half-Countrey-men the Jews yet soon after it decently expired leaving Baptism to succeed in the Church to all the essentials thereof amongst which this was one of main importance That as Children were admitted to Circumcision so they should also participate of Baptism Which by reasons out of Scripture God willing shall plainly appear CHAP. VIII What it is to reason out of the Scriptures and what credit is due to deductions from Gods word WE do freely confesse that there is neither expresse Precept nor Precedent in the New Testament for the Baptizing of Infants and yet are confident by necessary and undeniable consequence from Scripture it will be made appear to be founded thereon Let us here premise and explain a practice of the Apostle Paul as much conducible to our purpose He coming to Thessalonica Acts 17. 2. Reasoned with the Jews out of Scripture Three things herein are considerable First being to prove that this Jesus whom he preached was Christ he neither did nor could produce a positive text of Scripture wherein the same was affirmed syllabically or in so many very words Secondly in proof hereof he did not bring bare reason which would be but ineffectual especially to prove that which was meerly an article of Faith Thirdly in his disputing he made a wise composure of both joyning Scripture and reason together Scripture was the Well Reason was the Bucket S. Paul was the Drawer Pauls precedent ought to be followed by our practice herein Scriptura non scribitur otiosis The Scripture was not writ for the idle but the industrious Yea to what intent hath God bestowed reason upon us improved in some with Learning and Education together with the promise of his Spirit to conduct us into all necessary truth but that we should improve the same in the serious searching of the Scripture One main motive which induced Columbus to believe the other side of this Globe to be peopled with reasonable souls and invited him to undertake the discovery thereof was a firm apprehension and belief that God would not create so glorious a creature as the Sun to shine to Sea and Fishes alone but that surely some men did partake of the benefit thereof Is it probable that God would light the threefold lamp of reason learning and grace in mens souls for no other purpose or higher design but meerly that men should make use thereof in perusing of pamphlets and reading the works of humane writers chiefly in examining the word of God with such consequences which naturally may be extracted from the same Some things are in Scripture as grasse on the ground which on the surface thereof is apparent to every beholder other things are in Scripture as mines and minerals in the bowels thereof no lesse the product of the earth then the former though more industry must be used for the eduction thereof Circumcision is of the first sort obvious to a childe that can read the 17 th of Genesis But he must be a man of understanding which we all ought to be to whom Baptism is visible by deduction from Scripture See we here not only the usefulnesse and conveniency but even the absolute necessity of the profession of Ministers not only for the administration of Sacraments but for the clearing those necessary consequences from Scripture which at the first view are not apparent to every ordinary capacity S. Paul saith Rom. 12. 6. Let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith Now I believe it will generally be granted that by Prophesie here is meant the preaching of the word Know then that the proportion of Faith consists not in one or some or many but is the result of all places of Scripture the universal Symmetrie of them all concerning such a point which is treated of Here then is the office of the Minister to present to his people in any matter necessary to be believed or practised the sence of the Old and New Testament This is sometimes not conspicuous in any one place as being the collective and constructive Analogie amounting from many particular places compared together Here I say the Ministers office is called upon in whom Reason is or ought to be cleared and strengthned by his learning to manifest and evidence to the people of his flock the rise and result of such deductions how naturally and necessarily they flow from Scripture This done such of his flock who of themselves could not see will see when shown who of themselves could not go will go when led enabled by Gods blessing on his help will both easily apprehend in themselves and communicate to such in their family such Scipture-consequences which their simplicity could never first have found out by themselves Then will it fare with such people as with the Samaritanes John 4. 42. who came to Christ at the womans invitation but believed on him not because of her saying but because they heard him themselves Unlearned people receive not such consequences for truths on the credit of the Learning and Religion of their Minister though by his direction first acquainted therewith but because that since they have been convinced in their own judgements and consciences of the truth thereof as no doubt the Thessalonians were when S. Paul as is aforesaid reasoned with them out of Scripture But a greater then Paul is here to avouch this practice even our Saviour himself Who being to confute the Sadduces who not only denied the resurrection of the dead but also that there was neither Angel nor Spirit Acts 23. 8. existing separate from the body so that at death the souls of men expired and were utterly extinguished In refutation of which errour our Saviour reasoned out of Scripture Mat. 22. 31. 32. But as touching the resurrection of the dead have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living God is not the God of the dead that is he is not God to that which is annihilated and null in nature but that thing must have an absolute being in it self before it can be so related that God becomes a God unto it This text in it self seems at great distance to prove the Resurrection and never likely to meet the matter in controversie unlesse Reason intercede to joyn them both together The argumentation being thus framed and that to which God pronounceth himself a God hath a true real existence But God pronounceth himself God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob some hundreds of years after their death Therfore Abraham Isaac Jacob had stil a true and real existence And thus an argument which formerly was vertually in the text is by the assistance of Reason actually extracted thence and effectually applied to the preset purpose Say not Christ might have chose in the old Testament more pregnant and pertinent places then this by him cited to prove
the resurrection as that Job 19. 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shal I see God For first it is presumption for any to teach Christ which stone out of the brook to chuse as the smoothest and fittest when he is to encounter the Goliath of any errour Secondly the Sadduces only allowing the Pentateuch or five books of Moses Christ worsted them at their own weapons out of that Scripture which they acknowledged for Canonical setting us an example by reason out of the Word to prove those points which are not expresly contained therein To conclude this point when Eve was brought to Adam newly awaked out of his deep sleep Gen. 2. 23. he gazed not on her as a stranger but welcomed and entertained her with this cheerful and courteous expression This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man So should Scripture behold those legitimate deductions which by right reason and lawful rules of Logick are thence drawn and derived it would instantly own and acknowledge them for its undoubted issue and off-spring commanding them to be called Derivative Scripture because taken out of the body and bowels thereof Here I pleade not for such violent and forced consequences bastards of mens brains which some unjustly father on the Scripture wresting it 2 Pet. 3. 