OF REGENERATION AND BAPTISM HEBREW CHRISTIAN With their Rites c. Disquisitions By CHRISTOPHER ELDERFIELD Deceased Master of Arts and late Rector of Burton in Sussex Published since his death by his Executors London Printed by Tho. Newcomb dwelling in Thames street over against Baynards Castle 1653. To the grand Nursery of Piety and Learning the University of OXFORD The happy Mother of the learned Author deceased YOU may justly wonder at this rude salute from an unpolish'd Pen for I wonder at my self What am I creeping out of the dust of Obscurity to appear amongst the Starres of the morning But I come not hither without invitation the sense of my Duty brightness of your glory invite me to you The ingenious Author of these Disquisitions by his last will and Testament sadly ingaged me as Co-executor with his dearest Brother to present with a learned Legacy the History of Tobit in Hebrew Clemens Romanus Lyra on the Psalms with Rodolphus Postils Manuscript Be pleased to accept them as a testimony of his filial Respects whose great abilities were an Honor to you while he lived and do still survive in his Labours now he is dead He was a man of a single life only wedded to his Book and so had none but a Spiritual issue to keep up his name He was both father and mother to two elaborate Treatises And some conceive the pains and travell about bringing forth the yonger though more spiritual Man-child might cost him his life Since then he breath'd forth his last spirits into this Treatise surely this infant Treatise this posthumous Orphan will be welcom to its Grandmother even in its swadling clouts to suckle it take it into her arms and be a Foster-mother to it I intreat and hope you will not mis-interpret this pious boldness of Your most devoted Orator T.H. To the Right Worshipfull Sir William Goring Baronet Noble Sir THe Author of this Treatise lived as deep in your affections as you lived high in his devotions His great studie was to advance you in Spirituals yet he was willing to return some considerable Retributions to you so far as he was intrusted by you in Secular affairs You are now pleased to lay that weighty imployment upon me alone in which I ever found him a prudent and faithfull Assistant And I shall pray that your many undeserved Favours and the honour of so high a Trust may be in some gratefull proportion answered by the happy success of that duty and service which I owe to so Noble a Family and so great a Charge Sir this Book will teach this corrupt Age the necessity of Regeneration by which whosoever is entred into the kingdom of Grace hath the truth of his first Baptism by Water effectually sealed unto him and needs no second Water-Baptism to transmit him into the Kingdom of Glory They who are baptized by the Spirit of Christ unto Regeneration and by His blood to Justification shall by the help of the same Spirit be more and more baptized unto further degrees of Sanctification That You and Your dear Relations may know and feel the power of these Mysterious Truths with as much sweetness and comfort as I wish to my self and mine is and shall be the prayer of Sir The faithfullest of your Servants T.H. To the READER CHRISTIAM Beloved and much Reverenced HAving not long since offered to the publike thy view some account of endeavors for the preservation of the Gospel of Peace in this Nation for that was my aim in the received and accustomed way of sustentation of the Ministry service and servants thereof by due and stated Tythes Which Discourse was and ought to have been for the general thereof chiefly Political That I may not seem to have been altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a trewant at home and in just and necessary redemption of my reputation to have looked sometimes to mine own I have adventured on what follows more sutable both with expectation from my calling 1 Cor. 15.10 He that loveth his brother abideth in light and there is none â—ffence seen in him or from him 1 John 2.10 Do all things to the glory of God be without offence to any Jew or Gentile or the Church of God even as I also in al things please all men 1 Cor. 10.32 He that loveth c. Though all be pure yet it is evil to him that eateth his meat with offence of another It is good not to eat nor drink nor any thing whereby a brother is offended Rom. 14.19 20 21. Take heed your due power become not an offence 1 Cor. 8.9 If my victuals offend him I will not eat while I live to prevent his displeasure ver 13. For all is not expedient that is lawful 1 Cor. 6. Wo to the world because of offence If thy hand or foot be occasion of giving any rather cut it off and cast it from thee it is good for thee to enter lame or maimed into life rather then having two hands or two feet to be cast into fire everlasting which it seems must follow of offence Mat. 18.18 and see Mark 9.5.29 Mat. 9.47 In his example where a tribute was asked not due yet rather then offend he wrought a miracle that the collectors might not be disappointed Mat. 17.26 The servants of the Lord must not strive 2 Tim. 2.24 and the course of my Profession which is the study of Divine matters whereof I am by the grace of GOD I am what I am an unworthy Minister In both equally have I endeavored to serve my God in the Gospel of his dear Son In