THE Text is a full Commission, deli­ver'd out by our Saviour to his Apo­stles, when he had just finish'd the glorious work of our Redemption, and was now Ascending up again unto his Fa­ther: whereby he impowers them to extend the benefits of his Passion by Baptism, as far as he design'd they should reach, even to the ut­most parts of the Earth: For as he himself had spent his whole time in Judea, and the Regions thereabout, amongst the Jews, God's peculiar [Page 2]People; so he commands them, whom he had fully instructed in every Particular of his Do­ctrine, to communicate it to the Gentiles.

Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations; bapti­zing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

From which Words, I may take Occasion to speak of these Five Heads.

I. Of the Nature of Baptism in general.

II. Of the Persons here authoriz'd to Baptize.

III. Of the Persons to be Baptiz'd.

IV. Of the Form of Baptism. And,

Lastly, Of the Time and Place, when and where this Sacrament ought to be administred.

Of the Four first (there being no difference about them, either as to Principle or Practice, amongst those of our Communion) I shall say little more at present, than what may serve by way of Introduction, as it were, to the last Par­ticular, which I have design'd for the main Sub­ject of my ensuing Discourse: Wherein I shall, with all the Brevity and Plainness I can, endea­vour to demonstrate the Unreasonableness of continuing that corrupt Custom crept in among us, (and which of late Years has prevail'd more especially in this City,) of Baptizing Children in Private Houses, contrary to the earnest, pious Desires and Endeavours of our Clergy, the de­clared [Page 3]Sense and Usage of the Catholick Church all along, the express Orders and Constitutions of that sound Part of it, whereof we boast our selves Members, and the very Reason and De­sign of the Institution it self; to the no small Dishonour of God Almighty, in hindring the greater Promotion of his Glory, and the Edifica­tion of many Religious, well-dispos'd Christians.

But before I enter professedly upon this Ar­gument, I am to speak a Word or two briefly, on the four just mention'd Heads. And,

I. Of the Nature of Baptism in general.

Now Baptism signifies properly an Immersion, Dipping, or Washing the whole Body in Wa­ter; and was a Ceremony used among the Hea­thens, as well as the Jews, upon the Admission of any new Converts to their Religion: By which Washing was signified, the Cleansing of the Per­sons, so baptized, from their former Pollutions; and their Resolution of continuing Pure and Un­spotted for the future. This Ceremony, being very innocent, and very significant, the Holy Je­sus was willing to continue it in his Church; leaving out the other of Circumcision, which sig­nified but the same thing, and was more injurious to Men's Health, and to their Modesty.

I say, Baptism signifies properly an Immersion, Dipping, or Washing the whole Body in Water: [Page 4]And so it was practis'd in the Primitive Times, after the manner of John's Baptism, who chose the River Jordan, and such Places, where there was much Water, for the Convenience of such an Immersion: For so it is expresly said of him, That John was baptizing in Enon, S. Joh. 3.23. near to Salim, because there was much Water there. After this manner the Eunuch, in Acts 8. was baptized by S. Philip; Acts 8.38. for 'tis said, They went down both into the Water, both Philip and the Eunuch, and he bapti­zed him. And indeed, this Dipping all over in Water is thought by some, more significant than any other sort of Baptism; for hereby is denoted the Cleansing the whole Man from Sin, the be­ing buried with Christ in Baptism, which is sig­nified by the Immersion, or Dipping in Water; and the Rising to a Newness of Life, which is signified by the Emersion, or Rising out of it again. But yet it is not so necessary, but it may be omit­ted in favour of the Weakness of the Person to be baptiz'd, and the Pouring or Sprinkling of Water us'd instead of it; as has been the Pra­ctice of these Northern Countries, in the Baptism of Children, whose tender Bodies cannot endure a total Immersion; and of the first Ages of the Church, in favour of Sick and Bed-rid Persons, who desir'd to become Christians. For, as God Almighty is tender of our Souls, so he takes care [Page 5]of our Bodies too; and his Laws are so far from injuring our Healths, that they highly improve them: Upon which Account, it is not to be ima­gin'd, that the Ceremony of Admission into the Christian Religion should be more difficult, than that into the Jewish Covenant; or that Children should be oblig'd to become Martyrs, as soon as they are made Proselytes.

But here it may be started, That, admitting this Washing, Dipping, or Sprinkling to be the Ceremony of my Admission into Covenant with Christ, How doth it hence appear, that Christ thereby enters into Covenant with me? I may be washed indeed with Water; But how shall I be satisfied that Christ washes me with his Holy Spirit? For the satisfying of which Ob­jection, I must proceed to the Second Thing I design'd to speak of, viz.

