Father c. that is invocating the name of the Father Sonne and Spirit bringing Acts 22. for their proofe Paul is bid to bee baptized calling upon the name of the Lord now Infants cannot call upon the Lord when to bee baptized Now let us consider the weight of what hath been said 1. For the order of the words as morall in Matthew because also in Marke and so morall in both for saith Mr. B. it reacheth to the worlds end it was Christs last commission and it were absurd to thinke a man baptized before preached to and so baptized into hee knowes not what And indeed this is urged as an argument distinctly against Pedobaptisme because children understand not the mysteries of Baptisme and what hath God to doe with such as know him not nor what hee offers them or doth for them c Whence I. S. urgeth it as an absurditie that wee will have children baptized which know nothing of it and so must build their faith upon humane testimony We shall now answer to these particularly SECT II. 1. THen some things in this order of Christ were perpetuall as that preaching the Gospel should goe before Baptisme that baptisme is to bee administred by such as preach that discipled in-churched persons are to bee baptized that in founding Churches the first members are to bee visible professors of the faith in reference to Church estate that baptisme is with water to bee applyed to the persons baptized and that into the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Yet non sequitur that all which here Christ held forth is so strictly to bee attended to the end of the world as that which is to indure to the end of the world or that what in Matthew and Marke hee propoundeth it is presidentiall in all Church cases of persons to bee baptized as alike and that without distinction of Churches then or now gathering or to bee gathered There is a commission given to Elders or Churches as here was to ministers James 5. 14. that they are to pray over the sicke and to anoint them with oyle wee must now then without all distinction of times or Churches doe so too by Mr. Blackwoods argument wee must stick to Scripture commission of the Lord as this was by his spirit according as the other was viva voce And let our opposites that urge Matthew and Marke as presidentiall to all Churches and times attend what is said in Marke 16. 16 17 18. if Marke 16. be the rule to us what persons should bee baptized onely scil beleevers then few are to bee now baptized but such whose beleeving is attended with signes that can cast out devills speake with strange tongues take up Serpents drinke deadly poyson without hurt or if any other are yet at least some amongst the baptized beleevers now as well as then will have such miraculous gifts For Christ speaking of some of those baptized beleevers at least albeit not of all for all had not then gifts of miracles and tongues 1 Cor. 12. saith these signes shall follow them that beleeve c. Marke 16. 17. and it was one continued speech and touching some of the persons spoken of vers 15 16. hence Mr. B. will never deny unlesse his reason faile him but that such kind of persons were proper to bee found in those first Churches and times of first foundings of Churches amongst the heathen nations And therefore will hee nill hee must he make a distinction of first Churches gathered amongst such as never heard of Christ and other Christian Churches in these dayes Secondly bee it that it was Christs last commission yet it sufficiently appeares already that what he here held forth in this gracious order about Gentile Churches it was not therefore morall and applyable to all times no such signes now following any beleeving baptized members of Churches as did then And if that very order of Christs last words were so morall and strictly to bee observed why doe the Evangelists and Paul so vary in expressions of those last words of Christs order touching the Lords Supper Matthew expresseth the Sacramentall actions of Christ about the bread and cup to bee as they were eating Matth. 26. 26 27. and so Marke Chap. 14. 22 23. but Luke and Paul say hee tooke the cup after supper Luke 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Matthew Luke and Paul make the Sacramentall promise to bee uttered before the Disciples dranke even whilst Christ gave order for their drinking but Marke mentions the promise This is my blood of the Testament c. as spoken after they had all drunke of the cup Marke 14. 