and unchangeable love to his elect 2. The occasion of the covenant the same as mans misery by his fall in the loynes of Adam of which this covenant of grace is a pregnant and mercifull remedy 3. The Author is the same as God gracious mercifull slow to anger pardoning iniquity c. 4. The thing promised is the same as Christ the redeemer and Saviour of mankind 5. The spirituall efficacy of the Ordinances the same as the mortification of the flesh and the renewing of the creature to Gods Image in Jesus Christ 6. The subjects the same as a people in covenant with God to yeeld obedience to the faith 7. The end cujus the same as the glory of Gods mercy to his elect and the unexcuse of the reprobate 8. Finally the end cui the same as good workes here in this life and the immortality of the soule and eternall blessednesse in the life to come In another place concerning the baptizing of all without difference he saith That though divers borne within the Church are reprobates yet as they come one and one unto us we cannot say that this or that child is a reprobate he may be an elect vessell for ought we know And the adequate end of baptisme administred is not salvation of the baptized The glory of God is the principall end namely the glory of Gods singular mercy in the salvation of his elect and the glory of Gods justice in the unexcuse of the reprobate As all outward ministrations in the Church serve for the glory of Gods mercy and justice We put them all under the initiall seale of the gospell that they may be made subject to the gospell and be judged by the gospell Wynells covenants plea for Infants Next to the arguments drawne from expresse testimony of Scripture for the baptizing of children Dr. Featley we have a most forcible argument drawne from the consent of the universall Church testified by their constant practice of admitting children to baptisme even from the Apostles daies unto this present This argument if it be well weighed is of very great moment and may convince the conscience of any ingenuous Christian For no Christian doubteth but that the Apostles were inspired by the holy Ghost and Christ promised his Spirit to lead his Church into all truth which promise he hath hitherto made good in such sort that it cannot be proved that ever the whole Church of Christ universally erred it is true particular Churches have erred and may erre and generall Councels which the Schooles terme the representative Church are subject to error and have sometimes decreed heresie and falshood for truth but the formall Church as they speake that is all the assemblies of Christians in the world cannot be impeached with error at any time whence I thus frame my argument That which the Apostles in their daies began and the whole Christian Church scattered over the face of the whole earth hath continued in all ages and all Countries where Christianity hath been and is professed cannot be an erroneous practise But the Catholike Christian Church in all places and ages even from the Apostles times hath admitted the children of faithfull parents to holy baptisme Ergo the practise of christening children cannot be erroneous or unwarrantable as the Anabaptists teach Featly Disputation with Anab. pag. 19. Confessions of Reformed Churches for Baptizing of Infants Helvetian WE condemne the Anabaptists who deny young infants born of faithfull parents to be admitted to baptisme for according to the doctrine of the Gospell theirs is the Kingdome of God and they are within the covenant of God why therefore should not the signe of the covenant of God be given unto them why should they not be initiated by holy baptisme that are Gods peculiar and within his Church The Helvetian confession cap. 20. Belgick Certainly Christ shed his blood that he might no lesse wash infants of faithfull parents then those of yeeres and therefore it is requisite they should also receive the signe or Sacrament of that thing which Christ for their sakes accomplished The Belgicke confession Article 34. French We acknowledge onely two Sacraments common to the whole Church the former whereof is Baptisme given unto us to witnesse our Adoption because in it we are engrafted into the body of Christ that being washed with his blood we might also be renewed by his Spirit unto holinesse of life Confession of France Articl 37. Augustane Infants being by Baptisme commended to God are received into the favour of God and made his sonnes as Christ testifieth Matth. 