16. and not reasoning but wrangling from it Natural and necessary deductions are by me alone intended by which we proceed to prove that Baptism is bottomed on Reasons out of Scripture Here make we this motion to the Reader and may he resent it according to the equity thereof Though we propound and he peruse these our reasons out of Scripture severally our desire is they should all be compounded together and joyntly presented to his judgement This desire proceeds not from any jealousie and suspition we have of their invalidity as taken single but out of a confidence that though they may be cavilled at and endeavoured to be broken as single arrows they will be unbreakable to him who here may have his Quiver full of them For as in a regular Fort though single flankers thereof may be assaulted yet the whole will be impregnable wherein each part receiveth strength from and returneth strength to another so we conceiv though each reason severally may be subject to captious exceptions against it yet the total sum of them all besides many more which Godly Divines have and may adde unto them amount to the convincing of such as do not wilfully boult their eyes against the beams of truth CHAP. IX The first Reason for the Baptizing of Infants taken from the Analogie of Circumcision THe first Reason for Infants Baptism is grounded on proportion of Circumcision in this manner If that the children of Jews were admitted to Circumcision and thereby made members of the Church the children of Christians ought to be admitted to Baptism and thereby be made members of the same But the children of the Jews were admitted to Circumcision c. therefore the children of Christians ought to be admitted to Baptism Herein the Major which alone is subject to doubt and debate may be proved by what formerly was explained in Baptisms succeeding to all essentials of Circumcision Object To this your arguing from proportion of Circumcision is of no validity yea and of very dangerous consequence For on the same account you may extend the Analogie to the reviving of all the Jewish Ceremonies long since dead and rotten in the grave of our Saviour Such Necromancy in Conjuring up the Ghosts of dead Judaism is unlawful of it self and prejudicial to Christian liberty should we be put under the Gospel to such slavish conformity as to practice something parallel to each Ceremony in the old Testament Answ We confesse this exception true and just had Circumcision been but a bare Ceremony and no more But Circumcision had in it more of what was Sacramental then Ceremonious The Ceremonious part thereof is utterly extinct and dyed Issueless But the Sacramental or Gospel part thereof as it contained an everlasting Covenant made with Abrahams seed that is all true believers may be said to survive in Baptism the true heir thereof Sacramenta non moriuntur Sacraments die not whilest the Church Militant is alive nor is there any intervals betwixt them Baptism immediately succeeding Circumcision as is before declared Proceed we to prove the former Argument with a new Syllogism They who once in Circumcision were made members of the Church and never since were solemnly outed of the same remain still in the state of their membership But Circumcised Children under the Jews were made members of the Church and never since were solemnly outed of that condition Therefore they still remain members Here the Minor alone is exposed to suspition of falshood and that only in the later part thereof Now let the denyers of it assign the time place manner and persons when where how and by whom they were cast out of that membership Sure I am seeing the old Testament leaves them in peaceable possession thereof And no firm ejection of them appears in the new Testament it must needs be some Apocrypha writing or forged deed which depriveth them of their true title thereunto and tenure thereof For the further clearing hereof Let us suppose a Jew about the time of S. Paul converted into a Christian and soon after made father to a son If this child in his infancy may not be admitted to Baptism what cause had it no lesse justly then Grievously to complain Might it but borrow a tongue from the standers by how pathetically would it expostulate his condition Alas how sad is my estate My father being but a Jew was at eight days old made a member of the Church by Circumcision His infancy was no bar and obstacle unto him to render him uncapable of the Covenant I had thought now my Father is turned Christian that the Child should not be impaired because his father is improved Is a Christians son found in a worse case then a Jews son was left I thought the alteration of our condition by Christs coming was to perfect not diminish what we had before Christianity may be a good Religion for men to die in but Judaism was better for Children to be born in We Infants who signified some thing under the Law are made cyphers under the Gospel no notice being taken of us until we are arrived unto years of discretion This complaint might be largely prosecuted with more earnestnesse but a word is enough the rather if we consider what S. Paul saith Heb. 8. 6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is a mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises What a Scale of melioration have we here better and better excellent and more excellent But if Children since Christs coming are excluded the Covenant
husband possibly all this might not pacifie her minde and though such a scruple be but a mote in it self yet might it prove painful in so tender a place as conscience the eye of the soul is How thankful therefore ought Christian women to be to Gods goodnesse expresly admitting them to Baptism and having equal right with men in that Sacrament These three forenamed circumstantial differences between Circumcision and Baptism are not of such consequence as to disessential them or to make them distinct Sacraments both remaining the same in effect those accidental variations notwithstanding For the like may be observed between the Passeover and the Lords Supper and those alterations also for the benefit and behoof of Christians the later being both cheaper in price and freer in time then the former In the Passeover a lamb was offered which many Christians such is their poverty cannot provide for themselves and rich men such is their covetousnesse will not provide for others It is therefore commuted in the Lords Supper into a bit of bread and sip of wine which on easier rates may be obtained Freer in time The Passeover was but once a year Exod. 12. 6. on the fourteenth day of the first moneth In the Lords Supper we are left at large stinted to no time 1 Cor. 11. 25. Do ye this as oft as ye drink it we may take it for food or for physick when ill to remove when well to prevent diseases once a moneth once a week if we wil always provided that the frequent repetition of it hinder not the solemn preparation for it But to return to Baptism that it succeeâ—â— to all essentials of Circumcision is proved by these Arguments Either Baptism succeeds to the Sacrament of Circumcision or else some other Ordinance doth succeed or else nothing at all remains in lieu thereof But that Sacrament root and branch totally extinguished in Gods Church But nothing else succeeds Circumcision and that Sacrament is not abolished but still vertually extant Therefore Baptism succeeds in the place of Circumcision The Major we presume of unquestionable truth where the distribution is uncapable of any other member therein For the first part of the Minor if any other heir besides Baptism can be found out let our Adversaries in this controversie assign it What is the name or the sons name thereof if they can tell surely no such successor to Circumcision can be produced Now to maintain that Circumcision died issueless and left no ordinance behind it of Divine institution to inherit the power and place thereof in the Church is what none ever defendeâ—â— For seeing Sacraments are the Pillars of the Church supporting the whole fabrick thereof how much would it weaken the structure totally to take away one pillar without substituting another in the place thereof We proceed to a second Argument after this manner If all such graces confer'd on Gods children in Circumcision formerly are now bestowed on them in Baptism Then notwithstanding some accidental differences Baptism succeeds to the essentials of Circumcision But all graces formerly confer'd in Circumon are now bestowed in Baptism Therefore Baptism succeeds the essentials of Circumcision The minor which alone is questionable may easily be proved Graces in Circumcision are comprised in that expression Gen. 17. 7. To be a God unto thee whereof largely before and the same is performed in Baptism whein God solemnly contracts with his servants to receive them into his Covenant and conveyeth unto them Grace necessary for their Salvation But what need we more Reasons when the very words of S. Paul Col. 2. 11 12. attest the same In whom also ye are Circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptism Christians are here said by Baptism to be spiritually Circumcised and by the same proportion the believing Jews may be said by Circumcision to be spiritually Baptized such the affinity or rather the essential samenesse betwixt these two Sacraments Thus Solomon saith Eccles 1. 4. One generation passeth away and another generation cometh but the earth remaineth for ever So one Sacrament of Initiation Circumcision passeth away and another Baptism cometh One Sacrament of Confirmation the Passeover passeth away and another Sacrament the Lords Supper cometh But the Church remaineth for ever Ob. Baptism cannot succeed to Circumcision because what succeedeth must come after in time when its predecessor is departed But Baptism for some years went abreast with Circumcision both were set a foot together in Church practice For Baptism was instituted in our Saviours life time used by his Disciples John 4. 2. to the Jews and enjoyned immediately after Christs Ascension Mat. 28. 19. to be practised upon all Nations Now Circumcision held in force many years after see in Timothy a Jew by the half bloud Acts 16. 