the former by setting my shoulder to uphold his House which is like to shake as to the visible outward sustentation thereof in this later by illustrating one of the first and chief mysteries that lets into it but with the fate of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore spoken in the Gospel The first last the last first for this was composed before that was thought on when the things not yet fully determined of were under discussion and thou wilt perhaps guess no less by the complexion of the whole and the aspect of sundry parts heeded Hoped it is that it will displease or offend none which is a part of my Religion either of those were so earnest for keeping what they had or that have succeeded in a partial Reformation The one may see fome of his choice tendred to his view perhaps in a more rational way then he had observed before deeper founded and served up to his affections by the natural way of his judgement The other hath his very Reformation pleaded for calmly enough both to a degree of improvement not hitherto much mentioned and that in the heart and inside of an unquestioned Divine Mysterie the form that gives life to the thing And if Scripture be Rule and we resolved to do only we know what is it not like upon the considerations proposed also digested In the Name will
a man be born of water and of the holy ghost he may not enter the Kingdom of God John 3.3 Or lastly God would have all men to be saved and come to the participation of holiness and happiness which was pitched on in the conference between Arch-bishop Lawd and Mr. Fisher sec 15. under the Law c. which three have been the opinions of those that become the Doctrin even of this Circumstance of a Rite for it is no more in the sacred Text and would have none bottomed elsewhere Or whether no warrant supposed any way written as to such an appendant or but appurtenant of a Rite the Right it self having first passed by clear command that which so belongs thereto and is but of the manner may not be conveyed safe and sure enough from hand to hand by successive and continued practice and the Church be intrusted to give along with security so small a thing scarce a thing to avoid multiplying commands which hath been used to be called Ecclesiasticall (1) Consuetud o matris ecclesiae in Baptizandis parvulis nequaquam spernenda nec omnino credenda nisi esset Apostolica traditio Augustin de Genes ad lit 10. cap. 23. see lib. 4. de Bapt. contra Donatistas cap. 24. so Baronius ad an Chr. 53. num 20. Bellarmin lib. 1. de bapt cap. 8. Lindanus in Liturg. D. Petri. cap. 1. pa. 60. with sundry other that go his way Tradition and is laid hold on by divers and some (2) Melancthon in loc commun tit de baptism puerorum and a treatise of Paedobaptisme Printed last year 1645. licensed by Ch. Herle President of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster p. 7. and many other Protestants in the business But of this controversie which I cannot be ignorant to have been on foot a long time and yet to be prosecuted with zeal enough and too much bitternesse by those have interessed themselves I leave the abettors to their several opinions and disputations let them sit and vote as they please for the bridg or manner of conveyance I interpose no farther then I have cause for the both sides that there it was and here it is it had being before the Gospell and hath had ever since the Gospel though they that rely on simple tradition may perchance hope to gain hereby not a little advantage on their side for if it were so indeed that infants were upon what grounds or maximes soever baptized into the Law and this so usual that nothing more this known rendred it the less (3) The patterns from whence most if not all the Customs in the Church were taken was the Custom of Israel in the old Testament And this may be one special reason why the providence of God did not take so much care for the writing of every custom and ordinance for the Government of the Church in the new Testament because the precedent from whence they were taken being at hand if any alteration did creep in it might easily be amended by reducing it to the pattern The same Treatise pa. 8. baptizing whole housholds instanced in for one thing p. 9. needfull to give or require express order for every days practice or to waft over by cumbersome strength of precept what the force of custom would fairly and gently but surely enough carry on along with it especially for a circumstance when the main was secured by Command And withall there might be Rules and received Orders then on foot to carry on the business with light strength security and evidence enough since lost Grant I say the thing done a glance or but intimation or but covert supposition might give as much evidence as might reasonably be expected in such a business from so small a Volumn as the new Testament is where we have but a very short draught of all the sure Theologie in the world As here in England what a small account have we of infant-baptisme for about 500 years agoe as to doctrin or practice which yet questionless was and how much less will be a thousand years hereafter when time shall have eat out the prints that are now legible in many things that setteth her teeth into every thing Things unusual