Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	baptism_n	baptize_v	infant_n	2,779	5	9.3007	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88809	Of baptisme. The heads and order of such things as are especially insisted on, you will find in the table of chapters.	Lawrence, Henry, 1600-1664.	1646 (1646)	Wing L663; Thomason E1116_1; ESTC R210176	92,194	427

reasons he gives to that purpose so as if you will sprinkle ye must fall upon a new question which may for ought I know be much disputed and that is what part is to be sprinkled or if you will sprinkle the whole man which cannot be done exactly to be sure not easily it were better to follow the ceremony of immersion but by what reason aspersion or sprinkling came into use in the world instead of immersion or dipping ye shall find fastned upon two considerations of charity to sicke and weake persons and charity to tender children although as the same Author affirmes mersion was more usuall even for children to the dayes of Gregory who was Bishop of Rome Anno 590 and Isiodor For Gregory giving an account of the threefold dipping hath these words Vt dum tertiÃ² infans ab aquis educitur resurrectio triduani temporis exprimatur vvhilst the child is dravvne out of the vvater three times the resurrection after three dayes buriall may be signified Epist Greg. lib. 1. Epist 41. An account of this charity for sicke persons ye have exprest in an epistle of Cyprian to Magnus lib. 1. Epist 6. In the times of Cyprian there was a question mooved concerning Baptisme by aspersion or perfusion that is powering water to wit hovv they vvere baptized vvho in respect of infirmity or sicknes could not be dipt vvhether such sprinkling vvere to be accounted for true baptisme by which demaund you may perceave that in Cyprians time immersion or dipping was so much the usuall and received forme for Baptisme as it was made a great question whether they were rightly baptized who desired Baptisme and yet by reason of infirmity could not receive it but by sprinkling or aspersion Cyprian answers modestly and sayes Hee vvould not have his opinion be a prejudice to any other mans either opinion or practise but his charity extends rather to thinke that in such cases Baptisme may be received by sprinkling it were to long to quote his expressions wherein he is large But to conclude all you see by a current of authority from Scripture especially and after by Authors antient and moderne that dipping or immersion hath bene the old way of Baptizing even for children in the dayes of Gregory a reason of the alteration I have in part shewed you from the quotation out of Cyprian A more particular account Iacobus Pamelius shall give you as you may read in his annotations upon the 76 Epist of Cyprian his words are these pa. 215. Quum propter aegritudinem immergi sive intingi quod propriÃ¨ Baptizari est aegri non possent aqua salutari perfundebantur sive aspergebantur eademratione ab Ecclesia occidentali primum observari caepisse consuetudinem adspertionis qua nunc utimur existimo ob teneritudinem nempÃ¨ infantium quum jam rarissimus esset adultorum baptismus VVhen in respect of vveakenesse those vvho vvere sicke could not be dipt or plundged vvhich is properly to be baptized they had vvater povvred upon them or vvere sprinkled vvith it from the same reason I suppose the custome of sprinkling vvhich vve novv use to have bene first observed by the vvesterne church to vvit for the tendernesse of infants vvhen as novv the baptisme of those of age vvas very rare then he goes one Olim certÃ¨ tum in occidentali tum in orientali Ecclesia immergi solere veteres suis scriptis manifestum faciunt Romae id adhuc usitatum aetate Gregorij manifestum sit ex ipsius Sacramentorum libro idque apud Anglos etiamnum observari ad marginem adnotavit Erasmus Certainly that of old time in the easterne and vvesterne church they vvere used to dipp the antient make manifest by their vvritings and that it vvas used at Rome in the time of Gregory is manifest from his booke of the Sacraments and that it vvas yet used amongst the English Erasmus hath noted in the margent So Pamel I have bene large in this subject but I hope it will be of use to us both for the assuring of our practise in this particular the answering of such whose peremptory persuasion the other way for some there are so persuaded give themselves and their friends trouble I shall take a knit from this to observe with which I shall conclude what a tyrant custome is that dares stand up contradict a thing so evident in it self so agreable to the reason of the ordinance to the cleare phrase and expression of Scripture to the practise of antient times in so much that in Cyprians time it was a question mooved in the Church whether those that in respect of infirmity could not receive baptisme the antient and usuall way and yet earnestly desired it might be rightly baptized by sprinkling vvhether such as Cyprians vvords are to Magnus might be accounted lavvfull Christians that is whether their Baptisme so administred were right or a nullity I say you see here the tyranny boldnesse of custome that having shaped as it is apt to doe our mindes to one way dares now pretend for that alone with the exclusion of others and would persuade us that nothing should be but what wee have seene to be and counts every thing error that hath not fallen under our sence or experience In things civill and indifferent I can be content that custome shall be my guide shall take that for good coyne that the world stampes but in matter of ordinances and things sacred the rule of which lies in institution and not in our liberty or choise and the blessing of which lyes in conforming to the rule and institution I beseech you let us be wairy to judge with righteous judgement and not by that appearance which the customes of this world upon their worldly and carnall though seeming wise considerations hold forth to us CHAP. VI. Wherein is shewed the agreements and differences that the word preached hath with the Sacraments together wÃ¯th certain Corollaries giving light to the present controversy HAving out of the Scripture considered the use ends of Baptisme to which the ceremony appeares to be extreamely proper and opposite wee will now to bring further light to this ordinance and in order to a discours of the proper subject of Baptisme and of the controversy thereabout consider the agreements that are common to it with the administration of the word and that wherein these two ordinances seeme to differ They agree first in the efficient cause Baptisme and the other Sacrament have the same author and institutor that the word hath scil the King Priest and Prophet of his church and as the same efficient so the same administring causes those that were to teach had order to baptize Mat. 28.19 Goe therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father c. And 1. Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and stevvards of the mysteries of God Secondly they are both instruments in

the spirituall seede and heires according to promise then they and we pretend both alike in new Testament ordinances with this difference onely to the Iew first and then to the Gentiles CHAP. XIII Wherein is handled the fifth and last question in answer to the argument drawn from circumcision scil whether Infants not prooving the subject of Baptisme the priviledges of Christians and their state may not justly be said to be as great as the priviledges of the Iewes and their state QVestion 5. Though infants should not proove to be the subject of Baptisme yet whether the priviledges of Christians and their state may not justly be said to be as great and greater then the priviledges of the Iewes and their state No man is willing to loose by change and our children are so great a peece of us as that what they loose wee feele It must first be affirmed that the Iewes had this peculiar honour proper both to their persons and the land of their habitation and dwelling their Temple also other ordinances that they were types of thinges to come and in that respect were many thinges performed by them and many thinges predicated of them which else would not have beene as the land was holy but typically and the Temple holy but typically and all the inhabitants of all ages and degrees unlesse under a particular defilement and uncleannesse were denominated holy but typically also Now what ever was a type in that wherein it was a type whether persons or ordinances c. of all such things as types it may be affirmed First that they are inferiour to their antitypes that is to the thing figured or shewed by them Secondly that they are not true in themselves being a shadow of thinges to come but in the body or truth which they figure or type out Thirdly that when the antitype or truth is fullfilled or performed the type ceaseth now it seemes to be agreed by all hands that not onely places and persons ceremonies and events were types but the Sacraments of the Iewes and former times were types and shadowes of our Sacraments not to instance in any but in circumcision as relating to typising out Baptisme which is agreed on all sides to be a type of our baptisme yea so far some urge it as a type that they would therefore have infants baptized because infants were circumcised the antitype being to answer the type but upoÌ„ how great a mis-take they so urge it we shall shew hereafter when wee shall make that manifest that a great reason of the difference and not baptizing infants of beleevers ariseth from the consideration of the typicalnes of circumcision for the present though it be generally graunted yet wee further make it manifest to be a type of Baptisme by examining that place Coll. 2.11.12 In vvhom also yee are circumcised vvith the circumcision made vvithout hands in putting of the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried vvith him in baptisme vvherein also you are risen vvith him through the faith of the operation of God vvho hath raysed him from the dead In this second chapt Paul seemes to contend with divers impugners of Christian religion vs 1. For I vvould that you knovv vvhat great conflict I have for you and first vers 4. hee contends against oratory and inticing words by which their hearts might be led away and seduced And this I say least any man should beguile you vvith inticing vvords c. then vers 8. hee argues against Philosophers as a vayne deceit who would judge of the thinges of Christ by the elements or rudiments of the world for none of those things extend themselves to the mysteries of Christ which wee hold by faith and therefore Philosophicall demonstrations any farther then they are proportionable to the analogie of faith are extreamely deceitfull and to be bewar'de of In the third place hee contends against those who laboured to retaine Iewish ceremonies and types vers 10.11.12 And yee are compleat in him vvhich is the head of all principalities and povver in vvhom also yee are circumcised vvith the circumcision made vvithout hands in putting of the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried vvith him in baptisme vvherein also you are risen vvith him c. For here hee shewes that circumcisioÌ„ which was the profession of the whole Law was fullfilled as a type or figure to Christians by Christ in Baptisme and therefore that was to vanish away as types ought to doe when they were fullfilled therefore hee shewes how wee are circumcised in Christ which is sealed and effected by Baptisme first it is without hands which the legall circumcision was not as Baptisme in some sence may be said also to be God being the great Baptizer Secondly this circumcision doth not deprive you onely of a little skin of the flesh which was typicall but of the whole body of sinne Thirdly this is not the circumcision of Moses or of the fathers but of Christ for onely Christ can effect this Lastly all this is sealed to us and made ours by Baptisme by Baptisme is effected this circumcision in which we are assimulated to Christ buried risen againe and are sealed one with him in our death to sinne and life to holynes so as Baptisme is Christian circumcision and then we are said to be circumcised with the circumcision of Christ when wee are rightly baptized Now therefore if circumcision be a type of Baptisme as it is acknowledged and prooved then examine it by the former properties of a type And first if circumcision be a type of Baptisme then it is inferior to Baptisme as types are to their antitypes of which they are shadowes and figures But if Baptisme be to be administred for a seale and signe in infancy as circumcision was to teach and instruct hereafter then on the other hand their priviledge was far above ours who carryed a marke in the flesh visible and sensible by which they knew assuredly they were circumcised whereas that any of us have bene sprinkled or dipt in infancy we must receive by a humane faith having never our selves seene it nor no markes to shew it us or convince us of it and it may well fall out that no body may be able to assure us of it neither so as that ceremony may well not worke upon us with any power of which wee have so little assurance whether it have bene administred to us or no. Besides that a man had a Iew to his father was the assured qualification for circumcision which a man might know as well as his owne father but for Baptisme I must beleeve my parents was godly if I will be assured of my qualification which ariseth from the faith as they say of one parent for it will not now goe downe so easily as it hath done that a profession of Christianity onely at large will qualify for deriving right to Baptisme now this

