se habeant quae insania est paucis de Filio Spiritie Sancto commutatis quae apertam blasphemiam praeferebant caetera ita ut fâ—ripta sunt protuliste in medium impia voce laudâsse cum utique illa ista de uno impietatis fonte processerint D. Hieron ad Avitum Tom. 2. Col. 218. A. B. Paucisque testimoniis de Filio Dei Spiritu Sancto commutatis quae sciebas diâ—plicitura Romanis caetera usque ad finem integra dimisisti hoc idem faciens in Apologia quasi Pamphili quod in Origenis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translatione fecisti D. Hieron l. 1. Apolog. adv Ruffinum Tom. 2. Col. 296. B. for his overmuch fidelity in translating some of Eusebius and Origens works and changing onely some few things concerning the Son and the Holy Ghost likely to grate upon Roman ears and letting the rest go intire and publishing them so as they were written Besides what should move Ruffinus to falsifie Origen in this place How came he concern'd to make any such Interpolation what advantage to himself or any party could he intend herein But what if after all this that piece of Origen on Rom. were translated by St. Hierom himself and this be owned by him in his Epistle to Heraclius prefixt before the Commentary why then all the dust about Ruffinus his corrupting of Origen in this particular vanishes into smoke and we have St. Hieroms Authority as Dr. Dr. Hammond Inf. Bapt. §. 42. †Cum igitur constet Anabaptistas agi sanatico spiritu non moveat nos corum autoritas ut discedamus à communi consenâ—is veteris Ecclesiae de baptizandis infantibus Nam vetustissimi Sâ—riptores Ecclesiastiâ—i probant baptismum infantium Otigenes enim in 6 cap. ad Rom. sic scribit Itaque Ec clesia ab Apostolis traditionem accepit etiam parvulis dare baptismum Sciebant enim illi quibus secreta divinorum mysteriorum commissa sunt quod essent in omnibus genuinae sordes pâ—ccati quae per aquam spiritum abolere deberent Haec sunt Origenis verba in quibus utrumque testatur baptizari infantes consequi eos per baptismum remissionem peccati originalis hoc est reconciliari eos Deo Melancth Loc. Com. de Baptismo Hammond saith to secure us that these are Origens words And that Origens words they are †Melancthon doth expresly say And lastly why Origen should be so much as suspected to be corrupted in this Place unless in some other of his writings he had declared himself to the contrary which I see not pretended is no easie thing to say and the suggestion of it is nothing else but a miserable shift of persons enslaved to an Hypothesis and resolved to say any thing how irrational and groundless soever for the maintaining of it And though this place were laid by as likewise that of his in Levit. yet whilest his 14 Homil. on Luke of unquestion'd Authority shall be extant there will be a witness of Origens to be produced for Infants Baptism Lastly for Cyprian his not urging it as an Apostolical Tradition or Precept doth not prove it was none However his delivering his Judgment for Infants baptism is a sure evidence that he thought neither Scripture precept nor Apostles practice nor Church Tradition was against it And it cannot be thought a private opinion which was so early concluded in a Council of no fewer than 66 Bishops And though H. D. meets with no such Council nor can tell where it was held yet St. Augustine doubtless was satisfied concerning the truth of it and St. Hierom too or else he would never have appealed to its Authority in the case Nor does St. Cyprians mentioning it to be defined in a Council prove it no Apostolical Tradition because it was delivered for an Apostolical tradition before that Council Nor was it properly Infants Baptism that was defined in that Council but whether Infants might be baptized before the eighth day Whether the grounds upon which that Councils Conclusion was grounded wear weak and frivolous as they are confidently enough said to be is not now under my consideration though to wiser persons than I they may for ought I know seem strong and weighty but whether they did so conclude or no which so good a witness as St. Cyprian is sufficient to prove Nor do I find it so much contradicted by his great Master Tertullian whom he so much reverenced who disputed Inf. Bapt. Par. 2. chap. 7. indeed against the hastening but not against the lawfulness of Infants baptism to which disputation I have given an Answe in part and Mr. Wills more fully And therefore I shall rather believe St. Cyprian himself declaring himself to be for Infants Baptism then Baronius if he assert or suggest that he was against it And if other things have been fathered on Cyprian yet till that Epistle of his to Fidus be demonstrated to be spurious which H. D. doth not tell us is yet done no not by Daille himself I shall presume it is his own And well may having it own'd for his by two so early and eminent Authors as St. Augustine and St. Hierom †Beatus quidem