this we Answer At that time when Christ spake these words none could be baptized that did not actually believe or at least actually profess himself a Believer But distinguenda sunt Tempora At that time there was no such thing as Children of Believers to baptize for there were no Believers except only some few in Iudea The Apostle at the 15. Verse had a Commission given to go forth into all the world and to Preach the Gospel to every creature and as many as they could convert those they were to baptize and no other Nothing so certain as that they neither would nor ought to baptize any before they were fully converted and made a profession not only of their faith but of their desire to be baptized Act. 8.96 as we find the Eunuch did But afterwards the case was otherwise when Nations came to be converted Churches setled and Christianity propagated from the Father to the Son Then Act. 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 the promise being made to them and their Children And the Children themselves being holy as born of believing Parents and within the Covenant they are certainly not less capable of being admitted into the Christian Church as Members thereof by the right of baptism which St. Paul calls the circumcision of Christ then the Israelitish Infants were of being admitted into the Jewish Church Col. 2.11.12 by the right of circumcision He then that duely considers this passage togegether with the circumstances that ought to be considered of the time when and reason why it was spoke will I think be as inclinable to conclude any thing therefrom as that it was intended as a prohibition of Baptism to the Children of believing parents or that any such thing can concludingly be inferr'd from it A third Argument they bring against infant-Infant-baptism grounded upon this Reason Arg. 3 There is no plain and express Precept in all the Scripture for the doing of it nor no example so manifest as to evince it was ever done therefore the doing of it is unlawful Answer To this I answer That this Proposition Whatsoever is not commanded in Gods word may not be done is not true My reason is because the contrary unto it is so whatsoever is not forbidden in the Word of God may be done for where there is no Law Ro. 4.15 there is no Transgression So then whereas they say there is no precept nor example for it in Scripture Admitting that to be true it is a sufficient Answer to that Objection to say there is neither against it And if the difference between them and us concerning this matter come to be weighed in this Ballance it would he found to stand thus They have the practice of the whole Church against them and no Scripture for them We have the practice of the whole Church for us and no Scripture against us These scales you see give it for us against them cleerly And thus having given a tast of their Objections to let you see they are answerable I shall now say something by way of positive Assertion of the Churches Doctrine and practice in this Particular Briefly then I shall endeavor to assert Assertion not only the lawfulness but the necessity of infant-Infant-baptism by Scripture by Reason and by Universal practice and first By Scripture I do not say that there is any Scripture that does totidem verbis or in express words say That Infants are to be baptized but there is a Text that not only justifies the lawfulness of doing it but by consequence proves the unlawfulness of leaving it undone and that is Io. 3. at the 5. verse Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Whence it follows that if the want of Baptism endanger the salvation of any it must be the fault of them that deny or or keep them from it I am not the first that has urged this Text for the necessity of Infant-baptism See Land against Fisher Object 1. but to evade the force of this Argument they give two Answers First that the Text it self is to be understood of persons of mature age and therefore it is said Except a man not except a child be born again c. To this I answer that Answer This is a mistake arising from the ignorance of the original and therefore the Reply is easie It is not there Except a man as we Translate it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is an Indefinite equivalent to an Universal so that the sence is without exception of Man Woman or Child Except a person or except one be born again of water c. A second exception to the Argument drawn from this Text is this That according to the Rule of this exposition there is a necessity of communicating Children as well as of baptizing them of giving them the Sacrament of the Eucharist as well as that of Baptism for it is said Io. 