Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENEALOGICAL, NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 183
The head line of the work is "Queries concerning Baptism."
In his address to the reader IMr. Lothrop says : "What I have re-
ceived by hearing and seeing, I desire to manifest in defence of
the Baptism and Form we have received ; not being easily moved,
but as Christ shall more manifest himself ; which I cannot conceive
to be in the dipping the head, the creature going in and out
of the water. The form of Baptism doth more or less hold forth
Christ. Baptism declares Infants to be Virgins ; the Supper declares
Believers to be Sponses."
Mr. Lothrop assumes that Infants are of the Kingdom,
through the father's good pleasure ; that they are ingredients of
the "many nations whom the fciaviour shall sprinkle; that they
are of the spouse, or church, washed in Christ's blood, as were
those of old, or the vines of Egypt, even of those who were all
baptized in the cloud and in the sea."
"Bap^tism, under the Gospel, is the church's office ; done in
the name of the Three, by the power or authority of Christ : They
only put on Christ who are baptized into or unto Christ, by the
spirit, not all that are baptized by water. No one is fully baptized
without pouring, sprinkling and washing ; not dipping of
the head, any more than whole wafers in the supper ; bread there
is, but no breaking, showing forth Christ's sufferings ; so whole
rivers show not forth Christ's sufferings, pouring him out like
water, besprinkling all his raiment. As by their faith who
brought him to Christ, the man sick of the palsy was healed ; so
the faith of the parents induceth them to carry their Infants to
Christ's ordinance, confessing original sin ; believing God is their
God, and the God of their seed ; showing the need their Infants
have of Christ ; so leading the infant in the house of God, to
grow up in his courts at the soles of Christ's feet. To dip an infant,
there is a dim light of Christ. For a creature to go in and
out of the water ; the dipper to dip down the head ; is no showing
of Christ at all. Sweating water and blood, then was Christ
buried by baptism ! Being under the wrath of the Father, all his
waves were over him ; there were the elect buried with him, having
communion with him in his death ; when many came aforehand
to anoint his body ; it being manifest to believers, when
they are baptized by the spirit, dying unto sin and rising again
unto newness of life ; but, when Christ was buried by Nicodemus
in the dust, there was no need of showing forth that burial, nor
his resurrection ; seeing he was seen after his resurrection.
Christ died for sin, and rose again for our justification ; so believers
die to sin, and rise to newness of life ; justifying themselves
to others, that they are risen with Christ."
"The two seals under the Gospel are of one nature ; but
washing makes us capable of eating ; so circumcision made them
capable of eating the passover. There, say such as be called