A JVST VINDICATION OF THE Covenant and Church-Estate OF CHILDREN OF Church-Members As also of their Right unto Baptisme Wherein such things as have been brought by divers to the contrary especially by Ioh. Spilsbury A. R. Ch. Blackwood and H. Den are Revised and Answered Hereunto is annexed a Refutation of a certain Pamphlet styled The plain and wel-grounded Treatise touching Baptism By THOMAS COBBET Teacher of the Church of Lyn in NEVV-ENGLAND Contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2 Sam. 23. 5. What God hath cleansed that count thou not common Acts 10. Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of Heaven c. Luke 18. London Printed by R. Cotes for Andrew Crooke and are to be sold at the Green Dragon in Pauls Church yard 1648. To the Reader THis learned Treatise hath met with many hinderances and difficulties attending its coming forth into the world First through too slow a Midwife it hath stuck too long in the birth and for two years space been shut up in darknesse as if unworthy of Publique light Then in the delivery of it in the Presse it had received too many bruisings through mistakes as this catalogue of Errata's collected by the Author himself nine Months since doth witnesse And after all it was in danger to have come first abroad like some illegitimate birth without a Parents blessing with it The Title and Preface prefixed by the Author giving light and lustre thereunto being for a while missing and thought utterly lost but just as it was a coming forth found and recovered again But Reader though it be as Paul complains of himself Thus born out of time and comes forth last in comparison of many other Treatises upon this argument yet I cannot but think when I consider the weight and solidity that is in it That God hath in a wise disposure reserved it last as a Coronis to all the former It is often seen in Persons and so why not the like in the Writings and Works of Persons that are designed by God to greatest use That in their births or fore-part of their lives they have been clouded with obscurity and environed with sad disasters in their emergency into the publique Thou that art a serious intelligent Reader and a searcher of the Truth in this great controversie read and peruse it And let these Errata's be ever and anon consulted by thee if thou at any time art at a losse for the Authors meaning And as thou readest or before let those wounds and bruisings it hath received those especially that are more killing and mortall to the sense be healed and removed by thy applying the Authors collections with thy Pen. I commit thee and it to the blessing of God THO. GOODVVIN THE AVTHORS EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian and Curteous Reader IT is the unhappinesse of our age That old rotten Errors are even raised out of their Sepulchres and anciently avowed Truths become the ball of contention Nor is this any new thing that when any glorious Work of Reformation is attempted in any place that it should be attended with some such incumbrances If Nehemiah will build for God he need not wonder if he finde or meet with much rubbish Rev. 12. It 's an old trick of the Dragon to watch when the Woman clothed with the Sun adorned with the twelve Stars and treading the Moon under her feet is in pain of travail and ready to be delivered that if it may be he may devour the childe or if woman and childe escape his throat yet to pour out floods of Satanicall Doctrines carryed on with the Dragons subtilty if that way possibly both may be destroyed In which case whatever the whole earth can afford it would not be denyed It 's a moving speech of Solomon in another case Prov. 24. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn to death c. If thou sayst Behold we knew it not doth not he which pondereth the heart consider it c. Me thinks too great a portion of the professing part of our dear native Countrey are even ready to be slain they are drawn to a worse death then that of the sword Rev. 9. There are killing waters and killing words False Teachers may indanger the life of souls Prov. 11. 9 and it 's sad to be started from that rest of wearyed soules the Word Ezek. 13. then a man is like a bird flying from bough to bough not knowing where to rest Verse 20. They are hunted souls caused to fly 2. Tim. 3. It may be ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the truth never established And where should such rest which are as it were out of their proper place discentred For my own part I professe my self to be slow of speech to utter and slow of heart to apprehend and therefore not to be nimble enough for such a rescue of hunted souls Yet being rowsed up by Neighbouring Elders together with other Brethren and my heart having been long troubled much to see and heare of the mischiefs of corrupt Opinions and amongst others of that of Anabaptism I have not been unwilling if I might hope to doe any service to Christ by debating detecting and disproving thereof at least to endeavour the same I remember him that said 1. King 8. It was well it was in thy heart to build my House There are many abler and better hands at work I hope in that Cause of the Foederall and Church-right of the children of Beleevers which are in visible politicall Church estate but being so much urged upon it I cannot but fall to work with ethers and helpe to dig up the old Wels of Abram which some although not Philistims I hope many of them yet verily in this matter they act a Philistin-spirit have at least attempted to stop and it may be they will not suffer the servants of God to dig them up in quiet But I hope Christian Reader thou wilt take acceptably endevours from the weakest and unworthyest of the Laborers of God in so necessary a work at this time I have endevoured in what I have attempted this way to stand as they sometimes did with Trowell in one hand and Sword in the other at once to build on for God and his people and to beat off such principles and Tenents as would undermine the Work Nehem 4. Christ himself was stirred in the Cause of the Children of pious minded persons and why should not every one which loveth him be moved too therein Suppose some who would interrupt the approach of such Babes to Christ for his blessing are otherwise precious men and godly yet herein they