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you To this I answer that one Scripture is to be expounded so as not to contradict another and places that are obscure must receive light from those that are plain Now the places that speak of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper do plainly show that it is to be received only by such as have the use of reason and have understanding As oft as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth or shew ye forth the Lords death till he come And in the next verse Let a man examine himself 1 Cor. 11.26 27. and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup c. Self-examination and commemoration of Christs death are the essential and indispensible duties of those that come to that Sacrament neither of which children are capable of performing and consequently cannot be included in the latter of these Texts but must be so in the former unless some Scripture can be shown to the contrary which hitherto I presume has not been done But if they shall still persist and say that this place is not express and plain enough for them who make Scripture their Rule and go no further then they have express warrant from thence then I desire that they would please to show any authority out of Scripture for the communicating of women or the observation of the Lords Day so strong and full as this is for the baptizing of Infants My second Argument for Infant-baptism is from Reason Infants stand in need of this Sacrament and this Sacrament is effectual as to what they need and therefore in all reason they ought to be admitted to it and it is a sin to deny it them They stand in need of it in regard of the pollution of their natures by Original sin being conceived in sin and born in iniquity Psal 51.5 Now that Baptism does take away Original sin as to the guilt
A SERMON Preached in the year of our Lord 1650. January 9. At the Baptizing of THEOPHILUS Then Lord HASTINGS Now EARL of Huntingdon By John Joynes M. A. one of the Prebends of Lincoln and Chaplain to the Right Honorable FERDINANDO then Earl of HUNTINGDON Baptizetur unusquisque vestrum in Nomine Jesu Christi in remissionem peccatorum accipietis donum Spiritus Sancti Act. 2.38 LONDON Printed by T. N. for Edward Man and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Swan near York-House in the Strand 1668. To the Right Honorable THEOPHILUS Earl of HUNTINGDON Lord Hastings Hungerford Botreaulx Molyns Moules Slomet and Peverell c. MY LORD THis Sermon Preached Sixteen years agoe and upward upon your Lordships Account though then you was not able to take notice of it having layne by me ever since does now by your Lordships particular desire which I shall ever interpret as a Command present it self to your Lordships hands It was my desire being sufficiently conscious to my self of several Reasons for it that it might have enjoyed the same security by enjoying the same obscurity still But since your Lordship will have it otherwise I prefer my obedience to all other considerations and wholly surrender my self and it to your Lordships Disposal hoping that if you shall think it fit as I do not to suffer it to see any further light then that of your Lordships Closet it may appear under the Patronage of your Honours name as a small Testimony of the great obligation I have to your Honour and Noble Family For whose health and happiness daily prayeth as in duty he is bound My Lord Your Honours most obliged and most humble Servant John Joynes Luke 3. Verse 21 22. Now when all the people were baptized it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized and praying the Heaven was opened And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him and a voice came from Heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in Thee I am well pleased SInce it hath pleased Almighty God in his gracious Providence out of his infinite mercy and goodness to this illustrious Family to afford unto them this new and lively hope of repairing their late inestimable loss so as for one and that their onely Son sown in tears to let them reap another in joy And since by the occasion of bringing this Infant to his Holy Baptisme the opportunity of speaking concerning Baptism is so happily put into our hands I conceive I could not make a fitter choice of a Text of Scripture whereupon to ground such a discourse than this which is in short the History of his Baptism who instituted ours The Author of this Sacrament and the Author of our Salvation is the same even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who instituted this holy Sacrament by his precept and sanctifyed it by his Example and hath promised to accompany the right use of it by the internal efficacy and operation of his holy Spirit unto the end of the world Mat. 28.19 20. Go sayes he and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost c. And loe I am with you alway even to the end of the world Christ assists his own Ordinance with his own spirit and promises here that he will do so to the end of the world which promise he for his part will most surely perform procuring in the Baptism of those that are rightly Baptiz'd the same miraculous and supernatural effects in an internal and visible manner that so visibly and openly happened at his own Baptism namely the opening of Heaven Conferring the Holy Ghost upon the Baptiz'd and entring and enrolling of them as the servants and sons of God For so when he was baptized we read that the Heavens were opened the Holy Ghost came down and a voice from Heaven was heard saying Thou art my beloved Son in Thee I am well pleased How this is performed shall be shown in the latter part of this Discourse when we come to a Review of the Text by way of Application In the mean time we will consider the words themselves as they are here Historically propos'd and laid down before us And so they