Truth prevailing against the fiercest opposition, or, An answer to Mr. Iohn Goodwins Water-dipping no firm footing for church communion wherein the invalidity of his twenty three considerations against withdrawing from those societies that want baptisme by the bodies burial in water is manifested, and the separation from such societies justified by the word of God : together with the discovery of his great mistakes in the exposition of eight chief Scriptures, wherewith he fighteth to overthrow Mr. Allens answer to his forty queries about church communion / by Thomas Lambe.

Your fourteenth Consideration for sub∣stance this: THat for persons to mistake in the matter of Baptisme, so as to judge they have no need to be baptised after beleiving, because they judge themselves sufficiently baptised in infancy, is a mistake of a veniall nature (because almost all the

judicious, learned and grave, all the zealous, faithful and best conscienced Christians and Servants of God, throughout the world, Fathers, Martyrs, Re∣formers and others, for sixteen Generations together, even from the dayes of the Apostles, until now) have been so mistaken.

To which I answer. 1. The Apostles did foresee in their time, that there would be an apostasie from the primitive practise in the worship of God, as well as the primitive faith for doctrine; the mystery of iniquity beginning to work very early, which was the reason of those items, to hold fast the Ordinances, 2 Thes. 2▪14. and Col. 2▪6. and to beware of Philosophers, that would carry them from the simplicity of the Gospel.

Accordingly it did fall out, many departures there were even in the Apostles dayes, 1 John 2.19. and more fore∣told, amongst which, this of Infant-sprinkling is one, where∣in there hath been a palpable deviation from the rule, which yet notwithstanding many worthy men suffered, supposing the Church to have power to make alterations in matter of Ordinances: Calvin himself acknowledgeth, that the li∣berty of sprinkling (whereas the antient custome was dip∣ping) the Church took to her self: And Mr. Bedford, as Mr. Baxster reporteth, p. 301. of plain Scripture proof, flieth to tradition for proof of Infant-Baptisme; One Doctor Eck, against the new Church Orders in the upper Marques∣dome and Territories of Noremburge, writeth, That the Ordinances, concerning the Baptisme of Children, is without Scripture, and is found to be onely a custome of the Church, with a cloud of other witnesses, yea, even Luther himself the great Reformer, in his book of Anabaptisme, acknow∣ledgeth, That it cannot be proved by sacred Scripture, that Childrens Baptisme was instituted by Christ, or begun by the first Christians after the Apostles, for many yeares since it

came to be in use in the Church, saith he, and was established by Pope Innocentius: And yet for all that he allowed of it, so that though he was a godly man, and a great Reformer, yet allowed of alterations in worship upon that ground, which Mr. Baxster abhorreth to doe: now Mr. Baxster thinketh he hath plain Scripture proof for Infants baptisme, or he would not own the practise, because he looketh upon the Scriptures as a perfect rule (as well he may) and all de∣viations from them in worship in ordinary cases, but so many complaints against the perfection of Scripture.

2. If the judgements of the learned and godly be of so much consideration, as that it may justly stop proceeding in the work of Reformation, why did it not curbe you from that frightfull tearing your self off from the Nationall Church, which had been in reputation with the godly many hundred yeares, and that in the face of the Sun, and that when such things were comparatively rare, to the scandal and great offence of your brethren of the Ministry, wherein, as I remember, you were pretty early, in leading the way of separation from the womb that bear you, and the paps that gave you suck; or doe you think one of fourty of those antiently godly and holy men, would have liked it, and yet for conscience sake you did it notwithstanding.

3. This Argument becommeth not you of all men living, because it is no new thing with you to leave the road, nay at this day, and in this book that I am now answering, you plead stifly for some things, which rendereth you more alone than we, in the point of denying Infant-baptisme, namely, in denying, though not in plain words at length, yet in effect, that Baptisme is the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Church of Christ, and that a Church may be of as found a constitution without it as with it, and ordained upon the termes of the free-will Offering under the Law, wherein I beleive you have no fellow, except some Seekers, and some few persons leaning that way; others that have gone before have stumbled at the same stone, and fell, and never rise more, which ought to be like pillars of salt in the eye of all good men, to take heed of slighting and undervaluing any

of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, least because they receive not the truth in the love of it. I say, in the love of it, God deliver them up to a reprobate mind, and send them strong delusions, that they may beleive a lie.

But I hope better things of you, though I thus speak, and 'tis my earnest prayer to God for you, upon the bended knee of my soul, to shew you the evill of these arguings, that you may repent in dust and ashes before you goe hence, and be no more seen.

Notes

• Com. upon Acts 8.
• Water dip∣ping, p. 48.61.