23 24. Luke addeth to what Matthew and Marke say This is my body which is given for you Paul otherwise which is broken for you Matthew Marke and Luke say of the bread that Christ gave it to them yet Paul which affirmeth what hee had received and did deliver accordingly to the Church of Corinth as from the Lord he leaveth out that act of giving the bread Matthew and Marke say as much expresly of the giving of the cup to them which Paul omitteth Matthew and Marke expresse that thus This is my blood of the New Testament which Luke and Paul expresse thus This is the New Testament in my blood Matthew and Marke say which was shed for many Luke which is shed for you Paul wholly omitteth it Luke addeth in mention of the bread Doe this in remembrance of mee but not in mention of the cup Matthew and Marke omit that passage in both Paul addeth it to both and addeth that in the latter as oft as yee drinke it What varietie is here additions omissions variations c. in the mention of Christs last commission about the other Sacrament surely Mr. B. and others will confesse that if it had beene so morall and invariable because Christs last commission holy men inspired would not had not could not have so placed them before or after one another something before as mentioned by one something set after the same words by another analogie of faith and comparing Scriptures with Scriptures must regulate in such things here and in this Sacramentall order and so in the other And because so much is put in order of phrase and words to conclude thence without compare thereof with other Scriptures the order of things in acting because in those two places such in order of uttering and expressing I would argue hence If because beleeving is set before baptizing none is to bee baptized but such as beleeve then because being baptized is in the same place Marke 16. 16. set before being saved therefore no beleevers are saved but such as are baptized and so baptisme is absolutely necessary to salvation and a man may bee a true beleever but for want of baptisme which yet was the case of some of old which were martyrd may bee damned yea then since Christ when preaching Marke 1. 15. saying Repent and beleeve the Gospel it must bee
the latter dayes they all by the charge of God must have loâ— and inheritance with them in Canaan What in the earthly Canaan meerely verily there is no cause of such a limitation even with our opposites Canaan is typicall also typed out Gospell mercies covenant blessings and priviledges Heb. 3. and 4. 1 2 3 c. Surely then it 's the charge of God in reference to the choâ—…ce dayes of Gospel Churches that where godly strangers are cast and desire to fix and to incorporate themselves as into one people to injoy one and the same spirituall possessions and mansions under one and the same spirituall government of their Prince that such strangers together with their children should bee joynt inheritors with the Churches in the Churches heritage of the fellowship of such ordinances or priviledges as they are severally capable of as at least they are of the initiatory seale of baptisme And if others which hold with I. S. against us in this point are of his minde his pâ—inciples will further administer answer to that objection he citeth Ezek. 16. 8. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10 Gal. 3. 18 19. Heb. 6. 17. Deut. 26. 15 16 17. Deut. 29. 12 13. Rom. 9. 8. with Gal 4. 28 by which it appeareth saith hee that it is the promise or covenant of grace which produceth a Christian and giveth him a being in such an estate of grace as in Church fellowship and afterwards hee useth arguments to prove the covenant of grace to bee the forme of the Church c. which how it will stand with other things elsewhere held forth by him and some of his minde is considerable As first that the command of God was the onely ground of circumcision confessed to bee the seale of the covenant yea but the Jewes had Church fellowship in their circumcision all will yeeld as being a Church ordinance and then the command of God gave them not alone a being in that fellowship since ex concessis the covenant of grace which was ever the forme of the Church c. it 's said it gave them such a being Secondly that the covenant wherein the Jew Church was interested was not a covenant of grace yet this author produceth Ezek. 16. 8. Deut. 26. 16 17 18. Deut. 29. 12 13. to prove that this covenant of grace was the forme of the Church and that by this argument amongst others because it was ever so Surely this Church of old was a true visible Church to which these places have reference and yet the whole body of the people are spoken of as the places declare So then the covenant made with them by this authors grounds was the covenant of grace Thirdly that the little ones of the Jewes were not in the covenant of grace yea but whence then had they that Church being and right to that Church fellowship in the seale of circumcision whence called that covenant Churches children Ezek. 16. 8. 20 21. 23. whence else are they of that number which were to enter into that covenant Deut. 29. 