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doctrine_n	bishop_n	church_n	exposition_n	3,560	5	11.1579	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57687	Paedobaptismus vindicatus, or, Infant-baptism stated in an essay to evidence its lawfulness from the testimony of the Holy Scripture, especially St. Matthew, XXVIII, 19 : the grand, if not sole place, so much insisted on by the antipaedobaptists, to prove their mistaken principle : handled in a different method form other tracts on the subject, as appears in the contents : with an account of a conference publickly held with an antipaedobaptist of no small fame / by J.R., A.M., a Presbyter of te Church of England.	Rothwell, John, d. 1661.	1693 (1693)	Wing R2005; ESTC R6073	107,326	230

you light on a Matter that displeases but ponder why you are displeased If your Sentiments in Religion are charged to be against Evidence of Reason and Testimony of Holy Writ you ought to be offended because you entertained such high Thoughts of your Abilities but if you will not assume or take so much Confidence proceed and consider if the Author hath or hath not good cause to oppose you whatever the Result be on a due Trial you will have no Cause to be troubled at your labour in the Inquisition or Search For if there be no cause to oppose your Sentiments you may think you have ground to continue them If the Author hath ground for what he writes you may with Satisfaction alter them It is probable a word may be too jocose or too sharp but let not such Expressions cause the Argument to be cursorily or hastily read but weighed without the lett of Passion or byass of Interest to hinder that Conviction the Author aims at I declare with sincerity I bear not any Bitterness towards any nor was I under an emotion or heat of Mind when I studied or preached on this Subject The Author knows how hard it is to remove a prejudice and withal believes it no easie thing to change Sentiments how impertinent soever born and bred with us For such Reasons as these I cannot express Indignation against my Adversaries but truly pity them because they subdue not that intemperate Zeal by which they appear for Novel Opinions against Primitive Canons and Ecclesiastic Establishments I have endeavoured to express my self as moderately as I could not designing to provoke a Passion but work a Conviction I have treated my Adversaries with respect designing only to reduce them from Error to Truth not to boast of Victory or proclaim a Triumph If you have other thoughts of him than he declares he importunately entreats you if you meet with any thing may seemingly raise a Passion esteem it a slip of his Pen and consider rather the reason is offered than the Dress it appears in I will now acquaint you with the Reason engaged me in this Controversie You may believe me who know my own Mind best it was a charitable Design on such deluded Persons as have sincere Intentions for what is true but through the smallness of their Understanding have such narrow Capacities as not to attain the knowledge of Truth and a Zeal to promote Christian Doctrine His Adversaries may entertain what thoughts they think fit his natural Temper is not waspish nor contentious neither is he displeased with any because he doth not think as he doth He knows not of any Quarrel he hath with any on the Account of Religion He neither affecteth Differences nor is maintained thereby He hath possibly more Esteem than he deserves but if not what he is satisfied with as much as may preserve him from being tempted to envy others and the unworthy Arts of purchasing Credit by lessening his Neighbour And as he publishes not this for popular Applause so is he at no loss for what he opposes but it is the Interest of Religion and a Love for Truth have engaged him in this business for he apprehends them greatly endanger'd by Error Many Persons have not time to enquire into the Causes of Matters of Moment nor are they without great Importunity engaged therein But believe as such act for whom they have an Admiration and though they know not the Reason of things they oft outvy those they follow That the Truth of Religion be discovered tends much to the quiet of the World and the welfare of Mankind Men cannot but believe it necessary Religion should be clearly understood and certainly such Men's Travels deserv Praise who endeavour to make persons know its Principles that their practice may be directed I can with sincerity own I have used my Endeavours to set this Controversie in as clear a Light as the Revelation of Holy Scripture and the Dictates of Reason could discover which are the best Instructors of our Mind in the knowledge of Truth and the best Directors how to lead our Lives accordingly But I may wish for Success on this charitable Design rather than expect it if there be Truth in the excellent * Vide Lord Bacon 's Letter to Mr. Matthews p. 69. cited by the Author of the Friendly Debate p. 176. Part 4th Lord Bacon's Observation That there is little dry Light in the World but it is all moist being infused and steeped in Affection Blood and Humours The Reason of Men is made to stoop to Interest and they judge according to the Current of their Inclinations I can make the same Declaration the Excellent † Vide Dr. Sherlock 's Preface to his Case of Allegiance due to Sovereign Powers stated and resolved according to Scripture and Reason and the Principles of the Church of England Dean of St. Paul's doth