the happy Sacrament the key of the kingdom of heaven So that it not only sends ‖ Aqua baptismatis baptizatos ad regnum coeleste mittit Greg. in Evang. hom 17. the Baptized to but lets them into that kingdom § 3. And from a well-grounded confidence hereof undoubtedly it is that our Church not only prays for the Infant to be baptized Office of Publ. Bapt. of Infants that he may come to the land of everlasting life and to the eternal kingdom which God hath promised and be made an heir of everlasting salvation and an inheritor of Gods everlasting kingdom but also gives assurance to the Sureties for the Infant upon the word and promise of our Saviour that he will give unto him the blessing of eternal life and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom even the kingdom of heaven § 4. And in this her sense she agrees with the sentiment of the Ancient Church For St. Chrysostom saith For this cause do we baptize Hac de causâ infantulos baptizamus ut eis addatur sanctitas justitia adoptio haereditas D. Chrysost Hom. ad Neoph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Athan. q. ad Antioch 114. Tom. 2. p. 377. Infants that there may be added unto them holiness righteousness adoption and an inheritance And Athanasius grounding his inference on two Scripture-Texts the one the words of our Saviour in my Text Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of heaven the other the words of St. Paul but now are your children holy saith That the baptized Infants of Believers do as undefiled and believing enter into the kingdom of heaven § 5. Yea so highly conducing unto an entrance into heaven both for Infants and others was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrysost Hom. 1. de Poenit. Quum vero praescribitur nemim sine 〈◊〉 Baptismo competere salutem ex illa maxime pronunciatione Domini qui ait Nisi natus ex aquâ quis erit non habet vitam suboriuntur scrupulosi c. Tertull. de Bapt. Lex enim tingendi imposita est forma praescripta Ite inquit docete nationes tingentes eas in nomine patris filii spiritus sancti Huic legi collata definitio illa Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu non intrabit in regnum coelorum obstrinxit fidem ad baptismi necessitatem Itaque omnes exinde credentes tingebantur Id. ib. Nisi enim quis renatus fuerit ex aqua Spiritu Sancto non potest introire in regnum Dei Utique nullum excipit non infantem non aliqua praeventum necessitate D. Ambros de Abrah Patriarcha l. 2. c. 11. Sine baptismo mortuos periisse non dubium est Id. de Voc. Gent. l. 2. c. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyssen de Bapt. Baptism anciently thought that it was the opinion of some that there was no entrance for either in thither without that and this opinion of theirs was grounded on our Saviours saying that Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God § 6. And even our own most modest and moderate Church cannot Beloved ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Saviour Chirst that Except a man be born of water whereby ye may perceive the great necessity of this Sacrament where it may be had Office of Bapt. of those of riper years but upon the same ground conclude some and that a great necessity of Baptism in order to entrance into the kingdom of God § 7. And truly though Whitaker Praelection de Eccles Cathol qu. 1. c. 4 5. D. Bernard Ep. 77. ad Hugon de Sancto Victore with Dr. Whitaker and others I do believe that the mere want of baptism where it cannot be had is not absolutely exclusive of all unbaptized ones out of heaven but only the contempt of it where it may be had yet two things may be observed from that Text of John 3. 5. which carry it high for a necessity of Infants baptism at least so far as to be an excuse for those who gathered therefrom an absolute necessity of it § 8. The first is this That the kingdom of God here in the notion of it includes not only Gods spiritual kingdom on earth or the visible Church which is all that the Anabaptists will have it to signifie and upon this design because they would by this distinction avoid the force of the Argument hence for Infants Baptism for whose salvation they conclude it not necessary that they be made members of the visible Church as having devoted them all without exception of any to be eternally saved if dying in infancy though dying unbaptized but it doth also in the notion of it include Gods eternal kingdom in heaven Because the kingdom here that a man cannot enter into except he be born of water and of the spirit is the same kingdom that in ver 3. a man cannot see except he be born again Now it is not true of Gods kingdom on earth that a man cannot see it except he be born again of water and of the spirit that is baptized for it is therefore called the visible Church because it is a Church that may be seen And seen it may be of such as desire to come to it joyn with it before they be of it for how else shall they desire to come to it Seen also it is and may be of such as are of it and even of those that do oppose fight against it But of the kingdom of God in heaven it is most true that except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot see that Therefore that kingdom which a man cannot enter into except he be born of water and of the spirit doth in the notion of it include the kingdom of God in Heaven § 9. And if the Kingdom of God here in John 3. 3. 5. be the same with that which is called in Matth. 19. 14. the kingdom of heaven which again St. Luke in my Text renders by that very same expression in St. John the kingdom of God then we shall find the Anabaptists when it is for their turn interpreting it of Gods kingdom in heaven For that very Text do they alledge to prove that Confess of Faith Art 10. not any Infant dying in Infancy before the Commission of actual sin shall suffer eternal punishment in hell for Adams sin for of such as they please to speak belongs the kingdom of God And if it must be interpreted there in John 3. 5. of the visible Church then it must be here also in Luke 18. 16. and Matth. 19. 14. And so then children will be such as belong to the Church Catholick as members of it of whom it is and then why should they not be admitted into it that belong unto it § 10. And if any thing be objected against
charged and Infants being chargeable with no sin but that sin of the world which is taken away by the blood of the lamb of God applied to them in baptism it must follow that being freed from that they must be saved § 6. But we will go to Scripture-Text it self for proof Our Saviour hath said Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Here we have salvation promised upon two performances the one by us the other upon us that by us is Faith that upon us is Baptism Now as he that hath both these is certainly saved so no doubt at all of his salvation that hath but either of these so it be not his fault that he hath not the other And if our baptized Infants have not the one which is Faith yet they have the other which is Baptism § 7. Put case one believe and be in no possibility of being baptized who doubts now of his salvation even just so in case one be baptized and be in no capacity to believe there cannot reasonably be any doubt made of his being saved § 8. Our Saviour wrought many salvations for their bodies who by themselves had made no application to him in a way of prayer or faith upon the faith and prayer of others And what doubt but he is as ready to work salvation for the souls of our Infants though in no capacity of applying themselves to him by prayer or faith even upon the faith and prayer of those that bring them to baptism Had Christ mercy only for bodies Or hath he not it much more for souls Or hath he mercy only for the souls of men and not also for the souls of Infants And who ever restrained the efficacy of Faith and Prayer in the use of Means to bodily salvation that it cannot prevail also for the saving of souls theirs especially who as they can do nothing of themselves to advance it so they do nothing of themselves to hinder it All possible proper means then being used for their salvation which is their baptizing with the prayer of faith there is no reason to doubt of their being saved And therefore our Church having after the recital of the Gospel appointed on that occasion which contains this order of Christs to suffer the little Children to come Doubt yo not therefore but earnestly believe that he will likewise favourably receive this present Infant that he will embrace him with the arms of his mercy that he will give unto him the blessing of eternal life and make him partaker of his everlasting kingdom Pub. Bap. of Infants unto him descanted a while on the good will of our Saviour to those children proceeds from thence to exhort the bringers of the Infant unto Baptism not to doubt of the salvation of it § 9. But further as our Saviour said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved so one of our Saviours Apostles said of him that according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3. 