abominate also the Christian education of their children so as in this respect the unbeleevinge husband or wife and the children also though themselves for the present unbeleevers by reason of the willingnes of the one to cohabite and the subjection of the other to Christian education may in that sence be said to be sanctified or made holy being as it were deputed to it and in the way of preparation for it so as the unbeleeving parent the childreÌ„ of that mixt birth may be called as Tertullian sayes Candidati timoris and as afterward by others Candidati fidei Probationers or compettitors for feare and faith the words following vers 16. seemes to favour such an interpretation For vvhat knovvest thou O vvife vvhether thou shalt save thy husband or hovv knovvest thou O man vvhether thou shalt save thy vvife there being already wrought a good pleasure or willingnes to abide and cohabite on the unbeleevers part husband or wife and the children in that respect being subjected to Christian education and to the beholding of holy examples true coÌ„version and faith which brings them into estate of salvation may be in time accomplisht in them to which they seeme in some sort destin'd by the providence of God in such a yoake-fellow or such parents So sanctification is predicated of those who are destined or prepared to such an end so God sayes of the Medes and Persians Esay 13.3 I have commanded my sanctified ones that is such as I have prepared for so Calvin upon that place sayes that sometimes sanctification is referred to regeneration which is peculiar to the elect of God sometimes it signifies to prepare or destine to a certain end so those unbeleeving parents by their willingnes to abide with beleevers their children in regard of the opportunity of a holy education seeme to be as it were destined or prepared for regeneration and for that state which accompanies salvation and in that respect as in a large sence may be called sanctified or holy Which consideration if it may give them a greater accesse to ordinances proper for them or stirre up others to lay out themselves in a more peculiar and particular manner for their conversion I shall not hinder it but on the contrary thinke that such providences speake much and that as they give grounds of hope and so of endeavour so there may be much of duty towards them in regard of the opportunity that families and churches that parents masters ministers have to doe good to such who though strictly they may not be called church members no more then strictly sanctified that is regenerated by the holy Spirit yet so farre as in the respects before mentioned they may be tearmed sanctified that is by a providence destin'd as it were and prepared for God so farre the church within whose pole they seeme by a providence to live and to be cast ought to have a more especiall eye after them and care of them by vertue at least of that generall injunction As you have opportunity doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith under the shadow of which these are come But whether you take either of these sences or both for they may both stand in severall respects and regarding the text with a different aspect you will surely find nothing to ingraft Baptisme upon For whether the children are sanctified to the beleeving parents use as all other things are not unholy in themselves which to the unbeleever are not or whether in the second sence they are sanctified that is as it were destined for holynes of which by vertue of a great providence in respect of their education they are made Candidati that is probationers or competitors as when men stand for a place or office and as the Catechumini of old were called yet can they by no meanes in either of these respects be qualified for or made the subject of Baptisme which presupposeth as hath formerly bene shewed another kind of holynes proper to and inherent in the party namely regeneration and nevvnes of life not such an one as is competible to an unbeleever either parents or children It was but necessary to speake something to this place which beares amongst many the weight of so great a building as infant Baptisme though if I could find here such a holynes for infants as wee all wish to ours namely justifying faith regeneration yet I should no more judge it meete to baptize them then to preach to them or to administer the Lords supper to them they being as capable of the word as baptisme and of one mysterious ceremony as well as another which hath bene a reason I doubt not why many formerly and many at this day doe administer the Lords supper to infants by vertue of a parallell ordinance to Baptisme Nor doe I know the reason why the one should be refused where the other is deem'd a due But enough I hope for this which truely the contests of others rather then any scruple which hath fallen upon my spirit from these words hath made me say so much of CHAP. XV. In which the authority of the Fathers and the practise of antiquity touching the subject of Baptisme is considered THe authority of the Fathers and the practise of ancient times is to many a great argument for the Baptizing of infants to me that looke upon such argumentations as not of the first magnitude collaterall and such as may truely and as often be brought for the patronising of errors as truth they are of no great consideration yet to satisfy others more then my self there must be something spoken to this head In which I shall consider especially these two things first whether by the witnesse of story Infant Baptisme have injoyed a quiet and peaceable possession in the church from the Apostles times downeward till of late it was interrupted by some few evill spirits in the times of Luther as some men would give us to beleeve Secondly upon what grounds those Fathers which are alleadged for the chief patrons of Infants Baptisme went for if they have erred in the reason of the foundation it will be easilyer beleeved that they did also in the building We will consider first of this latter I will give you their grounds either as I have reade them my self or as I find them quoted by Bellarmine Tom. 3. lib. cap. 8. whose quotatioÌ„s I shall take for truth till I find the contrary for here hee hath to doe with the Anabaptists enemies in this point alike common to him with most of those that are tearmed Protestants First hee quotes the testimony Dionisij Areop qui lib. Eccles Hier. c. ult part ult ab Apostolis traditum affirmat ut infantes baptizentur Iusti five quicunque est auctor earum quaest qu. 56. parvulos baptizatos salvari alios non item That infants baptized are saved others not Orig. lib. 5. in cap. 6. ad Rom. Ecclesia inquit ab Apostolis traditionem

the thing For Scripture rule ye have Teach all nations and baptize them Mat. 28.19 make disciples and baptize Marke 16.16 Hee that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved You see here the ranke of Baptisme immediately after teaching after beleeving it holds the first place of ordinances properly Christian ye may see it againe in the rule in Peters preaching Repent and be baptized Acts 2.38 which was instantly put in practise which is our second head of proofe namely Scripture example for they that gladly received his vvord vvere presently baptized to the number of three thousand ver 41. after which they continued constantly in the liturgicall vvorkes of the Apostles doctrine and breaking bread in prayer ver 42. In the example of the Eunuch you have the same assoone as ever Iesus was preached and hee discovered water vvhat hinders me saith he to he baptized nothing saith Philip if thou hast faith so he was instantly baptized Acts 8.38 The like ye have of Cornelius who upon the first preaching of Christ before the assembly was dissolved was baptized he and his Acts 10.48 The like you have of the Iaylor Act. 16. to whom at midnight being astonished by a miraculous action the vvord vvas preacht and to all in his house and he and all his beleeving vvere forthvvith all of them baptized Here was no losse of time and for the order it was after faith and before any other administration more examples might be brought of this kind out of which that which I conclude is the order and time of Baptisme namely the next ordinance to beleeving not but that I would have fit time allowed for the tryall of faith wherein to be sure the Apostles were not negligent of their duty For the primitive times wee can have no better instances then what we heare of the Catechuminy who were excluded not onely from the Eucharist but from the very sight thereof and therefore after the word Sancta Sanctis they went out not because they were without faith for there were two sorts audientes competentes or electi the first were beginners which heard sermons had a desire to Christ the other were such as desired Baptisme and had given up their names for it as Austin mentions in libro de cura pro mortui cap. 12. and others also Now these were supposed to have faith and wayted onely a fit time for the administration of Baptisme during which time they were farre enough from being admitted to the Lords Supper though beleevers judged but on the other side assoone as ever they were baptized they had Baptisme confirmation or laying on of hands and the Lords Supper on the same day And of this the Fathers give a reason In all respects the order of the mystery is kept that first by remission of sinnes a medicine be prepared for their vvounds and then the nourishment of the heavenly table be added Ambrose c. And as this was observed strickly to the catechuminy so every body will grant me that to infant Baptisme this order is surely maintayned If you passe from precept example of all times to reason there you will find that what ever makes for the not repeating of Baptisme in the ordinary use of it makes also for this as fully or more that it should be the first For first if it be not to be repeated because this is the seale of initiation regeneration and incorporatioÌ„ then by the same reason this must be first as initiation admission incorporation and regeneration are the first internall acts in us upon us by which we are made Christians Secondly if the signification and use of Baptisme be for ever and of constant perpetuall use then this ordinance is to lye as the bottome stone in the building of ordinances which is to have a durable and constant influence into the whole edifice Or thirdly if this be not to be repeated because neither in precept nor example you find it so then must this be the first because in precept example you find it so and never otherwise or if the ends of Baptisme on our parts not to mention further those on Christs be that there should be a formall externall contract past with God by which wee are visibly handfasted in this mysticall marriage or secondly to distinguish our selves by this badge and charracter of our professioÌ„ from the evill world which we renounce with all its works then certainly this peece is to be first administred before we goe further and the Sacrament of our spirituall life and birth is to be given before that of our nourishment and growth In a word Baptisme hath bene called of old not without reason Sacramentorum janua and is for all these considerations which are as many as can concurre to any one thing to keep that name nature still which is to be the first and primitive Sacrament in which a converted person man or woman is to communicate Now theÌ„ if the timeing and order of instituted worship be any thing as it is of great moment a great part of it lying in nothing else but the right and orderly administration of ceremonies and if the Scripture rule and example be any thing which is all we have to shew for any practise then Baptisme is to be the first Sacrament after beleeving Besides the reason of the thing that which makes it unlawfull to baptize before teaching is because the Scripture hath rankt it otherwise that sayes teach and baptize not baptize and teach as the Papists and others doe the same reason will hold for the giving it its preference in time to any other ordinance because it is rankt immediately after teaching before any other thing againe you have the fullest concurrence of all example reason also for the timeing and ranking of this ordinance as for any thing can be thought To what hath bene said in this laste point I shall onely ad by way of caution with which I conclude it that when I give Baptisme the first place in the ranke of ordinances after beleeving I intend not such expressions to the prejudice of church-fellowship which I conceave is properly the state for instituted ordinances and the subject of them as will more fully appeare by what will be sayd in the following chapter CHAP. XVIII Wherein by way of conclusion is treated of the Minister of Baptisme and shewed where that power rests which is to conveigh to us that blessed Ordinance which hath bene all this while the subject of our discourse WE have found out the subject of Baptisme to be a beleever onely that is one professing faith in Christ and subjection to his ordinances upon which consideration wee have found cause to reject the Baptisme of infants as a vanity of mens invention and our owne received then as voyde null we have also found in the order of Sacraments Baptisme to be the first the next thing we are to speake of is the Minister

the hands of the Holy Spirit for edification and salvation the word is a dead letter without the Spirit and so also is Baptisme it speakes no more then it is bid the blessed Angels that are so farre above sinne and corruption have no quickning vertue in themselves the flesh of Christ hath no vertu but from his Godhead Now if there be no vertue in the flesh of Christ but by the personall union how shall bodily actions about bodily elements confer grace but by the mediation of the Spirit Thirdly they agree in the principall matter for the same Christ with all his benefits is offered and confirmed to us in the word and Sacraments the same union the same communion in the death the resurrection of Christ and they which looke for more in the Sacraments then the word promises and holds out makes an Idoll of them Fourthly they agree in the end for God by them builds up and edifies his Church till it come to be perfect Fifthly they agree in the instrument which renders both profitable to us both word and Sacrament are ineffectuall without faith 3. Iohn 36. Hee that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life Sixthly they agree in the effects They are the savour of life unto life or the savour of death unto death c. So He that beleeveth is baptized shall be saved From the first you learne coroll 1 not to depart from the institution but as to preach the Gospel according to the analogie of faith so to administer the Sacraments according to Gospel institutions for it is alike sinne to transgresse in the administratioÌ„ of the one as in the preaching of the other since they both hold of the same Lord institutor and as hee which in preaching the Gospel shall add workes to faith in the point of justification perverts the word and preaches another Gospel and therefore is accursed Gal. 1.1 So he that shall alter in the administration of the Sacraments but in a ceremony since the ordinance lyes in a ceremony and shall be bold to inlarge the subject of this ordinance or contract it will be found a breaker of Gods bouÌ„ds be found guilty of the cursse that is the portion of such as add or detract so as what wee doe herein is of great moment and consideration coroll 2 From the second to exspect successe from the Spirit to be in the Spirit that you may receive it Secondly the Sacraments worke not Phisically From the third coroll 3 to be lead by all administrations into the knowledge of Christ to judge them best that hold out most of Christ and most purely Secondly to magnify Christ the head and end of all institutions coroll 4 From the fourth to be comforted and confirmed in this way of salvation wherein wee are for wee have enough till wee come to God and need no more coroll 5 From the fifth not to rest in the worke done to thinke it enough when you have heard or communicated if it be not mingled with faith it profits not vvithout faith it is impossible to please God coroll 6 From the sixth then play not with these tooles it is a great matter you have in hand when you meddle with the ordinances of Christ and when you are under them it cannot be without much good or hurt to you it is a blessing or a cursse to the persons upon whom it falleth even the greatest light meanes are the greatest agravations of sinnes Heb. 2.1.2.3 Wee come now to the difference of these ordinances which will contribute more of light to what wee have proposed They differ first in the manner of the administratioÌ„ of the same Gospel The one is an audible word the other is a visible word the word signifies according to such expressions as men have given a vallue unto to signify thinges by but the Sacraments represents by such similitudes and proportions as the signes have with the things signified therefore we read the word and heare the word but we see feele the Sacraments In a word they are Hierogliphicks it was the custome of the Egyptians to teach by visible representations which signify such and such things these are of that nature that whereas the word strikes the eare onely which is the usuall and ordinary sence of discipline those signes and visible elements affect the sences outward and inward the sences conveigh the object to the understanding there the Holy Ghost takes them and brings us into the present enjoyment of things as if we saw Christ with our eyes toucht him with our hands felt him by our tast and injoyed him with our whole man all this in a rationall and discoursive way raysing an analogy proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified Secondly they differ in the measure of their signification the word especially teacheth the Sacraments especially seale and confirme the word indeed signifies and applyes spirituall things but the Sacraments more efficatiously represent apply Thirdly the word is simply necessary to actuall beleevers and so to the salvation of beleevers and sufficient as in Cornelius for faith is by hearing and hearing by the vvord of God but the Sacraments are not absolutely necessary to all nor without the word are they sufficient to salvation for to what purpose are seales without the writing Fourthly for I will not trouble you with many the word belongs to all mankind the Sacraments belong onely to beleevers therefore for preaching ye have preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven But for the Sacraments teach them saith Christ that is disciple them and hee that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved so for the other Sacrament let a man examine himself and so let him eate and drinke and the people vvere baptized in Iordan confessing their sinnes of vvhich they repented and after the Eunuch was taught there was faith required before hee was baptized if thou beleevest vvith all thy heart thou mayest and no Baptisme or Sacrament find we administred otherwayes in the new Testament the reason is evident because the word begets faith the Sacraments confirmes it the word is the writing the Sacraments is the seale for it carries this with it and speakes this language as certainly as thou usest this ceremony and eates this bread so assuredly Christ dwells in thee and as thou entrest this water and art therein buried so assuredly thou art made one with Christ planted into his death thou art buried with Christ and thou risest with Christ as thou risest out of the water every thing speakes this thou art Christ and Christ is thine and therefore supposes faith which is the tye and the union on our part and you see how curious Paul is Rom. 4. to proove that Abraham vvas justified by faith before hee received the signe of circumcision which was to him a seale of his faith his righteousnes thereby â„£ 10.11 Hovv vvas it reckoned vvhen hee vvas in circumcision or in uncircumcision Not

