Defense of the Lawfulness of Baptizing Infants, Tract · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Containing a diſcovery of the vaine pretence of J. S. of finding Baptiſme now loſt and fallen out of the world, as hee holdeth, in the holy Scriptures of God.
I. S. At the end of pag. 37. ſaith, That the ſubſtance of his former diſcourſe had been about the ſubjects of Baptiſme, in which (if any pleaſe to beleeve his own witneſſe in his owne cauſe) hee hath diſproved the Baptiſme of two ſorts of perſons; Firſt, of beleevers infants; Secondly, the Baptiſme in the defection of Antichriſt, being Baptiſme in infancie alſo: So as like a work-man indeed he hath overthrown the outward Chriſtianity, and relation to Chriſt that way, priviledges of grace, and Saintſhip, and what not; all which are of much concernment every manner of way, unto men; and that of all perſons in the world, onelyonly thoſe few; ſo of late baptized by totall dipping: Is not this Goliah like, and can any marvell that we poore Iſraelites thus ſtripped and left naked, are offended and complain, being ſuch loſers, and turned out of all? Had he any great reaſon to complain as he doth in his Epiſtle, and elſewhere in his book again and againe, as pag. 40. Some have ſo wide mouthes open againſt them that wiſhed them ever well: Well indeed, to unchriſtian them, and to ſtrip them of all relation to Chriſt externally, quit them of all intereſt in the Covenant of God, yea making them as without God in the world, ſo caſting them out, that Epheſ. 2. 12. 1 Sam. 26. 19.they may goe and ſerve other gods: And can he think much that they complaine of wrong: What have they more? He ſaith he will leave them to God, to whom they muſt be accomptable for all their hard words: But what are thoſe hard words; ſurely ſuch as theſe, that they ſay their way and courſe is erroneous, a new invention, having evill conſequences attending of it; that they are light and mutable in their courſes, and very cenſorious; and is all this ſo great a matter and hard to be born: Are not his words, or thoſe of his way farre more eaſie, that condemns all the people and ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt in the world for unbaptized; the courſe and way of all Churches, reformed or ſeparate, as Idolatrous and not of God, only thoſe of his way excepted; though the ſaid perſons or Churches be endued with never ſo lively graces, and walk never ſo ſincerely and uprightly with good conſcience in the way God hath made known to them: But, ſaith he, I leave them to God, to whom they ſhall give account for all their hard words: Surely he forgetteth, and doth not think of the hard cenſures and grievous condemnations, that he, and thoſe of his way give and lay upon all that follow not their erroneous way and courſe.
In way of further complaint, he ſaith, Men doe as the Tyrants did of old: And old ſtory indeed, and ill applyed, but though he be not, he ſaith certain of the truth of it, he is certain that ſome are little better minded, that labour to cover the godly with ſuch filth as they vomit out of their ſelf-ſick ſtomacks: To all which I ſay its more eaſie to ſee a moat in anothers eye, then a beam in their own; how doth J. S. and thoſe of his way cover the godly, and the Churches of Chriſt with the filth of their vomit which they caſt forth, and yet he wipeth his mouth as innocent, and wonderfully as we ſee complaineth of others, that have more cauſe to complaine of him, for he can lay heavie burthens and grievous to be born, making men no Chriſtiant, no Churches of Chriſt, but Synagogues of Satan, of the world, Antichriſtians, Idolaters, and what not; all which men muſt bear, though never ſo innocent: but now the leaſt of theſe he will not indure to touch with his finger, but he cryeth out bitterly; but as their dealing is unequall in this, even ſo it is in other things. But now to return and leave this digreſſion.
In pag. 38. he telleth us, That this falling out ſo: How is that? That that the Baptiſme of all perſons and Churches in the world (thoſe few of his way excepted) being void and null, an Idoll, and none of Chriſts. It followeth, ſaith he, that we are now to ſeek for the Lords true Baptiſme. This is ſure a wonderfull caſe indeed, that the Baptiſme of Chriſt ſhould be thus loſt, and fallen out of the world. Now, ſaith he, in a caſe ſo difficult as ſome would make it, two things in ſpeciall are to be inquired into: Firſt, How, or where to finde it. Secondly, how it may be obtained, being found.
