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To
the Christian Reader.
Many are the things
at this day charged on Antipoaedobaptists in their Doctrine
and Practise, which have been proved to be unjustly imputed
to them, by many large Treatises extant in print. For a more
facile understanding of the truth than by reading larger Tracts,
is this Compendium, in a manner of a catechism composed and
published in this time, wherein others of different judgment,
have thought fit to declare their way to the world, which
is done, not because the disagreement in other things is either
small, or of particular persons (whose cause is to be severed
from that which is commonly held) and therefore requires not
a distinct Confession or Declaration from that which is by
others published. Which I have thought necessary to be done
because of the importance of restoring right baptism, the
Doctrine of which is one article of the foundation of Christianity,
Heb. 6.2. whereby we put on Christ, Gal. 3.27. united to his
Members, Ephes. 4.5. conformed to Christ, Col. 2.12. Rom.
6.3,4,5. required with faith to salvation, Mark 16.16. with
repentance to remission of sins, Acts 2.38. with express profession
of the Baptized's faith required, Acts 8.37. upon manifestation
of conversion, Acts 10.47. Acts 11.17. as the duty of the
Baptized, and not a meer Priviledge, Acts 22.16. most solemly
administered in the Primitive times, with strict examination
and greatest engagement of persons baptized, accounted the
chief evidence of Christianity, of as much or more moment
than the Lords Supper; insomuch that some conceived from Heb.
6.4. that falling away after it irreparable. But the pretended
Baptism of Infants, as now used slightly and profanely done,
quite different from Christ's Institution and the Apostles
practise by Ministers and people in so wholy and carnal manner
as that, it is upon and with gross untruths and perverting
of holy Scripture, obtruded on unwary souls with a pretence
of a Baptismal Vow, which is a meer fiction, and so many ill
consequents both in Christian conversation and communion and
church-constitution and Goverment, that were men sensible
to their evil as they should be, they would tremble at such
mockery of God, and abuse of so holy an Ordinance of God's
worship and men's souls by it, and with such arrogant presumption
in avowing such a manifest invention of men as God's precept.
And to speak truth, if the History of this corruption were
fully cleared, it would be found that the undue Ministration
of this Ordinance was the inlet to the Antichristian darkness
and tyranny which overspread and oppressed the Christian Churches.
The aim of the composer of it is the manifestation of the
truth, wherein doth he rejoyce, and desires thou mayest rejoyce
with him. His motion is that of the Apostle, Phil. 3.15,16.
As many of us be perfect let us be thus minded, and if ye
be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained, let us walk
by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
Farewel.
A Short Catechism about Baptism
Quest.
1. Is
Baptism with Water an Ordinance of Christ, to be continued
by his Disciples till the end of the World?
Ans. Baptism with Water is an Ordinance of Christ, which is
to be continued by his Disciples till the end of the World;
as appears by his command, Mat. 28.19,20. Mark 16.15,16. it
is to be joined with Preaching of the Gospel, and making Disciples,
by Preaching, and teaching them to observe all that Christ
commands; and so to be continued while these are to continue,
which is proved to be till the end of the world, by Christs
promise of his being with them till then, which were vain,
if the things appointed were not to be done so long.
Quest. 2. Is not the end
of the world, as much as the end of the Age?
Ans. It appeas that Matthew means by the end of the World,
the last time, or day, wherein there will be a separation
of good and bad, the one to be burned with fire, and the other
to shine as the Sun, in that in the places wherein Matthew,
useth the self-same form of speech (to wit Mat. 13.39,40,49.
Mat. 24.3.) he canot be understood to mean any other.
Quest. 3. May not the
baptizing in Mat.28.19. Mark 16.16 be understood of some other
Baptism, than that of water?
Ans. The Baptism there, must needs be understood of Baptism
by Water, sith Baptizing, where ever it is made of John Baptists,
or the Disciples Act, which they did or were to do, is meant
of Baptizing with Water, as John 4.1,2 and in many other places
it appears; and the Apostles by their practise and command,
Acts 2.38,41. Acts 10.47,48. shew that they so understood
Christ's appointment, Matt. 28.19. Mark 16.16.
Quest 4. May it not be
meant of Baptizing by the Spirit, or afflictions?