II. The Persons here authoriz'd to Baptize.

Whom, if we look back to Ver. 16. of this Chapter, we shall find to be the Apostles: St. Matt. 28.16.Then the Eleven Disciples (for so the Apostles are there call'd) went away into Galilee, into a Mountain where Jesus had appointed them: Who, when he came amongst them, spake unto them, saying, All Power is given unto me, in Heaven, —V. 18.and in Earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, —V. 19.bap­tizing them, &c. As if he had said, My Father [Page 6]has left the Government of this World, which I have redeemed with my Blood, to me: I have power to make what Covenants I please with Mankind: I have told you, upon what Condi­tions I will confer Heaven and Happiness upon Men: Go ye therefore, and let them all know it: And I give you power, and none but you, to admit them into this my new Covenant by Baptism. But then, the Mercy of God, as it was willing to extend the Benefits of his Passion be­yond that Age of the World, and that Genera­tion of Men, continu'd Means for the effectual Continuance of this Power of making such Cove­nants to the End of the World, by authorizing the Apostles to delegate and depute their Power to others, in this large and plenary Commission, As my Father hath sent me, S. Joh. 20 21.even so send I you: I give you the same Authority, which I have re­ceiv'd: And as I had Power of my Father to send you forth to preach the Gospel, and baptize every Creature; so I give you Power to send others forth with the same Commission; to Or­dain Bishops, Priests and Deacons, as you shall judge expedient for the Edifying and Welfare of my Church. Which Power was accordingly delegated, immediately afterwards, to seven Per­sons at once, Acts. 6.3. Chap. 13.3. as you'll find in Acts 6. to Saul and Barnabas, to their Successors, until this very Pe­riod [Page 7]of Time; wherein we of this Communion, have Persons under the several Characters above-mention'd, who derive their Authority from them, by an uninterrupted Succession. For no Man can take this Authority upon himself; and unless there were Sacred Persons so continu'd in the Church, there could, at this Day, be no Le­gal or Valid Administration of this Sacrament; and by Consequence, our Saviour's Command would have long since fell to the Ground, (which I tremble to think of,) when he bid them, and, in them, their Successors, Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. The Meaning of which Words, All Nations, or an Enquiry,

III. Into the Persons to be Baptiz'd, is the Subject of my Third General, which now offers it self to be spoke to; Go ye therefore and teach All Nations, baptizing them, &c.

The Lord God had, for a long time, dwelt only in Judea: Though the vast Circle of the Earth, 2 Chron. 2.6. nor the larger Circumference of the Hea­vens cannot contain him; yet, as the Psalmist ex­presses it, at Salem was his Tabernacle, Psal. 76.2.and his Dwelling at Sion: There was his House, there his peculiar Residence. To the People of Israel only had he given his Laws, and order'd the manner of his Worship: The rest of the World seem'd over-look'd, and neglected, like Chil­dren [Page 8]dis-inherited, and banish'd from their Fa­ther's Presence. But when the Blessed Jesus, the Word of God, by whom all Men were created, descended, for the Redemption of them all, he threw down the Partition-Wall which shut out the Gentiles from the Sight and Favour of God, and contriv'd Means for the Bringing them into his Family. He caus'd the Waters of Baptism to extend themselves, as far as those of the Ʋni­versal Deluge; that as all Men had once perish'd by Water, so they should all be saved by it.

Nor do we, when we say All Men only (upon slight Grounds) exclude the Children of Belie­vers from this extraordinary Privilege, as do the Adversaries to Infant-Baptism: Who should not have been mention'd in this place, (since their wild Opinion runs counter to the Belief and Pra­ctice of the Universal Church in all Ages,) did not some of them boast of an Irrefragable Argu­ment on their Side, taken from the very Words we are now about; arguing from hence, that be­cause our Saviour first said Teach, before he said Baptize; therefore every Body must be taught, be­fore he is baptiz'd. To which there need be gi­ven no other Answer, but what the true Mean­ing of the Original Word will readily furnish us with: For, [...], in the Greek, signifies not here Teach, as in our Translation; but rather, [Page 9] make Disciples of: Inter Judaeos Discipuli facti sunt ii, non qui jam docti sunt, sed ideo Disci­puli facti sunt, ut doceantur. Lightfoot: Hor. Heb. ad locum. As if our Saviour (alluding to a known Custom among the Jews) had said, Go and admit into my Church, and make Dis­ciples of all Nations, and that by the Ceremony of Baptism; for (which is very remarkable) in the very next Verse, where the Word Teaching comes again, [...]. there is another Word made use of in the Original, which has that for its proper sig­nification. An Exposition, which, if it were duly attended to, might be of no small Use to many unprejudic'd Anabaptists. As,

IV. The Form of Baptism here prescribed, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, might be so to another sort of seem­ingly more Rational Persons, who yet (some of them) make a Difficulty in Founding the Do­ctrine of the Individual and Ever Blessed Tri­nity upon express Words of Scripture.

For, if the being baptiz'd into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, as the Original imports, [...], and not in the Name, according to our Translation, which is less significant. If, I say, V. Grot. sup. loc. the being baptiz'd in­to those Names doth not signifie, the being ba­ptiz'd into the Belief of Three Persons in one Incomprehensible Godhead, which distinguishes the Christian Baptism from all others; and the submitting all the Faculties of our Souls and Bo­dies [Page 10]to the Soveraign Dominion and Guidance of each of them, as such; then the whole Church almost has been in an Error for nigh these 1700 Years, and a Handful of Men, whose Business it is now-a-days to receive old, condemn'd Heresies, are alone in the Right.

