A63200:249
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…
A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that learned and godly minister of Christ, John Ball of Whitmore ; penned a little before his death and sent over to the New England ministers, anno 1637, as a reply to an answer of theirs in justification of the said positions ... ; now published ... by William Rathband and Simeon Ash.
London: printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons for Thomas Underhill, 1644
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answer.
Where the holy Ghost is given and received (which was the case of the Centurion) and where faith is professed according to Gods ordinance (which was the case of the rest) there none may hinder them from being baptised, viz. by such as have power to baptise them. In the Instances given baptism was administered either by Apostles or Evangelists, not ordinary Pastors: the persons baptised, if they were members of Churches, had a right to baptism in their state, and the Apostles being Officers of all Churches might dispense the seals to them where ever they came, which yet will not warrant ordinary Officers to do the same. Nor is it improbable but that all these were in Church-order, Aret. on Act. 18. 1. is of opinion, that the Centurion had a constituted Church in his house;1 the Eunuchs coming to Jerusalem to worship, argueth him to be a Proselyte, and member of the Jewish Church not yet dissolved: and therefore upon the profession of the Christian faith capable of Church privileges at that time. As for Lydia and the Gaylor it appeareth that in the beginning of the Gospel there was a Church at Philippi which communicated with Paul as concerning giving and receiving:2 As he expressly saith, before his departure was from Macedonia, which departure was immediately upon the Gaylors conversion. In which respect what should hinder that Lydia and the Gaylor should first be joined to the Church, and then to be baptised though it be not mentioned in that story? As neither there is mention of a Christian Church, which Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Philippians. At least it is probable that Lydia was a member of the Jewish Church, because she is said to be one that worshipped God. But if any man think they were not members of any Church yet baptised, though we see not how it will be proved, yet if it were so, the object doth no whit weaken the argument, which speaketh of the ordinary dispensation of the seals, and not of what was done in an extraordinary way. So that suppose that in the cases alleged, baptism dispensed to some that were not in Church-fellowship, yet the examples of the Apostles and Evangelists in so doing will not warrant ordinary Pastors to do the like. The reason of the difference why Apostles and Evangelists might administer Baptism out of Church-order, whereas Pastors and Teachers may not, is double. 1.