and prudent Governors and judicious Overseers as there are to care for him the greater happiness it still is to him For there is the better ground of hope that he shall be afforded towards his future happiness the present advantages of a religious and vertuous education And being trained up in the way that he should go when he is young it may well be hoped that when he as old he will not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. § 5. And as the prospect of this was as we are informed from the Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy one principal ground of the primitive Churches admission of Infants unto Baptism upon the undertaking of Sureties for them to whose care and managery for information and instruction in faith and manners she did from thenceforth commit them Aiunt enim id quod verum est pueros si in sancto instituto ac lege instituantur ad sanctaÌ„ animi constitutionem perventuros esse ab omni errore solutos ac liberos sine ullo impuro vitae periculo Hoc cum â—n mentom venisset divinis nostris praceptoribus placuit admitti pueros hoc sancto modo ut naturales pueri qui introfertur parentes tradant filium alicui corum qui initiati sunt bono pucrorum in divinis râ—bus informatori ac deinceps ei puer operam det ut divino patri sponsorique salutis Dionys Areop Eccles Hier. c. 12. so the Venetians a wise people in other things shew not the least of their wisdom in this that they confine not themselves to the number of three or four Godfathers and Godmothers as with us but have more many more even as many as they list insomuch that sometimes as my Author * Lewis Lewkenor observations on the Venetian Commonwealth out of Francisco â—ansovini informs me there have been an hundred and fifty at the Christening of the Child together in the Church § 6. Herein then is a great Benefit that Infants have by being baptized in their Infancy that they have thereby the care of several persons engaged for their instruction and education not only their Fathers and Mothers by Nature and Divine Imposition but also their Godfathers and Godmothers by Charity and Ecclesiastick injunction who when they do their duty to a child 't is rare if there be not in some measure a performance of their engagement to him when a man And if there might be instances of the ineffectualness of this care in some few yet is it reason all should be brought under that care since it is effective and beneficial in many and it cannot be beforehand told to what one it will not finally prove to be effective and beneficial § 7. And if ever there was need of Godfathers and Godmothers in the world to be Sureties for childrens pious and vertuous education unless I take my measures wrong and judge amiss of the face of affairs there is need of them now upon that account and need of as many as if not more than there ever were whilst our children are like to live in days which whether they shall be Halâ—yonian days of peace and tranquillity or boystrous days of trouble and persecution is a secret to us but to be sure perillous times times wherein it will 2 Tim. 3. 1. be a hard thing for a man much more for a child to keep upright and walk with an even foot without being warped and swayed aside from the ways of Truth and Godliness one way or other either corrupted in his Faith by the false perswasions of erroneous Believers or debaucht in his manners by the evil conversations of vitious Livers Which consideration I leave to be thought on by those that are wise CHAP. X. Baptism beneficial unto Children in regard of their being thereby united unto Christ § 1. FIfthly by Baptism Infants are made members of Christ united to him as members of his body Hence the little baptized Catechumen is by our Church taught to say that therein he was made a member of Christ Christ is to be considered two ways Personally so as he is one in himself and Mystically so as he is one with his Church that Body whereof himself is the Head In this latter sense Infants are by Baptism made Members of Christ that is they are admitted into Fellowship with him as members little parts of his mystical Body the Church § 2. This benefit Men have by Baptism For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ This was the listing espousing Covenanting Ingrafting implanting Ordinance Believers being expresly said hereby to be planted into Christ Gal. 3. 27. and baptized into Christ Rom. 6. 3. And which baptizing and planting into Christ is no other but an orderly entring into the Visible Church or Body of Christ H. D. Postscript to Treat of Bapt. p. 44. have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. What is it to be baptized into Christ Why sure to be made partakers of Christian baptism And what is it to put on Christ why sure to become united unto Christ to be joyned to the Lord as a man becomes united with and joyned to that which he put on to become a member of Christ Whence Primasius thus glosseth this Text Toti ejus membra per baptismi sanctificationem essecti being whooly made members of him by the sanctification of Baptism And St. Chrysostom describing a Baptized person Omnis â—rgo homo Dei indatus Christum fuge omnia quae sunt incentiva carnalium libidi num Non solum autem haec baptizatis dissero praedico sed etiam baptizandis praecipio D. Chrys Hom. de Militia Christianâ Ad hoc datur baptismus ut aliquis per ipsum regeneratus incorporetur Christo factus membrum ipsius Aquin. 3. q. 68. a. 1. does it by the Periphrasis of a man of God that hath put on Christ Avoid saith he O man of God who hast put on Christ all the incentives of carnal lusts Who he means by that Periphrasis appears by what follows And these things I do not only discourse and preach to them that already are baptized but injoyn them that are to be baptized Accordingly Aquinas saith To this end is baptism given that a man being regenerated thereby he may be incorporated into Christ being made a member of him Because they are members of him that are baptized saith St. August Quia membra ejus sant qui baptiz antur D. Aug. Sâ—rm 119. de Temp. For by one Spirit as St. Paul saith are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles bond or free 1 Cor. 12. 13. One bâ—â—y What bodie 's that Why the mystical body of Christ the Church Baptized into that What 's that why sure entred or ingraffed into it made members of it by Baptism the Spirit as the principal Agent using Baptism as his Instrument for that end Hence saith †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occumen in 1 Cor. 12. 13. Occumenius
