Church Now the reason of Augustines authority was this the Pelagian heresie being generally condemned and Augustines workes being greatly esteemed as being the hammer of the Pelagians the following refuters of Pelagianisme Prosper Fulgentius c. the Councells that did condemne it as those of Carthage Arles Milevis c. did rest altogether on Augustines arguments and often on his words and Augustine in time was accounted one of the four Doctors of the Church esteemed like the four Evangelists so that his opinion was the rule of the Churches Judgement and the schools determination as to the great hurt of Gods Church Luther and others have been of late Now Augustine did very much insist on this Argument to prove originall sinne because Infanâ—s were baptized for remission of sinnes and therefore in the Councill of Milevis he was adjudged accursed that did deny it But for my part I value Augustines judgement just at so much as his proofs and reasons weigh which how light they are you may conceive August tom 1. Confess lib. 1. c. 11. Signabar signo crucisejus condiebar ejus sale jam inde ab utero matris meae quae multuâ—â— speravit in te And then follows how being young and falling sick he desired and his mother thought to have him baptized but upon his recovery it was deferred First In that whereas he makes it so Universall a tradition his owne baptisme not till above thirty though educated as a Christian by his mother Monica the Baptisme of his sonne Adeodatus at 15. of his friend Alipius if there were no more were enough to prove that this custome of baptizing infants was not so received as that the Church thought necessary that all children of Christians by profession should be baptized in their infancy And though I conceive with Grotius annot in Matth. 19.14 that baptisme of Infants was much more frequented and with greater opinion of necessity in Africa then in Asia or other parts of the world for saith he in the Councells you cannot finde ancienter mention of that custome then the Councell of Carthage Yet I doe very much question whether they did in Africa even in Augustines time baptize children except in danger of death or for the health of body or such like reason I do not finde that they held that Infants must be baptized out of such cases for it is cleare out of sundry of Augustines Tracts as particularly tract 11. in Johan that the order held of distinguishing the Catechumeni and baptized and the use of Catechizing afore baptisme still continued yea and a great while after insomuch that when Petrus Cluniacensis disputed against Peter de Bruis he said only that there had been none but Infants baptized for 300 yeares or almost 500 years in Gallia Spaine Germany Italy and all Europe and it seemes he denyed not the baptizing of growne persons in Asia still whence I collect that even in the Latine Church after Augustines dayes in sundry ages the baptizing of persons of growne age did continue as well as baptizing of infants till the great darkenesse that over-spred the Westerne Churches spoyled by Barbarous Nations destitute of learned men and ruled by ambitious and unlearned Popes when there were none to Catechize and therefore they baptized whole Countries upon the baptisme of the King of that Country though both Prince and people knew little or nothing of Christianity but were in respect of manners and knowledge Pagans still which hath been the great cause of the upholding of Papacie and corrupting of Christian Churches I meane this great corruption of baptizing making Christians giving Christendome as it is called afore ever persons were taught what Christianity was or if they were taught any thing it was onely the ceremonies and rites of the Church as they called them 2. You may conceive how light Augustine's judgement was Rivet tract de Patrum authâ—ritate c. 9. Augustinus aeternis flammis adjudic at Infantes sine badtismo morientes by considering the ground upon which Augustine held and urged the baptisme of Infants so vehemently which was as all know that read his workes the opinion he had That without baptism Infants must be damned by reason of originall sinne which is not taken away but by baptisme yea though he wanted baptisme out of necessity urging those places Joh. 3.5 Rom. 5.12 continually in his disputes against the Pelagians particularly tom 7. de natura gratia c. 8. And tom 2. ep 28. he saith Item quisquis dixerit quod in Christo vivificabuntur etiam parvuli qui sine Sacramenti ejus participatione de vita exeunt hic profecto contra Apostolicam praedicationem venit totam condemnat ecclesiam And in the close of the Epistle calls it robustissimam fundatissimam sidem qua Christi ecclesia nec parvulos homines recentissime natos a damnatione credit nisi per gratiam domini Christi quam in suis Sacramentis commendavit posse liberari And this Perkins in his Probleme proves was the opinion of Ambrose and many more And hence as Aquinas so Bellarmine proves baptisme of Infants from Joh. 3.5 And this hath been still the principall ground The ground that you go on that the covenant of grace belongs to beleevers and their seed I cannot find amongst the Ancients Yea as you may perceive out of Perkins in the place alleadged although Ambrose and Augustine in his 4. book de Baptismo contra Donatistas c. 22 yeilded that either Martyrdome or the desire of Baptisme might supply the defect of Baptisme and some of the School-men Biel Cajetan Gerson do allow the desire and prayer of parents for children in the wombe in stead of Baptisme Yet we find no remedy allowed by them but actuall baptisme for children borne into the world So strictly did Augustine and the Ancients urge the necessity of Baptisme for Infants born 3. You may consider that Augustine held a like necessity of Infants receiving the Lords supper from the words John 6.53 as is plainly expressed by him lib. 1. de peccat merit remis c. 20. And accordingly as in Cyprians tim the Communion was given to Infants as appears by the story which he relates of himselfe giving the Communion to an Infant in his book de lapsis mentioned by August epist 23. So it is confessed by Maldonat on Joh. 6. that Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome held it necessary for Infants and that this opinion and practise continued about 600 years in the Church though it be now rejected by the Romane Church in the Councell of Trent 4. You may consider that Augustine held such a certainty of obtaining regeneration by Baptisme that not onely he puts usually regeneration for Baptisme but also he makes no question of the regeneration of Infants though they that brought them did not bring them with that faith that they might be regenerated by spirituall grace to eternall life but because by Baptisme they thought to
integrity or ripenesse of body and mind c. but gives not proofs or reasons but onely one single instance of Augustine himselfe for an universall proposition 3. As we noted afore that Walfrid grossely mistook in the alleadging that one instance of Augustine For Walfrid saith in his book De rebus Ecclesiasticis which we have under our eye that Augustine reports in his confessions of himselfe that he continued a Catechumenus a chatechised person till he was 25 years old before he was baptized when as Augustine saith of himselfe in his books of confessions that he was not converted till about the thirtieth year of his age after which he continued a Catechized one about two years in which time he wrote against the Academians and wrote his Soliloquies and in his 34 yeer of his age he was baptized at Mellain of Ambrose You see then how little credit is to be given to dreaming Walafrid in this point of Augustine 4. Walafrid confesseth that upon the increase of diligent search into divine Religion men of understanding in Christian doctrine finding that peccatum originale Adae c. the originall sin of Eve did hold guilty not onely those that had committed actuall sinne but those that had not according to the 51 Psalm in sin did my mother conceive me and Rom. 3. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that from Adam we had all sinned c. That upon these grounds of Scripture they that is those religious men baptized their Infants into remission of sinne And this practise of Infant-baptisme Walfrid judgeth a token of the growth of Religion And alleadgeth Augustins book of baptism of Infants and the African Councills and the Fathers in generall for Infant Baptisme against that of Augustines practise baptized at ripe yeares and withall Walafrid saith That thus those wise Christians did Baptize their Infants into remission of sinnes and for regeneration and not as some Hereticall persons contra-opposing against the grace of God contend that Infants are not necessarily to be baptized And now I hope I have given Mr T. enough of his Walafrid upon his so oft and confident alleadging him and have satisfied the Reader touching him If Mr T. speaks of Walfridus his mention of the invention of Gossips as they call them following upon Infant-Baptisme and spirituall kin of Gossips following upon that as thereby to blemish Walafridus then Mr T. breaks his own shins For Mr T. did go upon the legs of Walafridus to fetch us an antiquity against Infant-baptism If Mr T. doth but use Walafridus his antiquity of the invention of those two things We Answ 1. Gossips were long before Augustines time even in Tertullians time many hundred yeers afore Superstitions of divers sorts crept into the Church soon after Constantines time And spirituall kin of Gossips is but a novell late dream of yester night in comparison of the Church of Rome falsly so called 3. That neither of these inventions necessarily depend on Infant baptisme more then a rope of sand or pebles in a With for as much as if beleevers practised the baptisme of their children it was seldome but one of the Parents were alive in the Infancy of the child Kneeling followed the Communion and adoration of the Elements followed that kneeling yet these do nothing disparage the Communion it selfe in the Institution and substance of it but onely defiled the Communicants that so superstitiously used that sacred thing Thus of Walafridus Strabo Now of Peter de Bruis and of Peter Cluniacensis his Epistles to two A. B B. and two B B. against him which are called Epistolae contra Petro-brusianorum Heinricianorum haereses And well may De Bruis and Heinricus be taxed with Herefie if that be true Cluniacensis chargeth upon them And he professeth twice that he would not accuse them upon uncertainties and reports but upon that writing taken from them and brought to him wherein he chargeth them as from their own mouths that they denyed all the Scriptures especially in the New Testament excepting the four Evangelists Evangelium at supra dixi vos suscipere Epistolas Pauli c. cur non suscipitis Respondetis quia non adeo certa nobis earum authoritas est And for this cause Cluniacensis spends two long chapters in proving the Old Testament and the New to be the true Word of God by quotations out of the four Evangelists which Evangelists Bruis and Henricus did acknowledge and Cluniacensis goes over all the Bible so book after book to so approve them to Bruis and his collegue But to come to the point in hand of paedobaptisme 1. Mr T. tells us that Peter de Bruis denyed Baptisme but tels us not the rest that Peter de Bruis denyed in that very point Mr T. shewed us fairly the green grasse but not the snake lurching in it Truely I could not but with fadnesse read Cluniacensis of Peter de Bruis when I found how there as formerly Mr T. takes here and there a touch of Authors