Calebs Inheritance in Canaan, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Relating to the Adminiſtrator anſwered.
HAving examined the Doctrine and foundation let us come to ſurvey the building to ſee what work is made there; he goes to open and explain what is meant by baptiſm, and ſo leads us to a new Text, which indeed uſually leads the Van Argument: but is here brought in as a prop to uphold the Doctrine before raiſed, Mat. 28.18. From which two places he hath ingaged to run through the whole Controverſie of Baptiſm in four Eſſentials by him ſo called,
1. The Miniſter
2. The Form
3. The Name into which
4. The Subject.
All which being laid down as ſo many Eſſentials, if any one be wanting, the baptiſm in his ſenſe is made null and void: we are therefore come to examine theſe ſeveral heads, and firſt the Miniſter or Adminiſtrator: p. 6. preaching Diſciples go ye therefore, but when he afterwards comes to explain his meaning, who they are, he ſpeaks thus, That Diſciple that can bring down God to the ſoul, and the ſoul up to God, is a lawful Miniſter of baptiſm.] I ſhall therefore a little ſearch into this unheard of qualification, according to the place by him quoted; firſt the perſons ſpoken of, had an immediate Commiſſion from Chriſt. Go ye therefore: Secondly, The perſons ſent were Apoſtles; men in Office, men of Gifts, for the work; Go teach all Nations, baptiſing, ſuch they were that baptized in a way of office, power, and authority; And becauſe theſe, therefore every man that undertakes to preach by a Gift, either occaſionally or intentively not having any Commiſſion or Call thereto may baptize: is this any lawful deduction, or rather is it not the way to deſtroy the Miniſtry? by this rule, if there be twenty in the Church of which this Author is a labourer, or Miniſter, that can preach (or talk rather) as well as himſelf, they ſhall therefore take his power of adminiſtring theſe Seals out of his hands. When as both he, and they are bound to deſiſt from any ſuch actions until they are duly and ſolemnly admitted into an office that capacities them for the work; And the contrary is condemned by the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 12. Are all Apoſtles, are all Prophets, are all Paſtors and Teachers, &c. And therefore God hath ſet every member in the Church to be uſeful to the body in his due place: as are the members of the natural body, and not one to intrude upon the other. Conſider further
Secondly, If that be all the qualification required for the adminiſtration of Sacraments before mentioned, then may a woman be a lawful adminiſtrator; for though the title of preaching Diſciples reaches onelyonly to the Males: yet that kind of explanation will reach females. What if ſuch a one as Priſcilla, who was a Diſciple, ſhould amongſt many of her own Sex, be an inſtrument to convert ſome to the Faith? I hope it cannot be denyed but ſhe brings down God to the ſoul, is it therefore lawful for her to baptize? there muſt therefore ſuch a reſtriction be put upon the words, as confines them to perſons in office, or elſe we are like to come to a ſtrange kind of Reformation at laſt. But indeed this kind of qualification, though the full current of the words are rough and harſh; yet may it well ſuit with their practice, for though they lay much weight upon the thing it ſelf, called the Ordinance: yet are they very looſe in this which he calls an Eſſential, namely the Adminiſtrator, for if the Paſtor or Officer be abſent, or ſick (but uſually they have neither) if the people do but deſire ſuch a brother to baptize and give the Sacraments, although it be but for a day, this is lookt upon as a ſufficient warrant to make ſuch a perſon fit for the work, and thus the practice thereof ſhall run in the vein of Diſcipleſhip, one baptiſing the other, which is expreſly againſt the very nature of the Ordinance, and all Scripture examples and preſidents. Look upon John the Baptiſt a Prophet, a man ſent by God, the Diſciples of Chriſt, all by himſelf called and Commiſſioned: and ſo they were to adminiſter baptiſm in a way of Office to the end of the world, and not onelyonly the Apoſtles, but their ſucceſſors alſo, Paſtors, Teachers. Which are as well given to the Church, as the Apoſtles, Prophers, & Evangeliſts, Eph. 4.11. and do and ſhall continue ſo long as the Commiſſion remains till the worlds end: had it been given equally alike to all the Church Diſciples, he would not have ſingled out perſons in Office: ſo Philip an Evangeliſt called by a voice from Heaven, Ananias called by a viſion from God Act 9.
Obj. But Baptiſm is an Ordinance that belongs to the Church, and it is in their power to give the keys as they ſhall judge fit.
