Anti-Paedobaptism : OR THE THIRD PART . BEING , A full REVIEW of the Dispute concerning Infant-Baptism . IN WHICH , The Arguments for Infant-Baptism from the Covenant and Initial Seal , Infants Visible Church-membership , Antiquity of Infant-Baptism , are refelled . AND The Writings of Mr. Stephen Marshal , Mr. Richard Baxter , Mr. John Geree , Mr. Thomas Blake , Mr. Thomas Cobbet , Dr. Nathaniel Homes , Mr. John Drew , Mr. Josiah Church , Mr. William Lyford , Dr. Daniel Featley , Mr. John Brinsley , Mr. Cuthbert Sidenham , Mr. William Carter , Mr. Samuel Rutherford , Mr. John Crag , Dr. Henry Hammond , Mr. John Cotton , Mr. Thomas Fuller , Mr. John Stalham , Mr. Thomas Hall , and others , are examined ; And many points about the Covenants , and Seals , and other Truths of weight , are handled : By JOHN TOMBES . B D.

LONDON , Printed by E. AISOP , over against the Upper Pump in Grubstreet . 1657.

THough all personal Pleas and Narrations are suspected to be partial , and are usually judged to have something of ostentation , or dissembling , o● some such inordinate affection which may abate their credit and esteem , yet the practises of opponents in Controversies , and the great prejudice to the Truth , and person opposed they create thereby , and the difficulty for persons who are not actors in such contentions to understand the truth without them make them necessary . Doubtless if such pleas were not necessary , the Apostle Paul would not have thought his course justifiable , who hath written one Epistle , to wit , the second to the Corinthians , almost wholly Apologetical for himself , that the misunderstanding of himself and wayes might not be advantage to Seducers for hindering the success of his preaching . It is true my credit and esteem is nothing comparable to the Apostles , the Church and Truth of God may stand , though I be buried in perpetual silence : yet sith I am a Preacher of the Gospel as Paul was ( absit verbo invidia ) and my labours therein as I hope not altogether without fruit , and sith the Lord seems to me to have set me , though in a lower Sphere , for defence of that One Baptism which Paul mentions Ephes. 4.5 . as one of the chief points of Christianity , and Heb. 6.2 . is counted as a foundation point . I assure my self Paul's practise doth justifie mine , and that I should be wanting not onely to mine own credit , but also to that truth which is dearer then my credit , if I should pass by with silence those misrepresentations whereby both are abused , and the mindes of men alienated from them . Which is the more necessary , because of the great repute which my Antagonists have in this generation , and their confident speeches , and their incessant endeavours upon all occasions in Pulpits , Presses , Disputes , Conferences , to represent the way I avouch as dangerous , my self as instrumental to an evil designe of perverting and dividing the Churches of God , unto which the proneness of men to uphold an Errour inveterate , and speciously pretended to be approved and blessed by God , and the contrary opinion accursed , besides the advantages it hath for their carnal ease , and for the begetting of a favourable opinion of themselves and their children ( which are more to most then demonstrations out of Gods word ) do gain an easie assent . And though I am not out of hope that those who have opposed the truth I assert with impetuous zeal , will be ( especially the most tender conscienced , who examine their wayes , and review their doctrines ) awakened and see and confess their errour , yet I fear the obloquy , and perhaps detriment in repute and outward estate and peace , which m●n either are likely or doubt they may incur by owning the truth I hold forth , or the seeming inconsistency of the reformation I seek to promote , with the peace of the Churches of God , will divert the thoughts of many from an exact consideration , and an equall judgement of what I shall write , either of my self or the matter under debate . What was wont to be opposed against the reformation of Popish and Prelatical corruptions , shall we go against all antiquity ? Be wiser then our Fathers ? condemn all the Churches ? make rents in the Church ? and such like objections , though they be upon examination but vain , yet like Gorgons head they are apt to turn men into stones , and to make men not see what they do or might see , and to be insensible of the evil of that practise , which otherwise their Consciences would be affrighted with . And truely though it be the wise and just contrivance of Divine prov●dence , and congruous to his end , that the vanity of all things under the Sun might appear , yet is it an humane irregularity , that not onely for evil labour , but also for all travel and every right work a man is envied , malign●d , or disliked of his neighbour , Eccl. 4.4 . chiefly when it crosseth self ends and conceits . Nor is it incident onely to the prophane and unbelievers , to dislike and oppose such acts as are rightly done , but also to the godly , until their mistakes are discovered to them . The building of the Altar of Ed , Josh. 22.12 . was likely to have been an occasion of war beetween the rest of the Congregation of Israel and some Tribes ▪ till the intention of the builders was cleared to Phinehas ; and Peter's going in to Cornelius , Act. 11.2 . occasioned contention with him , though it were from God , till his warrant was shewed . Paul knew that his promoting the collection for the poor Saints at Jerusalem might be distasted of the best , and therefore he prayes that his service which he had for Jerusalem might be accepted of the Saints , Rom. 15.31 . Even holy upright men have their weaknesses , passions , mis-prisions , prejudices , which oft times hinder a right understanding of tenents and actions of Christian Brethren , and thereby no small contentions arise . God would have us discern thereby humane imperfection , and keep our spirits humble and heedfull how we manage the rightest actions . Surely no action is more necessary then the discovery of truth in the things of God , nor should any endeavours be more acceptable to holy persons , then such as tend thereto , yea though there should be imperfection in actings and defect in the success . Yet too much experience hath shewed that such attempts meet with much opposition , and are ill entertained even by those who are or seem friends to truth . It is unnecessary to give instances : in the Scripture Acts 15.2 , &c. in the Ecclesiastical Story there are so many as verifie it beyond all contradiction . If there were no other example but what hath befaln me about the point in this writing discussed , yet it were sufficient to verifie what I said of the difficulty to gain entertainment of that truth against which men are prepossessed , and of the ill usage of them that in a due manner endeavour to cleer it . That Infant Baptism was not according to Gods will , I thought might be made manifest by the silence of it in Scripture , and the Writings of the two first Ages , and by shewing how it was counted but an Ecclesiastical humane tradition unwritten , induced upon such reasons by the Leaders of the Churches in after ages as are now judged erroneous ; and how false and dangerous the grounds are on which it is made a Divine institution , to wit , an imagined Covenant of grace to a Believer and his seed natural , the nature of Sacraments to be seals of the Covenant of grace , the inference of duties about positive rites of the new Testament from analogy with abrogated Ceremonies of the old , the command of Circumcision to have been in the extent of it commensurate to and derived from the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. as the adequate reason , the succession of Baptism into the room and use of Circumcision ; all which or most of them , are so contrary to the Scripture and Protestant doctrine , as that I presumed they would quickly have been discerned by those who are acquainted with the controversies of Divines , and sought reformation in Discipline , and removal of humane inventions in Gods worship , and had entered into a solemn oath and Covenant to that end . And for my way of manifesting my doubts first to the Ministers of London , and then to the Committee of the Assembly then sitting at Westminster , and after to a prime man in it in the years 1643 , 1644. and what opposition I found is so manifest in my two Treatises and Apology published 1645 , 1646. as that it were but actum agere to say any more thereof . Which I hoped would have taken off such prejudices , as my Antagonists writings had raised against my writings and person , that I might securely apply my self to review the Dispute , w●thout hearing of any more personal objections . But when I found the like usage continued by Mr. Robert Baily of Glasgow in Scotland , I published an Addition to the Apology 1652. though it were framed before , and sent in a letter Manuscript to him . Yet the hottest charge was behinde . After my necessitated removal from the Temple in London to Bewdley in Worcestershire , anno 1646. it happened that a publike Dispute was between Mr. Richard Baxter of Kidderminster near to Bewdley and my self , at Bewdley Jan. 1. 