that is for his turn and conceals that which is most necessarily mixed and twisted with it which if Mr T. had but intimated would have overthrown his quotations For Mr T. his Petrus Cluniacensis gives us the first Preposition so he calls it of Petrus de Bruis thus Mar. 16.15 Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit salvus erit qui verà non crediderit damnabitur Ex his apertè monstratur nullum nisi exediderit baptizatus fuerit hoc est nisi Christianam fidem habuerit baptismuni perceperit posse salvari Nam non alterum horum fed utrumque pariter salvat * And a little after this is made more plain Nec baptismus sine propria fide nec propria fides sine baptisme aliquid potuit Neutrum cuim sine altero salvat That is unde infantes licèt a vobis baptizentur quia tamen credere obstante aetate non possunt nequaquam salvantur Non rebaptizamus sed baptizamus quia nunquam baptizatus dicendus est qui baptismo quo peèccata lavantur lotus non est that is Mark 16.15 He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned Hence it is apparently demonstrated saith Peter de Bruis that none unlesse he beleeve and be baptized that is hath Christian faith and receives and perceives Baptisme can be saved For not one of these alone doth save but both of them joyntly see the Margin ** Neither could baptism without ones own proper faith be ableto do any thing nor ones own proper faith without baptism For neither of them without the other saveth So doth Peter de Bruis after explain himselfe Therefore faith De Bruis to Cluniacensis his partee though Infants be baptized by you yet because through the hinderance of their age they cannot believe by no means are they saved We saith De Bruis do not rebaptize but baptize because he is never to be said
the Scriptures as we have often quoted and then the result of Mr T. his argument will be only this Augustine read the Scriptures for originall sinne in Infants and Infant-baptisme and so did the Councill of Milevis Ergo the Councâ—ll â—f Milevis depended on the authority of Augustine A non-sequitur that every man will perceive Two Councellours urge the same clause of a statute or the same deduction thence clear to both their reasons will it follow therefore that the ones judgement depended on the other But saith Mr T. I value Augustines judgement EXAMEN just so much as his proofes and reason weigh Wee answer Animadver That 's well But as we may not extoll good men too much so nor depresse an Augustine a Luther as if we would by a back blow strike out their eyes and then say they saw nothing Augustines retractations and Luthers voluntary suffering of so many losses and crosses for the truth are incomparable signes they aspired not to be high in authority over mens consciences Augustine argued out of the Scriptures plentifully according to his light for that he held so doth Mr T. so do others Therefore let us not too rashly despise one anothers arguments The Councill of Milevis did Anathematize them that did deny originall sinne and perhaps them that said Infants were not baptized into remission of sinnes but they do not curse them that will not make Infants originall sinne an argument for Infant-baptisme Sure Augustine did not so Anathema and therefore the C. of Milevis tooke no such thing from him and therefore no wonder they doe not practise it But Mr T. again urgeth the baptisme of Augustine at above 30 years old EXAMEN §. 8. of Alipius his friend at ripe years of Adâ—odatus his sonne at 15 to prove that the custome of baptizing Infants was not so received as that the Church thought it necessary that all children of Christians by profession should be baptized in their Infancy Wee answer first in generall Animadver That they were perswaded that of Equity they ought to baptize all Christians children as the stream of Antiquity hath carried it of which afore abundantly And Mr T. himselfe chargeth Augustine and Cyprian that they thought too many Infants were to be baptized namely all that had Christian parents or undertakers If therefore in fact some few were not baptized in infancy it must needs be that there was some outward forcible stop no inward lett in the judgement As the Israelites in fact gave not their children the first Seal or signe of Circumcision for 40 years in the wildernesse by reason of their pilgrimage there so long and God bare with it though by equity they should have done it upon the eighth day after birth upon pain of cutting off Gen. 17. 2 In particular Touching Augustine's baptisme that it was not done till he was about 34 or 35 yeares of age we have before acknowledged and we shall give a full account why anon after when we have done with this 8. Sect. of Mr T. his EXAMEN and returne to his EXERCITATION Section 17. where Mr T. urgeth the same thing touching Augustine But mean while for Adeodatus Augustines sonne if Mr T. be sure he was baptized at 15 the cause might be this Seeing Augustine when he was at mans estate about 32 years old ranne into most blasphemous errors and after that became Catechumenus A Catechised about two years and so not baptized till about 34 or 35 he might possibly have a sonne of about 15 years old unbaptized till the father were owned in the Church for a Christian and then he and his sonne Adeodatus and his friend Alipius might be baptized the same Day Augustine and his friend being men Adeodatus his sonne being a youth of 15 years of age But there is no mention or probality that either Alipius had believing parents or that Alipius had been long a Christian but rather the contrary * See August Confess lib. 6. c. 7. And it is uncertain to me and not to me only looking more wishly on the wordes of Augustine whether Adeodatus were baptized the same time his father was or no ** Inde ubi tempus advenit quo me nomen dare oporteret relicto rure Mediolanum remeavimus Placuit Alipio renasci in te mecum Jam indato humilita esacramentis tuis congrua fortisumo domitore corporis ulque ad Italicum solum glaciâ—â—e â—udo pede obterendum insolito â—â—su Adjunximus etiam nobis puerum Adeodatum exâ—â—e â—â—tum carnaliter de peccato meo Tu bene feceras eum Annorum erat feâ—me qui decim ingeniâ— praeveniebat multos graves doctos viros Munera tua tibi coâ—fâ—eor do nine deus meus creator omnâ—um mulâ—um potens reformare nostra deformia Nam ego in illo puero praeter delictum nihil habebam Quod enim enutriabatur a nobis in disciplina tua tu inspiraveras nobis nullus alius Aug. Confess lib. 9. cap. 6. Nor is it of moment whether he was or was not For Mr T. his conclusion from these premisses of Augustine Adeodatus and Alipius I say his conclusion that the Church thought it not NECESSARY That all children of Christians by profession should be baptized in their Infancie doth not necessarily follow But Mr T. in his EXAMEN Sect. 8. asserts further that though he conceived with Grotius on Mat. 19.14 That Baptisme of Infants was much more frequented and with greater opinion of necessity in Affrica then in Asia or other parts of the world for saith he in the Councilis you cannot finde ancienter mention of that custome then the Councill of Carthage yet Mr T. doth very much question whether they did in Africa even in Augustines time baptize children except in danger of death or for the health of body or for such like reason I do not finde saith Mr T. that they held that Infants must be baptized out of such cases for it is cleer out of sundry of Augustines Tracts as particularly Tract 11. in Johan that the order held of distinguishing the Catechumeni and baptized and the use of catechising afore baptisme still continued ANIMADVERS We Answer 1. For the judgement of Grotius as it appears there we have abundantly spoken of it afore as for us 2. For this particular quotation as applyed by Mr. T. we say besides that it is a naked thing not backed to a sufficiency of a cleer and manifest assertion from negatives especially in the point of necessity we may justly Quare 1. How much more frequencie and necessity doth Mr T. meane How much more can he make appear For sure he cannot dispute from punctilio's And what use will Mr T. make of it if for a time there appeared a grain more in Africa then in Asia An Argument is not managed by countenance or gravity of asserting Men in divers countries may more frequently and with more â—â—al practise a truth and yet the
truth be still the same Yea different complexions and conditions of Countries in receiving or opposing a truth may make it to be more or lesse practised and yet the minds of true Christians in both may be alike one with the rule Yea if the more frequency of Infant Baptisme were never so ancient in Africa according to the Councils there whereof that in Cyprians time was one * Cyprian was within 148 yeers after the Apostles yet we know that it came first from Asia ** This Asia the greaâ— consisted of Anatolia Syâ—ia Palestina Armenia Arabia Media Assyria Mesopotamia Persia Chaldea Parthia Hircania Tartaria China India the Islands of the Indian and Mediterranean seas where man was created Christ born wrought mirocles suffered All the pen-men of both Testaments acted were the Monarchies and captivities over the Church Great Asia included Asia the lesse since called Anatolia * This Anatolia or Asia the lesse comprehendeth Cilicia Pamphylia Lycia Bythinia Pontus Paphlagonia Galatia Cappadociae Lycaonia Pissdia Armenia the lisse and Asia propria that is the Estern Country where were the seven Churches Revel 1. this included Asia Propria ** Which comprehends Caria Jonia Lydiaa Aeulis and both the phyrigiae's of which at least is meant that Act. 19.10 and 27. All Asia heard the Word of the Lord Jesus And certaine which were the chief of Asia sent unto Paul Sutably we quoted Justin Martyr for one of our witnesses since the Apostles time of Infant Baptisme He was a Samaritan which is part of Palestine in Asia the Great Genere Samaritanus atque è Samaritanis ad Christi fidem transiit Epiphan Some of Samaria were converted by Christ John 4. v. 5. v. 29. v. 30. v. 39. After in the Apostles time the Word was preached to many Villages of the Samaritans Act. 8.25 Justin Martyr was converted to the faith about 28 yeares after the Apostles To that of not baptizing children in Africa but in danger of death or c. we have shewd the contrary out of severall antiquities particularly out of Cyprian whither we refer the reader And sure enough from the life of Augustin of which anon after it is cleer that Augustines sicknes whiles young was some occasion of deferring his baptism for that time For he saith in his first book of Confessions and c. 11. That having been sick they deferred their thoughts of baptizing him that they might the more freely give him his will to do what he would for the furtherance of his recovery which they might not allow him if once he were under the bonds of Baptisme Those words Mr T. addes Children were baptized for the health of body or such like reason seem to clash against that he so often presseth in his book that Augustine and the Ancients did too much put salvation and the taking away Originall sinne in Baptisme which presently Mr T. repeaâ—es within 25 lines following You may conceive saith Mr T. how light Augustines judgement was by considering the ground upon which Augustine held and urged the baptisme of Infants so vehemently which was saith Mr T. as all know that read his works the opinion he had that without baptisme Infants must be damned by reason of Originall sin which is not taken away but by baptisme and for this quotes severall places out of Augustine T. 7. de Nat. Gra. c. 8. T. 2. Ep. 28. For the