Cyprianus non aliquod decrecum condens novum sed Ecclesiae fidem firmissimam servans ad corrigendum cos qui putabant ante oâ—tavum diem nativitatis non esse parvulum baptizandum non carnem sed animam dixit esse perdendam mox natum rite baptizari posse cum suis quibusdam cocpiscopis censuit D. Aug. Ep. 28 ad Hieron Tom. 2. Col. 108. B. the former of which in his Epistle to Hierom appeals to it * Ac me putes haeretico sensu hoc intelligere beatus Martyr Cyprianus cujus te in Scripturarum testimoniis digerendis amulum gloriaris in Epistola quam scribit ad Episcopum Fidum de Infantibus haptizandis haec memorat Porro autem si etiam gravissimis delictoribus c. D. Hieron l. 3. adv Pelag. Tom. 2. Col. 47. C. the latter in his third book against the Pelagians not onely doth that but transcribes a considerable part of it Nor shall I ever the unwillinger receive from him a Catholick Verity for his having held other I will not say with H. D. corrupt and Antichristian Tenents which I should tremble to say or think of so pious a person and eminent a Martyr but private opinions as Tertullians and Gr. Nazianzens for the delay of Infants Baptism are said to have been which if no worse than that of the Churches being founded upon Peter and that sprinkling might serve in stead of baptizing in both which I can assure the Reader he hath good company may prove not to deserve so heavy a censure nor he for them to be adjudged a Notable Factor for Antichrist and one in whom the mystery of iniquity did strongly work which is a character strangely inconsistent with that estimate that by the Catholick
Church has been made of him both in the times he lived in and in those that succeeded as may appear by what Gr. Nazianzen saith in his Oration of him and what Baronius and others record concerning him in memory of whose pious life and glorious death Temples were built an Altar erected and a Festival observed And this with men of Reason and Modesty may suffice to have been said in Vindication of those Primitive Witnesses and their Testimonies He that is not satisfied herewith may find more for his satisfaction in Mr. Wills of Inf. Bapt Part. 2. ch 3. p. 125 c. One thing more I shall beg the favour of saying and then conclude the Readers trouble and that is that I have not urged all the Arguments that are or might be insisted on in this dispute so that if all I have said on these grounds should chance to signifie nothing yet still is the cause neither desperate nor deplorable there being behind Reserves of other Auxiliary forces for its succour and support But why then did I not insist on them Partly because I thought what I have said to be enough and was loth to be troublesome with more and partly because those Arguments have already Mr. Baxter Stephens Sydenham Geree Wills c. been managed by other Writers with great diligence and dexterity so that it seemed needless for me to concern my self in them As for those I have used they are the same mostly that were used by Dr. Taylor and Dr. Hammond which because I thought very good yet as delivered by them not so well adapted to vulgar capacities by reason of the too much abstruseness of the language of the one and too much floridness of the style of the other as to do that good on ignorant souls which they intended therefore I have sent them abroad again in a vulgar dress and country habit accommodated for language and style as near as I could and the matter would bear to mean capacities so as to be intelligible by the ignoranter sort who have most need of instruction as being most liable to temptation and whose information conviction and satisfaction I have chiefly and even almost solely aimed at in these Papers yet Adding withal some things of my own and somewhat Improving what was theirs And if I have at any time exalted my Pen it has been merely for the refreshment of some Readers who would else have been tyred with too long a continuation of one strain and that too but the dull hum of a Country drone and for that if it be criminous I beg and hope the Readers pardon Et jam defessus lampada trado FINIS A Table of the Contents CHAP. 1. THe Text. The occusion of the words The doctrine gathered from it and proved Pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of the children that are to be suffered to come to Christ Infants 4 Chap. 3. What children are to be suffered to come unto Christ 5 Chap. 4. What coming of little children unto Christ is to be suffered 12 Chap. 5. The interpretation of the Text vindicated 20 Chap. 6. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their early consecration there by unto God 26 Chap. 7. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their being brought thereby into Covenant with God 32 Chap. 8. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of the Vow they are brought under by it 37 Chap. 9. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of the care that by others is taken of them upon it pag. 48 Chap. 10. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their being thereby united unto Christ 53 Chap. 11. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their being made thereby the children of God 73 Chap. 12. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their being made thereby Heirs of Heaven 80 Chap. 13. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard of their being thereby made partakers of grace 90 Chap. 14. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard that by it they are consigned unto a resurrection 103 Chap. 15. Baptism beneficial unto children in regard they are saved by it 108 Chap. 16. Childrens need of baptism in râ—gard of its efficacy to take off the guilt of original sin 118 Chap. 17. Childrens need of baptism in regard of their being under the guilt of sin 125 Chap. 18. Childrens need of baptism further shewn from the consideration of the evil nature and evil consequents of original sin 136 Chap. 19. Childrens baptism not to be neglected upon presumption that God can or will save them without their being baptized pag. 144 Chap. 20. Childrens need of baptism shewn from six other considerations 151 Chap. 21. Children not incapable of baptism in regard of their bodily weakness 161 Chap. 22. Children not incapable of baptism in regard of their having sin in them 168 Chap. 23. Children not incapable of baptism in regard of their not believing 172 Chap. 24. Children not incapable of being baptized in regard of any thing required of them in baptism 184 Chap. 25. Children not incapable of baptism by any text of Scripture that forbids it either directly or by consequence 194 Chap. 26. Childrens Right to baptism by the constitution of this Church and custom of the Catholick Church 219 Chap. 27. The Catholick Churches custom to baptize Infants 224 Chap. 28. Infants baptism a Tradition Apostolical 287 Chap. 29. Infants baptism an Apostolical Practice 292 Chap. 30. Childrens right to baptism by the Institution of Christ 303 Chap. 31. Infants baptism lawfull though there were neither Command for it nor Example of it pag. 331 Chap. 32. Infants baptism no addition to the Word of God The Scriptures objected on that account considered cleared 340 Chap. 33. The Scriptures silence no proof of our Saviours not commanding the baptizing of Infants 368 Chap. 34. The Scriptures silence no proof of the Apostles baptizing no Infants 375 Chap. 35. The Argument from the sixth Article of our Church answered 384 Chap. 36. A Reply to an Answer made by H. D. to the Objection from the no express Command or Example in Scripture of Womens receiving the Lords Supper referring to Chap. 31. Sect. 9. 396 Chap. 37. The Conclusion of this Discourse with a Reprehension Caution and Exhortation 403 A Postscript 409 The END
A Modest Plea FOR INFANTS BAPTISM Wherein the Lawfulness of the Baptizing of INFANTS is defended against the ANTIPAEDOBAPTISTS And the Infants Need for it Benefit by it Capableness of it and Right unto it Is fairly shown from Grounds of Scripture the Tradition of the CHURCH and the Institution of CHRIST With Answers to Objections By W. W. B. D. Commendaverim Charitati vestrae causam eorum quâ— pro se loqui non possunt D. Aug. Ser. 8. de Verb. Apost CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Hayes Printer to the University and are to be sold by Henry Dickinson Bookseller 1677. To the Right worshipful Mr. Robert Cole Alderman of Grantham And to the worshipful The Twelve Comburgesses his Brethren And to all the worthy Commoners of that ancient Corporation WILLIAM WALKER Wisheth all temporal Prosperity and eternal Felicity Right Worshipful c. THe singular Favours Which you have shewed to me do merie a gratefull acknowledgement from me In testimony therefore of my obligations I dedicate unto you this Treatise May it prove what I design it a lasting monument of your generosity and my gratitude Through Gods blessing on the conjoyn'd erdeavours pious care and prndent conduct of Magistrate and Ministir your Corporation now is as Jerusalem of old was as a City that is at unity in it self A rare blessing that at all times but especially in dividing times Few Corporations in England cawboast the like God continue that happiness to you and to yours after you from generation Thereto if these Papers of mine be in any measure contributory as I do most sincercly wish it so I shall most heartily rejoyce at it as being one who takes a great pleasure in the Prosperity of your Corporation and no less in being serviceable in any manner or measure to it So begging your kind acceptance of my good meaning in this Dedication and wishing a perpetuation and inorease of Vnity and Amity and all the blessed Consequents thereof among you I present these Papers to your favour and remain Grantham School Aug. 1. 