the hands of the Holy Spirit for edification and salvation the word is a dead letter without the Spirit and so also is Baptisme it speakes no more then it is bid the blessed Angels that are so farre above sinne and corruption have no quickning vertue in themselves the flesh of Christ hath no vertu but from his Godhead Now if there be no vertue in the flesh of Christ but by the personall union how shall bodily actions about bodily elements confer grace but by the mediation of the Spirit Thirdly they agree in the principall matter for the same Christ with all his benefits is offered and confirmed to us in the word and Sacraments the same union the same communion in the death the resurrection of Christ and they which looke for more in the Sacraments then the word promises and holds out makes an Idoll of them Fourthly they agree in the end for God by them builds up and edifies his Church till it come to be perfect Fifthly they agree in the instrument which renders both profitable to us both word and Sacrament are ineffectuall without faith 3. Iohn 36. Hee that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life Sixthly they agree in the effects They are the savour of life unto life or the savour of death unto death c. So He that beleeveth is baptized shall be saved From the first you learne coroll 1 not to depart from the institution but as to preach the Gospel according to the analogie of faith so to administer the Sacraments according to Gospel institutions for it is alike sinne to transgresse in the administratiō of the one as in the preaching of the other since they both hold of the same Lord institutor and as hee which in preaching the Gospel shall add workes to faith in the point of justification perverts the word and preaches another Gospel and therefore is accursed Gal. 1.1 So he that shall alter in the administration of the Sacraments but in a ceremony since the ordinance lyes in a ceremony and shall be bold to inlarge the subject of this ordinance or contract it will be found a breaker of Gods boūds be found guilty of the cursse that is the portion of such as add or detract so as what wee doe herein is of great moment and consideration coroll 2 From the second to exspect successe from the Spirit to be in the Spirit that you may receive it Secondly the Sacraments worke not Phisically From the third coroll 3 to be lead by all administrations into the knowledge of Christ to judge them best that hold out most of Christ and most purely Secondly to magnify Christ the head and end of all institutions coroll 4 From the fourth to be comforted and confirmed in this way of salvation wherein wee are for wee have enough till wee come to God and need no more coroll 5 From the fifth not to rest in the worke done to thinke it enough when you have heard or communicated if it be not mingled with faith it profits not vvithout faith it is impossible to please God coroll 6 From the sixth then play not with these tooles it is a great matter you have in hand when you meddle with the ordinances of Christ and when you are under them it cannot be without much good or hurt to you it is a blessing or a cursse to the persons upon whom it falleth even the greatest light meanes are the greatest agravations of sinnes Heb. 2.1.2.3 Wee come now to the difference of these ordinances which will contribute more of light to what wee have proposed They differ first in the manner of the administratiō of the same Gospel The one is an audible word the other is a visible word the word signifies according to such expressions as men have given a vallue unto to signify thinges by but the Sacraments represents by such similitudes and proportions as the signes have with the things signified therefore we read the word and heare the word but we see feele the Sacraments In a word they are Hierogliphicks it was the custome of the Egyptians to teach by visible representations which signify such and such things these are of that nature that whereas the word strikes the eare onely which is the usuall and ordinary sence of discipline those signes and visible elements affect the sences outward and inward the sences conveigh the object to the understanding there the Holy Ghost takes them and brings us into the present enjoyment of things as if we saw Christ with our eyes toucht him with our hands felt him by our tast and injoyed him with our whole man all this in a rationall and discoursive way raysing an analogy proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified Secondly they differ in the measure of their signification the word especially teacheth the Sacraments especially seale and confirme the word indeed signifies and applyes spirituall things but the Sacraments more efficatiously represent apply Thirdly the word is simply necessary to actuall beleevers and so to the salvation of beleevers and sufficient as in Cornelius for faith is by hearing and hearing by the vvord of God but the Sacraments are not absolutely necessary to all nor without the word are they