The Doctrine of Baptism, Title page – To the reader
THE Doctrine of Baptiſm, And the Diſtinction of the COVENANTS OR A Plain Treatiſe, wherein the four Eſſentials of BAPTISM, Viz.
1. Who is a Lawfull Miniſter thereof;
2. What is the true Form thereof;
3. Into whoſe name it is to be adminiſtred;
4. Who is a fit Subject thereof,
Are diligently handled.
As alſo the buſineſs of the two Covenants, wherein is proved that the Covenant of life, is not made to the ſeed of Believers, as coming out of their Loins, and therefore that the baptiſm of Infants is drawn from thence by a falſe Conſequence.
By THOMAS PATIENT, a Laborer in the Church of Chriſt at DUBLIN.
Acts 22 16. And now why tarrieſt thou, Ariſe and be baptized, and waſh away thy ſins, calling one the name of the Lord. Epheſ. 2.12. Being aliens from the Common wealth of Iſrael, and ſtrangers to the Covenants of promiſe. John 3.5.6. Jeſus anſwered, verily, verily, I ſay unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; For that which is born of the fleſh is fleſh, and that which is born of the ſpirit, is ſpirit.
London, Printed by Henry Hills, and are to be ſold at his houſe at Sir John Old Caſtles in Py-corner 1654.
The Epiſtle to the Chriſtian Reader, to whom the Author wiſheth all grace and peace from God the Father through our Lord Jeſus Christ.
THere being but a ſmall moment of time from the Lord alotted to men in this life, to run that Chriſtian race ſet before them; And conſidering what Chriſt ſaith, That whileſt it is day we ought to work, for the night commeth when no man can work; And further conſidering, that Chriſt Jeſus, is gone to fetch a Kingdom, and to return, having left his Servants ſeveral Talents to be accounted for at his comming, when every mans reward, or puniſhment, ſhall be according to his works, which ought to provoke and ſtir up every Chriſtian to a conſciencious and carefull improvement of his ſtrength, for Gods glory and the ſervice of his generation in this pilgrimage.
Theſe, among many other motives, prevailed with me to preſent this Treatiſe to thy view, being alſo preſſed thereunto by many of Gods People, formerly in England, and of late in Ireland, who have heard me upon the ſame Subject deliver the ſubſtance of what is herein conteined, both in England, and in Ireland.
Beloved Reader, I know the World is filled with many Books ſtuffed with very much of mans wiſdome, which, though the Apoſtle ſaith is enmity againſt God; yet we find ſuch diſcourſes moſt pleaſing to the carnal hearts of men in our age. Therefore if that be the thing that thy itching ears do thirſt after, thou maieſt ſpare thy ſelf that labour, for thou wilt finde that with as much ſimplicity and plainneſs as poſſibly I could, I have herein given out by clear Scripture-evidence, what the Lord hath made known to me.
For the clearing of this weighty point which God by his mighty power hath ſubjected my heart to believe, the which formerly by reaſon of my ignorance and error I was much averſe unto.
For after it pleaſed God to reveal his Son in me, and to work a change in my heart, the great and weighty thing that God preſented to me was, to make my calling and election ſure; which I found to be a work filled with many difficulties, conſidering how far Hypocrites might attain in the profeſſion of godlineſs, and that they might come to have the counterfeit of all the Grace in the Child of God. And this the rather appeared more difficult, becauſe I found my own heart ſo deſperately wicked and full of deceit, as Jerem. 17.9. and alſo found the wiles, and ſubtilties of the Devil, to be various, and I conſtantly under ſeveral temptations, and deep deſertions when God (though for a little ſeaſon) withdrew himſelf, and the light of his countenance from me. At which time, I judged it my onelyonly thing neceſſary to prove whether CHRIST were in me, and my faith right, as alſo my ſincerity to the Lord. At which time I found but little ſettled reſt or peace, till the Lord had put that great queſtion out of doubt, in giving me a ſure and well grounded confidence of my intereſt in him, till which time, I found little diſpoſition to ſearch narrowly into other truths, which I then thought to be too remote for me to exerciſe my ſelf in, having received ſo much ſpiritual benefit, in communing with God and mine own heart, and ſearching out the difference betwixt the ſpeaking of Gods Spirit, my own ſpirit, and the ſpitit of Satan.