3. was Circumcised by Paul himself Wherefore Baptism contemporary â—â—th Circumcision could not be successour unto it Answ It is confest that for some years Circumcision remained in the Church after Baptism was ordained Have we not often seen the Moon shining in Heaven even after the Sun some hours hath been risen therein But then she shines dully and dimly with a faint and feeble light as conscious to her self of usurpation and guilty of intrusion to the territories and dominion of the Sun the Moon being only made to rule the night So may I say there was a weak and wan appearance of Circumcision in the Christian Church after Baptism was ordained and that for these two reasons First It was continued some time in the Church for the more decent expiring thereof God would not have that Sacrament which had lived so long in lustre dye in shame And therefore it was thought fit that Circumcision as it began on a good man so it should expire on a gratious Saint Abraham being the first and Timothy the last whom we find Circumcised in Scripture Secondly God foreseeing what an advantage Satan might take if his Church were left Sacramentless to assault the same in the interval of the going out of the one and coming in of the other as Ahab was wounded 1 Kings 22. 34. in the naked place betwixt the joynts of his harness would have his Sacraments rather then they should fall short one lap and fold over the other that both should be in being at once Probably had another government of the Church been prepared and fitted yea and set up rather two together then none at all before the old one was demolished profanenesse and damnable heresies which we now behold and bemoan had not made their progress so fast and so far into the English Nation The result of all is this Though Circumcision did for some time rather languish then live after the institution of Baptism and for the Reasons aforesaid was continued in the Church used on Timothy not so much to sanctifie him as to satisfie his
of the State is by the courtesie of the camp enrolled in the souldiers list on his birth-day and by the allowance of the State receives pay from the time of his nativity In the Christian warfare though Christ alone be our Captain every common souldier male or female enlisted under him derives this priviledge to all his children that from their very births they are thus far entred into the muster-roll of the Church as to receive pay I mean the right and title to the Sacrament of Baptism as being by their very extraction not unclean but Sacramently holy CHAP. XI The third Reason taken from the Holy Spirit which is given to little Infants THe Third Reason out of Scripture is thus framed Such who receive the Spirit of God may and ought to be Baptized but infants receive the Spirit of God therefore they may and ought to be Baptized The Major hereof is in effect the words of the Text Peter saith Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be Baptized which have received the holy Ghost as wel as we Can he that is can he justly can he lawfully can he so do it as to avouch it to God and man when he hath done it Though I confesse too many de facto do it now adayes Can any man we can do nothing saith the Apostle against the Truth but for the Truth 2 Cor. 13. 8. It is not strength but weaknesse for one to be able to do that which he ought not to do Can any man Be he an Apostle or even Peter himself MAN He must be either worse then a man for his Envy or lesse then a man by his Ignorance The Minor remains to be proved that Infants receive the Spirit of God whereof we have two pregnant proofs one in the old Testament Jer. 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee to be a Prophet unto the Nations Object This sanctification of Jeremy intends not such as accompanieth the salvation of the soul but meerly importeth a designation of him to the Prophetical function with qualification for the discharge thereof It is therefore impertinently alledged to prove that Infants have the saving Spirit of God Answ It is confessed that Jeremy his destination to be a Prophet was a principal part of his sanctifying here mentioned Yet was it not the total thereof as being but a sprig and branch of the same which extended to Gods forming him according to his knowledge of approbation and hallowing him as yet unborn to be his Saint and servant The second instance in the new Testament is that of John the Baptist Luke 1. 41. Leaping in his mothers womb at the salutation of the virgin Mary Not that as some have mistaken it that then his Mother was first sensible that she quickned of him seeing it was said before vers 36. This is the sixth moneth with her which was called barren but as it is vers 44. the babe leaped in my womb for joy knowing and acknowledging Christ the Saviour of mankind and transported with transcendent gladnesse for the same Object But Jeremy and John the Baptist were Jeremy and John the Baptist I mean signal persons of extraordinary stature of grace above the size of common Christians Your Logick is but bad if from the induction of two instances you infer a general conclusion As soundly you might prove that all Davids worthies were equal in valour and atchivements 2 Sam. 23. 19. unto the first three as that al infants of Gods children may for their abilities be matched with these two by you alledged Answ I grant no lesse That these two instances were extraordinary However thus much advantage we gain thereby that they plainly prove the state of Infancy to be receptive of grace and of ability to entertain the same Let none look on Infants as so indisposed and unorganized by reason of their weaknesse but that the lownesse of their age is capable of the elevation to sanctity Secondly though we acknowledge such redundancy of the Spirit in the extraordinary and miraculous proportion thereof confined to a few persons in Christs and the Apostles time yet we may no lesse truly then confidently maintain that a sufficiency thereof as to salvation is conferr'd on all Gods servants now adays as well as before Nor is Gods Spirit super-annuated with aged Naomy Ruth 1. 11. or grown so barren or effete but that it is still procreative and produceth the effects thereof in Gods servants now as vigorously as ever before Otherwise most doleful yea indeed desperate were the conditions of Gods servants now adays if devoid of the Spirit of God as to the essentials thereof having now a fiercer foe and worse weapons to encounter him then the Christians had in former ages A fiercer foe Satan himself growing subtiler with the addition of fifteen hundred years experience and crueller Rev. 12. 12. because the shorter his reign the sharper his rage Worse weapons if we be left altogether naked of the offencive and defencive armor of the Spirit of God And here I cannot but admire at the practice of some persons now adayes boasting of strange measures of the Spirit bestowed upon them and we must needs believe them for they say so themselves yea such prodigious proportions thereof whereby per saltum they conceive themselves enabled for such offices for which they were never fitted by their education And yet the self-same persons who are thus prodigal in the praise of their own perfections assuming so much of the Spirit to themselves are most miserably nigardly to others and especialy to Infants denying the least degree of the Spirit unto them Whereas let matters be beheld with an unpartial eye and it will appear that it is more probable children should partake of the company of the Spirit then men now adayes May it not justly be suspected that the spiritual pride uncharitablenesse self-interest sinister respects cruelty and oppression of many men do fright away the spirit from them how highly soever pretending to holinesse whereas the mildnesse meeknesse silence humility and patience of a childe may invite the society of the spirit the sooner unto it and the Dove converse rather with Doves then with Vultures To put all out of doubt we can plainly demonstrate the fruits of Gods Spirit and Sanctification in Infants dying Infants and therefore the root therof must be granted to be in their hearts which we thus prove Whatsoever is saved is fully sanctified for Ephes 5. 5. no unclean person hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ But many children especially of Godly parents dying children are saved Therefore they are fully sanctified He wants judgement that denies the Major or former part of the syllogism And he lacks as much charity who questions the Minor hereof otherwise Herod the cruel Tyrant who killed only the bodies of the babes in and about Bethlehem