18. saying It is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish Augustane confession Article 9. Saxon. We retaine the baptisme of infants also because it is most certaine that the promise of grace belongs even to infants nor doe we we judge this a meere idle ceremony but that then they are truely received by God and sanctified The Saxon confession cap. 14. I believe and confesse that our children forasmuch as they also are included together with us in the covenant when they are baptized into the Articles of the ancient Catholique faith Palatine are made partakers as wel as we of the death of Christ and of all other good things c. Palatinate confession Baptisme is a notable badge of the people of God Harmony c. for it serves us to shew of what profession we be and by our baptisme we declare in the Church what faith we professe both we our children and our families namely the Christian Religion Ex actis concordia inter Lutherum Bucerum Helveticas Ecclesias A Letter of Mr. Philpot to a friend of his prisoner the same time in Newgate Wherein is debated and discussed the matter or question of infants to be baptized The God of all light and understanding lighten your heart with all true knowledge of his Word and make you perfect to the day of our Lord Jesus Christ whereunto you are now called through the mighty operation of his holy Spirit Amen I Received yesternight from you deare brother S. and fellow prisoner for the truth for Christs Gospell a Letter wherein you gently require my judgement concerning the baptisme of infants which is the effect thereof And before I doe shew you what I have learned out of Gods Word and of his true and infallible Church touching the same I thinke it not out of the matter to declare what vision I had the same night whiles musing on your Letter I fell asleepe knowing that God doth not without cause reveale to his people who have their minds fixed on him speciall and spirituall revelations to their comfort as a taste of their joy and Kingdome to come which flesh and blood cannot comprehend Being in the middest of my sweet rest it seemed me to see a great beatifull City all of the colour of Azure and White foure square in a
marvellous beautifull composition in the middest of the Sky the sight whereof so inwardly comforted me that I am not able to expresse the consolation that I had thereof yea the remembrance thereof causeth as yet my heart to leape for joy and as charity is no churle but would others to be partakers of his delight so me thought I called to others I cannot tell whom and whiles they came and we together beheld the same by and by to my great grief it faded away This dreame I thinke not to have come of the illusion of the senses because it brought with it so much spirituall joy and I take it to be of the working of Gods Spirit for the contentation of your request as he wrought in Peter to satisfie Cornelius Therefore I interpret this beautifull City to be the glorious Church of Christ and the appearance of it in the Sky signifieth the heavenly state thereof whose conversation is in Heaven and that according to the Primitive Church which is now in Heaven men ought to measure and judge the Church of Christ now in earth For as the Prophet David saith The foundations thereof be in the holy hills and glorious things be spoken of the City of God And the marvellous quadrature of the same I take to signifie the universall agreement in the same and that all the Church here militant ought to consent to the Primitive Church throughout the foure parts of the world as the Prophet affirmeth saying God maketh us to dwell after one manner in one house And that I conceived so wonderfull joy at the contemplation thereof I understand the unspeakable joy which they have that be at unity with Christs Primitive Church for there is joy in the holy Ghost and peace which passeth all understanding as it is written in the Psalmes As of joyfull persons is the dwelling of all them that be in thee And that I called others to the fruition of this vision and to behold this wonderfull City I construe it by the will of God this vision to have come upon me musing on your Letter to the end that under this figure I might have occasion to move you with many others to behold the Primitive Church in all your opinions concerning faith and to conforme your selfe in all points to the same which is the pillar and establishment of truth and teacheth the true use of the Sacraments and having with a greater fulnesse then we have now the first fruits of the holy Ghost did declare the true interpretation of the Scriptures according to all verity even as our Saviour promised to send them another Comforter which should teach them all truth And since all truth was taught and revealed to the Primitive Church which is our mother let us all that be obedient children of God submit our selves to the judgement of the Church for the better understanding of the Articles of our faith and of the doubtfull sentences of the Scripture let us not goe about to shew in us by following any private mans interpretation of the Word another spirit then they of the Primitive Church had lest we deceive our selves for there is but one Faith and one Spirit which is not contrary to himselfe neither otherwise now teacheth us then he did them therefore let us believe as they have taught us of the Scriptures and be at peace with them according as the true Catholique Church is at this day and the God of peace assuredly will be with us and deliver us out of all our worldly troubles and miseries and make us partakers