A discourse concerning the subject of baptism wherein the present controversies, that are agitated…A discourse concerning the subject of baptisme wherein the present controversies, that are agitated…

3. It is a zealous and diligent Attendance to discipline according to the Rules of Christ and not Curtailing the Covenant that will keep Churches pure. There are two ways practised by men in order to keeping Churches pure, the one is humane, the other is divine. The humane way is to straiten the grace of the Lords Covenant, that is the way of the Anabaptist. The divine way is faithfully to attend discipline. Now it will be found in the Issue, that the divine way only is that which will attain the End, experience doth testify that Churches have been pure or impure, according as discipline hath flourished or been evanid amongst them. Look abroad the world upon the Corrupted Collapsed Churches that are in many places, and we shall see that they have little more then a Carcass of discipline amongst them, without the life and power of it, which is the true and great Reason of their Corruption.

3. It is a zealous and diligent Attendance to discipline according to the Rules of Christ and not Curtailing the Covenant that will keep Churches pure. There are two wayes practised by men in order to keeping Churches pure, the one is humane, the other is divine. The humane way is to straiten the grace of the Lords Covenant, that is the way of the Anabaptist. The divine way is faithfully to attend discipline. Now it will be found in the Issue, that the divine way only is that which will attain the End, experience doth testify that Churches have been pure or impure, according as discipline hath flourished or been evanid amongst them. Look abroad the world upon the Corrupted Collapsed Churches that are in many places, and we shall see that they have little more then a Carcase of discipline amongst them, without the life and power of it, which is the true and great Reason of their Corruption.

4. It is to be feared that the denial of such Baptism as is disputed for, will in time Introduce Corruption and Impurity into Churches. For hereby persons out of the exceeding great desire; which they have that their Children might be baptized, (and who can blame them for that?) are put upon a Temptation to venture upon the Lords Table before such time as they are so well qualified for it as were meet yea and Churches also are hereby put upon a Temptation to be lax in their Admissions to the Lords Table, that so they may be quiet from the continual clamours of those that do account themselves not a little wronged, when Baptism is withheld from their Children. These things may serve to Answer that Objection, but there is another wherein there seems to be a real knot. For in the fifth place it may be alleged, that the persons in Question, either have to the Judgement of Charity a Justifying Faith or not. If not they (and consequently their Children) are not baptizable. If yea, then they are forthwith admirable to the Lords Snpper. Answer.