of a true visible Church which are according to Mr. B's profession and the initiatory seale of the covenant then circumcision now baptisme and so Mr. B. his ninth argument is answered his second third fourth sixth and eight argument hath been elsewhere answered his seventh argument from a mistaken exposition of Acts 19 is elsewhere answered in what is briefly spoken to that place his tenth argument from the taking up of Paedobaptisme from corrupt principles is abundantly answered in the whole discourse wherein better principles are held forth and if any hold it out upon weake and unwarrantable grounds it weakens not a good cause in it selfe that it is ill handled His last argument from universall practise to the contrary is elsewhere answered and amongst others the practise in baptizing Lydia's house is one exception nor doth that which Mr. B. would pretend as an argument to the contrary evince what hee would have they are not said to bee the brethren of the house which Paul there comforted Acts 16. ult doth Mr. B. which would make all the jaylors houshold to bee actually beleevers thinke that they attended not Paul and Silas from prison for hee was now to depart the citie and hasted out of the jaylors house by the comming of the Magistrates thither for that end vers 39. so that there was no opportunitie before to utter what they had to say at parting but another house as that of Lydia in their way out of the citie is a fitter place for that purpose there therefore they make a little pause for that end after which they departed SECT XIIII ANd to adde here to consideration of 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. which to mee hath been long of validitie to prove this practise of Paedobaptisme as then in use nor can I yet bee removed from those thoughts the Apostles scope there was to take downe their pride in priviledges and resting secure in ordinances c. by shewing them the hazard to which they lay open notwithstanding if they provoked God by an argument from a like example of Church members interested not meerely in ordinary but extraordinary priviledges yet by reason of such provocation comming to a sad end and thus lyeth the Apostles argument Where there are like priviledges of grace there if abused will bee like punishments inflicted but with you and with them of old are like priviledges of grace ergo if alike abused there will follow like punishments And because they might glory in those peculiar Church ordinances of the seales which yet they were so apt to abuse hee singles out parallels to them and therein doth not take instance from the ordinary Sacraments of the Jewes but from two extraordinary ones wherein if in any thing they might seeme to bee priviledged above others Now if there were no parallel in that materiall businesse of the childrens baptisme in Corinth Church a great part of the Apostles scope of urging them from a ground of paritie of priviledges failed nay this had been a good argument to have taken downe their pride another way scil that the members of that Church had their children with them in a glorious manner baptized in the cloud and sea yet God dealt so with them in his judgements and you Corinthians that have nothing any way parallel to such a baptisme of your children doe you thinke to escape Object 1. But you will say there is no proportion betwixt them in that this was no Sacrament at all but an extraordinary providence Answ An ordinary Sacrament it was not but a Sacrament it was though extraordinary SECT XV. FIrst in that the other of the Manna and rock was not else spirituall meat and drinke and Christ to many of them really it was then Sacramentally so or no way to them Secondly why else doth the Apostle single out but these two to the one giving the name of baptisme to the other of spirituall meat and drinke and Christ agreeable to that mentioned in the end of this argument vers 16 17. Thirdly why else doth hee having mentioned their being under the cloud vers 1. come over it againe vers 2. and adde the name of baptisme to it It were a tautology if intending it of a bare providence Fourthly else the Apostle had much failed in his scope of deterring the members of this Church considered as such from Church sinnes and wantonnesse under and against Church priviledges Fiftly else why is not the same ascribed to all the rest to the mixt multitude which were with them yea to the very beasts for all shared in this as a providence all passed thorough the Sea with them c. yet none but the Church have this ascribed to them All our fathers were under the cloud and baptized c. the Church fathers to Paul and Gentile Church members as such were those Jew Church members whether parents or children the very babes as then yet in respect of after ages of the Church to whom afterwards they were Instruments to convey Church truths and blessings they were fathers Paul spake this to the brethren of the Church yet not excluding the sisters but including them in his admonition and argument but it 's usuall that Church admonitions and Epistles doe runne in the name of the brethren as being principall actors in all Church matters and hence also albeit the females of the Jew Church as such bee by proportion included in this matter of Church priviledge yet hee nameth onely the males but onely members of the Church did share in it in that respect Sixtly hence also the phrase baptized into Moses not personally but ministerially considered in his doctrine hee gave them from God both a precept for it and a promise encouraging to it or into Moses typically considered as a type of Christ Act. 3. 