Holy Ghost and with Fire; but will any be fo unreasonable as to infer from this, Baptifm with Fire, as we are told fome ancient Hereticks did (1). 2dly, If we obferve the following 6th, 7th, and 8th Verfes, where our Lord fully explains himself on this Head, we will find, That he ha not the leaft Hint of Baptifm; which furely he would not have omitted, had this been intended and defigned by him. And then 3dly, Because, Verse 10., our Lord reproves Nicodemus for his Ignorance of this; now, it could not be for his Ignorance of Regeneration by Baptifm, (for, even according to thofe who plead for the abfolute Neceffity of it, Baptifm was not yet given by our Lord to his Apoftles, as one of his great and laft Commands) but for his Ignorance of the Nature and Neceffity of Regeneration itself, which as a Ruler he fhould, and as a Member of the Church of God he might have known,, from Pfal. xv. Pfal. li. 10. Ifal. xliv. 3. Ezek, xxxvi. 25, 26, 27. and many other Places. 4thly, Papifts, we muft obferve, fay two Things, First, That only then Baptifm became abfolutely neceffary, when our Lord had given his last Command to his Difciples to Teach and Baptife, Matth. xxviii. 19. But if fo, then there can be no Pleading, from this Scripture, which was delivered a confide rable Time before that. And Secondly, They fay, That the Vow of Baptifm, Contrition, and Martyrdom make up the Defect of it; and if it is thus, then firely they cannot alledge the abfolute and indifpenfible Neceffity of this Adminiftration, in order to everlasting Happiness and eternal Salvation. But 2dly, Suppofing, that, by Water, we are to understand Baptism, will it therefore follow, that it is of the fame abfolute and univerfal Neceffity with the Holy Spirit, in Order to Regeneration and Salvation? For, a The iii. 1o. it is with equal Pofitiveness there

X (1) See Bucani Loci. Com. Pag. 648.

faid,

faid, That if any would not work neither should be eat, but will any hence conclude, that Infants and many others who do not work, must therefore not be allowed to eat? Hence it is, that a very learned Divine of our Neighbouring Church, tho' he pleads for the Neceffity of Baptifm from this Text, yet denies, that the abfolute Neceffity thereof will follow herefrom; but declares, that Infants who die unbaptifed are faved, as being comprised in the Covenant, Gen. xvii. 7. Acts ii. 39 and being holy, 1 Cor. vii. 14. (1).

folu

A Second Argument which fome of late make ufe of, and lay great Strefs upon (2), for the abNeceffity of Baptifm, is, That Men muft have the Spirit and Remiffion of Sins in Order to Salvation, but Baptifm is the only inftituted Gospel Mean in Order to thefe, and therefore Baptifm is abfolutely neceffary to Salvation. But if it is made evident, that Perfons have the Spirit and Remiffion of Sins, previous to, and without Baptifm, then the Subfumption or fecond Propofition is pofitively falfe, and fo their Argument falls. Thus we find,

mily or Company, had Cornelius and his Fa

the Spirit before they were baptifed, Acts x. 47. and many had faving Faith before Baptifm, thefe, Acts ii. they gladly received the Word, Verse 41. and were hereupon baptifed. The Samaritanes, Acts viii. 12. they believed, and then were baptifed; fo did the Eunuch, Acts viii. 37. the Jaylor, Acts xvi. 31, &c. the Ruler of the Synagogue, and many of the Corinthians, Acts xviii. 8. and Acts xvi., 14. Lydiah's Heart was opened, and then fhe was baptifed. Upon all which Inftances we may obferve, First, That Faith always fuppofes the faving and regenerating Operation of the Divine. Spirit

K 4

i

(1) See Dr. Featly, his Dipper dipt, Page 10. (2) See the Doctrine and Practice of the Presbyterians about Baptifm examined, Page 7.