Thus have I briefly gone through the Four first Particulars, which relate to the Essentials of Baptism: To all and singular of which, every one in our Communion is so ready to subscribe, against all Anabaptists, Socinians, and other Ʋn­orthodox Persons whatever, that few would for­give themselves, should their Children by any means happen to be otherwise baptized than by Sprinkling them with Water, according to the U­sage of our Country, and not by Dipping them all over in it; should they not be baptiz'd by a Lawfully Ordain'd Minister of the Church of Eng­land; and that too, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

V. But now, as to the Circumstances of Time and Place, when and where this Sacrament ought to be Administred, which is my Fifth Particular, and comes now to be consider'd more at large. Rubr. 1. before the Office for Publick Bap­tism. Rubr. 2. before the Office for Private Bap­tism.

Most are so prejudic'd against them, by a pre­vailing Custom to the contrary, that, notwith­standing our Rule tells us, It ought not to be done, but upon Sundays, or Holy-days; nor Out of the [Page 11]Church, unless in Cases of great Necessity: They think these Matters of no such Importance, but that they may safely pass them by, and Christen their Children at Home, when there is no Cause for it, without the least Contravention to my Text, or any other place of Scripture.

To Persons of which Complexion, I answer,

First, That although this Text is not strictly producible for Publick Baptism, as it means Ba­ptism at the Font, according to the particular Con­stitution of our Church, which provides, Can. & Const. Eccles. Can. 81. That there shall be a Font of Stone in every Church or Chapel, where Baptism is to be Administred; and there, in that Font only, the Minister shall Baptize publickly: Yet (with their Leaves) it may be urg'd for it, as far as the Design of the Institu­tion it self will warrant us, and the early and constant Custom of the Church of Christ, which is the best Expositor of such a Design.

Now that Baptism, even from the Church's Infancy, has been all along as publickly celebra­ted, as the present State of that did permit, may be fairly gather'd from the following Words of a great Searcher into the Records of the Primitive Times; which shall serve instead of many Quo­tations that might be brought for the Proof of the Assertion. Dr. Cave in his Prim. Christ. part 1. c. 10. ‘The Place where this solemn Action was perform'd, was at first unlimited; [Page 12]any Place where there was Water, Ap. 2. p. 93. as Justin Martyr tells us: In Ponds or Lakes, in Springs or Rivers, De Bap. adv. Quintill. cap 4. as Tertullian speaks: But always, as near as might be, to the place of the Publick Assemblies; for it was seldom done without the Presence of the Congregation.’ And then,

Secondly, I answer farther, That though the Text before us should not be sufficient of it self to satisfie all the beweldring Doubts of the Scru­pulous, or Perverse, but, notwithstanding its E­vidence, they will think themselves still at liberty to baptize either in publick or private; yet, in Consort with some others that may be alledg'd, it ought certainly to be thought of such Force, as to conclude them without more a-do, and im­mediately determine their Choice. Such are these, 3 Cor. 14.40. and the like Apostolical Canons: Let all things be done decently, —26.and in order. Let all things be done to edifying. From which, and several other Places of Scripture of the same Nature, Hor. Confess. varias Aug. Sc. Helv. Basil. Bo­hem. Belg. Sax. &c. it is on all Hands acknowledg'd among Protestants, That hereby is given to the Church Power to make De­crees about such Matters as this, and others de­sign'd there, where St. Paul tells the Corinthians, That the rest he will set in order when he comes. 1 Cor. 11.34. And we of this Church expresly assert, Art. 20. That she has Power to decree Rites and Ceremonies, not re­pugnant [Page 13]to the Word of God: And that the Bring­ing of Persons to be solemnly baptiz'd in God's House, for the general Good of Christians there present, has no such Contrariety, must still be presum'd, till better Topicks for Conviction be found out, than what have hitherto been offer'd.

Now, this Power being granted, as lodg'd in the Church, it will hence follow, That what our Mother doth lawfully enjoin, we are, with Readiness and Submission to assent to; lest by standing out against her obstinately, we sin as much against Heaven, who gave her this Com­mission, as we do against the Authority of the Church it self.

However therefore some may stile themselves her Children, and seem mightily pleas'd with the specious Appellation of True Sons of the Church of England, whilst they are guilty of such an Ir­regularity as Private Baptism has been always rec­kon'd in it, (especially when required to the contrary,) they must pardon others who cannot but think them highly unworthy to be call'd so; since by such stubborn, undutiful Carriage, (were all Men as positive in their Refusals as they,) her Being must (inevitably) be destroy'd as a Church, whence every one of us derive our own, as Chri­stians.

But, to be more methodical, and to press this Matter with greater Application, let me crave your Patience, whilst I tender to you the Four following Particulars.

1. The express Orders of our Church, with Relation to Publick Baptism, and the Care she has taken in the Contrivance of her Form for it, so, that there can be no Intrenchment upon it, without a great deal of Absurdity, as well as Dis­obedience on their side, 1 Cor. 11.22. who become Despisers of the Church of God, by acting contrary to her Injunctions.

