Christ our Lord teacheth vsus in‡Ioh. 1. 4… Nathanaels person, who are true Israelites; namely they in whom there is no guile. And Paul telleth vsus, that he is not a Iew, who is a Iew outward, nor that Circumcision, which is outward in the flesh, but that he is a Iew, who is … within, & that Circumcision, which is of the heart, &c. But for the ten tribes, or other Abrahams nat…rall seed, in their rebellion agaynst the Lord they were † of true plants, dege…, rate, & changed into the plants of a strang, or false vyne. They were true Israelites,Ier. 8 1. as a theif is a true man, to wit, naturally: but not he morally: much less… they spiritually, or in the consideration of religion, of which we speak.
And for vsus: it followeth not, that because we came from the parrish assemblyes, therefore all that we left behynde vsus were true Israelites, as we. For then th… mayn cause of our separation had been taken away. We did even there (by the great mercy of God) receav grace to be in our measure Nathanaels, … without guile: & so to serv God, & walk with men, though we were ignorant of many of Christs ordinances, (as was Nathanaell without guile, whe… he was ignorant of his person) which to say of all in the assemblyes, & th… they are Nathanaels, were false, & foolish. Neyther could Mr Helw. without being reproved by his own heart, say, that, when he was a Professour i… Engl: there was no difference between him, & the Atheists, & Epicures i… the parrishes, though in that confused state of things they, & he were o… one, & the same visible Church.
Lastly (to passe by his mis-putting the words, & misinterpreting th… meaning of them that wrote the Apology, by takeing that as meant of th… members of the assemblyes, which was spoken of such as were separated; … also his bitter vpbrayding them with ignorant dissimulation, & flattery, through his own rash ignorance,) that which he affirmeth of Iudahs never deny… Israell to be her sister, is his saying without proof, or explanation.
What Iudah thought of her, appears by the speach of Abijah the king 2. Chr. 13. 4. 5. 6. 7. &c: & what the Lord thought of her, we shall she… hereafter; howsoever they are called‡Exe. 13. …. 3. 4 sisters sometymes in respect of they… ioynt estate before the division, (& soNumb. …0 14. Obed. 10. 12. Ezech. …6. Edom also was called Israels brother, in respect of their first fathers:) sometymes in respect of their concurrence in iniquity, & so Sodom also is called a third sister with them. And … were not their estates alike, no not the two likest of them, though bot… evill. For there is, besydes good, & evill, (as was Iudah in her integrity, … Israell in her apostacy,) evill, & worse, both in persons, & things (thoug… both evill) compared together. And so as the evilles in Engl: are of dive… degrees, & kyndes, we do proportionably, by way of resemblance, term i… Apostate Israell, Babilon, Sodom, & Egipt, spiritually so called. In respect of th… Spirituall externall government there, not in the hands of the son of … …. Chr. 23. 8.Christ, the king of Saynts, but of his vsurping adversary, the Prelacy, & of th… apostate preisthood thence derived: of the will worship, though of the tr… God; of the forged holydayes, & other the like defections, we call it Apost… Israell; in regard of the great, & monstrous confusion there both of person… & things, with the spirituall bondage of the Lords people to the Prelacy, …ilon: in regard of the same bondage, together with the Egiptian darknes spirituall, with other the spirituall botches, & plagues, vppon the soules of the body of that Church, Egipt: & lastly Sodom, in respect of†Ezech. 1449. See Mr Perk: Exposit vppon Iude pag 147. Apol. pag 11… the iniquity of Sodom abounding there, as Pride, fulnes of bread, idlenes, & want of mercy towards the pore: with contempt of heavenly admonition. Gen: 19. 9. 14.
The next thing he reproveth is our distinction of ‡ Churches, & so of Sacramēts into true, false, & none. And haveing in the first place liberally reproached vsus, he inveighs greatly agaynst our distinctiōs in generall, & the severall respects we put of things: bewraying playnly therein his tumultuons ignorance, by which he would confound, & blunder all things together: whereas there is nothing more necessary for the iust knowledg of things, & ending of cōtroversyes, then distinctions, & respects, rightly, & seasonably put: which are in disputations, like that distributive iustice in many suits of law. For whereas both partyes would have all, for some right, which eyther hath to a parte, a iust distinction gives vntounto eyther his severall right, & satisfyeth both.
And haveing spent his breath in reproaching our distinctions of true, false & none, he for our conviction begins with a distinction of worldly things: in which he graunts a difference between false & none: as that there is a false hower-glasse, Pag. 134& no hower-glasse, a false looking-glasse, & no looking-glasse, &c. whereas, in the …rdinances of God (sayth he) as the Church, & Baptism, there is no such difference; & in so saying he doth indeed offer to the veiw of all … wisemen, who have theyr Eccle. … 24.eyes in theyr heads, a looking-glasse, wherein both the il-favoured face of his own distinction, & the vanity of his exception may appear.
The vse of … a looking-glasse is to shew what manner the native face of a man is. Iam. 1. 23. 24.And the reason why we call such a one false, is, because it doth not that in truth, which it makes shew of, but deceaves him that looks in it, for the fashion, & portrature of his countenāce. So the vse of an hower-glasse is to shew when the hower is iust come about: which we therefore call false, when it doth not so indeed, but deceavs him that looks vntounto it, eyther by running short, or over. Hence common sense teacheth, that if there may be a Ch: or assembly, of people makeing a profession, & shew of Christ, & Christian baptism, & religion, but not being, & haveing that indeed, which in shew, & appearance it seems to be, & have, & so but deceaving him that regards it, then may there also be, & so rightly be called, a false Ch:. If reply be made, that this false Ch: is no Ch:, it may as truely be answered, that that false hower-glasse is no hower-glasse: as in truth, & indeed, it is not an hower-glasse, but a three, or five-quarters-glasse, or over, or vnderunder. It is evident by the same common Reason of both, that there may be as well a false Church, which is not no Church, as a false looking, or hower-glasse, which are not none: & other conviction needs he not, then by his own instance.