But when I came to ſome good meaſure of ſettlement in my confident and well grounded hopes, that I was the Lords, then preſently was I tempted, touching the main and material fundamental points in Religion; Which temptations, as they were a great cauſe of trouble and reſtleſneſs in my ſoul, ſo they occaſioned me with great eagerneſs, night and day, in uſe of the beſt means God preſented to me, to ſeek ſatisfaction in the ſame, at which time the Lord did carry on my ſoul with much vehemency after him, ſo with much unweariedneſs.
For uſually as one caſe and weighty queſtion was anſwered to my ſatisfaction and comfort, another was ſtated in my ſoul too hard for me, in which experiences I for many years was exerciſed with all, in which time I was ignorant of the true way, which Chriſt would have his people to walk in.
But preſently being convinced of the unwarrantableneſs of the Government of the Lordly Prelates, and the Liturgy in the Church of England, and the mixed Communions in the Pariſh Aſſemblies, I was reſolved, God willing, to examine all Religion, as well in worſhip, and the order of Gods houſe, as I had done in other points. But I at this time being by the divine power of God, converted from the Church of England, though with a great deal of difficulty, being well furniſhed with arguments from Pulpit and Print, and divers able Diſputants for the defence of that falſe way; but God breaking in by the power of his Spirit with clear Scripture-light ſubjected my heart to the obedience of the truth, ſo that I found my heart cloſing with thoſe truths in the love thereof.
At this time many godly Chriſtians going to New England, and being come up in my judgment to the way of New England in Faith and order, went over thither, being not convinced of my error and great darkneſs in ſprinkling the carnal ſeed of Believers. But verily I thought I had good warrant for that practiſe, having then in ſubſtance the ſame grounds for the defence thereof, that generally to this day is urged for the ſame. Yet having in my heart, ſo clear a light, diſcovering how ſhamefully in many things I had been deluded, and that by thoſe which I could not but have charity to think were the Lords own Servants, and finding the danger of receiving truths by Tradition, was reſolved to examine that point of Baptiſm. And ſo I conſtantly reſorted to the meetings of the people in New England, deſiring to have good ſatisfaction in them, and their doctrine and practice, before I joined in Communion. In order thereunto I conſtantly attended the preaching of the word, where hearing many, often preaching for baptizing of children of believing parents; I began to examine the grounds thereof, and the weight of their arguments, and genuine ſcope and drift of the Scriptures, alleged by them to prove that point, and finding that the Scriptures … generally … contrary to … and proper dri… …cope: Alſo finding … th…ſ… …tion Argument by …, …o exceeding contrary to ſeveral … of R…igio… which both the… and I did believ… ▪
Theſe things being hinted into … ſoul, I w… reſolved to examine the … I … formerly … great profit … ſeveral other …nts of Reli… B… … this Reſolution, temptations came in … my …, that I was but weak …nd … ca… it were not a … did I think … …any … nent … for Religion, Piety, Gifts and … ſhould not diſcover … ſooner … I; therefore it … purpoſe … …me to trou… my ſelf; … whi… I had this anſwer in … ſoul, that I had been too …ng miſlead already o… … grou… … and …
… …n th… … cam… … peop… … Not …it … th… … choice … … ching their flocks by Night.
In the firſt place, this eminent truth was delivered and revealed to them, when all the learned and eminent men in Iſrael had no knowledge thereof.
And finding the poor Theef on the Croſs to have a ſounder Judgement than the General Synod, or Council of Learned Men at Jeruſalem, and alſo the Speech of Chriſt to this purpoſe in Matthew 11.25. where Chriſt thanks his Father for hiding theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and revealing them to Babes and ſucklings, out of his good pleaſure, the ſpirit being like the wind, which bloweth when and where it listeth.
And alſo finding ſome of Chriſts Diſciples, bearing teſtimony of Chriſt, in Luke 19.38, 39, 40. The Phariſees deſired Chriſt to rebuke them; But Chriſt anſwered and ſaid, I tell you if theſe ſhould hold their peace, the ſtones woul… immediately …y out. Where, I obſerved Chriſt to deſc… and not to aſcend, he doth not ſay, …f his ſimple and weak diſcip… ſhould neglect …eir teſtimony; th… … Phariſees would cry out; but if his diſciples neglect, the ſtones ſhould, which manifeſts that God loves to chooſe the moſt ſimple and fooliſh things, to reveal his will by.