1676. Your most humble Servant WILLIAM WALKER The Preface to the READER OF all Dissenters from the Church of England none seem to lie under stronger Prejudices than the Antipaedobaptists as having so seemingly fair Pleas to make both for Themselves and against their Opponents and that both from Scripture Text and Ecclesiastick Practice as few of their fellow Dissenters can parallel With the more favour and kindness in my thoughts are their Persons precisely considered as such to be treated and with the more fairness and clearness ought those Endeavours which are undertaken for the removal of their Prejudiees to be managed And this may be a sufficient Account for that Prolixity which some may think there is and for that Plainness which I have studied there should be in these ensuing Papers especially if I shall add thereto this Consideration that the Persons lying under these Prejudices and whose rescue from under the captivity of Errour is the wish of all good Christians are mostly such as are to be spoke to in Vulgar language and Familiar speech as not having had those advantages of a learned education which should make them capable to sound the depths of profound performances unravel the windings of intricate discourses and keep pace in understanding with a high tide of big words and a rolling torrent of strong lines in which way to him that speaketh they will be but as Barbarians and he that speaketh shall be but a Barbarian unto them Whence by the way I shall take occasion to admonish those that read Books onely for the elegance of the language and cannot relish the wholsome food of soâ—â—â— matter unless it be served up in the savoury sauce of a piquant Phrase and set out with the specious garnish of a florid style to proceed no further as being not likely to find herein that sparkling briskness of Expression nor pleasing flavour of Elocution which suits the Tasts of their delicate palates as also to advise others of deeper learning and profounder knowledge not to expect from me new discoveries of hitherto unrevealed mysteries and fresh-sprung mines of as yet unravish'd and unrifled notions whose design in these Papers is not at all to teach the Learned but to instruct the Ignorant and that in all humility and submission as being conscious to my self of my manifold ignorances and imperfections and seeing even what I see but through a glass and that darkly And further to prevent any man's sinning against God by rashly judging or uncharitably censuring me about the quorations in these Papers which are many and large I declare that my ends in making them were to give strength and credit to the cause I maintain by shewing it espoused by persons of reputation for learning and judgment in their several ages and to free my self from the imputation of novelty and singularity in any thing maintained by me and that I made them so large partly to prevent suspicion of insincerity in my dealings and partly to furnish some with apposite testimonies Who may not have those conveniences of consulting Authors that I have had And let not any one think these quotations needless because the Antipae do baptists reject all authority but that of Scripture For I write not onely for the conviction and conversion of them but also for the satisfaction and confirmation of others Of whom some may have such a value for tradition as to be much confirmed by it others may think it so necessary as not to be satisfied without it And for their sakes according to the advice in Vincent Lirinensis I have been willing to fortifie the â—ape igitur magno studio sumkind attentione perquirens à quam pluribus sanctitate doctrinâ prastantibus viris quonam modo possim certa quâdam quasi generall ac regulari viâ Catbolicae fidei veritatem ab haereticae pravitatis falsitate discernere bujusmodi semper responsum ab omnibus fere retuli Quod five ego sive quis alius vellet exurgentium baereticorum fraudes deprehendere laqueosque vitare in fide sanâ sanus integer permanere duplici modo munire fidem suam Domino adâ—uvante deberet Primò scilicet divine leg is authoritate tum deinde Ecclesiae Catholicae traditione Hic forsitan requirat aliquis cum sit perfectus Scripturarum Canon sibique ad omnia satis superque sufficiat quid opus est ut ei Ecclesiasticae intelligentiae jungatur autoritas Quia videlicet scripturam sacram pro ipsâ suâ altitudine non uno codemq sensu universi accipiunt sed ejusdem eloquia aliter atq aliter alius atque alius interpretatur ut pene quot homines sunt tot lllinc sententiae erui posse videantur Aliter namque illam Novatianus aliter Photinus aliter Sabellius aliter Donatus exponit c. atq idcirco multum necesse est propter tantos tam varii error is ansractus ut