For the firſt: If any Ordinance be ſo deceaſed and loſt, as we do not know where it is afoot in Gods way in the world: (a rare caſe) Baptiſme is thus loſt and deceaſed in his opinion) ſo as thoſe that find themſelves unbaptized, may be made partakers of it. What are they to do? They are to go to Chriſt and his Apoſtles as the godly then did. But I ſay Chriſt & his Apoſtles have left the world, and are in heaven: I but, ſaith he, That is to the Scriptures, which are the lively Oracles of God. Anſ. And ſo they were when Chriſt and the Apoſtles were on the earth. The ſpirit, ſaith he, ſpeaking in them to a beleever. Anſw. They ſtand in the place of Chriſt for advice and counſell, and ſo they did then, for both our Lord and the Apoſtles ſent us to them, and ſpake nothing but according to them. But what of this? Truly nothing to the purpoſe, nor yet that which is added: Namely, That they have ability to furniſh a man of faith with all truth, as the Scriptures quoted, compared together, will prove. To which, I ſay, they do eaſily and fully prove the ſame, and there were never any that held the perfection of the Scriptures, that did deny the ſame: yet is J. S. never the nearer for all his pains in multiplying expreſſions to make the matter ſeem ſomething; when indeed it is nothing at all to purpoſe: For, To the Law and the Teſtimony we are to go: And in Eſay 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1, 19.difficult caſes, To take heed to the Word, as to a Light that enlighteneth in darkneſſe.
Now firſt, I ſay, the Scripture giveth no light at all concerning ſuch a ceſſation of the Church and Ordinances: Nay, it is againſt the light of the Scriptures to beleeve any ſuch thing, Jeſus Chriſt having ſaid, That hell gates ſhall not prevail againſt his Church; and Matth. 16. Matth. 28. 20.having alſo promiſed his preſence for preſervation and continuation for ever.
Secondly, I ſay, it is but directively, that the Scriptures do furniſh men in all caſes; now their direction in this caſe, it is to the Church, 2 Tim. 3. 17, 18.and to the miniſtery of man, for the enjoying, and being made partakers of the holy Ordinances of God.
The holy Scriptures of old in a like manner ſtood in the ſtead of Moſes and the Prophets in a ſenſe: And yet the heathen were to repair to Jeruſalem for the Ordinances as they did; and did not act Eſay 8. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Chro. 6. 32.them themſelves with the help of the Law: The Scriptures in a ſenſe ſtood in the ſtead of Chriſt and the Apoſtles; yet the people muſt go to John; yea, our Lord himſelf, that he might fulfill righteouſneſſe, Matth. 3. 15.muſt go to him: Cornelius muſt ſend for Peter; Paul muſt Act. 10. 32. Act. 9. 10.have Ananias; and ſo ſuch as attain the knowledge of the truth, they are to go to the Church and Miniſtery of man, appointed of God; and ſo that way to be added to the Church, and made partakers of the holy Ordinances of God: for it is moſt certain, the Act. 2. 47.Scriptures act nothing, neither can they: they onelyonly direct in righteouſneſſe, 2 Tim. 3. 16.their directions is always as aforeſaid, and no otherwiſe.
Thirdly, I ſay, it is not true that the Scriptures are in the ſtead of the holy Miniſtery, ordained by God: The Scriptures were not in the ſtead of the Prieſts, in caſe of Sauls ſacrificing, nor in Ʋzzia the King his burning incenſe, to inable them to do as they did: 1 Sam. 13. 12.The Scriptures were not in ſtead of circumciſed Jews unto the Heathen to inable them, or make them capable of building the Temple: 2 Chron. 26. 17, 18.They were not in ſtead of John Baptiſt to our Lord: They were not in ſtead of Peter to Cornelius and his friends. As it is not in ſtead of Ezra 4. 3. Matth. 3. 15. Acts 10. 32.Chriſt, the Apoſtles, or holy Miniſtery to an unbaptized perſon or perſons to inable them warrantably to Baptize, and ſo without Commiſſion to raiſe this Ordinance a new, ſo loſt and deceaſed out of the world, according to his opinion.
The Scriptures which he quoteth, I ſhall ſet down, and they are theſe, 2 Tim. 3. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Rom. 16. 25, &c. Now I appeal to the indifferent Reader whether theſe Scriptures, all, or any of them, are any other then directive.