will engage us to the observation of these three Particulars 1. The Baptism it self of our Saviour 2. The miraculous effects that attended it viz. the opening of Heaven the descent of the Holy Ghost in a visible shape and lastly a Voice from Heaven in an audible manner proclaiming our Saviour to be the Son of God 3. The Instrument or means whereby all this was procured viz. the Prayers of our Saviour Jesus also being baptized and praying the Heaven was opened and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him and a Voyce came from Heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased First of the Baptism of our Saviour Now when all the people were baptised it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized c. This as all other Actions is to be considered with those circumstances that attend it concerning which the Story takes notice of three Time Company and Place 1. For the time It is said to have been when Jesus began to be about thirty years of age ver 23. so old was our Saviour when he entered upon his Ministerial charge not that his Abilities were not grown up till then for we read that at the age of twelve Luk. 2.46 47. he was able to Dispute with Doctors To answer and oppose too to the Admiration of the Hearers But to teach us that the work of the Ministery is not the work of Infants The ancient Church guided no doubt by this example forbad any to enter upon that calling till Thirty The present canons give a greater liberty but yet set a time before which none shall be capable of holy orders which if it were not done doubtless the general rule of mens judging of their readiness for this calling would be the readiness of their preferment when they enter'd upon it Other things as to the circumstance of Time with reference to this Action being only traditional it will be enough if not too much only to mention not to insist upon them There is an ancient tradition that this Baptism of our Saviour fell out on the sixth of Ianuary on which we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany upon which day likewise as the same tradition sayes the first miracle that our Saviour did of turning Water into Wine did happen What certainty there is of these things I determine not any more than of what St. Austin tells us concerning the day of the work on which it happened we sayes he in a certain Homily of his was on the Lords-Day Quam sace venerabilis est hic Dies c. How sacred and venerable sayes he is this Lords day of ours on
1.13 nor of the will of Man but of God The same overshadowing power which formed his Humane nature reformeth ours and the same Spirit assureth us a remission of our sins which caused in him an exemption from all sin He that was born for us upon his Incarnation is born within us upon our Regeneration Lastly What Christ Promises and the Church Professes to believe we find was really and actually perform'd in the Apostles age in a visible and perceptible manner At the nineteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles we are told that S. Paul coming upon a time to Ephesus Act. 19.1 2 c. he found there certain Disciples that having onely received the Baptisme of Iohn had not so much as heard whether there was such a thing as the Holy Ghost or no. Hereupon Paul takes them and baptizes them in the Name of the Lord Iesus Ver. 5. And immediately the Holy Ghost fell upon them Ver. 6. and they spake with Tongues and Prophecyed It is said indeed that upon the Imposition of St. Pauls hands they received the Holy Ghost Now whether this Imposition of hands was in or after Baptisme is not certain nor much materiall However it was 't is most certain that upon their being baptized in the Name of the Lord Iesus they received the Holy Ghost which before in the Baptisme of Iohn they had not received nor so much as heard of 'T is true those Gifts of the Holy Ghost there mentioned are miraculous and extraordinary which are not to be expected now because the reason why they were then given is now ceased Miracles are Signes and Signes are for unbelievers Those extraordinary dispensations of the Spirit were in order to the Conversion of Nations 1 Cor. 14.22 In converted and setled Churches there is no need of Miracles and therefore there the Gifts of the Holy Ghost and dispensations of the Spirit are not visible and extraordinary or by way of prodigy or ostent but the Spirit in a silent and invisible yet real and effectual manner bloweth where Joh. 3.8 and as it pleaseth As those Disciples at Ephesus did upon their being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus receive the Holy Ghost in Gifts miraculous and extraordinary so doubtless they did receive those more ordinary but more necessary gifts and graces which by the Holy Ghost are poured forth upon all those that really and truly have given up their names to Christ which then as now and now as then are shed forth in Baptism according to what S. Peter undertakes to those new Converts of his Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost The Gifts of the Holy Ghost at that time poured forth together with the water of Baptism besides those extraordinary which onely fell upon some such as Tongues Miracles and Prophecy c. were ordinarily these three Illumination Justification