5. that is by Christian Baptism which consists of those two parts the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost The words are a Merismus a Rhetorical Figure of Speech wherein instead of any Totum or whole thing is set an enumeration of its parts As when for the world which God in the beginning did create it is said In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. As the heaven and the earth the two constituent integral parts of the world are put for the world there so here the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost the two constituent integral parts of Christian Baptism are put for Baptism Just as when our Saviour John 3. 5. said to Nicodemus Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God by naming the two constituent integral parts of Baptism water and the spirit he meant Christian Baptism which consists of those two parts without which in the ordinary way of salvation as far as that is revealed unto us and without tying God in extraordinary cases unto ordinary means there is no entrance into the kingdom of God § 10. And another of his Apostles doth positively and expresly say that Baptism doth now save us 1 Pet. 3. 21. Not that it hath any Physical vertue in it self in the way of a Natural Cause to effect our Salvation but that it hath a saving efficacy for such end communicated unto it by God the Ordainer of it who works the effect of it by the Cooperation of his Spirit with it and that it doth exert its efficacy and hath that effect upon all such as do not frustrate the grace of God bestowed on them and wrought in them in and by it which certainly our Children before the Commission of wilfull actual sin do not do And what is said more than so of Faith or the Word or Prayer or any other Grace or Means which we call saving § 11. Nor let any here tell me that the Apostle doth expresly deny this efficacy to that part of Baptism which is the only part which Infants are capable of namely the putting away the filth of the flesh or the external washing with water § 12. For first not in the least to allow the external washing to be the only part of Baptism which Infants are capable of for who can tell in what manner the Holy Spirit can or in what measures he doth insinuate himself and communicate his grace and exert his efficacies in very Infants or who can deny any thing of all this to them the Apostle was a Jew and wrote this Epistle to the Jews and his meaning plainly is this to deny if he do deny any thing the saving efficacy of that Baptism he speaks of to any legal Jewish * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just Mart. Diolog cum Tryph. p. 231. Edit Paris 1615. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. D. Chrysost ad Illuminand p. 854. l. 4. Tom. 6. Edit Eton. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Orat. 40. Baptism all the efficacy whereof was the putting away the filth of the flesh a ceremonial purgation from legal pollution and to ascibe it unto the Evangelical Christian Baptism which from its being usually administred upon such Inquiry and Answer as was made by or exacted of such as in those days offered themselves unto Baptism who had no inducement to bring them to it but the prompting of a good conscience persecution for it being the only visible consequences of it the Apostle elegantly calls by a word that signifies both Inquiring and Answering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inquiry or †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat. 40. p. 638. Dehinc ter mergitamur amplius aliquid respondentes c. Tertull. de Corona Mil. p. 121. Edit Rig. Quae ideo dicitur interrogatio quod sicut in
Heir of his Whereupon †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Hom. 1. de Poenit. Qui ad divinum munus patrimonium baptismi sanctificatione porveniunt D. Cyprian de Hab. Virgin St. Chrysost saith that before baptism there is no receiving of patrimony nor getting of inheritance What need then our Infants have of getting an inheritance from God that need have they to be baptized that they may become his heirs § 7 Yet again Baptism is the door of entrance into Gods kingdom Whence St. August * Quando homo de baptismo egreditur tunc ei janua regni coelestis aperitur D. Aug. Serm. 29. de Temp. Ex aqua spiritu sancto oportet ut nascatur homo propter regnum Dei D. Aug. 12. Tract in Evang. Johannis saith when a man goes forth from baptizing then the gate of heavens kingdom is opened to him And that man must be born of water and the Holy Ghost for the kingdom of God And this is grounded on what our Saviour saith John 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and the Spirit that is be baptized he cannot inherit the kingdom of God Whence †Obstrinxit sidem ad baptismi necessitatem Tertull. de Baptismo Scripsit Augustin duos libros de infantibus baptizandis contra haresin vestram per quam vultis asserere baptizari infantes non in remissionem peccatorum sed in regnum coelorum D. Hieron Dialog 3. advers Pelagianos Forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin and that our Saviour Christ saith None can enter into the kingdom of God except c. Ch. of Engl. Publ. Bapt. of Infants So Bapt. of those of riper years That Baptism is necessary to the salvation of Infants in the ordinary way of the Church without binding God to the use and means of that Sacrament to which he hath bound us is express in St. John 3. Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God So no Baptism no Entrance Nor can Infants creep in any other ordinary way And this is the received Opinion of all the Ancient Church of Christ A. B. Laud. Confer Sect. 15. Num. 4. Tertullian inferred a necessity of baptism to all believers And others have extended that necessity unto Infants to whom the Pelagians themselves have allowed it though not upon the account of Original Sin yet for entrance into the kingdom of heaven whereas our Church takes in both those considerations as the Catholick Church ever did in her admission of them unto Baptism and grounds their baptizing upon both strengthened with Christs command here in the Text to suffer little children to come unto him So that no baptism no entrance even for Infants into the kingdom of heaven that is none according to the ordinary way whatever there may be extraordinarily What need then our Infants have of entring into the kingdom of God that need they have of being baptized that they may have entrance into that kingdom § 8. Fifthly by baptism we are saved 1 Pet. 3. 21. But by what Baptism Not any Jewish Baptism which was onely the putting away of the filth of the flesh But the Christian Baptism which washeth away the filth of the Spirit to the enabling of the baptized with a good conscience to seek after God Now this for the saving efficacie of it is compared to the Ark of Noah By the one as by a means ordained of God for that end a few were saved from among the rest of mankind that perished for sin and by the other as a means of Gods ordaining for that end a few are saved from amongst the rest of the Sons of men that perish in sin And as we are sure none then were saved without In aquâ nascimur nec aliter quà m in aquâ permanendo salvi sumus Tert. de Bapt. See Aquin 3. q. 68. a. 1. the Ark so are none now that we are sure of saved without Baptism As then none were so none that we know of now are saved but by water What need then Infants have to be saved that need they have of baptism for their salvation § 9. Lastly Grace is necessary unto Glory For without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Holiness is the operation of the Spirit of God who sanctifies all the elect people Catechism of God as our Church teacheth us The spirit of holiness is by Baptism communicated unto Infants in order to their regeneration for baptism is a birth not of water onely but of the spirit too John 3. 