22. Object 2. Was not this onely a type of saving preservation from sinne c. Answ All the Corinthians had no antitype thereof in their baptisme really no more then many of them and in a Sacramentall way that baptisme to them was as that to the Corinthians a visible seale of salvation Object 3. Doth hee not speake of a samenesse therein betwixt the Jewes themselves and not in reference to the members of the Church of Corinth Answ The scope of the Apostle being what was mentioned will not beare other sense then of comparing them with the Jewes in like priviledge for substance to deterre them from like sinnes lest they incurre like punishments Object 4. By this argument wee set up nationall Churches now Answ No more followeth hence ex natura rei but as onely Church members according to their severall capacities were so priviledged and not others so onely Church members now are to partake of Church Ordinances wee are to consider it herein quà Church which is continuing and not quà nationall Church wherein was some circumstantiall peculiaritie which vanished Object 5. You may then pleade for Infants comming to the Lords Supper since all our Fathers did
other And the Proposition it selfe implyeth as much saying commonly it was so the people being not as now many are in a manner wholly professing Christ but rather wholly Pagan and Prophane and Idolatrous but alwayes it was not so even then for their little ones which were not brought to the faith were also baptized 4 Proposition That by the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church the children both of the faithfull and others were commonly first instituted in the faith and afterwards upon acknowledging and confessing of the same they were baptized This Proposition is full of equivocall termes it may not therefore passe without some Animadversions for it may so be interpreted as to stand with truth yet so also as to bee utterly false Primitive Church may bee understood of the Church in the same immediatly following the Apostles time or as in some of his Authors for the Church that succeeded more then an 100. yeares yea possibly 200. or 300. afterwards Rupertus Tiuliensis saith it was the custome of the Church of old that they administred the Sacrament of regeneration onely at Easter and Pentecost c. which if it begun in Victors time to whom that restraint of the time of baptisme unlesse in case of necessitie is attributed as the Author of it about the yeere 290. Albeit Rivet in his first Book Critici Sacri cap. 8. citeth the Magdeburge historians centur 1. cap. 8. as proving the Decretalls ascribed to Victor to be spurious or if not then but some time in the third Centurie yet it sufficeth to shew in what Latitude of time Rupertus his expressions runne when hee speaketh of what was the use in the Church of old And in the primitive Church in this Latitude it 's probable there might bee sundry which upon corrupt grounds might deferre both their own and their childrens baptisme too as appeares by the Orations of Gregory Nazianzen stirring up as to come more speedily themselves to bee baptized so to offer their little ones at the most if no danger bee towards in which case hee adviseth the same sooner when three yeeres old if so long deferred yet then to offer them to baptisme which was before they could bee able to make such an acknowledgement of the faith or confession of their sinnes But more of him afterwards Children of the faithfull if hee intend such children as were knowing and able to understand truth taught them so as to bee apprehensive of their sinnes c. It 's true they used when any were received into Church fellowship which had such adult children at that time those to instruct in that way before those children were baptized But if understood of little ones not capable of such an issue and effect of such instruction those they used also then to baptize before such instructions And for this let the Authors owne testimonies which hee quoteth Proposition 7. of Origen Austin and Gregory the fourth witnesse For wee now speake not to that whether it were onely a Church custome and tradition c. wee shall speake to that afterwards But suppose it were onely a Church custome and tradition yet its proofe sufficient that it was so anciently in use as there is mentioned that even children were baptized before they were thus instructed as the cited places declare of which more hereafter 5 Proposition That according to the institution of the Lord Christ and the Apostles and ancient Fathers right use the Teachers required faith with Baptisme and that hee that was baptized must himselfe acknowledge and confesse the same and call upon the name of the Lord for which Matth. 28. Marke 16. Acts 8. are againe urged of which before so Acts 19. 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 3. 