retentam est non nisi Aâ—â—boritate dpoâ—lâ—lica traditum reâ—issime crediâ—â—r D. Aug. de Bapt. â—oâ—tra Donat l. 4. c. 24. therefore it is most rightly behaved in St. Augustines judgment to be delivered by Authority Apostolical c Co â—suâ—tuâ—o â—amcn matris Ecclesiae in baptiâ—â—an 〈◊〉 parvulis nâ—quaq â—amspernenda câ—t ni que ullâ— mâ—dâ— supersluâ— dep it inâ—â— ner omnino credâ—â—da nisâ—â—â—â—stolica esse traditiv D Aug. l. 10. de Genes al Literan c. 2â— This reading isasserâ—ed and vindicated by Dr. Sâ—illing flâ—â—â— Vindic. of A. B. of Cant. part 1. c. 4. p. 108. nor saith he is it to be believed to be any other but an Apostolical Tradition which it seems it was so apparent then to be that the Pâ—la 〈…〉 s themselves upon that account did yield that Infants were to be baptized though they would not yield it upon the account of any original sin in them because saith he they cannot go against the Authority of the Universal Church del vered d Parvulos baptizandos esse conâ—â—dant quia contra authoritarem universae Ecclesiae proculdubio per Dominum Apostolos traditam venire non possunt D. Aug. l. 1. de pecc merit remiss without doubt by the Lord and his Apostles And accordingly Origin testifies that the Church did receive from the Apostles e Ecclesia ab Apostolis traditionem susccpit etiam parvulis baptismum dare Origen l. 5. in â—p ad Roman a Tradition for the baptizing of Infants And so when the Author of the Ecclesiastick Hierarchy reports Infants Baptism to have been brought down to his Time from ancient Tradition f Hoc quoque de hac re dicimus quod divini nostri ponrisices à veteribus acceptum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis tradiderunt Aiunt cnim id quod ctiam verum est pucros si â—n sancto instituto ac lege instituan â—ur ad sanctam animi constitutionem perventuros esse ab omni errore solutos ac liberos sine ullo impurae vitae periâ—â—lo Hoc cum in mentem venisseâ— divinis nostris praeccptoribus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admitti pueros hoc sancto modo Dionys Areopag l. de Eccles Hierarch cap. ult and saith that when it came into the mind of our divine Guides that children being brought up in a holy law would lead their life in holiness it pleased them that Infants should be admitted to it after that holy manner there by him described Maximus his Scholiast interprets those Divine Guides to be the Apostles And so Ph. Meloncthon g Baptismum infantium constat à veteribus Scriptoribus Ecclesiae probari Nam Origines Augustinus scribunt ab Apostolis receprum esse Melancthon Concil Theolog. part 1. p. 59. names both Origen and Augustin as avouchers hereof And whereas the Antipaedobaptists in Mr. Calvins time made the simple believe that for many years together after the resurrection of Christ Infants Baptism was unknown in that saith he they telled a most soul lie for as much as there is no so ancient writer as doth not of a certainty refer the original thereof unto the Apostles h Quod autem apud simplicem vulgum disseminant longam annorum seriem post Christi resurrectionem praeteriisse quibus incognitus erat paedobaptismus in co faedissime menâ—iuntur siquidcm nullus est scriptor tam verustus qui non cjus originâ—m ad Apostolorum scculum pro certo reserat Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 16. Sect. 8. Age. § 5. So that I shall no further labour by the Testimony of Ecclesiastical Writers to prove the Tradition to have been Apostolical but rather go on to make it evident to you from the Testimony of the Sacred Scriptures that it was the Practice of the Apostles a thing done by some or all of them to baptize Infants Not that I can produce any Text which expresly saith they did so that must not be expected from me out of these writings which we have of the Apostles one such expres testimony would end the strise on all hands but that I shall name some Scripture Texts from which it may very probably at least be gathered if it cannot be demonstratively concluded that they did baptize Infants And yet by the way meâ—hmks even a probable Intimation of any Apostolick Practice from the Scriptuâ—e backt with so full and positive an Affirmation of it by the Catholick Church as hath been produced should be enough to sway the judgment and carry the Assent of any modest nquirer thereinto next to if not as good as a Demonstrative Argument CHAP. XXIX Infants Baptism an Apostâ—lical Practice § 1. Now for Practive We read in the Scripture of several hâ—ush Ids baptized at once as Lydia and her houshold Acts 16. 15. and the Jaylor and his houshold ib. 33. and the houshold of Stephanas 1 Cor. 1. 