was all mercy to such Bloudy Monsters who so much as lieth in their power by this their Murdering opinion Massacre the souls of so many Infants depriving them thereby of salvation CHAP. XII The fourth Reason drawn from some degrees of Faith conferred on little Infants THe Fourth Reason out of Scripture is thus formed They that have some degree of Faith may and ought to be Baptized But Infants have some degree of faith Therefore they may and ought to be Baptized The Major is the very same with the words of the Scripture The Eunuch askt of Philip Acts 8. 36. See here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip answered if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Al the difficulty is in the proof of the Minor For our Adversaries wil say if the Infant could rejoyne with the Eunuch in the same place I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God then the now most zealous opposers would be the most earnest advancers of their Baptism For the proof then of Infants faith let us bring another Reason but still out of Scripture Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. But Infants please God Therefore they have Faith Herein the Minor alone is dubitable and may manifestly be evinced All men I know are ready to pretend that they please God And Hypocrites themselves most odious unto him as forward as any to claim this priviledge to themselves To put this therefore out of question it matters not what men say but what God says herein We appeal to him who best knows his own mind and he hath judged this case already That Infants please him Say not if so smal then were they insensible of any benefit by the blessing not conceiving the meaning of our Saviour therein This appears by Christs carriage towards the little children brought unto him in the Gospel Concerning whose years be this premised that though we have not the Register books of their several ages yet we may conclude at least some of them no bigger then Babes First because called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by S. Mark 10. and judiciously rendred by our Translators verse 13. young children verse 14. little children The diminution in the Original word being equally appliable either to their age or stature The same are termed by S. Luke 18. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and translated Infants alwayes used in Scripture for such as suck on their mothers breast Secondly they are said to be brought by their parents as unable to bring themselves Thirdly Christ took them up in his arms as not big enough to kneel down and be blessed which otherwise was the posture of striplings upon the same occasion That these little children pleased Christ is proved by his expressions the best interpreters of love or hatred in that heart which could not dissemble concerning them Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God Of Such that is not only of those who are like unto these in which sense our Saviour might as significatively have said the same of Doves or Lambs that the kingdom of heaven consists of such who are like unto them but of these and also of those who imitate them in their innocential qualities Such make strange interpretation of the words who exclude the Original and only admit the Copy let in such as are like to children and shut out children themselves from the kingdom of heaven Secondly The complacency Christ took in these little children appears by his actions unto them vers 16. he took them up in his arms laid his hands on them and blessed them See wee such Infants were in a blessible condition Here we distinguish between childrens being sensible of the meaning and their being capable of the benefit by a blessing Probably some of the smallest children here presented unto Christ understood not our Saviours language nor the meaning of his gestures until their parents afterwards interpreted the same unto them as they grew up in years And yet such Infants might effectually partake of the vigour and vertue of Christs benediction Thus as many though by natural defect they never had or by sicknesse have lost their Taste and by their pallat cannot distinguish betixt sweet bitter sharp sowre c. and consequently take no pleasure or delight in what they eat or drink yet by the receiving thereof may have their hunger and thirst satisfied and their strength daily increased So these Infants purely passive in our Saviours Arms brought thither without their knowledge and blest there above their understanding did nevertheless some of them no doubt really participate of the spiritual comfort which the emphatical blessing of Christ impressed upon them CHAP. XIII The Fift Reason drawn from the Malady of Original Corruption THe Fift Reason out of Scripture may thus be contrived They who are subject to the malady of sin ought to partake of the remedy against it But Infants are subject to the malady of sin therfore they ought to partake of baptism the remedy against it For the proof of the major or first part thereof I appeal amongst Christians only to the married amongst the married only to the parents of children These cannot deny it but that against their wills as the unhappy instruments they have derived corruption to their infants as conveyed in the same charter of their being unto them If any should be so sensless as to deny Infants infected with Original Corruption the contrary will be sadly demonstrated by those several diseases and death it self to which they are subject before they have or can commit actual sin All will confesse no suffering can follow but where sin hath gone before and that Infants deeply share in sufferings daily experience approveth Some of them whilest they lie in the Cradle how lie they on the rack Such sighes such sobs such gripes such groans such convulsions such distortions enough almost to kill the hearts of the beholders relating unto them if all pitty be not dead in them before Nor can all the rending of the fathers hair abate the aching of the childs head nor all the rain of the mothers tears allay the wind in the babes body Quid teneri infantes in te committere tantum quid pueri potuere But these little Lambs wherein have they offended Their hands did never hurt others which could not help themselves Their tongues did never lie swear c. which cannot speak Their feet were never swift to shed bloud which cannot go All these miseries and death at last fals often on Infants uncapable of actual sin because of the corruption of their nature wherein they were born and conceived Seeing therefore Infants are subject to the malady of sin what a cruelty were it for parents to leave them in this pittiful case neglecting the remedy for the same By the Levitical Law Exod. 21. 33. If a man shall open a pit
and not cover it he was to pay the owner for the losse of those his cattel which fell into it Parents having opened a pit of original corruption by the sinfulnesse of their nature if they labour not to cover it again as much as in them lies by using the ordinance God hath appointed for the same shall not the souls of their children if finally falling into that pit be heavily required at their hands Yea shall man be carelesse and cruel where God hath been so kind and careful in his instituting of Baptism Rom. 6. 3. That we may be Baptized into Jesus Christ his death as it followeth vers 6. that the body of sin may be destroyed To conclude Infants having the body of sin as well as adult persons and Baptism being appointed for the destruction thereof such parents are wanting to their own duty undervalue Gods ordinance and are cruel to the souls of the flesh of their body that deny Baptism unto Infants CHAP. XIV The Sixth Reason drawn from the constant Practice of Christian Churches in all Ages what credit is to be given to a Primitive Custome I Shall now be challenged by such who herein dissent in judgement from me for breach of promise starting from my own principles that having promised Reasons out of Scripture I flie now to Church-Practice and Ancient Tradition Wherefore to vindicate my self which is far more considerable the Truth herein I will first prove by Gods assistance by Reason out of Scripture that the Practice of the Catholique Church in all Places and at all Times especially in such matters wherein nothing appears contrary in Gods Word obligeth all conscientious Christians to the observation thereof And in the next Chapter we wil shew that the Baptizing of Infants hath been the uninterrupted Custome of the Church Be it premised that if we look on Customes simply in themselves we shall find them generally like the men of Sodom not ten good ones amongst the many thousands of them For what is Custome but the practice of most men time out of mind Now seeing most men yea all men by Nature Gen. 6. 5. have the imaginations of their hearts evil and that not for a day week or year but as the Text saith continually no wonder if Customes be commonly wicked Yea such errours and vices which at the first are soft and supple pliable to Reproof and sensible of Refutation contract an hardnesse by custome in continuance of time yea get an incrustation and such scales over them that they become impenetrable to Scripture and Reason brought against them And as Lahan deceived plain-dealing Jacob in his Marriage Gen. 29. 26. by pleading the custome of the Country so it is confessed that too many in all Ages in matters both of faith and fact have alledged Custome to Patronize their erroneous opinions and injurious practises But all this ought not to beget in us a neglect of such Customes which like Melchisedec are Heb. 7. 