21. not now to speake how pertinently this last place especially is brought or not The proposition if understood as adaequately expressing all that Christ ordained or the Apostles practised and the Fathers after them which baptized regularly as if none else were baptized but such as came in such a way is denied as false 6 Proposition That Christ neither gave commandement for baptizing of children nor instituted the same and that the Apostles never baptized any Infants this Proposition in the termes of it is false as before hath appeared when wee proved that a consequentiall command of Scripture is Christs command and that such a command there is for the baptisme of children The other part also that the Apostles never baptized any Infants is as rash and false 7 Proposition is of the same stamp scil that the baptisme of Infants and sucklings is a ceremony and Ordinance of man brought into the Church by Teachers since the Apostles time and instituted and commanded by Councells Popes and Emperours 8 Proposition labours of the same Frenzie sc that young children or Infants ought not to bee baptized and that none ought to bee brought or driven or compelled thereunto Proved by Scripture Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15. These three Propositions might have been all put into one but that the Author or Authors would speake many things so might the other five Propositions have been reduced to fewer heads The unsoundnesse of these Proprositions in the Authors sense I hope hath been cleared to humble and pliable minds in the former discourse CHAP. II. SECT I. WEe shall now trace these Authors in their quoted Authorities Proposi 1. Hierom upon Matth. 28. 19. is quoted Proposition 1. and 8. The Lord saith he commanded his Apostles that they should first instruct and teach all nations and afterward should baptize those that were instructed in the mysteries of faith for it cannot bee that the body should receive the Sacrament of baptisme unlesse the soule have received before the true faith This whole testimony is intended by the Author of growne ones in what way adult Pagans are to bee baptized and of their receiving of baptisme so as to have the saving benefit of it But to make it his mind to intend exclusion of Babes is to make him worke and practise things against the light of his owne judgement and conscience The Author confessing in the eight proposition that his proofes are out of ancicient later teachers who have and do maintaine the use of baptizing children and Hierom is one hee quoteth As for Hieroms judgement this way see his first Tome his 7th Epistle scil ad Laetam where having said before that the good and evill of little children is ascribed to the parents hee addeth nisi forte existimes Christianorum filios c. unlesse thou thinke that if the children of Christians receive not baptisme the children onely are guilty of the sinne and that the wickednesse is not also imputed to those that would not give the same to them especially at that time when the children which were to receive baptisme could not contradict the same as on the other hand the salvation of the Infants is the Ancestors gaine Hee reckons that there is wickednesse in it carelesly to neglect
them and therefore pleaded there for that end vers 18 19. that covenant which God made in Bethel Gen. 35. 9. to 16. hee spake it not barely to but with them or covenanted it with them in Hoseahs time which were of the posteritie of Jacob Hos 12. 4. God found him in Bethel and there hee spake with us As much might be said of that 2 Sam. 23. 4 5. the covenant was made with David the father yet in reference to his house or children whence it was that his faith as a beleeving father of his family was the evidence of things not seene Hee beleeveth that whatever his house bee at present yet it shall excell in grace both of Gods feare and justice Vers 3. as in the glory of government c. nor was this other then a covenant of grace here mentioned since it had not else been to him as all his desire and salvation whence it was that in saddest times this covenant was pleaded by the Prophets in behalfe of Davids posteritie Psal 89. vers 38 39. 49. 50. see more vers 20. 28. and so on if the parents and the children both may thus act forth and must in the covenant so made it 's a signe parents and children were joyntly interested therein And so I come to instance as well in such as de facto have done so as to shew de jure they should doe it to let passe Davids example here the instance of our grandmother Eve is past exception her sonne Cain being discovenanted and discharged hee and his and Abel slaine shee beleeved the promise of God Gen. 3. 15. at first made to her and when infant Seth was borne shee beleeved that God had for his covenant sake lookt on her in that covenant babe and therefore as soone as borne she calls his name Seth for saith shee God hath appointed mee another seed in stead of Abel whom Cain slew Gen. 4. 25. shee spake not thus in reference to him as a meere naturall babe borne of her as a sinfull woman but as of a Covenant and Church seed therefore comparing him to Abel not to Cain and calls him by such a name as signified her faith touching the Covenant estate of this babe even whilst a very babe nor did shee faile in her faith therein as appeares by the sequell vers 26. whence the Church seed continued in his loynes externally at least albeit much degenerating as that distinction of sonnes of God and daughters of men doth shew Gen. 6. 1 2. And as Eve beleeved this way so did Lamech Gen. 5. 28 29. as soone as Noah was borne hee from saith in that promise of God Gen. 3. 15. * See Geneva Bible notes on the place gave the babe that name of Noah beleeved that that child should bee a root as it were to the Church albeit that corrupt world were to bee destroyed Another example of the Saints faith touching their childrens federall estate see in Psal 102. 25 26 27. with Heb. 1. 10 11 12. which referred unto Christ as in whom they pleaded and expected this touching their children And it 's evident that those Saints did expresse their faith in Christ touching their children and seeds being established before him nor did they exercise their faith touching the vanishing temporall good of their children barely vers 25 26. but in reference to induring mercies of Christ to them lasting when heaven and earth should dissolve Now did they take the rise of this their faith from possibilities of election or redemption without foothold from the covenant verily no they ought not to ground their faith on any thing but God his revealed will touching themselves or theirs Deut. 29. 