of their joy and blisse through our obedience to faith with them Iob 8. Therefore God commandeth us in Iob to aske of the elder generation and to search diligently the memory of the fathers For we are but yesterdaies children and be ignorant and our daies are like a shadow and they shall teach thee saith the Lord and speake to thee and shall utter words from their hearts And by Salomon we are commanded not to reject the direction of our mother Prov. 6. The Lord grant you to direct your steps in all things after her and to abhor contention with her For as St. Paul writeth 1 Cor. 11. If any man be contentious neither we neither the Church of God hath any such custome Hitherto I have shewed you good brother S. my judgement generally of that you stand in doubt and dissent from others to the which I wish you as mine heart to be conformable and then doubtlesse you cannot erre but boldly may be glad in your troubles and triumph at the houre of your death that you shall die in Church of God a faithfull martyr and receive the Crowne of eternall glory And thus much have I written upon occasion of a vision before God unfained But that you may not thinke that I go about to satisfie you with uncertaine visions onely and not after Gods Word I will take the ground of your Letter and especially answer to the same by the Scriptures and by unfallible reasons deduced out of the same and prove the baptisme of infants to be lawfull commendable and necessary whereof you seeme to stand in doubt Indeed if you looke upon the Papisticall Synagogue onely which hath corrupted Gods Word by false interpretations and hath perverted the true use of Christs Sacraments you might seeme to have good handfast of your opinion against the Baptisme of infants but for as much as it is of more antiquity and hath its beginning from Gods Word and from the use of the Primitive Church it must not in respect of the abuse in the popish Church be neglected or thought not expedient to be used in Christs Church Auxentius one of the Arrians feet with his adherents was one of the first that denied the Baptisme of children and next after him Pelagius the hereticke and some others there were in St. Bernards time as it doth appeare by his writings and in our daies the Anabaptists an inordinate kind of men stirred up by the divell to the destruction of the gospell But the Catholique truth delivered unto us by the Scriptures plainly determineth that all such are to be baptized as whom God acknowledgeth for his people and voucheth them worthy of sanctification or remission of their sins Therefore since that infants be in the number or scrole of Gods people and be partakers of the promise by their purification in Christ it must needs follow hereby that they ought to be baptized as well as those that can professe their faith for we judge the people of God as well by the free and liberall promise of God as by the confession of faith For to whomsoever God promiseth himselfe to be their God and whom he acknowledgeth for his those no man without great impieâ—y may exclude from the number of the faithfull But God promiseth that he will not onely be the God of such as doe professe him but also of infants promising them his grace and remission
PAEDO-BAPTISME OR The Baptizing of Infants JUSTIFIED By the judgement and practice of Ancient and Moderne Protestant Divines both Foraine and of this Nation clearly proving the absolute necessity of baptizing Infants from the authority of sacred Scripture and the force of undeniable reason Together with an excellent Letter of Mr. JOHN PHILPOTS to the same purpose Collected by ROBERT RAM Minister of Spalding in Lincolnshire PROVERBS 11.14 In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety Aug. ad Hil. Epist 89. Tanto magis pro infantibus loqui debemus quanto minus ipsi pro se loqui possunt Published by Authority LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright in the Old-baily 1645. To my honoured Colonell Colonell Edward Rossiter SIR ACcording to my promise I have transcribed Master Philpots Letter for baptizing infants to which I have added the universall and continued practice of the Church of God from the Apostles time hitherto together with the judgement of the most learned orthodox and godly Divines both ancient and moderne which may serve as a cloud of witnesses to prove that infants of Christians not onely may but ought to be baptized I am confident that these collections with the blessing of God will give full satisfaction to any that are not fore-stalled with wilfulnesse in their owne opinion For if Venerable Antiquity Vniversall Practice un-interrupted Custome Harmony of Churches strength of Argument and the Authority of sacred Scripture be of any force then doubtlesse we have sufficient warrant for admitting the children of believing parents to this Ordinance of baptisme The testimonies I have here produced lie scattered up and downe in severall Authors I sum them up together in this little Treatise which I strove to make little because little bookes do most good or most harme being every mans purchase and soon read over My Apologie for troubling you with a businesse of this nature is onely this that I am Your humble servant in the Lord ROBERT RAM The names of the Authors here cited for the baptizing of Christian infants Fathers 1. CYprian 2. Origen 3. Augustin 4. Athanasius 5. Gregory Naz. 6. Bernard 7. Hierom. 