1649. which how it was occasioned , managed , injuriously divulged , may be perceived by the writings on both sides ; his Epistle before the first Edition of the Saints Everlasting rest , his Book of Baptism , Praefestinantis Morator , and my Antidote printed 1650. and Pr●cursor , anno 1652. By Mr. Baxters book of Baptism , my self , doctrine , answers , practise have been so unwo●thily dealt with , as that they have been painted out in deformed shapes quite besides their true feature , and thereby exposed to the unrighteous censures and contempt of so many , that Mr. Blake in his Preface to his Vind. faederis thought he might without controul say , Mr. Tombes is generally lookt upon low enough under hatches . It is indeed too manifest that upon the publishing of Mr. Baxters Book of Baptism , which was often printed and very much dispersed , floods of reproaches were cast on me and those who are of my judgement in that point , triumphant boastings of that book as the Mawl of Anabaptism , a most excellent piece , a lasting monument , &c. which had laid me flat on my back , with many the like vaunts in print and colloquies . Nor did mens loose tongues and pens stay here , but many insolent speeches were vented , trampling upon me and the Cause with me as Captives subdued by that mighty hand ; my actions were censured , my abilities disparaged , yea people possessed with conceits as if I and those of my judgement were accursed of God , left over to a spirit of delusion , a hardened heart ; Magistrates were provoked to make Lawes against us , as intollerable authors and fomentors of the errors , heresies , and divisions now in the Land ; the rage and violence of common people shewed it self against the practise of Baptism enjoyned by Christ , people were deterred from hearing us , Schollers from reading our Writings , ancient acquaintance alienated , liberty formerly allowed to preach in publike places restrained , those that by Baptism were added to Communion withdrawn from society , yea violent cours●s taken to hinder Wives , children , servants from associating with them that were baptized , and that which was in former ages the onely Baptism , and highly honoured by the ancient Writers with titles of dignity exceedingly debased and derided , insomuch that in many parts of this Land , I have been taken at best for a self-conceited man , affecting novelty and singularity , of a dangerous spirit , a ring leader of a sect of giddy men adversaries to unity , discipline , opening a door to all fanatique conceits , whose end would prove wicked , with many more imputations , which neither my books nor known conversation afore and since the wars , my labours and imployment in places not obscure , the confessed holiness , orth●doxy , unblameableness of those Churches over which I had any inspection , or with whom I associated could so acquit us ▪ but that either our wound is uncured or a skar rem●ins . Mr. Blake in his Preface to his Vind. faed . saith thus of me . And indeed I think it a special providence that he should thus appear with a shew of learning , a volumn of words , a rhapsody of Authors ▪ getting a name to be the strongest sword and buckler that was ever left up in this Cause , to draw the eyes of his party towards him , and then fall so flat , able to make good nothing ; so that men far from censorious vanity well able to judge ( upon serious perusal of his works and converse with him ) do conclude , that it is not possible but he goes against the dictates of his own conscience ; so that these it seems count me for an autocri● or self-condemned heretick . What other imputations Mr. Blake casts on me , may be seen here Sect. 26. And what Mr. Firmin , Mr. Gattaker , and Mr. S●mon Ford , Sect. 53. Besides what Mr. John Goodwin , Mr. Wood , and many more have judged of mine and Mr. Baxters writings . After Mr. Baxter Mr. John Crag would needs take up the cudgels and play his part in this matter , which how he hath done may be seen by our writings , compared chiefly here sect. 87 , &c. Books after books have been published from England and Scotland , by Dr. Hammond , Mr. Carter , Mr. Rutherford , Mr. Fuller , Dr. Savage in Latin , and others for Infant-baptism ; besides Sermons in the Pulpit , and determinations in the Universities at most solemn times . Yea upon occasion of a meer accident at Oxford in July 1652. I have been baited in the Weekly News●books , and I have just cause to conceive that by clancular Letters , conferences , consultations , not onely my doctrine hath been decried , my writings vilified , my way represented as pernicious that people might not know the truth , but also my station undermined , and my silencing endeavoured ; and which is of all other the most grievous to me , the fruit of my labours in the Gospel of Christ not a little hindered : so that whereas Mr. Baxter would have in his Gildas Silvianus all Ministers tied to confer with the people in private ▪ by his misrepresenting of me , the people ( whom I would gladly teach ) are deterred from hearing me in publike , and conferring with me in private . Yea notwithstanding the Quakers have been so often opposed by me , and my doctrine as contrary to theirs as light to darkness , by reason of Mr. Baxters imputing the rise of Quakerism to Anabaptism , as he terms it ( which how ●ar he chargeth on me may be seen by his Questions to me set down here sect. 63. ) one Blashfield a bookseller in Lempster hath openly reviled me at the close of my Sermon while I was in the Pulpit Decemb. 