5. Whence our Church prays that God would give his holy spirit to the Infant to be baptized that he may be born again and gives thanks to God for the Infant that is baptized that it hath pleased him to regenerate that Infant with his holy Spirit Office of Publ. Bapt. of Infants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. Eremita 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Athanas in illud Evang Quicunque dixerit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Basil Exhort ad Baptism Omnes quidem qui ad divinum munus patrimonium baptismi sanctificatione perveniunt hominem illie veterem gratiâ lavacri salutar is exponunt innovati spiritu sancto à sordibus contagionis antiquae itcratâ nativitate purgantur Sed nativitatis itâ—ratae vobis major sanctitas veritas competit quibus desideria jam-carnis corporis nulla sunt D. Cyprian de Habitu Virg. Per batisma enim Spiritus sanctus accipitur D. Cyprian l. 2. cp 3. Sed postquam undae genitalis auxilio superioris aevi labe detersâ in expiatum pectus ac purum desuper se lumen infudit post quam caelitùs spiritu buusto in novum me hominem nativitatis secunda reparavit mirum in modum protinus confirmare se dubia patere clausa lucere renebrosa c. D. Cyprian l. 2. ep 2. Quippe qui ne vim quidem aspiciendi sacra habeat ab ortu à Deo sive baptismo qui lucis principium est praebotor Dionys Areop Eccles Hierarch c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. ad Demet. de compunct cordis Hom. Ed. Savil. Tom 6. pag. 148. Cum ergo innovamur baptismi lavacro per virtutem ab originis nostrae peccatis atque autoribus separamur D. Hilar in Math. Can. 10. Omni homini renascenti aqua baptismatis instar est uteri virginalis eodem spiritu sancto replente fontem qui replevit virignem D. Leo Serm. 4. in Nativ Domini Ardoris vero spiritum dicimus gratiam in Sacro sancto Baptismo non absque spiritu nobis ingeneratam Baptizati aeutem loti sumus non aquâ nudâ sed nec cinere vituli emundati sumus ad sclam carnis purificationem quemadm B. Paulus sed spiritu sancto igne divino ac intelligibli qui sordes vitiositatis in nobis deterit absumit peccati inquinationem liquat excoquit
Peccat Merit Remiss c. 9. God obtained for them by the prayers not onely of their Paren's in particular but of the Church in general have a principle of Faith inspired into them by the secret operation of that invisible Spirit of grace who works how and where and when and how far himself pleaseth And where it is so in any one who dares deny that person sufficiently qualified in point of Faith for Baptism Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as w◠Acts 10. 47. And of what Infant of any one Believer can any man say that it is not so with him And if there be never an Infant of any one believer of whom it can be absolutely affirmed that he is in respect of a divinely infused inwardly working principle of Faith utterly unqualified for Baptism then why should any one be denied Baptism of whom it cannot be said but that he is in some degree and measure qualified for it § 7. But being under no necessity for the supporting of the cause I maintain to assert these grounds I shall no further insist thereon but to the Objection against Infants capableness of baptism founded in their want of Faith give my Answer that their not believing is no hindrance to their baptizing § 8. It is no hindrance to their salvation even in the judgment of our Anabaptists who declare it as one Article of their Faith That all children dying in Infancy that is before they can act faith in their own persons and be believers qualified for baptism according to their account having not actually transgressed against the Law of God in their own persons are onely subject to the first death and that not any one of them dying in that estate shall suffer for Adams sin eternal punishment in hell which is the second death It is no hindrance then to their salvation in their judgment that they believe not And why then should it be a hindrance to their Baptism Is more required to their baptism than to their salvation to the means than to the end § 9. But to make short work where or by whom is faith required of Infants in their own persons to render them capable of baptism What one Text is there in all the Bible that saith either in particular that Infants shall not be baptized because they believe not or in generall that no persons whatsoever whether capable or incapable of believing shall be baptized but those that believe Let the Adversaries of Infants baptism produce the place and the controversie I believe will quickly be ended We all Paedobaptists will readily yield all that shall of right be fit to be yielded to it or unto them from it But if the Scripture say no such thing either in words or in sense then for ought that as yet appears our Infants will be capable of Baptism though they do not believe § 10. Why but doth not our Saviour say in Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned § 11. Yes And what then must not therefore our Infants be baptized because they do not believe or not till they believe No such matter What is here said that makes believing a condition necessarily antecedent unto Baptism It is neither said negatively he that believeth not shall not be baptized nor so much as affirmatively he that believeth shall be baptized But believing and being baptized are made conditions not the one of the other but both of being saved And now in the name of God what is here that can possibly exclude Infants from baptizing for want of believing § 12. Yea but believing is set before baptizing He doth not say he that is baptized and believeth but he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And what then Why then believing must go before baptizing and none must be baptized but those that first believe § 13. To this I answer that if the order of things must universally answer to that order of words wherein the Scripture sets them down then Repentance which is a Fruit of Quomodo aget poenitentiam homo qui necdum credit D. Hieron advers Lucifer Faith must go before Faith whose Fruit it is because our Saviour set repenting before believing saying first repent ye and then believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. Then the outward baptism of water must always go before the inward baptism of the spirit because our Saviour said Except a man be born first of water and then of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God John 3. 5. Whereas the contrary hereto fell out in the family and company of Cornelius Acts 10. 44. which drew from Peter that question in ver 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we Then the Ruler in Luke 18. 22. must have given nothing to the poor till he had sold all he had because our Saviour saith first set all that thou hast and then distribute to the poor § 14. But to shew the weakness of this way of Arguing it may be proved by this same Argument and from the same Text that Infants ought to be baptized And then let them judge what strength there is in this way of Arguing For as our Saviour sets believing before baptizing so he sets baptizing before being saved And if none must be baptized but he that believes because believing is set first then none must be saved but he that is baptized because baptizing is set first And then what better argument can be made for Infants baptism They must be baptized if we will have them saved because they cannot be saved without being baptized for baptizing goes before saving And yet from the same Text and by the same way of a guing it may be proved contrary to what the Anabaptists say of the Universal salvation of all Infants dying before the commission of actual sin that no Infants are saved but those that believe because believing is set before being saved and not onely so but whereas it is not said he that believeth not shall not be baptized it is said he that believeth not shall be damned § 15. And this may suffice to shew tho absurdity of this way of arguing to the order of things from the ordering of the words § 16. As to the thing it self I think it will be granted them that in Persons capable of believing or disbelieving the Gospel faith or at least a profession of it is to go before baptizing § 17. This we gather from the Apostles baptizing no adult persons that we read of without some evidence given of their believing § 18. Thus it was with the Converts in Acts 2. 41. with the Samaritans Acts 8. 12. with the Eunuch Acts 8. 37. with Cornelius his family Act. 10. 44. with Lydia and the Gaoser Acts 16. 14 33.