16. and all these by St. Paul And it is not to be doubted but the other Apostles walked in the same steps with him and did as he did receiving unto Proselytism whole housholds by baptizing them And no marvel if they did sometimes baptize whole housholds who were commisâ—ionated to baptize all nations § 2. Now though it be not expressed there were any Infants in those or any of those houses yet first it is very strange there should be none in any of them as if the grace of God had delighted to take place and dwell chiefly in barren families who should be in least probability of propagating it to posterity at a time when its propagation seems to have been the design of all the persons in the Trinity and secondly if there weâ—e any it is certain that being not excepted they were baptized Which probability though the Antipa dobaptists who cannot deny it do yet think they sufficiently conâ—ute by laughing at it is not so altogether improbable nor will be found so to be when it shall appear that it was the manner of the Jews to baptize the Infants of the Proselyte Converts as well as themselves and that the Christian Baptism founded therein made no variation therefrom in that particular Of which more anon § 3. But to come to that which I chiefly purpose to insist on St. Paul tells the Corinthians See Dr. Hâ—mmond of Inf. Bapt. Sec. 31. to Sec. 39. and Defence of Inf. Baptism pag. 101. pag. 58. to pag. 66. 1 Cor. 7. 14. that the unbeliâ—ving husband had beâ—n sanctisied by the nife and the unbelieving wife by the husband and that otherwise their children had been unclean whereas now saith he they are holy Now this Text rightly rendred and understood is a full evidence for Insants Baptism by the very Apostles themselves or those whom they themselves appointed to baptize which comes all to one The word which in the English we render is sanctified is if rightly rendered hath been sanctisied So the Tense of the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
not expressed in their extant writings that they did so § 2. Aâ—e all things written in the Scriptures that all the Twelve Apostles did in all places where they came and preached gathered and setled Churches Yea how little is there written of what was done by any of them And how many are there of them of whom there is nothing written at all neither what they did nor whither they went nor what became of them Did they nothing of whose doings nothing is written who are at least one half of the whole number of the Apostles And if they did any thing as sure enough they would be doing they might as well do that baptize Infants as any thing else for any thing that is written And where we find Infants Baptism in a Church planted by an Apostle as in Musâ—ovia Christianized by St. Andrew or in India by St. Thomas Why may we not think that planted there by that Apostle as well as other Christian Customs or Constitutions though in the Scripture there be a deep silence as to the whole Story And there is as good proof that they did not any thing else of all those things which our Saviour commanded them as that they did not that because no more is written of any thing else that they did than of that which is just nothing at all § 3. And they of whose doings any thing is written did they no more than just what was written Were they so exact in keeping and publishing Diaries of all their actions Not a word said not a deed done but what was book'd down How many persons do you read of that were baptized by Paul in all that time that he continued preaching the Gospel and planting the Church of Christ at Rome And do ye think none were baptized by him or at his command all the while Can there be a Church founded and formed up without baptism And if any were baptized where is it written in Scripture who what or how many they were Again do ye think the Saints at Rome did never commemorate the death of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist If yea what mention is there of it in Scripture In what book chapter verse is it to be read No doubt both the one and the other Sacrament was by Pauls instructing and ordering received there and yet is the Scripture profoundly silent as to any such thing And who now will be so silly as from the Scriptures silence to draw a negative conclusion and say no such thing was done there because the Scripture says nothing of the doing of it The like may be said of other Apostles and the Churches planted by them § 4. Unless therefore that which is written were a perfect register of all that was done by all and every one of the Apostles as it is not of the doings of either all or one half or any one of them it cannot be proved that no one of them did any thing or appointed any thing to be done for instance to baptize Infants because it is not extant in those few scanty memoires and intimations rather than relations of some actions of some few of them written for the most part occasionally which are come to our hands that any one of them dâ—d it They might therefore do it though their doing of it be not expresly written in the Scriptures § 5. And that they did it or however so far delivered their mind concerning it that done it was and upon the account of their authority is most credible Because the Practice thereof is and has been looked on in all the Ages of the Church succeeding that wherein they lived as a Tradition of theirs And that