sufficient to salvation for to what purpose are seales without the writing Fourthly for I will not trouble you with many the word belongs to all mankind the Sacraments belong onely to beleevers therefore for preaching ye have preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven But for the Sacraments teach them saith Christ that is disciple them and hee that beleeves and is baptized shall be saved so for the other Sacrament let a man examine himself and so let him eate and drinke and the people vvere baptized in Iordan confessing their sinnes of vvhich they repented and after the Eunuch was taught there was faith required before hee was baptized if thou beleevest vvith all thy heart thou mayest and no Baptisme or Sacrament find we administred otherwayes in the new Testament the reason is evident because the word begets faith the Sacraments confirmes it the word is the writing the Sacraments is the seale for it carries this with it and speakes this language as certainly as thou usest this ceremony and eates this bread so assuredly Christ dwells in thee and as thou entrest this water and art therein buried so assuredly thou art made one with Christ planted into his death thou art buried with Christ and thou risest with Christ as thou risest out of the water every thing speakes this thou art Christ and Christ is thine and therefore supposes faith which is the tye and the union on our part and you see how curious Paul is Rom. 4. to proove that Abraham vvas justified by faith before hee received the signe of circumcision which was to him a seale of his faith his righteousnes thereby ℣ 10.11 Hovv vvas it reckoned vvhen hee vvas in circumcision or in uncircumcision Not
for they plundged the vvhole body in the vvater the use is novv sayes he that the Minister casts a fevv dropps of vvater onely upon the body or upon the head Whereby you see both what his opinion was for the practise of the most antient and primitive times in generall how cleare hee was that the Baptisme administred here to the Eunuch was by dipping or plundging The fourth and last place I shall consider to this purpose shall be that of the 6. Rom. and the beginning where the Apostle elegantly alludes to the ceremony of Baptisme in our death and resurrection with Christ but having handled this before largely and by it self I shall onely give you the sence of expositers about it for our present end The learned Cajetan upon the 4. verse vvee are buried vvith him by baptisme into death saith By our burying he declares our death from the Ceremony of Baptisme quia scil qui baptizatur sub aqua ponitur because he vvho is baptized is put under the vvater and by this carryes a similitude of him that is buried vvho is put under the earth Novv because none are buryed but dead men from this very thing that vve are buryed in Baptisme vve are assimulated to Christ buried or vvhen he vvas buried Thus Cajetan Estius upon the place having said out of Austen that vvhat ever vvas done in the crosse of Christ in his burying and resurrection c. vvas so done that to those vvords and actions the life of a Christian should be conformed Ads the like mistery the Apostle puts in the Ceremony of Baptisme for the immersion that is dipping of Christ represents to us burying and so also death for the sepulcher is the Symbole of death and the emersion or rising out againe vvhich follovves that dipping hath the similitude of the resurrection therefore in Baptisme vvee are conformed not onely to the death of Christ but also to his sepulcher and resurrection Where you see hee clearly places the ceremony of Baptisme both of Christs and ours in immersion or putting under the water emersion or rising up againe exactly conformable to what is to be signified to us by it namely our dying and rising againe with Christ So Cornelius Alapid upon the place ℣ 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mortem id est in similitudinem mortis Christi baptizati sumus qui enim baptizantur aquis immerguntur Christum mortuum sepultum representant allegoricè c. Into his death that is vvee are baptized into the similitude of the death of Christ for they vvho are put under the vvater represent Christ dead buried allegorically I shall add but one or two quotations more in a thing so evident Deodati in his annotations upon the place vers 4. hath these words Ce qu'au Baptesme nous sommes plongez dedans l'eau selon l'ancienne ceremonie nous est un signe sacré qu'il faut que le peché soit estouffe en nous par l'Esprit de Dieu comme c'est un seau du lavement de nos ames devant Dieu That in Baptisme vvee are plundged into the vvater according to the antient ceremony it is a holy signe to us that sinne should be stiffled in us by the Spirit of God as it is a seale of the vvashing of our soules before God I shall conclud with the judgement of Piscator upon the place vers 4. Sepulti igitur sumus videtur inquit respicere ad veterem ritum quum toto corpore in aquam mergebantur atque it a quasi sepeliebantur ac mox rursus