distinction of the Chatechised and the Baptized and that the use of catechising afore baptisme still continued and a great while after he means Augustines time All this doth not overthrow the common tenet and practise of that antiquity and upward as well as downward in baptizing Christians children The chatechising being for the children of those whose parents were not supposed Christians as before we abundantly shewed out of Tertullian and Iunius upon him and out of Pareus Calvin Bullinger Marlorat c. on Heb. 6.2 And this is practised in all Protestant Kingdomes to this day notwithstanding the constancy of baptizing Infants If there be not used a right judgement to determine who are Christian-parents that is the fault of men not of the Ordinance or its institution If I should go about to answer that quotation of Augustine with others out of Augustine I might abound with his sentences for Infant Baptisme As his collation of Baptisme and Circumcision in many places of his works His Collation of baptisme with the Flood the Cloud and Red Sea divers times His sayings That Baptisme is not to be deferred That repentance is not absolutely universally necessary before baptism His severall tracts of the Baptism of little ones c. Which we need not quote to them that are acquainted with Augustine All which shew in what sence Augustine spake of catechising before baptisme viz. of those whose Parents were not Christians If with Nazianzen he had held that little children of three years old being Chatechised to answer that they understood not might be baptized what is that more to the purpose then to baptize them whiles Infants We must understand that in most of the Fathers times there were no whole Kingdomes or for the most part converted or Religious worship set up by allowance of the state but the generall of them were heathens Therefore of necessity there must have been some catechising afore the baptizing of some And for baptizing Infants for bodily health c. named but not quoted out of Augustine as his opinion we can answer it out of Augustine who saith T. 7. Col. 84. c. Edit Basil Ibid. Col. 55. That Baptisme doth not profit all That Baptisme profits not without charity That one baptisme by faith purgeth And that the Vertue of Baptisme is not in the water but in the word which we forbear to quote and translate at large as having too much if it might have been prevented troubled the readâ—r with quotations already They are obvious to him that reads Augustine But Mr T. EXAMEN §. 8. objects that catechizing afore baptisme continued in Augustines time and after a great while in Asia because Peter Cluniacensis saith that there had been none but Infants baptized in all Europe for 300 or 500 years afore his time but doth not deny the baptisme of men of ripe years in Asia We answer First touching Cluniacensis we have said abundance afore Secondly Animadver that this Argument doth no more determine any thing about Asia then about Affrica which is Mr T. his Qu. in hand And for Affrica we have heard abundantly out of all sorts of antiquity of the baptizing of Infants Thirdly Cluniacensis professeth himself a Latin ignorant of Greek and other tongues and therefore doth not determine here any thing concerning places out of Europe but is silent concerning them Fourthly Touching baptisme of Infants in Asia we heard afore To that Mr T. objects Augustine and Ambrose his judgement for Infant-baptisme as putting too much in the ordinance as conducing to salvation
the holy Supper to the Disciples 2 Cornelius his and the Gaolers families after the gathering of Churches were not by that numbred to any particular Churches or thereby made particular Churches that we read Now that which exists afore or after a thing without that thing cannot be the forme of that thing 3 That which is common cannot be proper and peculiar But baptisme is common to make men onely visible Christians in generall Therefore it is not proper and peculiar to make them of this or that particular Church And therefore though godly men or their infants have been baptized yet the Churches think according to Scripture that there must be somwhat more expressed to make such to own this or that preaching officer to be their pastor or teacher whom they must obey in the Lord and have in singular respect for the works sake Heb. 13. And to cause that Minister to own them as his flock Act. 20. if he meane not to take upon him a power Apostolicall for latitude to extend to all baptized ones Nor can it be pretended that this Minister baptizing them doth make them of his congregation because the Confession of the Anabaptists h Their confession of faith Artic. 41. set forth by the seven brethren of their fraternities say That any preaching Disciples that are no particular Church Officers or pâ—rsons extraordinarily sent but as considered Disciples are designed by Châ—ist to dispence this Ordinance Which we look upon us as a second fault in discipline following upon the Anabaptists Baptisme For we find not that any baptized others but either they were extraordinary Officer as the Apostles or Evangelists Or else particular Churches Pastours or Teachers Nor is there any thing in the Scriptures alleaged in their Confession but to the same purpose we speak Divine reason also concurs with us For a Disciple as a Disciple is only a member of the universall visible Church And so he can conferre nothing but what hee hath And so bring his brother no further in subjection to Church Ordinances than are administred by the universall visible Church and so can never be censured â—in case of lapse unlesse the universall visible Church concur which can never be And so Church discipline falls to the ground 3 Anabaptists have in many ages admitted generally all that will take up their baptisme Epiphan Anaceph p. 408. E dit Lat. Basil Epiphanius shews us in the fore quoted place That they affirme that for a man to stray in some great sin is nothing God required nothing but that hee should be of their faith Augustine in his fourth booke against the Donatists complains and quotes Cyprian as condoling the same That many Corde in melius non mutato c. That many being not changed in heart that renounce the world in words not in deeds were baptized And in another place speaks of it as an error of some in those times Errant qui pâ—aeter delectum omnes ad baptismum admittunt They erre saith Augustine that admit all to baptisme without any choice or difference And one of the late Anabaptists in a book called the marke or character of the Beast sayth that any man upon confession of sin though hee manifest no signes of grace ought to be baptized Thus of faults in discipline 4 By Anabaptisme have been occasioned many unnecessary disputes 1 Whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to baptize signifies to dip to rantize or to sprinkle whereas they baptized in old time some in their beds a See afore or couches b Clinidia therefore dipped not them The baptismes of Tables Mar. 7.4 here the word cannot signifie dipping The Israelites are sayd to be baptized in the Cloud and the red Sea But they were but sprinkled in the Cloud and not dipped in the Sea 2 Whether those baptized by men erroneous in judgment ought to be re-baptized Aug. against the Donatists 3 Whether there be originall sinne in infants 4 Whether they have faith 5 How long they must stay ere they be baptized c Of these 3 last we heard afore severally upon other occasions whether till three years old or under or till foure years old or over or how long whether till as old as Adeodaâ—us who was 15 at his baptisme as some will or till they be 30 years old which was the age of Christ As some thought in Nazianzens time Thus I have given you a taste of the manner of M. T. his disputing in those foure Arguments by an easier retorting them If M. T. condemne these our arguments retorted of impertinencie or invalidity he must of necessity also condemne his own And for my part if he will doe so I am contented that these foure arguments on both sides should goe for blank and so to leave the dispute where we found it as no great matter being done on either side to argue for or against by producing the errors and mistakes of men which may be laid aside on either side and yet a truth be held by either Though I doe not hereby mean to give away the Question of the lawfulnesse of baptizing believers infants And therefore we goe on to give particular answers to M. T. his foure Arguments aforesaid CHAP. XVI TO M. T. his first particular Exercitat § 19. of Sureties in baptisme urged in the minor of his sixth Argument touching humane inventions occasioned by Infant Baptisme We answer Animad 1 That sureties are known to have beene in Tertullians time and two hundred yeeres after in Augustines time as we have touched in divers quotations afore Whence I infer only this that the tenet and practice of Infant-baptisme were held in ancient times 2 That by vertue of Abrahams power and Guardianship over his houshold all his male family had the first signe or seal As the family of Cornelius and the Gaoler had the Governours believing and being baptized And usually those sureties that brought children to Baptisme promised to see them brought up in the fear of God or to that effect Whence I infer though I am not in the least for sureties onely I would have M. T. speak justly of things as they are That the sporting of profession of faith which M. T. here abjects was rather in the sureties that performed not that they promised then in thing it self To M. T. his second particular thence Exercitat of Episcopall confirmation We answer Animad that wee have already declared much of the Patriarchs imposition of hands of Christs imposition of hands of the Apostles imposition of hands of Churches imposition of hands since the Apostles upon little ones and usually after the first seal So that there is not so much human-invention in imposition of hands on baptized persons as there was arrogancy in the Bishops to assume this peculiarly to themselves To M. T. his third particular there That the reformed union Exercitat by examination confession and subscription of the received doctrine