side contritione accedunt Gabriel Biel in 1 Sentent d. 4. discoursing of the different effects of baptism in persons of different age and disposition concludes thus All Infants rightly baptized receive the thing and the Sacrament but those he means adult ones that come feignedly and without faith and contrition receive onely the Sacrament 'T were lost time to stand upon it hence to prove his being for Infants Baptism § 14. But before either him or De Orbellis flourished Thomas Waldensis who died Anno 1430. And saith he who ever we be that are baptized into Quicunque baptizati sumus in Christo Jesu in morte ipsius baptizati sumus Ergo parvuli qui baptizantur in Christo quoniam in morte ipsius baptizati sunt peccato moriuntur Tho. Walden de Sacram Tom. 2. q. 101. Fol. 104. Col. 2. Quod parvuli ad baptismum delati si praeveniantur morte peribunt Id. ib. q. 99. Fol. 101. Col. 3. Jesus Christ are baptized into his death Therefore even the Infants that are baptized into Christ because they are baptized into his death do die to sin The same Author holds that Infants brought to baptism yet dying before they be baptized do perish § 15. Yea and even in the beginning of it about Anno 1401 flourished Nicolaus Gorranus And he delivers his sense as to this matter in the words of Beda and the Ordinary Gloss Treating on Mark 7. 29. Vade exiit daemonium Go thy way the devil is gone out of thy daughter he saith And as saith Beda hence we have an example that as that daughter was healed by the faith of her Mother as the Centurions servant Matth. 8. by the faith of his Master so are Infants by the faith of their Parents Whence saith the Gloss Here we have an example of the Catechizing and baptizing of Infants because by the Faith and Confession of the Parents in baptism little ones who are neither able to understand nor act any thing either of good or evil are freed from the devil The Catechizing here 't is plain is no other but that we have newly spoke of And by the way if Walafridus Strabo were the Collector of the Ordinary Gloss as Isaackson from Trithemius and Trifingensis affirms then it is apparent that how much soever his Authority is pretended against Infants Baptism either he was not against it or if he were he was against himself Which further appears from what Mr. Obed Wills in his Answer to Infant Bapt. Asserted c. 7. pag. 24. Henry Danvers shews namely that declaring his own opinion upon the matter he saith that it was a sign of the growth of Religion after a diligent search to take up the practice of Infant Baptism and amongst other Testimonies citeth the Fathers in generall for it in opposition to the prolonging of Austins Baptism till he was Adult And concludes at last thus Wise Christians baptâ—zed their Infants being not as some heretical persons opposing the Grace of God and contend that Infants are not to be baptized So that by the way here we have gleaned up a witness for the Ninth Century before we come at it even Walâ—fridus Sâ—rabo the man so much cried up by our Antipaedo baptists for a propugner of their opinion and an impugner of Infants Baptism § 16. We will now step on to the Fourteenth Century And in the very first year of it Anno 1300 appears * Cum secundum Scripturam sidem parvuli trahant originale peccatum ad ejus deleâ—ionem quia necessaria est ad salutem sunt baptizandi par vuli quia tempore legis Evangelicae baptismus institutus est in remedium contra illam culpam Ad illud argumentum Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Respon Quod potest intelligi de adultis per illud quod prâ—eccdit Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit Vel potest dici quod qui non crediaerit noc actu nec habitu condemnabitur Par euli auâ—em etsi non possune habere actum credendi possunt tamen habere habitum Joh. Duns Scot. in l. 4. Sententiar Dist 4 qu. 1. Johannes Duns Scotus a witness for Infants Baptism And saith he whereas according to Scripture and Faith Infants bring along with them original sin for the blotting out thereof because that is necessary unto salvation are Infants to be baptized because in the time of Gospel baptism is instituted as a remedy against that guilt And to the Argument from Mark 16. 16. Qui non crediderit He that believeth not shall be damned he answers that may be understood of adult ones in as much as there goes before it Qui crediaerit He that believeth and is baptized Or it may be said He that believes neither in act nor in habit shall be condemned But Infants though they cannot have the act of believing yet they may have the habit of saith § 17. Go we now on to the Thirteenth Century And here we have Bonaventure about Anno 1260 giving witness to the baptizing of Hoc quotidie contingit in pueris qui baptizantur qui se ante annos diseretionis moriantur in altcrius side gratiam suscipiunt qua per meriâ—um Christi salvantur Bonaventura de Vita Chrsti c. 23. Infants in this Age. For speaking of believing by the Faith of others he saith This is a thing which falls out daily in the children that are baptized who if they die before they arrive at years of discretion do by the faith of another receive that grace whereby they are saved through the merit of Christ § 18. Here also we have Aquinas about Anno 1255 giving a full and clear witness For unto the Sed contra est quod Dionys dicit ult cap. Eccl. Hierarâ—h Divini nostri duces scilicet Apostoli probaverunt insantes recipi ad baptismum Aquin. Sum. 3. q. 68. Artic. 9. Pucri baptizandi sunt cum sint originali peccato obnoxii ut à pueritia enutriti in religione Christiana firmiùs in ea perseverent Id. ib. Conclus Ipse autem Dominus dicit Joh. 3. Quod nisi quis Vnde necessarium fuit pueros baptizari c. Id. ib. Corp. Artic. question whether Infants are to be baptized he answers assirmatively that they are And his opinion he grounds on the Authority of Dionys Areop affirming that the Apostles did allow of it that Infants should be admitted unto baptism Which he also confirms from the Need they have of it by reason of their obnoxiousness to original sin from the Necessity there is of it in order to their obtaining of salvation because of Christs having said Nisi quis renatus fuerit That except a man be born of Water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God and lastly from the Conveniency of it in order to their being brought up to and persevering in the Christian Faith § 19. In this Century Pope Greg. the Ninth who was elected about Anno 1227
paulo ante diximus Nullâ—s mundus à sorde nec si unius diei quidem fuerit vita ejus super terram Et quia per baptismi sacramentum nativitatis sordes deponuntur propterea baptizantur parvuli Nisi enim quis renatus c. Orig. Hom. 14. in Luc. into the remission of sins Again how can any account of baptizing little ones hold but according to what was said a little before None is clean from pollution no not if he but of a day old And again By the Sacrament of baptism the defilements of our nativity are put away therefore are even the little ones baptized So in his 8th Homil on Levit. Let it be considered what the cause is when the baptism of the Church is given for the remission of sins that baptism should according to the observation or custom of Addi his etiam illud potest ut requiratur quid causae sit cum baptisma Ecclesiae in remissionem peccatorum detur secundum Ecclesiae observantiam etiam parvulis baptismum dari cum utique si nihil esset in parvulis quod ad remissionem deberet indulgentiam pertinere gratia baptismi superflua videretur D. Origen Homil. 8. in Levit the Church be given to little ones See ch 28. § 4. His Authority is referred to by the Magd. Cent. 3. c. 4. Col. 57. § 75. In this Age may the Author of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy going under the name of Dionysius the Arcopagite be conveniently placed And here Dr. Hammond places him though the Magdeburgenses put him into the fourth Century as others into the first And saith he when it came into the mind of our divine Guides what influence Hoc cum in mentem venisset divinis nostris praeceptoribus placuit admitti pueros hoc sancto modo ut naturales pueri qui introfertur parentes tradant filium alicui â—orum qui initiati sunt bono puerorum in divi nis rebus informatori ac deinceps puer ei operam det ut divino patri sponsorique sanctae salutis D. Areop Eccles Hier. cap. ult Notandum est quid dicat pater hic de baptizandis infantibus Max. Scholin l. B. Dion de Eccl. Hierarch a pious education would be likely to have on children towards a holy conversation they ordered that Children should be admitted namely to baptism after this holy manner c. He had a little before propounded and answered this question why children as yet unable to understand divine things should be made partakers of the sacred birth from God By that sacred birth as is evident in the thing it self is meant Baptism and that it is so we are further instructed by Maximus his Scholiast on that place Here saith he is to be noted what the Father saith touching the baptizing of Infants § 76. And about the same Age it is also supposed was the Author of the Constitutions going under the name of Clemens Romanus whose Authority what it is I do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Rom. Constit l. 6. c. 15. well know but that it is full for the baptizing of Infants the following words do make it appear Baptize saith he your Infants and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. § 77. And let these Witnesses suffice for the Third Age. Step we now up into the Second Century that which immediately succeeds the Age wherein the Apostles lived And here the Centuriators Centur. 