And then again I found God had not ſo much ingaged by promiſe to reveal himſelf to men, conſidered of ſuch outward and excellent parts, but in Pſalm 25.14. The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant. And Chriſt ſaith in John 15.15. You are my Friends, if you do whatſoever I command you; henceforth I call you not Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth; but I have called you Friends, for all things that I have heard of the Father I have made kno… you. And David ſaith, Thou hast made me wiſer than my teachers, becauſe I have kept thy Commandments. Where the Lord promiſes t…aching principally to ſuch as fear him and conſcienciouſly keep his Commandments, guiding them in Judgement, and in the way that he ſhould chooſe.
Notwithſtanding, I found further Objections in my heart, that though it was not men of parts, and outward Learning; but bab… and ſuc…ings, having their hearts bowed to obedi…; and to the holy fear of God, That God would teach, yet I was ſenſible of ſo much evil in my heart, that I queſtioned whether I might not be miſlead; upon which I was put upon humble and fervent prayers to the Lord to guide and teach me, and to reveal his mind to me, having again reſolutions to ſeek the mind of God in this truth, and great incouragements to believe that God would ſatisfy me, and the rather from my former experience of his goodneſs having ſatisfyed me in many weighty points that I was every way as much unſettled in.
Upon which this Temptation came in afreſh upon me, what need I trouble my ſelf in a point ſo Diſputable, for if by my ſearch and tryall in that matter, I ſhould come to ſee grounds ſwaying in conſcience againſt childrens baptiſm, that then I ſhould be generally diſpiſed, and ſlighted of all the godly in that Countrie, and not only be fruſtrated of Communion and Fellowſhip with them, but muſt exp… to ſuffer impriſonment, confiſcation of goods, it baniſhment at leaſt, which would be my ruin, not knowing where to go, but in the woods amongſt Iulians, and wild beaſts?
Under this Temptation I had a ſore conflict, my evil and treacherous heart reſiſting the bleſſed motions of the Spirit of God, but conſidering that the ground of theſe diſcouraging arguments did ariſe from the fleſh and the Devil, as Peter when he ſaid Pity thy ſelf Maſter, this thing ſhall not be to thee, My Reſolution was as Chriſt ſaith, Get thee behind me Satan, thou ſavourest not the things of God.
Which put me in no ſmall agony or conflict for ſome good ſpace together; but it pleaſed the Lord to ſet that Scripture home upon my heart, Buy the truth, and ſell it not, buy the truth at any rate, but ſell it at no rate, if truth coſt me my life I muſt buy it, though I might have all the favour and friendſhip in the world I muſt not ſell it; this wrought in m… a grounded and ſettled reſolution, that I would ſeek after the mind of God, as well in ſuffering truths, as other, becauſe Chriſt ſaith, He that keeps the word of my patience, I will keep him in the hour of Temptation; apprehending that to be the words of Chriſts patience, he embracing and practizing whereof would bring the croſſe (that is, contempt and hatred from all ſorts of men) I found Chriſt ſaid for this cauſe he was born, and came into the World, to bear witneſs to the truth, theſe things ſatisfyed me, and that from the Lord, that I ought to make diligent ſearch what his mind was in this point.
Hereupon I found the ſpecial preſence of God with me, carrying out my heart to the Lord by Faith and earneſt Prayer to be inſtructed and guided; all which time I was not acquainted with any that oppoſed Chriſtening children, and converſed onelyonly with ſuch as were for that practice; Finding my carnal part to deſire ſatisfaction in Infant-baptiſm: but the more I conferred with, or heard any preach for it, the more was I convinced of the folly and ignorance of that judgment and practice; having heard one man preach fifteen Sermons upon this ſubject, urging that in ſubſtance which many conſiderable Authors had wrote.
I alſo ſearched many Authors who wrote thereof night and day, with much attention, weighing and examining the grounds they urged, many times breaking my ſleep by watching in the night ſeaſon; at the laſt it pleaſed the Lord to reveal his mind to me, ſo that I was enlightened in my underſtanding to ſee anſwers to whatſoever I had heard, the Lord breaking in with, not onelyonly a clear light in me, as to the matter in queſtion, but three daies one after another, coming into my ſoul with ſealing manifeſtations of his Love, and that with ſuch Scriptures ſo pertinent and ſutable to my condition. There being a Warrant at this time iſſued out to apprehend and bring me before the General Court in New England which was no trouble to me, being filled with unſpeakable joy, as I walked up and down in the Woods in that Wilderneſs, about my buſineſſe, and this diſcovery from God did much ſettle me in that truth, which in ſubſtance thou wilt find in this Treatiſe; Upon which God wrought in me a true Repentance, and ſorrow of heart, that I had ſo long both in opinion and practice, gone in ſo ſinfull a way, as I found that to be.