Again, whether their direction, it be not to a precedent Stative Church, and miniſtery of man, appointed by God, as formerly under Moſes and the Prophets; ſo in this latter diſpenſation, under Chriſt and the Apoſtles, as is before declared.
Laſtly, whether theſe Scriptures, or any of theſe, or all of theſe, compared together, do give direction to a perſon unbaptized himſelf to baptize either himſelf or others: and whether they do not rather teſtifie againſt ſuch uſurpation of Gods holy things, and running before they be ſent, in thus doing a thing that never came into Jerem. 23. 21.the minde of God, much leſſe did he require it at their hands:Jerem. 32. 35.
J. S. proceedeth, and ſaith, By all which we ſee, that all things are contained in the Scriptures.
Anſw. Yea, in the way of direction, and therefore ſuch practices as are without the direction of the Scripture, are unwarrantable, ſuch as is their caſting away as Null their preſent Baptiſme, becauſe of ſome corruptions that did attend it; and beginning it again with greater corruptions; namely, by an unbaptized perſon, without Commiſſion, acting of it.
Here he addeth many good words in commendation of the Scriptures; As containing all things concerning faith and obedience, as being the Propheticall mouth of Chriſt, to which all muſt repair unto; and all Doctrines and practices muſt be tryed by; and an Angell from heaven is not to be beleeved, but as they ſpeak according to it. All which is directive, as I ſaid before: And what then? Truly nothing: Though he go over the ſame matter again, with ſome different expreſſions: and ſome of them improper; carrying a ſhew of favouring his conceit, and what he would have: As where he ſaith, The Scriptures is the onelyonly place: How is this proper, or true, unleſſe he mean in a directive way? Where any Ordinance of God, in caſe aforeſaid, that is, of ceſſation, and loſſe of being again, when, or whereſoever any of theſe (meaning) Ordinances of God, cannot be found: (What then?) We are, ſaith he, to go to the Scriptures directly, and recover the ſame again, as Cant. 1. 7. Eſay 8. 19, 20.
Anſw. All this is but the ſame over again, we are to go to the Scripture for direction, (if the caſe were ſo) the Scripture directing, and not acting, as Eſay 8. 19, 20. the Church acting according to that direction, and therefore perſons are ſent thither, according to that Cant. 1. 7. alleadged, which is according to the direction of Scripture, which alwayes ſendeth men to the Church in ſuch caſes: ſo as in this copiouſneſſe, he doth but puzzle his Reader to make him beleeve what he is never able to prove.
He proceedeth, ſaying: Thus having found out the place or ſubject, (very improper expreſſions) Is not the Scripture the ground and foundation of all Ordinances in a directive way? Did ever any Chriſtian queſtion it, much leſſe deny it? That he ſhould with often going over the ſame, and with ſuch improper expreſſions, and far fetches ſeek to make it appear as a diſcovery of truth not known, or at leaſt not aſſented unto: ſure he had ſome further drift in it then ordinary.
In the next place he ſaith; It is to be known how they that want it may come orderly by it; For, ſaith he, though God hath joyned his Word and Ordinances together, yet he hath injoyned an orderly way for his people to come to injoy them.
Anſw. I would fain know to what end all the former matter ſerveth, if ſo be God require an orderly way: for, as I ſaid before, there is none that deny the Scriptures, in a directive way, to be the ground and foundation of all Ordinances. J. S. might have ſpared his labour, for it was to as much purpoſe as for a man to prove there is a Sun in the firmament; which all grant.
In this it had been far better for him to have made full diſcovery, how they that (in ſuch a caſe) want it, may come orderly by it; in as much as God requireth this. And ſurely, if God require an orderly way, J. S. and others of his way, will yet remain in a great ſtrait; and will finde it a matter more eaſie to caſt away an Ordinance (as they have done their Baptiſme) for the diſorder and corruption that did attend it then in an orderly way to obtain the ſame again: for certainly, the Scriptures, according to what before is ſet forth, direct to a precedent Church, and Miniſtery of man, ordained of God, and ſent as John was: And if not a Chriſt, a Moſes, or Elias, or Prophet from heaven, the blinde Jews could John 1. 25.ſee it to be unlawfull for any other.