2. cap. 4. Col. 48. tell us that it is no where read that Infants in this Age were excluded from Baptism yea rather that Origen affirms the Church to have received from the Apostles a tradition to baptize even Infants But if this satisfie not I will endeavour to find out witness even for this Age also § 78. And Tertullian who lived in the latter end of this and in the beginning of the following Century and so may at once speak for both though he be produced as a witness against it yet even his witness against it is an evidence for it For whiles he pleads for a delay of baptism especially that Itaque pro cujusque personae conditione ac dispositione etiam cunctatio batismi utilior est praecipue tamen circa parvulos Tertull. de Bapt. Quid festinat innocens aetas ad remissionem peccaterum Id. ib. of little ones he tacitly declares that Infants then were baptized though sooner then he thought convenient And when by way of reproof he saith Quid festinat c. Why does that innocent age make hast to the remission of sins that is unto baptism wherein sins were remitted he plainly confesseth that that age did festinare make hast thereto What need else was there of his question what reason for his reproof And even in saying that the delay of baptism is utilior more profitable he tacitly implies that the hastening of it is utilis not without its profit And can we think but that he was really for the baptizing of the Infants of Christians Adco nulla ferme nativitas munda est utique Ethuicorum Hinc enim Apostolus ex sanctisicato alierutro sexu sanctos procreari tam ex seminis praerogativa quam ex institutionis disciplina Caeterum inquit immundi nascerentur quasi designates tamen sanctitati ac per hoc etiam saluti intelligi volens filelium filios ut hujus spei pignore matrimoniis quae retinenda censuerat patroâ—inaretur Alioqâ—in meminerat Dominicae definitionis Nisi quis nascetur ex aqua spiritu non ibit in regnum Dei id est non erit sanâ—lus Ita omnis anima cousque in Adam censetur donec in Christo recenseatur tamdiu immunda quamdiu recenseatur Tert. de Anima c. 39. Quum verò praescribitur nemini sine baptismo competere salutem ex illa maxime pronunciatione Domini qui ait Nisi natus ex aqua quis erit non habet vitam Tertul de Bapt. p. 261. Edit Rigalt Lex enim tinguendi imposita est forma praesâ—ripta Ite inquit docete nationes tinguentes cas in nomen Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Huic legi collata definitio illa Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aquâ spiritu non intraâ—it in regnum Coelorum obstrinxit fidem ad baptismi necessitatem Itaque omnes exinde credentes tinguebantur Tert. ib. pag. 262. what ever he thought as to the Infants of Heathens who saith they are designed to holiness and by this to salvation But how are they designed to holiness why by Baptism sure enough For saith he Except one be born of water and of the Spirit he shall not enter into the kingdom of God that is saith he he shall not be holy every sould being to be reckoned in Adam till it be enrolled into Christ and so long unclean as it is unenrolled in which his meaning I conceive is that one is in that state of nature wherein he first was
born till he be baptized into Christ and a child of wrath through the uncleanness of his natural birth till he be made a child of grace by baptismal regeneration Can we think but he was for the baptizing of Infants who saith it is praescribed that none is capable of salvation without baptism especially being the Lord hath positively said Except a man be born of water he has not life and who from a comparison of this Definition of our Saviours with that Law which he gave for the discipling of nations by baptizing them gathers a necessity of baptism to salvation upon the account of which necessity believers were baptized And if they were baptized themselves and upon the account of a necessity of baptism unto salvation then surely they would have so much charity for their children as to baptize them and not leave them in a state of perdition It is plain therefore that he was rather for than against Infants Baptism § 79. And as he was for the baptizing of Infants so was also Irenaeus in the same Age but before him one that had been an Auditor of Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna and is by St. Hierom lookt on as a man of the Apostolical times and so a most competent witness as Dr. Hammond argues of the Apostolical Def. of Inf. Bapt. c. 4. §. 2. pag. 96. doctrine and practice especially being as Tertullian saith a most accurate searcher of all doctrines and one that sealed his belief with his blood being martyred at Lyons in the year 197. And what saith he Why he saith that Christ came to save all by himself all Omnes enim venit per semetipsum salvare omnes inquam qui per eum renascuntur in Deum infantes parvulos pucros juvenes seniores D. Irenaei advers Haeres l. 2. c. 39. p. 192. See Dr Haem Bapt. of Inf. Sect. 40. I say who are born again unto God by him Infants and little ones and children and young men and elder men Here it is plain that Infants and little ones and children are in the number of those that are born again unto God through Christ Now that by being born again unâ—o God is meant by being baptized I suppose none doubts that has read and understands as the Catholick Church hath ever understood that of our Saviour John 3. 5. Except a man Quod verbum Christi ad Nicodemum intendie aquam sensibilent is a position of Thom. Waldens de Sacramentis Tom. 2. q. 102. fol. 104. col 2. be born again of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God or is acquainted with the Scripture notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regeneration the laver whereof is Baptism § 80. In the same Age flourished Hyginus Bishop of Rome and about the same time being martyred Anno Dom. 144 And he as Platina affirms out of the ancient Records Voluit unum saltem Patrimum unamque Matrimam baptismo interesse sic enim eos appellant qui infantes tenent dum baptizantur Platina in Vitâ Hygini appointed that there should be at least one Godfather and one Godmother present at Baptism Now who he meant by Godfather and Godmother Platina informs us while he tells us that so they call those that hold Infants when they are baptized Godfathers and Godmothers appointed to be at the baptizing of Infants supposes Infants baptized § 81. Lastly Justin Martyr or who ever wrote that Ancient piece intituled Quaest Respons ad Orthâ—dox stating the difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Just Martyr Quaest Resp. ad Orth. 56. pag. 424. Edit Paris 1615. between Infants dying baptized and unbaptized saith it is this that the baptized obtain the good things that come by baptism but the unbaptized obtain them not A proof this clear and full as can be desired of the baptizing of Insants in that Age the age wherein that Author lived the very next to that of the Apostles if Justin Martyr were that Author To which it is not now needfull I should add any thing unless I should add what follows in the same Author touching the Baptized Infants namely that they are vouchsafed the advantages of baptism through the faith of those that bring them to be baptized § 82. And thus I have shewn you that it hath been the Custom and Practice of the Universal Church of Christ in all the Ages thereof from the present to the Primitive Times even up to that very Age wherein the Apostles lived to baptize Infants CHAP. XXVIII Infants Baptism a Tradition Apostolical § 1. I Am now to examine how this could come to be practice of the Universal Church And truly it can be no other but the Authority of the Apostles Tradition or Practice in their own Age. The Apostles some way by word or writing taught Vniversa Ecclesia quae Apostolicam proximè secuta est infantes baptizavit Igitur dubium non est quinmota Scripturae authoritate praxi Apostolicâ hoc secerit Wendelin Thelog Christ l. 1. cap. 13. Explic. Thess 11. others so to do or did so themselves and so made themselves an example for others to do the like or both or else it is not imaginable how such a practice should not onely be received so generally into the Church and so early too but continue also in it through all Ages down from their time to our own without interruption I will therefore speak of both And first of Tradition § 2. Tradition notes the delivery of a thing to be received into our belief or practice See Dr. Ham. Bapt of Inf. Sect. 99 100. That where 't is genuine and Apostolical is of mighty moment in religious concerns And that if any is truly such which hath been received and owned for such by the Church in all the Ages of it from the primitive to the present times either openly in profession or tacitly in practice § 3. To this is referred the Sanctification of the Lords day To this is referred the admission of Women to the Lords Table To this is referred the Canon of Scripture And to this is referred the Baptizing of Infants § 4. Let no man whisper you in the ear saith St. Augustin with any other doctrines a Quid de parvulis pueris si ex Adam aegroti Nam ipsi portantur ad Ecclesiam Nemo ergo vobis susurret doctrinas alienas Hoc Ecclesia semper habuit semper tenuit hoc a ma orum fide percipit buâ— usqâ—â— in sinâ—m perseâ—â—renter â—â—â—â—dit D. Aug. Serm. 10. de Vâ—â—v Apost This the Church hath always had hath always held this from the Faith of our Fore elders it hath received and this it keeps perseveringly unto the end And for as much as the Universal Church doth maintain it being always held in the Church and not brought into it by any Councils decree b Quod uniâ—â—rsâ—z tâ—nâ—t â—â—â—lâ—sia noc Conciliis institutum sed semper