2. That the Obedience of her Genuine Sons in this Affair, may not be Nick-nam'd, or term'd Implicit, I shall shew, that she hath done nothing herein, but upon very extraordinary Motives; in that her Constitutions about it do not only bear a sweet Harmony to the Practice of the Eastern, and all the Western Churches: But,

3. That the Practice of all these Churches is grounded upon the earliest Antiquity: And,

4. That that Antiquity has no less solid a Ba­sis, than the firmest Reasons to support it.

But of each of these as briefly as possible. And,

1. Then, As to the Orders of our Church: besides the Canon just now mention'd, Can. 81. where there is a Font enjoin'd to be set up in every Church or Chapel, where Baptism is to be Administer'd; [Page 15]and that in the Font only, the Minister shall Baptize publickly; Rubrick 1st. of that Office. the Office for Publick Baptism saith in one place, That the People are to be admonish'd, that it is most convenient that Baptism should not be Administer'd, but upon Sundays, and Holy-days, when the most number of People come together. Rubrick 2d. In another place it enjoins, That when there are Chil­dren to be baptiz'd, the Parents shall give notice thereof over Night, or in the Morning, before the Beginning of Morning-Prayer, to the Curate: And then, the Godfathers and Godmothers, and the Peo­ple, with the Children, must be ready at the Font, either immediately after the Last Lesson at Morning-Prayer, or else immediately after the Last Lesson at Evening-Prayer; as the Curate, by his Discretion, shall appoint. Again, In the Office for Private Baptism, Rubrick 3d.The Curates of every Parish shall often ad­monish their Parishioners, that, without great Cause and Necessity, they procure not their Children to be baptiz'd at home, in their Houses. Our Church is so indulgent a Mother, that she permits any to be baptiz'd in Private when there is a Necessity for it, agreeably to the Practice of the Universal Church all along; and accordingly hath provided a particular Form for such Exigencies: Rubrick 5th. in the Office for Private Bapt. But this still with an Injunction, That afterwards they be brought to Church, that those Prayers and Rites, which before were omitted in the Office, may be there publickly supplied.

This is the Sence of our Church in this Matter, and her Determination, and therefore sufficient, as has been prov'd, to oblige every True Son of hers to acquiesce therein, and be conformable.

But I have yet farther to urge, That whoso­ever will be stubborn, and run counter to these Establishments of hers, by Christ'ning his Chil­dren at home, and that by the Publick Form, (which is still insisted upon,) must not only be reckon'd guilty of manifest Disobedience to his Mother, but is chargeable likewise with several gross Ab­surdities in one of the solemnest of God's holy Ordinances; the Publick Form being so contriv'd, to prevent Evasion, or Collusion herein, that it cannot properly be us'd any where but in the Church; Mr. Arwaker's Ministration of Publick Baptism of Infants to be used in the Ch. as has been well observ'd in a late Trea­tise on this Argument, to which hardly any thing can be added on this Head. For, 1. For instance, as the Author observes, Pag. 29, &c. When the Minister says thus to the Godfathers and Godmothers, You have brought this Child here to be baptiz'd, Ivo Carnotens. Serm. de Sa­crament. De­dicat. (ac­cording to that of one of the Ancients, You were brought to Church in the Arms of your Sureties;) he ought, in a Private House, to invert the Words thus, Ye have brought me here to baptize this Child. 2. How can any Minister use that Petition in the last Collect, before the Prayer of Consecration, in such a place, with any colour of Reason, when [Page 17]he is thus to address himself to God Almighty, Grant that whosoever is here dedicated unto thee, by our Office and Ministry, may be endued, &c. whilst by Here is undoubtedly meant the Font in the Church, or the Church it self, the proper place of Dedication; at least, 1 Sam. 1.24. Hannah was of that Opi­nion, when she offer'd her Samuel, the Son of her Prayers, in the House of the Lord, with a Design of Dedicating him there to his Service. 3. In the Prayer of Consecration it self, it is no small Argument to prevail for God's Assent to the Pe­titions offer'd in the behalf of the Child, to be Regenerated; That he would regard the Prayers of his Congregation, and comply therewith, in San­ctifying the Water, to the Mystical Washing away of Sin, &c. Now this Congregation, whose Prayers are thought thus efficacious, ought to be such an one, Pag. 31, (as the above-cited Author ob­serves,) of which the Minister may safely and truly say, Thy Congregation; for there is certainly the greatest Validity in the Prayers of God's Congregation: But there is great Reason to think, that those are not such, which are ga­ther'd in a private House, on such an Account; since the Church has not appointed it a fit place for Baptism, unless, as was abovesaid, in Cases of extream Necessity. So that Private Houses be­ing not ordinarily allow'd, much less commanded [Page 18]to be made use of as such; nay, oftentimes per­versely appropriated by some, to that Use, a­gainst the express Authority of the Church, and earnest Sollicitation of those that are set over them; whoever assemble there, in such an ille­gal manner, Vid. Bals. & Zon. (apud Be­veregium, Tom. 1. p. 191.) ad Can. 31. Concil. 6. in Trullo. St. Matth. 18.20. must be thought as really guilty of a Disorder in the Church, as those who meet in prohibited Numbers and Places are of a Riot in the State. Nor will that pitiful Plea from our Saviour's (ignorantly misapply'd) Promise, Where Two or Three are gather'd together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them, stand them in any stead; Since we must not be allow'd to ar­gue from extraordinary, to ordinary and com­mon Cases; for though not a Tittle of our Sa­viour's Words shall fall to the Ground, but he will be with his all the World over, till the Con­summation of all things; yet this Text must be understood of them, as duly circumstantiated, with respect to Time, Place, &c. Hence the Reason of no Considering Person will give him leave to say, Because our Saviour supported his Disciples with these Words, whom he foresaw Drooping, ere-long, under a Persecuted Condi­tion; therefore they may make use of it upon every Caprichio, (as too many among our Laity actually do,) in the more flourishing State of the Church, against the known Orders of the [Page 19]Establishment in it, to which, in many the like Cases, they readily submit upon those very Mo­tives which are usually urg'd for their Obedience to this Injunction. But, 4. The last Absurdity committed in using our Publick Form at Home, is, the Receiving the Child: When the Minister, ha­ving first Nam'd it, and Baptiz'd it, holding it still in his Hand, uses these Words of Admission, We receive this Child into the Congregation of Christ's Flock, &c. Which Reception doth not only mean, into the whole Body of the Ʋniversal Church, but as well that Representative Part then present, and Consenting to it for the Whole. And the Minister's Embracing the Child, is for the same End, as the Imposition of Hands in Ba­ptism was of Old; which, Durantus tells us, De Rit. Eccl. Cath. Lib. 19. cap. 1. sig­nified the Reconciliation, by which he that was without the Church a Child of Wrath, according to our Catechism, was in the Church receiv'd into the Church's Favour, and made a Child of Grace.