on the place we are made one that is one body by one spirit and the same laver or washing that is by Baptism By the Spirit as the principal efficient of by Baptism as the instrumental Agent in that Union Hence is Baptism by St. August called Ecclesiae jaâ—ua and porta gratiae primus introit us D. Aug. de Cate. chizand rudib l. 2. c. 1. sanctorum ad aeternam ' Dei Ecclesiae consuetudinem the gate of the Church and the door of grace and the first entrance of Saints to an eternal Society with God and the Church So St. Bernard calls it Sacramentum initiationis intrantium Christianismum investituram the Sacrament of Initiation and the Investiture of such as enter into Christianity And by the Council of Florence it is called Primum omnium Sacramentorum locum tenet baptismus quod vitae spivitualis janua est â— per ipsum enim membra Christi ac de corpore efficimur Ecclesiae Concil Flor. apud Caranz sol 391. the gate of spiritual life in as much as by it we are made members of Christ and to be of the body of the Church And hence very significantly Baptisteries or Fonts are said to have been placed at first without but after within the Church near the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Porch of the Church to signifie undoubtedly the Sacrament there celebrated namely Baptism to be a Rite of initiation or entrance into the Church as it were that door by which they that are baptized are let in and have admittance unto the priviledges of Christians which is to be Members of Christ § 3. This benefit I say Men have by Baptism And why not Infants whom the Scripture no where shuts this door of grace against whom it no where excludes from this benefit by it In consideration whereof St. Aug. proceeds to say of the Baptism of Infants that it is of efficacy and doth avail Ad hoc valet baptismus ut baptizati Christo incorporentur D. Aug. l. 1. de Bapt. Parvul Haec gratia baptizatos quoque parvulos suo inserit corpori D. Aug. l. 1. de Pecc Merit Remiss c. 9. Pueri sicut adulti in Baptismo efficiuntur membra Christi Aquin. 3. q. 69. a. 6. Hac de causa insantulos baptizamus ut ejus membra sint omnes D. Chrysost Hom. ad Neophytos to their incorporation into Christ And again that This grace doth ingraft and put in even the little ones that are baptized into his body So Aquinas Children as well as Adult persons are made members of Christ in Baptism And for this cause saith St. Chrysostom do we baptize Infants that they may be members of him that is of Christ § 4. And the reason is the same for the one and for the other Because it is not several Baptisms but one and the same Baptism that is administred unto the one and unto the other For there is but one Baptism for all One as well as the other Men and Children all that are baptized are baptized into Jesus Christ as the Apostle expresses it Rom. 6. 3. § 5. Now this being so what can be more visible than that Baptism is hugely beneficial to Infants For being by Baptism made Members of Christ they have union with him as the Members have with the Head and by that Union much benefit is derived to them § 6. For first there is great honour comes to them thereby The Members partake of the honour of the Head To be the Members of such a Head as is Head over all things Ephes 1. 22. the Head of all principality and power Coloss 2. 10. what an honour must this needs be to them Like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons beard that went down to the skirts of his garments so the honourableness of Christ the Head hath a descending influence on his inâ—erior members so as to render them also in some measure and degree honourable By vertue of the Union of Christs natural body with God there is a great honour comes to that his body so by vertue of the Union of the mystical body of Christ with Christ its Head there is a great deal of honour coming also to that body of his His natural body is not the mere body of a man but the body of God so his mystical body is not a mere humane body but the body of Christ 2 Cor. 12. 27. As it is with an imp or scion that is taken off from any stock of a meaner kind and ingrassed or inoculated into a nobler stock and partakes with the stock into which it is ingrassed of its honourable appellation so it is with Christians though by nature they be wild olive trees yet being by Baptism ingrafted into Christ the good olive tree made members of his body they do partake with Christ in some degree of that honour which is given unto him They have his name called upon them by others Acts 11. 26. He himself is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2. 2. 11. Not the least Infant Christian but is a Brother a Branch a Member of Christ and so is honourable in its Relation to him and hath an honourable respect due unto it upon account of the Union that it hath with him § 7. But secondly they do not only receive honour by Christ but also influence from Christ by vertue of their Union with him The Head hath an influence upon the whole body and every member of it Sense and motion is by the animal spirits communicated to the whole body and every member of it from the head so hath Christ an influence upon his whole body and every the least member of it From him by his spiritual grace is communicated to his body and every the least member of it suitable to the manner and measure of its receptivity a principle of sense of God and Goodness and of motion to attain the enjoyment of the one by the practice of the other which though for a while it give forth no indications of its presence in them yet will in due time exert its proper efficacy and in the mean time it lies at the heart like the sap at the root predisposing it unto a future fructification Of his fullness saith St. John we have all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. There is a fullness of grace in Christ for and an influence of grace from Christ to all that are in him Of his fullness we all receive By partaking of the root we participate of the fatness of the olive tree Rom. 11. 17. There goes vertue from him to all that are his Not the least member of him but has an influence of grace from him There is from him an emanation of quickening efficacy to the smallest Infant member in him being united to him it partakes with him according to its condition and capacity and that seminal grace communicated