sins might be forgiven them He was born Anno 332 and died Anno 420. § 67. St. Ambrose about the year 374 on that saying of our Saviour Except a man be born again of water and of the Holy Nisi enim quis renatus fucrit ex aqua Spiritu Sancto non potest introire in regnum Dei Vtique nullum excipit non infantem non aliqua praeventum necessitate D. Ambr. de Abr. Patriarch l. 2. c. 11. Hinc evacaatio baptismatis parvulorum qui sola adoptione donari nullo autem reatu dicerentur absolvi D. Ambr. l. 10. Ep. 84. pag. 217. Spirit he cannot enter iâ—to the kingdom of God observes that our Saviour therein makes no exception of any not the Infant not him that is prevented by any necessity And speaking of some that made Adams sin no otherwise hurtfull to posterity than by the example of it he presseth them with this absurdity that would follow thereon that hereby the baptism of Infants would be evacuated who could onely be said to have adoption given them but not to have any guilt forgiven them Likewise on Luke as Dr. Hammond notes by Jordans being driven back he saith are Per quae in primordio naturae suae qui baptizati fuerint parvuli à malitia resormantier D. Ambr. in Luk. ap Dr. Ham. Def p. 103. Non autem latet quantum cordibus fidelium dâ—fidiae gigneretur si in baptizandis parvulis nihil de oujusquam negligentia nihil de ipsorum esset mortalitate metuendum D. Ambros de Vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 8. cujus titulus est Quare tanta multitudo non regeneratorum infantium à perpetua alienetur Salute Tom. 2. p. 32. 33. Nolite ergo à Christo arcere infantes quia ipsi pro Christi nomine subiêre martyrium Talium est enim regnum Coelorum Vocat eos Dominus tu prohibes De ipsis enim ait Dominus Sinite eos venire ad me D. Ambros De Virginib l. 3. Tom. 1. pag. 93. Nec frustra scriptum est Nemo mundus à sorde nec infans cujus unius diei vita est super terram Et. Quis inquit poterit facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine Non tu qui solus es Propter quod ficut nunc in Ecclesia manet constitutio salvatoris dicentis Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua Spiritu Sancto non intrabit in regnum Coelorum â— itae sacratissime eraâ— in lege praecautum ut natus puer nisi die circumcideretur octavo exterminaretur anima ejus de populo suo nullum in haereditate Israel habitura consortium D. Ambros l. 10. ep 84. ad Demetriad Virg. Vide Magdeb. Cent. 4. Cap. 5. Col. 239. lin 7 c. signified the mysteries of baptism by which the little ones that are baptized are reformed from their malignity to the first state of their nature Yea that St. Ambrose affirms Paedobaptism to be a constitution of our Saviour is affirmed by A. B. Laud. Conf. Sect. 15. p. 55. § 68. The Third Council of Carthage about the year 397 decreed that nothing should Non est aliquid ab his exigendum qui infantes suos ad baptizandum adducunt Caranza fol. 99. Nam de infantibus baptizandit qui necdum baptizati nascuntur quoties necessitas exegerit Regula Ecclesiastica per beatum Siricium prolata demonstrat dicens Ita infantibus qui non lum loqui potuerunt per aetatem vel his quibus in qualibet necessitate opxs fuccit sacri undâ baptismatis omni volumus celeritate succurri nâ— ad nostram perniciem â—cndat animarum â—i negato defiderantibus fonte salutis exiens unusquisque de seculo regnum perdat vitam Hincmar apud Magd. Cent. 9. c. 4. Col. 140. lin 34 c. be exacted from those that brought their Infants to be baptized § 69. Siricius Pope of Rome who died Anno 388 is by Hincmarus produced as an Author for Infants Baptism as saying that he would have baptism administred with all speed to Infants who as yet are not able to speak for want of age as also to those that are in any necessity to prevent and it is worth marking what he saith in this case its tending to the destruction of our souls if any through our denial of baptism to them depart unbaptized and lose at once both kingdom and life § 70. St. Chrysostom who died Anno 407 saith For this cause namely because of the so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrys Hom. ad Neophytos apud St. Augustin l. 1. contra Julianum Pelagianum cap. 2. many benefits as there are by baptism do we baptize little children though they have not sins that is not any actual sins of their own as St. Augustin shews his meaning to have been from the right rendring of the words against the Pelagians who misrendred them as Dr. Hammond shews Def. of Infants Bapt. pag. 103. Where as the words of St. Châ—ysâ—stom declare the practice of the thing so St. Augustine's interpretation clears the meaning of his words Again in his fortieth Homily on Gâ—nesis speaking of Baptism as of the Christian Circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrysost Hom. 40. in Genes Tom. 1. Edit Savil. p. 328. l. 4 c. he saith it hath no determinate time but 't is lawfull both in the first age and in the middle and in old age it self to receive this Circumcision made without hands Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Dr. Hammond notes signifies childhood as being applied to the time of circumcision which was on the eighth day and given then as the Father notes for two reasons †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Chrys Hom. 39. in Genes Edit Savit Tom. 1. p. 222. lin 10 c. Ideo ergo praedicat Ecclesia Catholica ubique diffusa debere parvulos baptizari propter originale peccatum quia filios procreare ex praecepto Dei venit cupiditas verò quae facit silios procreare ex poenâ peccati venit c. D. Chrysost Hom. de Adam Eva. Tom. 1. Col. 447. B. Illud etiam quod circa baptizandos in universo mundo sancta Ecclesia sive sint parvuli sive juvenes uniformiter agit non ocioso contemplemur intuitu Id. ib. Col. 448. Adducit quispiam infantem adhuc ubera sugentem ut baptizetur statim Sacerdos exigit infirmâ aetate pacta conventa assensiones c. Id. in Psal 14. one because then the trouble of circumcising was the easilier born the other to signifie that what was done did nothing conduce to the soul but was onely for a sign For what could 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forgoing an Infant of eight days old reap of advantage to his soul by things which he had neither knowledge nor sense of § 71. Gregory Nazianzen flourished about the year of Christ 370 and died in the
his Disciples to suffer those to come to him that already were at and with him Yea suppose he had onely called them and they were not yet come who can imagine that it were needful to give any further command to his Disciples to suffer those to come at him whom he had but just then called unto him It is therefore of Infants in general and not of those particular Infants onely that he spake § 7. Yet Fourthly Our Saviours speaking these words upon that particular occasion doth not necessarily restrain the concernment of his words unto those particular Infants Acts of justice and acts of Grace are of general concernment though the occasions of them be particular unless there be something in the circumstances of the acts that may lay a restraint upon their concernment And the Apostle hath notably taught us to draw general conclusions from particular expressions in Heb. 13. 5 6. He hath said I will never leave thee nor for sake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper The promise of not being for saken of the Lord was a particular one made upon a particular occasion unto a particular person namely Joshua Jos 1. 