8. Chrysostome 9. Isidorus Hisp The Divines of Magdeb. for 1300 yeeres Foraine Divines 1. Mercer 2. Calvin 3. Sadeel 4. Junius 5. Vossius 6. Polanus 7. Aretius 8. Brentius 9. Pareus 10. Spanhemius 11. Lavater 12. Gualter 13. Musculus 14. Chemnitius 15. Marlorat 16. Beza 17. Hemingius 18. Zanche 19. Daneus 20. P. Martyr 21. Bucer English Divines 1. Dr. Ames 2. Dr. Davenant 3. Mr. Th. Rogers 4. Mr. Hooker 5. M. Perkins 6. Mr. Ainsworth 7. Dr. Willet 8. Mr. Hildersham 9. Dr. Fulke 10. Mr. Hieron 11. Dr. Whitaker 12. Dr. Jewell 13. Dr. Mayer 14. Mr. Wynel 14. Dr. Featley Confessions of reformed Churches 1. Helvetian 2. Belgick 3. French 4. Augustane 5. Saxon. 6. Palatine 7 Harmony c. Mr. Philpots Letter THE JUDGEMENT OF the ancient Fathers in this point of baptizing Infants THe Spirit refuseth not to communicate himselfe even to infants and the holy Scriptures declare Cyprian That divine grace is dispensed to all aswell infants as others which was shadowed out in Elishnes stretching himselfe upon the infant insensible of the good which the Prophet did unto him Cyprian Epist ad Fidum Because by baptisme originall sinne is done away Origen therefore children are baptized Origen Hom. on Luke 14. We say that in infants baptized Augustin although they be not aware of it the Holy Ghost doth dwell August Epist ad Bonifacium of baptizing infants Whence may a man know plainly that he hath been baptized Athanasius and received the spirit of baptisme seeing he was but an infant when he was baptized Athan. in his booke of questions quest 2. Baptisme hath force even upon infants Gregory Nazianzen and therefore it is necessary that they be baptized For it is better that they be sanctified without any apprehension of the thing done then that they should depart this life without baptisme and initiation And if this thing Circumcision may afford us any president for that being the forerunner of baptisme that was administred to such as could not by the use of reason discern what it meant Nazianzen in his Oration of baptizing infants He who denies baptisme to infants of Christian parents Bernard doth declare a diabolicall envy even such an envy as brought death into the world this man is not of God who doth and speakes so contrary to God Bern. Epist. 240. Hieronymus We hold that there is one baptisme and that this Sacrament is to be administred to infants in the same words that it is administred to them of elder yeeres Hieron Symboli explanatio ad Damasum Chrysostom Therefore the Catholique Church teacheth that infants ought to be baptized because of originall sin And the uniforme practice of the holy Church throughout the universall world concerning baptisme whether of infants or of young men should not be accounted as an idle thing Chrys Homil. de Adam Heva Isidorus In such as are of yeeres baptisme serves either to clense them from originall sin or to wash them from the guilt of actuall sinne but infants are onely freed from originall sin by it Isid Hispalensis de officiis Eccles l. 2. The continued practice of the Church for baptizing infants for 1300 yeeres together from the Apostles times collected out of the Centuries Written by the Divines of Magdeburgh Cent. 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. ALthough the Apostles before they were rightly informed did forbid children to be brought to Christ yet were they reproved for it and did without question afterwards baptize infants themselves being better instructed by the Spirit of God as Origen Cyprian and others doe testifie and that the custome of baptizing infants was from the Apostles continued to posterity Cent. 2. cap. 4. Cent. 3. cap. 6. We read no where in this age that infants were denied baptisme In this age both men and women infants and those of elder yeeres were baptized according to the tradition received from the Apostles Cent. 4. cap. 6. In the same Churches and waters all sorts of people of whatsoever sex age or condition were publickly baptized The Churches of Africa baptized infants in this age Nazianzen speaking of the Asian Churches saith That they used to baptize infants if they were in any eminent danger otherwise baptisme was deferred till they were about three yeres old neverthelesse he saith that baptisme is sutable to any age Nazian Orat. 3. of Bapt. That Infants should be Baptized Cent. 5. cap. 4. Chrysostome affirmeth in his Homily of Adam and Eve Augustin saith That the Baptizing of Infants came not into the Church by the constitutions of any Councells but hath been alwayes retained by the Church and ought to be beleeved as an Apostolicall Tradition Contra Donatistas lib. 4. Infants are Baptized Cent. 6. cap. 4. not only that they might attain the Adoption of Sons