3. without father without mother without discent whose first original cannot be found out as practised in the Church time out of mind no remembrance or record extant to the contrary Now as Melchisedec in the same place is said to have neither beginning of dayes and what necessarily followeth thence nor end of life so it is but just and equal that such Ancient Customes in the Church which never had memorable Rise should never have Fall therein but that such which probably began at the first should constantly be continued till the last coming of our Saviour Here I plead not for such mis-shapen Customes which either run up all in length narrow and slender which though long in use never extended to any wideness in the Christian World or else so low and thick they only spread in bredth as many Popish Customes generally but not anciently used but never shot up to the just stature of Primitive Antiquity We only defend such wel-grown Customes which I call square ones the form of firmness and stability whose height and bredth are well proportioned put in ure by Christians at all times and in all places conceiving we can demonstrate it by reason from Scripture that such Customes must be presumed grounded on the word and will of God For proof whereof we produce Gods promise and Lo I am with you always unto the end of the world Amen Mat. 28. 20. Every operative word herein deserves our serious consideration I am with you unto the end I am A verb of the present joyned with words of the future tense to shew Gods Instantaneous assistance in every moment of extremity Psal 46. 1. God is our strength and refuge a very present help in trouble With you This cannot be meant only of the Disciples personally none of them living to the end of the world seeing John himself the surviver of the whole Jury died about the year of our Lord 102. It is therefore meant extensively of the Disciples as they were an immortal corporation With you Selves and successours persons and posterity As Christ John 17. 20. Did not pray for these alone so here he did not promise to these alone but to them also which should believe on him through their word These words To be with you import not only a promise of protecting them from all dangers but also of directing them in all doctrines necessary to be believed and practised for their salvation And this promise being made not so much to the particular persons as to the collective body of the Church is not so effectually performed to every individual Christian as to the Universal Church which amounteth from them all We confesse that notwithstanding the foresaid promise of protection and direction many good men have been guilty of great errours and have also fallen by Gods permission and just punishment of their sins into grievous dangers However Divine goodnesse so doubleth his Files about his Church in general that he will not suffer the same to be universally infected in all Ages with any one dangerous Errour And therefore a Church Custome in all times and places must be presumed conformable to the will of God because were it erroneous it were utterly inconsistent with that solemn promise which God hath passed to his Church to be with them unto the worlds end Such who on the contrary side are highly opinioned of their private Judgements and will not confide in the Universal Customes of the Church I know not whether therein they do shew more want of Charity in condemning so many Christians at once or plenty of pride in over-prizing their own judgements or store of profanenesse in doubting yea denying the performance of Gods promise so solemnly made of his protecting presence in the Church who surely will dispatch and destroy an errour therein before it grow up to be so long liv'd as to become a Custome What a high valuation S. Paul set on Church Customes appears by his expression 1 Cor. 11. 16. But if any man
which we ought to follow and vainly strive to follow those his actions which we ought to admire Oh that we all would learn of him Mat. 11. 29. to be meek and lowly of heart to think more humbly of our selves and more charitably of others I say would we could learn this thing of Christ and leave such things to Christ which were personal in him and not precedential to us Object Had Christ in his judgement allowed and approved the baptizing of Infants surely he would have baptized such children which Mark 10. were brought unto him whereas his omission thereof plainly argues Christs disaffection to the same Answ Christ in his own person Baptized none at all as we read John 4. 2. an office improper for him to perform How unfit had it been for our Saviour thus to Baptize those Infants I Jesus Baptize this Infant into the Name of Jesus If S. Paul accounted it beneath his place to Baptize 1 Cor. 1. 17. For Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel How much was the ministration thereof too mean for our Saviour Indeed Christ came in all humility to be a pattern of patience unto us and condescended to mean imployments as John 13. 5. the washing of his Disciples feet yet alwayes he observed though not state decency in all his actions and stood much though not on the pomp on the propriety of what he performed as here in his declining to Baptize any When a Lord hath signed a Letter with his own hand it is usual with him to consign the sealing thereof to his Secretary or some other servant so when Christ had instituted Baptism and with his own hand confirmed the soveraign vertue of that Sacrament it well befitted his dignity to command and his disciples duty to perform the administration thereof Object Grant that Christ for the reasons by you alledged concluded it unfitting for himself to Baptize those Infants yet had he approved Pedo-baptism in his own judgement he would have designed some of his Disciples for the doing thereof This not done we may infallibly infer his dislike of the same Answ A negative argument of this nature is of no validity No mention is made of these Infants Baptizing Ergo they were not Baptized we may observe a gradation in the Evangelists relating this story Luke 18. 17. mentioneth their blessing only without any manner of gesture at all used by our Saviour unto them Mat. 19. 15. only takes notice that Christ laid his hands on them and departed thence Mark 10. 16. registreth all three remarkable actions He took them up in his arms laid his hands on them and blessed them Saint John addeth chap. 21. 21. And there are also many other things which Jesus did which are not written amongst which for ought appears to the contrary the Baptizing of these infants might be one of them However grant they were not formally and solemnly Baptized yet we may observe Baptism consisteth of two parts the application of water which we may call the body and the impression of the blessing which we may terme the soul of Baptism The later which indeed was the principal was here conferr'd on babes which shews them capable of the other as being the lesse Spiritual part of the Sacrament Object Sacraments ought not to be prostituted to profane persons Mat. 7. 6. cast not pearls before swine But many Infants are impious and profane therefore they ought not to be Baptized Answ This Objection may with equal advantage be also enforced against the Baptizing of men arrived at years of discretion many of them are profane in their hearts though they cunningly dissemble the same Hypocrites will never be kept out of the Church Be the doors thereof barr'd and bolted never so close they will creep in at the windows yea through the chinks and crevesses thereof As for Infants Baptism ought to be denyed unto them if they manifested any profanenesse Till which time charity commands us to believe them not Swine but Lambs and capable of the Sacrament Object Children are unable to discharge an essential requisite to Baptism Seeing what equipage Baptism is martialled by Christs own Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. 1. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations 2. Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost c. 3. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Here we have the safe and sure position of Baptism as God himself ordered it It is placed in the middle betwixt adouble teaching one in the front and another in the rear thereof a precedent teaching must usher in Baptism and the subsequent teaching must afterwards wait upon it Children therefore being incapable of this praevious and preparative teaching are incapable also of Baptism which dependeth thereupon Answ The method prescribed here by Christ to his Apostles was only to be used by them in their preaching to pure Pagans grown up to be men and this their commission properly extended unto the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Going therefare that is in due time leaving this land of Palestine wherein you live for the present when you shall be accomplished with the Spirit make your progresse into far distant parts and there teach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Nations the word properly importing Heathens formerly unacquainted with God his word Such people must first be taught before they may be Baptized This text therefore may justly be charged against the Papists in America where thousands of Natives were cruelly driven with whips to the Font to be baptized before they were ever Catechized in any rudiments of Christian Religion but cannot at all be objected against the baptizing of infants the children of Christian parents the teaching of Heathen and those of full age being only intended in this command Thus have we given the true and genuine sence of these words Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them c. However we will not omit another interpretation which godly Divines give thereof consonant to Scripture phrase They render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make disciples in which sence they maintaine that infants are capable of disciple-ship and may be inlisted therein For proof hereof they produce Acts 15. 10. why tempt ye God to put a yoak upon the neck of the disciples Now this yoak was Circumcision which some stickled so zealously for and these disciples were infants eight days old on whom that Sacrament was fastened In this sence children may be taught that is discipled before baptism and so the text nothing favouring the purpose of the objectors though I rather adhere to the former answer as most proper to the text Here will it be seasonable to interpose an admonition to parents You see in Christs commission to his Disciples the Divine method in dispensation of ordinances to Ethnicks 1. Teach 2. Baptize 3. And Teach But towards the children of Christian parents