5. And yet saith the Apostle so general is the concernment of it that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper And thus were the occasion of this Speech of our Saviour never so particular yet how fairly is this general conclusion drawn therefrom Christ gave order that little children when they were brought should be suffered to come to him and not be forbidden Therefore little children should now and at all times be suffered and should not be forbidden to come unto Christ especially since as there is the same need for our children that there was for those children to come to Christ so there is the same mercy in Christ now to move him to receive our children that there was in him then to move him to receive theirs and there is no circumstance in all the action debarring our children of his mercy and restraining it unto theirs § 8. But it is time I should proceed to speak to the Third and shew what coming of little children unto Christ it is that is to be suffered and ought not to be hindred CHAP. IV. What coming of little children unto Christ is to be sufferedm and ought not to be hindred § 1. NOw to clear this we must shew that the Phrase of coming unto Christ is capable of various interpretations § 2. And first it notes an approach or access of any person unto Christ as exhibiting himself corporally present in place Thus those Saducees came to him that came to pose him Matth. 22. 23. And this is the ordinary and proper signification of the Phrase And in this sense those Infants spoken of in the Text did come to Christ Their being brought to him was a coming of theirs to him When the Disciples rebuked those that brought them our Saviour commands that they the children should be suffered to come unto him § 3. But in this sense now our children cannot come unto Christ Christ is no where corporally present upon earth that children may be carried to him or in this sense come at him In Heaven indeed he is corporally present but thither children cannot be carried thither children cannot come Whither I go ye cannot comâ— saith our Saviour John 13. 23. i. e. not till after death nor then neither but in spirit till the resurrection of the dead For flesh and blood unchanged cannot inherit the kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 20. So that the words taken in relation to children now are not to be understood properly And therefore unless we mean not to have our children come at Christ we must go seek out some other meaning of the Phrase and find out some other way by which they may come to him § 4. Secondly therefore the Phrase may be taken Figuratively And so sometimes in notes a becoming or a being made a Disciple unto Christ And so when our Saviour saith Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour his meaning is become disciples to me for so it follows in ver 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me Where he offers himself to be a Master to such as should come to him And in what other sense than this can we understand that in John 3. 26. Behold the same baptizeth and all men Omnes currunt ad baptismum illius Alcu. in Aqui. Au. Cat. come unto him That is Jesus by Baptism receiveth proselytes and there is great recourse unto him for that end many persons become his Disciples by receiving his Baptism And to thâ—s agrees the Paraphrase of Nonnus upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non. in loc All the citizens make hast desiring to partake of his divine washing i. e. to become his Proselytes to be made his Disciples by Bapâ—ism And in accordance with this sense is the same Phrase interpretable John 5. 40. Ye will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to me i. e. become my disciples believing on me and being baptized by me that ye may have life And See Dr. Ham. on John 6. 37. Similitudo sumpta à discipulis quos pater magistro tradit quique volentes eum frequentant Grot. ap Poli. Synops so again in John 6. 37 44 65. In all which places the phrase of coming unto Christ implies a becoming disciples to him being made his Proselytes § 5. So then to become a Disciple to Christ is in one sense to come to Christ And if children may be made Disciples to Christ then there is a way left whereby they also as well as elder persons may come to Christ § 6. And that they may is very fairly hinted even in this Text the words which our Saviour useth to express the coming of these Infants to him by being the very words as is observed Dr. Hammond of which that name is composed by which such as became Disciples to Christ were anciently called viz. Proselytes His words are Suffer the little children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as St. Matthew relates them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come to me q. d. to become my Proselytes for so were they called that from Gentilism did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come over unto Judaism before Christs time and from either Gentilism or Judaism came over unto Christianity in or after the days of Christ And by those words of St. Athanasius wherein he mentions some other books besides the Canonical ones that were by the Fathers proposed to be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to those that as yet came to and were desirous to be catechized i. e. instructed or taught the word of piety or the principles of true religion a Proselyte seems to be described And the word it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proselyte we have indiverse Scriptures Matth. 23. 15. Ye compass sea and land to make
Spiritum Sanctum Sancitur Bez. in Match 28-19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just in Martyr Apolog of late said By Baptism we are consecrated unto God in as much as our Adoption in Christ is there ratified by the Holy Ghost so Justine Martyr of old going to give an account of the primitive way of introducing persons into the Church by Baptism begins his relation thus Now will I set forth after what manner we did dedicate or offer up our selves to God when we were renewed through Christ § 4. And as our Church in the baptizing of Infants designes a Dedication of them unto God so did the Ancient Church too Whence that Grant that whosoever is here dedicated unto thee by our Office and Ministry c. Office for Infants Baptism 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazian Orat. 4. de Bapt. Quibus tamen ad Consecrationem remisionemque Originalis peccati prodest eorum fides à quibus offeruntur D. Aug. Quinquag Hom. Serm. 50. advice of Gregory Nazianzen If thou hast an Infant let not iniquity get time let it be sanctified in infancy let it in the tender age be consecrated by the Spirit Where certainly it is the Baptismal Sanctification and Consecration that he speaks of and by the Spirit he means Christian Baptism the Spirit which is one part of Baptism as Water is the other which two our Saviour joyns both together John 3. 5. saying Except a man be born of Water and the Spirit c. and by both means one thing viz. Christian Baptism being put for the whole even as Water which is the other part of Baptism is by St. Paul Ephes 5. 26. put for the whole saying that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of Water that is of Christian Baptism § 5. Now for children even in their Infancy to become by the designation of their Parents Gods own portion and to be made Holy unto the Lord this certainly cannot but be for the childrens good For as much as being appropriated unto God in a nearer relation they will be respected by him with a dearer affection § 6. When any Thing is offered unto God in sincerity God kindly accepts of it You may see instances in Abels offering the firstlings Gen. 4. 4. of his flock Noahs offering of every clean Gen. 8. 20 21. beast and fowl Davids 2 Sam. 2. 2 Chron. 7. Hagg. 2. designing Solomons building and the Jews repairing a House to serve God in So when any Person is offered and consecrate unto God in integrity of heart God usually blesseth both the offerer and offering You may see instances in Abrahams offering Gen. 22. his Son Isaac in sacrifice to God in Samsons Judg. 16. being made a Nazarite unto God from his mothers womb and in Hannahs consecrating her Son 1 Sam. 1. Samuel to the Service of God § 7. So that for our children to be by us offered and consecrated unto God and his service is the way to intitle them to Gods favour and to derive on them his blessing And that 's reason enough were there no more why we should baptize them and by so doing intitle God more nearly to them entring them into the Catalogue of his more peculiar possessions listing them as Tyros into the number of his souldiers and enrolling them into his family as his more immediate servants Whereupon our Church in her Office for the Baptizing of Infants not onely gives the baptized Infant a Cross in his forehead as a badge and cognizance of his Profession and Relation but also prays to God for him that he would receive him for his own child by Adoption § 8. Not to add that so early a Consecration of them unto God and to his service so timely a Dedication of them unto piety and holiness is not without a great probability of being very influential on them in their future lives in the way of a preservative of them from impierty and iniquity natural conscience that light set up in the soul by the Author of Lights being likely to suggest unto them in their first approaches to understanding and reason what a shame it will be for them to give themselves unto wickedness when they are