and with the same sincerity I doubt not he doth That one occasion of publishing his Book is That it is extorted from me by the rude Clamors and unchristian Censures of some and the earnest Importunity of others For an Antipaedobaptist told me I dare not publish my Conference with Mr. M. C. for if I did he would so expose me I should not dare to look him in the Face I have for once accepted his bold Challenge to evidence the fierceness he delivered himself with did not put me in a fright and that their Coryphaeus in that Country where I am concerned may have an Opportunity of shewing his Art And as for Importunity though it be a trite Apology for the Publication of a Book yet I had more than was usual so much that I was tired therewith Whereupon from a distrust of my self I shewed my Argument to several Persons eminent for their Learning among the Clergy even some of the highest Station Some said I was bound in Conscience out of Obligation to the Catholick Church in general and to the Church of England in particular to print it which I would not be so conceited as to believe said on Account of the Argument but from this Consideration The Defence of a Fundamental Truth is a Publick Service Infant-Baptism being not only an Article of the Church of England's Faith as she declares in these words * Vide Articles agreed upon by the arch-Arch-Bishops and Bishops and the whole Clergy of both Provinces Printed 1562. Art 27. The Baptism of young Children is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the Institution of Christ but likewise is and hath been a Doctrin of the Catholic Church in all Ages as the excellent Mr. † Vide Mr. Walker 's modest Plea for Infant-Baptism Printed at Cambridge 1677. Walker hath made appear Others would persuade me to it from a likely prospect of Success it might have on the advers Party because they said tho others had done it in a rational way and in particular

Mr. Walker in his modest Plea for Infant-Baptism yet none had handled it in such a Scriptural Way by Testimonies from Holy Writ which manner of treating this Christian and comfortable Doctrine might be most effectual on the Minds of such as opposed this Truth because the Antipaedobaptists will not admit any Proof but from the direct Words of Holy Scripture or an Exposition so plain that may be equal to a literal sense And this way I have endeavoured to prove this momentous Subject and for this Reason some thought it might be successful on those of that Party that have teachable Minds and this Consideration the Conscience and real desire of doing good was the strongest Motive to expose it to the Public And truly if it may be instrumental to the convincing any that are not too far gone by Interest or Humour it will be a greater satisfaction than the Eulogies of the wisest Men and I shall think my Labour sufficiently compensated If any admire this Subject is methodized and worded so like the way of Preaching it is because I believed it would have the stronger Impression on the people it was preached to if it were printed as they heard it and I had rather be subservient to my People's Good than comply with the capricious Humour of the nicest Critick An Account of the Conference with Mr. M. C. upon the Subject of Infant-Baptism and the Occasion of it AFter this I hope useful Introduction I come to perform the Obligation of my Promise which was to give a Relation of a Conference publicly held with an Antipaedobaptist of no small Fame on the Subject and of the Occasion and this I will endeavour to do with all imaginable Sincerity and take all possible Care not to commit any voluntary Error or wilful Mistake In the Month of October 1686. I was collated to a Living by my reverend Diocesan After a Year I received Information that an Antipaedobaptist had perverted one of my Parish But I hope without a reproachful Reflection I may say of some that pervert tru Doctrin what the Holy Jesus said of the glozing Pharisees Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites St. Matth. XXIII 15. for you compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte and when he is made you make him two-fold more the Child of Hell than before The first Intelligence I had as I remember was from my Parishioner's Neighbour of whom he held a considerable Farm the Gentleman was firm to the Church of England and though he is no Loquacious Talkativ Person yet I have heard him give good Reason for his Principles From the Account he gave I found him in Christian Charity concerned for his Tenant whereupon he desired me to discourse his Tenant and because he thought he would be unwilling to give me a Meeting he told me the next time he came he would send for me to discours him to make a Tryal if I could reduce him to the Church Accordingly he did and I readily went where I treated him with all the Civility he could look for and discoursed what I thought proper and I spoke with all the kindness and plainness was possible that what 〈◊〉 said might have an Influence on him But I was disappointed in my hopes for I found ●im weak and which is usually the unhappy ●ate of such obstinate so that though I ●poke plainly yet he either did not understand me or would not be convinced by what I offered So true is the Observation of the wise Lord Bacon ●ertinaciae Hominum nullum Remedium posuit Deus The Lord Bacon That God hath appointed no Remedy for the Obstinacy of Men And if he have appointed none it will be in vain to