11 12. Albeit the author politiquely leaveth out that v. 11. in citing the place which is here produced to prove the covenant of grace to bee the forme of the Church and that which giveth one a Church being and as hee argueth that to be the forme of the Church because it was of old so so say I of the covenant of grace as invested with Church covenant that which was of old the forme of the Church giving being to Church membership and fellowship in Church ordinances the same is now such but the covenant as made with respect to parents and children was of old the forme of the Church giving being to such scil in circumcision as of parents so of children therefore the same is now in such sort the forme of the Church to give a Church being to parents and children in respect of Church fellowship in baptisme and so I conclude against that Fourthly that children of persons visibly in covenant with God and his Church have no right to baptisme when yet as hath been proved they have interest in the same covenant and so consequently by this very principle laid downe unto this Church initiatory seale of baptisme Yea but Infants have not the law written in their hearts and so it 's a seale to a blank A. No more had they of old no not Infant Isaac nor those Deut. 24. 11. with 30. 6. they are not therefore such as have not the covenant made to them because they have not such a power of grace actually in their hearts that is the execution of Gods covenant which oft times is long after but the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith or covenant it selfe is the promise of it Deut. 29. 11. 14 15. and 30. 6. compared hence that promise called the covenant as being the most substantiall part of it ibid. and Gen. 17. 6 7. 11. 13. they are present actuall subjects of the promise of future grace I will circumcise their hearts I will bee a God to them c. and that initiatory seale is to this especially Gen. 17. 7. 11. 13. Acts 13. 8. So are not Turkes and Pagans children in foro ecclesiae besides Judas and Ananias his baptisme was in Gods institution and in respect of the Church court and their Church right no seale to a blank albeit Gods Law was never written in their hearts and they shall finde it to their cost both Gospell words and seales will worke one way if not a savour of life then of death the cup in the Lords Supper is to all Sacramentally the testament or a visible seale of the very covenant of grace in Christs blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. yet some drinke of that cup unworthily and because it is Sacramentally of that nature thence are they guilty of Christs blood ver 27. 80. circumcision on all sorts was Sacramentally the Covenant of grace albeit not savingly and efficaciously such Gen. 17. 7. 11. 13. as before was proved SECT XIII AS for that objection of supposed absurdities of making Christs body to consist of dead members forcing Christs spouse upon him destroying Gods Church holding people in blindnesse bringing reproach upon religion filling consciences with scruples making men rest in their baptisme c. I answer they follow not exnatura rei from the initiatory sealing of Infants with the Church seale for if so then without distinction of times or Churches c. it must universally hold and so reflects upon the wisedome and faithfulnesse of God who once at least ordered such a thing scil putting the appointed seale of his covenant circumcision to such Infants they were members of the visible body of Christ a true visible Church c. yet God did not thereby destroy his Temple force a Spouse on Christ fill his Church with dead and rotten members hold people in blindnesse lay a foundation of persons resting in their circumcision kill them with scruples by it or destroy the markes
the Divines of upper Germany at a meeting at Wittinberg Anno 1536. according to a certaine forme of Articles of agreement together with the explication thereof annexed by Martin Bucer and after the agreement subscribed about the presence of the body of Christ in the Lords Supper the next Article to bee so composed and explained to all their content was that about baptisme The Article was this touching baptisme of Infants all without any doubting agree that it 's necessary that Infants should bee baptized for since the promise of salvation doth also belong to Infants and it pertaineth not to those which are without the Church it is therefore necessary that it should bee applied by the Ministery and to conjoyne them to the members of the Church The explication of the Article annexed This is to bee understood of a necessitie in respect of Ministery and by command of God and not of necessitie in respect of salvation c. unto which as to the rest subscribed Martinus Lutherus Doctor Witebergensis Johannes Bugenhagius Pomeranus Doctor Philippus Melancton Justus Menius Isenacensis c. And on the other side M. Martinus Bucerus Minister Ecclesiae Argentinensis Wolsangus Musculus ecclesiae Augustanae Minister in verbo and divers others I have set downe this story the fuller as it 's mentioned amongst Bucers workes in that I shall have frequent occasion to referre to it Bucers opera Anglicana But to returne to Luther hee is one that holdeth baptisme not simply necessary to salvation as that without which one cannot bee saved as is further expressed in the explication of that Article but as necessary unto Infants by vertue of divine precept Surely if hee