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
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
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
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
sealing up of the covenant did not onely circumcise Ismael his sonne that was 13 yeers of age but all other infants that were born in his house among whom we reckon Isaac Even so faithfull people which were converted from Heathen idolatry by the preaching of the Gospell and confessing the faith were baptized when they understood their children to be counted among the people of God and that baptisme was the token of the people of God they procured also their children to be baptized Therefore as it is written Abraham circumcised all the male children of his house Semblably we read in the Acts and writings of the Apostles that after the master of the house was turned to the faith all the whole house was baptized And as concerning those which of old time were compelled to confesse their faith before they received baptisme which were called Catechumeni they were such as with our forefathers came from the Gentiles to the Church who being yet rude of faith they did instruct in the principles of their beliefe and afterward they did baptize them but the same ancient fathers notwithstanding did baptize the children of faithfull men as I have already partly declared And because you doe require an hasty answer of your Letter of one that is but a dull writer I am here enforced to cease particularly to goe through your Letter in answering thereto knowing that I have fully answered every part thereof in that I have already written although not in such order as it had meet and I had purposed But forasmuch as I understand that you will be no contentious man neither in this matter nor in any other contrary to the judgement of Christs primitive Church which is the body and fulnesse of Christ I desire you in the entire of him or rather Christ desireth you by me that your joy may be perfect whereto you are now called to submit your judgement to that Church and to be at peace and unity with the same that the coate of Christ which ought to be without seame but now alasse most miserably is torne in pieces by many dangerous sects and damnable opinions may appeare by you in no part to have been rent neither that any giddy head in these dog-daies might take an example by you to dissent from Christs true Church I beseech thee deare brother in the Gospell follow the steps of the faith of the glorious martyrs in the primitive Church and of such as at this day follow the same decline from them neither to the right hand nor to the left then shall death be it never so bitter be more sweeter then this life then shall Christ with all the Heavenly Hierusalem triumphantly embrace your Spirit with unspeakable gladnesse and exaltation who in this earth was content to joyne your spirit with their spirits according as it is commanded by the word that the spirit of Prophets should be subject to the Prophets One thing aske with David ere you depart and require the same that you may dwell with a full accord in his house for there is glory and worship And so with Simeon 1 Cor. 14. in the Temple embracing Christ depart in peace To the which peace Christ bring both you and me and all our loving brethren that love God in the unity of faith by such waies as shall please him to his glory Let the bitter passion of Christ which he suffered for your sake and the horrible torments which the godly martyrs of Christ have endured before us and also the inestimable reward of your life to come which is hidden yet a little while from you with Christ strengthen comfort and encourage you to the end of that glorious race which you are in Amen Your yoke-fellow in captivity for the verity of Christs Gospell to live and die with you in the unity of faith JOHN PHILPOT I conclude 1. THat the practice of Infants hath sufficient and undenyable warrant in the holy Scripture 2. That if it were not the mind of God that Infants should be baptized surely Christ or his Apostles would have given some plaine direction to the contrary especially seeing baptisme comes in the roome of circumcision and that Infants were circumcised 3. That the universall Church of Christ ever since the Apostles times hath continued this practise of baptizing infants 4. That not so much as one Nationall Church since our Saviours time hath forborne or disallowed childrens baptisme 5. That the great and grosse mistake of the Anabaptists ariseth from their not distinguishing betweene persons borne in the covenant and them that are borne out of the covenant 6. That onely private obscure and for the most part illiterate persons have opposed this doctrine 7. That the Anabaptists and their doctrine have so lurked in dark corners from time to time that it is easie to see they cannot abide the light 8. That most Anabaptists in former times were men branded with some notorious infamy and commonly poysoned with other dangerous and hereticall opinions 9. That the Anabaptists grounds and arguments against infants baptisme are all very poore many of them very peevish 10. That God hath so blest this Sacrament of baptisme even to infants as that millions of Saints in Heaven most believers in this Kingdome yea in the whole world being baptized in infancy are and shall be saved without re-baptizing 11. That it is an extreame injustice yea sacriledge yea cruelty to hinder infants of that grace and priviledge which Jesus Christ hath purchased for them That it is an impudent arrogancy and highest presumption to question or contradict the Word of Christ who commands that little children should be suffered to come unto him FINIS