claim their notice strange come upon the Record dark doubtfull uncertain of hard belief use to take up room of vindication into clear and open light else books must multiply in infinitum and as to our particular of what passed under Christ we more then guess that all was not written of him by that supposition we know who used that if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that was should the world could not contain the books that should be written Jo. 21.25 But of these I say I interpose no further then I have cause the fact on both sides and the similitude of their and our initiating rite thereby even those that could not consent were admitted before since under our Saviour to the Synagogue and the use of Christians hath been we know in part from the beginning to take into the Ark Noah and all his Family not the youngest left out to perish in the water but saved by the water as is St Peters saying and mine in his sence 1 Pet. 3.21 So the parallell stands fair and our baptisme comes from Israel because in so many regards like theirs as primitive and derivative originall and extract as was said before type and antitype the same and the same that Jerusalem from the East which giving us one had the other being the likest to afford both mother and daughter Which admitted as I see not but it may there is neither impossibility improbality nor of weight inconveniency Thereon would follow two other things to be yet super-induced by way of Corollary sc 1. That it is not so credible as commonly believed nor gold so good as Currant through Christendome that our Messias or his anteambulo John Baptist at the soonest was the very first that ever introduced this rite of Religious Baptisme into the Church or into the world There was no such thing before These Master builders not only raised it up to that hight of value it justly has and use it serves for but laid the first corner stone thereof as is with confidence enough delivered by (1) Johannes Baptista sic dictus quòd Deus per ipsius ministerium Sacramentum Baptismi instituerit primusque baptizaverit Exposit Cathol in Matth. 3.1 Marlorate (2) Tom. 1. de sacramentis cap. 4. pa. 100. Maldonate (3) Centur. 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. de baptismo lib. 6. sect de ritibus baptismi Illiricus (4) Homil. 25. in Luc. de baptism Brencius (5) De rerum inventoribus cap. 4. de primo baptismatis usu c. Gloss ordinar nov in Matth. 3.1 Polyd. Virgil and diverse others both Historians Treatisers Commonplacers Schoolmen and both Fathers and their children of every generation who drive on with one
Dominum nostrum That SVPER-NOMINATION of Exod. 20.24 belongs hereto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheresoever I shall place my name there which might be and was in divâ—rs other places and Thither will I come in the following words as in Deut. 12.5 2 Chron. 12.13 both Super-nomination and In-vocation have the same text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observed by Nobilius in his Notes on the Septuagint there that St Augustine should say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was exactly rendred by Supernomination or Adnomination rather then by Cognomination or simple Nomination and 't is true St Augustine has this critical and very usefull observation Quod Graecus habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supernominavero aut adnominavero expressius dicitur quod usitatius cognominavero nonnulli interpretati sunt sed non habet necessariam significationem cognominavero propinquiùs autem dicitur cognominavero quam nominavero nam hoc aliqui interpretes dixerunt Locution de Exod. lib. 2. tom 3 pa. 49. and he is there examining the propriety of speech of that book Seaventies translation of the Old Testament and the (2) Acts 2.21 chap. 22.16 Jam. 2.7 Acts 9.14 21. chap. 15.17 Rom. 10.14 text it self of the New besides the (3) See 1 Maccab. 7.37 2 Maccab. 8.15 and I prayed and understanding was given me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I used In-vocation and there came a spirit of Wisdome unto me Sapient Solomon 7.7 Apochrypha of the former the meaning whereof is so little understood that it hath Scarce been handsomly questioned What it is and the doubt so farr from being fully satisfied that the inquiry hath before been scarce fairly and pertinently raised There might be intended by it some in-vocation of the great NAME of GOD IEHOVAH under the Old Testament of which our Schools or Books make little mention and this operative and effective of the DIVINE PRESENCE in such a way as we little dream of And the rather for that (1) Jer. 7. ver 10 11 12 14.29 where this in-vocation is most mentioned as an effect or consequent God says his name (2) See the English translation of Deut. 12.5 11 21. chap. 14 23 24. chap. 16.2 6 11. chap. 26.11 2 Chron. 6.20 Jer. 7.12 there Was He placed it he had (3) Wherefore goe to my place in Selo where I had placed my name formerly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setled or lodged it Jer. 9.12 the word used in Nehem. 11.9 wherewith compare 1 Chron. 23.25 And both Jerusalem is called A place of the Lords name Esai 18.7 and his name both was to be there and Was there and to continue 1 Reg. 8.16 29 44. chap. 11.3.6 chap. 14.21 2 Reg. 21.4 chap. 23.27 2 Chron. 