had no scruple in this point as it 's said all agreed herein without doubting c. he never imagined that which the Authors of this Treatise would make him to affirme that baptisme of Infants came in foure or five hundred yeers after Christs time as an institution of Popes or councells I might have mentioned that passage of Luthers to the former two testimonies touching faith required to baptisme which hee hath in his Preface to his Commentary upon the Galatians Anabaptists saith hee teach that baptisme is nothing except the persons beleeve out of which principle it will follow that all the workes of God are nothing if the man bee nothing for baptisme is the worke of God c. But this is certaine that Luther taking the Doctrine of baptisme of Infants as unquestionable rather argueth thence to prove that Infants have faith which was a tenet of his owne then that faith is required in them to their baptisme Thus Infants unlesse that they have faith it will bee said they are not to bee baptized but all grant that Infants are to bee baptized therefore Infants have faith CHAP. III. SECT I. BEda is the next Author cited Proposition 2. upon Acts 19. as speaking thus As those that came to the Apostles to bee baptized were instructed and taught of them and when they were instructed and taught concerning the Sacrament of baptisme then they received the holy administration thereof I looked on the place and there is no such thing there and supposing it might bee misquoted I looked him upon the 9. 16. 18. yea 2. and 8th as well as my time would permit and I could find no such testimony of Beda's so that this is a forged testimony And as for Beda's judgement in the case in this second Tome lib. 4. fol. 50. expounding the place Marke 16. qui vero non crediderit condemnabitur What saith Beda shall wee say of little ones which by reason of age are not able to beleeve for of growne ones there is no question In the Church therefore little ones doe beleeve by others even as from others they have derived the sinnes which are remitted to them in baptisme SECT II. AVgustinus is the next quoted Author and first Austin ad Salcotinanum is cited Proposition 2. as speaking that a man must repent before baptisme c. As Peter saith to the Jewes Acts 2. c. but as for the name of the Booke or Epist I find not The Authors or Printers I suppose mistake the name I finde reference made in the Decretalls set forth by Petrus Albignanus Trecius for as for those set forth by Gratian I neither have them nor can meete with them unto Austin ad Salectinanum as using these expressions Omnis qui jam suae voluntatis c. Every one that is at his owne free dispose when hee commeth unto the Sacrament of the faithfull unlesse it repent him of his old life hee may not begin the new from this penitence onely little ones when they are to bee baptized they are freed for they cannot yet make use of a free choyse of their owne c. If there bee any other passage of that nature as is mentioned in this booke of Austins yet by this his intention therein is cleared Among Austins Epistles I cannot light of any such under that name mentioned there in his 108. Epist Seleucianae but that rather doth strengthen then weaken the Ordinance of Paedobaptisme Austine is cited againe in confirmation of the 4th Proposition in his Sermon ad Neophytos that is say these Authors Juniores or young men but they misunderstand the word It is neither of the single words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it s compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as for one whom they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is according to Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one that is newly comming from Gentilisme or Judaisme saith Cornelius à Lapide and having embraced the Christian Religion is by baptisme planted into the Church of God albeit neither yet sufficiently established in the doctrine of the faith nor so fully approved in life The like description others give of such in reference to 1 Tim. 3. 6. but to come to the matter of the testimony which is as followeth before wee ducked or dipped their body in the sacred water we asked Beleev'st thou in God the Father Almighty and they answered I beleeve c. and we asked them Beleeve yee in the holy Ghost unto which every one of them answered I beleeve and thus have wee done according to the command of our Lord Matth. 28. 19. and what of all this because persons which were converted from Paganisme or Judaisme were asked such questions therefore none other were baptized but such and in such a way non sequitur or because this was commanded by Christ therefore this was all hee commanded in Marke 28. 19. it followeth not Austin who was of another mind never imagined such a conclusion would ever bee drawne from his words The author not naming the Sermon nor the season when preached I will make bold to helpe out therein that such Sermons used to bee preached at Easter one of the solemne times then set for