26. 1656. though I then refuted the Quakers , and told me , if there were no Anabaptist there would be no Quaker ; and somewhat afore Mr. Farmer a preacher in Bristol making a relation of James Naylors riding into Bristol , prints a passage in a private letter , which he with much ado signifies to mee was written by Mr. Robert Breton of Pembridge in Herefordshire but four miles from me , in which I am charged to say , that in a Sermon which I disavow in my writings upon the report at table of a man of this Town , who ( what ever his qualities be ) being pressed twice by me , once before some of the most intelligent and indifferent men here , another time before all or the most part of the Governours of this Town , to deal plainly whether I did speak those words which Mr. Farmer hath printed doth refuse to do it , shuffles in his answers , and will neither affirm nor deny it . Such dealings as these from men reputed godly , preachers of the Gospel , some of them fellow-sufferers for the common cause of reformation , and by the same Covenant engaged to it , do make me amazed to see what strange courses the intemperate zeal of Paedobaptists carries them , discerning thereby what a malignity of spirit they have towards me , who have so far as I can remember done no such thing to them , nor have been wanting in any good office I could do for them with a good conscience , but willing to joyn with godly dissenters in the common Cause of Christ . Nor do I finde any relenting in Mr. Baxter , but as he shews his spirit in his letters printed here sect. 53 , 63. so by his preaching at Bowdley May 4 ▪ 1656. in which he gave ten frivolous reasons for his practise of Infant-baptism , for the confirming of his party who opposed my preaching there at that time , and since , and by the late passages in most of his writings , and in his last book of Conversion p. 109. I finde him still the same he was . No doubt ( saith he ) but God doth pardon original sin to multitude of infants by the bloud of Christ , through the Covenant of grace which is made to the faithfull and their seed , and this pardon bestowed by the Covenant is sealed by baptism which more solemnly conferreth it . It is most probable that God doth also make some change on the hearts of infants , secretly giving some seed of inward grace before or in their baptism . And p. 299. he hath this fool●sh passage . Others withdraw upon pretence we are unbaptized , to which end they must coin a new baptism , or else they are at a loss . And their arguing with 〈◊〉 will be much like the Papists , in the point of Transubstantiation , which requireth that men renounce their sense and say , that they see not that which they se● , and feel not or tast not that which indeed they feel and tast , and then they may come to be in the right ; and so we must beleeve that we see none baptized in our Churches , nor hear it , nor know of any such thing , and then we may come to be a Church : As if the arguing were that there is nothing which Paedobaptists call baptism in their Churches , not , there is nothing that may bee truely called Christian baptism according to Christs institution , and then p. 300. after his fashion when he wants arguments , he adds . Oh if it were the will of God that we could have as clear light in some other weighty points as we have in Scripture for the baptism of the children of beleevers , how much would it do to quiet the understandings of many that are willing to know ! I dare not say it is a wonder to me to finde such passages in Mr. Baxter , but having examined his book of baptism , his ten reasons for his practise of Infant baptism delivered in Bewdley Chappel May 4. 1656. His Letters to me 1655. set down here sect. 53 , &c. I cannot but bemoan the sad condition , first of Ministers and people who are carried away with such shallow disputings , and confident speeches as Mr. Baxter hath used in these writings . 