abominate also the Christian education of their children so as in this respect the unbeleevinge husband or wife and the children also though themselves for the present unbeleevers by reason of the willingnes of the one to cohabite and the subjection of the other to Christian education may in that sence be said to be sanctified or made holy being as it were deputed to it and in the way of preparation for it so as the unbeleeving parent the childrē of that mixt birth may be called as Tertullian sayes Candidati timoris and as afterward by others Candidati fidei Probationers or compettitors for feare and faith the words following vers 16. seemes to favour such an interpretation For vvhat knovvest thou O vvife vvhether thou shalt save thy husband or hovv knovvest thou O man vvhether thou shalt save thy vvife there being already wrought a good pleasure or willingnes to abide and cohabite on the unbeleevers part husband or wife and the children in that respect being subjected to Christian education and to the beholding of holy examples true cōversion and faith which brings them into estate of salvation may be in time accomplisht in them to which they seeme in some sort destin'd by the providence of God in such a yoake-fellow or such parents So sanctification is predicated of those who are destined or prepared to such an end so God sayes of the Medes and Persians Esay 13.3 I have commanded my sanctified ones that is such as I have prepared for so Calvin upon that place sayes that sometimes sanctification is referred to regeneration which is peculiar to the elect of God sometimes it signifies to prepare or destine to a certain end so those unbeleeving parents by their willingnes to abide with beleevers their children in regard of the opportunity of a holy education seeme to be as it were destined or prepared for regeneration and for that state which accompanies salvation and in that respect as in a large sence may be called sanctified or holy Which consideration if it may give them a greater accesse to ordinances proper for them or stirre up others to lay out themselves in a more peculiar and particular manner for their conversion I shall not hinder it but on the contrary thinke that such providences speake much and that as they give grounds of hope and so of endeavour so there may be much of duty towards them in regard of the opportunity that families and churches that parents masters ministers have to doe good to such who though strictly they may not be called church members no more then strictly sanctified that is regenerated by the holy Spirit yet so farre as in the respects before mentioned they may be tearmed sanctified that is by a providence destin'd as it were and prepared for God so farre the church within whose pole they seeme by a providence to live and to be cast ought to have a more especiall eye after them and care of them by vertue at least of that generall injunction As you have opportunity doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith under the shadow of which these are come But whether you take either of these sences or both for they may both stand in severall respects and regarding the text with a different aspect you will surely find nothing to ingraft Baptisme upon For whether the children are sanctified to the beleeving parents use as all other things are not unholy in themselves which to the unbeleever are not or whether in the second sence they are sanctified that is as it were destined for holynes of which by vertue of a great providence in respect of their education they are made Candidati that is probationers or competitors as when men stand for a place or office and as the Catechumini of old were called yet can they by no meanes in either of these respects be qualified for or made the subject of Baptisme which presupposeth as hath formerly bene shewed another kind of holynes proper to and inherent in the party namely regeneration and nevvnes of life not such an one as is competible to an unbeleever either parents or children It was but necessary to speake something to this place which beares amongst many the weight of so great a building as infant Baptisme though if I could find here such a holynes for infants as wee all wish to ours namely justifying faith regeneration yet I should no more judge it meete to baptize them then to preach to them or to administer the Lords supper to them they being as capable of the word as baptisme and of one mysterious ceremony as well as another which hath bene a reason I doubt not why many formerly and many at this day doe administer the Lords supper to infants by vertue of a parallell ordinance to Baptisme Nor doe I know the reason why the one should be refused where the other is deem'd a due But enough I hope for this which truely the contests of others rather then any scruple which hath fallen upon my spirit from these words hath made me say so much of CHAP. XV. In which the authority of the Fathers and the practise of antiquity touching the subject of Baptisme is considered THe authority of the Fathers and the practise of ancient times is to many a great argument for the Baptizing of infants to me that looke upon such argumentations as not of the first magnitude collaterall and such as may truely and as often be brought for the patronising of errors as truth they are of no great consideration yet to satisfy others more then my self there must be something spoken to this head In which I shall consider especially these two things first whether by the witnesse of story Infant Baptisme have injoyed a quiet and peaceable possession in the church from the Apostles times downeward till of late it was interrupted by some few evill spirits in the times of Luther as some men would give us to beleeve Secondly upon what grounds those Fathers which are alleadged for the chief patrons of Infants Baptisme went for if they have erred in the reason of the foundation it will be easilyer beleeved that they did also in the building We will consider first of this latter I will give you their grounds either as I have reade them my self or as I find them quoted by Bellarmine Tom. 3. lib. cap. 8. whose quotatiōs I shall take for truth till I find the contrary for here hee hath to doe with the Anabaptists enemies in this point alike common to him with most of those that are tearmed Protestants First hee quotes the testimony Dionisij Areop qui lib. Eccles Hier. c. ult part ult ab Apostolis traditum affirmat ut infantes baptizentur Iusti five quicunque est auctor earum quaest qu. 56. parvulos baptizatos salvari alios non item That infants baptized are saved others not Orig. lib. 5. in cap. 6. ad Rom. Ecclesia inquit ab Apostolis traditionem