children he comprehended in a family or houshold as the chiefest and dearest part thereof Therefore we may conclude that the Apostles did baptize infants or children and not onely men of lawfull age and that the house or houshold is taken for man woman and child is manifest in the 17 of Genesis and also in that Joseph doth call Jacob with all his house to come out of the Land of Canaan into Egypt Finally I can declare out of ancient writers that the baptisme of infants hath continued from the Apostles time unto ours neither that it was instituted by any Councels neither of the Pope nor of other men but commended from the Scripture by the Apostles themselves Origen upon the Declaration of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans expounding the sixt chapter saith That the Church of Christ received the baptisme of infants from the very Apostles St. Hierom maketh mention of the baptisme of infants in the third booke against the Pelagians and in his Epistle to Leta Saint Augustine reciteth for this purpose a place out of John Bishop of Constantinople in his first booke against Iulian chap. 2. And he againe writing to St. Hierome Epist 28. saith That St. Cyprian not making any new decree but firmly observing the faith of the Church judged with his fellow Bishops that as soone as one was borne he might be lawfully baptized The place of Cyprian is to be seene in his Epistle to Fidus. Also St. Augustine writing against the Donatists in the 4. booke chap. 23. 24. saith That the baptisme of infants was not derived from the authority of man neither of Councels but from the Tradition or doctrine of the Apostles Cyril upon Leviticus chap. 8 approveth the baptisme of children and condemneth the iteration of baptisme These authorities of men I doe alledge not to tye the baptisme of children unto the testimonies of men but to shew how mens testimonies doe agree with Gods Word and that the verity of antiquity is on our side and that the Anabaptists have nothing but lies for them and new imaginations which seigne the baptisme of children to be the Popes commandement After this I will answer to the summe of your arguments to the contrary The first which includeth all the rest is It is written Goe ye into all the World and preach the glad tidings to all creatures He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned c. To this I adde that nothing is added to Gods Word by baptisme of children as ye pretend but that is done which the same word doth require for that children are accounted of Christ in the Gospell among the number of such as doe believe as it appeareth by these words Matth. 18. He that offendeth one of these little babes which believe in me it were better for him to have a mill-stone tied about his necke and to be cast into the bottome of the sea Where plainly Christ calleth such as be not able to confesse their faith beleevers because of his meere grace he reputeth them for beleevers And this is no wonder so to be taken since God imputeth faith for righteousnesse unto men of riper age for both in men and children righteousnesse acceptation and sanctification is of meere grace and by imputation that the glory of Gods grace might be praised And that the children of faithfull parents are sanctified and among such as doe believe 1 Cor. 7. is apparent in the 1 Cor. 7. And whereas you doe gather by the order of the words in the said Commandement of Christ that children ought to be taught before they be baptized and to this end you alledge many places out of the Acts proving that such as confessed their faith first were baptized after I answer that if the order of words might weigh any thing to this cause we have the Scripture that maketh as well for us for in Saint Marke we read Marke 1. that John did baptize in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentance In the which place we see baptisme go before and peaching to follow after And also I will declare this place of Matthew exactly considered Matth. 28. to make for the use of baptisme in children for St. Matthew hath it written in this wise All power is given me saith the Lord in Heaven and in earth therefore going forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Disciple ye as I may expresse the signification of the word that is make or gather to me Disciples of all Nations And following he declareth the way how they should gather to him Disciples out of all Nations baptizing them and teaching by baptizing and teaching ye shall procure a Church to me and both these aptly and briefly severally he setteth forth saying Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Now then Baptisme goeth before Doctrine But hereby I doe not gather that the Gentiles which never heard any thing before of God and of the Sonne of God and of the holy Ghost ought to be baptized neither they would permit themselves to be baptized before they knew to what end But this I have declared to shew you upon