A VINDICATION OF BAPTIZING BELEEVERS INFANTS IN SOME ANIMADVERSIONS Upon Mr. TOMBES His EXERCITATIONS About Infant Baptisme As also upon his EXAMEN As touching the Antiquities and Authors by him alledged or contradicted that concern the same Humbly submitted to the judgement of all Candid Christians By NATHANAEL HOMES And Jesus called a little child and set him in the midst of them and said Except men be converted and become as little children yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Matth. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. Published according to Order London printed by M. Simmons and are to be sold by Benjamin Allen at the signe of the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1646. TO THE READER DEdications of Books are to me a scruple The truth of God is lesse mine then a day or a place to dedicate to creatures and more able to defend it selfe then any thing on earth And Delarations in Epistles are in my opinion so curious a thing rightly to manage as that there is more hazard of their miscarrying then hope of doing good Yet seeing importunity will not be satisfied without an Epistle therefore thus Hearing of Mr. Tombes his book against Infants-Baptisme comming forth with such a mighty shout of acclamation though of some fitter to admire then to judge this made me in haste to see it if it might prove convincing upon my spirit But finding upon a conscientions weighing that it was not of strength to bereave the faithfull sonnes of Abraham of their right and hope to give the little ones of their tender bowels to the pledge of God the first seal annexed to the promise I am the God of thee thy seed Acts 2. Gen. 17. The promise is to you and your children But like a violent motion to be forced at first and languid towards the end I further considered it And having upon occasion of the question among my brethren then in order to be discussed found that I could fairly answer Mr. T. his arguments with abundant satisfaction to my selfe and some others but all that doubted could not at first hearing feel the weight of every passage I was partly occasioned hereby to give them my thoughts in print And the rather that I might heare the judgements of the Saints whether I had thought aright of the question And if not by friendly conference to cleare up to me the mind of God in it Mean while I could not but lament the untimely birth of Mr T. his Exercitation and his unnecessary falling in travell with it after at least six able brethren and about so many dayes by nervous disput ation had given him so much cause to doubt of his Tenet or at least a while to suspend it For the question about Infants-baptisme is yet rather a controversie of privat persons then of Churches these being most prudentially carefull now rather about the right form of a particular Church to which the administration of the first seale doth nothing contribute at least in the first instant of its generation Matth. 3. Acts 8. Acts 10. Acts 16. For many were baptized in the New Testament whose baptisme neither found them in nor formed them into any particular New-testament Church The Scripture is either contrary to or utterly silent concerning it Josh 5.4 c. Even as the Israelites while they were fourty years in the wildernesse without the administration of Circumcision all the circumcised saving a very few being dead are called a Church Acts 7.38 So that the supposed want of the due administration of the first Signe doth not unchurch a Church or prejudice the proper forme thereof But the insatisfactory calling of the Anabaptists-Administrators of their pretended better baptisme upon a former worseconceited-baptisme being either not extraordinarily called or not having the first Seale themselves or being Sebaptists that is self-baptizers or baptised with the old sort of Infant-baptisme in either of which they are most unlike to John THE BAPTIST hath justly caused many to hold off from them and many to fall away from them And many that are with them to be at a losse where to rest One Congregation at first adding to their Infani-baptisme the adult baptisme of sprinkling then not resting therein endeavoured to adde to that a dipping even to the breaking to peeces of their Congregation Since that the Minister first dipped himselfe Not contented therewith was after baptized by one that had onely his Infant-baptisme Thus doth Gods justice leave us to find nothing in an or dinance when we put too much upon an ordinance and from too much to fall to nothing but a crying out All Ordinances Ministeries c. are all polluted So that as before they could not tel where to end so now not where to begin to reform and so out of that pretence turn As they were in order Nothing Contrary to that unanswerable place Ephes 4. That Christ ascending left a Ministery or Ministeries Ephes 4.8 9 10 11 12. all or some by succession or new election or extraordinary mission still a constant supply of a Ministery for the work of the Ministery the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ I was thus forward to put forth before others of my abler brethren not out of self-confidence the Lord knowes but beside mine owne private interest in my doubting friends partly from advantage of time in knowing some of Mr. T. his arguments and partly from the assault of them that gave me the first Alarme I sent forth this scattered forlorn hope scarce well rallied and arraied to my mind through haste to set the moveable popularity at a stand if it might be keep the passe and maintain the fight till better help should come in This though lesse then I hoped by reason of pressures of mine own businesse and slownesse of Presses I have attained And so I expect those worihy brethren that have perhaps more time and more parts and reading I am confident then my selfe to carry on the main Battalio and to maintain their ground with those Brigades wherein they are by name engaged For it would have been disorder if not presumption and prejudice to the cause for me to have anticipated them In that I have done as I was hopelesse to please all so unwilling justly to displease any saving in the very opinio in question And therefore let no ingenuous reader take offence either at
inconveniencies which we stay not now to name But it this kinde of Argument Exercitat P. 6. out of Coloss 2.11 be restrainedly taken saith Mr. T. no more follows thence but that Baptisme and circumcision in some things signifie the same which is more plainly said of Noahs flood 1 Pet. 3.21 Of the red sea and the cloud that guided 1 Cor. 10.2 And yet we say not that Baptisme succeeded into their place much lesse do we infer to be instituted in their place If Mr. T. restraines Cor. 2.11 whether he pleaseth Animadver then must it signifie but what he listeth But you have already seen the dimensions of that place to be larger then Mr. T. his measure As for his WE say not that Baptisme succeeded I suppose he meanes Protestant Orthodox Writers and then he mistakes if I mistake not For Calvin saith that Noah being â—aved by water had quandam Baptismi speciem a certain Image or representation of Baptisme and this the Apostle minds us of to the intent that the likenesse between him and us might be the more apparent so he Beza saith much more of which onely this There are two types of the Churches sanctification and rising up out of the depth of sinne and death but the deliverance from the flood was the precedent Type shaddowing forth the following Type of Baptisme answering to it in which respect Baptisme may be set over against the cloud and the passing through the red Sea as the Anti-type to them So Beza Dispach bid us quote no more And the text will supply all and clear it to me that Baptisme doth come by divine right in the place of the Arke For Peter calls Baptisme the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Anti-type to the Arke that signing salvation as this doth Now who doth not know that the Anti-type comes by divine authority in the place of the Type And for that of the 1 Cor. 10.2 let another speak and not my mouth Mr Diodat in his notes saith The meaning of that place is That as the deliverance out of Aegypt was a figure of the redemption by Christ and the pilgrimage thorow the wildernesse an image of the elects life in the world and the land of Canaan a shaddow of the kingdome of heaven So the passing thorrow thered sea was correspondent to Baptisme and Manna and the water comming out of the rock a signe which had some resemblance to the Lords supper So Mr Diodat And he had said true and if he had said more for the text would have bornâ— him out For the Apostle being about to warne the Corinthians of sinning in idolatry c. like the Israelites Pareus lest they perish as the Israelites v. 5 6 7 8 9 10. He prevents in the 2. and 3. verse an objection the Corinthians might make that wee have better sacraments to keep us from sin then the Israelites had I would not saith the Apostle have you ignorant not reason so ignorantly but know that your fathers the Israelites went to heaven as many as went the same way and by the like meanes as you the children must go if you go they had like sacraments in the signe Pareus and the same thing signified as you have They had their passing under the cloud and through the red sea for their Baptisme and Manna and water out of the rocke for their holy supper both signifying Christ instead whereof you you have the washing of water for your Baptisme and bread and wine for your holy supper to represent Christ Now seeing the holy ghost did by expresse exposition of the Apostle intend those two to fore shaddow Baptisme and the Lords Supper and tells the Corinthians they had these two Baptisme and Holy Supper instead of them as of no more priviledge in the outward signe how can I but conclude that Baptism and holy Supper comes by divine authority in the place of them Mr. T. reckons up many inconveniences that will spring from deductions of arguments from analogies Exercitat §. 2. without the Lords precepts and the Apostles examples as the maintenance of Tithes jure divino the asserting of Jewish Sacraments to be types of christian Sacraments the setting up of a Pope instead of the Jewes High-priest the giving of the Lords Supper to children because they ate the passover c. We plead for no analogicall arguments Animadver but such as are countenanced by New Testament scripture And if the Scriptures express any Iewish Sacrament to be any how or in any degree types of the christian Sacraments we must say so what ever men say against Bellarmine to unty him and fasten themselves We heard afore what Calvin Beza Diodat and Pareus said on those texts of Scripture whatever some others to make a shift may assert universally against Bellarmine out of a supposed inconvenience in some particular And Mr Tombes himselfe alleadged Cameron that Circumcision primarily sealed to the seed of Abraham the earthly promise namely Canaan secondarily sanctification And is not this to make one type to signifie another type for Canaan was a type of Heaven Heb. 4. And as we dare extend analogies as far as the text of Scripture bears us out so we dare not stretch them beyond where the Apostle puts a bar And therefore we cannot argue from the childrens eating of the Passeover to their partaking of the Communion because the Apostles marke of a Communicant is to be able to examine himself before he eates 1 Cor. 11. Lastly Exercitat it is to be considered how by these Argumentations consciences may be freed from the danger of will-worship and polluting so remarkable an Ordinance of Christ as Baptisme is specially this care lyes on them who by Prayers Sermons Writings Covenants and Oaths do deter Christians from humane inventions in Gods worship diligently and as is to be hoped sincerely We retort Animadver Let it be likewise considered how we may be likewise freed from will worship in confining Sacramentall administrations to such time age circumstances which Christ never enjoyned and so count the seed of beleevers all wholly polluted whom he never so accounted CHAP. IIII. Exercitat §. 3. The third Argument from the parity of grace in the New Testament to that in the old examined THe third Argument is thus framed If Baptisme be not granted to the Infants of Beleevers then the Grace of God will be more restrained in the New Testament than in the Old but this is not to be affirmed therefore Baptisme is to be granted to Infants of Beleevers Answ 1. If this Argument be of any weight it will prove that the grace of God is straitned because we give not the Lords Supper to children to whom the Passeover was given as appears by that which was said before 2. The grace of God is not tyed to Sacraments neither do Sacraments give grace by the work done and therefore grace is not restrained though Sacraments be