figure of things to come so when Cornelius and his companie were baptized the holy Ghost fell upon them as that to which the seale immediately was to be set Act. 10.47.48 But the most illustrious sealing of all others was as it became it to be in our head Iesus Christ when he was baptized Matth. 3.16.17 And Iesus vvhen hee vvas baptized vvent up straightvvay out of the vvater and lo the heavens vvere opened unto him and he savv the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him and lo a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in vvhom I am vvell pleased There the whole Trinity appeared to make the Triumph and ratify that affaire never any ordinance was graced with such a presence And as Baptisme is a visible seale to our faith so here the Trinity in whose name wee are baptized made themselves visible together the Father by a voyce the Son in his body the Holy Ghost like a birde First there was the Heavens opened but to him so are the words Marke 10. it s said hee savv the heavens opened or cloven or rent that is hee saw a cleaving or rending some great Hiatus now this was for Christ himself for it was as Luke saies as he vvas praying Luke 3.21 which was that so the voyce the spirit might be knowne to come from heaven it being a great evidence of the presence of God there Then hee saw the spirit like a dove lighting upon him as the multitude in the Acts saw the spirit as it were in cloven tongues like sire the spirit tooke upon him the shape of a dove and rested and abode on him that sealing spirit that seales us all sealed Christ and abode with him for so sayes Iohn Vpon vvhom thou seest the spirit descending and abiding that is hee And then there came a voyce and that admirable and considerable this represented God the Father to his eare as the dove represented the spirit to his eye so while the spirit sate upō his head the Father spake from heaven the great sealing word This is my vvellbeloved Sonne in vvhom I am vvell pleased This that is this man Iesus whom I shew and point out by my spirits abiding upon him Is this is hee whom I have promised now ye have him or thou art speaking to Christ my Sonne wee cannot be sealed to such a Sonneship in all respects wee are adopted children hee was the naturall and proper Sonne the only begottē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that beloved many are beloved but hee was onely beloved as onely begotten we are sonnes because wee are beloved but hee was loved because hee was a Sonne In vvhom not in any other who ever he be unles by this One I am vvell pleased In whom I am cōtented in whom my minde rests that is who onely and singularly pleaseth me and in whom there is nothing that displeaseth mee therefore I delight wholly in him and rest in him so as every thing will be acceptable to me that hee doth by whom I shall be pleased with others by whom others may please me for the Father here intimates that his love so rests in Christ as it deffuseth it self to others so as beholding him he puts of all offence and anger towards others whom hee beholds in him opposing him to every thing All these things were to his person but respected also his office which was unseparable from his person Therefore first to him the heavens opened whose office it was to opē heaven and to make an entry for us thither againe to open heaven and to draw downe the great misteries of it to us the doctrine of the Trinitie was here declared and truth came by him also what he had seene of the Father that he revealed Secondly the spirit came in the shape of a dove as to seale us before so to shew that hee should converse here up and downe in a dovelike manner should have neither weapons without nor gaule within to offend withall although his condition was not greatly to please therefore such passages as these fell sometimes from him Learne of me that I am meeke and lovvly Yee knovv not of vvhat spirit you are This abiding and this use of the spirit is that prophecied of him Esay 61.1 2. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anoynted me to preach good tidings unto the meeke hee hath sent me to bind up the broaken hearted to proclaime liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound To proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord and to comfort all that mourne and hee was to be filled with the spirit that it might descend upon us his members and that we might be baptized with the holy Ghost Thirdly for the voyce This is my beloved Sonne in vvhom I am vvell pleased it was then the office of Christ to execute and manifest the wellpleasing of God in himself to the redeeming reconciling and renewing of the world that should beleeve in him and the restoring of all things This is that expression that is to be opposed to that other Gen. 6.7 It repents me that I have made man God can never repent him more that he hath made man when hee is so well pleased in the man Christ Iesus so aboundantly satisfied contented and in him with all his This Baptisme of our Saviour was the Epoche or terme whence they reckoned Acts 1.22 c. Beginning from the Baptisme of Iohn unto that same day that he vvas taken up from us I have beene the larger in opening this illustrious tipe of Baptismall sealing that the nature and way of it may be seene in the highest patterne Wee shall be sealed also with our difference of younger brothers the heavens in Baptisme opens upon us and the Father the Sonne Holy Ghost who are visibly present here are present also to our sealing and ready to give us the same witnesse but with its distinction as before this is my beloved Sonne in vvhom I am vvell pleased and as wee are then visibly united to Christ who sanctifies this ordinance for us so the spirit is ready to seale us up and God by the spirit to witnes every good thing to us let us therefore put a valew and a price upon this ordinance more then wee have done and after being once baptized into Christ let us know and be assured that we have a right to what hee hath and to what he had to what he is for what ever he was or is as Mediator hee is for us with the great difference of elder brother and having that in his owne right which wee have in his and therefore the sealing of his Baptisme belongeth also to our baptisme as his dying and rising againe doth to us who dye and rise againe with him in Baptisme To add a word or two of the seale Paul hath two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