The Scriptures he brings for his purpose, which are, They sayd they … Apostles, & were not, & Iewes, & were not. Rev. 2. 2. 9. & 3. 9. he corrupteth very audaciously, though, (I hope) much of ignorance: instead of not, putting none: whereas between these there is great difference. For … onelyonly denyeth that which they sayd they were; whereas none, extendeth further, as he also intends it, & denyes them to be Apostles, or Iewes at all, or of any sorte. They sayd they were Apostles, that is true Apostles, sent, & set a work by Christ immediately; but they were not, that is not these, or such, as they pretended themselves to be. They were false Apostles, setting themselves†…. Cor. 1. 13. a work, & deceiptfull workers, (not no workers) as els where the Apostle calleth them. They sayd they were Iewes, & were not, that is not Iew… within, nor the Circumcision of the heart, as Paul expounds the phrase of speach…om. 2. …8. 29. more at larg. For Iewes, (without doubt) they were, & circumcised in the flesh; for which circumcision, with other Iewish ceremonyes, they contended. It is vsuall with the Scriptures to speak of things in religion, as if they were not at all, when they are not, as they should be; & the reason is, because God doth not accept of them, nor they themselves receav the right fruit thereof. Thus it is sayd of the inhabitants of Samaria that they feart not the Lord, though it besayd immediately before, they feared the Lord: thu… ‡…. King. …7. 34. …2. 33.Paul sayth that he is not a Iew, which is one outwardly, nor that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: as he also tels the Corinth: that they cannot dri… the cup of the Lord, & the cup of divels. They did drink of both outwardly, but*… Rom. 2. …8. vnlawfully, & of the better without fruit: as he also tels the same Corinth… … 1. Cor. …. 21.ch. 11. 17. 18. 20. 21. that by reason of theyr contentions, & other abuses, their eating the Lords supper, was not to eat the L: supper, that is, as he expounds himself, not with profit, or for the better, but for the worse. Even so these were not Apostles, that is sent of Christ, & whom the Churches ought so to receav; nor Iewes, that is such as whom God would prayse.Rom. 2. …29.
The same I answer to Eph. 4 4. 5. which is after obiected, of one body, … Church, one fayth, one baptism: that is one true fayth, Church, & baptism. And to hould that besydes that one true iustifying, & saveing fayth, there are not other false faythes, is it self a speciall poynt of a false fayth, & perswasion. The Apostle 1. Tim. 1. 5. speaks of fayth vnfeyned, from which love springeth: shewing therein, that there is a feyned, or false fayth, which Iames calleth a dead fayth, for the want of this love, & the fruits thereof, the works … mercy. Yea the Divels themselves beleiv, & have a kynde of fayth, as hav… Ch. 2. 17. …0.also some wicked men such a fayth,…. 19. as by which they cast out Divels, … Mat. 7. …2…. 23.& … many miracles in Christs name. And both the Scriptures, & experience teach that wicked men have a fayth, or perswasion of Gods favour, & salvatio… which is no true fayth, & therefore a false fayth, or perswasion, & so right… called. The same may be sayd of the Church, & Sacraments, & much more. The consideration of one God, & one Christ, is something different, but directly agaynst these men: for there may be, & are assemblyes of false worshippers, of this one God, & one Christ: & therefore false Churches, & so their Sacraments accordingly false Sacraments.
And thus much to shew how vayn his distinction is between Gods ordinances, & wordly things (though even they be also Gods ordinances) as he applyeth it: & to prove, that false may as well, & by the same reason be applyed to the outward ordinances of the Church, as vntounto worldly things: as also to answer the Scriptures he brings to disprove that part of our distinction, touching a false Church. It now remayns I prove by the Scriptures, & good Reasons grounded therevppon, that there are false Churches, & false Ch: ordinances: & that such a Church the ten tribes were in their defection, & division from Iudah.
And first, since false is nothing but that which deceaveth vnderunder a shew, & appearance of that which it is not, (as the knowledg of three Latin words would have taught Mr Helw:) & that such Churches, or assemblyes there are too many, which vnderunder a profession of the name, & sundry truthes, & ordinances of Christ, do deceav; it followeth necessarily, that there maybe, & are, false Churches. And thus much in effect he graunts els where, viz that a false Church are they, that say, & make shew, they are a true Ch: & are not. OnelyOnly he labours vppon his ordinary disease in misinterpreting these wordes, & are not, as if they were & are none; whereas they onelyonly deny the thing affirmed, which is, a true Church, & no more.
2dly, in his enterance agaynst vsus, & every where, he condemns our profession, as a false profession, & vsus as false Prophets, (as he doth also the profession & Prophets of the Prelates, & Puritans, as he calleth them:) & therein yealdeth necessarily, that the Churches makeing this false profession, vnderunder these false Prophets, (by him so deemed) are false Churches. Neyther can he turn of the matter, as his custome is, by saying we are no Churches, & no Prophets; for he knowes the Prophets, or teachers teach, & the people with them, professe the mayn truthes in the gospell: which he therefore cannot say to be no Prophets, or to make no profession.
3 dly, the Apostle 2. Cor. 11. 26. complayns of his perils amongst false brethen, & Gal 2. 4. that false brethren were crept into the Church. Now if there may be (as the Apostle expresly teacheth) false brethren, & the same also baptized outwardly, then is a Ch: consisting of such in the body thereof, a false Church, & their baptism answerably, false Baptism.
The Scriptures, & common sense teach, that there are false worshippers, of God. Christ our Lord sayth of the Samaritans, who feared the Lord, & worshipped the God of Iakob, after a manner, & had a temple in mount Geriz…, that they worshipped they knew not what: opposeing them to true worshippers, †King. … 32.& therein calling them false worshippers,… 4. 12. & their assembly a false Church. And when a Papist prayeth vntounto God in an vnknown tōgue, or in the name,… …2. … 3. or merits of the virgin Mary; …at. 15 ….or when any other man draweth nigh vntounto God with his mouth, …rov. …. 8.& honoureth him with his lips, but heaveing his heart far from him: or teacheth for doctrines, mens commaundements; he worshippeth, though in vayn, & his prayers are Prayers, & Sacrifices, though abhominable. He is not then no worshipper, but a false worshipper; & so by consequence, a company, or congregation of such, so combyneing, & continueing, are falsely called no Chnrch, or Congregation, but most truely, a false Church, Congregat: or assembly, which are all one.
Lastly, that Israell in Ieroboams apostacy, was a false Church, (though others Ains.have done it sufficiently) I will playnly prove, (God assisting me) agaynst myne adversary; answering, in the first place, what he obiecteth to the contrary.… Helw Which is, that the ten tribes then apostate, were the true seed of Abraham, seperated from the world, vnderunder the Covenant of God, which was the Covenant of Circumcision. Gen. 17. 7. 15. as well as Iudah in Hezechiahs tyme, when they came to the passover.