29. the Covenant and promise is that which faith in its acts of beleeving doth build and rest upon and faith albeit it must goe as farre yet no further that way then the word of faith Rom. 10. 8. secrets of possibilities of election and redemption of the children would not might not have caused in them such a conclusive apprehension of faith but the revealed covenant and testament and will of Gods grace in Christ election and redemption though things which faith beleeveth yet not grounds in themselves considered without reference to the covenant revealed of any mans faith touching himselfe or others as being secrets It 's not the election of faith but the word of faith nor beleefe of election as such for as such it 's a secreâ— act of God hid within himselfe but the beleefe of the truth or revealed promise Another argument of the federall interest of beleevers Infants to bee Gospell and therefore of perpetuall validitie now as well as at any time may be in that it was held forth as Gospel in the beginning of the world and so will bee in the purer times of the Gospell towards the very end of the world and therefore it 's Gospell to us now The consequence is evident both from the everlastingnesse of the Gospell and covenant of grace of which this was and will bee made a branch which covenant of grace is Gospell Heb. 13. 20. Revel 14. 6. and from the essentiall samenesse and onenesse of the covenant of grace from the beginning of the world to the end for so farre forth as any thing partaketh of everlastingnesse it partaketh so farre of immutabilitie Now the covenant is not in nature the same if the covenant the confederate persons are not specifically the same the covenant in the nature of it supposing God as one partie and such or such a sort of persons as other parties betwixt whom that covenant is drawn and made if it were supposable that there were not the same God covenanting with man or not the same sorts of persons specifically accepted of by God into termes of covenant grace with him the covenant were not in nature the same Albeit it bee not shut up in families as of old in Adams Seths Enoshes Kenans Mahaleels Jareds Enochs Methuselahs Lamechs Noahs c. or in the posteritie of Abraham Isaac Jacob in respect of Church interest in and administration of it but inlarged to all the families of Gospeld persons yet if the persons admitted to covenant bee not specifically the same even that sort of inadult as well as adult persons whether male or female bond or free then is not the covenant in nature the same Now to prove the proposition in both its branches and first that it was held forth as Gospell that the species of the Infants of beleevers in Church-estate were taken into the verge of the covenant of grace Gen. 3. 15. sheweth Adam and Eve were eyed by God as a seminall visible Church by whom as well the Church as the world was to bee built up and God that he might especially glorifie his grace even in the weakest mentioneth Eve as one touching whom hee first expressed his revealed minde of grace to her and her seed not intending meerely the principall seed Christ in and by whom
enter into covenant with him And it appeares so 1. In that it agreeth in the essentialls with circumcision as an initiatory seale Col. 2. 11 12. whence baptized Gentiles are said to be of the circumcision Phil. 3. and Jewes said to bee baptized 1 Cor. 12. hence first instituted for a seale to the circumcised Jewes to shew it was in the essentialls of sealing Abrahams covenant to them but the same with circumcision in a manner onely as that sealed it to them visibly in Christ as to come this did it in like sort in reference to Christ as come that was the seale of the righteousnesse of Abrahams faith or that whereon his faith acted to righteousnes of justification Rom. 4. 11. even the promise of grace in Christ Rom. 10. 6 7. with Deut. 30. 14. hence when Christ is called the Minister of circumcicision it is thus explained by the end of the signe administred scil to confirme the promises made unto the fathers Rom. 15. 8. Acts 7. 8. Gen. 17. 11. hence the promise premised and then baptisme annexed as the seale Acts 2. 38. hence that washing annexed to the word Ephes 5. 25 26. 2. It 's a Baptizing in the name or covenant fellowship of God the Father Sonne and Spirit hee having exalted his word above all his name Psal 138. 2. 3. It 's a seale of remission of sinnes and therefore of the promise tendering the same hence joyned Acts 2. 38 39. Acts 22. 4. The nature of it sheweth the same it being a Gospell Sacrament and that is a visible seale and the seale is to the covenant hence called by the name Acts 7. 8. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Secondly it is an initiatory seale as first annexed to the Gospell dispensed with reference to covenant fellowship with God in Trinitie not first Disciple them and then let them come to my Table but baptizing them scil so soone as ever brought into covenant and Church estate and seale them up thereby unto covenant fellowship with the Father Sonne and Spirit Hence repent and bee baptized for the promise is to you not repent and come to the Lords Table for the promise is to you Hence that order observed of communion in breaking of bread after they were baptized vers 41 42 43 44. there John began in any sealing way Matth. 3. Marke 1. As of old circumcision long before the Passeover hence called the washing of regeneration metonymically attributing the thing sealed to the visible seale Tit. 3. 