2. Of my self , and all who go about to cleer truth , that they be necessi●ated to stir up such a nest of Wasps and Hornets ▪ as these have shewed themselves to be who have opposed me , if th●y do never so brotherly and fairly and regularly declare their judgments contrary to the common received tenents . Yet I must confess two things have somewhat refreshed mee against the hard censures of those whom Mr. Blake mentions and the rest , the one that His Highness , and Council and the Parliament since ( as I am informed ) confirming the Ordinance for approbation of publique Preachers seem to have better though●s of me in putting that trust on me , th● other that ( to mention no other ) two of the ablest acutest and well read Divines and accurate Dispu●an●s , which I have known the University of Oxford in my time to have bred , and who have been thought sit for the Divinity Chair , have had far other conceits of my writings then these have had , the one not long after the publishing of my Examen , expressing his rejoycing to see so accurate and scholastical a discussing of the point , which he found not in the Assembly , wishing he had known of it afore the publishing of it that he might have prefixed an Epistle , yet wishing it had been written in Latin , as foreseeing that the publishing it in English was likely to beget me more trouble , then it would have done if printed in Latin ; the other who since that wrote thus to me . I am a friend to your person ( whom I have known ( though not known to you ) this 31. years ) and to your opinion too ( as to the main of it ) for I beleeve and know , that there is neither precept nor practise in Scripture for Paedobaptism ▪ nor any just evidence for it for about two hundred years after Christ . The first who bears witness to Infant baptism prastised in the Church is Tertullian ▪ but so as he expres●●d slik●s and condemnes it as an unwarrantable and irrational custom● : and Naxianzen a good while after him ( in his Oration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) dislikes it too , and would not have infants brought to baptism till they were of some age and able to answer for themselves . Sure I am that in the Primitive times they were first to be Catechumini , ●f then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminati , or baptizati , and that not onely children 〈◊〉 Pagans ▪ or Pagans converted , but children of Christian parents , Na●ianzen ( though a Bishops son ) being not baptized till he was about 30. years of age , as appears in his life , and the like is evident of some others· The truth is , I beleeve P●dobaptism did ( how or by whom I know not ) come in in the 2d . Century and in the 3d. and 4th . began to be practised ( though not generally ) and defended as lawfull from that text ( grosly misunderstood ) Jo. 3.5 . Vpon the like gross mistake of Jo. 6.53 . they did for many Centuries ( both in the Greek and Latin Church ) communicate infants and give them the Lords Supper , and I confess they might do both as well as either : But although they baptized some infants and thought it lawfull so to do , yet Augustin was the first that ever said it was necessary inde durus pater infantum . I have read what my learned and worthy friend Dr. Hammond , Mr. Baxter and others say in defence of it , and ( I confess ) I wonder not a little that men of such great parts should say so much to so little purpose , for I have not yet seen any thing like an argument for it . Nor is it a small case to me that I finde after all Mr. Baxters shamefull and vain arguings against the truth , and injurious dealings with me and the baptized Christians , with whom I hold Communion , that yet at last , though quite besides his intentions , he hath so befriended our cause as to lend us twenty good arguments against Infant baptism , in his 2d . disputation of right to Sacraments , in the close of the 16th . saying thus p. 156. I conclude that all examples of baptism in Scripture do mention onely the administration of it to the professors of saving faith : and the precepts give us no other direction . And I provoke Mr. Blake ( as far as is seemly for me to do ) to name one precept for baptizing any other , and make it good if he can . I know what he will pretend , that he intended th●s onely against Mr. Blakes opinion of baptizing upon a dogmatical faith and he means what he argues onely in the case of adult persons . But that doth not avoid his own arguments against himself , though he otherwise intended ; nor will his evasion serve till he prove , that there is a different precept or example for baptizing Infants from that of baptizing adult persons , or that any are to be accounted beleevers or disciples by their parents o● , as his term is , proparents profession , which will never be done by him . I will not say as Mr. Blake saith some have said of me , that it is not possible but he goes against the dictates of his own conscience : But this I dare boldly say , that Mr. Baxter hath strongly disputed against Inf●nt Baptism in the place forenamed , pag. 53. asserting and proving Arg. 1. We must not baptize any who profess not true repentance , pag. 62. Arg. 2. We must baptize no man that first professeth not to bel●eve in God , ● . 