THE INFANTS Advocate Of Circumcision and Baptisme on Jewish Christian Children DEUT. 29. 11 12. Your little ones shall enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God Origen lib. 5. ad Rom. c. 6. Ecclesia ab Apostolis traditionem accepit parvulis dare Baptismum quia essent in omnibus genuinae sordes peccati By THOMAS FULLER B. D. LONDON Printed by R. Norton for J. Williams at the Crown in S. Pauls Church-yard M.DC.LIII To the Right Honourable JAMES EARL of CARLILE my most Bountiful Patron AND To the Right Honourable LIONEL EARL of MIDLESEX my Noble Parishioner I Shall be censured for a Solecisme in Dedicating this my Infants Advocate unto your Honours not only for the meannesse of the Present but because the one of you being hitherto Childless and the other not as yet Married seem not so proper persons to be presented with such a subject But give me leave to acquaint your Honours that this my Treatise Janus-like looks backwards and forwards backwards to vindicate and assert the lawfulnesse of their Baptism which now arrived at Maturity were in their Infancy Baptized and in this capacity your Honours have an equal concernment in this subject with any others Forwards to justifie and avouch the acts of those Parents who hereafter shall fix the Sacrament on their Infant Children Your Honors in Gods due time may for the future be interested herein a favour the more fervently to be desired from Heaven both of you being the sole surviving Males of your Families and the single threds whereon all the hopes of your Noble houses do depend Give me Leave therefore who here am the Advocate to plead for the Baptizing of others to be also the Orator to pray for the Birth of your Children till which time may the blessings of the right and left hand plentifully fall and peaceably rest on you both which is the daily desire of Your Honours most obliged and humble servant THO. FULLER To the Right Worshipfull Edward Palmer Henry Wollaston and Matthew Gilly Esquires John Vavasor Francis Bointon Gent. with all the rest of my Loving Parishioners in Waltham Holy-Cross WHen I consider the many worthy works which had their first being within the bounds of this our Parish I may justly be ashamed that my weak endeavours should be borne in the same place For first the book of Mr. Cranmer afterwards Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Martyr containing the Reasons against King Henry the 8 th his Marriage with Queen Katharine Dowager was compiled in our Parish whilest the said Cranmer retired hither in the time of a Plague at Cambridge to teach his Pupils Thus did Waltham give Rome the first deadly blow in England occasioning the Popes primacy to totter therein till it tumbled down at last The large and learned works of the no lesse Religious then Industrious Mr. Fox in his book of Martyrs was penned here leaving his posterity a considerable estate at this day possessed by them in this Parish What shall I speak of the no lesse pleasant then profitable pains of Reverend Bishop Hall predecessor in my place the main body of whose Books bears date from Waltham And shall my unworthy pamphlet presume to follow such able works from the same place However seeing my publike promise is solemnly past to you to Print the same hoping some profit may thence arise to you and others let it as a Page at due distance wait upon the works of those most eminent Authors Some will say this your Infants Advocate hath almost been as long in the breeding and birth as Infants use to lye in their Mothers womb so many moneths hath past betwixt the promise and performance thereof But let none grudge the time if it appear at last in its perfect shape coming forth soon enough for those who will reap benefit thereby Too soon for such who will take causless offence thereat Some perchance will take exception at the plainness thereof which by me was purposely affected herein It is a good leslon which may be learned from the mouth of a bad master even Rayling Rabshakeh not to deliver a message of publick concernment in a language which a few Courtiers only do understand but in a tongue whereby all the people on the wall may partake thereof And seeing the generality of our opposers are unlearned I conceived it my duty to decline all difficult words and phrases that all might more easily and perfectly perceive the truth therin Some perchance might expect a confutation of their practice which are Re-baptized a task needless for me to perform For such repetition of Baptism will follow of course to be vain if not wicked unneedful if not unlawful where the lawfulness and needfulness of Infants Baptism hath formerly been proved Baptism once wel done on Infants I may say is twice done which twice done is once ill done namely when it is iterated the second time without any just reason for the same What remains dear Parishioners but that I pray that my weak Preaching may be powerful and profitable unto you that you may do and suffer cheerfully according to the will of God Remember the addition of the name of your Parish HOLY CROSSE It matters not though Crosse be the sur-name if Holy be the Christian name of our sufferings whilest that God who sendeth them sanctifieth them unto us which is the daily prayer of Your unworthy Pastor in Jesus Christ THO. FULLER TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AMongst the many Lying Miracles reported by impudent believed by ignorant Papists in their Leaden Golden Legend it is not the last and least what they tell of one Rumball Son to an English King whose Saint-ship in those dark days was superstitiously adored at Brackley in Northampton shire Of him they report that he spake as soon as ever he was born and professing himself to be a Christian already in his heart requested or rather required that he might be Baptized which done he instantly ended his life I know not whether to call this a Childs fable from the subject or in the Apostles language an old wives fable from the inventors thereof Otherwise were this true and all children like him this our Infants Advocate were utterly useless and our pains for the present altogether superfluous which now we believe and hope may be profitable for those who cannot plead for themselves For though I cannot with Job be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame that is relieve their poverty out of a plentiful estate yet I will endeavour to be a tongue to the dumb and plead as well as I may in their behalf True it is I must confesse with that good Prophet not in respect of my age being past the vertical point thereof but of my other infirmities behold I cannot speak for I am a child and if a child be advocate for children the cause is likely to be poorly pleaded However I will endeavour to supply in integrity what I want
in ability and sometimes a cordial counsel who zealously engageth for his client is to be accepted for his hearty intentions and affections though falling short of others in his performances Indeed great is the multitude of pleaders who have undertook this cause and truly the more the better such the worth thereof to deserve the weight thereof to require many defenders against the fiercenesse and multitude of modern opposers But here give me leave to bemoan a sad accident that the councel cannot agree amongst themselves how to manage their clients cause Some found it on a Jewish ceremony of washing others fasten it only on the ancient practice of the Primitive Church others graft it on the Analogie of Circumcision others bottom it on an implicite precept others on expresse arguments in the New Testament And which is the worse many of these are not content alone to prefer and advance their own opinion except also they decry and destroy confute and confound the arguments of others by which discords our adversaries in this point gain to themselves no small advantage I am confident those our adversaries long since had wanted weapons had not our friends furnished them with all manner of munition out of our own magazins Yet dare I not challenge such pleaders for Infants Baptism of disloyaltie as if they wilfully betrayed their trust herein though I cannot excuse them for indiscretion whereby they have prejudiced that cause they endeavoured to defend It would be well therefore for the time to come if the assertors of pedo-Pedo-Baptism on what