Thus have I laid before you the Commands of our Church, with relation to Publick Baptism, together with the Danger and Absurdity of our Breach of them; which was the First Particular: I hasten through the following Ones with all ima­ginable Brevity, and proceed to shew,

2. That She has done nothing herein, but upon very extraordinary Motives, in that her [Page 20]Thoughts, with respect to the Business in hand, accord with the Eastern, and all the Western Churches now in the World.

As for the Eastern, Chap. 7. Sir Paul Ricaut, in his Pre­sent State of the Greek Church, tells us, That That hath, from long Antiquity, practis'd, on the Eighth Day to present their Children at the Church-Porch, to receive the Blessing of the Priest, &c. And 'tis notoriously known, that the Practice of the Church of Rome, here in the West, is agreeable to her Constitutions: Vid. Rituale jussu Pauli 5. Colon. Edit. Cum proprius locus hujus Sa­cramenti sit Ecclesia Parochialis, nullus extra eam, nisi forte in casu necessitatis baptizet. Nor doth She permit any, but in Cases of Extream Necessity, to be baptiz'd at Home; and they, upon Reco­very, are still brought to Church afterwards. The French (as well as the other Reform'd Churches abroad, Il est a noter qu'un doit ap­porter les En­fans, pour ba­ptizer; ou le Di­manche, ou les autres jours au Sermon: a fin que comme le Baptesme est une reception solennelle en Eglise il se fas­se en la pre­sence de l' As­semble; v. La Forme d' Admi­nistrer le Bap­tesme. conformable to which is their Practice (as many of them as have Churches) in this City) not only order this Usage in their Service-Books, but, as we do, give their Reasons for it there likewise: Because * Baptism, say they, is a solemn Admission into the Church of Christ, and therefore ought to be done in the Face of the Assembly, who are to be Witnesses of the Matter. Nay, The English Congregation which was gather'd at Ge­neva, in the Year 1558. upon an unjust Dis­like of some Things in our Liturgy and Church-Government [Page 21]here, in their Form of Prayer, See The Order of Baptism, Rubr. 1.and Administration of the Sacraments, approv'd by J. Calvin himself, tells us positively, That it is evi­dent from God's Word, that the Sacraments are not Ordain'd of him, to be us'd in Private Corners, as Charms or Sorceries; but left to the Congregation, and necessarily annex'd to God's Word, as Seals of the same: Therefore the Infant, which is to be ba­ptiz'd, shall be brought to Church on the Day appoin­ted, to Common Prayer, and Preaching, &c. And (which I hope will be for the Conviction of those among us, who are very ready to charge every Person or Thing with Popery, or Superstition at least, that doth but look towards the Establish­ing or Retrieving any of the Solemnities in God's Worship) Even the Presbyterian Directory, in the late Times of Confusion, expresly Ordains, In the Chap. Entituled, Of Baptism, p. 19. That Baptism be not Administer'd in Private Places, or Privately, but in the Place of Publick Worship, and in the Face of the Congregation, where the People may most conveniently see and hear: Which the Framers of it likewise tell us, was resolv'd upon, See the Preface to the Directory for the Publick Worship of God throughout En­gland, Scot­land and Ire­land. Minist. of Pub. Bap. p. 43. After earnest and frequent Calling upon the Name of God; and after much Consultation, not with Flesh and Blood, but with his Holy Word. Pursuant to which Resolutions, as it should seem, we are told, that as for their Brethren in Scotland, no Length of Way, nor scarce any Indisposition, can prevail with [Page 22]them to keep their Children from the Church; but they carry them several Miles to be baptiz'd, that it may be done in Publick: And that they thought it an inexpressible Favour, when a Toleration was granted them for Private Baptism in case of Great Necessity. But,

