Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Concerning Baptiſm, and Sprinkling Infants, which People hold moſt neceſſary to Salvation.
SPrinkling of Infants, it being ſet up without any preſcribed command, or Example commanded by Chriſt, or his holy Apoſtles, although many Teachers in this Age have wreſted the holy Scriptures, thinking thereby to make their own invention to be accounted the Ordinances of God. Now the main Reaſons that many teachers have rendered, they have grounded from Chriſts word, Mat. 22.19. which doth not prove baptizing of …nfants to be commanded by Chriſt, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations beptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the holy Ghoſt. Now the command of Chriſt was to his Diſciples, that they ſhould go and teach, which proves that teaching was commanded before baptizing or dipping, as the word may be rendered; by which all may underſtand that they could not be diſcipled which were untaugh…; for this we know, that Infants are uncapable of being taught which proves, that they are not capable of being Diſciples. And in Mark 10.14, 15, 16. where they bring Chriſts ſaying, Suffer little Children to come unto me, forbid them not, for of ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven; which ſaying is explained in the following Verſe, that whoſoever ſhall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child he ſhall not enter therein, can never reach by Viſible Water, which cleanſeth not the inſide of theſe wiſe Hebrew, Greek and Latine learned Builders, who ground their unſound Foundation of Sprinkling Infants, in the room of Circumciſion, which according to the holy Scriptures of Truth, one Tipe did never tipe out another, but every Tipe typified the ſubſtance, for Circumciſion was a Tipe or Figure, and cutting off the fore-skin was a Figure of the Circumciſion and cutting off the Fore-skin of the heart, Now baptiſm with water was a Tipe or Figure, as in Peter 3.21. which tiped out the ſpiritual Waſhing or regeneration, which is, baptizing of Infants come in the room of Circumciſion; then how do they agree in a parrellel, ſeeing that the Males were only circumciſed, then why are the Famales now baptized, if Baptiſm come in the room of Circumciſion, which as to their form in batpizing, they differ one from the other even as in other things, which they account to be the Ordinances of Chriſt, but are found to be the Ordinances of men, ſet up and maintained by the Power of men, who in their ſeveral Forms differ each from the other; for ſome ſprinkle, others dip, and ſome dip over again; others plunge, others ſprinkle with mixt Water, and to my knowledge ſome have had their Children ſprinkled with warm water in cold weather, for which form, ſome of their Prieſts have ſaid to me, that they have allowance for their differing Forms under this Diſpenſation, that is, to dip or ſprinkle, according to the nature of the Climate where they live; but to prove their aſſertion by Scripture they cannot do, which without ſcripture Proof, they are willing to ſay ſomething for what they hold, but in what form ſoever any by their Prieſts are baptized, there is no effect of their work doth appear, but like Prieſt like People, all pleading for A Body of Sin, while they remain in this Life; which doth manifeſt, that viſible Water is of no effect, notwithſtanding theſe hired Builders, bring Chriſts words to Nicodemus, John 3.5. that except a man be born again of Water and Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. From which words ſome do infer, that Infant Baptiſm is of abſolute Neceſſity to Salvation. Now Chriſt did then ſpeak of that heavenly Water which did regenerate and make new; for through the Power of that Water the Heart came to be made clean, according to the Prophets Saying, Then will I ſprinkle clean Water upon you, and you ſhall be clean from all your Filthineſs, Ezek. 36.25 By which it is manifeſt, that viſible Water cleanſeth not the inſide, which is to be cleanſed through the waſhing of Regeneration; for it is not the waſhing away of the filth of the Fleſh, but the anſwer of a good Conſcience towards God, by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 3 21. Now Johns Baptiſm was to decreaſe, and the Baptiſm of Chriſt to increaſe; for Chriſt was before John, whoſe Baptiſm made way for the Baptiſm of Chriſt to take place; for this Teſtimony John did bear of himſelf, That he ſhould decreaſe, and that Chriſt ſhould increaſe; for John's baptizing was to Repentance, but he that cometh after me ſhall baptize you with the holy Ghoſt, Mat. 3.11. Then if John's Water Baptiſm was to decreaſe, which was to Repentance, where is the benefit of Water-Baptiſm in this day, to any who have repented? And to them which have not repented, their Life of remaining in a Body of Sin all their days doth manifeſt no benefit in Water-Baptiſm, towards the Salvation of any man that is baptized with viſible Water, in what Form ſoever▪ for as Water Baptiſm was a …ipe or Figure, P…t. 