bottom soever they builded store in this kind is no sore and the firmer it is that stands on so many foundations raise their own Reasons without opposing the arguments of others who agree with them in judgement though going by different ways to the end of the same place It is said of every Locust that marched in Gods Army they shall not thrust one another they shall walk every one in his path on Gods blessing let the assertors of Childrens Baptism what way soever they imbrace for the proof thereof proceed fairly and friendly in their own tract and leave off justling those who go next to them in another path Thus desiring Reader Gods blessing on thy perusing my weak pains I remain Thine in Christ Jesus THO. FULLER THE Infants Advocate CHAP. I. Of Circumcision What it was on whom by whom and when to be administred The Penalty of wilful Recusants there in CIRCUMCISION was the cutting off of a skin in those parts which nature hath covered with shame which might be spared without danger of life hinderance of generation or visible deformity The solemn Institution hereof we find Gen. 17. where it was commanded to Abraham and his seed before which time though allowing something Sacramental in the Tree of Life Ark c. the Church of God had Sacrifices but no constant and continuing Sacrament This Circumcision is subject to many carnal objections which corrupt Nature may urge against it First some accuse it as an immodest Ceremony whereas indeed no such wantons as such who pretend to more modesty then God commands If a strict enquiry should be made into their lives it is more then suspicious Eph. 5. 12. It would be a shame to speak of those things which are done by them in secret Others are offended at such Cruelty therein exercised on a small Infant as probably with the pain thereof might drive it into a Feavour It is answered that was cruelty indeed which wil-worship commanded superstitious Parents to afford to their Idols when 2 Kings 17. 31. They burnt their children in fire to the gods of Sephar Vaim Call not Circumcision Cruelty but what indeed it was Mercy Pity and Compassion that such who by nature were children of wrath and deserved damnation had by Gods mercy their sufferings commuted into the short pain of Circumcision Besides we are bound to believe that God doubled the guard of his providence to preserve such infants as were ordered according to his command Indeed if the Priests of Baal who with knives and lances cut themselves till the bloud gushed out 1 Kings 18. 28. I say if such superstitious Bedlams should have their wounds fester and gangreen they dyed felons de se and the Devils Martyrs seeing God never required it at their hands But if any infant miscarried under Circumcision the precedents whereof we conceive very rare being a divine ordinance and injunction the Parents might comfortably presume of the final good estate thereof who rendred his soul in service to Gods command Come we now to consider on whom Circumcision was to be administred These were all the males and only the males of Abrahams family Gen. 17. 13. All the Males 1. Born in his house 2. Bought for money In the latter observe a miraculous providence How many of these persons being taken prisoners and sold like beasts in the slave-market accounted themselves utterly undone for the losse of the life of their Life their Liberty What sighing what sobbing what grieving what groaning for their forlorn condition But oh Let them not sorrow that they are sold but rejoyce that Abraham hath bought them How had they been undone if they had not been undone Sold under sin for ever Rom. 7. 14. if not sold unto Abraham See here in some cases it is better to be a good mans slave then a great mans Son Only Males Object How cometh it to passe that so many as amount to the halfe of reasonable â—ouls were excluded the Sacrament If the Grecians Acts 6. 1. murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the ministration of Almes had not the weaker sex cause to grieve and grudge at men that neither their widows wives nor virgins were included in the administration of Circumcision Besides no Sacrament no Salvation Their not partaking of the sign might cause them to suspect the substance and question their title to Heaven and happiness Answ Before we come to the particular answer hereof be it premised that had God created at the first two distinct and absolute as to the mutual dependance each on other principles of mans being the one male the other female and had they both wilfully forfeited their integrity then some necessity might have been pretended that to Re-covenant them both both Sexes should have been signed with Circumcision But Divine providence otherwise ordered the matter only making man at the first and woman of the man This laid down we answer to the Objection though women were not formally they were vertually circumcised in the males What is done to the head none will deny done to the body The man therefore being the head of the woman 1. Cor. 11. such females as died in their virginity were circumcised in their Fathers such as survived to be married were circumcised in their husbands Their nearer relation one flesh swallowing up that which was more remote in their Father And thus all though not directly
which were admitted unto it before his is a less excellent Ministry he the Mediator of a worse Covenant upon worse promises seeing the same is not extended now as formerly to all ages Sexes and conditions of people children included under the Law being omitted therein Now though many Infants of Bethlehem and the coasts thereabouts Mat. â— suffered for him surely none suffered by him But he continued their condition as good yea and bettered the same by his Incarnation He who himself was a childe as well as a man and a childe before he was a man did tender and improve the condition of children as wel as of men and leaving this we now proceed to a second Reason out of Scripture CHAP. X. The Second Reason drawn from the birth-holinesse of Christian Infants OUr Second Reason out of Scripture is bottomed on S. Pauls expression 1 Cor. 7. 14. for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy Now because there is some difficulty about the meaning of the words we will be the larger in explaining the same It appears by the first verse in this chapter that the Corinthians by letter had requested from S. Paul solution and satisfaction to sundry Queries by them propounded Wonder not that they who 1 Cor. 1. 5. were commended by S. Paul to be enriched in all knowledge should now desire further instruction For first they had all knowledge but not all the degrees of knowledge Secondly they had all knowledge in fundamental necessaries to salvation not in all cases of occasional emergency such as their questions were Thirdly grant that even in these they had information before they now sue for further confirmation from the infallible spirit of the Apostle Alas will some say for the losse of this letter of the Corinthians to S. Paul Pitty it was that providence did not transmit the same to posterity How useful had it been for us if it had come into our hands Let such know first this their letter was no part of Canonical Scripture pen'd by a fallible Spirit Secondly we have still this letter in effect because we have Saint Pauls answers to the questions therein Thirdly men generally are more curious to enquire about those parts of Scripture which they suspect to have miscarried then careful to improve those which remain and are sufficient for our salvation Amongst these Questions this was not the easiest whether a believing husband or wife were to continue in wedlock with an unbelieving wife or husband if by providence it so came to passe that one was an Infidel the other a Christian The Negative no doubt seem'd probable to some and on this account that if he who is joyned to an Harlot is one body then by the same consequence Idolatry being spirituall whoredom Copulation with an infidel is unlawful and infectious But S. Paul in the foregoing verse determines the contrary That in case the Infidel is pleased to dwel with the believer they ought so to continue rendring a reason thereof in the words afore alledged for the believing husband c. The words contain 1. A Proposition 2. The proof thereof The Proposition is reciprocal it turneth and windeth backwards and forwards the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband the proof thereof is in the ensuing words else were your children unclean but now are they holy In the proposition the Cardinal word Sanctifie as being the main Hinge whereon the same turneth deserves our serious examination Sanctified here is not taken quoad personam to enholy the party so as to procure his or her eternal salvation If the holy Triumvirate of Noah Daniel and Job Ezek. 14. 20. could save neither son nor daughter but their sole selves from a temporal destruction much lesse can the sanctity of a Christian husband or wife operate so effectually on his or her Pagan Partner as to estate them in a saving condition Indeed the wives holy conversation may be instrumental to her husbands conversion 1 Pet. 3. 