3. There is not only a Consent between ours and these Churches in this Particular, but the Pra­ctice of all of them is grounded upon the earliest Antiquity: For the Proof of which, I shall not now trouble you with a pompous Ostentation of Authorities; though I might quote to you Justin Martyr, St. Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, Am­brose, ChrysostomVid. Cocceii Thes. Cathol. Tom. 2. lib. 5. Art. 11. de Baptisteriis., &c. with Councils Pro caeteris notetur praecipuè Can. 59. antiq. illius Conc. Constant. 3. sic Stat. [...]., General and Pro­vincial; but desire the Pag. 11. from Cave's Primitive Chri­stianity, Part 1. Chap. 10. Pag. 311. above­mention'd Citation may serve, instead of many: Where 'twas said, That the Place where this solemn Action was perform'd, was at first unlimited; any place where there was Water; as, a Pond, Lake, River, or Spring, serving turn: But that always they chose a Place for Baptism as near as might be to that of the Publick Assembly; for 'twas seldom done (even in the very Infancy of the Church) without the Presence of the Congre­gation. For which Reason it was, that in An­cient [Page 23]Times, as we are there likewise told, Id. Ibid. p 312. their Baptisteria, or Fonts, as we call them, were built at first near the Church, then in the Church-Porch, to represent Baptism's being the Entrance into the Mystical Church; and afterwards in the Church it self. At which Places, Baptism was of Old Ad­minister'd only on Easter and Whit-Sunday, as many Councils formerly order'd; because (as one of them is express) at those Solemn Times there were the most numerous Assemblies; De Catechume­nis Baptizandis id statutum est, ut in Paschae vel Pentecostes so­lennitate, quan­to majoris cele­britatis major est celebritas, tanto magis ad Bapti­zandum veniant. Conc. Gerund. Can. 3. and by Consequence, the Administration of this ho­ly Rite would be then more for the Edification of the Church.

Where, by the way, we may observe the Rise of Private Baptism in the Primitive Church, to­gether with the Reasonableness of its Allowance then: For, they reserving the Baptization of all their Catechumens till those two great Festivals, if any of them in the mean while happen'd to be in great danger of Persecution, Qui enim in dif­crimen naufra­gii, hostilitatis incursum, obsi­dionis ambgu­um, & cujusli­bet corporalis ae­gritudinis despe­rationem incide­rint, & sibi unico credulitatis au­xilio poposce­rint subveniri, eodem, quo pos­cunt, momento temporis, expetitae regenerationis praemia consequuntur. Siricius Papa ad Himerium Tarraco­nensem. as was probable in the first Ages of the Church; Incursions of Bar­barous Enemies, no less frequent in the succeed­ing Times, present Death, by Sickness, or any other Means; they granted them the Liberty of being baptiz'd immediately, fearful lest at any time they should go out of the World, depriv'd of the Benefit of this Holy Laver.

But, God be thanked, we are under no such Apprehen­sions at present; though we were then, when this Cu­stom of Christning at Home first got Footing amongst us; no such Practice being heard of in the Church of England, till the late Times of our horrible Distractions. Which bare Consideration, viz. of the Means whereby this U­sage was here introduc'd, might, one would think, have long since render'd it odious and abominable, to those especially, who have the Conscience still left them to ab­hor the lewd Proceedings of those Days, when Wild En­thusiasm, and Blind Zeal justled all sober Religion al­most, with God's Solemn Worship, out of these three Kingdoms. But,

4ly. and Lastly, The Constitutions of our Church, which order Baptism to be Publickly Celebrated, do not only bear a just Correspondence with the Practice of the Eastern, and all the Western Churches now in the World, as grounded upon the earliest Antiquity: But that An­tiquity has no less solid a Basis, than the firmest Reason, to support it; Three of which I shall, for the present, only hint at, leaving the farther Consideration of them, and others as obvious, to your own more serious Re­flections. The

1. Concil. Gerund. bab. Conc. Anno. 517. Of which, is, That Publick Baptism is more for E­disication. This the Primitive Church was sensible of, as you find from the Canon of the Council just now men­tion'd, which (with a great number besides) orders Ba­ptism to be perform'd on Easter and Whit-Sundays only; because then the Congregations were fuller. This our Church is very sensible of, in like manner, when She orders it to be administred ordinarily upon Sundays, or Holy days, when the greatest Number of People are met to­gether; that all there present may be put in mind of their own Profession made to God in their Baptism. Rubr. 1. in the Office for Pub­lick Baptism. This the French Reformed Church is highly sensible of, when, in her last Rubrick, in the Office for Publick Baptism, She or­ders, [Page 25]That the Minister, Baptizing in the Church, Le tout se dit a haute voix en langue vulgaire, d'autant que le Peuple qui as­siste la doit estre temoin de ce qui s'y fait a quoi est requise intel­ligence; & aussi asin que tous soient edifiez, en reconnoissant, &c La Forme d' Administrer le Baptesme. Rubr. 1. in the Office for Pub­lick Baptism.speak as loud as he can, in the Vulgar Tongue, that all may be edified: En reconnoissant & reduisant en memoire, quel'est le fruit, & l'usage de leur Baptesme. This, in a Word, all the Churches in the World are sensible of, their Custom be­ing principally founded upon this Motive. But, then,

2. The very Nature and Design of Baptism bespeaks the Reasonableness of its being done in Publick: It is, as has been said, our solemn Admission into the Christian Church, and therefore ought to be done openly; that as our own instructs us, the Congregation then present may te­stifie the Receiving of them that are newly baptiz'd into the Number of Christ's Church. And,

3. We may consider, that Baptism contains a Publick Profession of our Faith in Christ, by our Godfathers and Godmothers. Now, the Profession of our Faith, the more publick it is, the more agreeable is it to the Nature of Baptism, and the Constitution of the Christian Church; which is a Visible Society, professing the Faith of Christ. And when can it possibly be more publick, Psal. 116.13. than in the Courts of the Lord's House? The Publick Congregation for God's Worship, held by Publick Authority, in Places pub­lickly set a-part for that purpose; when the End of As­sembling there, is, the more solemn Celebration of God's Honour; that Devout Persons may, with one Mind, and one Mouth, glorifie his Name together.