How will he do now? He is but where he was, an orderly way according to God is neceſſary; there being no gathered Church to be found remaining, no, not baptized perſons to be found, nor any Prophets ſent from God, according as his judgement is: What will he do, or what courſe will he preſcribe? He conceiveth this orderly way is onelyonly in and hy the Church (I had thought he would have rather ſaid in the Scriptures, for to me it ſeemeth he hath unſaid all he ſaid before) wherein is the power of Chriſt, he ſaith, to ſet on foot his Ordinances: So, as it ſeemeth, now it is not in the Scriptures, (as before he indeavoured to make his Reader believe.) But in the Church of God, ſo as we are not, as he ſaid before, to go directly to the Scriptures, but we are to go to the Church of God. But now this is the caſe with J. S. and thoſe of his way, there is no Church remaining in the world to be found, how then will he do? to help now at a dead lift, they will make a Church, that they may make Ordinances anew, and be the ſpouſe of Chriſt whether he will or no, I ſuppoſe greater arrogancy cannot be ſhewed in Babylon. But let us ſee how they will do it, thus ſaith he, When God is pleaſed to take a people to himſelf, and by the power of his truth to unite them to his Son, and ſo in an orderly hody among themſelves.
Anſw. Now this ſuppoſed orderly gathered Church, pretended (after the manner of the Church of Rome) to be Gods: conſiſteth of perſons unbaptized. Now I would hear minde J. S. of his firſt Argument againſt Infants Baptiſme; namely, that which hath neither precept nor example in Scripture is unlawfull; let him or any of his way ſhew an example of a unbaptized Church, ſince Baptiſme was on foot in the World, or any command from God for perſons unbaptized to congregate and aſſume, for ſo he after ſpeaketh, to become a Church, indeed it may be ſaid preſume, for it is without all doubt, great preſumption, and a doing that God never ſpake to any to do, but the contrary, namely, to repaire to the Church before gathered, and by him made partakers of his Ordinances in a right way, there to be added and made partakers of the Ordinances with them.
J. S. ſaith further, When it pleaſed God to take a people to himſelf, &c.
Anſw. When God is pleaſed to take a people to himſelf in ſuch a way, there alwaies was new diſcoveries of his will, new grants of favour, there were new ſignes and miracles, there were Prophets and men ſent immediately to declare his good pleaſure: as appeareth firſt in the caſe of Abraham, after in the example of Moſes, and that people: and laſt of all in the caſe of Chriſt and the Gen: 15. 17, 18. Exod. 19. 16. Heb. 2. 4.Apoſtles, when not the Jewes only, but the Gentiles, were drawn to God, By ſignes and miracles and divers gifts, he gave confirmation to his pleaſure, as of old he had done.
But alas, here is no ſuch thing attending this ſuppoſed gathering of ſuch people to God, for indeed the gathering is of another nature, and anſwerable to Gods gathering of his people in ſome other caſes more ordinary. As namely, his gathering of them out of captivity of old, when they were in Babylon, or his gathering them out of apoſtacy and defection, under Jeroboam or the like: figures of this ſpirituall captivity and apoſtacy of Babylon now. But as then there were no new beginnings of Ordinances, no new Circumciſion; nor any ſignes or miracles for confirmation of their returne and gathering to the Lord: Even ſo the caſe being a like, there is no new beginnings of Church and Baptiſme, which would require as heretofore, ſuch like confirmation. And certainly, if the return and gathering of Gods people to himſelf, were any other then according to thoſe gatherings from captivity and apoſtacy of old, I ſay, ſurely if there were ſuch a new taking of people, and raiſing of them as is pretended, God would have manifeſted his pleaſure as of old, by ſignes and miracles, or at leaſt by perſons ſent from heaven for the buſineſſe, as John was.
J. S. further ſaith, Such a people ſo gathered and conſtituted, have right to all the priviledges ordained and appointed by God for their mutuall comfort and well-being.
Anſw. Juſt as Cornelius and his friends had, or might have had, in the like caſe, without Peter, whoſe Miniſtery they muſt make uſe of, he being authorized of God to the worke, and they directed of God to him, and not bidden to do it themſelves.