Ans. It canot be so understood, sith Baptizing with the Spirit
is no where ascribed to any other than Christ, Mat 3.11. Luke
3.16. Nor is baptism with the Spirit a duty for us to do,
but a free gift of Christ; not common to all Disciples of
Christ, but peculiar to some: and to appoint them the baptizing
by affliction had been to make the Apostles persecutors.
Quest. 5. Why did Paul
then say, Christ sent him not to Baptize? 1 Cor. 1.16.
Ans. Not because he was not appointed at all to Baptize, for
if so, he would not have Baptized those he did Baptize, 1
Cor. 1.14.16. etc. But because it was not the chief thing
he was to do, as when the washing of Water is said not to
save, 1 Pet. 3.21. because it is not the only, or principal
means of saving.
Quest. 6. What is the
Baptizing appointed by Jesus Christ?
Ans. The Baptizing appointed by Jesus Christ, is the dipping
of the Whole Body in water in the Name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost, as is manifest from the term Baptizing, and
the use of going into and coming up out of water, Mat. 3.16.
Acts 8.38,39. the use of much water, John 3.23. The resembling,
by the Baptism used, the burial and Resurrection of Christ,
Rom. 6.4. Col. 2.12. and the testimonies of the Ancients of
the first Ages.
Quest. 7. May not the
sprinkling or pouring water on the Face be the Baptism of
Christ?
Ans. Neither the Scripture, nor any other antient author call
sprinkling, or pouring water on the Face, Baptism, nor any
use of it in the primitive times doth countenance it, and
therefore such sprinkling or pouring water is not the Baptism
which Christ appointed.
Quest. 8. What is it to
Baptize into the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?
Answ. It is not to baptize only with the naming of those persons,
but into the profession of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
as our Master or Teacher, as appears by the words of Paul,
1 Cor. 1.13. Which shew that if the Corinthians had been baptized
into the name of Paul, they had professed him to be their
master.
Quest. 9. Are they rightly
Baptized, who are baptized into the name of Jesus Christ,
though no other person be named?
Answ. They are, it being all one to Baptize into the name
of Jesus Christ, and to baptize into the Name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, as appears by the precept, Acts 2.38.
and practice, Acts 10.48. Acts 19.5. Though the expression
of each person be convenient.
Quest. 10. Are the persons
to be baptized altogether passive in their Baptism?
Answ. No: For Baptism is their duty required of them as well
as the Baptizer, Acts 2.38. and Paul is commanded to arise
and be baptized, and wash away his sins calling on the name
of the Lord, Acts 22.16.
Quest. 11. Who are appointed
to Baptize?
Answ. They who are appointed to preach the Gospel, Matth.
28.19. Mark 16.15,16.
Quest. 12. Whom are they
appointed to Baptize?
Answ. Those who repent of sin, believe in Christ Jesus, and
are his Disciples, Matth. 28.19. Mark 16.16. Acts 2.38. Acts
8.37.
Quest. 13. Were not Infants
baptized, when whole households were baptized, Acts 16.15.33.?
Answ. No: For it appears not there were any infants in the
houses, and the Texts shew they were not baptized, sith the
word was spoken to all in the house, ver. 32. and all the
house rejoyced believing God. ver 34. and elsewhere the whole
house is said to do that which Infants could not do, Acts
18.8. Acts 10.2. 1 Cor. 16.15. compared with 1 Cor. 1.16.
John 4.53.
Quest. 14. Is not Christs
speech and action to little Children, Matth. 19.14,15. Mark
10.14,15,16. Luke 18.16,17. a warrant to baptize infants?
Answ. No: but an Argument against it, sith Christ did neither
baptize, nor appoint those little children to be baptized.
Quest 15. Why should not
Infants be baptized, sith they were Circumcised?
Answ. The reason why Male Infants were to be Circumcised,
was a particular Command of God to Abrahams house for special
ends belonging to the time before Christ, which Baptism hath
not, nor is there any Command to use Baptism according to
the rule of Circumcision.
Quest. 16. Did not Baptism
come in the room of Circumcision, Col. 2.11,12. and so to
be used as it was?
