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WE read that the Apostles, according to the Commission Christ gave them, preach'd the Gospel of the Kingdom, having received the Spirit from on high, and began at Jerusalem as he had commanded them, and
so endeavoured to make Men and Women Disciples, i. e. bringing them to the sense and sight of their Sins, and knowledg of their lost and miserable condition by Nat••••e, as being un∣converted and without Christ; and in Acts 2. where Peter preached the first Sermon that was preached after the Ascension of the Lord Jesus, And when they heard this (the Text saith) they were pricked in their Hearts, and sai•• unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? then said Peter, REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the Remission of Sins, and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, &c.
And then they that gladly received the Word, were baptized; and the same day there was added to them about three thousand Souls.
Pray observe the Footsteps of this Flock, I mean the manner of the Constitution of this Church, it being the first Church that was plan∣ted in the Gospel-days, it was the Church at Jerusalem, and indeed the Mother-Church; for evident it is, all other Gospel-Churches sprang at first from this, and hence some conceive the Apostle calls this Church Jerusalem above,* 1.1, being the Mother of us all, said to be above, not only because she was in her Constitution from Hea∣ven, or by Divine and Evangelical Institution, but also might be said to be above in respect of Dignity or Priviledg, being first constituted, and having the first Fruits of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit poured out upon them; and be∣sides, having all the great Apostles at first as Members with her; and hence 'tis that all other Churches were to follow the Church of God that was in Judea, and were commended in so doing, and certainly 'tis the Duty of all
Churches so to walk unto the end of the World.
But to proceed, Acts 8. we find Philip, being by the Providence of God cast into Samaria, he preaches Jesus Christ to them, and when they be∣lieved Philip,* 1.2 preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both Men and Women: not till they were Disciples, and did believe, were any baptized: [Men and Women,] not Children, not them and their little Babes; if Philip had so done, he had acted contrary to his Master's Commission. In the same Chapter we find he preached Christ to the Eunuch also,* 1.3 And they came to a certain Water; and the Eunuch said, See, here is Water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? ver. 37. And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine Heart, thou mayst. And the Eunuch answered, and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God: And they both went down into the Water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he baptized him. There must be Faith or no Baptism, thou mayst or thou oughtest, 'tis lawful, or according to Christ's Law,* 1.4 i. e. his Commission. A Verbal Profession is not sufficient, say our late Annotators on this place. Philip in God's Name requires a Faith as with all the Heart, and not such as Simon Magus had, who is said to believe, and be baptized, vers. 13. this was (say they) the only thing necessary, either then or now if rightly understood.
How was it known,* 1.5 saith Mr. Baxter, but by their Profession, that the Samaritans believed Philip preaching the things concerning the King∣dom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ, before they were baptized both Men and Wo∣me▪ and, saith ••he, Philip caused the Eunuch
to profess before he would baptize him, that he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Moreover,* 1.6 in the tenth of the Acts we find Cornelius and those with him were first made Disciples by Peter's preaching, and the Spirit's powerful Operation, and then were baptized; Who can forbid Water (saith he) that thest should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Ghost as well as me? And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus; that is, by the Au∣thority of Christ according to the Commission.* 1.7 So in Acts 16. when the poor trembling Jaylor was made a Disciple, i. e. did believe with his whole House on the Lord Jesus Christ, he was with his whole House baptized; so Lydia be∣lieved and was baptized, Acts 16. 14. the like in Acts 18. Crispus believing on the Lord,* 1.8 and many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized.
The Chief Ruler believed with all his House and were baptized, he believed, his House be∣lieved, the Jaylor believed, all runs in their believing, all must by believing be made Disci∣ples, or not be baptized.
Luther saith that in Times past,* 1.9 the Sacra∣ment of Baptism was administred to none except it were to those that acknowledged and confessed their Faith, and knew how to rehearse the same, and why are they now?
See Mr. Baxter in his sixteenth Argument a∣gainst Mr. Blake,* 1.10 if there can be no Example given in Scripture of any one that was baptized without the Profession of a saving Faith or any Precept for so doing, then must we not baptize any without.
But, saith he, the Antecedent is true, there∣fore so is the Consequent.
1. I have, saith he, shewed you, John re∣quired the Profession of true Repentance, and that his Baptism was for Remission of Sins.
2. When Christ layeth down the Apostolical Commission, the Nature and Order of the Apo∣stles Work, it is first ••o make them Disciples, and then to baptize them in the Name, &c.
That it was saving Faith that was required of the Jews and profest by them, Acts 2. 38. is plain in the Text.
The Samaritans believed, and had great Joy, and were baptized, &c.
The Condition upon which (saith he) the Eunuch must be baptized was, if he believed with all his Heart.
Paul was baptized after Conversion, Acts 9. 18.
The Holy Ghost fell on the Gentiles before they were baptized, Acts 10. 44.
Lydia's Heart was opened before she was bap∣tized, and was one the Apostle judged faithful, Acts 16. 14.
So he goes over with all the Scriptures we have mentioned, proving they were Believers, and none else, that all along in the New Testa∣ment were baptized; 'tis strange to me that the Man should have such clear Light and plead for the Commission, and the Practice of the Primitive Christians, and yet dare attempt to sprinkle Children, having neither a Command from Christ, or a Precedent from the Apostles for any such thing.
Object. I know 'tis objected Baptism was ad∣ministred only to Believers in the Apostles time, but that was the Infancy of the Church.