Now this he pretendeth to prove from certain Scriptures, as Rom. 8. 17. 1 Cor. 21. 22, 23. Anſw. For that in the Romans it is marvellous he ſhould think that to be a proof: I ſay firſt, that was ſpoken of the Church of the Romans, that were gathered by Chriſt, and waſhed with his waſhing in an orderly way, by ſuch as were not only baptized, but had authority to baptize others, they were Gods Church indeed, of whom glorious things are ſpoken. But what is this to perſons unbaptized, pretending to be a Church, and to be gathered by God, when they cannot ſhew the leaſt warrant for it.
Againe, it ſpeaketh of heirs, now may heires, becauſe heires, and ſo every heire of Chriſt, act Ordinances of ſo high a nature, becauſe heires; ſure they, as obedient children muſt ſerve God in an orderly way, and not in ſuch a confuſed courſe, as that upon the pretence of heirſhip, young as well as old, yea, women alſo might do it, for They are all one in Chriſt. Nay, which is more, though unbaptized, and ſo the Eunuch, or Cornelius and his friends, needed Gal. 3. 28.not Philip or Peter, but might have done it themſelves. I ſuppoſe this Scripture, any one that hath but common reaſon in him, will ſee it is to no purpoſe at all.
But that other happily may ſtand him in ſtead, and the ſcope of that is to declare the intereſt of Chriſts Church to all things, according to the Scriptures direction, alwaies provided. And what then? then people may make themſelves the Church of Chriſt, or pretend at leaſt ſo to be: and then they are ſo intereſſed forthwith in all things. The Romiſh Church can make as large claim as they in this matter, and ſpeak as much for themſelves: ſurely, if perſons in earthly caſes could do the like, there would not be a few found in ſuch claimes and pretences, but they would by wiſe men, be thought ſitter for Bedlam then any place elſe. In further anſwer, I ſay, that was ſpoken of the Church of Corinth, and ſo is true of all other Churches, gathered and inſtated by Chriſt in an orderly way, by ſuch means and inſtruments as had authority from him. But what is this to perſons that want this jnſtating, by ſuch inſtruments in ſuch a way: Truly no more then it could for thoſe that called themſelves Jewes and were not, or then it would have availed Rev. 3. 9.the Heathen of old, to have injoyed the priviledges with the Jewes in Gods holy things, in particular, of building the Temple, to whom it was told, it was not for them to build, &c. It cannot be imagined, that ſuch large priviledges ſhould, according to due order, Eſr. 4. 3.appertain to ſuch; the Scripture being wholly ſilent concerning their right: It is but uſurpation for ſuch to challenge ſuch a condition, of being called to be Chriſts Church, as it was in them that ſaid, they were Apoſtles, and were not, as theſe in like kinde are Rev. 2. 2.not the Churches of Chriſt, rightly gathered and conſtituted, whatever they pretend to be; I ſuppoſe it will alſo appear to the Reader, that this Scripture ſerveth nothing at all to purpoſe in the matter in hand.
But J. S. ſuppoſing to have made ſome proofe in the aforeſaid matter, ſaith, that by vertue of this union they have with their head Chriſt, the body thus joyntly conſidered, hath the power and authority of Chriſt within themſelves, to chuſe or make uſe of any one or more of her members, as occaſioa offers, to adminiſter Baptiſme upon the whole body, and ſo upon themſelves in the firſt place as a part of the ſame: This is the great concluſion drawn from the former premiſes; but it is onelyonly ſaid; for alas, that before is no proofe at all of the matter; what precept or example is there in the Scripture for the warrant of this, certainly none at all, for this is unwritten tradition; and I dare ſay, as pure popery as any can be: for men thus to faine caſes, and then to give authority in ſuch caſes as the holy Scripture is altogether ſilent in.
But ſaith he further, if any pleaſe to take his word for it, ſuch may be as truly ſaid to be ſent and authorized by Chriſt (thus as of old, by Chriſt in his humane body; even ſo now in his divine and ſpirituall body: that is, this unbaptized company pretending to be a Church: Now I marvell whether there be any ſo ſimple as to beleeve ſuch doctrine as this; that a company of unbaptized perſons are Chriſts divine and ſpirituall body; and that ſo, as what they order perſons to doe in the matter of ordinances in particular of Baptiſme, though it doe not concurre with the Scriptures; is as true and reall a miſſion and as full authority as the holy Apoſtles had that were ſent of Chriſt himſelfe; and beſide, that ſuch high termes of divine and ſpirituall ſhould be proper to this fained body; and onelyonly the term humane, ſhould belong to Chriſts perſon, when he was manifeſt in the world; it is ſure very much; and at leaſt ſheweth plainly how wonderfully hee is conceited of his owne Idea.
