An ansvver to Mr. J.G. his XL. queries, touching the lawfulness, or unlawfulness of holding church-communion, between such who have been baptized after their beleeving, and others who have not otherwise been baptized, then in their infancie. As likewise touching infant, and after baptism. In which answer, the undueness of such mixt communion is declared, the unlawfulness of infant-baptism, and the necessity of after baptism is asserted. By W.A.

Querist.

For 1. It is not here said, That all they that gladly received the Word, were baptized, but indefinitely only, they that gladly received, &c. Now indefinite expressions in Scripture, are not al∣ways equipolent to Ʋniversalls, but sometimes to partitives or par∣ticulars.

Respon.

1. Though indefinite expressions are not alwayes equipo∣lent to Universalls, yet many times they are, as the Querist doth tacitly grant, in saying only, that they are not alwayes e∣quipolent, implying, that many times they are, which indeed is a truth obvious in these Scriptures (and as I conceive hu••dreds more) Mat. 20.23. Mark 2.17. & 8.9. Joh. 5.25.••9. & 17.2••.23.24. Rom. 8.8. & 11.23. 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31. & 15.18.48. Gal. 3.7.9. & 5.21. and therefore it in no wise follows, that because ••uch an indefinite expression as is here u••••d, is not alwayes of an u∣niversall

import, or signification, that therefore it is not so here.

But 2. The coherence of the words considered, it cannot reasonably be otherwise conceived, but that they, is all they, that gladly received the word were baptized: For the Apostles exhor∣tation and counsell to the whole multitude was, that they would repent and be baptized EVERY one of them for remis∣sion of sins, ver. 38. and therefore if their receiving his Word gl••dly, import nothing el•• but their believing, imbra∣cing, and willingly obeying his Word, (as I suppose no∣thing lesse is hereby meant) then it is impossible reason∣ably to conceive, but that every one of those who glad∣ly received his Word were also baptized, because that word which they did receive enjoyned them so to be; and for the•• not to have been baptized, as the case then stood, they would have been so far from receiving his word gladly, as that it must have been said of them, instead of that which is said, as it wa•• said of the Pharisees and Lawyers, That they rejected the counsell of God against themselves, and were not baptized, Luk. 7.30.