If the Ch: of God had been in those dayes a naturall state, & the Covenāt…NSW: a naturall Covenant, & Circumcision a naturall signe, or seal, then had the ten tribes indeed been within that Covenant, & of the true Ch: into what apostacy, idolatry, or other wicknednes soever they did, or could fall: & with them the Ismaelites, & Edomites also, for they all were alike Abrahams natural seed: yea with the one, & other, the whole world; for there is one common state of nature, & the Iewes by it, children of wrath, as well, as others. But since the Lords Covenant with Abraham, & his seed, was no naturall, or vniversall Covenant,†…h. 2. 3. Gen. 17. …7. but a Covenant of Gods speciall love, & promise with his peculiar people: in which he bo…nd himself to be their God, that is, all happines, vntounto them: & them to perfit, or vpright walking before him; haveing Circumcision annexed,…sal. …4. 15. …. 4. …. as a seal of the righteousnes of fayth, it is ignorāce too grosse thus to measure then by naturall respects: or to think that any had a part in that Covenāt by nature, or naturall generation: by which, as before hath been proved, & shalbe hereafter, more at larg, all are vnderunder Gods curse, & children of wrath. Neyther is it true, that the ten tribes (in their apostacy) were separated from the world vnderunder the Covenant of God, which was the Covenant of Circumcision. …1. Ioh. 5 ….They were by,…ph. 2. 2. … & in their apostacy separated from God, his Church, ordinā ces, & worship.2 Chr. …. 15. 2. Chr. 15. 3. And since the world lyeth in wickednes, haveing the Divell for the prince thereof, how were they separated frō the world, who served Divels in all idolatry, & wickednes? Neyther is the consequence of any force, because faythfull, & obediēt Abraham, with his seed in his tyme, & so successively continueing in his fayth, & obedience, were in that the Lords Covenant, & had right to all the gratious promises thereof, that therefore vnfaythfull, & rebellious Israell, (the fathers with the children) so remayning incorrigible, were in, & vnderunder the same Covenant, & promises of grace; of which more hereafter.
But (sayth he) if they had been the false seed of Abraham, then had theyr Circumcision M. He…been false, & they a false Church. I answer, that, comeing of Abraham naturally, & pretending the same fayth, & religion with him, & so the sameANS… right to the gratious Covenant of God, & seal thereof, but being indeed without eyther the one or other; both beleeving, & worshipping after a false, & feyned manner; they were (though his true seed in respect of nature) yet in refped of fayth, religion, the Covenāt, & worship of God, his false, & adulterous seed, & evē bastards, & the children of whoredomes, as the Prophet speaketh,Hos. 2. … 2. Chr. … 11. 15. … yea the children of the Divell, doeing his workes, & serving him, & so by his own confession, & vndeniable truth, a false Church, to the deceaving of themselves, & others.
2dly, every true Ch: is truely, & rightly gathered, & constituted (for thereby it is, that which it is:) whereas Israell considered in her apostacy, & separation from Iudah, & as we now speak of her, was not truely, nor rightly gathered, but by most sinfull schism, & rebellion both agaynst God, & man: & therefore was no true visible Church.
The Lord expresly testifyeth by his Prophets, that he had for her wickednes, & rebellions, wherein she was incorrigible,†Ier. 3. … given her a bill of divorce, & put her away: that†Hos. 1. … & 2. 2. she was not his people, nor wife, nor he her housband: in which respect also it is,Eze. 23. that he called Samaria, Ahola, that is, her own tabernacle: as on the othersyde, he calleth Ierusalem Aholiba, which is my tabernacle in her.
There was at that tyme but one onelyonly true visible Ch:: one temple, one preisthood, one altar, one sacrifice, one kingdom of the Lord, in the hands of the sons of David. And so, the ten tribes in this their apostacy, & devision, being neyther this Ch:, nor any part of it, but actually devided frō it, & thatDeut. 1… 5. t. &c. 1. King. … 2 Chr. 1 …. 6. &c. 2. Chr 1 4. also by a speciall hand of the Lords providence, for the punishment of both, could not be the true visible Ch: of God, nor any part of it, whatsoever good eyther person priveldg, or thing, it still reteyned above other peoples.
Lastly, the Covenant with Araham on Gods part was, that he would be his God, & the God of his seed, Gen. 17. 7. & thereof their Circumcision was a signe: v. 8. 9. 10▪ Now we read 2. Chr. 13. 5. that Israell had been a long tyme without the true God. By which it appeareth, that Israell, was without the Lords Covenant: & that vntounto them Circumcision could not possibly be a signe, that God was their God. It was by them merely vsurped, & in that their vsurpation, a false, & lying signe, & like a seal set to a blank, y… like the kings broad seal treacherously vsurped, agaynst his expresse will.
Wicked men, & such as†Psal. 50 …. 17. hated to be reformed, & cast Gods word behynde them, had nought to do with Gods Covenant, nor with Circumcisiō the seal thereof: nor with any other of Gods ordinances. Their ‡ sacrificeing of a lamb, ‡…s. 66. 3.was as if they had cut of a dogs neck: & so consequently their circumciseing their children, as if they had cut the foreskin of their dogs: notwithstanding they were true Israelites, yea true Iewes, naturally. They were expresly forbidden by the Lord to medle with his Covenant; & in that their abuse of it, it was a lying signe in the ends, & vses thereof, & no way affoarding that, which it pretended: neyther could they so vseing it, be by it, at all confirmed, that God was their God. And yet was not the outward cutting afterwards to be repeated, if God gave repentance: neyther is the outward washing in the name of the trinity now, though merely vsurped by them, who are forbidden to medle with it. Neyther matters it, whether such persons be in true Church, or false, which Mr Helw: calles none. Both prophane, & vsurp it, & have the bare outward lying signe, as it is sayd of Ephraim, or Israell, that she compassed about the Lord with lyes, & deceipt: whereas Iudah ruled with God, & was faythfull with the most Holy.Hos 11. 2.
But for conclusion of this poynt. If any of the heathen ioyned themselves vntounto Israell in her Apostacy, & so were Circumcised, they being neyther Abrahams true seed, by nature, nor by fayth, but merely false, & counterfayt, their Circumcision must be false Circumcision by Mr Helw: his own graunt: which notwithstanding was not afterwards to be repeated, if God gave them repentance, & to come to Iudah to eat the passover. There was one law for the eating of the passover, to him that was home-born, & to him that Exod. 12. …9.was a straunger, or soiourner. And here appeareth a direct warrant for our reteyning the outward Baptism, receaved, & vsurped, in the like apostate estate, & assemblyes, wherein they, & their familyes, & synagogues were.
I ad, that eyther the outward baptism receaved out of a true Ch: must be reteyned, or els all other Churches must be able certaynly to discern, what day, & hour a true Ch: falling by degrees, into notorious heresy, idolatry, or other impiety, (& still baptizeing notwithstanding) becomes a false Ch: (as we hould) or (as Mr Helw: will have it) no Church. For except other Churches can certaynly know, & discern this, they cannot with fayth receav such members, as vntounto whom God may give grace, to leav th… apostate synagogue, & to come vntounto them. Such of them, as were baptized, whilst it remayned a true Ch: they must not rebaptize: but such … were baptized after it ceased to be a true Ch: must (say our adversaryes, … be receaved in by baptism. But it being impossible for other Church… thus to discern of the day, & hour of the removeing of a Churches Candlestick, especially for such as are far of, & have had litle, or no medling with her, it followeth necessarily, that the outward baptism administred in a Ch: or assembly degenerated from a true Ch: into a false, (which they call no) Church, must be reteyned vppon the partyes repentance, without reiteration.