such after higher things to such little children whiles little children how much more may that which in nature antecedes and goes before these namely baptisme be administred to them whiles such little children For the clearing this of imposition of hands learned Pareus hath these words on Hebr. 6.2 Some saith he conjoyn the two heads of Baptismes and imposition of hands because as there were two ranks of Catechumeni catechized persons so there was a two fold innitiating ceremony 1 Those of ripe yeers of the heathen did before their baptisme recite the Articles of the Creed touching the Christian faith And this was the catechising or doctrine of Baptismes 2. The Infants of Christians who by the right of the promise were baptized in their infancie who being past their childhood were received into the Church by imposition of hands where or at which time they first recited the same heads or Articles of faith before the Church And this was the doctrine of imposition of hands So Pareus So Calvin Bullinger August Marlorat Hofman Theophylact onely they spake more home if you precisely observe their words which are C these The doctrine of Baptismes imposition of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and the last judgement ought to be read conjoynedly with a certain Apposition as the Grammarians call it in this sence Not laying again the foundation of repentance of faith in God of the resurrection of the dead which is the doctrine of Baptisme and Imposition of hands Therefore if you include in a parenthesis these two sentences the doctrines of Baptismes and Imposition of hands the context will run more fluently For unlesse you read it appositively this absurditie will follow that the same thing will be twise repeated For what is the doctrine of Baptisme but that which he here reckons to wit Of faith towards God of repentance of the last judgement and the like The solemnities and standing set dayes of baptizing he cals Baptismes in the plurall numer T otherwise there is but one baptisme in the Christian Church Ephes 4.5 C He joyns together with baptisme the imposition of hands because as there were two orders of catechised persons so there was a double ceremony For those that were forreigners without did not come to Baptisme before they had made a confession of their faith In them therefore catechising was wont to go before Baptisme But as for the children of beleevers because they were adopted from the wombe and by the right of the promise did appertain to the body of the Church they were baptized when Infants But being past infantie after they were instructed in the faith they offered themselves also to catechising which in these followed baptisme But another symbol or signe was applyed to these namely the imposition of hands A. M. of which there was a various use H. For by imposition of hands sometimes Christ sometimes the Apostles cured the sick Luk. 4.10 Mar. 16.18 Sometimes by imposition of hands the holy Ghost was conferred Act. 8.17 B. Also the hands of the Pastors were imposed upon those to whom and to whose faithfulnesse was committed the care of the Church or the Ministerie of the Word 1 Tim. 5.21 C Imposition of hands also was a certain solemn right or manner of praying of which the Apostle here speaks Hebr. 6.2 For by this symbol or signe of laying on of hands they would approve that profession of faith which young youth coming out of childhood did make Therefore this place alone abundantly testifies that the originall of imposition of hands came down from the Apostles Thus far these learned mens words reasons and Scripture-proof See more in Marlo on 1 Tim. 5.21 But we may not omit Mr. Cotton because he is in such credit with Mr. Tombes that he oft respectively quotes him as for himself in his Exercit. Mr. Cottons words on Hebr. 6.2 are these Way of Câ—u of N.E. Chap. 2. p. 27. of 1 edit There be that conceive that not improbable that in ancient time the children baptized in the Church were not received to the Lords Supper nor into the full fruition of all Church-liberties untill that they being grown up to yeers did publickly before the Church professe their faith and ratifie the covenant made for them in baptisme and so were confirmed as they call it in their Church estate which was not done without imposition of hands which some judicious Divines have conceived to be one cause why imposition of hands is reckoned as one of the six principles of the foundation of Christian Religion Hebr. 6.2 For it could not be a principle of the foundation of Christian faith it must therefore be a principle of the foundation of Church estate and order Now then if all the members of the Church were anciently confirmed in the ful fruition of the Church estate by imposition of hands then there were none of the members of the Church but had received imposition of hands much more the Ruling-elders who over and above the former were ordained to their publick office by imposition of hands and so having received imposition of hands themselves they might more freely lay hands on others So Mr. Cotton By all this it is clear that this imposition of hands by Christ on these little children in the texts afore quoted Matth. 17. Mar. 10. Luk. 18. according to the order set down by the Apostle Hebr. 6.2 did succeed and follow after their baptisme as supposed and granted to be baptised afore Obj. But say the Anabaptists it is in the text of such is the kingdom of heaven that is of men like infants Answ 1. We heard afore how Mr. Beza renders it of these and the like as relating to little children And his grave and learned pious judgement is as much to be credited as any Anabaptist in saying it is so or so 2 The Greek Authors do oft take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such for hoc this Bud. Const Plaet 3 If rendred such it s farre more naturall and not so farre fetcht to say of such little children of whom the story is then of such men But fourthly come to reason Christ Mar. 10.16 speaks of them whom he took up in his arms Pass Vessius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an arm Luk. 2.28 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ulna per epenthesin literarum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he took up not the men but the little children into his arms and laid his hands upon them and blessed them therefore of them he spake and shewed that heaven and the blessing of heaven belonged to them 5 That by discourse upon this v. 15. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little childe shall not enter therein is also for us For the thing and the comparison must agree in the main scope but men must as little children receive the kingdom of God Therefore little children are in a
Pet. 2.9 Examined which things are said of the Israelites Exod. 19. 〈◊〉 6. Therefore beleevers of the Nations obtain the same birth priviledges which the Israelites had and therefore the children are within the Covenant and to be baptized as the children of the Israelites were to be circumcised Mr T. his Answer is first If this Argument proceed it will follow that there is some Nationall Church among the Gentiles as of old among the Jews which is not to be granted which I would have understood in this sence There is now no such Nationall-Church as amongst the Israeliets so as that a person should be accounted a member of a Church in that he is an Englishman Sco◠Dutchman c. In this speech JOPPOSE NOT THEM WHICH AFFIRME Note THE OUTWARD GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO NATIONALL SYNODS Secondly Exod. 19.5 6. God speakes not of a priviledge flowing from birth but Obedience Thirdly The Epistle was written to the dispersed Jews and therefore the Argument lies lyable to exception when it is drawn from that which is said of the Jewes as if it were said of the Gentiles Fourthly The sence is ye which beleeve ver 7. whom God hath called out of darknesse are a holy Nation whether Iews or Gentiles by spirituall regeneration as beleevers are called a family or kinred Ephess 3.15 The houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 A people 1 Pet. 2.10 Wherefore in this family kinred house people are onely beleevers whom not carnall birth but spirituall causeth to be reckoned in that number We Reply Animadver to Mr T. his first particular thus The Argument in my eye doth not proceed to suppose some Nationall Church among the Gentiles For it doth not say The Nations of beleevers but The Beleevers of Nations obtaine the same birth priviledges Besides it recites a text written to the Iewes who were scattered from being a formall Nation throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Chap. 1. v. 1. And when they were a formall Nation a person was not counted a member of that Church quatenus ipsum precisely as he was a Iew but as he was circumcised or the Infant of one circumcised and so to be circumcised also A Iew was cut off if not circumcised according to the institution to Abrabraham Gen. 17. And a Gentile though a Gentile was a member of that Church if circumcised Ibid. Gen. 17. Just as an Englishman as an Englishman was not reckoned a member of the Church or Churches in England if unfit to be Baptized but kept out or a damnable Heretick after Baptisme but was cast out or if one be not the Infant of one baptized Though Mr Tombes seemes to oppose Nationall Churches yet he sets them up thus far wherein those of his judgement in the Question in hand I mean the ANABAPTISTS WILL NOT APPROVE Mr TOMBES That the outward government of the Church should be SVBIECT to NATIONALL SYNODS Nor will Mr Tombes please himself with the direct inference that will follow from his expresse words which inference is this That if a Nationall Synod in England shall determine that Infants of Beleevers shall be baptized whiles Infants Mr. T. must SVBIECT to it and lay down all his Exercitat Examination and Appendix against the baptizing of beleevers Infants as labour in vaine cancelled writings an old Almanack For Mr Tombes hath not in a matter of so great consequence reserved to himself by any expresse here so much as this exception That he will not SVBMIT in case they determine contrary to the Scriptures in his judgement but that he will have his liberty to stand out against the determination If any can at the first sight of this suddenly divine and Edict by Proclamation that this exception was supposed it may be as suddenly and rationally argued back again that this would have been sooner understood of the vulgar and readier been beleeved of the wiser if it had been here expressed But if they will have it supposed then the Question will be first Whether Mr T. according to his design hath prevented all offence to any of whom he would be rightly understood touching Nationall Synods Secondly What greater thing hath he said than divers others with whom yet he doth not for ought I know close in point of Church-Government To Mr T. his second reply touching Exod. 19.6 That the place being spoken to the parents suppose upon condition of obedience doth no way infringe that the children of those obedient parents should be counted of that holy Nation that is among the reputed holy of that Nation witnesse their Circumcision and their no-capacity of disobedience To the third particular we reply That this Epistle being written to the dispersed Jews leanes pronly for application to the Gentile-beleevers that though they are as a dispersed people among the unchristian Christian called-nations yet their Infants with them are to be accounted indefinitely holy as the children of circumcised Jews were counted holy To Mr T. his fourth particular we reply That there is nothing in it that doth evince that the children of the regenerate should not be accounted federally among the beleeving Gentiles of the more more glorious New Testament as among the Jews under the shadowed Old Testament Sixthly it will be answered saith M. T. that the Church of God Exercitat failes not § 13. The Argument from the Churches sayling if Infant-baptsme be not lawfull Examined But we must say the Church of God hath failed if Baptisme of Infants be not lawfull Ergo. Mr T. Answ 1. The Church of God may consist without baptisme as in the crucified converted thief c. Secondly neither perhaps is it necessary to be said that the baptisme of Infants because not lawfull is therefore null Thirdly there was in the Church Baptisme of persons grown in all ages Ludov. Vives in his Comment upon Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 1. cap. 27. hath these words No man of old was brought unto the place of holy baptisme unlesse he were of grown age already and when the same person knew what that mysticall water meant and desired to be washed in it and that more then once an image of which thing we see yet in our baptisme of Infants for as yet the Infant though born the same day or the day before is asked whether he would be baptized and that thries for whom the sureties answer that he would I beare in some Cities in Italy that the old custome for a great part is yet preserved We reply To the first particular First doth one converted thees continue the church Animadver 2 Or if an accident that many by divine providentiall necessity are bolted and debarred from an ordinance for a certain time doth not interrupt the Churches succession when God by his prerogative will continue it Can at another time wilfull neglect of an Ordinance in a right manner yea the applying of it grossely to the