Answ. The Apostles words import not that our Baptism came
in the room of the Jews Circumcision; there is no mention
of any bodily Circumcision but Christ's, which our baptism
cannot be said to suceed to, as there it is made the cause
of Spiritual Circumcision, without arrogating that to it which
belongs to Christ alone, and Baptism is mentioned with faith,
as the means whereby we are in Christ, and compleat in him.
Quest. 17. May we be said
to be compleat as the Jews without Infant Baptism?
Answ. Our compleatness is in that we have not Ordinances as
the Jews had, but we are compleat in that we have all in Christ
without them, Col. 2.8,9,10.
Quest. 18. Have not our
Children then less Priviledge than the Jews had?
Answ. No: For Circumcision was a priviledge only for a time,
and comparitively to the estate of the Gentiles who knew not
God; but of itself was a heavy yoke, Acts 15.10. Gal. 5.1,2,3.
Quest. 19. Why did the
Jews then so much centend for it, Acts 15.1,5.
Answ. Because they too much esteemed the Law, and knew not
their liberty by the Gospel.
Quest. 20. Had it not been a discomfort to the believing Jews
to have their Children unbaptized, and out of the Covenant?
Answ. The want of Baptism to Infants was never any grievance
to Believers in the New Testament, nor were they thereby put
out of the Covenant of Grace.
Quest. 21. Was not the
proper reason of Circumcising the Infants of the Jews the
interest which they had in the Covenant to Abraham, Gen. 17.7.
to be a God to him and to his seed?
Answ. The end of Circumcision was indeed to be a token of
the whole Covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 17.4,5,6,7,8. not
only the promise, ver. 7. But the formal proper distinguishing
reason why some were to be Circumcised, and others not, was
God's Comand alone, not the interest in the Covenant; sith
Ishmael who was not a Childe of promise, Gen. 17.20.21. Rom.
9.6,7,8,9. and those who were in Abrahams house, though not
of his Seed, were Circumcised, but no Females, nor Males under
eight days old.
Quest. 22. Was not the
Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17. the Covenant of Grace?
Answ. It was, according to the hidden meaning of the Holy
Ghost, the Evangelical Covenant, Gal. 3.16. But according
to the open sense of the words, a Covenant of special benefits
to Abrahams inheriting natural posterity, and therefore not
a pure Gospel Covenant.
Quest. 23. Are not Believers
Children comprehended under the promise, to be a God to Abraham
and his seed? Gen. 17.7.
Answ. No: unless they become Abrahams seed according to Election
of Grace by Faith.
Quest. 24. Did Circumcision
seal the Gospel Covenant? Rom. 4.11.
Answ. That text speaks not of any ones Circumcision but Abrahams,
which sealed the righteousness of faith he had before Circumcision,
and assured thereby righteousness to all, though uncircumcised,
who should believe as he did.
Quest. 25. Are not the
Sacraments of the Christian Church in their nature, Seals
of the Covenant of Grace?
Answ. The Scripture doth nowhere so call them, nor doth it
mention this as their end and use.
Quest. 26. Doth not Peter,
Acts 2.38.39. exhort the Jews to baptize themselves and their
Children, because the promise of Grace is to Believers and
their Children?
Answ. Those he then spake to were not then Believers; and
therefore the words, Acts 2.39. Cannot be understood of a
promise to Believers and their Children as such, but the promise
is to all, Fathers and Children as called of God; nor are
any exhorted to Baptism without fore-going repentance: nor
is the promise alledged as conferring right to Baptism, but
as a motive to encourage them and hope for pardon, though
they wished Christs blood to be on them and their Children.
Matth. 27.25. In like sort as Joseph did, Gen. 50.19,20,21.
Quest. 27. Are not the
Children of Believers holy with Covenant-holiness, and so
to be baptized, 1 Cor. 7.14.
Answ. There is nothing there ascribed to the faith of the
Believer, but to the Marriage-relation, which was the only
reason of their lawful living together, and of which alone
it is true that all the Children of those Parents, whereof
one is sanctified to the other, are holy, the rest unclean,
that is, illegitimate.
Quest. 28. Are not the
Gentile-believers Children to be ingraffed by Baptism with
their Parents, as the Jews Children were by Circumcision?
Rom. 11.16,17.