12.13 yea for ever 2 Reg. 21.7 2 Chron. 7.16 chap. 33.4 7. Where mark still and from the Text the words of placing setling dwelling a House for that purpose and by vertue of that enjoyned Bene-diction remember before of Num. 6.24 25. The Priests shall put my name upon the Sons of Israel God himself coming as 't were along with it We may compare things not all out the same The Marcosians mentioned by Irenaeus acknowledged some such thing After their imprecations before spoken of the NAME invoked by Priest and Proselyte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so they proceeded to a noyling him c. they pronounce that are present Peace be to all upon whom this name of Jao resteth Adversus haeres lib. 1. ca. 18. p. 108. and from Epiphanius in the place alledged And it was the adjuration by the Sanhedrim to the High Priest of Israel on Expiation Eve that he would change none of the service for that day Noste jurare jubemus per eum cujus nomen in hac aede habitat as rendred by Pet. Cunaeus We adjure thee by him whose name dwelleth in this house de repub Heb. lib. 2. cap. 6. out of Maiemonides inshrined it once in Shiloh Under the New Testament likewise there might be some such in-vocation (4) St Isidore proves the Deity of the holy Ghost by that it is completive of the holy Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in this Epiclesis or In-vocation of the holy Baptisme with the Father and the Son it was judged purgative of sin Isid Pelusiot lib. 1. Epist 109. pa 34. annexed to our Baptisme by the pregnant insinuations of (5) The voyce from heaven to Saul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins Calling upon the name of rhe Lord. Whereupon is Vasquez's observation Quoniam haec verba denotare videantur invitationem ex parte Pauli Arise thou wash thou c. yet that this performance is to be a third persons sc the Ministers appears by that his is to be the in-vocation whose the accompanying ablution But No man washeth himself Sebaptists are scarce heard of Be thou baptized here this was to be the Ministers Ergo in 3. partem Thom. Disput 143. cap. 2. sect 17. So the sense this Be thou baptized sc by some fitting Minister and let that Baptisme be by or not without Calling upon Gods name the Epiclesis mentioned Act. 2.16 and (1) Do they not revile that good name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is called over you And add what of this import we meet with often in those who trod next after the steps of the Apostles As in those stiled The Constitutions of the Apostles in many places especially lib. 7. cap. 43. in Justine Martyrs second Apology pa. 94 c. and many other places Iam. 2.7 But grant it were and to continue to us I see not how this Text hath any thing to do with it or it with this Text the words whereof if duely considered not superficially flubbered over lead clean another way Grant In-vocation and of the holy Trinity needfull yet what ground have we for it here and how must not the phrase of speech but be more then miserably wracked and tormented to force a look of the words toward any such business Follow as they lead hear as they speak out their own mind and they gently but fully confess an intent toward Christ a will to Christ an admission into Christ But any In-vocation of Him or Trinity Any calling upon Any thing This was not left here and we idly seek in vain we hope to find it Indeed the occasion of much error may have been perhaps even here Truth yea the derivation of truth from truth the grounding of one truth upon another the setling I mean of opinions warrantable enough in themselves upon other as warrantable as they but so incongruously and without coherence of any necessary concatenation that of things that should flow and follow there is no dependance nor being compared any establishment they can afford mutually one to the other He that says little children should be assumed to Christ by his own Ordinance of matriculation into Church-fellowship and the Communion of Saints on earth as well as no doubt
also as well as we c. as hereafter Athanasius contra Arrian Orat. 3. tom 1. pa. 414. Religions Many have used this rite it behoved they should have difference where could that difference better arise then in the form of administration This form and this alone holds out that difference and in the present work in hand perspicuously clearly needfully fully I Baptize says the (2) Circumciduntur enim Saraceni se in aquis currentibus abluunt in partibus sc corporis inferioribus ut sic quasi quodam Baptismi Lavacro purificentur Matth. parisiens in Histor Angl. pa. 412. in Henr. 3. For farther similitude it may be noted that as Christ our Messias by Jo. Baptist a Priest of the Law preceding so Mahomet was baptized by Sergius a Christian Monk in Polydor. Virgil. de rerum inventoribus lib. 7. cap. 8. Purchas Pilgrim lib. 3. cap. 3. Johan Boem lib. 2. cap. 11. G. Sands's travels lib. 1. pa. Though I take it to be no better then a currant mistake as well in tradition as the later of those Authors in Nicholas de Nicholai in his Oriental peregrenations lib. 4. cap. 16. and many others that Mahomet in favour of Christ and his Doctrine appointed no Jew to be taken into his sect unless first baptized