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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91973	Pædo-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. Published by authority.	Ram, Robert, d. 1657.; Philpot, John, 1516-1555.	1645 (1645)	Wing R194; Thomason E276_12; ESTC R209870	23,751	33

to Abraham for signing the children of believers with the signe of the covenant yea he hath said Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 19.14 Zanch. de Rel. Christiana Because this question whether infants should be baptized hath been much perplexed with the disputations of the Pelagians of old and of late with the clamors of the Anabaptists Daneus we will collect some reasons to prove that the infants of believers may and ought to be baptized The Papists indeed teach that this practice hath prevailed onely by the degrees of ancient Fathers and custome of the Church and by the traditions of men But we better and more truely affirme that both the doctrine and practice hereof is founded and established by the Word of God although the Scripture doth not in expresse termes declare that infants should be baptized yet by consequence and the analogy of faith it will appeare to be the direct sense and meaning of the written Word We will not insist upon all the reasons that may be produced to this purpose but onely select some c. 1. Infants and children of believers even they are believers and within the covenant and belong to God even as the fathers themselves Gen. 17.7 Exod. 20.6 Therefore the signe of Gods covenant belongs to them as well as their parents which now under the Gospell is baptisme For the children of believers are sanctified from the wombe 1 Cor. 7.14 therefore baptisme which is the signe of sanctification belongs to them 2. Those to whom God giveth and applieth the thing it selfe to them doth the signe appertaine for no man ought to restraine or withstand the grace of God Acts 11.17 now God doth give to infants of beleeving parents the thing signified in baptisme which is remission of sins and sanctification although the effects of those gifts doe not presently appeare in them 1 Cor. 7.14 for he affirms that of such is the Kingdome of Heaven So that infants of believers are heires of the Kingdome of God as well as those that are of yeeres of understanding therefore to them belong the signes of those graces for the baptisme of Christ belongs to the whole Church 3. Circumcision as well as baptisme was a signe of the righteousnesse of God Rom. 4 11. and circumcision was to the Jewes a signe of mortifying the flesh as baptisme is to us Deut. 10.30 Rom. 6.4 and God commanded that infants should be circumcised therefore they ought to be baptized otherwise the grace of God under the Gospell should be scanter and intended to fewer then under the Law 4. Christs command for baptisme was generall not excluding infants Matth. 28.19 therefore baptisme belongs to them and the Apostles are said to baptize whole families Acts 16.15 33. amongst which t is probable that there were infants 5. The example of the universall Christian Church confirms this practice which may appeare by the testimony of divers writers in severall ages as Origen on Rom. 6. Aug. lib. 4. of baptizing infants against the Donatists 6. Heb. 6.2 The doctrine of baptisme is called the doctrine of imposition of hands which belongs to infants ' Daneus Isag part 4. P. Martyr As of old circumcision was administred to infants so ought it not to be denied them now for if they have the thing signified why should they not have the signe Let no man doubt that circumcision and baptisme are alike and that there is the same reason of the one as of the other This doth Paul plainly teach to the Colossians where he cals baptisme the circumcision of Christ And they who allow that the Hebrews children ought to be circumcised and yet deny that ours should be baptized doe make God better to the Jewes then to Christians But some will say forasmuch as we cannot tell whether infants have the matter of the Sacrament why doe we give them the signe and apply the Seale to that which is uncertaine To whom we answer that this question is not so much against us as against the Word of God for he hath absolutely commanded that children should be circumcised We say of our Infants that 't is enough for us that their parents or any other in whose power they are doe present them to the Church and if election and predestination concur with the Sacramentall action then what we doe is confirmed but if not then all is void for our salvation depends upon the election and mercy of God Peter Martyr on Rom. 4. Bucer It appeares plainly by St. Paul that baptisme succeeds circumcision and that baptisme is the same now that circumcision was of old excepting that the Spirit is given more powerfully now and the knowledge of Jesus Christ is more fully and plainly manifested As therefore of old the infants of Gods people were admitted into the covenant by circumcision even so ought ours by baptisme neither are our children lesse deare to God then were the children of the Jewes And whereas some deride us saying why then doe we not baptize males onely seeing onely such were circumcised We answer that in Christ there is neither male nor female c. Bucer on Matth. 3. The Judgement of our English Modern Divines touching Infants Baptisme IN the very beginning of Regeneration Dr. Ames whereof baptisme is the Seale a man is mereely passive and hence it is that of a man that is to be either circumcised or baptized no externall act is required as in other Sacraments there is but onely a capacity passive to receive infants therefore are as capable of this Sacrament in respect even of the chiefe use thereof as men of yeeres themselves Ames contra Anab. Though faith and actuall repentance be required in those that be of yeeres before they receive the signe of the covenant Dr. Davenant yet is it not necessary in the infants of believing parents for to be within the covenant is enough to make one capable of the signe of the covenant now infants are in the same covenant with their parents Gen. 17.7 This we see in Abraham who first believed and then was circumcised but Isaac was circumcised before he could declare that he believed This same thing is rightly done in the children of believing parents by the practise of the Apostles who did not baptize any of yeeres till they had professed their faith but when the parents had imbraced the faith then their whole families were baptized Act. 16.15.33 1 Cor. 1.16 now no man doubts but that children are comprehended under the notion of family Davenant on Colos 2. In some the Sacraments do effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods Word read or preached Mr Thoj Rogers which ingendreth faith such is the estate principally of infants elected unto life and salvation Rogers Explication of the 39 Articles Infants receive the Divine vertue of the holy Ghost in baptisme Mr. Hooker which giveth to the powers of the

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

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