extrahebantur tanquam è sepulchro The Apostle sayes he seemes here to have respect to the antient ceremony vvhen as the vvhole body vvas dipt into the vvater and vvas by and by againe dravvne out as out of a grave So Piscator Having thus farre carried on this notion for dipping or plundging in the ceremony of Baptisme which wee have found to have its rise from the naturall proper force of the word to have accorded fully with Scripture practise and example which is the coppy to which we must conforme I shall consider a little to discharge my self more abundantly to this point what hath bene the practise of the times wee commonly call primitive that is those after the times of Christ and his Apostles and what the judgement of the Fathers and antient writers have bene to this purpose And first the Apostolicall constitutions which are of great antiquity being attributed to Clement the 4. from Peter in the order of Bishops according to the Roman account they injoyne the office of Diaconnisses or shee-Deacons to be to assist for the unclothing of women at Baptisme the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To minister to the Presbyters vvhilst the vvomen vvere baptized for comelines sake Const Apost lib. 8. cap. 32. this I find quoted by Chamier lib. de Baptist cap. 2. p. 240. who brings it to proove that from the beginning as hee sayes it vvas the custome to dip the vvhole body vvhich expresses sayes he the force of the vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhence it vvas sayes he that Iohn baptized in a river and hee affirmes that it is uncertain vvhen or vvhy the change began to baptize by sprinkling saving that he addes that it vvould seeme that 3000 could hardly be baptized in one day by so fevv Apostles if they vvere all dipt or that the Iaylor had not perhaps a vessell at hand big enough for dipping the vvhole body But first you see that his opinion is cleare that Baptisme in the beginning was by dipping or plundging the whole body to proove which hee brings the force of the word the example of Iohn and after the Apostolicall constitutions onely he knowes not how so well to accommodate these two instances but that sprinkling also might be used I shall take therefore this occasion to answer once for all to these considerations First that when wee have a clearnes of Scripture practise agreable as is confest to the force of the word of institution and expressing it which also accords as wee have already showne aboundantly with the use and end of the ordinance which is the scope and intent of it and apparently conformable to the most evident antient practise it were a boldnesse to say no more to leave or desert that practise which upon the former grounds wee know to be safe and warrantable for another which we have little reason to beleeve was used but because wee see not how in some instanced particular circumstances it could be well otherwayes And as it is ever dangerous to depart from knowne approoved Scripture practise in the matter of ordinances upon our owne surmises so it can be no where of worse consequence then in such ordinances of which Baptisme the Lords Supper are the being and good of which lyes much in the right administration of a ceremony It would be safe to follow the cleare assured way
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
gentiles which you despise and for their hardnes and distance not in place but in the knowledge of God are as stones of such can God raise children to Abraham for the ordinances I pretend to are not bottomed upon carnall generation or priviledges but thinges of another nature namely true holynes which is seene and manifested by the fruit it brings forth Bring forth therefore fruit meete for repentance The next place considerable to this purpose is that Iohn where hee shewes that this excellēt person the sonne of God that came to bring life light was rejected by the world and after by his owne not onely the vvorld vvhich hee had made and in which he had shewed great sufficient evidences of himself knevv him not by which the miserable blindnes of corrupt nature appeares they can doe nothing spirituall but by a light of another kind then theirs is to wit spirituall and divine But vvhen he came to his ovvne they received him not The people of the Iewes were his peculiar hee vvas in the vvorld but hee came to them that is first hee presented himself to them they received him not that is though he were offered and shewed they tooke him not to them which shewes a great deale of mallice joyned to blindnesse by which they resisted the holy Spirit offering to inlighten them by words and miracles But least Christ should suffer as a person generally neglected and slighted he tells you Christ came not in vayne there were those that received him and made much of him As many as received him for now the hedge was pulled up the partition wall brokē down those he magnifies wonderfully they had this povver that is this dignity this priviledge as in the margent given them