Tradition from them is as credibly avouched to us as their writing those several Fpistles and Gospels which we receive for their writings and look upon as the word of God And we may as well receive the one upon that Tradition as the other and with as good reason reject the one as the other We have the Testimony of the Church for the one and we have but the Testimony of the Church for the other And if we may believe the Church when it tells us the Apostles wrâ— those Books why may we not as well believe it when it tells us the Apostles ordered that thing And if it be of no credit in the latter let our adversaries consider whether they do not by so saying derogate from and destroy all its credit in the former And so the matter is at last come to this that either we must have no new Testament Scriptures or else we must have Infants baptism The new Testament and this Sacrament of it must for ought I see ever stand and fall together both standing upon one bottom Catholick Tradition which must bear up both or neither not being able to support the one if it cannot support the other also § 6. I will not say but that some few one or two for many hundreds of years may have thought it not necessary to be administred so soon as in the prime of Infancy unless in case of death But their not thinking it necessary then is a sufficâ—ent evidence of their opinion of its lawfulness at other times For what is not lawfull at other times cannot be necessary even then § 7. And what ever reason we find any of the Ancients had to think it fitter to defer it I am of opinion we shall never find the unlawfulness of it to have been any of their reasons Tertullian thought the deferring of it Quid enim necesse est Sponsores etiam periculo ingeri quia ipsi per mortalitatem destituere promissiones suas possunt proventu malae indolis falli Tert. de Bapt. was more profitable but not the doing of it unlawful to be sure he does not say so And what 's his reason against the necessity of it That the Godfathers might not be brought into danger of failing in their undertaking by their own mortality or the Infants untowardness The deferring of it might then be prudential but that makes not the doing of it unlawfull And if he thought it prudential to defer it others as judicious as he have thought it no less prudence to hasten it And so his opinion in that case signifies nothing as to our present concern § 8. Perhaps some might think it prudence to defer it to avoid the exposing of so sacred an administration to the jeers of profane scoffers Dionysius the Areopagite mentions Eccl. Hier. c. 12. some such in his days as jeer'd at the Sureties being interrogated and answering in the Infants name And no doubt there are now such in our days as think that practice ridiculous enough But still be it as ridiculous as any has imagined it that renders it not unlawfull And if every thing must be laid by that any will think ridiculous we shall have little left either of our Worship or Doctrine When some heard of the Resurrection they
I beseech you Brethren a word of Exhortation Be perswaded to bring and suffer your little children to come to Christ Do ye not see Christ calling little children to him And how can ye then forbear bringing them unto him Do ye not hear him pronouncing them such as the kingdom of Heaven consisteth of and how can ye then any longer forbear entring them into his kingdom Do ye not observe him commanding that little children be suffered to come to him And how can ye then have the hearts to hinder them from coming to him O suffer little children to go to their Saviour who hath his arms wide open to receive them O forbid not Infants coming to Jesus who hath his hands stretched out to bless them O bring your children O carry your Infants to Christ who for their salvation did himself become an Infant and pass through the state of Childhood Suffer them to be made partakers of his grace by being baptized with water who that they might be made partakers of his glory was baptized with blood Consider the Benefit your children may have by Baptism and let that move you to have them baptized Consider the Need your Children have of Baptism and let that excite you to their baptizing Consider your Childrens Capableness for Baptism and let that perswade you to baptize them What shall I say more Consider your Childrens Right to Baptism and let that prevail with you not to suffer them to go unbaptized Shall the Constitution of this particular Church be of no force to move you Shall the Practice of the Catholick Church have no power to work with you Shall the Tradition of the Apostles of Christ be of no moment to induce you Yea shall the Institution of Christ himself have no prevalency in it to perswade you To conclude if not out of sense of your childrens misery yet out of conscience of your own duty if not that you may save your Children yet that you may not damn * Denique terrere nos summopere debet damnatio illa vindicem fore Dcum siquis foederis symbolo filium insignire conteâ—â—at quod co contemptu oblata gratia respâ—atur quasi ejuretur Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 16. S. 9. your selves if not out of regard to the Authority of the Church yet out of obedience to the command of Christ be so just to the fruit of your own bodies be so charitable to the issue of your own bowels as to suffer your little Children to come unto Christ and forbid them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 2. 