5. the new birth is the first fruits of the spirit of promise nor is this ascribed to the other Sacrament as that which is its proper Sacramentall worke initiatorily to seale albeit after it bee thus initiatorily sealed by baptisme the other doth also virtually confirme it Thirdly this being once administred needs never bee renewed as if two initiations or beginnings or regenerations or first enterances into covenant or first ingraffings into Christ c. as there was not Iterations of circumcision It were but to take the name of God in vaine and a wilworship indeed if ever before dispensed in the truth of the essentialls of the ordinance and it were unsafe to say wee may renew that one baptisme as wee may renue that one faith of ours unlesse as many times in a day and as in variety of occurrents changes services sufferings temptations ordinances businesses c. wee are to renue our faith so wee should renue our baptisme nor will the 19. of the Acts beare out any such practise Luke mentions Pauls discourse touching the manner of Johns baptisme scil to hold forth the duty which God required in reference to the Lord Jesus and accordingly they were by John baptized into the name of Jesus whom John held forth as vers 4 5. compared shewes and as the annexing of Pauls name 1. to this declaration vers 4 5. and then 2. to his act which hee then did vers 6. â—…inceth It 's not said then Paul baptized them but then Paul laid his hands upon them It 's said of the other seale As oft as yee doe this 1 Cor. 11. But not a whisper that way touching being oft baptized The Apostle in mentioning of one spirit body hope of our calling metonymically put for the thing hoped for even glory which is but one essentially as one faith which I suppose is taken as oft in Scripture for the doctrine of faith which is but one Gal. 1. 6. 7 8. Jude 3. and so one Lord and one God hee mentions one baptisme and why doth hee not as well say one Lords Supper too which albeit oft renewed to the same persons yet it 's but one institution and the same ordinance still if no further matter bee in that onenesse of baptisme but to signifie that it 's one and the same baptisme indeed but yet so as that it hinders not but it may often bee renued upon one and the same person warrantably though it were before orderly administred to him Fourthly that baptisme is the onely initiatory seale I never heard this yet so much as questioned by any which deny it not to bee a seale therefore I need not speake any further in confirmation thereof SECT VI. 5. THat the Application of such an initiatory seale of the covenant of grace made in reference to an ordinary politicall visible Church which God shall appoint and whereof the severall parties in that covenant are capable this is an externall condition of that covenant and to bee so farre forth kept by all that are externally interested in the same and that for that very reason and ground because they are in such sort interested in that covenant Ere wee confirme this let us premise that that covenant Gen. 17. was a covenant of grace and it was made with reference to an ordinary politicall visible Church as we have before shewed And albeit that Church quà such a politicall Church nationall c. differ from congregationall Churches yet quâ visibilâ—… ecclesia politica ordinaria so it was essentially the same with ours hence then needs no scrupling or startling As for their externall interest also in the covenant of saving grace it hath been likewise cleared that also need not breed contention upon the point of disparity This being premised the proposition may more easily proceed Gen. 17. 7. God propoundeth his gratious covenant vers 9. hee informeth of one externall condition to bee observed by persons taken into that gratious covenant and inferreth the condition upon the premised covenant thou Abraham and thy seed after thee and when Isaac with whom this covenant is established vers 19. as in whose race the Church and Church seed is to bee continued hath seed then it is thou and thy seed and when Jacob hath his seed it is still the same thou and thy seed in such covenant language what hee speaketh to one father hee speaketh to others all are but Abraham and his seed still yea and as then the same to Abrahams
as is evident The next is Beza who is also quoted Proposition 7. in his annotations upon Matth. 28. 19. Baptize them in the name of the Father that is in calling upon the name of the Father or rather the name of the Father c. being called upon for they are Beza's words Invocato nomine Patris c. And these Translators should have done well to have rendred the Latine properly But all is in the meaning of the words The authors of the Treatise urge it for a proofe of the persons bapzed calling actually upon the name of God when they are baptized according to Christs institution bring Beza for their proofe Quaeritur therefore whether ever Beza intended that in his words Surely no for it 's known well that Beza stoutly maintaineth Paedobaptisme as an ordinance of Christ Now Infants when they are baptized cannot actually call upon the name of God therefore if Beza say the former that the rule of Christ requireth it of all that are to be baptized according to his mind that they should call upon God at the time of their Baptisme he must affirme the later against his owne light and conscience which to doe with so much deliberation as hee that writeth things upon studie must doe were a crime of a very high nature and God forbid any should charge so worthy a light in the Church with that SECT V. BEza is againe cited for confirmation of the third Proposition in his Annotations upon Matth. 3. 