how feeble foundation the Anabaptists be grounded and plainly it is not true which they imagine of this Text that the Lord did onely command such to be baptized whom the Apostles had first of all taught Neither here verily is signified who onely be to be baptized but he speaketh of such as he of perfect age and of the first foundations of faith and of the Church to be planted among the Gentiles which were as yet rude and ignorant of Religion Such as be of age may heare believe and confesse that which is preached and taught but so cannot infants therefore we may justly collect that he speaketh here nothing of infants or children but for all this they be not to be excluded from baptisme It is a generall rule he that doth not labour must not eate but who is so barbarous as might thinke hereby that children should be famished The Lord sent his Apostles at the beginning of the setting up his true religion unto all Nations unto such as were both ignorant of God and were out of the covenant of God and truely such persons it behooveth not first to be baptized and afterwards taught but first to be taught and afterward baptized If at this day we should goe to the Turkes to convert them to the faith of Christ verily first we ought to teach them and afterward baptize such as would yeeld to be the servants of Christ Likewise the Lord himselfe in times past did when first he renewed the covenant with Abraham and ordained circumcision to be a seale of the covenant after that Abraham was circumcised But he when he perceived the infants also to pertaine to the covenant and that circumcision was the
or the Kingdom of heaven but that they may have remission of sins lest they perish eternally Maxentius in his confession of Faith We Baptize Infants although they are not yet capable of Reason Cent. 7. cap. 6. And by no meanes let Baptisme be denied to a sick Infant If any shall neglect it God will require the blood of that childe dying unbaptized at his hands Councel of Toledo 8. cap. 7. By the Obedience of Faith all ought to be Baptized Cent. 8. cap. 4. Beda on Ioh. 1. By the grace of Faith children being borne againe by the water of Regeneration are admitted to the Celestiall Joys Beda on Cant. 4. Why doth not the saying of the Lord Cent. 9. cap. 4. spoken to the Universall Church by the Prophet Isaiah I will bring thy seed from the East c. deter thee from thy perverse opinion How hast thou forgotten that in the Gospel which saith that Christ rebuked his Disciples for forbidding little Children to be brought unto him Dost thou not fear to doe that which no Christian ever durst doe For concerning Infants Baptizing though they know not the meaning of it Saint Siricius tells us that it was the generall rule and practise of the Church Hincmarus Rhemensis ad Hincmarum Laudanensem Children ought to be Baptized for by this Ordinance Cent. 10. cap. 4 our chast Mother the Church brings forth holy pure and innocent children Smaragdus in Epist Petri. Neither did they Baptize those only that were of yeers Cent. 11. cap. 6 but Infants also yea young and weak Infants The sonne of the Empresse was Baptized the third day after he was borne because hee was sick and like to die Schafnaburgensis As well Infants as others were Baptized in this Age Cent. 12. cap. 6. for Elianor and John the children of Elianor Queen of England were Baptized presently after they were borne Sigebert And Lewis the French King caused his Sonne Philip to be Baptized an Infant Baptizing of Infants was practised also in this Age Cent. 13. cap. 6 for Hugo saith That the Church prayeth for Infants to be Baptized not that it doubts of their Salvation but to teach that children are not saved by their owne merits or nature but only by grace Hugo on Psal 27. The Judgement of Modern Protestant Divines of Foraine parts touching Infants Baptisme Mercer ALthough there be no set time appointed for Baptisme as there was for Circumcision yet certainly it ought to be administred as soone as may be not that wee should doubt of their salvation that want Baptisme if they happen to die without it for we doe not ascribe so much vertue to the signe as that when it cannot be had we should question the reality of the thing signifyed Mercer on Gen. 17. Calvin It is to be noted that when a man is admitted into the Fellowship of Beleevers the promise is not only made to him but to his children Gen. 17.7 Therefore he which is not within this Covenant from his cradle is a stranger from the Church till he be brought in by the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance But then his seed begins to be of the Family of the Church Therefore Infants of Beleevers are Baptized by vertue of this Covenant which is made with their Fathers in their Name In this therefore the Anabaptists doe miserably deceive themselves Cal. Institutions against Anabaptists Sadcel If they understand Christs Institution of Baptisme to be necessarily continued in the Christian Church even to the end of the World and that the children of Christians ought to be Baptized even so do we understand and beleeve As it appeares in the confeson of the French Church Artic. 