68. Argum. 3. It 's the very nature or appointed use of the external part of Baptism it self ( yea essential to it ) to signifie and profess the saving faith and repentance of the baptized , pag. 710. arg. 4. we must baptize none that profess not their consent to enter themselves presently into the Covenant of grace with God in Christ , p. 79. arg. 5. we must not baptize any without the profession of that faith and repentance which are made the condition of remission of sins ; the rest have speeches to like purpose , in which though he puts in sometimes [ and their seed ] yet his proofs do all overthrow that his own addition , and tear off his patch which he hath printed to his argumen● , and as fully militate against his book of baptism as Mr. Blakes tenet ; so that to me it seems that by Divine providence without his intention , una eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit : Nor do I think but that if conscientious Christians chiefly Schollers , would read over that second disputation , they would be satisfied that infants ought not to be baptized but themselves , and that Mr. Baxter hath cheated the world by his book of baptism , and shewed himself therein an inconsiderate writer . But however this fall out , it is a great rejoycing to my soul , that God hath so long preserved my life and strength though now declining , to finish this part of the Review also , and to see that part of it printed which is in answer to Mr. Baxters second main argument in his book of baptism , about his pretended ordinance of infants visible Church-membership and its repeal , which some have given out as unanswerable , because this answer hath been so long in publishing ; not considering that besides the not knowing of his minde about it till 1655. I have been necessitated to answer many others , and together with my constant labours , some other employments extraordinary with domestick distractions , necessity of respect to my bodily strength , want of help of books in some points , of learned men to whom I might have recourse , of an amanuensis , and chiefly the difficulty of getting it printed by reason of the great charge , which this book amounts to , and yet is not so readily put off as other smaller writings , and such as sute more with the minde of Readers , of whom few seem to search after truth impartially , especially in controversies of this kinde . In this which is done my witness is in heaven how faithfully and sincerely I have dealt , which makes me slight the unrighteous censures of those Mr. Blake mentions , of Mr. Baxter , Mr. Firmin Mr. Gattaker , Mr. Ford , Mr. Crag and the rest . And for Mr. John Goodwin who so much magnifies Mr. Baxters book , I wish he and Mr. Horn his second would read this writing , which I take to be a sufficient answer , with the two fore-parts of this Review , to what is said by Mr. Baxter and themselves in the point of Infant-baptism . As for the point of Schism or Separation which Mr. Baxter , and he charge Anabaptists with , I take my self no further concerned then mine own fact , which if they can prove to have been unbrotherly or unrighteous , I hope God wil so frame my heart as to testifie my repentance : if not , I advise them to take heed of rash judging , and all their followers of following them in that sin . If the objection be still set on foot , That those that are , as they term us , Anabaptists , do fall into many false opinions , prove Quake●s &c. I wish them better to examine reports of us , then Mr. Farmer , Mr. Breton , and others have done of me afore they spread them , and to look into the state of the societies of their own judgement , who if they be not guilty of such fallings , I shall rejoyce with them , and hope they will learn to pitty and endeavour to restore those who are fallen in the spirit of meekness ; if they be , that they will remember that it should be no more objected to us then to themselves . For my own part , I hope I shall not abet any such errour , nor do I know of any such errours or miscarriages in the Churches to which I have associated which are not opposed and censured by us : Nor do I think it equal we should be charged with that errour or miscarriage which we condemn . And I make bold to admonish Paedobaptists in the Lord , that they take heed of those practises which tend to the disquieting , defaming , hindering their brethren in the work of Christ because of the supposed errour , as they term it , of Anabaptism , lest they happily fight against God , and wrong their brethren , remembring that he that doth wrong shall receive for , the wrong he hath done , and there is no respect of persons with God , Col. 3.25 . And to the end they may search their own consciences , and rightly judge of themselves , I presume they may do well to lay to heart th●se following qu●stions . 