what hee doth and what he receives that that ordinance which ought to be administred but once and is of so great an use and influence may be received to his best advantage whilst in the interim hee is in the hands of God fit and exposed to receive the preservation of his spirituall being in the same way in which it was wrought and by those unalterable bonds of election conversion safe enough till he shal be capable of setting his seale and receiving Gods visibly to that which in a secret and unknowne way was wrought in him CHAP. IX In which entrance is made into the consideration of the great argument for Infant Baptisme drawne from the circumcision of Infants by way of answer whereunto five particulars are handled the first whereof is treated on in this Chapter namely what circumcision was to the Iewes and whether the qualification requisite to it was regeneration or the infusion of gratious habits HAving thus layd downe the state of Baptisme and coÌ„sidered severall things about it sufficient for my owne satisfaction and clearely also design'd the right subject of that ordinance I come now in order to a more full discharge of my self to this controversy for a more generall satisfactioÌ„ to consider the particular reasons by which the patrons of Infant Baptisme would inforce it The first whereof which seemes to be a great one is that the seede of Abraham with whom and whose seede God was in covenant received ordinances and particularly circumcision by vertue of their birth and that wee being ingrafted into that stock have power to derive a capacity of ordinances to our children else the priviledges of Christians the New Testament would be lesse then those of the Iewes of the old Testament which is not to be imagined I take this to be the summe of that argument which seemes to carry the greatest weight to speake lowdest for Infant Baptisme of any other Here divers things by way of answer are to be considered first what circumcision was to the Iewes whether the qualification required to it was regeneration or the infusion of gratious habits for if not then there will be found to be this great and essentiall difference namely the qualification of the subject Secondly what ever that should proove how far the ordinances of the old Testament should regulate determine by way of rule and institution those of the New if not then the parallel of circumcision is not fit to beare the weight of an institution Thirdly how we are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what tittle wee are called Abrahams children for we are not to clayme the same things by different tenures Fourthly how far the Iewes by vertue of their being Abrahams seede could pretend to New Testament ordinances and if they by their birthright could not then neither can we by any such birthright or carnall generation Fifthly whether though Infant Baptisme should not be the priviledges of Christians their churches might justly be said to be as great or greater then the priviledges of the Iewes and their Churches and state For the first I must professe I am not Iew enough to understand the full drift of that ordinance and although men are bold in commenting and interpreting all types and ceremonies of the old covenant after their owne apprehensions yet it is safe to be sober and to advance no further then the Scripture guides This I am persuaded of that as they were formed particularly to that state of the Iewish church so they had meanes to understand them for their comfort edification to better advantage then we have but it would not be hard to tell you what some have thought and perhaps to as much purpose as those who are of a different opinion for this notion received that the parallel of circumcision must be the pillar of infant Baptisme hath I am afraid to much determined streightned the interpretation of that ordinance the places which speake concerning it Ambrose upon the 4. of the Rom. saith Circumcisio aliquid habet dignitatis sed signum est tantum quod signum ideo accipiebant filij Abraham ut scirentur ejus filij esse qui credens Deo hoc signum acciperet ut aemuli essent paternae fidei Circumcision hath something of dignity but it is a signe onely vvhich signe the children of Abraham did therefore receive that they might be knovvne to be his seede vvho beleeving in God received this signe that they might be emulators of their fathers faith Ierome upon the 3. of the Gal. saith Because Christ vvas to spring from the seede of Abraham and many ages vvere to passe from Abraham to Christ the vvise God least the seede of beloved Abraham should be mingled vvith other nations and should by degrees be joyned more familiarly distinguisht the flock of Israel by a certain marke or circumcision then for 40. yeares together in the vvildernesse none vvere circumcised because they vvere out of the daunger of such mixtures being alone but assoone as they vvere past the banks of Iordan circumcision prevented the error of mingling vvith others vvhereas it is vvritten that they vvere circumcised that second time by Ioshua it signifies that circumcision ceased in the vvildernesse vvhich vvas rationally used in Egypt The Apostle Rom. 4. doth not call circumcision a seale of the covenant or promise but of the righteousnes of faith which sayes Origen upon this place vvas to seale shut up the righteousnes of faith vvhich in its time vvas to be revealed that is under the figure and types of that carnall circumcision was secretly signified and vayled the circumcision of the heart which is the true justification that Christ was to bring or as Chrysostome Theophilact and others it vvas called a seale of the righteousnes of faith because it vvas given to Abraham as a seale and testimony of that righteousnes vvhich hee had acquired by faith Novv this seemes to be the priviledge of Abraham alone not to be transferd to others as if circumcision in vvhom ever it vvas vvere a testimony of divine righteousnes for as it vvas the priviledge of Abraham that hee should be the father of all the faithfull as vvell circumcised as uncircumcised and being already the father of all uncircumcised having faith in uncircumcision hee received first the signe of circumcision that hee might be the father of the circumcised novv because he had this priviledge in respect of the righteousnes vvhich he had acquired by faith therefore the signe of circumcision vvas to him a seale of the righteousnes of faith but to the rest of the Ievves it vvas a signe they vvere Abrahams seede but not a seale of the righteousnes of faith as all the Ievves also vvere not the fathers of many nations This appeares first because Paul joynes these two together he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of faith that he might be the father of all that

Sufficiunt divinae divinitÃ¹s inspiratae Scripturae ad omnem instructionem veritatis The holy divinely inspired Scriptures suffice to all instructions of truth Then Basil in serm de fidei confess Infidelitatis argumentum fuerit signum superbiae certissimum si quis eorum quae scripta sunt aliquid velit rejicere aut eorum quae non scripta introducere It vvould be an argument of infidelity and a most certain signe of pride if any man should reject things vvritten or should introduce things not vvritten Also Cyril lib. de recta fide Necessarium nobis est divinas sequi literas in nullo ab eorum praescripto discedere It is necessary for us to follovv the divine letters and in nothing to depart from their prescript So Theoph. lib. 2. Paschali Diabolici spiritus est aliquid extra Scripturarum sacrarum auctoritatem putare divinum It is the part of a diabolicall spirit to thinke any thing divine vvithout the authority of holy Scriptures So Tertull. lib. contra Hermogenum Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina si non scriptum est timeat vae illud adjicientibus vel detrahentibus destinatum I adore the fullnes of the Scripture let Hermogenes shevv that it is vvritten if it be not vvritten let him feare the vvo destin'd to those vvhich adde or detract The end of all that hath bene said amounts to this that those Fathers or Churches that tooke up and practized Baptisme as an Apostolicall traditioÌ„ that is a thing not written nor found in the word but for the antiquity sake call'd Apostolicall as those forequoted did and most will be found to have done that being their best plea are justly to be reputed ours and of our side for they judge it not from Scripture and therefore are forced to fetch the rise of it from tradition which traditioÌ„ because it will not beare the weight of an institution as you have heard therefore the whole building is to fall which is falsely bottomed and their authority upon that ground is nothing saving that by flying for a bottome and refuge to tradition they doe with us affirme that there is no better ground for infant Baptisme then humane traditioÌ„ which is indeed none at all So as you find how all these testimonies authorities and many of the same kind become ours And here by the way I am not ignorant that some of ours whofeele themselves prest by the Papists as if they admitted of a tradition in this ordinance of Baptisme which they refuse in others and being loath to loose the authority of the Fathers in this point who put it upon tradition as upon its proper basis would fayne wrest their necke out of this noose and therefore shew you also how the Fathers fastned it upon some Scripture ground so Chemnit in his answer of Lindan Exam. Concil Tridentin de Trad. p. 69. To which I answer according to truth that the forequoted Fathers fastned Baptisme upon tradition as upon its owne ground and basis being no more able then other men to find a word of institution for that which had none and for the credit of the tradition calling that Apostolicall which they found ancient which as the same Chemnitius acknowledgeth was an ordinary practise in other things but withall some of them give some ground of Scripture of their owne framing for the colour of such a tradition so Origen Iraeneus Cyprian and those others quoted by Chemnitius to this purpose which reatch not to any word of institution but to the reason of it as Origen sayes That the Apostles knevv that there vvere in all the stayne of sinne vvhich ought to be vvasht by vvater and by the spirit So Cyprian VVhen the Lord saith in the Gospel hee came not to destroy the soules of men but to save vvee also should prevent as much as may be that no soule be lost For God as he accepts not the person so nor the age I shall give you no more this onely for a tast Now those I said are no words of institution but some generall reason as they conceave and doth not at all hinder but that Apostolicall tradition as they call it beares the weight of the institution I deny not but that there hath bene such a thing as the tradition of Christ and Apostolicall tradition which are of the highest and greatest authority but they were such things as afterwards were committed to writing by the Euangelists and Apostles as Chemnitius well observes p. 61. and other traditions of Christ his Apostles wee avow none but esteeme them all Apocryphal Againe for those Fathers and ancient writers together with the Papists Lutherans that judged Baptisme simply necessary to salvation and some of them condemning infants to eternall damnation without it as Austin Bernard c. unlesse they were happily rescued by martyrdome you see what necessity lay upon them to deffend infant Baptisme but upon a most false ground namely the necessity of it to salvation which fayling as wee know it doth wee may see both how they might be tempted necessitated to such an opinion what good reason there is why their foundation and building should fall together And if any man shall here object as before in the case of traditions that this peremptory necessity to salvatioÌ„ was indeed a false hypothesis or supposition not fit to beare the weight of infant Baptisme but that the Fathers also might possibly have other mediums by which to proove this as those before instanc'd in I answer that the weaknesse of those mediums or any other I have mett withall in this particular as alleadged by them declare plainly that there was some other great thing which inforced them to it namely the necessity of it to salvation as wheÌ„ we see wise men contend earnestly for that for which they give no good visible or apparent reason it may well be conceived that there is something of interest which supplies to them the want of reason and this interest of the salvation of our children sitts so neere us as it may beare the weight of many reasons and cause us to admit conclusions though of great moment and concernement upon very easy considerations So as wee have fully examined this head namely upon what grounds the Fathers which are alledged for the chief patrons of infant baptisme went have found that so many as build it upon tradition as generally all doe are of our side for avouching that for their best authority they acknowledge there is no better to wit the Scripture and so conclude with us that Baptisme of infants is not an institution of God which hath the Scripture for its foundation And those which give it to infants because it is simply necessary to salvation will be of no authority against us nor of no credit to their cause because the building must be level'd according to the foundation that being false they are