1. But it is God alone who sanctifies in this high acception thereof Sanctified then here is taken quoad usum that is eousque they are made holy so far in relation to Marriage that the christian may have a lawful and comfortable converse and cohabitation in bed and board with the counter-Pagan Thus all meats though some of them formerly forbidden as unlawful by the Levitical Law 1 Tim. 4. 5. are sanctified by the word of God and prayer that is the use of them is legitimated and they made healthful to the bodies and lawful to the souls of such praying Christians as feed upon them See we here first Grace where it came did not always take one and all in a family God in dispensing thereof dealeth as Jacob did in blessing Ephraim and Manasseh Gen. 48. 14. He crosseth his hands wittingly taking a husband out of one house a wife out of another a wife out of one house a husband out of another The reason hereof Mat. 11. 26. even so father because it pleaseth thee John 3. 8. the Spirit bloweth where it listeth Thus Amos 4. 7. the earth is often chequered with moisture and drought with barrennesse and fruitfulnesse the effects thereof I cause it to rain upon one city and not upon another Secondly Hence we may learn that Dominion is not founded in Grace Had it been so then the believing wives to unbelieving husbands had a just title to deny any obedience pleading that their husbands by their Paganism had forfeited all power over them yet the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. 1. enjoyneth subjection even to such husbands who did not obey the word and who as yet were without the word Lastly and chiefly hence we observe Mixt mariages made against Gods will do defile the Religious but continued according to Gods will do sanctifie the profane person Solomon may be a proof of the first 1 Kin. 11. 4. not converting his Idolatrous wives but perverted by them Namely because he crossed Gods commandment Deut. 7. 3. Neither shalt thou make Mariages with them and the reason is added for they will turn thee away from following me And although the husband was doubly advantaged both with his marital authority and a good cause on his side rather to prevail on his wife then to be imposed on by her yet because there was Laesum principium a fault in his first Match the edge was taken off from all his arguments to her and added to her arguments against him making them by Gods just judgement twice more piercing and powerful to seduce him Should then a Christian Man wilfully take a Heathen wife he could not pretend that his Christianity should sanctifie her Infidelity so far as to make his bed and board comfortable and lawful unto him because he crost a positive precept which enjoyns the believing party if
conscience been convinced of the truth thereof How might he have rejoyned Original sin cannot be proved from the Baptizing of Infants which is but a modern custome an innovation in the Church of God What the Sodomites said of Lot Gen. 19. 9. This one fellow came in to sojourn and will he needs be a judg may be said of Infants Baptism This custome is new and novel lately crept into the Chuch as yet rather a sojourner then an inhabitant therein and must this regulate matters in a judicial way so that arguments must be deduced from the same Besides I have been a Traveller and have conversed with most Churches in Christendome being born in Britaine a little world by it self I have been in the great world abroad Jew and Gentile East and Western Churches have I observed Hierusalem that was and Rome which is so eminent for Religion are places wherein I am well acquainted This I know some Churches observe others neglect some use others slight the Baptising of Infants Nor can it be accounted a general custom of the Church which is but local and partial in a word both NEW and NARROW as neither coming down from Christ nor extended over all Christendome But Pelagius endeavoured to evade S. Austins argument by another device namely by pleading that Baptism was admitted to Infants not to wash away their Original sin but to bring them to the kingdome of heaven A fancy which he was the first and he and his the last to maintain it The result of all is this Seeing Pelagius was so great a schollar knowing full well how to manage a bad cause to its best advantage and seeing he was so great a Traveller who had not eat his bread all in one place but had roved up and down to know the customes of the Church and yet feeing by his silence urging nothing against it and by his shifting seeking otherwise to evade it he acknowledgeth the truth of Infants Baptism we conclude the same in his days received for an Ancient and Universal practice of the Church For why should he adventure the breaking of his bones or at leastwise the bruising of his flesh by leaping out of the window who hath a wide door set open unto him Why should he make so poor and pittiful so base and beggerly an escape to avoid S. Austins argument against him by forming a frivolous fancy of his own who had a ful free and fair passage at pleasure to go forth durst he but have denied the Baptizing of Infants to have been a general Church custome in his time To conclude this point the argument of Jephthah to the King of Ammon carrieth great weight therewith Judg. 11. 26. proving Israels right to the Land which they possest and the Ammonites pretended unto When Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns and in Aroer and her towns and in all the cities that be along by the coasâ—s of Aâ—â—on three hundred years why there fore did ye not recover them within that time In like manner may we urge it against the adversaries of childrens Baptism If the Ancient Church conceived the Baptizing of Infants an usurpation and incroachment injurious and unlawful why did not the Church of God in so long a time cast out the custome which made so unjust an invasion therein For S. Austin lived about the fift Century after Christ when Pedo-baptism was in a peaceable passission of Church practice and Pelagius himself sufficiently impudent was so modest and ingenious not to deny the same though such a denial had conduced much to his own advantage I have done when I have told the Reader that S. Austin brought the Baptizing of Infants as an argument to prove Original sin and in our age wherein Original sin is on ought to be granted by all we alledge the same as a reason to prove the necessity of Infants Baptism and surely so solid is the argument reciprocally that both may be firmly grounded on the same CHAP. XVI The Grand Objection drawn from the silence of Scripture herein Answered OUr Adversaries in this point gain not a greater advantage against us amongst common people then by urging of that which indeed we confesse no literal precept or practice for Pedo-baptism in Scripture By popular improving of which argument they not only gain to themselves the reputation of a strict adherence to the Word and will of God but also asperse us with the dangerous imputation of wil-worship and Popish inclinations Yea which is more they threaten us with a curse pronounced Rev. 22. 18. If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this book In Answer whereunto In the first place we request our Adversaries to remember that this place by them cited out of the Revelation like a two edged sword cuts on both sides for it followeth immediatly And if any shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the book of life See here a curse incurr'd as well by the defect as the excesse And be it reported to our opposites in this point whether denying such consequences which infallibly flow from Scripture be not taking away from the words as well as mutilating or abstracting the numerical words from the same More particularly I answer Baptizing of Infants appears not to such who only read the Scripture but is plainly visible to those who also search the Scriptures which John 5. 39. is the duty of all judicious Christians as by reasons out of Scripture we have made it to appear Here will it not be amisse to mind our adversaries in this point that they account themselves concerned in conscience to believe and practice many things as necessary to salvation which notwithstanding are built on the same foundation with the Baptism of Infants namely not on the expresse letter of Scripture but undeniable consequences arising from the same But I conceive such instancing though lawful yet not expedient in this unhappy juncture of time lest Satan get an advantage over us for we are not ignorant of his devices and lest such instancing though intentionally good in us prove occasionally evil to others by casting scruples into mens consciences who are quiet for the present There needs more allaying of old then raising of new jealousies in divinity more needful to settle then scatter mens belief in our dayes wherein so many deniers and more doubters in most Articles of Faith Indeed the words of the wise Eccles 12. 11. are as goads or as nailes fastened by the masters of the assemblies But such builders must be wary lest whilest they fasten one nail they do not loosen another However to prove this point I will embrace a way as sure to clear the matter and more safe not having any dangerous influence on the times This may be done by removing the instance from our age and fixing the same in the time of Gods