1. Whether it be not a manifest perverting of the Gospel of Christ , to maintain that the Covenant of Gospel grace is made to each beleever and his seed . 2. Whether it be not against the Gospel to maintain , that the command of Circumcision Gen. 17. doth any way bind Christian beleevers now in their practise ? 3. Whether it be nor against the Gospel to entitle p●rsons to the Church visible Christian by their natural generation of beleevers ? 4. Whether it be not a manifest will-worship to practise the positive Rite of Infant-Baptism as Gods worship , which is confest to have neither precept nor example in the New Testament ? 5. Whether it be not a profanation of Baptism to use it otherwise then Christ appointed ? 6. Whether by justifying Infant Baptism , the relinquish●ng of many Popish and Prelatical ceremonies which have as much of reason , tradition , authority of the Church as it , be not condemned ? 7. Whether it be not an oppression , and exercising of dominion over mens consciences , to tie them to acknowledge Sacraments to be in their nature seals of the Covenant of grace which the Scripture terms not so , nor can be proved plainly from it , and to impose on them the practise of Infant baptism under pain of guilt of sin which Christ never appo●nt●d ? 8. Whether it be not manifest hypocrisie to oppose the Cross , Surplice , &c. and to be zealous for Infant baptism ? 9. Whether they who justifie Infant baptism and oppose baptism of Believers at age confessed to be according to the institution of Christ and primitive practise , are not partial in Gods Law and may expect to be made contemptible before all the people ? 10. Whether they who do so , do not break the solemn Covenant of endeavouring reformation according to Gods word ? 11. How they that say they baptize infants into the Name of Christ , who sprinkle or powr onely some water on them , without any profession of the infant can be acquitted from saying falsly ? 12. By what rule those who are acknowledged visible Church-members in infancy c●n be denied the Lords Supper ? 13. Whether it be not a signe that Paedobaptism is not according to rule , when there are so many differences about the title to it between Papists and Protestants , and the ablest Protestants themselves ? 14. How they can make good the regularity of Church-consti●ution , and the ordination of Elders , who have no other baptism but that in infancy ? 15. How they can be free from the guilt of hardening souls in deadly presumption , who avouch the Christianity of infants by natural birth , and Infant baptism which is the great plea of ignorant and profane persons on which they rest ? 16. Whether it be not a signe of injustice and want of love to truth , or adherence to a party , in them that will read and hear what one party saith for Infant baptism , and refuse to read or he●r what the oppos●●s say , though they bring the plain institution of Christ and his Apostles practise for them ? 17. Whether it be not an unrighteous course to charge the miscariages of persons either dead or strangers , on that doctrine or practise which countenanceth not them , or to persons who are no way abettors of them becaus of agreement in one opinion ? 18. Whether division or Schism is not chiefly to be imputed to those who violently oppose & inveigh against their Brethren for holding & practising that which they conceive themselves bound to do by the plain command of Christ which their opposites do acknowledge ? 19. Whether such as impose Infan baptism on their Brethren who hold the faith and baptism confess●d to be from Christ , and deal rigorously with them for not owning i● , do not as the Papists , who impose with cruelty their own addi●ions o● those who otherwise are not denied to hold th● true faith a●d pract●s● ? 20. Whether such pretenc●s as are made for Infant baptism , and the imagined evil of Anabaptism , can be a sufficient plea for baptism , and the imagined evil of Anabaptism can be a su●f●cient plea for any truly godly person to neglect that baptism which Christ hath so strictly commanded Mat. 28.19 . Mar. 16.16 . & the Apostles constantly practised ? And sith Mr. Baxter hath with so much earnestness ministred so many interrogatories to me , I shall take the boldness to advise him to consider his own ways . 