necessitated to the mistake of their building To conclude if there were any force left in these authorities for infant Baptisme as I conceave there is not why should it not regulate our practife in the other Sacrament to give that to infants which was ancient and of use in many churches as well as the other as it remaynes also in some to this day and it is like would in more had not Popish superstition given the supper the start of Baptisme to such a degree as to make it not so much the signe and representation of Christ as Christ himself and the very Protestants themselves are so respective to this Sacrament of the Supper above the other as to give it as a reason vvhy it should not be administred to infants least it should fall in contempt Hosp Hist Sacram. p. 60. Wee shall produce some testimonies that the Supper was administred to infants as well as Baptisme as necessary to salvation if antiquity be to be esteemed a great argument for the administring of one Sacrament why not of the other For this Hospinian in his second booke Histo Sacram. pa. 59. quotes Cyprian Se. 5. de lapsis and affirmes also that Ierome Aust and other Fathers witnes that those vvhich vvere baptized not onely of age but also infants vvithout any delay received the holy mysteries under both signes So Ierome against the Luciferians Non potest inquit Baptima tradere sine Eucharistia Baptisme must not be given vvithout the Eucharist And Aust lib. de Dogm Eccles cap. 52. Siparvuli sunt ait vel hebetes qui doctrinam non capiant respondeant pro illis qui eos offerunt juxta morem baptizandi sic manus impositione at Chrismate communiti Eucharistiae mysteriis admittantur If they be little sayes he or dull vvhich are not capable of doctrine let those ansvver for them vvhich offer them according to the custome of baptizing and so being fortified by Chrisme and imposition of hands let them be admitted to the mystery of the Euchariste Also Epist 107. hee speakes thus Infantes si in illa parva aetate moriuntur utique secundum ea quae per corpus gesserunt id est tempore quo in corpore fuerunt quando per corda ora gestantium crediderunt vel non quando baptizati vel non baptizati sunt quando carnem Christi manducaverunt vel non manducaverunt quandÃ² sanguinem biberunt vel non biberunt secundum haec ergo quae per corpus gesserunt non secundum ea quae si diu hic viverent gesturi fuerant judicantur Infants if they dye in that young age are judged according to that vvhich they have done by the body that is in the time in the vvhich they vvere in the body vvhen by the heartes and mouthes of those that carried them they beleeved or not beleeved vvhen they vvere baptized or not baptized vvhen they did eat the flesh of Christ or not eat it vvhen they drunke his blood or not drunke it according therefore to those things vvhich they did by the body they are to be judged not according to those vvhich if they had lived long they vvould have done So lib. 5. HypognosticÃ´n cont Pelag. Quomodo inquit vita regni caelorum parvulis promittitur non renatis ex aqua Spiritusancto non cibatis carne atque non potatis sanguine Christi qui in remissionem peccatorum fusus est Hovv saith he is the kingdome of heaven promised to children not renevved by vvater and the holy Ghost not fed vvith the flesh and made to drinke of the blood of Christ vvhich is shed for the remission of sinnes This custome received of old so farre prevayled afterwards especially in the time of Charles the Great that not onely the Eucharist was communicated to infants in the publike assembly of the church after Baptisme or at other times when they were wont to come together for the Lords Supper but also the bread of the Supper was kept to be communicated and given to sick children as well as to those of yeares for this Hospinnian quotes Canonem Carolinum lib. 1. de legib Francorum in these words Presbyter Eucharistiam semper habeat paratam ut quando quis infirmatus fuerit aut parvulus infirmus fuerit statim eum communicet ne sine communione moriatur Let the Presbyter have the Eucharist ever ready that vvhen any is vveake or vvhen a little child shall be vveake or sicke hee may presently communicate him least he should dye vvithout communion Amongst the Aethiopians as Osorius witnesseth in his 9. booke de gestis Emmanuelis Infants in the same day that they are initiated to holy thinges take the Eucharist in a bitt of bread Hospinian also affirmes that not many yeares agoe there vvere reliques of this custome in Lorrayne and the places adjoyning for vvhen an infant vvas to be baptized the Priest vvho baptized him brought a little boxe in vvhich vvas the Sacrament to the Alter and shevved one Host as they call it to the people then he put it in the boxe againe and reatches forth his tvvo fingers vvith vvhich hee had tucht it to be vvasht vvith vvine by the Clarke or Church-vvarden and distills of that vvine into the mouth of the baptized Infant saying The blood of our Lord Iesus Christ proffit thee unto eternall life Also at this day as Brerewood in his learned inquiries touching the diversity of Religion affirmes The Supper is admninistred to Infants immediately after their Baptisme in both kindes by the Iacobits a people called by that name vvhich are in great numbers in Syria Cyprus Mesopotamia Babylon and Palestine for the Patriarch of Ierusalem who keepeth his residence still in Ierusalem in which City there still remaine ten or more churches of Christians is also a Iacobite Also the Cophty which are the Christians in Aegypt for it is a name of their nation rather then of their religion doe the same namely give the Sacrament of the Eucharist to infants presently after Baptisme The like doe the Christians tearmed Habassines which are the midland Aethiopians As also the Armenians Christians dispersed for trade through the Turkish Empire but inhabiting especially Armenia the greater and the lesser and Cylicia More might be quoted and are by Brerewood in those his collections Now the reason why the Papists have quitted this practise out of whose rubbish we drew our reformation as being once involved in that lumpe confusion seemes to me to appeare out of their Tridentine constitutions Trid. Concil sec 5. where it is affirmed Parvulos usu rationis carentes nulla obligari necessitate ad Sacramentalem Eucharistiae communionem si quidem per Baptismi lavacrum regenerati Christo incorporati adeptam suam Filiorum Dei gratiam in illa aetate amittere non possunt That children vvhich vvant the use of reason are by no necessity obliged to the Sacramentall communion of the Eucharist for as much as being regenerate

unbaptized since it is not my part here to proove that infant Baptisme as well as many other unwarrantable practises crept not in betimes but to shew by story what was the most usuall and authenticke practise of the administration of this ordinance or what was the opinion and judgement of the most antient and learned men about it The next authority I shall bring is of Nazianzen another Greeke Father a man of great esteeme authority he plainly councells that Baptisme should be differred Donec pueri de fide sua aliquid possint respondere till children should be able to ansvver something of their faith and therefore councells to deferre Baptisme at least till the third yeare of their age Wherein although hee made hast not being altogether perhaps free from the superstition of the daunger of dying without Baptisme which crept in betimes yet overcome by the truth and the reason of the ordinance hee judged it fit to deferre it till such time as they were capable of having manifesting actuall faith This famous authority of a man so great and learned Bellarmine answers onely thus That other Fathers vvere of another minde and that the commodity is very little but the daunger to wit according to his opinion of the necessity of Baptisme to salvation is very great The next and last authority I shall bring shall be that of TertulliaÌ„ who flourished about 203. yeares after Christ the most famous of the Latin Fathers of him Hierom in an epistle of the Christian writers affirmes that nothing vvas more learned or acute a man of that authority with the famous and antient Cyprian that hee called him his master and as Hierome affirmes of him hee never past a day vvithout the reading of Tertullian This Tertullian in a treatise that hee hath of Baptisme towards the end hath these expressions first in the generall Baptismum non temerÃ¨ credendum esse sciant quorum officium est That Baptisme is not slightly or rashly to be committed to any let them knovv vvhose duty it concernes To give to every one that asketh belongs to almes rather consider this Give not that vvhich is holy to dogs nor cast your pearles to svvyne And lay hands suddainly on no man least you partake of their sinnes then hee apologizeth why the Eunuch Paul were so soone baptized then goes on Itaque pro cujusque personae conditione ac dispositione etiam aetate cunctatio baptismi utilior est praecipue tamen circaparvulos Therefore in regard of the condition and disposition of each person the differring of Baptisme is more proffitable especially for young children for vvhat necessity is it sayth hee for the vvitnesses to expose themselves to daunger c. It is true the Lord saith do not forbid them to come to me let them come therefore vvhen they grovvolder vvhen they learne vvhen they are taught vvhy they come Fiant Christiani quum Christum nosse potuerint Let them be made Christians vvhen they can knovv Christ Then he tells them They deale more vvarily in secular things that divine thinges are given vvhere they vvould not betrust earthly And lastly concludes that they vvho understand the vveight of Baptisme vvill rather feare the attaining then the differring of it adding that Fides integra secura est de salute An intier faith is secure of salvation Thus the excellent antient Tertullian Nor can that stand to any purpose which some who are loath to have so great and antient an authority against them in the point of infaÌ„t Baptisme alleage that parhaps Tertullian speakes here of the Baptisme onely of those infants whose parents were unbeleevers because hee speakes of the daunger of the witnesses or suerties for where the parents are Christians there the witnesses seeme not to be exposed to that daunger To which I answer that the witnesses were not freed from dauÌ„ger though the parents were Christians for though the parents may help with the witnesses to the education of the child yet they cannot secure themselves nor others that they shall stand to that covenant which is made for them Besides the reason of his assertioÌ„ against infant Baptisme runnes upon principles common to all infants of what ever parents they be borne for hee would have none come till they be capable of learning being taught why they come hee would have none declar'd Christians by that ceremony till they can know Christ and concludes that hee would not have divine mysteries be trusted with infants whom wee would judge it improper uncomely to be trust with earthly and secular affaires I shall content my self with what hath bene said already to this head having neither the desire nor the commodity to make a large and generall search besides that a few of the most authentique most antient writers after the Scriptures ought to be of more authority then many hundreds if there could so many be found of latter times it being my undertaking to proove that most antiently beginning with Christ and the Apostles times the subjects of Baptisme were persons professing faith and repentance not infants and that the most authentique and primitive Fathers were of this minde and judgement We have done therefore with this head wherein if the most authentique antient authority be ours and the rest necessitated to their opinioÌ„s by false premises and principles by no meanes to be received or allowed and which also as rationally produce other coÌ„sequences which in these times men are loath to admit of no men I hope will blame us for our present beleefe concerning the subject of Baptisme nor object hereafter as an argumeÌ„t against us the authority of the fathers CHAP. XVI In which is handled whether Baptisme be to be repeated but more especially whether such as were baptized in infancy should be accounted baptized or are to have that ordinance administred to them HAving giveÌ„ the due bounds to the ordinance of Baptisme in respect of the subject of it and sayd what I judged coÌ„venient to that purpose there is a very considerable question yet remaining and which cannot be left out in this discourse and that is If infants ought not to be baptized whether such as were baptized in infaÌ„cy should be baptized againe Wherein first will come to be considered whether Baptisme be to be repeated or no I answer there have bene some of that opinion as Mercion and his followers who had their first second and third baptisme Also a religion called the Hemerobaptistae that is the every day baptizers that avowed because wee sinned every day therefore wee should be every day baptized and practised accordingly Secondly according to the received opinion that I conceave it is not to be repeated First because the covenant of grace is but once made and struck with every man this is the seale of the Covenant it is the Sacrament of regeneration initiation and incorporation but these things are not capable of being reÃ¯terated therefore the seale and

signe thereof should not be to this agrees that place Heb. 6.4.5.6 For it is impossible for those vvho vvere once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and vvere made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good vvord of God the povvers of the vvorld to come if they shall fall avvay to renevv them againe to repentance c. The Apostle speakes not here of theft perjury adultery or any sinne in particular but of an intire revolting and falling away when a sinner offends not God in any particular but renounces wholly to his grace bids him adieu for ever Now he falls thus who revolts from the word of God who extinguisheth the light of it who deprives himself of the tast of the heavenly gift and quits the communion of the spirit in the participatioÌ„ of its grace which cannot be without the sinne against the holy Ghost and a totall falling from God Now it is impossible sayes hee those should be renevved by repentance having sinned against the holy Ghost they have a heart that cannot repent now they having broken covenant with God in the highest manner and being uncapable of repentance which is to precede Baptisme they are incapable of Baptisme for others though they sinne the same covenant repentance Baptisme stands good for ever Secondly because the signification the fruit use of Baptisme is not for a moment or respecting the time past onely but respects the future also and the whole life of the baptized person as appeares Rom. 6.2 So as the Baptisme of repentance once receaved for remission of sinnes remaynes as a pledge by us of the covenant of God and that perpetuall washing which we have by the blood of Christ Marke 14. Iohn did baptize in the vvildernes and preach the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes which is to be often thought of for the full assurance of our pardoÌ„ for that promise is of perpetuall use and influence He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and Gal. 3.27 As many as have bene baptized into Christ have put on Christ. But thirdly the greatest reason why Baptisme is not to be repeated is because neither in precept or example wee find it repeated which is the word of our institutioÌ„ But on the other side There is one Lord one faith one Baptisme which is one Vnitate usus legitimi in the unity of the lawfull use as well as in other respects so as there is no thought of leaving Christ as if there were to be exspected a new regeneration and a new Baptisme The Fathers also were of this opinion Tertull. lib. de Baptis Semel lavacrum inimus semel dilicta diluuntur So Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. Baptisma semel sumitur nec rursus iteratur Baptisme is once received nor is it repeated againe The question then will be what shall become of those that have bene baptized into a false name by heritickes that erre about the Trinity as the Arrians Marcionites c. The receaved answer is that they are to be baptized aright with the baptisme of Christ in such cases Baptisme is not to be said to be repeated the former being no baptisme or a nullity and this according to the decree of the Counsell of Nice cap. 19. as Bucan quotes it p. 635. The like decree also hath a Counsell of Carthage Ii sunt baptizandi de quibus incertum est an fuerint baptizati necne Concil Carth. 50. cap. 6. They are to be baptized of whom it is uncertain whether they were baptized or no. The like also saith Cyprian in his epistle 71. ad Quintum fratrem Here was some difference in opinions Cyprian and his Bishops were of opinion that Baptisme in an heretick church was null and therefore those who came to them were baptized as supposing that vayne and nothing others have thought that those onely were to be baptized againe who had bene formerly baptized by such a church and in such a manner as the essentialls of Baptisme were wanting so the Arrians baptized which rendred that ordinance vayne and null The same may be affirmed more fully of infant Baptisme that it is null and nothing and therefore that the partie so supposed to be baptized is indeed still unbaptized and therefore ought to be baptized according to the institution of Christ which Baptisme when he hath once receav'd he caÌ„ in no way as is before shewed be sayd to be rebaptiz'd for those thinges which cannot be shewen done no reason allowes that they should seeme to be reÃ¯terated To proceed therefore The Sacraments in generall particularly Baptisme is that by which wee pledge our selves to God or in which a formall covenant is made in which wee promise obedience and God protection defence to be our God and therefore 1. Pet. 3.21 it is stil'd a stipulation or covenanting also the word Sacrament is from sacring making holy dedicating or initiating as juramentum an oath is Ã jurando from swearing In the civill law it signified an oath Sacramenti praestatio recusatio the taking or refusing an oath The word Sacrament also is taken for a mystery for the visible signe of an invisible grace In a word Baptisme seemes to be nothing else but the ceremony of a mysticall spirituall marriage for it is a dedication a covenant and a mystery and as in marriage besides the words there hath bene usually some ceremonious signe as the giving of a ring or money or a kisse or the taking by the hand so here c. To examine this therefore by that similitude and resemblance that which is the first and principall ingredient into marriage is consent Nam nuptias non concubitus sed consensus facit Not the bed but consent makes marriage for otherwayes that joyning which is fornication or adultery would be marriage This stands by vertue of the first institution A man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his vvife Ge. 2.24 How By covenant and consent This is so essentiall an ingredient as Beza calls it the formall cause of marriage others the efficient cause therefore the lawyers say Solus consensus matrimonium facit Onely consent makes the marriage But then this consent must be exprest outwardly Nisi quatenus consentiunt consensum suum exterius exprimunt because the covenant contract is externall But then lastly and especially it must be the proper consent of the parties married for the consent of the parents who have some the greatest power besides cannot doe it hence an error of the person makes the marriage also null and invalid as if I marry one another be put in the place by the same reason if one of the parties be mad constantly because they cannot consent because that supposes not the consent of the marryers so as here is a formall or efficient fayle in respect of the consent and a materiall fayle in respect of the persons married which is as