Spirit, for it is reckoned amongst his Fruits, Gal. v. 22. and it must be fo, feeing, Rom. viii. 7. the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God. zdly, That where-ever this Faith is, that Perfon, according to the Lord's faithful Promife, obtains Remiffion of Sins, and a Title to eternal Life, Acts x. 42. Acts xiii. 39. Rom. iii. 28. John iii. 15, 16, 18, 36. And 3dly, We are to notice, that this divine Spirit and faving Faith, are obtained by other inftituted Means than Baptifm; for, the Spirit he is received by the hearing of Faith, or the Gofpel, Gal. iii. 2. Acts x. 44. fo Faith alfo comes by hearing this, Rom. x. 17. And from these three Obfervations, this Argument naturally and with unanfwerable Force proceeds, That if by Hearing the Gofpel People receive the Spirit, have faving Faith, and thereupon have Remiffion of Sins, and all these previous to Baptifm; then furely Baptifm is not the only inftituted Mean in Order to thefe; but the first is true from the juft now mentioned Proofs: And fo niuft the laft be. That Baptifm does declare and feal, ratify and confirm the Remiffion of Sin, none of us deny; but that it is the only inftituted Mean in Order to this, is moft ground lefly afferted. For even as to Infants, the Doing and Dying, the Blood and Suffering, the Righteoufnefs and Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the only procuring Caufe of their Salvation, their Remiffion, Regeneration, and being brought to Glory. And the Nature and Tenor of God's Covenant comprehending not only the believing Parent, but also his Seed, is that whereby they come to have a Right to thefe Bleffings, and fo to poffefs them; and then, as was already obferved, the Ufes and Ends of Sacraments are not that Perfons may obtain, or have a Title to, and Interest in Covenant Mercies; for this, they and all Seals of that Kind, do fupple; but they

are

}

Pare, openly to declare this Right, feál, ratify, and confirm it, and the Perfon's juft Poffeffion of It accordingly.

?

From what hath been offered against the ab- Inferences folute Neceffity of Baptifm, we may obferve, from this. Firft, That there is no juft Occafion for raifing I. A church any Clamour, or making Complaint against a may make Church's making Regulations, as to Time and Regulati Place, for the more orderly and decent Admi- ons. niftration of this Ordinance; providing always, that fuch Conftitutions be confiftent with our Duty to God, lay not a Stumbling block nor Occafion of Offence before others; be fuitable, and not contrary to the Ends and Ufes of this Sacrament, and agreeable to that Charity we owe to Perfons who are to be baptifed, and others con cerned in them; and be not urged, under Pretence of Neceffity, and neceffary Terms of Communion; nor loaded with fuch Penalties as the Nature of the Thing will not allow of. For this is a Power, which all Societies, as fuch, have, as to thefe Adminiftrations proper thereto. But if Baptifm was of abfolute Neceffity, there could be no Place for thefe: And feeing it is not fo, there is no Caufe to complain of them, if fo be they are duely limited.

fome,

Secondly, It is from this we may notice the II. The Error of fuch, who, upon Pretence of the abfo-Error of lute Neceffity of this Ordinance, give Power to fuch to adminiftrate it, whom our Lord does not allow fo much as to fpeak in his Church. But of this more in the next Chapter.

f

ent others

Thirdly, They who maintain, that Baptifm is III. How the only inftitute Mean of Regeneration and inconfiftRemiffion of Sins, may take Occafion from this, are with to confider how inconfiftently they fpeak with their own their own profeffed Principles: For, in the Ca- Principles. techifm contained in the Service Book, Faith and Repentance are exprefly required of those who

are

of

unbaptifed Infants.

are, to be baptifed (8). But as thefe neceffarily fuppofe the regenerating Spirit; fo they certainly infer the Remiffion of Sins: And confequently, that Baptifm is not what they pretend it to be, but, that previous thereto, the Perfon may be regenerated and pardoned.

IV. The Fourthly, That thofe are furely guilty of great Cruelty Cruelty to unbaptifed Infants, and treat them of fame to moft unjustly, who not only deny them what they reckon Chriftian Burial, but place them with the Excommunicate and Self-murderers; and this by publick Order and Command (9). Is not this a punishing the Innocent in the moft fevere Manner; a writing thofe down in the blackeft Catalogue whom yet God writes in his Book of Life; a reckoning them vile and abominable whom the Scripture accounts holy, and the Lord does regenerate and fanctify; and fo, a cafting them out of the Church and Covenant of God, when he declares they are in it; and excluding them from the Kingdom of Heaven, while a Gracious God declares it belongs to them, and receives them into it? And from this it is, that the fu perftitious Custom, which in too many Places prevails, hath its Rife; which will not allow the Bodies of unbaptifed Infants to be interred, but at the Foot of Church-walls, or fo; as if they were unhallowed Things, whom yet the Spirit of the Lord declares to be holy, 1 Cor. vii. 14. and gives Occafion to that fuperftitious and ridiculous Fancy, as if it was unlucky or dangerous to our Bodies, if at any Time we fhould ftep over the Graves of fuch.

V. It is Fifthly, If Baptifm is not of abfolute Necefnot to be fity to Salvation, why then is it that fome make done all of more Hafte than is warrantable, and will, all of a fudden.

(S) See the Anfwer to the Queftion, What is required of Perfons to be baptifed? (9) See the first Rubrick in the Ser vice Book, and the Order for Burial of the Dead.