This ſtrange doctrine he will prove by a reaſon thus; Whereſoever a Church doth riſe in her true conſtitution: I aske from whence is this riſing, from the bottomleſſe pit: I never heard of Hieruſalem, Revel. 19. 2.but comming down from heaven: But Babylon, and this little Teret of it, may riſe happily from the earth. Againe, in her true conſtitution, I ſay, it is likely to be a very true conſtitution without Baptiſme. There he ſaith, are her ordinances; Yes, but in an orderly way they muſt be acted; it is not for Saul to ſacrifice: But ſaith he, there is power alſo to adminiſter the ſame: but ſure, not without right or lawfull inſtruments, God is the God of Order. But the 1 Cor. 14. 37.reaſon that killeth all dead before it, and concludeth the matter fully, is this, That where a thing is wanting, there muſt be of neceſſity a beginning to reduce the thing again into being; this is the concluſion of all. And is not J. S. come to a faire Haven after his ſore travell and great hazzard. Neceſſity hath no law. But where is that due order, and orderly way of ſeeking of God which he before ſpake of? Truly it is a ſad caſe, that any by their erroneous judgement and following their own way, ſhould bring themſelves into ſuch a ſnare or ſtraight, and then plead neceſſity to doe that which is not lawfull for them, and think neceſſity will beare them out. Diſobedient Saul, by his evill courſe, had brought himſelfe into a great ſtraight, whereupon he adventured to doe that which did 1 Sam. 13. 12.not appertain to him to doe; but for all he pleaded neceſſity it would not ſerve his turne, for he was told by the Prophet from the Lord, That hee had done fooliſhly, and that to obey was better then ſacrifice.v. 13.
Thus ſaith he, I have ſhewed my judgement, that if Baptiſme be wanting where it is to be had, namely in the holy Scriptures. Secondly, how from thence to be obtained, by Gods calling an unbaptized people into an holy fellowſhip with Chriſt, from whom (though unbaptized) they have power to aſſume as a Church; ſo the Ordinance of Baptiſme upon themſelves.
Now courteous Reader, this is the ſum of the matter, conſider of it, and ſee if it be not a faire judgement and well grounded, and whether thou canſt judge this to be any other then Popiſh divinitie, which the Romaniſt can ſay in the like kind for their courſe; for cannot they ſay as much for making Chriſts reall body in the Euchariſt, by hoc eſt corpus meum, as theſe can ſay for making his divine and ſpirituall body, as they call it; for they pretend the Scriptures as theſe doe, they aſſume to themſelves ſuch a ſtate, to be Chriſts Church; and to have ſuch power in what they doe, even as theſe doe; but truly, as theirs is onelyonly pretended, and not reall; Even ſo in like is this, meerely faigned and not otherwiſe.
But he ſaith, he will cleare up this matter; (Indeed it needs clearing, for it is yet very dark and ſmoakie) this hee will doe, by ſhewing the manner of the aforeſaid Conſtitution in the cauſes of it: How will he doe it? in pag. 40. by ſaying over again what he had ſaid again and again before; namely, that the Scriptures, remaining in the place of the Apoſtles for us to have recourſe unto, and ſerve as the mouth of Chriſt: Alas this is but a poore clearing, for this is onelyonly in a directive way, as before I noted. And what then? The Scriptures being ſo; truly nothing at all. Yes, ſaith he, as the Apoſtles did before the Scriptures were written; To which I ſay, there were Scriptures before the Apoſtles, to which the Apoſtles had an eye and regard, and directed others to doe the like: The holy Apoſtles they acted Ordinances of Religion preaching, breaking bread, and baptizing. The Scripture acts nothing, neither can they: ſurely Act. 2. 42.this is a poore clearing; we will minde the Scriptures hee here quoteth, Matth. 28. 20. 2 Pet. 19. 20, 21. Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8. In anſwer, I will not tire my ſelfe and the Reader; certainly no man can imagine any thing more then direction from that full and perfect rule of the Scriptures, as gatherable from thoſe places of Scripture, which as before I ſaid none deny, let him but call to mind what he ſaid of an orderly way which God requireth, and how that is as he conceiveth by the Church; and then let him tell mee if hee can to what purpoſe theſe Scriptures are, or that which followeth; that as the Lords people conferred with the Prophets and Apoſtles about their great affaires, ſo have the Lords people now, Moſes and the Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles in their writings, as Luk. 16. 29. And what then, truly nothing (it is but for direction as before) nor yet that which further followeth in this clearing matter of the conſtituting cauſes; which are, ſaith he, with the ſpirit of life in them, as effectuall as their perſonall preſence, if not more.