men who were dedicated unto holiness when they were children to addict themselves in their Age to the Devil who in their Infancy were consecrated unto God Whence doubtless it was that Greg. Naz. advised the giving to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat. 4. de Bapt. Infant the Trinity i. e. doubtless Baptism into the Faith of the Trinity that great and good phylactery or preservative there being no more likely means to preserve them from the after debauches of judgment or conversation then the sense of a foregoing consecration to Truth and Purity by being baptized into the Faith of the Holy Trinity early instilled by a Carachetical infusion of the due notices of it into a child in his Infancy whereby he is as it were prepossessed for God and Goodness before any possession can be gotten of him by Satan and wickedness CHAP. VII Baptism Beneficial unto Children in regard of their being brought thereby into Covenant with God § 1. SEcondly by Baptism Infants are brought into Covenant with God Baptism is to us as Circumcision was to the Jews a Ceremony of our initiation or entrance into Covenant with God And as then all circumcised ones were so now all baptized ones are brought into Covenant with God by a mutual stipulation and contract explicitly or implicitly made between them and God whereupon they become Gods and God becomes Theirs upon Baptismus significat nunc in Ecclesia pactum illud quod primum ab omni Christiano cum Deo initur Flacci Illirici Clavis Script Voc. Baptismus See Mr. Servieners Course of Divinity l. 1. par 1. cap. 40. pag. 193. Sparks Brotherly Pèrswasion to Unity c. 11. Mr. Hookers Eccl. Pol. l. 5 §. 64. Gr. Naz. tells us that Baptism in brief doth import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 40. Jam verò is qui baptizatur secundae vitae meliorisque vivendi rationis instituti pactum cum Deo init priori flagitiosae vitae nuncium remittit Nicetas in Orat. 40. Greg. Nazianz. Covenant-terms even the terms of the Gospel which is the New Covenant they promising God to be His and he promising them to be Theirs they to believe and obey him and he to pardon and save them § 2. Hence all along in the Primitive Church and See Dionys Ar op Eccles Hierarch ch 4. Hocker Eccles Polit. l. 5. §. 63. so downward we read of stipulations promises contracts covenants made by the Adult persons that were admitted to baptism and of no admission of any such to be baptized without such stipulating contracting and covenanting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Basil l. de Spir. Sancto c. 12. § 3. And because of Parvuli allo profitente baptizantur qui
with Crispus and his house Acts 18. 8. And is to be supposed it was so with others of whose believing before their baptizing we read not as of Gaius and Stephanas 1 Cor. 1. 14 16. And this at this day is and ever hath been the way of the Churches dealing with adult persons § 19. But the Argument will not hold from Men to Children It follows not that because men that are capable of believing or disbelieving the Gospel are not baptized except they make profession of faith that therefore Infants who are neither capable of believing nor disbelieving must profess faith or not be baptized Faith being required of the one but not of the other § 20. When the Apostle commanded the Thessalonians that if any would not work neither should he eat 2 Thess 3. 10. did he mean the Infants should not eat that could not work 'T is plain he required working onely of those that were able to work not of those that were unable So in the case in hand 't is apparent that Believing is onely required of men able to understand and believe not of Infants neither able to believe nor understand For by the words immediately foregoing preach the Gospel to every creature it is most evident that it is of such persons onely as the Gospel may be believed or disbelieved by upon the preaching of it to them that it is said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned not of such persons as the Gospel cannot rationally be preached to in order to the bringing them to believe by the preaching of it in regard of their incapacity to understand it and inability to believe or disbelieve it And so Infants are utterly unconcern'd in this Text. And as from it we plead nothing for them so from it can nothing rationally be pleaded against them § 21. I have read that Men must be converted and become as little Matth. 18. 2. children I suppose for humility and innocency that they may enter into the kingdom of God But I have not read that little children must be converted and become as Men for understanding or Faith before they can have entrance in Gods kingdom A profession of faith by persons of understandâ—ng in the names of the Infants is required by the Church and upon that profession it baptizes them But that understanding and faith which is required in Adult persons as praevious to their baptism is not by the Church required in Infants as necessaâ—y to their baptizing Nor can it be proved that ever it was by Christ or any Apostle of his exacted of them as it cannot be proved that ever Christ or any Apostle of his ordered the delay of their baptizing till it might be in them § 22. And lastly if Infants baptism be an Apostolical Tradition that is a thing delivered down to the Church to be practiced in it by the Apostles and Apostolical Persons and as practiced also by themselves as there is better ground to believe it than there is evidence against it then the thing is out of question They would never have baptized themselves nor taught others to baptize such as wanted faith because incapable of believing if mere want of faith notwithstanding such incapacity to believe did render them incapable of baptizing And if not believing did not in the Apostles Age and the Ages succeeding it make Infants incapable of Baptism then can it not make them so in ours there being no more reason for the one than for the other § 23. And so here is nothing in the Infants themselves that renders them uncapable of being baptized CHAP. XXIV Children not incapable of being baptized in regard of any thing required of them or to be done to them in Baptism § 1. SEcondly There is nothing in Baptism required of or to be done unto Infants which hinders them from it or renders them incapable of it §. 2 Not the Thing signifying Water with the application of it by way of Immersion or Assusion They may be dipped into water in case of strength or they may have water poured on them in case of weakness § 3. Not the Thing signified The Blood of Christ and the Grace of the Spirit For what can hinder why they may not be sprinkled from the guilt of the sin of their Birth by the blood of Christ in the Grace of Justification Cannot the blood of Christ satisfie for that guilt that lies upon Infants Or cannot God apply the satisfaction made by the blood of Christ unto Infants And what can hinder why they may not be cleansed from the corruption of their nature by the Power of the Spirit in the Grace of Sanctification Cannot the Holy Spirit mortifie those dispositions unto evil which Parvulis datur gratia operans cooperans per baptismum sicut adultis sed parvulis in munere non in usu G. Biel in 4 l. Sent. dist 4. are in Infants Or can he not infuse dispositions to goodness into Infants Is not the spirit of grace able to inoperate the grace of the spirit in Infants Is not he able to give them a temper of heart capable to receive his Infusions Is not he able to make Infusions of grace into their hearts suitable to their temper No incapableness of Baptism then in Infants on these accounts § 4. Again may not children as well as elder persons be taken into Vnion with Christ May not they be incorporated into him What no lambs in his flock but all old sheep No little members in his body but all great ones No babes in Christ but all strong men Cannot the water do the same for them Cannot the spirit do the same in them to unite them unto Christ that is done by it either for elder persons towards their Union with him Surely the application of the Water of Baptism to their Bodies does as well signifie and declare and the infusion of the Spirit of Christ into their souls does as well operate and effect their Union with him as the Union of elder persons For what should hinder No incapableness then of Baptism in Infants on this account neither § 5. Again look upon Baptism as the Door of entrance into the kingdom of Heaven and so far are they from being incapable of that that they are made a kind of standard to the capacity of others for it For our Saviour not only saith that of such as infants is the kingdom of heaven Matth. 19. 14. which implies that they themselves are qualified for it and have all things required in them for entrance into it but also he saith Matth. 18. 3. Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven which again implies that Infants are duly qualified for an entrance into the kingdom of heaven for why else must others be converted and become as they are that they may enter into it and not only so but that