endeavour to find any All I could get was an importunate Request I would permit him to bring one to dispute with me I was much against it at first because usually such Designs come to no good nor seldom have their desired end but are attended with noise and clamour and generally there is a greater Contestation for Victory than Truth and a Man's Reputation is more consulted than their Satisfaction on whose Account the Meeting is appointed The Answer he gave was He was no Scholar and so not able to discourse with a Man of Learning as he supposed me to be I replied whatever my Stock of Learning was I would make no use of it with him because I charitably intended his Good but this instead of satisfying engaged him to renew his Importunity there might be a public Disputation which he pretended would be much to his Satisfaction but I believe it was but a pretence For on the Account of some after-Circumstances I have reason to conjecture that his Importunity for such a Meeting was not so much to be convinced as from a Confidence that the Advocate he pitch'd on for he was in Vogue with his Party for his Disputatious Faculty and as I have heard hath often travelled many Miles to dispute with a Clergy man would so far baffle me it would give a Reputation to his Cause and confirm him in his Principles But because he could not prevail for a Consent his Neighbour joined desiring I would comply Upon which out of respect to him I condescended but on this Condition there might be but a few at the hearing of our Discours and if he would name how many he would bring I would endeavour to equal his Number or be content with fewer For I told him I believed three or four judicious Persons of a side might better understand the Reason and Truth of an Argument than a Multitude For I had for many Years been of the same Mind with the ingenious Mr. Matthew Clifford who hated Crowd and Noise A little after I had notice my Parishioner would bring his Man on December the thirteenth 1687. And because I would be just to my Word I acquainted to the best of my Knowledge only two Persons viz. my Parishioner's Neighbour and his Father But he on the other side dealt unfairly with me for contrary to his Promise he sent his Man to Church the Sunday before the Day to acquaint my People when Sermon was done there was to be a Dispute between Mr. M. C. and My self Some time before which I addressed my self to a Consideration of the Doctrine of Baptism and the Holy Gospel Covenant and what Persons are to be admitted thereto and to enjoy the Privileges by receiving the Sign thereof I had only by me one Book on the Subject that treated of the Nature of the Covenant and whether Persons that were not capable of understanding the Articles thereof could by the external sign be admitted to the Privileges But I had a belief he would not or cared not to manage the Controversy from that Principle and thereupon I laid the Book aside and for some time consulted the Holy Scriptures and addressed my self by importunate and sincere Prayers to the Throne of Grace for the Divine Assistance not

the gaining the Gentile World to his New Dispensation and to be professors of his Sacred Institutions and obedient Subjects to his excellent Laws And this did more suitably answer his Advent or Coming into the World who came to be an Universal Saviour for all Mankind For Moses was but a Legislator to the Israelites and Joshua a Saviour to the Jews only and yet on that account called Jesus because he delivered that People from their Enemies and entred them into Canaan But he that was to be an Universal Redeemer and so the true Jesus in the most extensive signification of the word thought fit to appoint such a Sacrament of Admission into his Kingdom as might work upon and prevail with the whole World even all Mankind Now from what hath been said and from a custom among the Jews concerning Proselytes of Justice which all learned Men know to be so and Men of Sense among the Antipaedobaptists acknowledge that after such a Proselyte was Baptiz'd and Circumcis'd and had thereby a Right to eat of the Passover his Child born after such an Admission into the Covenant had a Right to Circumcision at Eight days old as well as a natural-born Jew it may appear that denying Baptism to Infants now is an Hindrance to the Propagation of the Holy Gospel both as to Jews and Pagans As to the Jew because he might say to an Antipaedobaptist offering Arguments to perswade him to become a Christian He would not be of his Religion because after he was in Covenant and had received the Sign of the Covenant his Child was not in Covenant and so had no Right to the Sign which he had in his Way by virtue of his Faith and so consequently the Benefit and Privilege less in ours than in his Way And so the Pagan might say to an Antipaedobaptist perswading him to embrace Christianity I will rather be a Jew than a Christian because as soon as I own and profess their Faith my Child after such a Declaration is in Covenant as well as my self and hath a Right to the Sign So that by this account it plainly appears that the denying Infants Baptism is an Hindrance to the Progress of the Holy Gospel from Evidence of Reason From whence it may seem rationally to follow That he who holds any Principle that derogates from and diminishes the Honour of Christianity and impedes the Propagation of the Religion of our dear Redeemer hath no true and proper Right to the Honourable Name and Title of