beleevers not infidels though outwardly they can manifest no faith or sanctification to us Ainsworth pag. 49.50 whom I quote as being by all acknowledged a learned man in this opinion wherein hee concurres as wee shall see with the streame of our Divines not to be suspected The like to this saith Walleus de Bapt. Infant p. 493. Infants are to be reckoned amongst beleevers because the seede or spirit of faith is in them vvhich some call a habit others an inclination from vvhence by degrees through the hearing of the vvord actuall faith is formed sometimes sooner sometimes later This in the next pag. 494. hee prooves Because else they vvould not be saved Rom. 8.9 If any have not the spirit of God he is none of his And Iohn 3.5 No uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but infants by nature are uncleane are purged by the blood of Christ the kingdome of heaven belongs to them they please God c. This is layd for a ground amongst the Calvinists concerning Baptisme That Baptisme is onely a signe and seale of regeneration already wrought Oecolamp de verb. Dom. cap. 3. Aqua mystica in Baptismo non regenerat nec efficit filios Dei sed declarat the mysticall vvater in Baptisme doth not regenerate nor make men sonnes of God but declares So Zwinglius Baptismus non aliter Ecclesiae Christi signum est quam exercitus aliquis signatur non quod signum hoc conjungit Ecclesiae sed qui jam conjunctus est publicam tesseram accipit Baptisme is the signe of the Church as the ensigne of an army it doth not joyne you to the Church but it declares you joyned So Beza Nihil obsignatur nisi quod jam habetur nothing is seald but vvhat is there already of this opinion is Calvin fully as it were easy to quote him saving that in answering the Anabaptists he sayth This objection is ansvvered in a vvord by saying that children are baptized into faith and repentance to come actuall he meanes for he addes according to the first opinion quoted of vvhich though vvee see not the appearance neverthelesse the seede is planted there by the secret operation of the holy Spirit so as hee would have faith and repentance there in the habit that God may not seale to a blanck nor give a lying signe The like saith Pemble a late and able Divine That vvhich is signified in our baptisme is our justification by the blood of Christ and our sanctification by the Spirit of Christ Baptisme is the seale of both unto us and infants may be partakers of both being vvasht from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ in vvhom they are reconciled to God and actually justified before him and also purified in part from the uncleannesse of sinne by the infusion of grace from the Holy Ghost vvhat then should hinder vvhy those infants should not be vvashed vvith the vvater of the Sacrament So also Davenant in his comment upon the 2. chapt of the Colossians to quote no more where conflicting with the Anabaptists he saith As for infants because they are not sinners by their ovvne act but by an hereditary habit they have the mortification of sinne and faith not putting forth it self but included in an habituall principle of grace Novv that the Spirit of Christ can and doth ordinarily vvorke in them an habituall principle of grace no vvise man vvill deny From all those testimonies wee may observe that the cleare reason of the thing inforces men to allow as necessary to Baptisme in generall the qualification of regeneration faith c. how this now will fit infants Baptisme wee shall consider hereafter for the present wee joyne issue with them in these three things First that a personall holynes not derivative or imputed onely must be the ground of Sacraments 2 That this holynes must be regeneration 3 That the habits of faith and repentance are to be esteemed such I proove not these things because they are cleare in themselves and taken for graunted by those already quoted onely in these things wee joyne with them and so farre agree together CHAP. VIII In which are contained severall queries and considerations raised from the premisses declaring what little ground there will appeare from their owne principles and concessions to conclude for Infant Baptisme THese things thus supposed I make these doubts about the baptizing of the infants of beleevers First I would aske whether all infants of beleevers have necessarily and assuredly those habits which must of necessity be concluded since it is their personall qualificatiō for Baptisme and therefore you must have good grounds to judge that they have it one as well as another First of all Peter Martyr sayes that I vvill be the God of thee and of thy seede is not an universall promise but hath place onely in the predestinate and therefore upon 1. Cor. 7.14 else vvere your children uncleane but novv are they holy he saith Promissio non est generalis de omni semine sed tantum de illo in quo rectè consentit electio alioquin posteritas Israelis Esau fuerunt ex Abraham And therefore affirmes that the children of the saints are borne holy vvhen they are predestinate and this agreeth with reason for if you make that holynes as before the infusion of gratious habits yee must suppose election without which such gratious habits are never infused unlesse to make good this opinion you will allow falling from grace which I am sure our selves and those we desire to satisfy will not do This being said I would aske upon what ground the Saints can suppose all their children to be elected or why they should deny any infants baptisme since experience tells us that the children of many unbeleevers if we will judge by the fruites and effects which is the surest judgement are elected and many children of beleevers reprobated especially now since the sluce is taken up the Gospel preached to every creature under heaven Againe consider how cold a ground this is for infants baptisme your children are holy by being borne of you that is regenerated and so qualified for ordinances if at least they be elected and I seale to them their holynes the kingdome of heaven if they be elected as if a King should say I confirme this towne to you and yours if at least it hath pleased me or shall please me to give it you But if you say wee have reason to hope well of them according to that else vvere your children unholy but novv are they holy for so saith Peter Martyr upon that place Bene sperantes quod ut sunt secundum carnem semen sanctorum ita etiam sunt electionis divinae participes Spiritum Sanctum gratiam Christi habeant Hoping vvell that as they are according to the flesh the seed of the Saints so they are also partakers of Divine election and have the Holy Spirit and the grace