by putting under the water some stay under it and emersion or rising out of it First the element which is used is water extreamely fit proper to represent our cleansing both from the guilt and stayne of sinne Arise and be baptized and vvash avvay thy sinnes sayes Ananias to Paul Acts 22.16 So Christ gave himself for his Church that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it vvith the vvashing of vvater by the vvord Eph. 5.26 So Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy hee saved us by the vvashing of regeneration So as this washing of water represents our cleansing that is our justification and sanctification The Iewes had many sprinklings with blood fit for their grosse capacities but which indeed rather serve to make spots then to cleanse them First therefore the dipping or drowning in the water signifies the great depth of divine justice with which Christ for our sakes was swallowed up so we are dead and buried with him reaping in a ceremony the fruit of that which he suffered indeed pertaking of his death for sinne and thereby obliging our selves to death to sinne Secondly the stay under the water though never so little represents unto us Christs descending to hell that is the lowest degree of his abasement when hee was seald up and watcht in the grave and was as it were cut of from amongst men of this abasement wee reape the fruit by Baptisme are hereby secured against that abasement and everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord to which sinne would have brought us therefore sinne as it is destroyed in us in respect of the guilt and cut of by this abasement of Christ so it should be apprehended by us for our justification and it should be utterly dead mortified to us in respect of its power and vigour dead and buried to sinne Thirdly the Emersion or rising out of the water is a representation to us of that victory which Christ being dead and buried got over death and in his rising triumphed over it with whom also we rise triumphing over sinne death and all evill whatsoever clearly above the guilt of all sinne and secure against the evill of sin rising up to holines newnes of life And thus there is a sweete and excellent proportion betweene the ceremony and the substance the signe the thing signified and wee are confirmed to be of the union and communion with Christ in every thing that is for our good and comfort Now having shewed the severall ends of Baptisme how the ceremony makes them all good to us I shall gather some Corollaries from the mayne notioÌ„ of this ordinance which is our being dead with Christ and rising againe according to the forementioned place of Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves to be dead to sinne but alive to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Reckon that is build upon this this is a thing exceeding sure First if wee be dead to sinne Coroll 1. and sealed up to this death by Baptisme into the death of Christ then let us be in the world as dead men in that respect let us not understand the reasonings of sinne nor hearken to the persuasions of sinne nor looke upon the baites of sinne the Apostle made this an argument in a better thing If you be dead vvith Christ from the rudiments of the vvorld vvhy as though living in the vvorld are ye subject to ordinances touch not tast not handle not Col. 2.20 These things had once a good being but were become old but sinne was never of any worth or account Barzillai 2. Samuel 19. thought it reason to refuse the Kings table because his appetite and sences were decayed hee was eighty yeares old but our sences are not decaying but dead and sinne is not old but dead it is dead in a mistery it is dead in Christ and wee have the Sacrament upon it therefore if lusts tempt turne not onely a deaf but a dead eare to them persuasioÌ„s should not worke on a dead man objects should not take or affect a dead man Secondly if we be risen and alive with Christ Baptisme seale that also then act not onely as a living man but as a risen man moove and walke reason conclude as a man raised from the dead have your sences and your reasonings as quick to God as taking of spirituall things as they are dull and shut up to things below breath in the ayer of another life hasten after the full and reall possession of another life let God and Christ heavenly things be great unto you though they be little to the world and what ever is great to the world let it be little to you proportionating your object to your life love those ordinances those times that feed your life Thirdly the worke of this ordinance or dying and rising is advanced much by holy reasonings both in the time of communicating afterwards for wee are apt to forget our selves and our conditions as he that would have forgot that he was an Emperour if he had not bene remembred of it by others Thinke therefore much on these things what you have done in this ordinance what are the consequences results of it which wil be a mighty not onely help but ingagement to faith holines it is a seale on both sides wee seale to God as well as he to us it is in our owne choyce no more wee are ingaged by our owne act wee have subscribed and can recall no more and certainely this as it ingages much so it helpes much to act an act of faith in thought is much but to speake it is more but to signe seale it in an ordinance by professing subjection by going downe into the water by suffering your selves there to be drowned or buried by rising or coming out againe all as a ceremony or ordinance for such an end is both a great ingagement and a great help to us in beleeving CHAP. V. In which the proper ceremony of Baptisme is vindicated by the force of the word Scripture practise the suffrage of learned men and the use of ancient times IN the proceeding discours wee have taken it for graunted that the antient and usuall forme of Baptisme hath bene by dipping or plonging the whole body under the water according to which notion we have found what great proportion the ceremony hath to the substance and the signe to the thing signified But because the possession which the Churches have had of a long time of sprinkling is become a strong argument in the thoughts of many for that ceremony it will be necessary to speake something more particularly to this point and to show that as the ceremony of dipping sutes with the ends and use of Baptisme so it agrees perfectly with the force of the word the Scripture practise and the use of antient times First therefore the word ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ signifies properly mergo seu immergo that is to drowne or sinke

in the water to dip to overwhelme to plunge so mergere aliquem sub aequore or in undis to drowne them so Chamier sayes that immersion expresses the force ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ it signifies also tingo to dye or coulour quod fit immergendo which is done by dipping into the coulour overwhelming and drowning in it So Walleus a learned Professour of these partes sayes that the antient Latines expressed the word ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ per tinctionem inundationem inundatio is an overflowing This therefore is the proper and naturall force of the word wee will see in the next place what aspect the Scripture beares in severall passages to the acceptance of the word in this sence First in the story of Christs baptisme the greatest and fayrest example of the kind as ye read it Mat. 3.13 Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Iordan unto Iohn to be baptized of him yee see he went to Iohn who baptized in the river Iordan a place proper for immersion dipping where at last hee was baptized that is dipt or plundged in the vvater for so ye have it vers 16. He vvent up straightvvay out of the vvater that is as the word is translated generally hee ascended out of the vvater Novv if any one saith Maldonat aske vvhy the Euangelists use the vvord rather of ascending then goeing out they seeme to be ignorant that the earth is higher then the rivers so as Christ ascended or went up out of the water in the which he had bene dipt or drown'd Lucas Brugensis upon the place sayes this Christ ascended upon the land for he had discended into the river after the manner of others that vvere baptized as deepe as his thighes or his navell for the rest of his body sayes he vvas dipt by Iohn not sprinkled onely vvith vvater Others have thought that it was the custome of Iohn to hold the people up to the neck in water till they confest their sinnes The learned Cajetan upon the place sayes Christ ascended out of the vvater therefore Christ vvas baptized by Iohn not by sprinkling nor by povvring vvater upon him but by immersion that is by dipping or plunging in the vvater Besides the evidence of the thing many more testimonies might be brought to this purpose of men that for the present content themselves with sprinkling for their infant baptisme but these shall suffice The next place we shall consider shall be that of Iohn 3.23 And Iohn vvas baptizing in Aenon neere to Salim because there vvas much vvater there The reason why he pitcht upon this place is given because there vvas much vvater there which was not ever found in that country much water was needfull to his Baptisme Piscator upon the place sayes ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ signifies many rivers as ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ in the singular number signified the river Iordan this sayes he is mentioned to signifie the Ceremony of Baptisme vvhich Iohn used immergens scil totum corpus hominis in fluvio stantis dipping or plundging the vvhole body of the man standing in the river vvhence saith he Christ baptized of Iohn in Iordan is said to ascend out of the vvater Mat. 3. the same manner Philip observed Acts 8.38 And in his observations upoÌ„ the place sayes that the antient manner of Baptisme vvas that the vvhole body vvas plundged into the vvater thence dravvn out againe the one signifying the mortification of the old man and the other the vivification of the nevv as Rom. 6.3.4 thus Piscator Cornelius a Lapide upon the place From hence saith he you may gather that Iohn so baptized as hee vvasht not onely the head in vvater for a little vvater vvould have served for that but the vvhole body Many Authors might be quoted for this purpose but the place speaks so clearly for it self that I shall adde to what I have said already onely the judgement of Calvin upon these words From this place saith he you may gather that Iohn Christ administred baptisme by plundging the vvhole body into the vvater although he adds also his opinion Yee need not be much carefull saith he of the outvvard Ceremony so it agree vvith the spirituall truth and the ordinance and rule of our Lord and so say I also You see what light this place affoords to the clearing of the primitive practise for dipping or plundging in baptisme The third place we will examine shall be that of Acts 8.36.37 c. where you have the story of the baptizing of the Eunuch by Philip As they vvent on their vvay they came unto a certain vvater the Eunuch said See here is vvater ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ that is as Piscator interprets it fluvium vel amnem vel stagnum some river or a poole or ponde after this discovery of a fit place for Baptisme the Eunuch desires it and Philip having taken an account of his faith which was to give him his qualificatioÌ„ for that ordinance it is said in the 38. verse that they vvent both dovvne into the vvater So Beza translates it Descenderunt ambo in aquam they descended both into the vvater So the French Descendirent enl'eau as Deodat and the baptisme being done vers 39. they came up out of the vvater in the which they had bene before So Beza Quum autem ascendissent ex aqua vvhen they had ascended out of the vvater the French Quand ils furent remontez hors de l'eau vvhen they vvere remounted or ascended out of the vvater all which expresse not a going to the water onely as some would have it but a going downe into the water for Baptisme and a coming out of it againe Lorinus upon the words quotes Carthusianus saying Eunuchus magnam familiam habuit nec tamencoram illis se nudare ac lavari erubuit dum coram Deo de proprijs verecundabatur peccatis The Eunuch had a great family and yet hee blusht not before them to make himself naked and to be vvasht vvhilst he vvas ashamed of his sinnes before God By which saith Lorinus they are confounded that reverence and feare the presence of men more then God And adds also That this discent going dovvne signified by all meanes immersion that is plundging or dipping and it is probable that by vvhat meanes it most conveniently could vvas most expresly vvashing the Eunuch vvas baptized There will not need to be said more to this place I shall onely conclude it with the words of Calvin as I did the other which I am inforced to give you in his french because his latine edition is not by me Nous voyons icy qu'elle faconles anciens avoyent d'administrer le Baptesme car ils plongeoyent tout le corps dedans l'eau L'usage est maintenant que le Ministre jette quelques gouttes d'eau seulement sur le corps ou sur le teste VVe see here sayes Calvin upon the place vvhat fashion the antients had to administer Baptisme