For conclusion then of this poynt also, I demaund, whether a man cast out of the true Ch: for some notorious sin, & for impenitency therein, have true baptism, or no? They will not, neyther can they, say, he hath, wryteing of it, as they do: neyther indeed hath he true Bapt: in the ends, & vses thereof. He must then eyther have a false baptism, or none. Not none, for then vppon his repentance, & readmission into the Ch: he must be rebaptized: he hath therefore vppon him a false baptism. There is then (contrary to their doctrine) false Baptism, which is not none, & the same also to be reteyned, & by the persons repentance becomeing true Baptism. Neyther matters it, that such a man was baptized in a true Ch: at the first, since by his†Rom … 25. transgression his Circumcision is made vncircumcision. In his obstinate iniquity he cannot enioy the fruit, or benefit of his baptism: which serveth onelyonly to make him the more inexcusable, & a more prophane Covenantbreaker with God. He hath onelyonly remayning the outward washing, & that much more without right, then many thousands in Engl: have, or in Rome eyther.
And thus much for the iustifying of the difference in the Apology, between a true, false, & no Church, & Sacraments; as also for the applying of the same distinction to our present occasion.
The particulars following in his book do more specially concern my self, & wryteings: agaynst whom, & which, (thorough high perswasion of his own knowledg, & most vnmortifyed affections, together with that Zeal of God▪ which I bear him record he had, though not accordeing vntounto knowledg) he letteth loose his tongue into most intemperate rage
And first he reproacheth me for the vse of that, for the want whereof I have iust cause to blame my self: which is my Logick, & Philosophy as beingPag. 13… none of the gif…s, wherewith Christ endued his Apostles: wherein he verifyeth the ould saving, that, k…owledg hath no enemy but ignorance. Logick is nothing but the right vse of reason: as is Philosophy the love of wisdome divine, & humayn. And did the Apostles want these? Or doth M• Helw. envy vntounto me my small pittance in them? Would he have me a new Nebuchad-nezzar, with an …x…s heart in a mans body? Indeed this his iudgment agaynst those arts of wisdom, & reason, well agrees with his ignorant, & bruteish dealing agaynst me, & the truth. And for my terms of art, (which he also blameth) they are neyther many, nor without cause: nor yet so dark, but that an ordinary Reader may, as they are explaned by me, vnderstand them.
But I come to the poynts themselves, agaynst which he dealeth: the first whereof is a double consideration I put of Baptism: the one takeing it, in … self, & as I speak, n…k…dly, & in the essentiall causes, or parts, to wit w…shing with water in the name of the Father, Son, & H. Ghost: the other in respect of the manner of administering it: namely, the Minister by, & the person vppon whom, & the communion wherein it is administred. In the former respect I affim the Baptism true, both in Engl: & Rome: but not so in the latter, but on the contrary false, & idolatrous, as being agaynst the 2d Commaundment, which forbids nothing but idolatry, & false worship.
Agaynst the former of these respects Mr Helw: speaks angerly, as himself confesseth, & ignorantly, as I shall manifest, God assisting me. Yea I did so manifest in the same place of my book, by the holy vessels of the temple, carryed … Babilon: & yet still remayning such in theyr nature, & right, though in theyr vse, … …. Chr. 36. 7. Ezra 1. 7 D…n 53. Gen. 34. 25. 22.rather abuse, they became Belshazzars quaffing bowles. Likewise the Circumcision of the Schechemites was in it self, true Circumcision, & they circumcised in the f…sh, … Iakob, & his sons were circumcised. But to call this true circumcision in the right ends, & administration, were to call darknes, light; & prophane hypocrisy, the true worship of God. So is there also a true outward baptism, or washing with water in the name of the Father, Son & H. Ghost, both in Engl: & Rome also, notwithstanding the vnworthy prophanation of th… ordinance, in the one, or other place.
The things he obiecteth, for substance, are these. That, Baptism i… … M. Helwspirituall ordinance; which water, w…shing, & words are not: That, they that are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, Gal: 3. 27. That, there is one Baptism of Christ, Eph: 4. 5. That, the baptism of Christ is the bapt: of amendment of life, for the remission of sins. Mark. 1. 4. That, except a man be born of water, & the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God: Ioh: 3. 5. Hebr: 10. 22. That, … ought to have our hearts pure from an evill conscience, & to be washed in … bodyes with pure water: & that, here is the true matter wherewith men must be washed, which is, water, & the H. Ghost: & that, we cannot devide the water, & the spirit in this baptism, being ioyned together by Christ: & that, he that deny… washing, or is not washed with the spirit, is not baptized: & that, he that denyes wash ing, or is not washed with water, is not baptized.
That which must be first, & cheifly considered for answer, & as tw… ground of the rest, is, that, that one Baptism mentioned Eph: 4. hath in it t… ANSW:parts: the signe, & the thing signifyed: eyther of which is also in the Scriptures called Baptism: the one, the baptism with water, wherewith Iohn baptize… Math. 3. …1.& wherewith all Ministers do baptize; which is the outward baptism,Mark 1. … signe of the inward: the other the Baptism with the H. Ghost, wherewith onelyonly Christ, & God do baptize: as there is in like manner, an outward teaching by the word, & an inward teaching by the spirit: an outward eating of the Lords supper in the vse of the signes, & an inward eating of the thing, by fayth in the heart. And even this outward washing with water in the name of the Trinity, (which he calles water, washing, & words) is in it self a spirituall ordinance (though he take the contrary for graunted) as being properly subordinate to mans spirituall estate, & appoynted of God to signify, & confirm the inward washing of the soul by the blood, & spirit of Christ.
And this ground layd, I graunt, first, that the outward, & inward baptism are ioyned together by Christ, & so ought not by men to be separated, but ioyned together in their tyme, & order: but deny, that therefore where the inward baptism by the spirit is not actually manifested, as in the Infants of beleevers, there the outward is not to be ministred: or that being administred vnlawfully in apostate Churches, it is no outward Baptism at all, nor spirituall in it self, (though carnally vsed) nor to be held vppon repentance, without repetition.
The outward Circumcision of the flesh, & the inward Circumcision in the heart, which it signifyed, & whereof it did admonish the Circumcised, wereDeut. 10. 16. ioyned together of God, & so were to be by men, & might not be severedIer. 4. 4. without great iniquity: were the Infants therefore of the true Church debarred it? Or being prophanely administred amongst the idolatrous, & apostate Israelites, or to the idolatrous Proselites amongst them, did their abuse chaung the nature of it in it self? Or was it no Circumcision at all, & so to be repeated, when the Lord vouchsafed to ad the Circumcision of the heart?