faith of Abraham that is beleeve as hee did if they would pretend to the sonneship wee speake of so as in this 16. verse the opposition is onely betweene the faithfull under the Law the faithfull under the Gospel so as the law and faith are not opposed here simply but as circumcision was an adjunct or no adjunct to faith that is as true beleevers were either of the Iewes or Gentiles and so these words are not to be taken as the 14. vers If they vvhich are of the lavv be heires faith is made voide and the promise made of none effect Here you see one fatherhood Abraham is the father of all beleevers whether Iewes or Gentiles So in another consideration you have Sarah said to be the mother of all good obedient women who are called her children 1. Pet. 3.6 But besides this Abraham may be considered under the notion of another fatherhood of which the Iewes were apt enough to bragge namely a carnall generation that they had Abraham to their father as appeares by the reproofe that Iohn gave them Mat. 3.9 Thinke not to say vvithin your selves vvee have Abraham to our father Now in opposition to this fatherhood considered alone is that added verse 17. of 4. Rom. where the Apostle quoting the promise Gen. 17.5 I vvill make thee a father of many nations adds this before him vvhom hee beleeved even God vvho quickeneth the dead c. As if he should say Abraham is the father of us all not in respect of his carnall paternity but of his spirituall which is before God vvhom hee beleeved it is said to be before God because founded in faith by which wee are commended to God He adds also VVho quickneth the dead and calleth those things vvhich are not as though they vvere by which wee have all a patterne or glasse of our vocation by which is proposed a beginning or entry not into our first birth but into our hope of life to come to wit that when wee are called by God wee goe out of nothing as not having the least sparke or seede of good in us which may render us capable of the kingdome of God but on the contrary must dye to our selves that wee may be proper for Gods call whose call is so effectuall as a simple will of his or signe thereof produceth the greatest and highest existencies The like distinction of a double paternity sonneship to wit after the flesh and after the spirit that is by carnall generation by faith yee have Rom. 9.6.7.8 Not as though the vvord of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel vvhich are of Israel neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is they vvhich are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Where the Apostles intention is to make it appeare that notwithstanding the great defectiō of the Iewes yet the truth of the divine promise is not diminished For they are not all Israel sayes hee vvhich are of Israel because they are not the children of the promise but of the flesh and can pretend title onely to Israel their father by a carnall generation vers 7. Neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they children that is the like may be said also of Abraham It is not their carnall generation of which they are apt to boast that gives them a true notion of sonneship in respect of the spirituall promises made to Abraham for so onely by faith they gave the title of Abrahams seede as before But in Isaac shall thy seede be called this he explaines vers 8. that is they vvhich are the children of the flesh those are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede The sence is That promise of God made to Abraham by which hee made so great a difference amongst his children that Ishmael laid aside and rejected onely the posterity of Isaac should be called his seed saying in Isaac shall thy seede be called teacheth us thus much that neither they all nor onely are to be reputed for the true seede of Abraham which according to the flesh are issued from Abraham but those which are the sonnes of the promise that is which are regenerated according to the spirit by faith according to that promise In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here you have a distinction as it were of two Abrahams a begetting Abraham and a beleeving Abraham and also of two seedes the children of the flesh that is by carnall generation onely and the children of the promise This allegory hath its foundation in that which the Apostle saith Gal. 4.22.23 For it is vvritten Abraham had tvvo sonnes the one by a bond mayd the other by a free vvoman but hee vvho vvas of the bond-vvoman vvas borne after the flesh but he of the free vvoman vvas by promise where hee affirmes that Ishmael was borne according to the flesh but Isaac according to the spirit that is he onely by a naturall power of generation but Isaac not so much according to the flesh but miraculously as it were by the restoring of a generative vertue to Abraham for the making good of the promise Now saith hee those onely which according to that of which Isaac was a type are borne by promise those and those onely are counted for the seede Rom. 9.8 They vvhich are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede According to which is that which is affirmed Gal. 3.7.9 Knovv yee therefore that they vvhich are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and vers 9. So then they vvhich be of faith are blessed vvith faithfull Abraham In the first of those verses out of the former reasonings he bids them conclude take it for granted that not those which are of workes which hold by that tenure but those which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham Againe hee perstringeth the Iewes who gloried in their carnall generation that they were Abrahams sonnes according to the flesh the 9. verse is a reason of the 8. where hee sayes that the Scripture that is the spirit that writ the Scripture foreseeing that God vvould justify the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all nations be blessed that is either in thy seede which is Christ who onely is apprehended made ours by faith or as many of the antients expound this place and Calvine is of the same judgement In thee that is according to the imitation and after the similitude of thee hee being as Calvin sayes in this the patterne rule of us all and therefore is called our father as being the primitive patterne made by God and this