abuse were very usefull as being an Apostolicall ordinance from this Text and manifests that there was Infant-baptisme in the Apostles dayes which is confirmed because it is coupled with baptisme and therefore seemes to be a consequent upon it Answ 1. There is great incertainty what this imposition of hands mentioned Heb. 6.2 served for the reason â—prove that it could not be either for healing or giving the Holy Ghost because they were miraculous or extraordinary is not cogent for though they were by more then ordinary power yet were they frequent in those times and might well be put among the elements to be in those dayes first learned nor is the reason cogent to prove it could not be the imposition of hands in ordination for speciall function in the Church for it is more likely that it should be meant which it is certain was still in use and to continue to be used and therefore it was needfull to be taught younglings as well as the doctrine of baptismes then laying on of hands for confirmation of baptisme of which there is no certainty though pretended examples in scripture be brought to give some colour to it nor is imposition of hands in ordination unfitly coupled to baptisme both being ordinances for initiation the one into the profession of Christ the other into sacred function 2. But if it were supposed that this imposition of hands meant Hebr. 6.2 were on the the Baptized yet this proves not the baptisme of Infants in the Apostles dayes unlesse it could be proved that it was used after the Baptisme of Infants onely for a confir mation either of the Baptisme or baptized On the contrary it is apparent out of Tertul. de Corona militis C. 3. That in the primitive times the baptized did make his confession at Baptisme sub manu antistitis that is the Minister laying hands on him And to save labour in reciting testimonies Chamier may be seen who in his Pans Catholicâ tom 4. l. 1. c. 11. Sect. 14. at large proves out of the Ancients that the imposition of hands which after was made a distinct Sacrament called Confirmation was either a part or appendix of Baptisme and many passages he cites to shew that it was when the Baptized was to confesse the faith and to renounce Satan And if HIERONIMVS Tom. 2. in his Dialogue against the Luciferians do assert that use of imposition of hands from Scripture that he alleadgeth not Hebr. 6.2 for it but the examples of giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands in the Acts of the Apostles To Mr T. his first Answer Animadver That our reason to prove imposition of hands for Healing or giving the Holy Ghost cannot be meant Hebr. 6.2 Because those were extraordinary is not saith Mr T. a cogent reason We reply First that Mr T. doth by and by as good as confesse it is a cogent reason For whiles Mr T. goes about to prove that imposition of hands here mentioned is for ordination because it was still in use and to continue to be used he justifies our reason that Healing and giving the Holy Ghost were not to continue because extraordinary and so not put here among the principles of the foundation 2 Will any ingenuous man weighing and pondering things say that Mr T. his answer is cogent namely That those miraculary things of imposition of hands for healing and that kinde of giving the Holy Ghost because usuall onely in that little time of the Apostles should be joyned with and put among the first principles of Christian religion to be taught young ones to fit them for baptisme or to give an account of their faith after Baptisme Or whether that reason of Mr T. be cogent that little children should be taught as one of the first elements of the christian faith the imposition of hands to ordain Ministers This rather should belong to the going on unto perfection as the Apostle speakes v. 1. Nor is Mr T. his reason cogent that Imposition of hands for Ordination should bee joyned with Baptisme both being ordinances for Initiation which likes the Papists well that make imposition a Sacrament and see it so well coped and coupled with a Sacrament by Mr T. For first and first or Initiation in its great latitude doth not so assimilate Baptisme is the Initiation for all at their first solemne entrance into the Church that imposition for Ordination doth initiate but few that is ministers and that into an office and long after they are members We may as well couple marriage with the first principles of religion which being to be done by invocation upon God and instruction out of the word doth first initiate most single people into the honour and authority to govern children and families to serve God Clearly enough to Mr T. his imposition of hands and admission to the Lords supper would better cope together both appertaining to mature grown Christians 2 We answer to this first answer of Mr Tombes that a naked honest explanation of the text blowes all Mr T. his mists away and clears the text and discovers that these answers of his are but shifts In laying open which meaning I hope learned and pious Mr Pareus Calvin Bullinger Marlorat Hofman which were no Independents will weigh as much as Mr Tombes who all tell us the summe of all approved antiquity to save our labour of pestering the vulgar reader with the gibberish of quotations Pareus upon Hebr. 6.2 Some saith he conjoyne the two heads of Baptisme and Imposition of hands because as there were two rankes of Catechumeni that is chatechised persons so there was a two fold initiating Ceremony 1 Those of ripe years of the Heathen who did before their Baptisme recite the Articles of the Creed of the Christian faith And this is that the Apostle cals the catechising or Doctrine of Baptismes 2 The Infants of Christians who by the right of the promise being baptized in their Infancy after they were past their childhood were received into the Church by imposition of hands at which time they rehearsed the same articles of faith before the Church And this was the doctrine of Imposition of hands So Pareus Calvin speaks to the very same effect whose words we set down at large in our 7. chapter of this controversie Mr Hofman Marlorat Bullinger Calvin speake further that as Imposition of hands was of a manifold use so among the rest it was a solemne right of praying by which Symbol also they did approve the profession of faith young youth made So that the originall of Imposition of hands came down from the Apostles Thus far these learned men Ye have also before in the same 7. Chap. of this Controversie the words of Mr Cotton and his reading out of Antiquity and his Reasons That though young children were baptized yet were not received to the Lords Supper and the full fruition of all Church-liberties till being grown up they made their profession of faith and
and alleadgeth them If it be not so much a necessity as to have witnesses also in the danger The Lord saith indeed forbid them not to come unto me let them come therefore when they grow up to youth c. So Tertullian in the aforesaid book concerning baptisme Upon which place Vossius * Thes Theolog Hist de Paedob saith thus We think that nothing is here denyed but onely the necessity of baptisme when there is no danger of death for that 's the meaning of those words What necessity if there be not so much necessity as c. but in no case did he deny that Infants might be baptized yea and if there be danger least afterwards they be not baptized its plain they ought to be baptized which we do not obscurely discern by that which Tertullian writeth in his booke of the soul and the 39. and 40. chapter and then recited the words which before we quoted and translated to you Thus Vossius Give us but leave to give you learned and pious Iunius his note too on this place of Tertullian and we shall have done with Tertullian The words of Iunius are these Tria hic distinctè proponit Auctor Notae Franc. Junii ad Tertul de Baptis c. that is The Author propunds here three things distinctly which being rightly understood the place is most holy 1. The CONDITION of persons to be baptized is that they be in Covenant whether they be of age or little children 2. DISPOSITION is when they beleeve and obey the Gospell and make profession 3. They are not accounted to be OF AGE which are in covenant for the little children of Godly men are in Covenant but who so professe the faith Therefore when he saith ESPECIALLY CONCERNING LITTLE CHILDREN that must needs be understood of the children of strangers or Forraigners not of the children of those that are in Covenant and so domestick or of the family of the Church as is confirmed by the following Aetiologie or GIVING THE CAVSE namely what necessity is there if there be not so much necessity as for witnesses or God-fathers and God-mothers c. For we know that the first invention of witnesses was for the children whose parents could not be accounted members of the Church Mr T. his objections after against Tertul are prevented here and further answered in the 14 chap. of our Animadversions at the word CYPRIAN in the Margin That this was the mind of these Authours Justin Martyr Irenaeus and Tertullian in this age next after the Apostles will further appear by the consent of the most approved Ancients that followed them in the next succeeding ages which we have thought most proper to defer to the next chapter of our Animadversions upon Mr T. his fifth Argument CHAP. XIIII THE fifth Argument That which in succeeding Ages in which it was in use Exercitat Argu. 4. § 17. The Argument from the wrong originall of Infant-Baptism confirmed against it was in force 1 as a Tradition not written 2 Out of imitation of Jewish Circumcision 3 Without universall practise 4 Together with the error of giving Infants the Lords supper and many other humane inventions under the name of Apostolicall traditions That is deservedly doubtfull But in some ages after the first from the Apostles the tenet and practise of Infant-Baptisme was in use 1 as a tradition not written as appears from Origen Hom. on