6. John taught those that were to bee baptized this clause is not in my Beza upon the place and admitted none to Baptisme but those that gave testimony that they beleeved the forgivenesse of their sinnes In my Beza's Notes it's rather thus that John admitted not others to his Baptisme then those which seriously professed that they did imbrace the doctrine of free remission of sinnes which how different from that of these translators let others judge It followeth in the booke Such confession was also required of the Catechumens in the primitive Church before Baptisme for in that the Sacraments are seales it is requisite that doctrine or instruction should goe before the use of those things by which the doctrine it selfe is to bee sealed Those words before Baptisme and that reason annexed for in that the Sacraments c. is not in my booke scil Beza's Annotationes majores in N. Test Printed Anno. 1594. But to returne to the testimony Beza intended that John baptized no other of that species of persons Adult then such as made that confession but not simply the Baptisme of any other persons of another sort scil babes hee that is so carefull that any should take advantage to deny that children are not rightly baptized because not dived wholly under water that hee the rather as hee saith upon Matth. 3. 11. doth note such things about the particle In omitted Luke 3. 16. surely hee intended not by affirming such things in reference to Johns hearers thereby to exclude childrens Baptisme Hence that added that such confession was required of the Catechumens in the ancient Church Now then what manner of persons they were which hee affirmeth made such confession of old such like persons for age he here intendeth And no more doth he intend exclusion of Infants from Baptisme by affirming the necessitie of confession in Johns hearers unto Baptisme then by affirming that the same was required of those Catechumens mentioned Let us then see Beza's mind further therein which wee may readily doe in the third place of Beza quoted in this Treatise Proposition 4. where Beza upon 1 Cor. 7. 14. But now your children are holy he is thus cited as saying Out of this contradictors of the truth are revealed As first all those that make Baptisme to be the first entrance to salvation and secondly those that permit all children to bee baptized which was unheard of in the primitive times whereas every one ought to bee instructâ—d in the faith before hee were admitted to baptisme And this testimony is brought to prove the Proposition that in the primitive Church the children both of the faithfull and else scil and of Pagans or Jewes were commonly first instructed c. and then baptized so that Beza's mind in that clause whereas every one ought to bee instructed c. is made and every child whether of the faithfull or Infidell should bee first instructed before hee be baptized and in that sense his second errour he blames of such which permit all children to bee baptized is as much as if hee should intend it as an errour to permit any children at all whether of faithfull or infidell persons to bee baptized before instructed So that Beza is by this made a direct Andipedobaptist as they terme it now for modesty sake But you shall not have Beza thus on your side before wee heare him in his owne words who having before spoken touching the cause why wee admit the Saints children to baptisme scil because they are comprehended in the Covenant c. he addeth Now from hence are confuted not onely Catabaptists which doe reject Infants from baptisme as uncleane but those which make baptisme the first entrance to salvation and so exclude all from salvation which are unbaptized and also those which admit all Infants whatsoever to baptisme scil whether of visible Saints or Infidels as appeares by what hee said before and by what followeth which thing scil such promiscuous baptizing of all sorts hand over head was not heard of in the ancient Church As this at least doth declare in that all adult Infidells were first to bee Catechumens before they were baptized Beza refuteth three things from that clause mentioned and explained now your children are holy and one of them is this fourth Proposition of the Authors and yet by the Authors he is brought to refute onely two things First hee refuteth Catabaptists denying baptisme to beleevers children Secondly he from the same ground refuteth them which maintaine the baptisme of all children whatsoever scil that are not children of visible Saints for if they bee such children hee counteth it rather an errour to deny their baptisme Againe in citing the last part of Beza's words the Authors craftily make it as an opposite sentence to that before Thus secondly those that permit all children to bee baptized c. whereas every one c. as if it were a contrary speech to the former permitting all children c. whereas none at all were to bee baptized of old but such as were Catechumens when Beza maketh this later a reason of the former as before wee shewed Besides the Authors shamefully change and mutilate the last words whereas every one ought c. intending every particular person Infant or Aged when Beza's words are expresly in that all adult Infidells ought first to bee Catachumens before they were to bee baptized Now who is there which doth not even feele this palpable guile and falseshood in the setters forth
reject those on Leviticus as spurious and his Commentaries on the Romans as not faithfully translated by Ruffinus The next witnesse is called upon to come in but miscalled and therefore may chuse whether hee will answer to his name Greg. 4th It is one Pope George the fourth who should call it a Tradition of the Fathers and to shew it is no scape of the Printer hee is called out in the Roman Language Georgius quartus Bonifacio let children bee baptized according to the Tradition of the Fathers Of Pope Gregory I have oft heard and read but cannot light of one Pope George But it 's supposed the Authors meant Pope Gregory the fourth albeit the Translators mistooke their Authors This Pope flourished Ann. 842. and it 's not much what hee had called it in those corrupt times Wee have heard of others which gave better Language that were his Seniors and if you would beleeve but the Testimony of Gregory the first who had more