Truth Prevailing Against the Fiercest Opposition, Part 11
Your twelfth Conſideration for ſubſtance this: VVHen the Apoſtle Paul inſtructeth Chriſtian Churches, what manner of perſons they are, who are unmeet for Christian communion, he mentioneth fornicators,1 Cor. 5.11 2 Theſ 3.6. covetous, railers, and the like, but never unbaptiſed perſons.
'Tis true, Paul was wiſer than to write any thing in his Epiſtles to the Churches, by which he ſhould ſuppoſe them guilty of that wherein he knew they were not in fault; doth he not write to the whole Church of Corinth, 1 Corinth. 1.13. Were ye baptiſed in the Name of Paul? nay 1 Cor. 12.13. Doth he not ſay, We are ALL baptiſed? And doth he not praiſe them, 1 Corinth. 11.2. that for the matter of Ordinances, they had kept them, AS he delivered them unto them? and he delivered them from Chriſt; 1 Corinth. 11.1. and we have proved already, that Chriſts Order was to baptiſe all the Diſciples preſently without delay.
And if all that hath been ſaid in anſwer to your third Conſideration, be not enough to this point, I heartily deſire the Reader to lay to heart that which followeth.
To prove that no perſons were reputed of the viſible body of Chriſt before Baptiſme, and conſequently farre enough from ſitting down in Church ſocieties without it, I prove from the 4. of the Epheſians 4, 5. There is one body, which at the 12. verſe is in plain termes and in words at length called, the body of Chriſt: Now that by the word body he did not mean it onelyonly of the particular Church of Epheſus, or any other particular Church of Chriſt, but of the univerſal body of Chriſt, it appeareth by that which he affirmeth concerning the body, which belongeth no more to the Church of Epheſus, than to any ſingle Chriſtian; yea, thoſe many things wherein they are one, he affirmeth as belonging to them in common with all the Scripture Chriſtians in the world: Now to accommodate his deſign of peace and love in the body, he proceedeth to mention the many things wherein that body is one, which he delivereth as ſo many notable Characteriſtical marks, whereby all the members of that body may be known from all the world, upon theſe marks I would fix the eye of the Reader, behold then the Scripture marks of all the members of the viſible body of Chriſt.
1. They have one Spirit.
2. One Hope.
3. One Lord.
4. One Faith.
5. One BAPTISME.
6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and in all, and hath Chriſt linked their oneneſs in Baptiſme, with their union in thoſe other things, yea, placed it in the order of words, before their oneneſs in reſpect of God, who is the Father of them all, as being altogether the characters of a member of that body we ſpeak of: and doth he ſpeak according to the form of wholſome words that ſaith, men may be viſible members without it, or will Chriſt hold that man guiltleſs, that ſtriveth to break this chain, which he in wiſdome hath linked together?
That the Text ſpeaketh of, reall proper Baptiſme with water, and not of metaphorical, it appeareth:
1. As for that which ſome conceive (though untruly) the Baptiſme of the Spirit, namely, the common fruits of the Spirit, ſuch as faith, that he ſpoke of before, as that wherein they were one, in diſtinction from Baptiſme.
Secondly, As for that which is in truth the Baptiſme of the Spirit, namely, ſpeaking with tongues and the like, that cannot be meant, becauſe the Baptiſme here, is affirmed of all the members of the body; of whom that cannot be truly ſaid: I underſtand therefore by Baptiſme, in the fourth of the Epeſians, the Church Ordinance of Baptiſme: with water, by which the Apoſtle affirmeth both Jewes and Gentiles put on Chriſt, Gab 3.27.
And further, how can any one imagine, with any ſhew of reaſon, that in the primitive times, there was any ſuch confuſion, as the ſitting down of baptiſed, with unbaptiſed Diſciples: Since its plain.
1. That Chriſt commanded their baptiſme preſently after diſcipling.
2. That the Apoſtles ſo practiſed it, as we find, in every example.
3. Where any backwardneſs appeared, the Servants of God haſtened the Diſciples to Baptiſme, Ariſe, Acts 22.16why tarrieſt thou? ſaith Ananias to Paul. And truly it is a remarkable thing that though Paul had faſted three dayes, yet after his diſcipling he is haſtened to Baptiſme before he is permitted to eat meat, Acts 9.18.
4. We read not of one diſcipled perſon that ever refuſed Baptiſme.
5. Conſidering the judgement of the Spirit of God concerning thoſe Rabbi men that did refuſe Baptiſme, or Johns Miniſtry, whereof Baptiſme was a part, which was,Luke 7.29. that they rejected the counſell of God againſt themſelves: I ſay, conſidering all this, with what is offered in Anſwer to your third Conſideration, it is, I humbly apprehend, one of the moſt unreaſonable apprehenſions that ever was founded upon the Scriptures.
And now let the world judge, whoſe building is Babel, whether ours, that anſwereth the Rule to a hairs breadth, or yours, which is quite beſides it; and here Sir we challenge you, to make out your opinion and practiſe from the Scripture; as we make out ours, or elſe your great words, rhetoricall flouriſhes, angry invectives, being in a manner the beſt of your ſtrength, wherewith you fight with us, muſt all goe for tubbiſh and dirt.
But you ſay, in caſe you ſhould releive the poor, and grant us (that the Sun ſhineth at noon-day) that in the Primitive times was no ſuch confuſion of baptiſed Diſciples holding communion with unbaptiſed, yet how we know, that in caſe there had been any unbaptiſed brethren, whether the Apoſtle would have prohibited communion with them, as well as with fornicators.
To this I anſwer, if by communion be meant that full communion which orderly Churches enjoy, I make little doubt but he would:
1. Becauſe he was ſo full of this point of adviſing the Diſciples to punctuality in the point of order, Col. 2.6. 1 Cor. 14.40.
2. Becauſe he praiſed the Church of Corinth for keeping the Ordinances AS he delivered them unto them, 1 Cor. 11.2.
3. Becauſe order he looked upon as a beautiful thing, and rejoyced to behold it in the Church of Coloſſe, Coloſ. 2.5.
4. Becauſe he cautioneth the Church to take heed of Philoſophers, that through vain deceit would bring them to diſorder, Col. 2.8.
5. Becauſe when any diſorder grew in the Church, he took ſuch care to have them corrected, Titus 1.5.
6. Becauſe he ſaith, his word was not yea and nay, 2 Cor. 1.18. as fallible mens are now, being guided in his orders by an infallible ſpirit.
So that to ask, whether Paul would not have prohibited the Churches to hold communion with unbaptiſed perſons, is to ask, whether Paul would not pull down with one hand what he buildeth up with another.
But good Reader, Mr. Goodwin asketh us one queſtion, and I would ask thee another, and it is, whether thou doſt not think in thy conſcience, Mr. Goodwin hath the wrong end of the ſtaffe in this controverſie? and whether the putting this queſtion do not diſcover it? and who it is that buildeth upon light conjectures, looſe ſuppoſitions, preſumptuous ſelf-imaginations, Mr. Goodwin, or his poor brethren of the dip, as he calleth them?