to become the sonnes of God that is though they were strangers and afarre of naturally yet the honour of adoption was given them to be made be the sonnes of God If you aske now but what was this receiving or how came this about Hee tells you this was effected by faith by beleeving in his name But now whereas the fashion of this world in adopting children is to respect either the greatnes of their birth or the excellency of their parts or some glory of their actions he tells you nothing of all this mooved God but his meere grace and will which provoked him to doe this great good to the vyldest and unworthiest for sayes hee those vvere borne not of bloods The Iewes pretended the dignity of their race that they were the seede of Abraham because they drew their originall from Abraham by a series of many successions so they were more noble by their antiquity therefore he sayes bloods this blood saith he did them no good and by consequence the carnall generation from godly and just parents will doe no good simply considered to intitle us to become the sonnes of God or consequently to the ordināces which seale up that sonneship therefore they vvere borne not of bloods nor of the vvill of flesh nor of man that is no free-will no resolutions no morall indeavours though they should ingage never so much can effect this birth Nor the vvill of man no heroïcall workes no excellency or dignity can effect this adoption this title but onely God this proceeds onely from the will of God Iames 1.18 Of his ovvne vvill bégate he us by the vvord of truth which by the way should cause us to love God who finding nothing in us hath so freely loved us Here you see in the second place that in respect of adoption and sonneship to God of which baptisme is especially in the first place a seale the birth of bloods the descending of such parents whether Iewes or gentiles saving for the order of the offer as before doth no good but wee all in that matter lye open exposed to the free will and grace of God so as whē a Iew comes to baptisme he must come even as wee and bring other characters with them then of having Abraham to his father if hee will pretend to this or any new Testament ordinance The equality in this respect will appeare by that place also of Acts 10.34.35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every nation hee that feareth him and vvorketh righteousnesse is accepted vvith him God seemed formerly to have bene a respecter of persons some men as some meates were borne cleane insomuch as circumcision other ordinances were their due as a birth-right those which were Iewes by nature were holy and those that were gentiles that is by birth were accounted sinners now this acception of persons was not a vice in God contrary to distributive justice because God was not obliged to dispense his ordinances as in any certain manner so nor to any certain men or to all in generall because no man had right to them or could merit them at his hands but hee is free as a rich man at a doale to give to whom he will or a King to his subjects so as the acceptance of persons in this sence was once just and according to the will and pleasure of God But now Peter was taught by God by the meanes of the vision hee had seene to admit men to ordinances upon other considerations then legall denominations of cleane or uncleane namely upon fearing of God and vvorking righteousnes and no other which is a thing not generated and conveighed by birth but by the new birth and the spirit of the living God Now this Peter expresses I perceive of a truth the word signifies to gather or collect by reasōs signes and conjectures as Calvin expounds it to wit the signes hee saw before viz. that of the vessell vers 11. Now then you see new qualifications to denominate a man accepted of God qualified for ordinances this in this covenant and way of worship was common to both without any difference for so you have it Acts 15.9 And put no difference betvveene us and them purifying their harts by faith the purity is not by birth as formerly Thus you see the Iewes come to Baptisme and be called the sonnes of God not by their pretention to Abraham for their father nor for the honour and advantage of their descent and blood And the Gentiles they were admitted without any consideration of persons or personall prerogatives in respect of their birth but upon their fearing God working righteousnes and having their hearts purified by faith therefore the old way advantage of birthright and in that respect of accepting of persons is ceased long agoe on both sides alike To conclude in a word all birth priviledge is by the title of Abrahams covenāt if therefore the naturall seede of Abraham could not at all pretend to new Testament ordinances a right by that title much lesse the adopted seede by any such way of naturall generation but if you speake of
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