1. In giving such a title to his book of Pl●in Scripture proof of Infants baptism , when there is not one text in all his Book which speaks plainly or obscurely for it , yea it 's confessed by himself , that it is not plainly determined in Scripture , p. 3. and is so dark in Scripture that the controversie is become hard p. 301. 2. In his abusing so many texts of Scripture as he ha●h done , chiefly the institution of Bap●ism Matth. 28 19. for infant Baptism , as if they were disciples appointed there to be baptized , which is sufficiently refuted by himself in many places of Baptism , p. 299 , 300. of the right to Sacraments from p. 91 , to 96. 3. In coyning a new title to Baptism by the profession of parents or pro parents , of which the Scripture is altogether silent . 4. In his devising ●n ordinanc● of infants visible membership in the Christian Church , of which there is no foot step in all the Bible . 5. In his many years clamorous abuses , and some kind of violent persecutions of my self and others of my judgement for not acknowledging these figments of his , but promoting reformation of Baptism according to our duty . 6. In his unbrotherly printing my answers I made in the dispute at Bewdley Jan. 1. 1649. without so much as acquainting me with it though living near him . 7. In blazing it abroad that he had driven me to gross absurdities , which yet he hath not in his answer to the 17. sect. of of my praecursor or elsewhere shewed to be so . 8. In his light passing over my urging his own words against infant baptism , about Christs institution Mat. 28.19 . in my praecurs . p. 66. in his Praefest . morat . sect. 16. which is noted in the 2d . Part of the Review , p. 66 , 67. which sure being from Christs institution , deserved better consideration . 9. In condemning our rejection of infant Baptism , though but an humane tradition , on no better grounds then Papists build many of their ceremonies which he condemns , in asserting the Covenant of grace to the faithfull and their seed , which in disputes against Arminians is commonly denied by Contraremonstrants . 10 ▪ In his many false accusations of me as a sect master disturber of the Church , which he cannot prove , in his scornfull expressions in the dispute and his books , in his injurious insinuations of me , as if I were blinded or hardened , occasioned the rise of Quakerism and other errours , thereby indirectly creating odium to me and to the truth , and which is worst of all , weakning my hands in the work of Christ , and particularly in taking off my quondam hearers at Bewdley from hearing me , or permitting me there to preach in publike . None of which , nor any of the rest of his evil suggestions of me or the people baptized there or elsewhere , I pray God may be laid to his charge .

I have no more to add , but to commend the reading of this and the other parts of the Review to thy care , hoping that as the differences between the Cis-Jordan and Trans-Jordan Israelites , and Peter and the circumcised Christians were composed by right in●elligence of their actions , so it may be in this , and that God will awaken the eyes of those who have opposed the truth I assert , with devices of an anti-Evangelical Covenant of grace to Believers and their seed , a Law and Ord●nance of infants visible Church membership no where extant , of baptizing infants according to the Jewish pattern of baptizing Proselytes , of an additional promise of casting elect children on elect parents ordinarily , of a command in force now , Gen. 17.9 . of Baptisms succession to Circumcision and fetching a rule from it , of baptisms confer●ing Grace , &c. will discern their errour , and embrace that light which they have hitherto shut out , and laying aside their vain disputes about the baptizing of Infants of not Churchmembers , profane , excommunicate parents , or proparents and such like , endeavour to restore that one Baptism which with that one faith once delivered to the Saints , may bring the Churches of God to a right constitution and holy unity and order , and without which a right reformation covenanted will not be , and that go●ly pa●ents of tender consciences will take heed of bringing infants to baptism whereby it is profaned , and discern that it is their own duty to be baptized in the name of Christ , and that the use of baptism is , as Mr. Baxter confesseth p. 68 Of right to Sacraments , yea essential to it to signifie and profess the saving faith and repentance of the baptized ( which sh●ws infants are not baptized , sith th●y do not that which is essential to baptism and that which is essential must be in all ) and not to look upon it as their childrens priviledge , but as it was by Christ appointed , by it engage themselves to follow the Lord JESUS ; which is the prayer of