honour of types which is a thing common to men with beasts and countries we have the body substance of that of which in old time they had but the shadow and not so much as the image Heb. 10.1 CHAP. XIV In which is considered that famous and much urged place of 1. Cor. 7.14 Else were your children uncleane but now are they holy HAving thus largely vindicated this great Gospel ordinance from those objections that the parallell of Circumcision seeme to make against it in the administration of it to an actuall beleever onely and by the way cleared divers places that use to be debated in this argument particularly that of 2. of the Acts 38.39 Reason good manners require that that famous and much urged place of 1. Corint 7.14 should have its turne for cōsideration to it therefore we now addresse our discourse the words are these For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the vvife and the unbeleeving vvife is sanctified by the husband else vvere your children uncleane but novv are they holy The great drift of this place seemes to be to exhort beleevers to abide in that calling or condition wherein religion finds them to informe them that that laide no law or necessity upon them of a change vers 20. Let every man abide in the same calling vvherein hee vvas called art thou called being a servant care not for it c. In which verses he gives an account and satisfaction to servants which he had done before to maried persons concerning the communion of man and woman for the use of the bed there were two thinges which seemed especially to render it uncleane and unholy both in respect of the parties themselves and of the issue of their bodies one was the polluting of the marriage bed by adultery therefore God made one man and woman that there might be a holy seede when he had abundance of the spirit and could have made more that the converse might be holy that is within those bounds limits and their seed holy that is not spurious and bastardly Mal. 2.15 The other was the being unequally yoaked with unbeleevers and Idolaters which amongst the Iewes rendred the mariage and the fruit of the wombe so uncleane and unholy that there was to be a separation and devorce betweene the husband and the wife and the children also of such births were to be put away as unholy as appeares Ezra 10.2.3 And that the course of the Apostles doctrine was against this unequall yoaking with unbeleevers appeares by what he sayes 2. Cor. 6.14 Be ye not unequally yoaked vvith unbeleevers which intends particularly though perhaps not principally mariage as some would have it it was but therefore needfull to inlighten cleare this great objection which would lye as a barre in their way to the comfortable enjoyment of that relatiō in regard of their yoake-fellowes and children to those people therefore that seeme to fall under such a capacity and condition the Apostle speakes vers 12. to the rest speake I c. that is to these which are of a different religion and worship having considered others before what sayes he to them hee relieves them against a great evill that they might feare would fall upon them which is that they must part with their wives or husbands that are unbeleevers and by consequence also with the births of such a bed Hee tells them there is no necessity of such a parting but that they may abide in the condition wherein they were called ℣ s 20.21 Religion breaks no bonds no civill contracts tyes or subordinations which in themselves are not simply and by the law of nature unlawfull Adultery were a state out of which religion would call you as being simply unlawfull and against the law of nature but the state of mariage which is honorable amongst all men and holy in it self is not dissolved or rendred unholy by the conversion of any party but on the other side it still remaynes a holy and sanctified state to the beleever for to the pure all things are pure that are not naturally and by themselves sinfull or impure as on the contrary even lawfull mariages and the most justifiable things are impure to the unbeleevers to whom nothing is pure their minds and consciences being defiled therefore sayes he the unbeleeving husband is sanctified in the vvife or to the vvife Sanctificatiō being here opposed to that which is impure uncleane that is contrary to the law of God so that the whole mariage converse is by the faith of the beleever rendred pure and cleane as also are their children though borne of an unbeleever on one side which if the mariage converse were uncleane would be unholy or unsanctified they also are holy for so it followes Else vvere your children uncleane but novv are they holy Here seemes to be two arguments though very much alike and neere of kinne why there should not be a putting away of the mans side or a leaving on the womans if either of them be a beleever the one is from the holynes of the unbeleeving yoake-fellow the other from the holynes of the births of such a bed which are both rendred so that is sanctified or holy to their use by the faith of one party where marke that the question is not here of infants onely but of children in generall though of age which are as capable of being sanctified by the beleevers faith and to the beleever though themselves were unbeleevers as the unbeleeving wife or the unbeleeving husband is And as the word children extends it self beyond infants to all children so the word holy which is of the same kinde with that which in this verse is attributed to the husband or wife is as applyable to a child of yeares not beleeving as to an unbeleeving husband or wife And of such a holy child there will be no great cause to boast as of a fit subject for Baptisme This I take to be the genuine interpretation of this place which seemes to exhort as much as may be to an abiding in the condition wherein religion finds them as appeares by the 17.18.19.20 verses and answers the great objection which might arise from unequall matches in respect of their yoake-fellowes and their children Another interpretation there is which you may consider also which seemes to take its rise from the words before And shee be pleased to dvvell vvith him ℣ s 12. And hee be pleased to dvvell vvith her ℣ s 13. So as the reason why the beleever sanctifies the unbeleever not simply but in respect of mariage is from the pleasure and willingnes of the unbeleever to co-habite with the beleeving husband or wife for the Apostle would seeme to intimate that such a kinde of consent to co-habite by which the unbeleever seemes not to abhorre the faith of Christ and a spirituall life in the beleeving wife or husband will cause or effect that he shall not