OF BAPTISME The heads and order of such things as are especially insisted on you will find in the table of chapters Printed in the Yeare 1646. THE PREFACE THE Authour of these follovving thoughts professeth that hee vvas necessitated to them partly in duty to himself that he might discover vvhat vvas the good thing of that ordinance vvhich the Scripture magnifyes so greatly and himself understood so little but particularly by reason of a controversall scruple vvhich a providence of God put him to conflict vvith and all the present light hee had could not manadge to satisfaction to vvhich also may be added as another just reason that the desires of a fevv friends vvho have a reall interest in him ingaged his indeavours also in their respect and contributed to the production of these meditations vvhich last reason vvas necessary to be knovvne in regard that they vvhose desires vvere accessary to the dravving forth of this discourse have bene principall in the publishing of it and have offered a kind of violence partly by importunityes and partly by venturing upon the community and liberty of friendship to make it publike vvithout any order obtain'd from the Author to that purpose vvho needs no fuller vvitnesse then God his ovvne conscience and a fevv friends vvith vvhom hee hath more particularly convers'd hovv little hee hath delighted to ingage his thoughts in the controversall parts of truths and hovv in a constant tenour his meditations have form'd othervvise But since it is done certainly vvith no ill vvill to the publike The Authour findes good to accompany these papers vvith these good vvishes That they may by no meanes be the occasion to any of angry or quarrelsome disputes that blood vvhich vvas shed for us and vvhich this ordinance exhibites as a fountayne to bath in should qualify our heates and correct that Chagrin distemper vvhich often manifests it self in the agitating of things diversly apprehended Particularly that they may escape the unhappinesse of the censures of idle men vvho because they say nothing publike enough for an ansvver thinke they may say any thing and having found an easie vvay to religion to vvit the suffrage of learned men and the practise of the most judge them vayne and impertinent that take a greater boute To vvhich hee adds also this vvish that they may be delivered from such vvho triumph in discovering some lesser mistakes and place a great part of their abilityes in critisizing upon a vvord or phrase not so vvell plac'd or pertinently exprest such not to mention their charity as their talent is commonly very little so that vvhich is seemes fitted not so much for argueing as vvrangling vvith vvhich he vvould have nothing to doe and is levissimus fructus ingenij vvhich you may english The froth or scumme of witt And lastly hee desires that any vvho shall examine them more seriously and particularly and shall not in every thing be of the same minde for light is not administred to all by the same measure vvould be content that men should injoy their judgement since nothing is more our ovvne till cause be given to alter them vvould in the meane time be so friendly to him vvho professes to be greatly a friend to truth in order to the truth Iesus Christ that in the difference of opinions there might be a just simphathy and unanimity of the Opiners These escapes the Reader is desired to correct before he read the ensueing discourse Page Lyne Error Correct 11 4 us as 30 14 offense offence 31 3 terrifie can terrifie 33 4 blot out after the word death  17 discarge discharge 50 14 obliging obligeinge 56 14 or our 58 14 proceeding preceading 87 9 or as 88 17 which with 98 12 hnit hint 101 14 opposite apposite 113 19 Christ Christ's 128 13 put out That  133 8 chaine clayme 135 11 forner former 144 15 recte una 156 13 host hast 171 16 anquietnes an acutenesse 177 15 to two 181 18 rationall nationall 185 14 infaithfullnesse unfaithfullnesse 186 16 oath each  19 rationallity nationallity 187 9 blot out the at sinne 189 1 yooke yoake 195 11 a beginning our beginning 198 3 gave have 210 3 antientnes ancientnes  12 we workers coeworkers 224 4 come came 226 6 Iohn Iohn 1. 240 5 typising typifieing 274 20 pole pale 293 17 wo woe 324 6 â—â—ite â—int 328 10 differring deferring 329 10 differring deferring 348 16 provooke provoake 369 3 bewtifull beautifull The table of chapters the Reader will find at the end of the booke OF BAPTISME CHAP. I. Wherein of the first and great end of that ordinance the sealing up of our union with Christ and more particularly of the most illustrious tipe of Baptismeall sealing in the Baptisme of Christ THE Scripture holds forth no point with more glory and certainty then the onenes which we have with Iesus Christ which union is the rise and ground of all that is good and happy in us this therefore is the first and great thing that is made ours by Baptisme wee are baptized into the name of Christ for wee though wee be baptized into the name of the Father and Holy Ghost likewise and have an union with them yet the Fathers love is made good to us through Christ and the Spirits efficacy