The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…

However, to me it seems strange, that there should be so much stress put upon Baptism, and so much upon the manner of Baptising, as the Anabaptists lay, and yet the Holy Page hath not Recorded how it should be performed. To Baptise an Infant, I could do as Mr. Chancy did in New-England, and as of old they did in England; as an Ancient Gentleman, of good quality in Suffolk told me, He remembered the practice, by a good token, One Infant was so fowled with its green Excrement, when it came to be Dipped, [a handsome sight in a Congregation, when we are about Holy Things] that he could not forget it; but how to Baptise an ⟨p. 111⟩Adult person, and heavy Body, I cannot tell. If they go into the Water, into the Element, they Baptise themselves so far as their body is in the Water; The Baptist doth not Dip that part.

However, to me it seems strange, that there should be so much stress put upon Baptism, and so much upon the manner of Baptising, as the Anabaptists lay, and yet the Holy Page hath not Recorded how it should be performed. To Baptise an Infant, I could do as Mr. Chancy did in New-England, and as of old they did in England; as an Antient Gentleman, of good quality in Suffolk told me, He remembred the practice, by a good token, One Infant was so fowled with its green Excrement, when it came to be Dipped, [a handsome sight in a Congregation, when we are about Holy Things] that he could not forget it; but how to Baptise an ⟨p. 111⟩Adult person, and heavy Body, I cannot tell. If they go into the Water, into the Element, they Baptise themselves so far as their body is in the Water; The Baptist doth not Dip that part.

As for their Clothes, I hope they do not go in with them, to Baptise, or Wash them. certainly there ought to be an immediate Application of the Sign, [the Water] to the Body; that our Baptism hath a reference to the Ezek. 16.4. I see several Men conclude, and have shown us how this Custom of Washing new born Babes was derived almost to all Nations, but neither then, nor now do our Women put on a Shirt, or any thing upon the Infant, and then wash it, but they apply the Water immediately to the Body; I am sure it should be so in Baptism. Vossius gives us large Testimonies out of Ancient Writers, how that Men, Women, and Children, in those Countries, were all Baptised. [De Baptis. p. 350.] [I wonder the Anabaptists should be so angry with Mr. Baxter] because he saith they Baptise naked, the Women only had a little covering before them, (yea they had a Mystery in the pulling off their Clothes, to show their pulling off the Old Man, some where I have read,) after their Dipping, they were Anointed.