a Christian which is the natural and pernicious consequence of Antipaedobaptistic Tenets So that how General soever the Commission the Holy Jesus gave to his Blessed Disciples for converting the Heathen Nations was the sence must be plainly this which if I can secure by two other Texts of Holy Scripture confirm by Allusion to Jewish Customs and by the Coherence establish by the Authority of the Ancient Primitive Fathers and answer the strongest Objections of our Adversaries I shall say all that can be thought necessary by Men of Reason in defence of Infant-Baptism Go teach all Nations Baptizing them i.e. When you have sufficiently instructed the Pagan World in and convinced them of the Excellency of my Holy Gospel and thereby perswaded them to embrace my Divine Religion my Spiritual Worship and then after a publick Profession they have declared themselves my Disciples and Followers ascertain them that they are admitted into my Covenant of Grace and receive them into and give them a possession of my Covenant by the Sign and Seal of Baptism and then assure them that their Children shall have the same Right to my Covenant that the natural-born Children of Jews have and the Children of the Proselytes of Righteousness or Justice had after their Parents were converted to the Jewish Religion The Naturalists have learn'd by diligent enquiry That if a Pearl have a foulness and happen to fall into the Womb of a Dove 1 Pet. ij 2. Albertus lib. de Gemmis Vid. Mr. Carpenter's Anabaptist washt and washt and shrunk in the washing p. 15 16. and continue some time there the Dove will return it fair and clear So Doctrines should be proved in the Womb of the Holy Spirit the true Holy Scripture-Dove which Womb is the sincere Word of Truth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if the Doctrine be true Pearl the Holy Spirit will speedily deliver it for such and cleanse it from any Foulness or Impurity it hath contracted in this naughty World This Interpretation is suitable to the Nature of Baptism because it was appointed for all that need it and all should have Baptism that stand in need of Baptismal-Grace and all stand in need of Baptismal-Grace that would be cleansed from Original Pollution and all stand in need of being cleansed from Original Defilement that are Polluted therewith Aequè certa sunt ac evidentia quae ex sacris literis evidenter ac certe deducuntur atque ea quae in illis expressè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. ad verbum in terminis habentur Ex veronil nisi verum Principia fides vel quae ex iis deducuntur sunt in Scriptura Omnis divina Revelatio est in Scriptura vel directe vel per necessariam inevitabilem consequentiam It is a true Maxim That Matters are alike sure and clear which are assuredly and evidently drawn from Holy Writ as the Matters which are read there in their own proper terms and phrases Or the same Observation may be thus worded Consequences are as true as the Principles they are drawn from if truly and properly deduced The ground of this is as certain as Truth it self From Truth proceeds nothing but what is so if drawn by a right Consequence And another Ground may be because the Consequence so drawn is in a manner as true as the Principle and Truth so drawn is the same with that from whence the Deduction springs and rises Upon this account we observe That the Doctrines of Faith and what is deducible therefrom is contained in Holy Writ And again Every Doctrine that is the Discovery and Birth of Heaven is either expresly or by a needfull and unavoidable Conclusion in Holy Writ And on this account we declare That he who believes a Truth believes all the Deductions that can properly be drawn therefrom CHAP. IV. An Exposition of St. Matth. xxviij 19. Whereby the Sence delivered is further cleared IF Christian Children from the Sence I have delivered of this Text be not as capable of Baptism as the Jewish Children of Circumcision Upon what account arises the Distinction Not from the Nature of Abraham's Covenant for that as to the material part was the same with ours made over to us by the Holy Jesus Nor from the manner of Conveyance for Circumcision did signifie the same thing under the former Dispensation as Baptism under the latter And hereupon seeing the two Covenants were for the Nature of them alike and

will add two more with the Canon of a Provincial Council and the first of the two I will bring shall be that of the famous Bishop of Carthage St. Cyprian who lived at the end of Origen's time who flourished about fifteen Years after Tertullian what he writes is in that which he sends to his Friend Fidus and in it there is so clear a proof for baptizing Children that it is sufficient to satisfie any person in whom prepossession and Interest do not Rule Fidus had sent to him to acquaint him that he did not think fit that Infants should be admitted unto Baptism before the eighth day as the Jews were under Moses's Dispensation whereupon he sent this Return † Quantum ad causam Infantium pertinet quos dixisti intra secundum vel tertium diem quo nati sunt conllitutos Baptizari non oportere considerandam esse legem Circumcisionis antiquae ut infra octavum diem eum qu● natus est Baptizandum Sanctificandum non putares longe aliud in Concilio nostro visum est In hoc enim quod to putabas faciendum esse nemo consensit sed universi potius judicamus nulli hominum nato misericordiam Dei gratiam denegandam St Cyprian Ep. 58. ad Fid. That