Sufficiunt divinae divinitùs inspiratae Scripturae ad omnem instructionem veritatis The holy divinely inspired Scriptures suffice to all instructions of truth Then Basil in serm de fidei confess Infidelitatis argumentum fuerit signum superbiae certissimum si quis eorum quae scripta sunt aliquid velit rejicere aut eorum quae non scripta introducere It vvould be an argument of infidelity and a most certain signe of pride if any man should reject things vvritten or should introduce things not vvritten Also Cyril lib. de recta fide Necessarium nobis est divinas sequi literas in nullo ab eorum praescripto discedere It is necessary for us to follovv the divine letters and in nothing to depart from their prescript So Theoph. lib. 2. Paschali Diabolici spiritus est aliquid extra Scripturarum sacrarum auctoritatem putare divinum It is the part of a diabolicall spirit to thinke any thing divine vvithout the authority of holy Scriptures So Tertull. lib. contra Hermogenum Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem scriptum esse doceat Hermogenis officina si non scriptum est timeat vae illud adjicientibus vel detrahentibus destinatum I adore the fullnes of the Scripture let Hermogenes shevv that it is vvritten if it be not vvritten let him feare the vvo destin'd to those vvhich adde or detract The end of all that hath bene said amounts to this that those Fathers or Churches that tooke up and practized Baptisme as an Apostolicall traditiō that is a thing not written nor found in the word but for the antiquity sake call'd Apostolicall as those forequoted did and most will be found to have done that being their best plea are justly to be reputed ours and of our side for they judge it not from Scripture and therefore are forced to fetch the rise of it from tradition which traditiō because it will not beare the weight of an institution as you have heard therefore the whole building is to fall which is falsely bottomed and their authority upon that ground is nothing saving that by flying for a bottome and refuge to tradition they doe with us affirme that there is no better ground for infant Baptisme then humane traditiō which is indeed none at all So as you find how all these testimonies authorities and many of the same kind become ours And here by the way I am not ignorant that some of ours whofeele themselves prest by the Papists as if they admitted of a tradition in this ordinance of Baptisme which they refuse in others and being loath to loose the authority of the Fathers in this point who put it upon tradition as upon its proper basis would fayne wrest their necke out of this noose and therefore shew you also how the Fathers fastned it upon some Scripture ground so Chemnit in his answer of Lindan Exam. Concil Tridentin de Trad. p. 69. To which I answer according to truth that the forequoted Fathers fastned Baptisme upon tradition as upon its owne ground and basis being no more able then other men to find a word of institution for that which had none and for the credit of the tradition calling that Apostolicall which they found ancient which as the same Chemnitius acknowledgeth was an ordinary practise in other things but withall some of them give some ground of Scripture of their owne framing for the colour of such a tradition so Origen Iraeneus Cyprian and those others quoted by Chemnitius to this purpose which reatch not to any word of institution but to the reason of it as Origen sayes That the Apostles knevv that there vvere in all the stayne of sinne vvhich ought to be vvasht by vvater and by the spirit So Cyprian VVhen the Lord saith in the Gospel hee came not to destroy the soules of men but to save vvee also should prevent as much as may be that no soule be lost For God as he accepts not the person so nor the age I shall give you no more this onely for a tast Now those I said are no words of institution but some generall reason as they conceave and doth not at all hinder but that Apostolicall tradition as they call it beares the weight of the institution I deny not but that there hath bene such a thing as the tradition of Christ and Apostolicall tradition which are of the highest and greatest authority but they were such things as afterwards were committed to writing by the Euangelists and Apostles as Chemnitius well observes p. 61. and other traditions of Christ his Apostles wee avow none but esteeme them all Apocryphal Againe for those Fathers and ancient writers together with the Papists Lutherans that judged Baptisme simply necessary to salvation and some of them condemning infants to eternall damnation without it as Austin Bernard c. unlesse they were happily rescued by martyrdome you see what necessity lay upon them to deffend infant Baptisme but upon a most false ground namely the necessity of it to salvation which fayling as wee know it doth wee may see both how they might be tempted necessitated to such an opinion what good reason there is why their foundation and building should fall together And if any man shall here object as before in the case of traditions that this peremptory necessity to salvatiō was indeed a false hypothesis or supposition not fit to beare the weight of infant Baptisme but that the Fathers also might possibly have other mediums by which to proove this as those before instanc'd in I answer that the weaknesse of those mediums or any other I have mett withall in this particular as alleadged by them declare plainly that there was some other great thing which inforced them to it namely the necessity of it to salvation as whē we see wise men contend earnestly for that for which they give no good visible or apparent reason it may well be conceived that there is something of interest which supplies to them the want of reason and this interest of the salvation of our children sitts so neere us as it may beare the weight of many reasons and cause us to admit conclusions though of great moment and concernement upon very easy considerations So as wee have fully examined this head namely upon what grounds the Fathers which are alledged for the chief patrons of infant baptisme went have found that so many as build it upon tradition as generally all doe are of our side for avouching that for their best authority they acknowledge there is no better to wit the Scripture and so conclude with us that Baptisme of infants is not an institution of God which hath the Scripture for its foundation And those which give it to infants because it is simply necessary to salvation will be of no authority against us nor of no credit to their cause because the building must be level'd according to the foundation that being false they are