14. A Postscript TAking notice of some attempts made by H. D. to take away the strength of the Argument from Ecclesiastick Tradition and Catholick Practice by decrying the Persons of four or five of the earliest Witnesses we have thereof as erroneous or their Writings as spurious and supposititious I think fit here to speak something in vindication of them which I could not so conveniently insert into and interweave with that part of my Discourse where their Testimonies were appealed unto And first in general I cannot but think it very unreasonable that Persons and Writings generally received for Genuine and Orthodox in those things wherein they did anciently agree with the Catholick Church should for the upholding of any modern Party in their differences from the Catholick Church be thrown by as erroneous and Heteredox Persons and as Fabulous and Fictitious Writings For if to say such an Author was Erroneous in his judgment or practice and held or did some things which any now through prejudice and prepossession rather than any just reason not knowing the true ground and genuine original thereof shall call erroneous or superstitious or that he was a Factor for Antichrist and that the mystery of iniquity did work strongly in him though a Confessor of though a Martyr for Christ be enough to blow away his Credit and blast his Reputation and take away all Authority from his Testimony in any case of Difference which a private Person or Party hath with the Catholick Church about matters of Doctrine Worship or Discipline if to say any Writing of any Father or Ecclesiastick Author is supposititious or corrupted in any point of present difference without demonstrable proof that it is so in it self or was so esteemed and accounted in the Church before the arising of that difference be enough to take away the Credit of all testimony given by that writing What Authors what Writings shall we have left unquestioned to appeal unto for testimony to the Truth and support of Religion For how many must be laid by or shrewdly purged by the Papists for being in their sense guilty of Heresie How many by the Protestants for suspicion of Popery How many by those who are for Episcopacy as favouring Presbytery and the pretended Discipline How many by the Presbyterians and Independents as for asserting Episcopacy and the Hierarchy How many by the Anabaptists for proving Infants Baptism How many by the Quakers for vindicating the Scriptures and Tradition How many by the Socinians for holding the Deity of Christ and the Holy Ghost and their Unity with the Father And how many by the Orthodox Christians for countenancing Socinianism or Enthusiasm How many by the Calvinists for being Arminian and how many by the Arminians for being Calvinistical Where shall we have a Father left where shall we have a Writing left wherâ— shall we have a Council left that must not upon the differences of some or other of the Parties be cashired and laid by as an unfaithfull and an unsufficient witness in the case and then what shall we have left to vindicate our Religion and Faith against Jews Turks and Pagans withall who will credit that Religion which is professed by such erroneous and superstitious Persons who will believe that Faith that is delivered and taught in such forged and corrupted writings who will receive any writings for the word of God upon the testimony of such fallacious and deceitful men Thus shall the whole concerns of Christianity be sacrificed to the interest of a Party O tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest both the daughters of the circumcised rejoyce and the daughters of the â—ncircumcised too triumph Secondly in particular if the Author of the Ecclesiastick Hierarchy were pretended by us to be that Dionysius the Areopagite that lived in the Apostles days much of what is alledged might perhaps really lie against him But when his time is laid much lower even about the third Century there will be no reason for such hideous out-cry of horrid cheat as is made against him For it being questioned as Dr. Hammond informs us * Dr. Hammond Quare of the Bapt. of Infants §. 43. about the year 420 whether these were the Genuine Works of that Dionysius and Theodorus Presbyter alledging the Arguments on both sides it must needs follow that he must be an Author before that