Answ. I am not a little troubled to hear any Man to argue after this manner; for though it be granted in the Apostles days the Church
was newly constituted, and so might be said to be new born; yet to say that was the Infancy of the Church, (as Infancy imports in our common Acceptation, Weakness or Imperfecti∣on) is a false and foolish Assertion.
1. Because that was in truth the time of the Churches greatest Glory, Perfection and Beauty, and very soon after the Apostles fell asleep, the Church, though she grew older, yet she decayed, and Corruptions crept in; the Church might in that respect be compared to a glorious Flower, that as soon as ever it is blown and quite put forth it is in its Glory, and let it stand a while and it soon fades, and loses much of its Lustre and Beauty; even so did the Church of God:* 1.11 and it was foretold also by the Apostles, it would so after their de∣parture come to pass, by the entring in of grievous Wolves who should not spare the Flock, i. e. the Church;* 1.12 nay, the Spirit of Antichrist, (Paul saith,) or Mystery of Iniquity, did even then work in the Apostles days.* 1.13 And St. John speaks to the same purpose, Little Children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know that this is the last time: and indeed all generally believe the Church continued not a pure Virgin to Christ much longer than one hundred Years after his Death; now then shall any presume to say that was the Infancy of the Church, as if the Church arrived to clearer Light, Strength, and Glory in after-Times.
But, 2. Had not the Gospel-Church in that Age the extraordinary Apostles with it, like to whom never any rose after to succeed them; nay such who were conversant with the Lord Jesus after he rose from the Dead,* 1.14 and spake
to him mouth to mouth,* 1.15 and did eat and drink with them? as Peter saith, Acts 10.
3. Had not the Church then extraordinary Gifts, nay, such an infallible Spirit and Presence of Christ with her, that her Sons could clearly discern Spirits, and know when they speak, and when the Spirit spake in them? Now speak I, not the Lord.
4. Was not that Church set up to be a Patern, or perfect Copy, after which all succeeding Churches were to write? can we think that others ever attained to the like, much less to greater Light and Knowledg than they? These things considered, fully shew the folly and weak∣ness of this Assertion and Objection.
But if Believers were the only Subjects of Baptism in the Primitive Time, and this was according to the Commission of Christ and Practice of those days, how came this Order and Administration to be altered and changed, I mean by whose Authority? nay, and which is worst of all,* 1.16 if that Infant-Baptism may be deem'd to be a Divine Rite, or an Ordinance of God, sith 'tis not recorded in the Scrip∣ture, nor practised in the Apostles Time, it renders not only the Gospel-Church weak and imperfect, but Christ himself unfaithful, or less faithful than Moses, who was but the Servant, and yet lest nothing dark or unwritten which God commanded him, but did do every thing exactly according to the Patern shewed him in the Moun••.
Nay, and by the same Argument (since In∣fant-Baptism was not instituted by Christ, no•• practised in the Primitive Church) and yet may be admitted as a Divine Ordinance of Christ, and so practised by Christians▪ why may not
all, or many other Rites and Sacraments owned and maintained in the Romish Church, be admit∣ted also? But,
Object. I have heard some say, Is it my where forbid?
Answ. To which I answer, where are such things as Crossings, Salt, Spittle, and Sureties, &c. forbid? At this Door what Inventions and In∣novations may not come in, or be admitted, of such a dangerous Consequence is this, that it would undo us all!
Object. But say you at that time, i. e. at the first preaching the Gospel and planting Churches, Adult Persons were baptized only because they were before they believed either Jews or Hea∣thens; but when they believed and were bap∣tized, their Children had a right to Baptism likewise.
Answ. This is soon said, but hardly, nay not at all to be proved. For it cannot be their Childrens right without Authority or Command from Christ: for if we should grant all our Brethren say concerning Abraham's Seed, and of their Childrens being in Covenant, this will not justify their Practice of baptizing them, if they argue thus till Dooms-day, except Christ hath left them a Precept, or his Church a Pre∣cedent so to do; for Abraham's Seed, though they were such a thousand times over, had no right to Circumcision until he received the word of Command to circumcise them from the great God. Nor had Lot, and other godly Men in that day, any right to that Ceremony who were not of Abraham's Family, because God limited his Command to himself, his Sons, and Servants, or such who were bought with Mony, and so came into his House.
Secondly, We des••re it may be considered that the History we have of the Gospel-Church in the Apostles days from the first planting of the Church at Jerusalem, till St. John received his Revelations, contains more than ••ifty Years, and there was no ••ewer than three thousand Persons baptized at once in that first Church; so that we may conclude there were many thousands of Believers who doubtless had many Children born unto them during the time of the Gospel 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the History we have recorded in the New Testament, and yet we read not of one of their Children upon the account of federal Holiness, and their Parents covenanting with God, baptized; and can any be so blind as to think the holy God would have left this thing so in the dark without the least hint or intimation, had it been any of his Mind or Counsel that Believers Seed should be baptized? I am sure they cannot say it, without reflecting upon the Faithfulness, Care, and Wisdom of God.
Gal. 4. 26.
Act. 8. 12.
Act. 8. 36, 37.
Pools An∣notat. on. Act. 8. 37.
Baxter on Confirmat. p. 27.
Act. 10. 45, 47, 48.
Acts 16. 31, 32, 33.
Acts 18. 8.
Luther, Tom. 3. fol. 168. cited by Mr. Dan∣vers, p. 8. on Baptism.
Baxter's 2d Disputa∣tion, p. 149.
Acts 20.
2 Thess. 2. 7.
1 John 2. 18.
Acts 1. 3.
Act. 10. 41.
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