is derived through and for Christ who is the Mediatour the middle person the bond betweene God and us so Rom. 6.3 Ye are baptized into Iesus Christ And Gal. 3.27 For as many of us as have beene baptized into Christ This therefore is the great ordinance assuring and sealing up If God had kept his minde to himself touching our eternall estate there had beene a surenesse in it but there had not beene a sealing to us but when he tells us his heart and his minde and bids us beleeve it doubting nothing when hee shall yet speake more sensible to us to our sight and to our touch and ingage almost all our sences when hee shall marke us with sensible signes and seales and speake visible words also this must needs assure and of all assurances there is none so great as this first peece of our union to have this sealed and signed to be baptized into Christ to be ingrafted into and made one with him how great a matter is it Now God is not wanting to our faith in the truth of the representation betweene the signe and the thing signed betweene the seale and the thing sealed therefore Abraham in his beleeving received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of his faith Rom. 4.11 that is the righteousnes which he had by faith the acceptation hee had was sealed up to him by the signe of CircumcisioÌ„ by that marke now what Abraham had by circumcision that the Saints have by Baptisme for so the Apostle intimates in Coloss 2.11.12 which place wee shall have occasion to open hereafter where hee shewes the use of Circumcision which was a
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
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
alone but to you also that the prophecy and promise of Ioel foremētioned ℣ 16.17.18 is to be accommodated yea to all who ever God shall call but with this difference by these degrees that it is first to you which are Iewes which are night then though you may wonder at it to the gentiles also which are afarre of and that you see in the event prooved a wonder for it is said Acts 10.45 that they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished as many as came vvith Peter because that on the Gentiles also vvere povvred out the giftes of the holy Ghost Now these gentiles are called afarre of suitable to the expression of Ephes 2.13 Yee that is the gentiles vvho sometimes vvere farre of are made night by the blood of Christ where the same expressions of nigh farre of are used that are here now hee makes mention particularly of their children under which also he intends the childrē of the gentiles when by calling they should be made nigh to accommodate to them more fully the mentioned place of Ioel as if he should say those are the last dayes when this promise vers 16.17.18 is to be fullfilled both to Iew and gentile as a consequence of their faith in the Messiah that they shall receive that eminent gift of the holy Ghost as a badge of their profession the glory of God by which they shall be able to doe such thinges as wee have done but with this difference that according to what is foretold the spirit will accommodate and vent it self proportionable to their states and capacity some things are proper to old mē they shall dreame dreames others to young men they shall see visions and according to the manner of their revelatiō shall their gift be and the venting of it by prophecy But all you and your childrē shall receive gifts of the holy Ghost and so be made partakers of that illustrious promise here therefore ye have that which might first and especially comfort them the remission of their sinnes so as no man can object against Peter for comforting them onely with giftes Secondly as a consequence of this and as Christ elsewhere saith a signe of them that beleeve they shall have the same gift of the holy Ghost both Iewes Gentiles in their order that the Apostles had this should be just accommodated according to the prophecy of Ioel to fathers and children to young men old according to their proportions and capacities for prophecy Now that by the gift of the holy Ghost and so consequently the promise of Ioel is meant abillity of speaking tongues prophecies as it is cleare by the context in it self so according to the judgement of Calvin who sayes clearly that this ought not to be understood of the grace of sanctification but of those primitive gifts vvhich though vve novv receive not yet vve have something analogicall and proportionable to them Now as the gift was not the grace of sanctification so neither the promise by which it is made ours for all gifts are ours by promise this is the generall judgement of expositers Protestant and others and is most cleare by Acts 10.45.46 where sayes hee they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished because that on the gentiles also vvas povvred out the gift of the holy Ghost for they heard them speake vvith tongues c. where the gift of the holy Ghost the same words used that is here is discribed by speaking with tongues Peter therefore