Anſw. The Church can do nothing againſt the truth, but for the truth: nothing without the rule. If granted that all the males have their votes, yet the adminiſtration of the keys lies in the Office or Angels power, for adminiſtration of the Seals Rev. 21.12. Ezek. 44.5, 11. Thirdly, Conſider yet further how ſhall we know who is enabled to bring down God to the ſoul, and the ſoul up to God? Converſion is an act of Grace▪ and not in the Creatures power; and though a Miniſter may be truly called to the work by God and man: yet we know the word may not work for many years, but like ſeed, may lie hid in the ground, yet, muſt not this man baptize any, by this rule, though converted by others, becauſe the ſucceſs of his own labour lies hid, ſo as that he is not able to ſay he hath been inſtrumental in that kind to the ſouls of his hearers.
In pag. 7. He ſtrikes down our Miniſtry at a blow, and indeed oppoſeth diametrically what before he affirmed: That though a Miniſter do preach ſo as to convert, and bring down God to the ſoul, yet if he be ignorant of this practice of dippping, which he calls the true way of diſpenſing the Ordinance and a fundamental: he is no juſtifiable Miniſter, that in ſtead of dipping ſhall ſprinkle carnal ignorant Children. By which we may ſee that the foundation of a true Miniſtry in his ſenſe, lies more in the water then in converſion: For he denies any true Goſpel Miniſtry, but thoſe of his own ſtamp. So that when the Apoſtle Paul affi…ms the truth of his Miniſtry was evidenced by that Seal, the ſeal of my Apoſtleſhip are ye in the Lord, 1 Cor. 9.2. This Author would have it run The ſeal of a juſtifiable Miniſter, are ye in the water: and thus he deſtroys not onelyonly the preſent Miniſtry of Chriſt in this world: but alſo that of the Apoſtles themſelves. For as I ſhall afterwards prove, they were all ſtrangers to this practice of dipping, their manner being by pouring water on the ſubject: If Jeſus Chriſt ſhall then juſtifie our preſent Miniſtry in ſealing their labors, it is too bold an act for a man of ſuch a feeble practice to condemn them. Thus the Reader may ſee his reſult on both hands; when the Argument is brought againſt our practice: then no man is a luſtifiable Miniſter, except he know how to plunge, and doth ſo practice, when he comes to ſhew what a lawful adminiſtrator is in his ſenſe, then he that can bring down the ſoul to God: ſo that we may from hence ſee, what a Babel Miniſtry this man of contradictions would ſet up in the world: If I ſhould here ask the Author of this new Baptiſm, under what Miniſtry he was converted, no doubt but his anſwer would be very favourable to thoſe, whom he here oppoſeth. Remember then your third Doctrine; That 'tis the diſpoſition of ſuch, that have the beginning of ſaving light, to deſire more; and that from them whom God hath ſpoken to their ſouls by: Or elſe you may queſtion whether you have any light at all. But becauſe 'tis to ſpeak a word for the truth, in oppoſing error, let me therefore return him Talion Law.
1. He that takes the Covenant of Grace for a Covenant of Works, can be no Goſpel Miniſter, becauſe ignorant of the Goſpel in the fundamentals thereof.
2. He that affirms a Believer at one time may be under two Covenants of Works and Grace, he is no Miniſter of the Goſpel.
3. He that denies the extent of the Covenant of Grace to be as large and compleat under the Goſpel, as it was under the Law, can be no Miniſter of the Goſpel.
4. He that is not lawfully Ordained to the work of the Miniſtry, he can be no lawfull Miniſter, becauſe like the falſe Prophets, he runs before ſent.
5. He that ſhall by his Doctrine and Practice, put greater burthen and yoaks upon the necks of Chriſtians, then ever the falſe Teachers did by Circumciſion, Acts the 15. he is no warrantable Miniſter: But ſuch a one is this Author of the Doctrine of Baptiſms; ergo. The Minor I ſhall make appear through this whole diſcourſe, given in as an Anſwer to his Book. Laſtly, as to that contempt and reproach which he caſts upon the ſeed of Believers, who are Abrahams children, calli…g them carnal, ignorant, as though they were uncapable of any good: Let him that rails know, that he that caſts off Abrahams ſeed when infants, as not fit matter for worſhip, doth keep them out as an unclean thing: And ſo, though God hath ſeparated them to a holy uſe; they are made unholy, and kept off as execrable, and ſo accurſed: Which the Lord no doubt foreſaw, when he gave Abraham that promiſe, Gen. 12. I will curſe him that curſeth thee. I ſay this, this word of the Lord will at laſt reach ſuch, and pull them down, if their …eſt were built as high as the ſtars of heaven. Therefore hear and fear, and do no more ſo wickedly, all ye that hope for the bleſſing of Abrahams Covenant.