Answ. The ingraffing there is by giving Faith according to
Election; and therefore not meant of Parents and Children
by an outward Ordinance into the visible Church.
Quest. 29. Are there not
Infants of Believers Disciples, by their Parents Faith to
be Baptized? Mat. 28.19. Acts. 15.10.
Answ. No: For the Disciples there are only such as are made
by Preaching the Gospel to them, nor are any termed Disciples,
but those who have heard and learned: and the putting the
yoke, Acts 15.10. was by teaching Brethren, ver. 1 and therefore
the Disciples, ver. 10. not Infants.
Quest. 30. Are not the
Infants of believers visible members of the Christian Church,
by a Law and Ordinance, by God's promise, to be God to them
and their seed, and precept to dedicate them to God, unrepealed?
Ans. There is no such Ordinance or Law extant in Scripture,
or deducible from the Law of Nature, nor are Infants any where
reckoned as visible members of the Christian Church in the
New Testament.
Quest. 31. Hath God not
promised, Gen. 22.16,17,18. to make every believer a blessing,
so as to cast ordinarily Elect Children on Elect Parents,
and thereby warrant Infant-Baptism.
Ans. The promise doth not pertain to any believers seed but
Abrahams, who are, Heb. 6.12,13,14, Gal. 3.8,9. Acts 3.25.
expounded to be Christ and true believers only, who are to
be baptiszed, not their Infants, till they themselves believe
in their own persons.
Quest. 32. Did not Christ
appoint, Mat. 28.19. the Disciples to Baptize Children with
Parents, as the Jews did Proselytes?
Ans. If the Jewish Baptism had been the pattern for Christians,
the Apostles would have so practised, but their not so doing,
shews they understood not it to be Christ's mind.
Quest. 33. Is not the
Infant-baptism sufficient if it be avouched at age?
Ans. It is not a sufficient discharge of their obedience to
Christ's command, which requires each Person to be Baptized
after his own Repentance and believing in Christ, Mark 16.16.
Mat. 28. 19. Acts 2.38. Ephes. 4.5.
Quest. 34. What is the chief end
of Baptism.
Ans. To testifie the Repentance, Faith, Hope, Love, and Resolution
of the Baptized to follow Christ, Gal. 3.27. Rom. 6.3,4. 1
Cor. 15.29. calling upon the Name of the Lord, Acts 22.16.
Quest. 35. How came Infant-baptism
to be common in the Christian Churches?.
Ans. As Infant-communion came from mistake of John 6.53. So
Infant-baptism began about the third Age of the Christian
Church, from mistake of JOhn 3.5. the opinion of its giving
Grace, and the necessity of it to save the Infant dying from
perishing, and after Augustins time became common, which before
was not so frequent.
Quest. 36. Is there any
evil in it?
Ans. Infant-baptism tends much to harden People in presumption,
as if they were Christians afore they know Christ, and hinders
much the Reformation of Christian Churches, by filling them
with ignorant and scandalous members, besides the great sin
of profaning God's Ordinance.
Quest. 37. Have not all
opposers of Infant-baptism, been wicked in the end?
Ans. Blessed be God, experience proves the contrary, though
some here to fore proved seditious, and entertained great
errors.
Quest. 38. Is there any
good by Baptizing Persons at Age, which might not be, though
Infant-baptism were continued?
Ans. Yes, For thereby they would be solemnly engaged to adhere
to Christ, which is a strong tye on the Consciences, when
it is done by a Person understandingly, according to Christ's
mind, besides the assurance thereby of Union and Conformity
to Christ, and Righteousness and life by him, Rom. 6.3,4.
Gal. 3.26. 1 Pet. 3.21.
Quest. 39. What are Christians
to do when they are Baptized?
Ans. To associate together in Church-Communion, and to walk
according to their engagement, in obedience to them, who are
over them in the Lord.
Quest. 40. Are Persons
so joined to serarate from those they have joined to upon
deficit in outward order and Ordinances, or variation from
the Rule therein by Pastors or People?
Ans. No, Unless the evil be such in Faith, Worship, or Discipline,
as is not consistent with Christianity, or the estate of a
visible Church, or is intolerable oppression, maintained with
obstinacy, after endeavours to cure them, to which end each
member should keep and act in his station.
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