3.21. ſo all Types and Figures made way for the Spirit of H…ineſs, in which they are all fulfilled, through the Death and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Baptiſm is that of the holy Ghoſt, which except People receive they can never witneſs the heart cleanſed from dead Works; for John baptized with Water, but ye ſhall be baptized with the holy Ghoſt, having the p…omiſe to receive Power, Acts 1 52 which doth manifeſt that People cannot receive full power againſt ſin before they have received the Baptiſm of Chriſt, which is that of the holy Ghoſt and Fire, which burns up and purifies the heart of the inward man, by which the thoughts of his own corrupted deſire, are brought into ſubjection to the Power of God, by Jeſus Chriſt, which clean…eth the inward man of Heart, Mind and Spirit, through which he comes to ſerve the Lord with Uprightneſs of his whole Deſire, in which ſtate he becomes … thorough Witneſs for Gods holy Truth, that there is but one Lord, one Faith, one Baptiſm, Epheſ. 4 5. into which Baptiſm all the Righteous o… God are baptized; for ſo many as were baptized into Chriſt, were baptized into his Death, therefore they are b…r…ed with him by Baptiſm, into he Glory of the Father, even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in Newneſs of Life, Rom 3.4. Now wh…t People have g…thered in their Comprehenſion concerning the Apoſtles words, … Cor. 14. it avails no for their pro…, in the leaſt meaſure of ſtrength, to prove Water Baptiſm an Ordinance of God in this day; for if ſo, then is Circumciſion becauſe the ſame Apoſtle in that day both circumciſed and baptized, which was for this end, that he might gain ſome to Chriſt, and not that it ſhould continue in practiſe among Believers for time to come, Then how are they true Beleivers with whom the practiſe of Water Baptiſm doth yet remain? for the very ſame Apoſtle laid that practiſe aſide in his day, ſaying, that leaſt any ſhould ſay that he baptized in his own Name, he then thanked God, that he had not baptized (as he knew of) any more, ſave Criſpus and Gaius, and the Houſhold of Stephanus; plainly concluding that Chriſt ſent him not to baptize, but to preach the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 1.16.17. Now the Apoſtles ſaying, that he thanked God, that had not baptized any other, is ſufficient proof, that Water Baptiſm is not that which God doth expect in this day, if other wayes the holy Apoſtle would never have ſaid, he than ed God, that he had baptized no other as he knew of; which is ſufficient, that the Almighty God doth neither except nor accept ſprinkling or dipping with viſible Water in this day; for Jeſus Chriſt hath fulfilled all Tipes and Figures, which were but ſhadows of better things to come, and are come to them which by true Faith in him, and he in them; by which there is no need to lay the Foundation of things paſt, for Chriſt crucified and riſen again, as the Myſtery o… his Death and Reſurrection outwardly is inwardly revealed, is the Subſtance and Foundation of his Peoples Faith, which gives them an aſſurance in the hope of his heavenly Riches, which they that are not dead with Chriſt from the Rudiments, cannot pertake of, for they are yet living with their affections uncrucifid, as to the Rudiments of the World, being yet ſubject to Ordinances, of divers forms, in their will Worſhip, which the righteous have overcome, ſo that they cannot again be brought into bondage, to touch, taſte nor handle thoſe things, wherein their uncrucified Affections once did remain, well knowing they are all to periſh with the uſing after the Commandment of men; which things indeed, have a ſhew of will Worſhip and Humility, and neglecting of the Body, not in any honnor to the ſatisfying of the fleſh, Col. 2.20, 21, 22, 23. Now the faithfull of God are riſen with Chriſt, in which ſtate they are …king thoſe things which are above, where Chriſt ſi…eth on the right hand of God; ſo that their Affections are ſet on things above, and not on things on the Earth, Col. 3.1.2. and they are a bleſſed People, which are come to witneſs that ſtate, in which they ſeek the Lord, and his righteouſneſs, which is the right uſe of means that God hath appointed, for the honour of his holy Name, and the ſalvation of them, who in the true uſe of means lay hold on God, thorough faith in the ſon of his love, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whoſe Power the Faithful are baptized into the one ſpirit by the holy Ghoſt, which is the true Baptiſm of Chriſt, by whom they that are not baptized thorough the Water of Regeneration, they y…t remain with their Affections uncrucified, in which ſtate the Lord hath no regard to their daily Offerings. And yet, if any, for a furtherance of the Goſpel ſhould find freedom in the Will of the Lord to condeſcend to the weakneſs of ſome, to baptize into Water, we ſhould not forbid it; but the bare form and Im…ation taken up in the meer Will of men without any inward motion, or call of God, or inward approbation we utterly diſown.