signe thereof should not be to this agrees that place Heb. 6.4.5.6 For it is impossible for those vvho vvere once inlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and vvere made partakers of the holy Ghost and have tasted the good vvord of God the povvers of the vvorld to come if they shall fall avvay to renevv them againe to repentance c. The Apostle speakes not here of theft perjury adultery or any sinne in particular but of an intire revolting and falling away when a sinner offends not God in any particular but renounces wholly to his grace bids him adieu for ever Now he falls thus who revolts from the word of God who extinguisheth the light of it who deprives himself of the tast of the heavenly gift and quits the communion of the spirit in the participatiō of its grace which cannot be without the sinne against the holy Ghost and a totall falling from God Now it is impossible sayes hee those should be renevved by repentance having sinned against the holy Ghost they have a heart that cannot repent now they having broken covenant with God in the highest manner and being uncapable of repentance which is to precede Baptisme they are incapable of Baptisme for others though they sinne the same covenant repentance Baptisme stands good for ever Secondly because the signification the fruit use of Baptisme is not for a moment or respecting the time past onely but respects the future also and the whole life of the baptized person as appeares Rom. 6.2 So as the Baptisme of repentance once receaved for remission of sinnes remaynes as a pledge by us of the covenant of God and that perpetuall washing which we have by the blood of Christ Marke 14. Iohn did baptize in the vvildernes and preach the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes which is to be often thought of for the full assurance of our pardō for that promise is of perpetuall use and influence He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and Gal. 3.27 As many as have bene baptized into Christ have put on Christ. But thirdly the greatest reason why Baptisme is not to be repeated is because neither in precept or example wee find it repeated which is the word of our institutiō But on the other side There is one Lord one faith one Baptisme which is one Vnitate usus legitimi in the unity of the lawfull use as well as in other respects so as there is no thought of leaving Christ as if there were to be exspected a new regeneration and a new Baptisme The Fathers also were of this opinion Tertull. lib. de Baptis Semel lavacrum inimus semel dilicta diluuntur So Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. Baptisma semel sumitur nec rursus iteratur Baptisme is once received nor is it repeated againe The question then will be what shall become of those that have bene baptized into a false name by heritickes that erre about the Trinity as the Arrians Marcionites c. The receaved answer is that they are to be baptized aright with the baptisme of Christ in such cases Baptisme is not to be said to be repeated the former being no baptisme or a nullity and this according to the decree of the Counsell of Nice cap. 19. as Bucan quotes it p. 635. The like decree also hath a Counsell of Carthage Ii sunt baptizandi de quibus incertum est an fuerint baptizati necne Concil Carth. 50. cap. 6. They are to be baptized of whom it is uncertain whether they were baptized or no. The like also saith Cyprian in his epistle 71. ad Quintum fratrem Here was some difference in opinions Cyprian and his Bishops were of opinion that Baptisme in an heretick church was null and therefore those who came to them were baptized as supposing that vayne and nothing others have thought that those onely were to be baptized againe who had bene formerly baptized by such a church and in such a manner as the essentialls of Baptisme were wanting so the Arrians baptized which rendred that ordinance vayne and null The same may be affirmed more fully of infant Baptisme that it is null and nothing and therefore that the partie so supposed to be baptized is indeed still unbaptized and therefore ought to be baptized according to the institution of Christ which Baptisme when he hath once receav'd he cā in no way as is before shewed be sayd to be rebaptiz'd for those thinges which cannot be shewen done no reason allowes that they should seeme to be reïterated To proceed therefore The Sacraments in generall particularly Baptisme is that by which wee pledge our selves to God or in which a formall covenant is made in which wee promise obedience and God protection defence to be our God and therefore 1. Pet. 3.21 it is stil'd a stipulation or covenanting also the word Sacrament is from sacring making holy dedicating or initiating as juramentum an oath is à jurando from swearing In the civill law it signified an oath Sacramenti praestatio recusatio the taking or refusing an oath The word Sacrament also is taken for a mystery for the visible signe of an invisible grace In a word Baptisme seemes to be nothing else but the ceremony of a mysticall spirituall marriage for it is a dedication a covenant and a mystery and as in marriage besides the words there hath bene usually some ceremonious signe as the giving of a ring or money or a kisse or the taking by the hand so here c. To examine this therefore by that similitude and resemblance that which is the first and principall ingredient into marriage is consent Nam nuptias non concubitus sed consensus facit Not the bed but consent makes marriage for otherwayes that joyning which is fornication or adultery would be marriage This stands by vertue of the first institution A man shall leave his father and his mother and cleave to his vvife Ge. 2.24 How By covenant and consent This is so essentiall an ingredient as Beza calls it the formall cause of marriage others the efficient cause therefore the lawyers say Solus consensus matrimonium facit Onely consent makes the marriage But then this consent must be exprest outwardly Nisi quatenus consentiunt consensum suum exterius exprimunt because the covenant contract is externall But then lastly and especially it must be the proper consent of the parties married for the consent of the parents who have some the greatest power besides cannot doe it hence an error of the person makes the marriage also null and invalid as if I marry one another be put in the place by the same reason if one of the parties be mad constantly because they cannot consent because that supposes not the consent of the marryers so as here is a formall or efficient fayle in respect of the consent and a materiall fayle in respect of the persons married which is as