Anſw. Stay a while, the matter is ſure otherwiſe, for this effectuallneſſe, if it were granted, is but directive. But it is not wholly granted, for that the Apoſtles were men inſpired and ſent of God to declare his will, they were a ſaving meanes of good to men; and God in his good pleaſure, as a double mercy, gave his Word, and ſent his Apoſtles and Prophets; ſure I take it, it muſt needs follow, that if the Scriptures were as effectuall without the Apoſtles (and rather more) then with them; then God gave the Apoſtles in vaine, and the Churches were great loſers by their perſonall preſence; but the truth is otherwiſe, as is moſt manifeſt: The Scripture (with the Spirit of life in them) act nothing, but onelyonly direct and furniſh men how to act according to the will of God, in an orderly way, according to what hee holdeth.
For proofe of what before he affirmed of the effectualneſſe of the Scripture, he quoteth, Joh. 6. 62. 2 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Revel. 11. 3, 5, 11.
Anſw. That in John, ſpeaketh of Chriſt aſcending where he was before, how this ſhould prove any thing is beyond my thoughts, I will ſay nothing, but leave the Reader to judge of it. That place of Peter is of the ſure direction of the Word in dark, and our doing well to take heed to it. That in the Revelation is of the two witneſſes; a thing too myſterious to be a proofe in this caſe.
I ſuppoſe J. S. will not hold himſelfe to be one of thoſe witneſſes, nor he, with others of his way, to be both thoſe witneſſes there ſpoken of. I will ſay no more but leave the Reader to judge whether theſe Scriptures doe prove that the holy Scriptures with the Spirit of life in them (as he is pleaſed to ſay) are in ſtead of the Apoſtles perſonally ſent of God with power to act ordinances; or whether they in the caſe of the Ordinances diſpenſing in an orderly way, are as much or more effectuall then the Apoſtles perſonally that were ſent of Chriſt for that end, who did not ſend the Scriptures, as in the caſe of the Eunuch, but Philip; and in the caſe of Cornelius, Peter, as in thoſe and the like inſtances may be ſeen.
He proceedeth, and in full concluding of this matter, ſaith, and thus all ſucceſſion (what phraſe have we here) from the beginning came to Chriſt. (Of what ſpeakes hee now, of Ordinances?) I had thought all Ordinances had ever proceeded from him, he being ever the Lord of the Church, and ſure he meaneth the Ordinances; namely, thoſe ordained of old under Abraham, and Moſes, and the Prophets; theſe laſted & continued to the coming of Chriſt into the world, the ſubſtance indeed of thoſe ſhadows; ſo his ſenſe may be good. From Chriſt, he ſaith, to the Apoſtles; from the Apoſtles to the Scriptures: This is pure non-ſenſe, if I miſtake not; and beſide, I aske him where is that orderly way he told us of, and how is the caſe now according to 1 Cor. 3. by him alleadged for the Authority of an unbaptized Church; Doth he not by this diſcent ſeclude them from all, rather then inright them to any ſuch authorite; happily he will ſay, Oh from the Scriptures to us; very good: But firſt, how from Chriſt to the Apoſtles? Did Chriſt our Lord preferre the Apoſtles before his beloved Spouſe for whom he gave himſelfe? I alwayes took the Apoſtles as the ſervants of the Church for Chriſts ſake. Secondly, did the Ordinances 2 Cor. 4. 5.proceed from Chriſt to the perſons of the Apoſtles; or to their office as Apoſtles; So as when they in regard either of perſon or office left the world, it deſcended to the Scripture; certainly, the right and intereſt of the Scriptures was the ſame before the death and ceſſation of the Apoſtles as after; and the Scriptures gained no legacie by ſuch friends, unleſſe a ſealing to the truth and full authority of their direction: ſo from the Scriptures to us: a wonderfull matter, a very fair Ring, from the Scriptures to the Scriptures, and ſo to us, juſt nothing but a ſhew of words without matter.