35. Sadeelis opera Theol. pag. 428. Junius All the Elect are to be Baptized into the body of Christ if moreover all of them as well Infants as persons of yeers ought to put on Christ then to separate them from the body of Christ and not to ingraffe them into Christ were a most wicked thing And againe when Infants are Baptized God doth both offer and conferre all the good things of the Covenant and ingageth himself unto it Iunius in his Thesis of Baptizing Infants Vossius Although Infants have not actuall Faith yet this ought no more to keepe them off from baptisme then meat ought to be denied them because the Apostle saith he that will not labour let him not eate Vossius Defence of baptizing Infants Infants borne of Christian parents ought to be baptized Polanus as may be proved by these arguments 1. All that are in covenant with God ought to be baptized but infants are within the covenant of grace 1 Cor. 7.14 And Christ blessed and consecrated infants Matth. 19. 2. Because to them belongs the promise of remission of sins by the blood of Christ Acts 2.38 39. 3. Because infants doe belong to the Church of God For theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven 4. Because they are redeemed with the blood of Christ and washed from their sinnes and so by the vertue of the holy Spirit have the thing signified why then should they be debarred from participating of the signe 5. Because the holy Ghost is promised to them yea they have the holy Ghost 6. Because they should be distinguished from the children of Infidels therefore the signe of distinction should be put upon them 7. Because the Apostles baptized whole families 8. Because infants were circumcised Polani Syntagma cap. de Bapt. The Anabaptists deale very presumptuously Aretius in denying infants to have faith but suppose they have not faith their parents have and their children are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 and doe belong to the Church and have the Spirit of God who administreth the true baptisme why therefore should they not be baptized shall our children be more unhappy then the children of the Jewes which were not debarred the signe of the covenant Is our baptisme inferiour to circumcision that it may not be administred to infants as that was but infants have faith in their kind their parents doe believe and they have the Spirit of God 't is our part therefore to hope well of them seeing election is one of the hidden secrets of God Therefore by no honest reason may baptisme be denyed to Infants Aretius com places loco 66. We ought to believe that Christ died for infants Brentius and that the Father is well pleased with them in him and that God is not onely the God of men growne but even of infants also In this confidence we ought to pray for the salvation of infants and to offer them in baptisme that being incorporated into the body of Christ by baptisme they may attaine eternall life Brentius on Luke 5. Pareus Circumcision and Baptisme doe agree in their principall ends 1. In that both doe signifie the grace of Christ justifying and regenerating by the blood and Spirit of Christ 2. In that both doe solemnly bind
to the faith and obedience of Gods covenant 3. In that in both there is a solemne reception of all in covenant as well infants as those of yeeres into the Church and distinguishing them from aliens 4. In that both doe belong to all ages as well infants as men growne Pareus on Gen. 17. Spanhemius We conclude the baptisme of infants to be justly retained in the Church of Christ for these reasons 1. Because it is founded on Gods Commandement on holy examples and on the promise as hath been shewed before 2. Because the signe of the covenant ought to be given to all that are within the covenant 3. Because otherwise the children of believers should have no more priviledge then the children of Jews or Gentiles 4. Because baptisme succeedeth circumcision and beares a correspondency with it The condition of the Jewes children under the old Testament should not be better then that of the infants of Christians under the new Spanh Dubia Evangelica part 3. Lavater Seeing the grace of the Gospell extends it selfe more largely then that of the Law it was expedient that a Sacrament should be ordained divulging more grace then circumcision Therefore baptisme is administred to women though circumcision was not whereby we may conclude against those who deny the baptizing of infants For if children under the Law were circumcised notwithstanding they could know nothing of the nature and benefit of that covenant why should not our children be baptized now was the condition of children better under the old Testament then under the new none but such as are past shame will affirme it Lavater on Ios 5. Gualter Let no man thinke we goe about to patronize the Anabaptisticall madnesse for they doe both erre dangerously from the truth and rage against