†Rom. 7. 14.The law of God, (& these wordes, thou shalt not lust, & so all the rest) is spirituall in it self, though receaved, & vsed never so carnally: so is‡Ch. 1. 16 the gospell withall the ordinances thereof much more: & the power of God, in it self to salvation, whatsoever vse men make of it, or them. The Apostle teacheth vsus, that all the Israelites comeing out of Egipt were Baptized in the 1. Cor 10 1. 2 3. 4. 5cloud, & in the sea, vnderunder Moses, that is vnderunder his ministery, & that they all ate of that spirituall meat, namely Man…a: & all drank of that spirituall drink, namely the rock, or water flowing out of it, which was Christ. And yet with many of them God was not pleased: neyther were they baptized with the H. Ghost, or effectually made partakers of Christ. Where also these two things are playnly manifested. The one, that the outward ordinance, or signe, may be Spirituall, to wit, in it self, though the inward power, & thing signifyed be w̄ating. 2dly, that there is sometymes an outward baptism, & the same so to be reputed, where there is not the inward baptism by the H. Ghost: as there is also sometymes an outward†…Ch. 11▪ …. 27. 9. eating of the Lords supper vnworthily, that is without discerning the L: body, or any inward participation thereof, or profit thereby. The same Apostle, as I have formerly noted, complayns els where of false brethren creeping into the Church: who (being vnbaptized before) were also…al. 2. 4. baptized at this their entry. Take‡Act 8. …3. 23. Simon Magus for one: who being convinced of the truth of the gospell, & beleeving after a sort, did deceav Phillip, thorough hypocrisy, & was by him baptized: remayning notwithstanding in the gall of bitternes, & bond of iniquity, all the whyle, as Peter afterward perceaved. And I would know of these double-washers, whether if a man professing the same fayth with them in holines outwardly, but in hypocrisy, should be baptized by them: & that afterwards his heart should strike him, & God give him true repentance, (let it be the person they know of, that fled from vsus vnderunder admonition for sin, & ioyning to, & being baptized by them, was presently after by themselves found in the same sin, & so Censured) whether, I say, they would repeat their outward washing formerly made, as none, because there was not ioyned with it the inward washing of the Spirit? Or if they think it none, & so the fore mentioned person not indeed receaved in by baptism, as they speak, wherefore did they then excommunicate the same person?
I conclude therefore, that there is an outward baptism by water, & an inward baptism by the spirit: which though they ought not to be severed, in their tyme, by Gods appoyntment, yet many tymes are by mens default: that, the outward baptism in the name of the Father, Son, & H. Ghost, administered in an apostate Church, is false baptism in the administration, & yet in it self, & own nature, a Spirituall ordinance, though abused: & whose spirituall vses cannot be had without repentance: by which repentance, & the after baptism of the spirit it is sanctifyed, & not to be repeated.
The 2d parte of the distinction followeth, which respects the manner of administering the outward ordinance of Baptism: & namely the person …y whom, the subiect vppon which, & the communion wherein it is to be dispensed. I… which respects I approve it not as true, eyther in Rome, or Engl: And here M• Helw: falles into one of his hoat fits of raveing agaynst me after an outragiousM. Helw manner, for iustifying such a Baptism: where also to make it worse, he ads as m… wordes, these of his own, that the spirit of God is not there.
I answer, that there is a great difference between the iustifying of theANSW. manner of doeing a thing (good in it self:) & the houlding the thing done (though vnlawfully) not to be nothing. Zipporahs wrathfull circumciseing Ex 4 25. … 0 16 I…ai 1. 11 …. 13. &c.of her son, & the Israelites prophane circumciseing of their children haveing nought to do to medle with the L: Covenant, could not be iustifyed; & ye… they were not no circumcision, nor to be reiterated vppon them. … Magus his receaving baptism, being in the gall of bitternes, & the Corinth: receaving the L: Supper, one hungry, & another dru…ken, could not be iustifyed, & yet the Baptism of the one, & L: Supper of the other, was not no Bapt: & no L: Supper: nor such as whereof there could be no right vse vppon the repentance of the persons haveing so prophanely vsurped them. The Apostles Peter, & Paul teach no such thing, but exhort the one, & other to repentance, that so they might have the sanctifyed vse of those very holy things by them formely abused so vnholily. These our adversaryes do not iustify their mariages in the assemblyes, celebrated by the parish preist, as a parte of the solemn worship of God: & in that respect agaynst the 2d Commaundement, & idolatrous: neyther yet account they them no maryages at all, nor cast them away as Idols of Babilon: though they can esteem them no other, in the administration there.
But sayth he, if this ground were true, then a Turk baptizeing a Tu…k with water, M. Hel…& these words, in any assembly whatsoever, it is the true baptism of Christ.
It is true outward baptism prophaned, & abused, as is also that of midwives, & children. Also touching stageplayers, of which he speaks in the nextANSW leaf, I affirm, that if any parts of the Scriptures, or ther particulars agreable therevnto, or any forms of prayers conteyned therein, be by them vttered vppon the stage, they still remayn in themselves, & own nature, the truthes of God, & forms of prayers conceaved by holy men, yea their prayers, notwithstanding that sinfull prophanation of them: although that vttering of them be nothing lesse, then true preaching or true praying. So may there be, & is too commonly, true outward baptism, that is, the very outward thing for substance done, where there is no true baptizeing, that is, no true, & lawfull manner of administering it. And if the w…shing with water in the name of the Father, Son, & H. Ghost, of a fit person, by a lawfull Minister, in a lawfull Communion, & manner, be true baptism truely, & lawfully administered; then is w…shing with water in the name of the Father, Son, & H. Ghost, by an vnlawfull Minister, of an vnfit subiect, & in an vnsanctifyed communion, & manner, true baptism vnlawfully, & falsely administered. The thing done is the same in both: the difference is onelyonly in the manner of doeing it.
But between the baptism of a Turk vppon a Turk, & of a midwife, I put this difference: that whereas that of a Turk is not done as a religious action, but merely in mockery, (as is that of a Childe, in sporte) the latter by a midwife is performed as a religious action vppon a member of an apostate Church: of which there is therefore another consideration to be had, then of that which is done in sporte, & mockery, which common sence teacheth to be as nothing: as we may see in an oath, which being taken in ieast byndeth not at all, but if taken in earnest, & for a thing lawfull, (though prophanely) byndeth him that took it.