Rom. 6. Of which book neverthelesse let me add the censure of Erasmus on the Homilies of Origen upon Leviticus But he that reads this work and the enarration of the Epistle to the Romans is uncertain whether he read Origen or Ruffinus And the testimony fetched from these books for Infant-Baptisme is so much the more to be suspected because Augustine Hierom c. rely so far as yet is manifest to me on no other testimony then of Cyprian and his fellow-Bishops in the Councell of which mention is made Epist 59. ad Fidum Secondly out of imitation of Jewish Circumcision as the doubt of Fidus in the 59. Epistle of Cyprian to Fidus intimates though there were also other reasons of Infant-baptisme as the opinion of the necessity of Baptisme to salvation and the greedinesse to increase the number of Christians and perhaps the imitation of heathenish lustration of little ones and some other Thirdly without universall practise for it is manifest that Constantine although borne of Helena his mother a Christian was not baptized till aged as Eusebius in the life of Constantine written by him The same is manifest from the booke of Confessions of Augustine concerning Augustine himselfe whose mother Monica was a Christian The things which may be drawne out of Theodoret Augustine and others concerning Theodosius Alipius Adeodatus and many others although my bookes and notes out of them are wanting to me by reason of the injury of the times unlesse I be deceived will evince that though in the Churches of those times little ones were baptized yet many were not baptized whose baptisme its likely the Church would sooner have dispatched if the opinion of Baptisme that now obtains had then obtained Fourthly together with the error of giving the Lords supper to Infants as is manifest out of the booke of Cyprian de lapsis and others And that many other Inventions of men under the name of Apostolicall tradition out of a wrong likeing of Judaism did then prevail as the Paschall solemnity c. is so obvious to him that reades Fathers and Ecclesiasticall Writers that no man will need proof Ergo. And in very deed as of old because the right of Infant-Baptisme seemed to be of so great moment against the Pelagian heresie and for the authority of the Councell under Cyprian the Councell of Milevis Augustine Hierom and others rather then for any solid argument out of Scripture in former ages Infant-baptisme prevailed so in this last age some moderne men seeme to imbrace this tenet of Infant-Baptisme out of horror of mind least they should go headlong into the pernicious errours of former Anabaptists and their madde furies or least they should seeme to desert the leading-men of the reformed Churches or move troubles in the Church rather then from perspicuous foundation in the Scriptures which they will thinke that I have not said as one that dreames who shall read what Robert Lord Brooke hath in the end of his Treatise concerning Episcopacy Daniel Rogers in his Treatise of Baptisme and others elsewhere We Answer Animadver 1. To the major Take away the captain or leading particular to wit A tradition not written and all the souldiary of the other particulars with the great Rear to wit Many other humane inventions are not strong enough to make a true major proposition For what if according to Mr T. his ad particular of Iewish that Baptisme be an imitation of the Iewish passing through the red sea 1 Cor. 10.1 c. And the Lords Supper an imitation of the
of the youngest and learnedst and most orthodox and pious knew well the last generation in which they lived His words are very considerable in his tenth book De Genes ad literarum cap. 23. The custome saith he of our Mother the Church in baptizing little children is by no means to be despised nor altogether to be reputed superfluous nor by all means to be beleeved but that it was an Apostolicall tradition Where he means by Apostolicall tradition the Apostles Doctrine delivered brought down to us in the book of the New Testament by tradition or handing of it from one generation to another So to be his meaning is plain 1. Because Augustine in his dispute against the DONATISTS for Infant-baptisme Li. 4. de Bap. cap. 21. prove it from the Scriptures 2. Because in his first book De pecc mer. remiss cap. 26. saith thus Some of the PELAGIANS do grant under some notion that little children are to be baptized who cannot go against the Authority of the universall Church which without all doubt was delivered to them by the Lord Christ and his Apostles 3. In his tenth Sermon of the words of the Apostle speaking of the Baptisme of little children saith let no man whisper unto you strange Doctrines This the Church alwayes had alwayes held This it received from the Faith or Faithfulnesse of our Ancienters And this it keeps with perseverance to the end 4. These things to be most truly spoken by Augustine we doe know saith Vossius by this that the Pelagians some of them durst not deny them For Augustine writes in his second Booke against Coelestius and Pelagius that Coelestius himselfe in a booke which he put forth at Rome confessed in these words Infants are baptized into remission of sinnes according to the rule of the universall Church and according to the SENTENCE OF THE GOSPEL But observe his cunning in what sence he meant that Infants were baptized into remission of sinnes to wit into future remission if they lived to commit actuall finnes and thereby stood in need of pardon not into present remission of sinnes whiles Infants as not standing in need of pardon or else they that is Pelagius Coelestius and their Sect said onely in words that Infants were baptized into remission of sinnes but thought otherwise in their Principles they held This is plaine out of the Affrican Councell held under Boniface and Celestinus in the 77. Canon whereof it is thus Item placuit qui parvulos recentes ab uteris matrum baptizandos negat c. that is It pleaseth the Counsell that whosoever denieth that little ones newly borne from the mothers wombe are to bee baptized or saith that they are baptized into remission of sinnes but they contract or draw nothing of originall sinne from Adam which need to be expiated by the laver of Regeneration whence it followes that by them the forme of Baptisme into remission of sinnes is not truly but falsly understood let him be Anathema Thus the said Counsell By the playster made by this Counsell you may perceive the disease of Pelagius c. And in the Epistle of the Councell of Carthage Anno 416. Bin. to Innocentius which is word for word the 90. among Augustines Epistles there is this mentioned that Pelagius and Coelestius deny the Baptisme of Infants because say they Infants perished not neither is there in them that that needs salvation or to be redeemed with so great a price for as much as in them is nothing vitiated nothing is held captive under the power of the Divell neither is it read that bloud was powred out for them unto remission of sinnes Albeit Coelestius in his Booke hath already confessed in the Church of Carthage that Infants also are redeemed by the Baptisme of Christ And then to explaine this how many and how or in what manner confessed this with Coelestius the following words fitly serve But many who are represented to us to be or to have been their Disciples doe not cease to affirme these evills whereby they endeavour by all the craft they can to overthrow the Fundamentalls of the Christian Faith So that if Pelagius and Coelestius be corrected or if they say they never thought those things and deny those writings to be theirs what or how many-soever they be that are brought against them yet is there not whereby to convince them of a lye So the Epistle of the Councell at Carthage Mr. T. EXAMEN Sect. 8. But Mr. T. hath many things to say against Augustine in his EXAMEN That the Authority of Augustine was it which carried the baptisme of Infants in the following ages almost without controul as may appear out of Walafridus Strabo placed by Vsher at the yeer 840. who in his book De rebus Ecclesiasticis chap. 26. having said That in the first times the grace of Baptisme was wont to be given to them onely who were come to that integrity of minde and body that they could know and understand and what profit was to be gotten in baptisme what is to be confessed and beleeved what lastly is to be observed by them that are new born in Christ confirmes it by Augustins own confession of himself continuing a Catechumenus long afore Baptized But afterwards Christians understanding Originall sinne c. Ne perirent parvulisi sine remedio regenerationis gratiae defungerentur statuerunt cos baptizari in remissionem peccatorum quod et S. Augustinus in libro de bapismo parvulorum ostendit Africana testantur Concilia aliorum Patrum documenta quamplurima And then adds how God-fathers and God-mothers were invented and addes one superstitious and impious consequent on it in these wordes Non autem debet Pater vel mater de fonte suam suscipere sobolem vt sit discretio inter spiritalem generationem carnalem Quod si casu evenerit non habebunt carnalis copule deinceps adinvicem consortium qui in communi filio compaternitatis spiritale vinculum susceperant To which I adde that Petrus Cluniacensis placed by Vsher at the yeare 1150. writing to three Bishops of France against Peter de Bruis who denyed Baptisme of Infants sayes of him that he did reject the Authority of the Latine Doctors being himselfe a Latine ignorant of Greeke and after having said recurrit ergo ad scripturas therefore he runnes to the Scriptures he alleageth the examples in the New Testament of Christs curing of persons at the request of others to prove Infants Baptisme by and then addes Quid vos ad ista Ecce non de Augustino sed de Evangelio protuli cui cum maxime vos credere dicatis aut aliorum fide alios tandem posse salvari concedite aut de Evangelio esse quae posui si potestis negate From these passages I gather that as Petrus Cluniacensis urged for paedo-baptisme the authority of Augustine and the Latine Doctors So Peter de Bruis and Henricus appealed to the Scriptures and the Greeke