honesty in him then all the rest of that name but wee have witnesses enough besides and shall forbeare him SECT II. THe next Author called in is Cyprian which is rather challenged as an Author of Paedobaptisme Anno 248. Epist lib. 3. Ep. 8. for in the Margin it 's said Cyprian ordained children should be baptized and yet also it is said in the Margin over against the mention of the Carthaginian Councell Baptisme Instituted again above Baptisme ordained by Pope Innocentius scil the first and yet over against Pope Innocent the third Baptisme ordained in stead of Circumcision and yet over against the mention of the second Bracarensian Councell it is said Anno 610. was childrens Baptisme ordained as a necessary thing so that I am at a stand I thought wee should have heard who instituted or ordained baptisme of Infants since it is cast as a mystery of the man of sinne in the preface and made a humane ordinance Proposit 7. And it hath so many first fathers and so many are challenged for begetting this pretended Bastard that with all the skill I have I know not at whose doore to lay it If that Cyprian were the father of it then not Innocentius the first or the Carthaginian or Milevitane Councell gathered in his time above 150. yeeres after If the fifth or sixth Carthage Councell then not the second Bracarensian Councell above 200. yeeres after that If either of these then not Innocent the third 600. yeares after the Bracharensian Councell The like might bee said of the Constitutions of Justinian and Leo the Emperour which hee mentions But if the Treatise intend that these all or any of them did reestablish Paedobaptisme albeit they were not the Authors of it wee are agreed But this proveth not that what they doe ratifie or because any of them doe anathematize such as deny it as the Milevitane Councell did that therefore it is an humane ordinance The Milevitane Councell in the Anathema they pronounce they mention that as another ground Of such as deny that Infants derive any originall guilt of sinne which needeth expiation by baptisme as well as denying that Infants baptisme is for remission of sinnes Now none will say originall guilt in Infants is a meere humane invention and device without warrant from Scripture because that Councell anathematizeth such as deny it Or that because that Justinian ordaines that those that are come to their full growth should bee taught before they were baptized as well as hee doth order Paedobaptisme to bee that therefore the former is an humane ordinance Surely if that such a ratification bee a formalis ratio to make the former an humane ordinance it is as well such in the latter Wee speake not now in reference to Scripture grounds of the one or of the other but of the validity of arguing from decrees of Councells or Emperours or Popes And this mindeth mee of such like Testimony of witnesses examined a little before Cassander hee must say Paedobaptisme came in 300. yeeres after Christ Luther that it came in 1000. yeeres before him scil above five hundred yeeres after Christ Pomeranus 1200. yeeres before him who was contemporary with Luther and so more then 300. yeers after Christ and yet Cyprian at Annâ— 248. ordained it Witnesse Austin Epist 28. to Hierome Justus Menius too I thinke commeth in for the same purpose albeit he saith nothing in the Booke the same Justus Menius which with the rest subscribed to Paedobaptisme as commanded of God at the Wittenberg Concord before mentioned But where shall wee fasten but conclude that in as much as the witnesses disagree their Testimonies are not valid but the one weakneth the other since if one speake nothing but the truth the other doth not If the Authors intent bee that some of these Authors or Councells propounded some unwarrantable motives to ratifie Paedobaptisme I goe not about to cleare any of the sonnes of men from corruption in what they attempt nor in the motives which stirre them up oft times to things in themselves warrantable But this will not reach their maine ayme sâ—il to prove that because of some corruptions in the manner and way or motives of ratifying this ordinance of God it should bee no ordinance of God Non sequitur But because Cyprians Epistle to Fidus where the 66. African Bishops did in a solemne Councell agree to the ratifying of Paedobaptisme it is many wayes undermined thereby to invalidate our proofes from antiquitie for Paedobaptisme I shall indeavour to cleare it from such aspersions First Mr. B. attempts to make the judgement of the Councell invalid because of the weaknesse of their grounds and the Errors annexed Weake grounds 1 That Luke 19. 10. as if lost if not baptized which was also an errour 2 That God is a like father to all and so all to bee baptized as well as any which was an errour too 3 That they had onely sinned in others Errours also then held that the holy Ghost was received by baptisme that Infants were to have the Lords Supper in Epist de Lapsis they held signing with the Crosse Unction that Originall sinne was done away by it that onely baptized persons escaped Damnation c. By all which hee would have it evident that no heed is to bee given to Cyprians time when there were such grosse errors about baptisme To which I Answer if that the times were so grosse and darke then no wonder they might hold forth such weake arguments for the truths they held If Mr. B. had well traced antiquitie and should in his reading still keepe this principle by him to reject all hee reades of as unsound in Authors or councells because of weake grounds they give hee would soone reject the most of what many approved Authors for soundnesse amongst the antients doe hold forth and what many councells have ratified Hee that would weigh their wild expositions of Scripture and Allegories and Judaizing notions which oft times they bring would as well