For the shutting vp then of this poynt, let the Reader observ, that the Baptism which we repeat not, is that, which hath been ministered vppon the members, & accordeing to the order (how corrupt soever) of such a Church, as wherein the Lord hath his people, & for their sakes, many his truthes, & ordinances, which he so far blesseth vntounto his elect, as by them (notwithstanding all the confusion there,) he doth communicate, & confirm his saveing grace vntounto them. Of the number of which his elect, we have also (by his grace) testifyed our selves to be, as otherwise, so in particular, by comeing as his people out of Babilon, or confusion, at his call. And we rayther think it our duety to acknowledg the great goodnes of God towards vsus, in passing by the sins of our ignorance, & in blessing vntounto vsus, what was of himself, & his own there: then vnthankfully to disclaym the least eyther inward work of his grace, or outward means by which he wrought it.
In the next place Mr Helw: rayseth himself vppon his tiptoes, & in vayn confidence of his mighty strength, threatneth teribly to strike me with a rod of iron, & to break me in peices like a potters vessell. And because he chuseth as his ground of best advantage, a poynt of our profession, viz: that Baptism comes in the stead of Circumcision, which yet neyther he, nor they with him, will in an other case acknowledg, I will therefore in the first place prove that ground, by the Scriptures, & reasons vntounto them agreable, & so come to warde his so sore threatned stroak.
And, first, the Apostle disswadeing the Colossians from Iewish Ceremonyes,…h. 2. v. 8 10. 11. & in speciall from Circumcision, teacheth them, that in Christs person dwelleth all fulnes: & that in him as the head thereof, the Church hath all perfection: who by his Circumcision hath abolished the former, as the shadow by the substance: by whom also, & whose circumcision the faythfull have their hearts circumcised. But whereas it might be obiected, that faythfull Abraham had his heart circumcised, & yet he had withall the outward signe, & seal annexed; the Apostle answereth v. 12. That they are baptized into Christ: (the effects of which bapt: he also noteth down in the same place) & therefore needed not circumcision, as the false Apostles bore them in hand: therein directly teaching, that our Bapt: is instead of their circumcision: as is also our L: Supper instead of their passover: which supper no vnbaptized person may eat of, as could no man vncircumcised eat of the passover. Their circumcision was not to be repeated, nor our baptism now, though our eating the L: Supper be, as their passover also was Likewise the Israelites in the wildernes wanting the ordinary Sacraments of Circumcis: & the passover, & haveing instead of them the extraordinary Sacraments of baptism in the sea and cloud, & of Manna, & the rock; 1. Cor. 1. 2. 3. &c.& that baptism signifying our baptism now, & that Manna, & water of the rock, the the Sacrament of the body, & blood of Christ now: it is evident that our baptism cometh instead of their circumcision. Besydes Circumcision was their first, & solemn ordināce of initiation, or enterāce, by which (say our adversaryes) they were receaved into the Ch: So is Bapt: our first, & solemn ordināce of initiation, by which also (say they) men are receaved into the Ch: now. How then do not they succeed one another, as doth the Ch: now the Ch: then?
Lastly their Circumcision then was a signe or seal of the Covenant of God; so is our Baptism now of the same Covenant, as shalbe proved hereafter: their circumcis: admonisheing them of that originall corruption of all that came naturally of Adam, not to be purged but with the shedding of the blood of the promised seed: as doth also our baptism admonish vsus of our originall spirituall filthines, not to be washed away but by the blood of Christ powred vppon vsus: the same outward circumcis: yet further signifying the inward circumcis: of the heart, as doth our bapt: with water the inward baptism of the spirit; which circumcision was also vntounto them a note or badg of distinction from the world, as is also bapt: now; though by many vsurped, as that also then was.
This ground then being cleared, I come to that which must strike this stroke so terribly threatned: which is, that in my graunteing, & proveing in my M. Hel… ▪book, that Rome, & England were never in the Covenant of God, as Iudah was, I do therefore debar my self from bringing my baptism from apostate Israell; & therefore must prove, that Circumcision, (& so Baptism) receaved in a Babilonish assembly, by a Babilonian, vppon a Babilonian, might be reteyned: & a man so circumcised, eat the passover ▪ to disprove this he quotes Ezra 10. 3. & Nehem: 13. 23. 24. 25. for the putting away of childrē (though circūcised) born of the strange wives in Babilon.
I professe, as before, that neyther the Catholick (so called) Church ofANSW. Rome, consisting of many cuntryes, & nations, nor the nationall Ch: of Engl: was ever within the Covenant of the gospell, or new Testament, (as was Iudah, & with her Israell before the division) notwithstāding eyther the particular holy persons that are, or particular Churches which happily have been there Neyther of both therefore sayth Mr Helw: can be apostate Israell, which was before her apostacy the true Ch: or of it, by our graunt. I deny the consequence; & his ignorāce it is to think, that onelyonly they can be apostate Israell; who were formerly of Iudah. For then such of the heathen, as ioyned to Israell in her apostacy, were not of apostate Israell, because they or their parents were never of Iudah. And by his ground neyther the nationall English, nor Catholick Romish Church should be Anti-Christian, for neyther of both were ever the temple of God, in which Antichrist at first raysed himself. But as they are Apostolick Churches, which have receavedThess 2 & do keep the fayth, & order delivered by the Apostles, though the Apostles did not gather them personally: so are they answerably Apostaticall Churches, which have taken vp, & receaved an Apostaticall state, & condition from others, though they were never true in themselvs: the rule of nature here haveing place, which is that the accessory followeth the nature of the principall. We do likewise most properly, & immediately call that a schismaticall Church, which was once eyther of, or a true Church, & hath causelesly made a division: but yet if any other assembly (though haveing never been of, or a true Church) do take vp a schismaticall profession, & walking, even it is also, though secondarily, a schismaticall Ch: & so to be reputed. So that, though Engl: never was eyther in the whole Nation, or severall parrishes, a true visible Church, or Churches, yet haveing taken vp the Apostate Communion, worship, government, Ministery & order of Rome, with the doctrines which defend them; & Rome of that particular Church, which was once planted there, haveing degenerated by degrees from the primative constitution, it is truely called by vsus Apostate Israell, for the purpose in hand: & that outward baptism there receaved, rightly by vsus reteyned, as was the outward Circumcision in Apostate Israell of ould.
The Scriptures he brings, which are Ezra 10. 3. Nehem. 13. 23. 24. 25. make much agaynst him in the generall cause, & nothing for him in the particular.