calleth them that were pricked at their hearts were weary and heavy laden to repentance and Baptisme in the name of the Lord Iesus that they might receive and have sealed up to them the remission of sinnes which was the great thing they desired as a symbole and signe of which they should partake also of the effect of that illustrious promise made in Ioel and mentioned formerly that they should receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost so as nothing could be spoken more to the harts of distressed men then this nor nothing could more incourage them to repentance and Baptisme then the remission of sins sealed to them in that ordinance and yet more further signified and sealed by that famous promise of extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which for that time Christ himself made a signe and effect of beleeving to them that were nigh and farre of that is both to Iewes and Gentiles and so you see the Iewes incouraged to repentance and Baptisme upon great and noble and most considerable grounds with this distinction difference that the offer of all those great things according to the way of God and the Gospel comes first to them and after to them which are afarre of that is to the gentiles who indeed were afarre of being aliens and in the estimation of Peter so farre that God was forced to give him a particular vision as you shall heare Acts 10. to persuade him to looke upon them as those nigh And thus wee have what the Iew as a naturall sonne of Abraham may pretend to Baptisme and new Testament ordinances to wit a priority in respect of the offer whereby the way wee have taken occasion to cleare that place that some have indeavored to bring to prove infant Baptisme by then which truely nothing seemes to be lesse properly raised out of it The next considerable thing is where the stop lyes where the Iewes goe equall with others Now for that wee will consider that place of Matt. 3. chap. ℣ s 7.8.9 VVhen hee savv many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptisme hee sayd unto them O generation of vipers vvho hath vvarned you to flee from the vvrath to come Bring forth therefore fruites meete for repentance And thinke not to say vvithin your selves vve have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham The Pharisees and Sadduces men especially the Pharisees strict in their religion come many of them to Iohns Baptisme upon this pretence and clayme that they were descended from Abraham and were his children that they come in this confidence and pretence was manifest by what Iohn said unto them Luke hath it Luk. 3.8 Begin not to say vvithin your selves that is doe not take this subterfuge to oppose to repentance change of heart which onely qualifies for Baptisme that you have Abraham to your father Matthew sayes thinke not to say vvithin your selves which notes a persuasion of a prerogative of carnall generation that you have Abraham to your father such carnall and birth prerogatives stand you in no steed in this covenant for of these stones God can raise up children to Abraham that as when Isaack was borne who was the sonne of promise Abrahams body and Saraas wombe were dead as a stone so those which are now to be accounted the sonnes of Abraham God can raise from nothing evē from stones from the
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
by the laver of Baptisme and incorporated into Christ in that age they cannot loose that state of sonneship already obtayned so that grace being necessarily conferr'd to them according to their opiniō by baptisme which they cannot loose if they would in that age they thinke they need not the other till they come to be capable of sinning and falling away Besides the high transcendent notion they have put upon the Lords Supper by making it to be the very body and blood of Christ may justly apologize for them that they make it not childrens play And even that differencing of those two Sacraments by way of preferrence stickes close still to our fingers of which there are undoubted characters in the greatest part of reformed Churches All this hath bene to shew that if you will take primitive practise and antiquity for your guide that will lead you as well into the administring of the Supper to infants as Baptisme and if it fayle by your owne judgement in the one you may very well suspect it in the other for my part I see not why the Sacramēt of the Supper should be of a greater mystery then the other or the ceremony more significant or that the duty of examining should need more the use of reason then beleeving repenting and confessing our sinnes And since it is as naturall proper to infancy to be nourisht as to be borne I see not but why they should be as capable of the ceremony of their nourishmēt as of their birth and so of one Sacrament as well as the other You see how needfull it is to examine the reasons as well as the opinions of men an immoderate veneration of antiquity hath well nigh undone the world the Fathers with some farre fetcht