he and the Councel wherein were 66 Bishops were of a different Judgment having declared that as the Lord had no respect of Persons so no regard for Age but that Children might be admitted to Baptism presently after their Birth to cleanse them from their Original Guilt The second shall be from St. Augustin the Reverend Bishop of Hippo which I will the rather do because the Pelagians have been mistakenly supposed by a Consequence from their Doctrin to deny the baptizing of Infants for the Remission of Sins which they that did have been censured by the Church for Hereticks in all Ages as may appear both by St. Ambrose * Hine evacuatio Baptisinatis parv●●orum q●● sola aco●tione donar● nullo ●●rem rea●●●●cerentur ab●o●vi S. Ambr. Ep. lib. 4. Dem●tradi Virg. From Pelagius's Doctrin follows the evacuating or making void the baptizing of Infants who would by his Opinion be said to be adopted but not absolved from any guilt And in like manner by the definition of the Councel of Milevis where speaking of the H. Catholic Church's understanding Original Sin we have these words ‖ Propter hanc regulam fidei Parvul qui nihil peccaforum in semetipsis committere po●●erunt deo in peccatorum remissionem veraciter Baptiza●●ur ut in eis regeneratione m●ndetur quod generatione trarerunt Conc. Milev Can 2. Upon this Ruse of Faith the sense of the H. Catholic Church ubique semper every-where always it is that Infants are baptized for the remission of sins that what they have contracted by Generation may be purged by Regeneration Now the words of Caelestius as quoted by S. Augustin are these * Infantes Baptizari remissionem peccatorum secundum regulam universalis Ecclesiae Evangelii sententiam S. Aug l. 2. cont Pel. Cael. c. 5. That Infants are baptized for Remission of Sins according to the Rule of the Universal Church and the appointment of the H. Gospel whereby it is probable that he meant this Text of H. Gospel according to the sense we have given of it because none can be admitted into Covenant with the guilt of their sins upon them and to signifie that he must make absolute and sincere renunciation of them which may be one reason why the H. Church appoints Sponsors and Undertakers to make such Promises in the behalf of the Child I will now finish my Proofs from the Testimony of the Ancients by the Authority of a Councel the Provincial Councel of Milevis The Church of Afric was one of the most famous Churches of the Primitive Times for Piety and Learning and the determination of the Council which Case of Infant Baptism p. 152. as St. Augustin observ'd an 100 Years after was not a New Decree Novum Decretum seems to allow baptizing Children in that Church to be a long and uninterrupted Custom This Council was held about the middle of the third Century about 150 Years after the decease of St. John This Councel in its second Canon thus declares It is decreed by the Council i. e. Placuii Spiritui Sancto nobis it is decreed by the H. Ghost and by us † ●●em placuit ut quicunque parv●●los receates ab uteris matram baptizandos negat aut dicit in remissionem quidem peccatorum baptizari sed nihil ex Adam trahere originalis peccati quod regenerationis lavacro expi●●●r undo fit Consequens ut in eis form a baptizmatis in remissionem peccatorum non vera sed falsa intelligatur Anathema sit Synod Milevitana Can. 2. apud Carazam That whosoever will not allow Children to be baptized presently after they come out of their Mothers Womb or saith they are baptized for remission of Sins indeed but draw nothing of Original Sin from Adam which is to be explated by the Laver of Regeneration whence it doth follow that that form of Baptism for the remission of Sins in and to you is understood not to be true but false let him be declared Accursed and this I think Proof enough from Antiquity however they that desire more may be excellently satisfied from the learned Mr. Walker's Modest Plea for Infant Baptism where he not only asserts but proves its usage for about fifteen Centuries of years CHAP. XIV The just Complaint of the Jews if this Doctrin be not true AND now what Reason can be offered why those Christians that were converted from Judaism who were scandalized at the omission of Circumcision should not have been more highly scandalized if the first Planters of Christianity had denied an admission of Infants unto Covenant under the H. Gospel Dispensation when they had been ever allowed it under the Mosaic Oeconomy Is it not rational to imagine that they who made so great Complaints only because the H. Disciples instructed the Jewish People that dwelt in Heathen Countries that they were not bound to use Circumcision would not have made greater Complaints if they had not admitted them and their Children unto Baptism but wholly shut them out like the Children of Infidels and not allowed them to be Members of Christ's Mystical Body It certainly in all likelihood would have been a sore Grief to them to observe their Infants used as bad as the Infants of Pagans and Foreigners and to have no clear distinction between such Children whose Parents received the H. Gospel and such as with stood Christianity For they ever esteem'd Heathen Infants as unclean and common but the Infants of Believers they reckoned Holy and Consecrate according to the Exposition we have given of 1 Cor. vij 14. But now had the H. Disciples publicly preached that the Infants of such as were admitted into Covenant with God had no other Title to an