in circumcision but in uncircumcision and he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith vvhich hee had yet being uncircumcised c. We come now to deduct Corollaries from these differeÌ„ces From the first coroll 1 Then to the participation and use of the Sacraments the use of reason is necessary our reason must be most busy active whilst our sences are ingaged the hearing of the tone or sound of the word spoken doth no good therefore wee preach it not to children or fooles so the seeing of the coullors of things to feele the water cold or hot the touch or tast is not the thing but what the elements and ceremonyes about it teach us which must be discerned by the use of reason in comparing the thing signified according to the Scripture application the proportion it holds so as here is a knowledge of things already layd in and reason in the act required So the teaching by similitudes or resemblances doth not require lesse reason or lesse the use of reason but the advaÌ„tage it brings is that by the mediation of severall senses it strykes our reason differently more strongly and God descends to that way of teaching that he might more forcibly worke upon our reason speake to it all manner of wayes From the second coroll 2 it is supposed the word should go before for that is the way of teaching by thinges of lesser representation to things of fuller when Iacob heard of Iosephs message he was mooved but when he saw the Chariots that affected him exceedingly that spoke a clearer language it was fit the message should goe before the chariots so the word before the Sacraments From the third coroll 3 see one prerogative the word hath men may be saved by hearing without the Sacraments to comfort those that want them but slight them not Secondly see the order first the word must be as first the writing for the Sacraments are but the appendix From the fourth coroll 4 Then the word hath much a larger compasse of motion then the Sacraments and as the word may be where the Sacraments are not so the Sacraments cannot be but where the word hath bene for the word supposeth nothing but comes at aventure to every creature under heaven but the Sacraments supposeth faith wrought already by the word to make this playner we must know that men are by nature children of wrath by the disobedience of Adam all vvere made sinners Rom. 5.19 And the Lord lookt dovvne from heaven and savv that all vvere gone out of the vvay vvee neither perceive nor knovv the thinges of God 1. Cor. 2.14 And though the light shine in darknes the darknes comprehends it not and our carnall mind is emnity against God our vvhole soule is filled vvith all unrighteousnes Rom. 8.7 and 1.29 Now while men are in their infancy they lye onely exposed to Gods inward and secret workes if they belong to the election of grace hee knowes how to deale with them and worke wonderfully in wayes wee know not nor can conceive of so long wee cannot coÌ„municate our selves to their soules at all nor can reatch them any otherwayes then by our prayers for all things are here secret if there be a change wrought it is more then wee know or can conceive the manner of it But when they come to yeares of understanding and to be capable of ordinances the first thing wee doe to them is to bring them under the ordinance of the word and to leade them into a right knowledge of themselves to convince them of their naturall estate to preach to them conversion repentance faith in Iesus Christ that they may have life when wee find this operate and that by their profession and by their workes which is the onely way of evidencing their faith to others they make it appeare they beleeve then we gladly goe one and leade them into further ordinances give them the Sacraments to confirme them thus wee make things runne parralel as they must doe There is an outward preaching of the word there is a conversion and change of heart made visible by workes and so a faith evidenced and the visible and outward seales and markes are given them to seale them up to themselves and to others Thus you see a naturalnes a coherency and a comelines in things thus layd and stated by which also as by a right rule you may be help'd in discerning errours CHAP. VII In which is layd downe the relative and personall qualifications by which infants are usually intituled to Baptisme by our most considerable Protestant Divines BY what hath bene said wee have fully shewed the nature of Baptisme what is the proper and adequate subject of this ordinance namely a beleever one qualified by the use of faith and reason for the confirmation sealing up to him by this great ordinance his ingrafting into Christ and union with him by faith secondly as an immediate fruit thereof his justificatioÌ„ of which we largely spoke and also his adoption by being consecrated to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and baptized in their names Thirdly his sanctificatioÌ„ consisting in the death of sinne the life of holynes as a fruit of that and which cannot be separated from it his glorification Rom. 6.8 Novv if vvee be dead vvith Christ vvee beleeve vvee shall also live vvith him To which on the other side the party baptized puts his seale and makes his sponsion to be to God and Christ in all those relations But now because it hath for a long time and almost generally obtained that children should be baptized wee must consider how they can pretend to these qualifications what right they have or by what title they hold it The right which the world gives them to it is a right imputative a right derivative from Father to Sonne a right of succession a birthright this is that which they call a foederall holynes Nor doe children onely clayme by this derivative imputative title but also those who are adopted by Christian parents for as by adoption in Christ wee are rendred the children of God so by the adoption of Christian parents such are to be accounted for their children as some argue Ger. p. 582. Also those who by lawfull meanes as just warre bargaine gifte fall into the hands and governement of beleevers and whom Christians will answer for that they shall for the future be instructed in the Christian faith and this appeares by divine institution they say from the parallell of circumcision since not onely Abrahams children but his servants those bought with his money were circumcised Gen. 17.12 And hee that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations hee that is borne in the house or bought vvith money of any stranger vvhich is not of thy seede This also some illustrate apply more particularly from that place Acts 2.39 For the promise is

unto you and to your children and to all that are afarre of even as many as the Lord our God shall call where they say Peter witnesseth that the divine promise belongs to those which by reason of their birth are farre of but by the wonderfull provideÌ„ce of God are called to that ordinance by lawfull meanes such as these before named and Chamier the great protectour of our religion against Bellarmine not to trouble you with what the Papists say affirmes that if our servants vvere truely servants such as Abrahams vvere they then drevv a right from their masters for Baptisme for vve read sayes he that Abraham circumcised all his servants but such servants as for the most part vve have novv a dayes because indeed they are free men hee thinkes should not be so handled in the same capacity hee thinkes to be also such as by the right of vvarre are subjected to Princes for such kind of subjects also remaine free which if it be true and that that exception onely lyes against their Baptisme with all the great things it seals and conveighes to us I should much bewayle the losse of slavery to the Christian world since one good man by that tenure might have made a hundred and a hundred infidels by being subjected to one man might have bene Christians in a moment Thus you see how farre they make the covenant extend indeed the parallell of circumcision carryes it strongly and for one as well as another you see therefore that which qualifies for infant Baptisme is some good and pertinent relation to a beleever but if you aske me now what denominates this beleever and qualifies him for communicating this Christian qualification Chamier sayeth vvee allovv not all infants to be baptized but those onely of beleevers that is of baptized persons So that as the Baptisme in the parent qualifyes for baptisme in the infant Tom. 4. p. 270. Not to inlarge in this the charity of the world is very great and if Mr. Davenport mistooke not in his complaint in his writing to the Classis of Amsterdam hee saith that there was required of him an unlimited baptizing of all infants which were presented in the church of what nation or sect soever although that either of the parents were Christians were not otherwayes manifest then by answering Yea at the reading of the liturgie of Baptisme publikely or by nodding their head or some other gesture they seemed to be willing Booke of complaints 1.2 And that you may see this further cleare in the authority of a learned man who speakes not onely his owne judgement but the judgement of other orthodoxe with him VValleus a reverend Professor of Leyden in his treatise De Baptis infant p. 494. saith thus Quaeritur ergo de infantibus eorum quorum parentes sunt impij etsi nomine Christiani c. It is demaunded concerning the children of them whose parents are wicked although Christians in name or whose parents are excommunicated or whose parents are hereticks or Idolaters as the infants of Papists Anabaptists c. By way of answer hee allowes all such children to be baptized VVe thinke saith he that Baptisme is not to be denyed to those qui ex stirpe sunt Christiana which are of a Christian stock and which without an interruption of a publike Apostasy from the faith may referre their kindred to the faithfull such as in Christian common-wealthes are those procreated of Christian and baptized parents onely he would not have them baptized against their parents consent because they be their goods and possession and hee would have their pareÌ„ts or those which offer them to baptisme answer that they will bring them up in the Christian profession vvhich if they doe vve judge sayes he that all infants vvhich come from a Christian stock should be baptized if they be offered to baptisme according to the order of the Church although their next parents should labour vvith unholines of life or heresy or the crime of idolatry And this hee goes on to proove strenuously as well he may from the manifest perpetuall practise of the whole Church of Israel in the administration of circumcision which as in a maine proportion it helpes to the baptizing of infants so it will help also to severall such consequences as those are from this opinion so stated of the learned and orthodoxe you may see that it is no such great honour to be able to intitle infants to baptisme which is common to you with unholy persons with excommunicate and with Idolaters And secondly that it is an effect of great charity to intitle the children of such a parentage to regeneration and the Holy Ghost For to proceed Though now in the derivative title for the chayne of Baptisme they all agree that what ever title the child hath comes by vertue of the fathers covenant yet the immediate qualification is inherent in the infant for they affirme that Christian infants have repentance faith and regeneration The Lutherans are so much of this opinion if you will beleeve Bellarmine Tom. 2. p. 294. f. that they beleeve that infants vvhilst they are baptized use reason heare the vvord of God beleeve love vvhich as hee affirmes vvas publikely determined in the Synode of VVittenbergh An. 1536. Which as hee saith doth so openly repugne to the truth as it doth injury to humane sence for how is it credible saith he that an infant which cryes and resists what he can when hee is washed or sprinkled should understand what he doeth The Calvinists and more orthodoxe Divines receive it generally and assuredly that infants bring to baptisme as their immediate qualification regeneration faith repentance c. though not actuall or by way of declaration to others they argue thus If infants naturally are some way capable of Adams sinne so of unbeleefe disobedience transgression then Christian infants supernaturally and by grace are someway capable of Christs righteousnes and so of faith obedience and sanctification but the forner is true therefore the latter The consequence they proove hence that else they would not see the kingdome of God Iohn 3.5.6 Iesus ansvvered and sayd unto him Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be borne of vvater and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God that vvhich is borne of the flesh is flesh and that vvhich is borne of the spirit is spirit but Christian infants dying in infancy shall see the kingdome of God and not be damned therefore they are borne againe of the spirit and so must needs in some measure have repentance faith and holynes Againe they say that if wee cannot object Gods worke in nature but doe beleeve that our infants are reasonable creatures and are borne not bruit beasts but men though actually they can manifest no reason nor understanding more then beasts then neither can we justly object Gods worke in grace but are to beleeve that our infants are sanctified creatures and are borne

beleevers not infidels though outwardly they can manifest no faith or sanctification to us Ainsworth pag. 49.50 whom I quote as being by all acknowledged a learned man in this opinion wherein hee concurres as wee shall see with the streame of our Divines not to be suspected The like to this saith Walleus de Bapt. Infant p. 493. Infants are to be reckoned amongst beleevers because the seede or spirit of faith is in them vvhich some call a habit others an inclination from vvhence by degrees through the hearing of the vvord actuall faith is formed sometimes sooner sometimes later This in the next pag. 494. hee prooves Because else they vvould not be saved Rom. 8.9 If any have not the spirit of God he is none of his And Iohn 3.5 No uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but infants by nature are uncleane are purged by the blood of Christ the kingdome of heaven belongs to them they please God c. This is layd for a ground amongst the Calvinists concerning Baptisme That Baptisme is onely a signe and seale of regeneration already wrought Oecolamp de verb. Dom. cap. 3. Aqua mystica in Baptismo non regenerat nec efficit filios Dei sed declarat the mysticall vvater in Baptisme doth not regenerate nor make men sonnes of God but declares So Zwinglius Baptismus non aliter Ecclesiae Christi signum est quam exercitus aliquis signatur non quod signum hoc conjungit Ecclesiae sed qui jam conjunctus est publicam tesseram accipit Baptisme is the signe of the Church as the ensigne of an army it doth not joyne you to the Church but it declares you joyned So Beza Nihil obsignatur nisi quod jam habetur nothing is seald but vvhat is there already of this opinion is Calvin fully as it were easy to quote him saving that in answering the Anabaptists he sayth This objection is ansvvered in a vvord by saying that children are baptized into faith and repentance to come actuall he meanes for he addes according to the first opinion quoted of vvhich though vvee see not the appearance neverthelesse the seede is planted there by the secret operation of the holy Spirit so as hee would have faith and repentance there in the habit that God may not seale to a blanck nor give a lying signe The like saith Pemble a late and able Divine That vvhich is signified in our baptisme is our justification by the blood of Christ and our sanctification by the Spirit of Christ Baptisme is the seale of both unto us and infants may be partakers of both being vvasht from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ in vvhom they are reconciled to God and actually justified before him and also purified in part from the uncleannesse of sinne by the infusion of grace from the Holy Ghost vvhat then should hinder vvhy those infants should not be vvashed vvith the vvater of the Sacrament So also Davenant in his comment upon the 2. chapt of the Colossians to quote no more where conflicting with the Anabaptists he saith As for infants because they are not sinners by their ovvne act but by an hereditary habit they have the mortification of sinne and faith not putting forth it self but included in an habituall principle of grace Novv that the Spirit of Christ can and doth ordinarily vvorke in them an habituall principle of grace no vvise man vvill deny From all those testimonies wee may observe that the cleare reason of the thing inforces men to allow as necessary to Baptisme in generall the qualification of regeneration faith c. how this now will fit infants Baptisme wee shall consider hereafter for the present wee joyne issue with them in these three things First that a personall holynes not derivative or imputed onely must be the ground of Sacraments 2 That this holynes must be regeneration 3 That the habits of faith and repentance are to be esteemed such I proove not these things because they are cleare in themselves and taken for graunted by those already quoted onely in these things wee joyne with them and so farre agree together CHAP. VIII In which are contained severall queries and considerations raised from the premisses declaring what little ground there will appeare from their owne principles and concessions to conclude for Infant Baptisme THese things thus supposed I make these doubts about the baptizing of the infants of beleevers First I would aske whether all infants of beleevers have necessarily and assuredly those habits which must of necessity be concluded since it is their personall qualificatioÌ„ for Baptisme and therefore you must have good grounds to judge that they have it one as well as another First of all Peter Martyr sayes that I vvill be the God of thee and of thy seede is not an universall promise but hath place onely in the predestinate and therefore upon 1. Cor. 7.14 else vvere your children uncleane but novv are they holy he saith Promissio non est generalis de omni semine sed tantum de illo in quo rectÃ¨ consentit electio alioquin posteritas Israelis Esau fuerunt ex Abraham And therefore affirmes that the children of the saints are borne holy vvhen they are predestinate and this agreeth with reason for if you make that holynes as before the infusion of gratious habits yee must suppose election without which such gratious habits are never infused unlesse to make good this opinion you will allow falling from grace which I am sure our selves and those we desire to satisfy will not do This being said I would aske upon what ground the Saints can suppose all their children to be elected or why they should deny any infants baptisme since experience tells us that the children of many unbeleevers if we will judge by the fruites and effects which is the surest judgement are elected and many children of beleevers reprobated especially now since the sluce is taken up the Gospel preached to every creature under heaven Againe consider how cold a ground this is for infants baptisme your children are holy by being borne of you that is regenerated and so qualified for ordinances if at least they be elected and I seale to them their holynes the kingdome of heaven if they be elected as if a King should say I confirme this towne to you and yours if at least it hath pleased me or shall please me to give it you But if you say wee have reason to hope well of them according to that else vvere your children unholy but novv are they holy for so saith Peter Martyr upon that place Bene sperantes quod ut sunt secundum carnem semen sanctorum ita etiam sunt electionis divinae participes Spiritum Sanctum gratiam Christi habeant Hoping vvell that as they are according to the flesh the seed of the Saints so they are also partakers of Divine election and have the Holy Spirit and the grace