Thus have I gone through all the Particulars I design'd to speak to: And have shewn,

I. Very briefly, The Nature of Baptism in general.

II. Who were the Persons Commisson'd by our Saviour to baptize.

III. Who ought to be baptiz'd.

IV. After what Form. And,

V. More at large, at what Time, and in what Place.

I should now put an End to this Discourse, but that it may be expected, since I have been so copious in the De­fence [Page 26]of Publick Baptism, that I should say somewhat by way of Obviating those Pretences, which have been so powerful, as to uphold the contrary Practice amongst too many of us, for some Years last past.

And, indeed, were it not for this Reason, notwith­standing their Prevalency, I should have thought the best of them too weak and trifling, such as deserv'd rather to be pass'd over in Silence, or, at most, answer'd by a Mi­nister in Whispers, as they are commonly urg'd to him, rather than mention'd by way of Confutation before such an Auditory as this. But, such as they are, they may be reduc'd to Three chiefly; either of the Richer Sort, the Poorer, or Both indifferently.

The Richer Sort usually preface their Resolutions about a Private Christning, with an Intimation of their sincere Intentions towards the Church of England, in which they were born and bred, and resolve, by the Grace of God, to die in too: But, as for the Business in hand, the Child is at present indispos'd, and the Gossips are now in the Way, who cannot so well attend another Time; and therefore it is convenient it should be done immediately, without making any farther Trouble on't.

To such it may easily be answer'd, If they are so well affected, as they pretend, to the Church of England, or rather the Church of Christ, let them shew their Affe­ction, by a ready Compliance to the wholsom Injun­ctions of this in general, with relation to Publick Ba­ptism; and that in particular, which has provided a Pri­vate Form, purposely to be us'd in such Exigencies; and satisfies them there, Rubr. 5th. in that Office. That the Child so baptiz'd, is lawful­ly and sufficiently baptiz'd, and ought not to be baptiz'd a­gain: But only desires, upon Recovery, it be brought to Church afterwards, for the Reasons just mention'd; and there receive the high Honour of being orderly and so­lemnly admitted into Christ's Flock. But, to be plain, 'Tis not the Child's real Indisposition, but the unhappy [Page 27]Bent of the Parents too perverse Inclinations oftentimes, that make them take these Measures; since 'tis notorious, that, of those who dar'd not venture their Infant two or three Doors to Church, in the cold Air of this City, many have speedily after sent it out some Miles in a much colder, to be taken Care of in the Country. And then, as for the Excuse of wanting those that will stand Godfathers and Godmothers, 'tis well known, that Persons of any Fashion, are not with­out Numbers, ambitious of paying that Complemental Piece of Respect to them; (for, to our Shame be it spoken, 'tis too frequently look'd upon as no more.)

On the other side, Whilst we have gloss'd, varnish'd Fals­hood from the Rich, suitable to their Circumstances, we meet with simple, naked Truth from the Poor: What was pretended Indisposition in the former, is downright Shame in the latter,

Truly, though (they thank God) they want nothing, yet they are not so well to pass in the World, as to make a Figure in't, and upon that Account, being unable to pro­vide things handsom enough for their Company, and a Publick Appearance, they don't care to be ridicul'd and laugh'd at by their Neighbours, till they can.

To which 't may be reply'd, in a Word, That the Vanity of some in a higher Rank, ought not to be a Rule for those in a meaner Condition; much less should the Avoiding of it be objected to them; then which, nothing can more advance their Reputation among Persons of Prudence and Sobriety; whose Censures, in such Cases, are alone to be regarded.

And, indeed, were those Extravagant Expences retrench'd, which are every where too common on such Occasions, and have been condemn'd in three late Councils, Conc. Colon. Decr. 15. Conc. Mogunt. Can. XVI. Conc. Mediol. 5^tum. cap. Quae ad Baptis­mum pertinent. even by the Cor­rupt Church of Rome; we should quickly find the Thoughts of most People, which are now wholly bent upon Dress, Shew, and the Pomp of the Business, turn'd a contrary way; and the chief Solemnity of Christnings would then lie, in having the Religious Part of them perform'd more decently, with respect to Time, Place, &c. than generally now it is.

But, 3. The Main, Topping Argument from both Sorts, is, That such or such Great Men have not scrupl'd to Chri­sten in Private: Why therefore should others refuse it, who are not nigh so much Dignify'd, nor Distinguish'd?

To this I answer, Lastly, When those Eminent Persons declin'd their Rule, they did it with Reason, or without.

If without, Then their Example ought no more to be a Guide to others, than the unwarrantable Actions of a Su­perior Magistrate in any Corporation, should be propos'd to the Imitation of an Inferior one; for, however they may both, by the Connivance of the Higher Powers, or any other way, escape the Punishment due to them for the Breach of the Laws of their Country; yet there is a Court of Con­science in each of their Breasts, that will not acquit them here, and a Sentence to be awarded them by the highest Tribunal hereafter.