I have not in this Treatiſe gone about to undertake a confutation of any one man, but upon my long experience in this Subject matter, have taken up the main Argument, which is the foundation that all the reſt are grounded upon, and have bent my underſtanding in anſwer to that, which being overthrown, all other Arguments fall with it.
Chriſtian Reader, I judge the clear evidence of Scripture light, which I do hear give out to confirm the Dipping Believers, will be ſufficient to reprove all that darkneſs generally aſſerted in many large Diſcourſes, about this point of chriſtening of children.
But further, That which I have had much in obſervation hath been a great deal of malice and contempt diſcovered from the devil, againſt this truth.
Firſt, In that the Devil did by his ſubtilties and fair pretences in the firſt apoſtacy, ſow this error in the minds of people, that this Ordinance was of uſe to regenerate and convey grace, and then who ſhould be thought unfit to receive it, it had been a great unmercifulneſſe to let children or any be without the ſame.
Thus that ſubtle enemy the Devil, deſtroys Gods Ordinances, and ſets up another of his own in the room thereof, which ſtill remains upon the Papiſts, and generally all our carnal Proteſtants, both Preiſts and people, concluding the dangerous eſtate of that child that dies unbaptized, therfore Midwives on this ground were tolerated to baptize if a child were like to dy, putting ſuch a value theron, as if it had conveyed grace.
But many good men have renounced this, though the devil hath ſhewed his malice in blinding them ſtill to practice the ſame evil, though upon another ground lately found out, and that is the ſubject this book oppoſeth. Others ſee the darkneſs and error of Chriſtening carnal children, upon any ground; but the Devil ſhewes his rage againſt that Ordinance in them, that rather than they will imbrace it as from the Lord, contradict and oppoſe the ſame ſaying, There is no Ordinance or Church to be found in the world. His malice alſo appears in ſuch as boaſt of their being above Ordinances, ſaying, That Chriſt and Ordinances are at end, that dispenſation being for that time or age, but now they have Chriſt in Spirit, the ſubſtance being come, the ſhadows vaniſh.
Thus the Devil ſtrangely appears like himſelf; as if he had forgot his language in the Papiſt and carnal Proteſtant, that this Ordinance regenerated in the very work done, and that the ſalvation or damnation depended upon it; when now in others, what is waſhing or dipping in a little water, but a low or legal thing? So that if the Devils deluſions and inventions are not cloſed withal, then Chriſts Ordinances are vilified and contemned.
And further, Satan manifeſts his malice in throwing contempt upon the obedient and upright practiſers of the ſame, to raiſe prejudices from a ſtory of what ſtrange Creatures were of that opinion at Munſter in Germany, and ſtirs up others to pry into the dark ſide of the Saints, I mean their perſonal frailties, As the Egyptians in the Red Sea, to their own deſtructions; the Cloud was darkneſs to them, but gave light to the Iſraelites, Exo. 14.20. the Egyptians eys were only on the black or dark ſide of the Cloud, therfore they ſtumbled and fell, but the Iſraelites had the light part therof for their ſafety, which is compared to the converſation of the Saints Heb. 12.1. where there is a light part, their graces and virtues, but their dark part is their failings, which malice or prejudice will not ſuffer many men to ſee beyond; For a man that hates his brother walks in darkneſs, as John ſaith; the tempter accuſed Job, That he did not ſerve God for nought, he was hedged about, God had prefer'd him to honour and riches and place of authority in the world, as appears in Job 29. which malice he now adaies manifeſteth againſt the proſperity of his Saints, deſiring to ſtain their holy obedience with improbrious language of ſelf ſeeking and preferment. When the profeſſors of this truth have been the perſons ordinarily ſtoned, and ſuffering the violence of the multitudes, where they have not been protected by godly Magiſtrates.
Chriſtian Friend, do not read this book with a heart prejudiced againſt the ſame for the ſake of the Inſtrument, or plaineſs of the ſtile; it was not intended to pleaſe men, but in faithfulneſs to diſcharge a duty to God from whom I received what I have laid before thee; And to anſwer the call of many Chriſtians, which have been for ſome years paſt neglected, through my indiſpoſedneſs to this work: However, if thou ſhalt by this my weak endeavour reap any ſatisfaction or edification in the truth, let God the Author of every good and perfect gift have the praiſe, which is only due to him, and not to his
Unworthy Servant, THOMAS PATIENT.