and Sanctification 1. Illumination Heb. 10.32 Call to mind says the Author to the Hebrews the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated ye suffered a great fight of afflictions The Ancients understanding this place of Baptism do sometimes in their writings call Baptism it self by the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Illumination and the Font 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Illuminatory This no doubt with regard of the Baptized's being then admitted into the knowledg and participation of those mysteries of God in Christ which as the Apostle speaks had been hid from Ages and Generations but now made manifest unto the Saints Col 1.26 The faith and belief of which mysteries was the gift of God by the operation of the Holy Ghost without which we can neither rightly love God or know Christ No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost So the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.3 And in another place Rom. 5.5 The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us 2. Justification by which I understand Remission of sins and Reconciliation with God Being justified by faith we have peace with God Now that Baptism is an instrument of conferring Remission of sins is an Article of our Creed Rom. 5.1 I believe one Baptism for the Remission of sins Nicene Creed which as all other Articles ought to be is founded upon Divine Revelation or express authority of Holy Scripture Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for Remission of sins so S. Peter Act. 2.38 And the Counsel that the devout Ananias gave S. Paul as he relates the story himself Act. 22.16 was That he would make haste to be baptized and wash away his sins calling upon the name of the Lord. Upon which grounds we may safely conclude that all those first converts to Christianity who upon the preaching of the Apostles renounc'd their Idolatry and sinful life and embrac'd the faith of Christ did upon their Baptism receive a full free and instantaneous pardon of all their sins and were saved by Baptism as S. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3.21 or by the washing of Regeneration as S. Paul Tit. 3.5 3. Sanctification For which the place now mentioned in Titus is most express He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewng of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us most abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour And in 1 Cor. 6.11 speaking what kind of persons some of the Corinthians had been before their Baptism he tells them there How by it they were washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of God And the Chuch in her preface to the office of Baptism does not onely exhort the Congregation to pray that the Child may be baptiz'd with water and the Holy Ghost but prayes her self in these words We beseech thee for thine infinite mercies that thou wilt mercifully look upon this Child wash him and sanctifie him with the Holy Ghost c. And that when she prayes thus she prayes in faith you may be satisfied from her profession afterward Seeing now dearly beloved that this Child is regenerate and grafted into the body of Christs Church c. Which profession she makes not to men onely but to God and that in a most solemn and publick manner as appears from those words in the Thanksgiving immediately following We yield thee hearty thanks most heavenly Father that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this Infant by thy Holy Spirit c. They then that do not believe that the Holy Ghost does accompany this Ordinance of Christ do not believe as the Church believes nor as the Scripture teaches The descent of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviour in a visible shape was one of those miraculous effects that hapned at his baptism which miraculous discent at that time was no less
of it and washes them clean from that is clearly the consequence of what the Church delivers as her avowed Doctrine mentioned before where she says It is certain by Gods Word that Children which are baptized dying before they commit actual sin are undoubtedly saved which cannot be true unless their Original sin be forgiven in Baptism St. Austine considering this does think it very reasonable that if by the sins of another that is of their first Parents they are made capable of Damnation so by the Faith of others i.e. their Sponsores or those that undertake for them they may be admitted to that Sacrament which makes them capable of Salvation Therefore says he being in the state of Original sin and standing in need of the Laver of Regeneration but not being able to present themselves to it accommodat eis mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes ut veniant aliorum corda ut credant Being not able to come themselves they are brought by others and being not able to undertake any thing for themselves others undertake in their names and for them The great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls being willing to give them Induction by Proxy into his Kingdom because it was by Proxy or in the person of another that they first fell from it Peccant in alio Austin credunt in alio inquinantur in alio purgantur in alio And if God in Justice may impute the sin of another