For to let passe other oversights. 1. They prove, that to be of Abrahams seed carnally was not enough to make one a member of the Church, & within the L: Covenant of Circumcision. For these very children thus put away (as haveing no parte therein) were, & so are by Mr Helw: acknowledged, the males of the Israelites. 2. If any of them thus put away, had afterwards chosen the L: God of Israell to be theyr God, should they have been recircumcised? Or is there in the Scriptures any sillabe tending that way? 3. He is vtterly deceaved in saying those children were born in Babilon: vppon which notwithstanding he layeth all the weight of his Argument. They were born in Canaan, & of the wives of the peoples nere adioyning, as in the same places is expressed: & so their Circumcision nothing at all to the Circumcision ministred in Babilon: & yet is he more peremptory in this his errour, then a wise man would be in the truth. And thus all may see how his rod of iron is proved a broken reed, whose shivers have peirced his own hands
The next thing he comes to, is, that other ground of ours (for with his by-bablings, & revyleings I will neyther trouble my self, nor the Reader) thus by him related, that Baptism is the vessell of the Lords house; & as when the house of the Lord was destroyed, & the vessels thereof together with the people caryed into Babilon, they remayned still the vessels of the Lords house, in nature, & right, though prophaned by Baltezar, & being brought agayn out of Babilon to the house of the Lord, were not to be new cast, but (being purifyed) might agayn be vsed to holy vse: so this holy vessell of Bapt: though prophaned, in Babilon, being brought agayn to the house of the Lord, remaynes still the holy vessell of the L: house.
Agaynst this he alledgeth. 1. That our baptism (seing it was administredM. Helw▪ vppon vsus all in the assemblyes) was formed, moulded, & made, in Babilon. 2dly, That the true doctrine, or ordinance of Baptism eyther caryed to Rome, or Engl: was by way of comparison the vessell of the L: house, & so to be brought back, & vsed.
The administering of Bapt: is not the frameing, or moulding of it, butANSW▪ the applying, & vseing of it being formerly moulded, & made: & this common sence teacheth: otherwise there should be a new vessell made & moulded, or a new ordinance brought into the Church every tyme that bapt: is administred. The outward washing then with water in the name of the Father, Son, & H. Ghost, was first framed & moulded in the true Churches, by Iohn Baptist, Christ & the Apostles, & there at the first rightly applyed, & administred: & was afterwards vsurped, & misapplyed by, & in the Apostate Churches, & so is in Engl: amongst the rest: whence we also by the grace of God, have brought it into the L: house built of liveing stones, orderly layd together, for a spirituall building vntounto him: & there have the rightfull1. Pet. 2. … vse of it being purifyed by repentance.
More particularly. If the true doctrine of Bapt: be the vessell of the Lords house, then cannot this vessell of the Lords house be brought out of the mother Babilon, which Rome is: because the doctrine of Bapt: there is most false in it self: as that, Bapt: doth by the very work done, confer grace, & wholy abolish originall sin: that it imprinteth in the soul of the baptized a character, or mark indelible, by which even the damned in hell, which have been baptized, are differenced from the vnbaptized: that it is of absolute necessity to salvation: that such infants are to be baptized as neyther of whose parents are sanctifyed, or faythfull: & that it is onelyonly to be administred by the popes annoynted ones, save in case of necessity, & that then the midwife may do it, with the like. How then can the vessell of the doctrine of true baptism be brought from Babilon, where it is not? And so far as the doctrine is true, so far the baptism is true also, being administred accordeing vntounto it.
The truth then is, that as there were in the materiall temple both the vessels, & doctrine, teaching their vse, so is there by proportion in the Ch: now, the vessell of baptism, or thing ordeyned, (which is most properly called the†Lev. 3▪ 17. ordinance) & the doctrine ordeyning, & teaching it: whichRom. 13▪ 1. 2. are two severall things in all mens eyes which have sight in them. And since baptism administred, besydes the doctrine which teacheth it, is appoynted of God, as a means, to signify, & apply the blood, & spirit of Christ thereby signifyed, it is very absurd to deny it to be a vessell for the service of the Lords house, & of the holy things therein: rightly vsed in the temple: vsurped in Babilon, or els where.
Lastly, Mr Smith, & Mr Helw: with him in their Character, confesse,Pag. 58. that if the Anti-Christians had baptized persons, confessing their sins, & theyr fayth into the name of the sonne of God, & the trinity, it had been true baptism, though in the hands of the Anti-Christians, as the vessels of the L: house in the hands of the Chaldeant, & therefore needed not repetition, as the vessels needed no new casting: therein acknowledging, not the doctrine, but the outward washing in the name of the trinity to be the vessell of the L: house in Babilon: as also that there might be baptism so far true without eyther lawfull communion, minister, or subiect, (for all are Anti-Christian) as that it might be reteyned without repetition: which is also iustly proved from Circumcision, administred in a prophane vsurping family (though naturally Israelitish) eyther in Babilon, or Canaan, or els where, it matters not, & not to be repeated vppon repentance.
In the things following, being partely more generall, & partely already handled, I wilbe the breefer.
He first tels vsus, that if we be Iudah, & come from Israell, then we must not w… M. Helw …. King. …2. 24.agaynst her as agaynst Babilon, since shee is the ten tribes our brethren, which were not false Israelites, but the true seed of Abraham.
Edom also was Israels brother, & the true seed of Abraham naturally,ANSW. Num 29. 14. 21. Deut. 2. 4. 5. &c. agaynst whom he was forbidden to war, as agaynst Canaan: was Edom therefore the true Church or interessed in the L: Covenant, as well as Israell then? And though Iudah was at that one tyme by speciall restreint, to forbear fighting agaynst the ten tribes, (as there was a tyme also, when she might not fight agaynst Babilon) yet not so at other tymes; but shee was contrarywise†2. Chr. …3 3. 14. 15. 16. 17. holpen of the Lord, to make a very great slaughter amongst them. But for our fighting agaynst Engl: it is onelyonly by the spirituall weapons of our testimony, the word of God, our practise of Christes ordinances, & sufferings agaynst the confusion, clergy▪ & superstitions there: & thus we must war agaynst all iniquity, whether o… apostate Israell, or Babilon, it matters not.
His Reasons to prove Iudah as well as Israell a false Church, are of no… weight. And 1. it is not true he sayth that the Calves set vp at Dan, & Bethell did no more make them a false Church (for in speaking of false Israelites, as he doth, he bewrayeth too great ignorance) then the setting vp … the Calf in Horeb. For that Calf was forthwith taken down agayn, burnt in the fyre, & beaten to powder, the cheif authors of the idolatry destroyed,Num 32▪ & 33. & the rest brought to repentance, by which the wrath of the Lord was pacifyed: whereas the ten tribes continued their idolatry, & with & for it, their schism from the true Church Iudah, & Ierusalem: & so were for their obstinacy, & irrepentance ioyned with their sin, cast out of Gods favour.