Further he ſaith, That all ſucceſſion is now ſpirituall: So it ſeemeth he holdeth it was carnall before, when it was from Abraham to Moſes, from Moſes to Chriſt and the Apoſtles, and ſo to the Scriptures; and now it is from the Scriptures to us, it is ſpirituall; a rare conceit. He ſaith, it is now according to faith; whether he mean faith of miracles, or what elſe, is hard to ſay; but it mattereth not much, for he is beſide the Scriptures, and walking in ſome other field. It followeth not, ſaith he, the perſonall ſucceſſion of any, but onelyonly the Word of God.
Anſw. Sure J. S. ſpeaketh in a ſtrange tongue, he is never able to make out his ſenſe, that ſucceſſion follows the Word, the Word being immoveable, and that which abideth for ever, and hath no place for ſucceſſion, though he thus ſpeaketh he know not what. And the word of God, he ſaith, giveth being to all Order and Ordinances: It doth give being of direction and warrant, declaring what is good and lawfull, and what not: It acts nothing: God requireth an orderly way, and that is by the Church.
Now, courteous Reader, do but ſeriouſly conſider how J. S. hath cleared the way of raiſing and beginning again Baptiſme loſt and fallen out of the world, as he beleeveth: and how he hath removed the difficulties in the way, which he ealleth clouds that darken the skie: See if thou do not yet finde it very dark and cloudy as ever, and never the clearer for all the labour and pains he hath taken; and whether his labour and travell herein hath been to any more purpoſe then the waſhing of the Blackmoore.
For firſt of all: Whereas he referreth thee to the Scriptures, as the Succeſſours of the Apoſtles in his opinion: Firſt, Thou ſeeſt the Scriptures were before the Apoſtles, and the Apoſtles themſelves were guided by them.
Secondly, That the Scriptures are onelyonly directive, and act nothing at all, neither can they: and beſide, they do not direct to any ſuch courſe as the conſtituting an unbaptized Church, or authorizing unbaptized perſons to baptize.
Thirdly, Thou ſeeſt what great cauſe of doubt and queſtion there is, according to his opinion, whether theſe Scriptures be the Scriptures of God, and whether they have not loſt their being, having been ſo long in Babylon, and in the hands of Antichriſtians; eſpecially if it be minded that they were by Antichriſtians tranſlated into our native Tongue: their tranſlating muſt needs make them Antichriſtian, and to be rejected as falſe, as well as their Baptiſme. Where will J. S. be then (do thou but think) for the raiſing a new his Church and Baptiſme, which I would wiſh him and thoſe of his way to conſider of well.
But then in the ſecond place; God being to be ſought as he holdeth in an orderly way, according to what he hath declared as his judgement, and this orderly way being by the Church rightly gathered and conſtituted, to whom Chriſt hath committed the power.
Conſider, good Reader, in the firſt place, that if the Scriptures be not Antichriſtian, (as his opinion inforceth) that they have in them no ground or warrant by any example or precept for ſuch an unbaptized Church, neither can ſuch a ſuppoſed Church be orderly conſtituted, or the proceed thereof orderly, the Scripture being wholly ſilent concerning any ſuch thing: This conceit of ſo making Chriſts Church, and ſo making Baptiſme; being a meer Popiſh Tenent, and the proceed therin like unto theirs in ſuch like caſes: So as this Ordinance of Chriſts Baptiſme, being, according to his opinion, deſtroyed in Babylon, and there being no orderly Church of Chriſt in earth to be found, as he holdeth: nor no Chriſt, Moſes, Eliah, or Prophet from heaven appearing: nor yet any that by Signes and Miracles can prove the truth of their Miſſion; I conceive it neceſſarily followeth, and I willingly leave all men free to judge of it. That J. S. is yet, for all his clearing, in a great ſtraight, and under a dark cloud; out of, and from under which, he will not be able to get, unleſſe he do as Saul did, make bold to do that which is unwarrantable; and ſo running before he be ſent, and doing that which God never ſpake any word about; the which he ſhall do well to take further knowledge of.