If they did it with Reason, Then it must be presum'd 'twas for the same that made Moses counive at some Irregularities in the Jews; viz. the Hardness of their Hearts, in hopes to bring them, by this Means, at length, to an entire Conformity. For, to that deplorable Condition are we arriv'd, through a complicated Degeneracy of Principles and Manners, peculiar to this Age, that unless a Clergy-man will now and then sub­mit to undue Compliances of this nature, some proud, pee­vish Persons there are, who shall make it their whole Study and Endeavour (by spreading about malicious Innuendo's, and palpable Ʋntruths, with other indirect Methods) to render his Preaching, Prayers, Administration of the other Sacrament, his whole Ministry ineffectual. But, God be thanked, this is but the Case of a few; the rest of the Laity generally stan­ding out upon no other Ground, than the Strength of that bad Custom to the contrary, which many wish heartily were broke, but only are shy, each of them, of first attempting it.

Far be it therefore from me, to apply to the Present State of our Church, with relation to this Affair, what was said, by one of the Conc. Colon. Anno 1549. V. Inter Censu­ras & decreta tata pro abusu­um & vitiorum ad Synodi judi­cium perlatorum emendatione, Decr. 15. Councils last mention'd, of the Clergy and [Page 29] Laity in the Diocess of Cologne, where Private Baptism began to make Head: Detestanda est non minus Laicorum superbia, quam Pastorum eis obsequentium adulatio, qui contemptâ Ec­clesiâ proles suas volunt in domibus suis baptizari, & eo Ba­ptismi aquam deferri. No, it is not owing to the base Easiness of our Clergy, in making Concessions of this nature; nor to the Pride of most of our Laity, Private Baptism &c. is since be­come a Mark of Vanity, and a piece of Affect­ed State. Bur­net's Hist. Re­form Abridg­ed, Lib. 2. pag. 63.(though some must be thought to make it a Piece of State) that they have had a long while, and still have in too many places, their Children ge­nerally Christn'd at Home, but to the great difficulty of brea­king a Custom; which, as it began in a very ill Time, and has more unhappily prevail'd ever since; so it will be most dismal in its Consequences, if the Observation of a great Doctor in our Church holds good,Note: Dr. Sherlock's Relig. Assemb. Part 2. ch. 4. pag. 293. That there is not a more ready way to root out Christianity it self among us, than (thus) to destroy the Solemnities of God's Worship.

However therefore some Men, when press'd with Argu­ments of this kind from the Pulpit, or otherwise, are apt to stifle or shuffle them off, with crying out in general of a Ho-Life, a Holy Life, as the only Stable Support of Christianity. Sure I am (though what they say is true) yet they are ne­ver like to be any great Pillars of it, who are deaf to all In­formations about, and consequently neglect all the Means of Practice, amongst which, a due Administration of God's Holy Sacraments has still been reckon'd none of the least.

The Application from all, what has been said, is this, in short; That since there is no Shadow of Reason for Private Baptism, and no Bar against bringing this Ancient, this Catho­lick, this Religious, this almost necessary Practice of Baptizing in Publick, into a greater Esteem amongst us, than the piti­ful Plea of a prevailing Custom to the contrary, which might be easily overthrown by the Encouragement, and especially the Example of Rich Men; whom their Meaner Neighbours would as readily follow in [...]ous Ʋsages, as in Civil Fa­shions. I say, since there is no other Bar against Publick Ba­ptism, but this pitiful Plea, it may be worth while for all [Page 30]Persons of Character and Station to consider, whether, as God has bestow'd on them more distinguishing Marks of his Favour, than on others round about them, they ought not (were it only by way of Gratitude) to signalize them­selves more especially, and become forwarder Instances in promoting his Glory all the ways imaginable: A fair Opportunity of doing which, in no small measure, they have in the Matter before us, which tends so much, as we have seen, to the Good of his Church, in the Edification of particular Christians, and (which is little thought on) the Welfare of their own Souls too.

For, See the Prayer for Christ's Church Mili­tant, in the Communion-Service. Whereas they beseech God every Lord's-Day, and Holy-Day, that he would give his Grace to all Bishops and Curates, that they Rightly and Duly Administer his Holy Sa­craments; if in this, as well as other Petitions, their Hearts go along with their Lips, and their Endeavours with both; if they do not frustrate this his Grace here, by discouraging his Ministers in a faithful Discharge of their Office, they may then expect to be at length Partakers with him in Everlast­ing Glory hereafter.

Now, Consider we, what has been said, and God Al­mighty give every one of us a right Judgment in this Parti­cular, as wellas in all other Matters; That, as he hath left in his Church but two Sacraments, Church-Cate­chism. as Outward and Visible Signs of his Inward and Spiritual Grace, we may none of us, in the great Day of Visitation, be found among those, who have either scandalously neglected the one, or huddl'd up the other in a Corner.

Now, to the Individual and Ever-blessed Trinity, Three Persons, but One Glorious, Almighty Lord God, be ascribed, as is most due, by us, and his People every where, all possible Adoration, Honour and Glory, As it was in the Beginning, is now, and ever shall be, World without End. Amen.