of Christ I answer that if you will hope of them you neede dispaire of none especially where the sound of the Gospel is and it is but stretching the line of your hope and charity a little farther and you may baptize all Secondly it is not a hope you must goe upon for the giving of ordinances holy seales but a judgement Paul called the saints positvely faithfull and elect and said it vvas meete for him to judge and thinke so of them all and when we come to admit members if they give but onely ground of hopes wee let them stay for their owne profit and the discharge of our duty till they can give us ground of a judgement Thirdly the Apostle sayes positively they are holy and therefore what ever holynes it is it is no longer the subject of your hopes but your judgement yee ought to judge them so to assure your selves they are so If therefore by a generall consent the infusion of holy habits depends upon election we must consider upon what election depends before wee can make up a judgement for the infusion of habits if that depends upon the holynes of the parents you say some thing but surely every honest heart will graunt that as holy parents themselves are both loved elected for Christs sake so God loves and elects their infant children not for their sakes but both them and their children for Christ alone and to make God consider as the object of childrens election the faith of their parents is worse then the opinion of the Arminians who make faith workes foreseene the object of every particular mans electioÌ„ so as if election must precede the infusion of holy habites which must qualify for infant baptisme experience shewes ordinarily by the rules which Christ hath left us to judge by the fruites and effects that the children of godly parents proove not ever holy and that the election of God for the child depends not upon the holynes or faith of the parent but upon his owne free grace in Christ Then the judgement will seeme to rise up very coldly and lamely for the Baptisme of infants of holy pareÌ„ts which must as themselves confesse be first qualified with the infusion of holy habits But secondly I would know of these men why for the making good of their infant Baptisme they should determine God ordinarily to an extraordinary way of working converting which is the infusion of gratious habits in that age for faith in the ordinary way comes by hearing but this way of being borne Christians that is charged and qualified with holy habits is not by hearing but by an immediate revelation and in a way so extraordinary and strange to us that though we find cause to assent that it is sometimes done yet how it is done is a mighty mistery altogether unknowne to us And if you object that though this may be extraordinarie to men of age yet it is a way of converting ordinary to children who are not capable of the other way Answ I am sure that all men of age were children once and wee find by the effect it is not ordinary to such for wee find them so farre from being borne againe though borne of Christian parents and baptized that a great part of their life is often speÌ„t in an unregenerate estate and their conversion prooves very visible evident to themselves and others so as it appeares not to be the ordinary way of conversion but at the best the extraordinary and particular way to such infants as fall under election and come not to that use of reason and understanding by which they might receive faith by hearing now certainly an extraordinary way of working must never proove to be the ground or qualification of an ordinary administration But then thirdly I would aske why this holines that is this faith and conversion in infants being wrought if it be at all in a hidden secret and invisible way we should seale it and confirme it to them and conveigh also more of the same by a sensible intelligible ordinance That it is so wee are forc't to reason our selves into it because no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven and therefore how it can be cleansed and sanctified though wee know it not yet wee suppose it is if it be saved Now it seemes strange that that faith which we know not how to goe about to worke or to beginne yet we know how to seale and how to confirme we use to say thinges are preserved and nourisht as they are made the way supposed to convert is immediately from God the way used to seale and confirme this is mediate by an ordinance the way of conversion is invisible mysticall secret the way to seale it is evident visible and teaching for the Sacraments conveigh to us more concionis after the manner of a sermon Now the understanding cannot be moved but by understanding nor the eye but by seeing nor the eare but by hearing to say therefore that faith is sealed or faith is increased by an outward teaching ordinaÌ„ce which shall neither stryke our sence nor our understanding is very hard to receive a man must have his understanding his eares paved to heare such a saying and must of necessity have accustomed himself to disgest many incongruites and contradictions before hee can beare so notable and visible an one Fourthly I would aske what needeth this leaping over hedges what needs all this host why cannot this child supposed to be elected and converted in a secret invisible way for without that you will not pretend to baptize him rest quietly in that state in the armes of God who onely can and onely hath administred unto him till hee shall come in a due season and to his best advantage to have that sealed to him which shall be discovered to be in him how long doe those who are of age and are qualified for them stay often without Sacraments because they would misse nothing of the order either for want of a church state or a lawfull minister Wee all know assuredly our children have reason because the rationall soule is the forme of a man I would we could be as assured of their grace and wee all pretend so much love to them as to improove this principle and instruct them timely in things for their good for the use of this life and a better and yet we should account him a fond father that would lye lowing in his childrens eares and loose his sweete words before the time of the use of reason come I beseech you coÌ„sider whether it be not the same thing If therefore we could be assured that all childreÌ„ had that grace so timously infused which wee can scarce hope for yet how much better were it for the ordinance sake which seemes otherwayes to be profaned as much as if you should preach a sermon to a child and for my childs sake to stay till hee understand

beleeve vvhether circumcised or uncircumcised ver 11.12 Therefore all circumcised have not the seale of the righteousnes of faith as they are not the father of all that beleeve Secondly this the Apostle may seeme to intimate by distinguishing betweene a signe and a seale to shew that circumcision was to all a signe but to Abraham alone a seale of the righteousnes of faith Thirdly though the Scripture speake often of circumcision yet it never calls it a seale but here where it speakes of Abraham which intimates that it was onely a seale to him else when Paul askes vvhat advantage hath the Ievv and vvhat proffit is there of circumcision and sayes much every vvay Rom. 3.1.2 He should one would thinke have mentioned this great advantage that it should be the seale of the divine promise but this he mentions not at all nor will it answer this though that be the best I know given that Aquinas seemes here to find a double question one what advantage hath the Iew which is handled in this Chapter the other what proffit is there of circumcision which is handled in the 4. chapter this hath to great an quietnes rather as Musculus sayes upoÌ„ that place It is no daunger to vvhich member yee apply the ansvver for the same thing is askt in both for by circumcision he comprehends in generall all Iudaisme for asmuch as the inauguration into Iudaisme lay in circumcision So as what ever force there is in this probable reason for it is no more may stand good notwithstanding this exception Fourthly if circumcision had bene the seale of the righteousnes of faith to Infants then an account of the righteousnes of faith should have bene required in those of yeares to whom it was administred but that such faith was required or fouÌ„d in all wee reade not Abraham the same day circumcised all whether borne in his house or bought with his money without any such declaration or demaund that wee read of and Ishmael who was thirteene yeares old judged not within the covenant of grace was also circumcised Of the Sechemites also there was required no profession of faith to their circumcision which as a forme at least would have bene required if it hath bene judged necessary to that seale and used by converted Proselites though Symeon and Levi brethren in iniquity were the ministers of it To illustrate this consideration let us see the great difference in the institution of Baptisme and Circumcision when Christ instituted Baptisme Goe teach sayes hee and baptize make Disciples and baptize and in the administration of the ordinance they confessed and vvere baptized they beleeved and vvere baptized but not a word of infants who were not capable of this beleeving and confession But when the precept of Circumcision was given not a word of teaching or faith nor in the example find you any such thing but of infants you find the command most expresly for the time for the age for the sexe To conclude whereas holines is required to Sacraments the household of Abraham whether naturall or adopted were holy but not so as to include regeneration or cleanes of heart which is our holynes but there was of use among them an Ecclesiasticall Leviticall and typicall holynes which amongst us obtains nothing of creatures for food some were cleane some uncleane and the land was holy and so was the fruit the trees therefore were holy and to be circumcised Levit. 19.23 in such a time and state of the church when things actions tooke their denomination of sinfull or holy from such outward and typicall considerations when circumcision was predicated of trees as well as men no wonder though infants were circumcised The summe of all is this that it is not easie for us to determine distinctly of the nature and scope of the ordinances of the other covenant that some have judged circumcision onely a signe of the Iewes dist inguishing and admonishing to good but a seale to Abraham onely who had righteousnes of faith as the Scripture calls it to be sealed and who was of capacity to receive it Though there be them who have doubted whether it sealed any thing to Abraham but his fatherhood of the faithfull And then againe it is wondred that the profession of this faith should never have bene required of those of yeares if it had qualified for this ordinance and lastly it is shewed that there was another kind of holynes then of use esteeme in the church of God namely typicall ecclesiasticall and Leviticall which gave right and tittle to ordinances which amongst us hath no place and therefore there will be found to be this great difference betweene these to ordinances the qualification of the subjects which will farther appeare in handling the third particular in this answer to all which I shall add onely this one thing more that if that be true which I have formerly discoursed about Infant Baptisme that it cannot be necessarily concluded that they have Baptismall qualifications namely regeneration and that if they had yet there were no just hast for the ordinance of Baptisme but the contrary then much lesse can any such qualifying regeneration and conversion be predicated of the infants of the Iews in the old covenant and therefore if that be the onely way as it is to pretend to Baptisme our infants cannot pretend that way then the Iewes infants must needs have some other qualification for circumcision then regeneration and therefore the subject of these ordinances differ greatly namely in that which respectively qualifies them to be capable of those administrations CHAP. X. In which is handled the second particular proposed in answer to the argument drawne from Circumcision to wit how farre the ordinances of the old Testament should regâ—late and determine by way of rule and institution those of the New QVest the second what ever should become of the first question the next is how farre the ordinances of the old Testament should regulate determine by way of rule and institution those of the New I answer nothing at all especially in the essentialls of it amongst which the subject of ordinances in the mayne qualification of it must needes be accounted Because things become ordinances to us by vertue of a word of institution forasmuch as the efficacy energy of ordinances hangs upon the will of God not the reason of them There are certain necessary circumstances about ordinances that common reason will suggest though the institution should not as time and place but by the same common reason to add other circumstances which in themselves are not simply necessary or by consequences drawne from the ordinances of another covenant is to set our posts by Gods posts to be wise above what is written and to be guilty of adding to the will of God in that which is most purely his will the ordinances of institution And I beseech you consider whither this way of working hath not

brought in if not all yet as great considerable errors into Popery as any That a church is a foundation ordinance of the new covenant we all grant but sayes the Pope as that of the old Testament was rationall and but one in all the world the truthes of God being then confined to a narrower compasse so now since the Gospel is preacht to every creature under heaven by just consequence the Church of God should be universall and Catholike and as then though there were many subordinate Priests and Levites yet there was one high Priest who sate in power and place above all the rest so by just consequence there should be now a Summus Pontifex a high Priest a Bishop of bishops who should be the last object of appeales upon earth and the great moderator under Christ who both then was and still is the invisible head of the church And if you shall object now that the New Testament gives no such extension to the Church nor power to an universall Bishop that those things were typicall and proper to that Testament or covenant which is the same that is said by those who oppose the Baptisme of Infants they will not fayle as well as the patrons of Infant Baptisme to tell you that besides some little footesteps they finde in the new Testament this is par ratio a like reason a due consequence and good reason may be shewed that it is for the honour and safety of the Church that things should be so administred Hence comes the ornaments and vestures of Priests the holynes of Temples and for ought I know the baptizing of bells from the circumcision of trees or what ever else a bold and presumptuous heart may under the title of just consequence intrude into the worship of God I confesse there are some things of common equity the rule of life was the same then that now and the same Christ that now is was the salvation of the elect such things therefore as are of such a common nature may be illustrated and inferred from one Testament to another especially amongst those that doubt of the new Testament and the light of it as the Iewes did with whom our Saviour and the Apostles had to do But in instituted ordinances the reason of which lyes in nothing else but a particular will of the institutor it is bold and unsafe to institute above what is written in the new covenant at least in any essentiall thing concerning either the parts of the ordinance the manner of administration and the subject of them and it is further to imply an infaithfullnes and an unclearenes in the new Testament in things essentiall and necessary to the worship of it The summe is that it is unsafe arguing from one institution to another because the inferrences and consequences cannot be drawne from our reason as not falling under the judicature of common light or spirituall reason in the generall but of a particular distinct independant will in Christ from whence not from the reason of the thing they draw all their vertue and efficacy the reason that makes it good to us being onely the impression of his will upon it but especially this will take place in ordinances of differing covenaÌ„ts for the ordinances of oath covenant are fitted to the meridian of that covenant The rationallity of that church the typicallnes of that which was called holynes and uncleanes amongst them the generality of the subjects which were not onely men women children but beasts birds and trees their very garments their very land to what alone is called holynes and sin now with the subject of it shewes a great boldnes presumption to force institutions in the subject or any of the parts of them by a par ratio or consequence from this old worst first vanishing covenant as the Apostle styles it Hebr. 8. to this new better second covenant as hee styles that under which wee live in the same place Now that circumcision though of use before the law as Baptisme was also before Christ was the great ordinaÌ„ce of the Mosaicall law as I could bring many places if any doubt of it so I will content my self with one or two Acts 21.21 They are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Ievves vvhich are among the Gentils to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to vvalke after the customes where the prime instance of forsaking Moses was not to be circumcised that place more shall suffice Gal. 5.3 For I testify againe to every man that is circumcised that hee is a debtour to doe the vvhole lavv The yooke of circumcision they could beare not the debt to which it obliged them therefore that was the leading ordinance of another covenaÌ„t namely the law Now to make this mayne ordinance of the law institutive to us as touching a great essentiall in our Christian Baptisme namely the subject of it is to make not onely one ordinance institutive to another of which no good accouÌ„t can be given but infinite and visible inconveniencyes follow as wee have seene but to send us to schoole to the old covenant in that which was the leading maine distinguishing ordinance of it which no good Christian I hope will consideringly admit of especially since we are so assured of the sufficiency and saithfullnes of our Law-giver Christ Iesus by whom we have grace and truth and vvho is the vvay the truth and the life to us as well in the matter of his ordinances as in any other thing that concernes our duty as that we need not turne aside to other guides and teachers CHAP. XI Wherein is discussed the third particular in answer to the argument drawne fâ—om circumcision sâ—â— Hâ—w we are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what title wee are call'd Abrahams children A Third consideration is how wee are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what title we are called Abrahams children In the 4. Rom. 16. you have this affirmed that Abraham is the father of us all That place seemes to be understood of all beleevers and therefore when hee saith in the same verse the promise is of faith to the end that it might be sure to all the seede hee makes a distribution Not to that onely vvhich is of lavv but to that also vvhich is of the faith of Abraham as if hee should say this whole seede to whom the promise is sure is either the beleeving Iewes or the beleeving Gentiles which have no other pretence or clayme to the promise but by a like faith even as the Iewes also pretend to this fatherhood no other way but by their faith for so verse 12. And the father of circumcision to them vvho are not of the circumcision onely but also vvalke in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham vvhich he had yet being uncircumcised It is not enough to be of the Circumcision but they must walke in the steps of the