of this Sacrament that wee may know whence and how to receive it And here to omit many things which might be considered under this head more generally also not to trouble our selves with the handling of this controversy as it is stated betweene us and the Papists who putting a more simple and absolute necessity upon this ordinance then is its due expose it in case of such necessity to the administration of all sorts of people of what condition or sex soever they be wee shall onely take those two things for graunted or at least deny them not first That the errour of the Minister doth not enter the essence of Baptisme nor is of those things that can destroy it and make it null And secondly that by the opinion of antiquity and learned men there were certain necessitous extraordinary cases wherein others might be used for Baptisme then such as were the ordinary Ministers of it But now because it is one thing to be and another thing to be rightly or well in relation to our selves and the ordinary and orderly administration of Baptisme we shall consider whether Baptisme be a thing of publick or private cognisance and to what predicament it belongs and whether it pretends which will be the bounds of this discourse and shew us whence it is to be fetcht and derived That it is a thing of publicke cognisance appeares to me both by the primitive commission and primitive practise the commission lyes Matt. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost In the 18. verse Christ tells his Disciples that all povver is given to him in heaven earth these were his letters patents by which hee shewed hee did nothing without power and good warrant now he goes into heaven as into one part of his kingdome which was quiet and at peace and sitting there at the right hand of his Father gives an Apostolicall commission for all the earth so Marke 16.15 Go into the vvhole vvorld preach the Gospell to every creature here hee opposes the whole earth to the bounds and limits of Iudea by which the Prophets of old were bounded in their administrations That he had by an hereditary right hee sent therefore to them first with this caveat that they should not go into the vvay of the Gentiles nor enter into any city of the Samaritans Matth. 10.5 But now by his death resurrection having acquired a right of reigning over all men he gives a commission for all the world this is Apostolicall for hee bids them go forth into all the world which is properly the word of Apostolicall commission whose diocesse had no bounds and if not here where can any Apostolicall commission be found And he tells them their great workes which was to preach and baptize for although Paul sayes 1. Cor. 1.17 that hee vvas sent by Christ not to baptize but to preach the Gospell that must be understood with a limitation that he was not sent especially to baptize because the administration of the Sacraments which are the appendixes and seales though it need as much power yet a lesse gift then the preaching of the word And behold I am vvith you to the end of the vvorld Here is a word of great incouragemēt comfort Christ had told them before hee was Lord of heaven earth he sends them to manage a great worke but sayes hee I will be with you that is who ever is publikely deputed for such a service as they need more especially assistāce so they shall have it and here he makes a playne difference betweene the makers of Disciples Disciples to be made Hee vvill be vvith them especially as they need it most to vvhom the charge of teaching and baptizing is deputed for the Apostles were not to continue alwayes as the world was to be gone through but once and institutions to be set up but once but a publike power was still left which succeeded this Apostolicall which in the next place we come to consider of that so finding where the commission rests wee may addresse our selves thither for ordinances and expect the blessing of Christs being with it unto the end of the world for this is a state continuing to the end of the world to the change of all things Now this clearly is the Church which is the subject of Ecclesiasticall policy and power as the common-wealth is of civill power so as Ecclesiasticall and Church power is essentially and primarily in the Church as in the subject Mat. 16. ver 18.19 And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I vvill build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it And I vvill give unto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven c. So as though the use of the keyes be divers according to the variety of callings and conditions in the Church yet the power of the keyes originally and primarily is given to the Church for Peter here beares but the person of the Church as in other places in which hee answers for others and Christ also speakes to him as adressing himself to the Church by him This is a thing so commonly avowed and defended by Protestāts against Papists as I shall not need here to proove it Also that other knowne place of Matth. 18.17 Tell the Church where both Church state and Church power are clearely spokē of Now where the power of admitting receaving and casting out is there is the power of administring and communicating all ordinances to the edification of the same body and they which have power of administring the kingly office of Christ consisting in casting out and receaving in have also power of administring his Propheticall office of which the Sacraments are a part therefore to the Christian churches as to the Iewes of old pertaineth the publike dispensations and services of God Rom. 9.4 And hence it followes that such as were deputed by the church for their Ministers and officers were called overseers made by the holy Ghost and were to be imitators of the Apostles to whom ordinarily in the executive part they succeeded Acts 20.17.18.19.28 Hence Peter calls himself a fellow Elder with the ordinary Elders 1. Pet. 5.1 The Elders vvhich are among you I exhort vvho am also an Elder c. To conclude this head a man becomes a Prophet and able to teach by vertue of a gift namely of knowledge and utterance 1. Cor. 1.5 But no gift renders a Baptizer but a call as being a thing of publike cognisance commissiō Teaching out of a gift hath its foundation in nature which ariseth from a personall gift and grace of the spirit But Baptisme censures ordination and the like depend not upon a speciall gift but are acts of power conferred authoritatively upon a speciall person And thus much for the primitive commission for Baptisme which falls under a