by him to the Infant at the instant of its beginning to be one in and with him will in time bring forth its fruit unless stifled ere it bud by the luxuriant rankness of vitious dispositions too thickly growing in a depraved nature and too early ripened by a corrupting education § 8. Thirdly they are interessed in the care of Christ for them The head cares for all the body and for every member of it so doth Christ the head of his Church take care for his whole Church and for every the least person of it And if ye observe it the first instance of Christs care for his Church in his charge to St. Peter was for his Lambs his little members that could least care for themselves and then follows his care for his sheep He first saith Feed my lambs and then after Feed my sheep John 21. 15 16 17. After whose example St. John his bosome disciple begins his Epistle with little children and then goes on to fathers and young men 1 John 2. 12 13. § 9. And sure 't is worth something and that no small matter neither to have such a one as Christ taking care for our Infants and taking such a care for them as a head takes care for the members of that body that is united to it Oh how they are continually in his eye and in his heart what tender regard he has to them what melting affections for them How kind he was to little children and how careful of them whilst on earth is set forth with an illustrious splendour here in the Text and Context He called them to him he commanded access for them he rebuked those though the darlings of his affections his disciples that would have kept them from him and because he had them much in his heart he took them near to it in his arms he gave them the Imposition of his hands and the Benediction of his mouth would have both hand tongue and all concern'd and be active too in the promoting of their spiritual interest And can we think he that had so much kindness for them on earth hath no care for them now in heaven Did he throw off all respect to them when he removed hence from them Did he lose the affectionateness of his humanity by the glorification of it Is he less good for being more great If nothing of this not the least apex of it may be imagined we may then be secure of his care for our children And if to be under the care of so discerning an eye so wise a head so strong a hand so tender a heart as Jesus Christ is be a felicity as most undoubtedly it is and that a great one considering the infinite advantages consequent thereunto for protection preservation provision improvement of natural faculties endowment with spiritual abilities initiation in grace and consummation in glory then the beneficialness of Baptism to Infants who are thereby brought under all this care is beyond dispute and there is reason enough in that if there were nothing else to move us to it to baptize our Infants If we would have Christ to have this care for them it should then be our care to baptize them § 10. Fourthly they are interested in the care of the Church for them They that are united to the Head are united to the Body They that are united to Christ are united also to the Church Communion with the Church follows Union with Christ And as it were to intimate this we are sometimes said to be baptized into the head and sometimes into the body sometimes into Christ and sometimes into the Church for as much as all comes to one because Christ and his Church the Head and the Body are all one and he that is united to and hath communion with either is united to and hath communion with the other § 11. Hence our Church in her office of Baptism declares the baptized Infant to be grafted into the body of Christs Church and gives thanks to God for incorporating him into his holy Church as she had prayed before that he might be received into the Ark of Christs Church § 12. And as the Head takes care for all the members so the members also take care one for another 1 Cor. 12. 25. they rejoyce and suffer one with another and have the same caâ—e one for another and they most especially are cared for by the rest who are in least capacity to take any care for themselves § 13. Now as to the case in hand great truly is the care of our Church for her little members her baptized Infants She cares for their maintenance cares for their inheritance cares for their education cares for their instruction that they may be vertuously brought up to lead a godly and a Christian life in order whereunto she not only gives both so grave an admonition to the Sureties for children at their baptizing to remember that it is their parts and duties to see that the Infants be taught so soâ—n as they shall be able to learn what a solemn vow promise and profession they had there made by them and so strict a charge to call upon them to hear Sermons and provide that they may learn the Creed the Lords Prayer the Ten Commandments and all other things which a Christian ought to know and believe to his souls health and be vertuously brought up that the Sureties sometimes are apt to think there is too much of this care taken by the Church because so much is laid upon them and they are ready to be at Tertullians question Quid necesse est sponsores periculo ingeri and ask what necessity is there for the Godfathers being so deeply charged but also lays severe injunction upon the Curates of every Parish diligently upon every Sunday and Holy day to instruct the children sent to them in a Catechism That most excellent Catechism in the Liturgy Dr. Hammond of Idolat §. 67. En verò Catechismum brevem quidem illum sed in cujus brevitate nihil desideres B. Andrews in his Opera Posth p. 86. of her providing for that purpose and that a most excellent one for that use short indeed in it self yet wanting in nothing necessary or fit to be known for instruction to salvation and that under the heaviest penalties that are in her power to inflict a sharp reproof for the first offence Suspension for the second and excommunication for the third and under the like penalties takes care that Parents shall send their children servants and apprentices to the Church at the times appointed and that they also do then come thither to be instructed in that Catechism and by such instruction fitted and prepared for Confirmation at which time they are with their own mouth and consent openly before the Church to ratifie and confirm what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in their Baptism which excellent course were it regularly and conscientiously on all hands observed