it whiles they contend that the same course is to be taken with the children of believing parents and strangers of growne yeeres For they which were formerly strangers and out of the Church of Christ such as were Jewes and Gentiles we say ought not to be baptized unlesse we would profane that holy Ordinance of baptisme untill they can give an account of their faith But there is a great difference betweene them and the children of believers for these are to be accounted members of the Church and within the covenant such are holy and Christ will have such to come unto him and 't is manifest that such doe please God in that their Angels doe alwaies behold the face of their Father And though we cannot comprehend their state and condition yet Christ testifies that they have faith and are capable of the Spirit of God as the example of Iohn Baptist and others who were sanctified in the wombe doth testifie Therefore to deny baptisme to such is an extreame impiety and a wickednesse of a monstrous impudency Gualter on Act. 8. By no meanes the signe of the covenant is to be denied them to whom the right of the covenant belongs Musculus seeing therefore that baptisme is nothing else but a signe of the covenant and grace of God in the new Testament and the children of beleevers amongst the Gentiles are no lesse partakers of this testament and grace of God which is given to the elect in the Kingdome of God by Jesus Christ then the children of the Jewes what madnesse is it to deny them the signe of this grace what else is this but to account our children excluded as strangers from the grace and covenant of God he that denies the sign doth certainly as much as in him lies take away the thing signified Musculus on Matth. 8. It is not to be doubted Chemnitius but that the Spirit of Christ doth worke so effectually even in infants that are baptized as that it makes them capable of the Kingdome of God although we doe not know how it is done For baptisme is the laver of regeneration and renovation which the holy Spirit powreth on them that are baptized whereby they being justified are made heires of eternall life Tit. 3.5 and that little children doe receive the Kingdome of God Christ himselfe affirmeth Matth. 10.15 and this is called the faith of infants for as circumcision in the old Testament was to infants a signe of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 so in the new Testament because children that are baptized doe please God and are saved they neither may nor ought to be rejected amongst Infidels but are truely to be reckoned amongst beleevers and so unto them belong the words He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mar. 16.16 Chemnitii loca Theol. de Bapt. Marlorat If you aske how the children of Christians doe belong to the Church or to Christ we answer No otherwise then the children of the Jewes being the seed of Abraham are said to be within the covenant of God Gen. 17.7 therefore our children are baptized as theirs were circumcised because they are not to be reputed out of the Church for we are the sonnes of the promise and are partakers of the inheritance with Abraham and what was said to him is promised to us and our children For they may have the Grace and Spirit of Christ seeing they are members of us and of the Church If the root be holy the branches are also holy Rom. 12.16 which things though they be spoken of the Jewes yet doe they belong to us And if the Lord hath severed the children of believing parents from the common sort of men why doe we deny them the signe This therefore refutes the brain-sicke opinion of the Anabaptists who deny baptisme to Christians children whom the Apostle pronounceth holy by vertue of the promise Marlorat on 1 Cor. 7.14 Beza The words of the covenant are cleare I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Now by seed is meant all the Gentiles that believe with righteous Abraham Gal. 38. And the Apostle doth manifestly declare that the children of believing parents are holy yea though but one of the parents believeth by which holinesse nothing else can be understood then being within the covenant whereby holy persons are distinguished from profane Therefore we ought to judge hopefully of all that are borne of Christian parents as the indefinite words of the covenant and the rule of charity teacheth us Beza Questions and Answers Hemingius The command of Christ is generall that all Nations should be baptized Matth. 28. therefore we gather that it is sacriledge to deny baptisme to infants Hemingii Euchiridion de Bapt. Zanche We believe with the ancient catholicke Church that not onely persons of yeeres who can expresse repentance and are able to make profession of their faith should be admitted to the Sacrament of baptisme but even infants also seeing we are to account them within the covenant for the Apostle saith that the children of believers are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 especially seeing Christ hath no where altered the command of God given