Scripture allusion or glosse hath bene inabled to establish ordinances of institution and inforce practise apparently very divers from reason and Apostolicall president and which since by consequences have stuffed bookes with so many ridiculous disputes in this point as forsooth whether the childe being wholly in the wombe and no part appearing it may be baptized or whether if any part appeare without it may be baptized especially if it be the head or the hand or the foote whether if it be borne with the after birth or whether if it be a monster it may be baptized with severall of the like nature which have miserably tormented the Schoolemen and are the births of such a premisses it being the nature of errour to be fertile and if you graunt one fundamentall absurdity a thousand will follow And so much for the first head I propounded in this argument of authority namely upon what grounds the fathers that are alleaged for the chief patrōs of infant Baptisme went The second wherein I shall be breefe for wee build not much upon this bottome was whether infant Baptisme have enjoyed a quiet and peaceable possession in the Church from the Apostles time downeward till of late it was interrupted as is affirmed by certain unquiet spirits in the dayes of Luther Though no prescription will lye good against God yet I am of opinion that if the possession of infant Baptisme hath bene very antient which I doubt of yet the injoyment hath not bene anciently so peaceable as some would make us beleeve Let them who list or can confute Ludovicus Vives who affirmes in cap. 27. lib. 1. de civitate Dei Neminem olim consuevisse baptizari nisi adulta aetate qui per se peteret baptismum intelligeret quid sit baptizari None of old by which it seemes hee meant very old vvere vvont to be baptized but in a full or grovvne age and vvho desired Baptisme for themselves and understood vvhat it vvas to be baptized I find also Rupertus Tuitiensis in his 4. booke of divine offices cap. 14. quoted to have sayd In former times the custome of the primitive Churches vvas that they administred not the Sacrament of regeneration but onely at the feast of Easter Pentecost and all the children of the church vvhich throughout the vvhole yeare through the vvord vvere mooved vvhen Easter came gave up their names and vvere the follovving dayes till Pentecost instructed in the rules of faith rehearsed the same and by their Baptisme and dying thus vvith Christ rose againe vvith him So the famous Erasmus as I find him quoted in his annotations upon the 5. of the Romanes affirmes that baptizing of children vvas not in use in Pauls time And our Doctor Feild in his learned Treatise of the Church p. 729. affirmes that many very anciently vvho vvere borne of Christian parents besides those vvho vvere converted from Paganisme put of their Baptisme a long time insomuch as some vvere elected Bishops before they vvere baptized as vve read saith he of Ambrose to proove which hee quotes Ruffinus lib. 2. cap. 11. But to come more particularly to a few antient and authentique proofes with which I shall content my self Hee that shall read Iustin Martyr who lived about Anno 150. and is beleeved to have bene converted to Christ within 30. yeares after the Apostle Iohn when it is credible also very many were living who had bene frequent auditors of the Apostles hee I say who should consider in secunda pro Christianis Apologia the description he makes of the manner of Christian Baptisme would surely not pick out of it the Baptizing of Infants as the most usuall and ordinary practise of those times its worth the relating at large being of so great Antiquity I vvill novv tell you sayes he hovv vve dedicate our selves to God being renevved by Christ least if vve should have past by this vve should seeme to deale malignantly and dissemblingly in this discourse vvho ever have bene persvvaded have beleeved that those things are true vvhich are delivered and spoken by us and have ingaged themselves to live accordingly they are taught to pray vvith fasting and to beg of God the remission of all their past sinnes vvee also praying and fasting vvith them then they are brought to us vvhere there is vvater and in the same manner of regeneration vvith vvhich vvee are regenerated they are regenerated for in the name of our Lord God the parent of all things and of our Saviour Iesus Christ and of the holy Spirit they are then vvasht vvith vvater Nor is it any prejudice to this testimony by which as by way of Apologie the regular and ordinary way of Baptisme is declared that I find him quoted by some as owning infants Baptisme for as much as they say in a treatise which goes under his name which whether it be his or no is doubted by all men and particularly by Bellarmine himself who yet is willing enough to make use of it and therefore not of that authority as the quotation I bring hee gives a knite of infant Baptisme by considering in a word or two the conditiō of those children who dye baptized and of them who dye