unto them and reckon that Original guilt contracted in Adam as theirs May he not as well in mercy accept that profession of faith made at their Baptism and those vows and promises as if they were their own especially since they become their own as soon as they come to understand them Practice My third Plea for the Assertion of Infant-baptism is from the universal practice of the Church That it is at present the universal practice of all that in all the world call themselves Christians themselves I mean Anabaptists excepted is a thing that they themseves cannot deny For precedent Ages there is no Writer how ancient soever but mentions it and St. Austin concludes it to be of Apostolical Tradition and gives this Rule whereby we are to judg it to be so Quod semper in Ecclesia retentum est nec in scripturis invenitur nec a concilio sancitur id ab Apostolis traditum esse recte creditur That which has ever been practis'd in the Church and is neither delivered in the Scriptures nor enjoyn'd by a Council that is rightly to be looked upon as derived unto us by Apostolical tradition and instances for example in the Baptism of Infants So that whereas they say it is a late Invention crept into the Church since the mysterie of Iniquity began to work if they mean to be believ'd when they say so they are bound to show the time when it was first introduc't and this under the penalty of lying under that severe charge that Mr. Calvin upon this account layes upon them Quod antem apud simplicem vulgum disseminant Insti◠c. 17. longam annorum seriem post Christi resurrectionem praeterüsse quibus incognitus erat paedobaptismus in eo faedissimè mentiuntur Siquidem nullus est Scriptor tam vetustus qui non ejus originem ad Apostolorum tempora pro certo referat Whereas sayes he they spread it among the simple vulgar that many years after Christs Resurrection there was no such thing known as the Baptizing of Infants they lye most filthily for there is not any Writer so ancient but does refer the original of it for certain to the Apostles times The case standing thus the meanest Christian that is may confute this error out of that place in St. Paul where he sayes If any one be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God From which passage I shall desire to recommend these two short notes and so to conclude this whole dispute 1. In cases of this nature Dissenters ought to be concluded by the practice of the Church 2. They that refuse to be concluded by that are to be look'd upon as contentious persons such as neither reason nor authority can satisfie Rationibus non convincantur quia non intelligunt Authoritatibus non constringuntur quia non recipiunt They are not convinc'd by Reason because they understand it not nor silenc'd by Authority because they own it not as one long since found cause to complain And now having done with this dispute I find my self at liberty to conclude which I shall do with a short but necessary Reflexion or two first upon our selves and secondly upon the present occasion First then considering what has been said and admitting it for Truth we cannot but find our selves oblig'd to entertain a high and venerable esteem of the sacred Rights and Institutions of our most holy Religion particularly of this Sacrament of Baptism as a thing high holy mysterious and sacred not only in respect of the Author and Instituter of it which was the co-eternal Son of God our blessed Saviour himself God above all blessed for evermore but also in regard of the happy effects of it Ro. 9.50 and the blessings which are conveyed to us thereby It being the Laver of Regeneration the Seal and Instrument of Illumination Justification Sanctification and Adoption A right that our blessed Saviour first sanctifyed by his personal susception afterwards consigning it over as an essential right and necessary duty to his Church never to be disus'd or laid down till his second comming and last of all does make it effectual to his Church to several great and high purposes by the Ministery of his holy spirit which according to his own promise shall accompany the right and due use of it to the end of the world as has been formerly shown and prov'd It is the sin and shame of this present age to disvalue and slight the holy Rights and sacred Institutions of that Religion they pretend to own to question their validity and dispute their efficacy And more is the pity they are not a few that place the greatest part of their Religion in so doing accounting themselves Christians for nothing more then for either not having receiv'd or having renounc't their Baptism If a Jew under the Law of Moses should have said any thing by way of derision or contempt of Circumcision he should certainly have suffered death if it had been prov'd against him by three Heb. 10.28 or but by two witnesses Of how much sorer punishment according to St. Paul's own argument ought he to be thought worthy which despises this Sacrament of the new Covenant which succeeds in the room of that and of which that was but a type and shadow especially considering that since Christ both instituted it by his precept and sanctifyed it by his example and accompanies it by his holy spirit and has commanded a perpetual use of it to the end of the world Such affronts