The Anabaptists meribah: or, VVaters of strife. Being a reply to a late insulting pamphlet, written by Thomas Lamb, merchant, intitulled, Truth prevailing against the fiercest opposition; or, An answer to Mr. John Goodwins Water-dipping, no firm footing for church-communion. Wherein the impertinency of M. Lamb's answer, and the validity of M. Goodwin's Water-dipping, &c. are manifested by I. Price a member of the Church of Christ, whereof the said Mr. Goodwin is pastor.

SECT. LXXII.

YOU answer, first, with grief of heart that such noble parts and abili∣ties, are so desperately engaged in so bad a cause. By this,

You seem a little to grudge, that such precious Oyntment should be spent upon the service of truth; you know who said, it were better sold and given to the poor. But thus say you,

If I prove from Scripture that it is sinfull for Disciples to remain unbapti∣zed, and that by the precept of Christ, then all your far-fetcht pleas will fall to the ground. And then you fall to the work, from page the 69. to page the 79. toyling and labouring to catch that (which at least mist of it) you might have had granted you for asking; but you answer to what was objected, as if (like the Disciples when Christ told them of his going up to Jerusalem to suffer, &c. Luke 18.34.) you understood none of those sayings, but that they are hid from you, neither know you the things that were spoken. Those that have a blemish in their eye, (said one) the more wishly they look into any thing, the less they see of it: the truth is, in this you answer, as if the language of the consideration were Barbarian unto you, and you to it; and instead of pursuing the Partridge with the Faulconers, you flie after a gilded butterflye with children; when one thing is called for by Mr. Goodwin, another thing is fetcht by Mr. Lamb: Like that of Dabartus, writing of the building of N••mrods Tower:

Bring me (quoth one) a Trowel, quickly, quick, One brings him up a Hammer: Hew this brick, Another bids, and then they cleave a Tree; Make fast this Rope, and then they let it flee. One calls for Plancks, another Morter lacks, They bring the first a Stone, the last an Ax.

You go about to prove it sinfull for Disciples to remain unbaptized, if you mean Disciples, whom Christ commanded to be baptized, having

all opportunities thereunto, (as they had in the primitive times) M. Goodwin and you are of one minde in that, but if you mean Disciples now in these dayes wherein we live, you must prove that God hath gi∣ven them the same opportunities unto baptism, which he gave those Disciples in the primitive times. Jesus Christ surely doth not com∣mand things to be done, and that upon penalty of his sore displeasure, and banishment from his dwelling place, which are ultra posse, or im∣possible; Jesus Christ is no such hard Master; if you will prove it in∣combant upon us to be baptized (which is not by us denyed) by ver∣tue of the command of Christ, you must then prove (and that not by a flourish of words, but evidence of Scripture) 1. VVho is the person suffi∣ciently authorised by Jesus Christ hereunto: Whether you can clearly prove your commission for baptizing other men and women; and why those men, yea and women too, whom you baptize, may not go out and bap∣tize others; for where do we finde in the Scriptures, that those whom John baptized, did after their baptism baptize others; as also the like querie may be made of those converts in the Acts of the Apostles, &c.

2. If you will answer the argument of the consideration in hand, you must prove the command of Christ, Mat. 28.19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them, &c. was a Law imposed upon you (if you wil take upon you to baptize others) as well as upon the Apostles; As also, who are those mentioned in baptizing them, what is the ante∣cedent, or substantive, to this relative pronoun, them.

Again, you must prove that the Apostles did teach believers to re∣quire baptism of them, and that Christ did command his Apostles to teach the Nations to observe it; and that the Apostles in their ministry did teach churches, or persons, to seek baptism at their hands, much less to threaten them for not seeking it.

Again, you must prove, if you will speak to the consideration, or that under consideration, that the Apostles had power, by vertue of their commission, to make it a standing Law, for all Pastors and Teachers who were to succeed them in the ministry, to impose the observation of the same law upon all believers, and the rather, because (1.) water baptism seems (by the practise of the Apostles) to be intended by God chiefly, if not only for to attend the Gospel in its first reception by a people. (2.) In that where the work or office of Pastors and Teachers, or their qualifications are described, there is no mention made of any charge upon them to baptize, &c.

Again, if you consider the consideration, you must prove that those words, Mat. 28.19. and so I am with you to the end of the world, do neces∣sarily imply, that baptism is to continue unto the end of the world; for as much as the phrase to the end of the world, may mean (1.) His being with them unto the end of their lives. (2.) That their labours should prosper and be fruitfull (when they were dead, and gone) even to the end of the world.

Again, you must prove the promise of his presence, not only to his Apostles and successors in the administration of baptism unto the end of

the world; but that the like promise is made unto private Christians also, in their administrations of baptism.

These things are propounded (as Mr. Goodwin saith) not as inten∣ding to argue the extinction of the Ordinance of baptism, but rather as a demonstration of the many Labyrinths and Difficulties, which you ought to overcome and clear, who are so confidently positive and asser∣tive of your practise, and who pronounce all men unworthy of christi∣an-communion, who are not as positive and assertive as your selves. But alas! Mountains and Rocks are not so easie removed by Babes and Sucklings, and puft away with a breath.

Notes

• Hard it is for. M. Lamb to prove his autho∣rity to baptize.