that is Christianed nor into his Moschite but by the only way previous and preparatory Our Catholick Church Even as heretofore none went into the Temple of Honor but by the Temple of vertue in Pagan Rome or into the Sanctuary of Holy Jerusalem but by Solomons Porch those leading into these To have them baptized indeed he requires I grant But this no more to Christianing then washing the hands is necessary to prepare for supper or the known threefold vow to make a Dominican or a Franciscan which may as well speak to a Carthusian or a Benedictine they all by this dore of threefold hard obligation entring into their several Cloisters or Orders Baptism indeed is Epicence and introductory to many the manner or form alone can specifie and bring home to any particulars to Other or Vs Which way I believe Mahomed nor any of his followers ever required or liked in any coming over towards them the rite it self might presume as well for introductory to Persee or Bannian as Hebrew Mahumetane or Christian Though it be yet true enough that the infidel desires even Christian Baptism for worldly ends sc propter corporalem medicinam as to obtain some bodily cure whereof see the collections of Pet. Greg. Tholosan Syntagm juris lib. 2. cap. 4. sect 14. Mahumetane to begin at the hither end of time and so does the (1) We have it from the excellent observations of Mr. Herbert in the published account of his late Travels lib. 1. pa. 44 45. Bannian and so does the (2) In the same Author pa 52 53. The manner is As soon as the child is born the Daroo or Priest is sent for He hastens and having calculated the Nativity invents the name which the mother is after to impose This dâ—ne they hasten to the Eggaree or Temple where the Priest puts a little pure water into the barque of a holy tree Holme they call it thence poures it upon the infant and prays therewith it may be cleansed from all impurity At 7 years age it is confirmed by the Daroo c. Persee and I believe so did John Baptist as well as the Christian But whereunto may it be well questioned and that would essentiate the difference I Baptize in the name of Machomet would the former say though this I do No but to difference mine from the Christian and all other sects into the faith of Machomet And I Baptize says the Persians Daroo what in the name of (3) Perhaps a corruption of the old name Zoroaster a great Master and known so to have been of Religion in those parts Of him mention has been made enough in books formerly extant as Ammian Marcellinus lib. 23. Psellus Patricius Delrio c. Zertoost our Lawgiver I believe in him indeed but I baptize into the Zundevastaw his Law given And I Baptize too says the other Bramin or Priest to his beloved Bannian But into the Shaster our Law or Religion which hath more Emphasis of specification of the work then In the name of our most holy and reverend Bremaw that taught us our Religion As the Son of Aaron might perhaps say I Baptize into the Law of Moses whereto is reference 1 Cor. 10.2 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Most HOLY NAME But now I Baptize too at last to come home to our selves I do the same act says the Minister of Jesus Christ What in the name of my Prophet or God That I do I could not do otherwise but more Into his name sc into his holy doctrine faith religion profession Hear me heed me I devote to HIM Baptizing as he taught to lead into the name of Father Son and Holy Ghost Which none of them will do nor will I as they which they abominate I can as ill like of theirs into which faith they would not be entred nor I into what they believe and as they would not have this NAME called (1) Or VPON HIM I allude to the exactness of the Jerusalem Apostles speech in Ja. 2.7 by which it should seem there was a kind of Invocation or calling of the name of Christ over or down upon the baptized or dismissed Though if so this Text of Matth. 28. hath nothing to do with it whose words and meaning are much different Do they not blaspheme says St. James or traduce or maligne or revile that glorious or excellent NAME that is called upon over you 'T is not said in Baptisme and may have been at dismission or other solemn occasions Quod in-vocatum est super vos so Calvin and Beza and the old Latine which goes far agreeable to the Greek and the Syriack and in English which is invocated upon you so the Rhemists affecting exactness where it may be had the very word that is used in the advise to Saul Act. 22.16 Arise and be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having called upon the name of the Lord. A hard phrase mistranslations make it easie full of darkness mistakes clear it up to shew of light There seems more in it and of a different nature from that appellation of Acts 11.26 Christians from Christ or is understood in Gen 48.16 of Israelites from Israel or in Esa 4.1 as H. Grotius has it upon the place sicut filii de parentum faeminae de maritorum dicuntur nominibus as children are named after their parents women after their husbands Compare with the Originals of Deut. 28.10 2 Sam. 6.2 1 King 17.20 21 Esa 63. last Jer. 7.10 11 12 14 30. chap. 14.9 chap. 15.16 chap. 25.29 Dan. 9.18 19. Amos 9 12. and mark well the Seventies translations of those places In the new Testament light may be had