accepit etiam parvulis dare Baptismum The Church sayes hee received a tradition from the Apostles to give Baptisme to infants Cypr. lib. 3. Ep. 8. ad Fidum scribit Non solum sibi sed etiam integro consilio visum esse parvulos baptizariposse That it seemed good not onely to himself but to a vvhole councell that infants might be baptized even before the 8. day In other places the same author affirmes Baptisme simply necessary to salvation that it vvashes avvay originall sinne so as it is never more to be imputed page 470. a. Hierom. lib. contr Pelag. Infantes baptizari dicit tum ommpeccato carere That infants are to be baptized and then they are vvithout all sinne Aust lib. 10. de Gen. cap. 23. Consuetudo inquit matris Ecclesiae Baptizandis parvulis nequaquam sparnenda est nec illo modo superflua deputanda nec omnino credenda nisi Apostolica esset traditio The custome of our mother the church in Baptizing little children is not to be despised nor to be judged superfluous nor to be beleeved at all unles it vvere an Apostolicall tradition The same Austin As for the authority of infant Baptisme he flyes to tradition so for the reason of it hee bottomes it upon this that they neither have faith to save them nor a Sacrament instead of faith vvithout Baptisme and therefore judges them to eternall death unles they be taken out of the vvorld by martyrdome as the learned Forbes hath observed in his 10. booke Instruct Histor in Theol. cap. 5. lib. 7. onely Austin sayes they shall be in damnatione omnium mitissima multum autem fallere falli qui eos in damnatione praedicat non futuros They shall be in the easiest damnation of all others but hee much deceaves himself and others that teaches they shall not be condemned lib. 1. de peccat meritis remissione cap. 16. lib. 5. contra Iulian cap. 8. but as gentle or as easy as damnation is it is such as the vvrath of God remaines upon them lib. 3. de peccatorum meritis remissione cap. 20. They goe into the second death lib. de bono perseverantiae cap. 12. And they are children of vvrath lib. 6. contra Iulian cap. 3. Bernard also was of this same minde Epist 77. SanÃ¨ inquit omnes infantes qui hanc prohibente aetate non possunt habere fidem hoc est cordis ad Deum conversionem consequentÃ¨ nec salutem si absque baptismis perceptione moriuntur Certainly saith hee all infants vvho their age hindring them cannot have this faith that is the conversion of their hearts to God neither consequently can they have salvation if they dye vvithout the partaking of Baptisme More of this and of the same kind might be alleadged but these shall suffice Before wee goe any farther we must consider here what is meant by traditions which in the former quotatioÌ„s you heare so often mentioned The name of Tradition in it self is generall and signifies all doctrines either written or not written as 2. Thess 2.15 Hold the traditions vvhich you have bene taught vvhether by vvord or our epistle But the name Tradition is accommodated by Divines to signify onely a doctrine not written so Irenaeus is quoted lib. 3. cap. 2. Evenit inquit neque Scripturis neque traditioni consentire eos They vvould neither consent to Scripture nor tradition So Tertull. lib. de corona militis Si legem postules Scripturam nullam invenies traditio tibi praetenditur auctrix If you looke for a lavv yee shall find no Scripture but tradition is pretended as that vvhich authoriseth Novv that is called a doctrine not vvritten saith Bellarmine not vvhich is no vvhere vvritten but vvhich is not vvritten by the first author and hee gives the instance of infant Baptisme It is called an Apostolicall tradition not vvritten because it is not found vvritten in any Apostolicall booke although it be vvritten as hee affirmes in the bookes of allmost all the ancient Fathers Tom. 1. lib. 4. cap. 2. b. And by the way why Bellarmine could not find Baptisme written in the Apostles writings if there it were as well as other men I know not for hee wants no accutenes in his sight but when he is corrupted by his ends and it suites with his end abundantly to proove infant Baptisme as strongly as hee can because none judge it so necessary to the world as he and those of his religion doe You see therefore by traditions here meant thinges not found written in the Scripture yet for their antiquity supposed to be Apostolicall which if they were allowed received what a miserable confusion should wee be brought into in matters of religion and how under the notion of ancient traditions should we vvorship God in vayne teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Matt. 15.9 Matth. 16.6 Christ bids us take heed of the leaven of the Pharises which was their unwritten traditions and vve are commanded to obey God not men Acts 5.29 And if any man bring us any other doctrine he is to be accursed Gal. 1.9 This hath bene the opinion of holy men in all ages Luther on the first of the Galat. There ought no other doctrine to be delivered or heard in the church besides the pure vvord of God that is the holy Scriptures let other teachers and hearers vvith their doctrine be accursed So Calv. lib. 4. Inst cap. 8. s 8. Let this be a firme axiom nothing is to be accounted for the vvord of God to vvhich place should be given in the church but that vvhich is first contained in the Lavv and the Prophets and after in Apostolicall vvritings But because we are in a way of quotatioÌ„ it will not be amisse to give you the judgement of some more ancient concerning this matter and wee will give them as they are given by Chemnit in his exam of the counscell of Trent and quoted also by Bellarmine in order to his confutation of them I shall give but a few One is of Origen in cap. 3. ad Rom. c. Necesse nobis est inquit Scripturas sanctas in testimonium vocare sensus quippe nostri enarrationes sine his testibus non habent fidem It is necessary for us to call the holy Scriptures to vvitnes because our senses and narrations vvithout those vvitnesses have no credit So Constantin the Emperour who in the Counscell of Nice as Theodoret witnesses lib. 1. cap. 17. saith thus Euangelici Apostolici libri antiquorum Prophetarum oracula plane instruunt nos quid de rebus divinis sentiendum sit Proinde hostili posita discordia in verbis divinitus inspiratis sumamus quaestionum explicationes The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes and the oracles of the ancient Prophets playnely instruct us vvhat vvee should thinke of divine thinges Therefore all hostile discord layde aside let us take the explication of questions from vvords divinely inspired Then Athanasius lib. contragent

and denomination of a man againe of what act soever yee may justly say this is a nullity that no after act can repaire to give it a being it may now take upoÌ„ it such a being as that pretended to but to that it can give no being But secondly to urge the former objection a little farther you will say parhaps That that which is given cannot be ungiven but to Infants Baptisme is given already I answer It is true that which is given cannot be sayd to be ungiven but to Infants the Sacrament of Baptisme is not given but onely a certain externall washing with certain externall rites ceremonies And the patrons of infant Baptisme I hope will pardon me if what Chamier affirme of Baptisme not given by a right Minister I with much more equity and reason affirme here that it is not a Sacrament but a rashe mockery or deceaving by no meanes to be indur'd in the Church Temerariam ludificationem nullo modo tolerandam in Ecclesia Tom. 4. Panstratiae lib. 5. cap. 14. s 8. The Imperiall Constitutions carry Vt ea quae contra leges fiunt non solum inutilia sed etiam pro infectis habenda sunt That those things which are done against law are not onely unprofitable but are to be accounted for not done which rule they say is to be understood of those things where the cause of the prohibition is perpetuall as for example Ne filius contrahat cummatre the son should not contract with his mother now the perpetuall cause of prohibition is the standing law of God not changed by God himself and in which God himself hath not dispenced as is urged by a late learned Author So as that which contradicts the standing rules of God in the determination regulating of his ordinances as Baptisme given to infants hath largely bene prooved to do must by no meanes be accounted an administration or giving of that ordinance but as before a rash and unadvised mockery of it or playing with it In the third place you may possibly object That Baptisme requires for the subject a true beleever suppose an hypocrite professe faith and submit himself to the ordinance will not here be by the same reasoÌ„ cause of Baptisme the former being also a nullity in respect of the true intent of Baptisme Answ How farre such a case may require another Baptisme I shall not need to determine if it should that makes nothing against the other but that that doth also and more But here I shall put a cleare distinction and help my self by the former similitude of marriage There be some essentiall fayles as I told you that make marriage a nullity no subsequent act can releeve that as to give it the denomination of a being then when it was a nullity as for example consent afterwards cannot make the no consent of infants to be a marriage but it gives forme or being to a marriage when the consent is given the like is true of Baptisme But in marriage betweene persons of yeares there may be a formall marriage with an hypocriticall consent a man may professe faith in marriage to such a woman but may intend onely to gayne her estate by that pretence leave her now the great ingredient unto consent should be truth and reallity but the fayle of that shall by no meanes nullify the marriage he shall be ever bound to the duty of a husband though hee should professe to have dissembled his consent nor shall there be any need of a new marriage or expressing of consent to tye him to it which the former doth sufficiently what ever his intents were Because that to the reason and being of marriage there is nothing requisite but that there be a due externall performing of the essentialls of it The like may be avowed of Baptisme if a man repenting and confessing his sinnes beleeving and professing subjection be baptized according to the right forme and ceremony of Baptisme I see not the ground of repetition what ever the internall fayles may seeme to be either of true righteousnes on mans part or of present influence on Gods part which are desireable to the happy being of Baptisme else so often as men find not that present influence on Gods part which to him is free or doubt of their former state and condition so often there must be a repetition of Baptisme which I see no grouÌ„d for the ordinance which is an externall ceremony having all its externall essentialls to the true being of that ordinance and as the remayning forme produces its effect when the impediment is taken away as for example heavines in a stoane carryes it downe when the impediment is taken away the hand that held it up so Baptisme externally rightly administred may attayne his end when God takes away the impediment The like may be said of ordination or admission into church fellowship which cannot be called a nullity though the persons should proove hypocrites or unholy as appeares by this that such persons are capable of excommunication which implyes them members and the ordinance duly administred notwithstanding that there may be great internall fayles but would be certainly a nullity if such admission or ordination were in infancy in sleepe or in the time of madnesse as I said before But what ever the case of the Baptisme of hypocrites may proove of which notwithstanding I have told you my opinion it makes not much to this question for if it proove not a nullity it is because they fayle not in the essentialls if they should require Baptisme a new then Baptisme in infaÌ„cy much more in whom it is most cleare the fayles of Baptisme were essentiall And it is not my part so much to proove that there are no other causes of repeating of Baptisme as that in this there is cause full and sufficient to give them a true reall Baptisme whose pretended Baptisme in respect of its essentiall fayles prooves voide and nothing CHAP. XVII In which is considered the time and ranke that Baptisme is to hold in the order of Ordinances THere are but two thinges which I shall farther consider upon this subject the one is the time order of Baptisme the other is the Minister of Baptisme That there is an order in all the worship of the New Testament no man will deny that hath learn't with Paul to joy in beholding the order and faith of the Saints Col. 2.5 and none will acknowledge this more then they who deny themselves of some very considerable ordinances for want of comeing to them in the right order as the Lords supper for waÌ„t of church fellowship Every thing is seasonable and bewtifull in its time out of which it is disorderly and evill to find the order time of Baptisme will I conceive be the easiest thing in all this inquiry whether you consider Scripture rule Scripture example or example of the primitive Church and indeed of all that ever was or the reason of

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