Alike frivolous is his 2d Argum: from Salomons following Ash…aroh, Milcam, & other Idols: of which he also repented, as appears by his wryteing the book of the preacher, besydes other arguments, & whom Iudah is no where sayd to have followed in his idolatry, as did the ten tribes Ieroboam, in his. And not onelyonly so, but they went on also from evill to worse: adding to the false worship of the true God the worship of false1 King. 16. 25. 3… ▪ Gods, Baal & others.
3dly, though Ierusalem was at a tyme (in the body) called by the Prophet, an harlot, & her sins sayd to be greater then eyther Samarias, or Sodoms, to wit, considering her estate, & means of bettering (for otherwise her sins in themselves were not comparable to theirs) yet were there many in her abydeing faythfull in the Lords Covenant, & the other brought agayn into the bond thereof, by repentance, after the rod of the L: correction had passed over them, & that he had taken the cheif rebels from Ezech. … ▪ 37. 38.amongst them; & in those the true Church consisted; the rest not being true members thereof: but†Ier. 2. … ▪ a false seed, the plants of a straung vyne, by right to have been cut of from the L: people: whereas the ten tribes went on in their sin, without repentance, or return out of their captivity, into the land of Canaan, the proper seat of the Church. But of these things I have spoken before at larg, as also of the outward baptism receaved in Engl: which he here calles the mark of the beast, & vsus for it, what he pleaseth; whereas (though he, that receavs any doctrine, or ordinance of God ministred by the power of Anti-Christ, may therein be sayd to receav the mark of the beast, yet) that doctrine, or ordinance is not in it self, the mark of the beast, but an holy thing of God, how vnlawfully soever administred.
His mistakeing the speach in the Apology of the 7000 in Israell, I have formerly manifested. The peremptory doom which here he passeth vppon all in Engl: & vsus with them, as out of the state of gra…e, & salvation, is a fruit of his rashnes. Well is it for vsus, that he is not our iudg: & better much had it been for him, if he had iudged himself more severely, & others more charitably.
Touching Gal: 5. 1. & 2. Cor: 3. 17. teaching, that, where the spirit of Christ is, there is liberty: & that we must stand fast in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath freed vsus, I do answer, that as for our selves, we stand for, & enioy the liberty of Christ in all things, to our knowledg, & power: so doubt I not but there are thousands in Engl: truely partakers of the liberty of Christ, both from the guilt, & tyranny of sin in their measure, notwithstanding that spirituall externall bondage in their Ch: order, & ordināces, thorough humayn fraylty. Wherein if they, or any of them, eyther affect ignorance, or pretend it, being condemned of theyr own hearts, because they would avoyd the crosse of Christ, or for any other carnall respects, God which is greater then …. Ioh. 3. ….theyr hearts, & searcheth, & knoweth them, will condemn them much more, though we thorough love be perswaded better things of them.
It is true he addeth, that all who come not out of Babilon, or receav the least mark, or print of the beast, that is yeald the least submission vntounto Anti-Christ, are threatned with her plagues, & vnderunder the L: curse. Which shewes how greatly the Lord abhorreth, & how all his people ought to abhor from those sins, and also vntounto what wrath they stand subiect without repentance. But withall it must be remembred, that as God requyreth particular repentance for sins known, so doth he pardon the vnknown sins of his servans vppon their generall repentance aryseing from true fayth in Christ, & haveing ioyned with it, an honest, & earnest desyre, to know, & do the whole will of God: otherwise no flesh could be saved: for noman knoweth how oft he offendeth. … 19. 1…And he who beleevs not, that as other men may, so God doth know much evill by him even agaynst all the Commaundmens which he knowes not by himself, (of which he can onelyonly repent in generall) neyther hath learnt to know God aright, nor other men, nor himself, how much soever he presume of his knowledg, which, alasse, was too too much this vayn mans malady.
His other two affirmations, that, if the fayth of the Ch: of Engl: be true M. Helwthen the Ch: is a true Church; & that, if the Ch: be not a true Church, then is it a company of Infidels, have alike truth in both, & indeed none in eyther. Cornelius, ANSW: …ct. 10.& his family shew the falsity of both: who had true fayth, & therefore were not a company of Infidels, & yet were not a true visible Church, of which we speak. True fayth maketh a true Christian person: but the Covenanting, & combyneing of a company of such into Christian order doth immediately make the Church.
And for Iohn 15. 19. & Math. 12. 30. I do answer, that a man may truely in his person be chosen out of the world, & for Christ, in his measure, though he be not of a true visible Church. There must be true fayth, & holines before the true Church; for of faythfull persons the Ch: must be gathered: & in reason, the the partes must be before the whole to be made of them, & the stones, & timber before the house.
But he ads, that since all in the Ch: of Engl: drink of one Cup, 1. Cor. 11.M. Helw they are all one body, & so no double respect to be had, nor putting of difference of persons.
It is true, they are all one body, & there should be no such contrary spirits: but all the members of one body should be lead by one spirit in a measure:ANSW for there is (to wit, in right)†Eph. 4. … ▪ one body, & one spirit: but who haveing in him any light of the spirit seeth not the contrary; & that in that one body of the nationall, & parishonall Church, & Churches, two contrary spirits rule? By right there is none but led by the spirit of Christ in the true Ch: & body of Christ: nor any led by that spirit out of it, or in any other society. But that good, whether in persons, or things, which Sathan hath not had power to destroy, he hath laboured to confound, & mingle with evill, what he possibly could, both by thrusting false brethren into the true Ch: & by keeping godly persons out of it. So that the servants of God stand in great need as first of spirituall discerning to know good, & evill, so after of true Zeal on the one syde, that they be not for the goods sake, entangled with any evill: as also of godly moderation, & sobriety, on the other syde, no way to wrong that which is good for the evilles sake, mingled with it: as this man hath done in the frowardnes of his heart, in stead of Zeal: makeing no difference between himself, & others so walking, in his, & their best profession, in Engl: & the most desperate crew of Atheists, & Epicures in their professed contempt of God.
His plea which followeth that the Pope, & Papists are not true beleevers, we do receav: & professe withall, that no infants of such, or of anyGen. 17. 7. other parents, the one whereof is not faythfull, is to be baptized: & practise accordeingly, as he knew well. And his accusation that we hould all infants, 1. Cor. 7… ▪ 14.whether of beleeveing, or vnbeleeveing parents to be baptized, & so practise, is vniust, & but a mere presumption inferred vppon our not rebaptizeing the baptized formerly in the assemblyes. Which our practise, I hope, is sufficiently iustifyed, agaynst his lowd, & licentious clamours, (although by them he have affrighted two, or three simple people, from that their baptism so receaved,) as also, that his peremptory position, that whatsoever is not done aright, is to be accounted as not done at all, & is to be cast away, notwithstanding any after-repentance, is but a short cut of his haste, & fruit of his ignorance: which two being coupled together, cannot but gender many monsters.