will be mistaken Thus of Mr T. his first particular in his minor That Infant Baptisme was an unwritten tradition in some ages after the first of the Apostles but he cannot tell when as we have proved To his second particular of Jewish imitation Exercitat We have spoken already in answer to the Major Animadver And we have shewd that the pious learned ancients had other Scripture reasons then only Circumcision or their greedinesse to increase the number of Christians who so oft gave warning to take heed to whom they gave that sacred thing baptisme * Caeterum Baptismum non temere credendumesse sciunt quorum officium est Nolite dare sanctum canibus ne participes a liena delicta c. Textul lib. de baptis cap. 18. or Mr T. his perhaps a fine word for an argument and in divine things heathenish lustration of little ones When Justin Martyr Tertullian c. apologized against heathenisme for Christianity and many of our quoted authors sealed their opposition against Heathenisme with their blood And if there were any true Jewish imitation of Circumcision in Infant-baptisme it was in Fidus that thought children might not be baptized till the eight day and not in Cyprians Epistle that confuted him Nor do they more intimate the necessity of baptisme to salvation then Christ himself Iohn 3.5 Except a man he borne again of water and the spirit c. which is a place they oft quote or the Apostles that say we are baptized into remission of sinnes and for receivall of the holy spirit which they Hierom and others also alleadge And it is most sure there is such a necessity in regard of Gods precept and means as to us in the use of ordinances as let them venter their salvation on the willing neglect of them that dare I dare not As it is a sinne to put more in an ordinance then God ever put in it as the Anabaptists talke of wonderfull strange manifestations at and in the act of dipping I know what I speak or to think one is damned without an ordinance when God prevents the having it by death or otherwise so greater is the sinne to contemne an ordinance injoyned when it may be had As Tertullian speaks in his book de Baptismo chap. 13. Hic ergo scelestissimi illi c. Here those most gracelesse follows provoke questions So that they say baptism is not necessary to whom faith is sufficient c. To Mr T. Exercitat §. 17. his third particular in his Minor that Infant-baptisme was not universally practised for Constantine was not baptized whiles an Infant though his mother Helena were a Christian Nor Augustine though his mother Monica was a Christian c. We answer 1 No wonder if baptisme of Infants be not universally practised in all ages Animadver when so many Sects under one notion or another more or lesse stuck at it First Arrians in one age after that the Pelagians in another after them Arminius then the Anabaptists in Luthers time then the Anabaptists in Ainsworths time and now the Anabaptists in our times Shall these men make a practise and then make of it an argument for themselves who will be swayed with such an argument as that They should make out their practise from an argument and not make an argument of their practise 2 Mr T. doth not here so much as say that Helena was a Christian at Constantines birth or that Monica was a Christian at Augustines birth which to have cleared was necessary to the argument 3 Who doth not know that histories make mention of Helena as of a very weak and wonderfull I had almost said superstitious Christian Socrat. schol Ecles hist lib. 1. chap. 13. according to the English trans in digging for the crosse of Christ at Hierusalem and finding three to wit those two also on which the theeves were crucified on and being perplexed which was Christs a miracle of curing a dying woman with that which was Christs resolved which was his and so shee locked up some of it in a silver chest and the rest was set up upon a pillar in the market place at Constantinople so called of Constantine for the preservation of that City As also that she finding the nayles that fastened Christ to the Crosse shee sent them to her sonne Constantine the Emperour whereof he caused bittes for bridles helmets and head-peece to be made which he wore in battail So Socrate Eccles You see how vaine a story here is And that all the Christianitie by this appearing in Helena relates to the time of her sonne Constantines being Emperour And therefore what Mr T. can make of it to his purpose I know not 4. At this time of Constantines birth were great persecutions risen now almost towards the highest it cost after that Constantine many a battle before he could quiet things and therefore Helena the Emperesse the wife of Constantius the Emperour Religion then daring little to peepe forth more then in notorious suffering for it might well be affraid if she were then a Christian to doe such an act as to carry her sonne to Baptisme as Ministers might be afraid to doe it Constantius the father not being a Christian though politically moderate 5. For Augustine 1. It is cleare out of Aug. Confessions The first Booke and 11. Chap. that his father was not a beleever at his birth nor when he was growne up to be a little boy of some understanding For he sayth there in the description of himselfe while he was Puer a little boy or lad Ita jam credebam et illa et omnis domus nisi pater solus c. So I and my mother and all the family did now beleeve except my father onely who notwithstanding did not controule my mothers power over me whereby I should not beleeve in Christ For shee rather endevored that thou O my God shouldest be my father rather then he so Augustine Now the want of the fathers concurrence in carrying a child to baptisme in those difficult times might be some delay of that Sacrament For secondly We say persecution was walking among Christians about that time for Augustine in his third Booke chap. 25. Contra literas Petiliani saith that after the death of the great Tyrant he went into Africa Intimating also that his mother lived a very private life his father being then dead Thirdly Augustine tell us in his first book of confessions and 11. chap. That Cum puer * One is said to begin to be a Puer from 〈◊〉 4 yeere old so upward to 14. essem et quodam die pressus stomachi dolore c. When I was a little boy or lad being a certaine day oppressed in my stomacke and sick even to death thou O God sawest because thou art my keeper with what motion of minde and with what faith I earnestly desired from the pietie of my mother and of thy Church
the mother of us all the Baptisme of thy Christ and of God my Lord. And the mother of my flesh was much troubled c. and earnestly hasty that I should be initiated and washed with the saving Sacrament c. But being now refreshed that my purifying was delayed And Augustine tels us the reason in many words the effect in short was this That his friends thought that more indulgence was to be allowed to let him have his will to doe what he listed being yet weake and not fully recovered then was fiâ— to be permitted in case hâ— had bin Baptized Which thing Augustine there bewaâ—â—es in these words my Baptisme was delayed as if it had beene necessary I should be more defiled it I would live It founded in my eares from these and those let him alone to doe what he will for he is not yet Baptized And yet of the health of the body we say not let him be wounded more for he is not yet healed Fourthly when he was Post pueritiam past the age of childhood or of a little boy or lad many and great waves of temptation hung over him * So in the same booke chap of his Confessions And though in his child-hood or lad-ship he loved not his learning and hated to be urged to it yet there was lesse feare of him then then when he was a youth * In adolescentia So in the 12. chap. of that first booke of his Confessions Fifthly After this before his Baptisme which was about the 34. yeere of his age as we shewed afore he ranne into blasphemous errors in so much as his mother would not admit him to her table so he confesseth in his third booke of Confessions Chap. 11. And thus you see the life of Augustine and the causes of the delay of his Baptisme sure enough the delay of his and Constantines baptisme was not from the custome of the Churches as we have before prooved From a non-fact to a non-equity is no consequence though they were not Baptized young yet they ought But Mr. T. Exercitat §. 17. gives other instances for his particulars in his minor of Theodosius Alipius Adeodatus that were not baptized in their child-hood and so Infants baptisme was not Vniversally practised in those times 1. Touching Alipius and Adeodatus we have answered afore Animadver That of Alipius is very doubtfull whether he were of Religious Parents the contrary being more probable by some passages out of Augustine we have there quoted And it is doubtfull of Adeodatus whether he were baptized at 15. yeeres old as was alleadged 2. Touching Theodosius the Great for that 's the man I suppose Mr T. meanes it is true that both Pezelius and Socrates Scholasticus doe tell us that he was baptized at mans estate but they doe not make out that which is deficient in Mr T. his assertion namely whether his Parents or either of them were Christians when he was an infant It is true that they say he was formerly trayned up in Christianitie But by the story it seemes to me that Religion did not so cease upon his spirit or that he did so declare himselfe against Arrianisme and for the Orthodox Religion and faith till he fell sick a little afore his baptisme For the naked story in short is this His Collegues Valentinian the second his assistant in many batles and Gratian who was Partner with Theodosius in a victory against the Barbarians being dead Theodosius succeeded them in the Empire By stock a Spaniard his descent from Trajan he had beene formerly trayned up in Christianitie After the aforesaid battles he fell ill and lay sore sicke at Thessalonica in which time he desired to be baptized Sent for Anatolius alias Ascholius the Bishop of that Church asked him whether it was lawfull for him to be baptized of an Hereticall Bishop The Bishop answering that for his part he detested the opinion of Arius that he imbraced the faith delivered by the Apostles and set forth in the Nicen Creede by the Council of Nice he was presently baptized by him Then wrote Theodosius to the people of Constantinople that he was addicted to the Orthodox Religion and exhorted them to constantly imbrace the Orthodox faith Thus the story Now what inferences Mr T. can justly make hence for a consult delay of Theodosius his baptisme by his Christian friends I know not This hence onely appeares to me that seeing we cannot learne neither how good his Parents were at his baptisme though great in his infancie and who shall meddle with great mens children in point of Sacraments without their consent nor how long or how much his education in Christianity had beene in his youth it being unlikely that forwardnesse in Religion would forward them to be elected Emperours in those generally troublesome and Hethenish times nor what leasure he had seriously to thinke of Religion and worship in his young manhood the Empire then being full of warres against the Gothes Hunnes and Alanes c. That that was the onely fit time to baptize him when he was baptized Now his sicknesse made his soule well Now he had leasure to thinke of Religion for his owne soule now he is hungry for baptisme now he regarded of what faith Ministers were now being Emperour and baptized he declares himself in writing what he was in Religion and in opinion Therefore for Mr T. to infer from the Contingency of Theodosius his baptisme at ripe yeare to a Necessity that the Churches then thought so baptisme ought to be administred is a consequence which I never found in my Logick And if This Theodosius was about the yeere 401. after Christ as the Eccles Chrono at the end of Euseb tells us * Others put him higher then all those Godly learned Ancients before alleadged for infant baptisme from Justin Martyr to Augustin had declared their judgements to the world for the same as the Tenet and Practise of the Churches in all age of the New Testament And therefore Theodosius and the other few instances Mr T. hath given of adult baptisme at ripe yeeres were rather beside then according to the generall Tenet or Practise of the Churches anciently and downward which doe no more infringe the generalily of the Tenet and Practise of Infant baptisme then the hills and vallyes doe the roundnesse of the world's which by the Moone we can see keepes its exact rotundity The Moone light of antiquitie can shew us that the generalitie of Infant baptisme hath been all along so uniuersally held and practised that it swallowes up a small handfull of instances of the other practise Mr T. his fourth particular of his Minor Exercitat Sect. 17. of his fifth argument against infant Baptisme is That together with it went along the error of giving the Lords supper to Infants as is manifest out of the booke of Cyprian de lapsis and others In our answer to this 1. Let us consider the proof 2.