thing it is a delivering up to Satan and a putting the party visibly in his Kingdom in which all visibly are that have not a visible standing in the Church Argum. 4 IV. By Baptism Infants of Christians are solemnly initiated into Christs death Rom. 6.3 for Baptism is a visible participation of it by way of initiation Per modum initiationis Ames Medul p. 188 as eating things offered to Idols is fellowship with devils 1 Cor. 10. By it the unspeakable benefit of Christs death is absolutely sealed to as many as stand to the agreement Therefore the profit of it is great to such Infants Argum. 5 V. Baptism is a strong ingagement to repentance from dead works to serve the living God Matth. 3.11 It is called Baptism unto repentance Eo ad serium dei colendi studium non mediocriter stimulamur Gal. 5.3 Calv. as Circumcision was in the time of it an ingagement to serve the Lord according to the tenor of that Administration Therefore the profit of it is great Isai 49.1 5. Psal 58.3 for God hath formed us to serve him from the womb and we are apt to go astray from the womb Argum. 6 VI. Baptism is an ordinary means of the salvation of those of whom the Kingdom of God is and necessary as a means 1 Pet. 3.21 Baptismus est necessarius ad salutem non tantum ut res praecepta sed etiam ut salutis medium ordinarium Ames Bellar. enervat Therefore the profit of Baptism is great to the Infants of Christians the Kingdom of God being of such Objection Baptism is a means of the salvation only of those that have Faith and the answer of a good Conscience and not of Infants Answer 1. Faith and the answer of a good Conscience are necessary only in those of riper years that Baptism may be effectual to them for Salvation and not in such Infants for these are not necessary in them to salvation 2. Baptism is compared to the Ark and is said to save as the Ark saved from the flood of waters in which some had a temporal deliverance which was a type of 1 Pet. 3 21. and help to eternal salvation which yet after perished Object 2 It is uncertain whether any individual Infant shall receive any profit by Baptism Answer 1. It is certain Baptism is as profitable to Infants of Christians as Circumcision was to Infants of Gods people in the time of it and that every such Infant baptized is solemnly dedicated to the Lord initiated into the Church and into Christs death and made a debtor to serve the Lord in righteousness and holiness all the days of his life and is by it set upon the advantage ground for salvation 2. There is not to us any infallible certainty that Baptism administred to any actual professor shall be effectual to him to salvation John Baptist and the Apostles could not say of any individual this man shall be baptized with the holy Ghost and be saved They baptized Individuals as David prayed for his sick Child namely 2 Sam. 22.12 because he did not know but the Lord might hear him he said who can tell but the Lord may be gracious unto me that the Child may live and there is ground of hope of the effectualness of Baptism in the Infants of Christians as well as in actual Professors because God hath promised to be a God of the seed of his people and to circumcise their hearts and hath commanded them to hang upon him their issue and their off-spring Isai 22.24 and required them to be accounted a seed that he hath blessed Isai 61.8 9. and hath declared that the Kingdom of God is of them c. ARGUMENT VI. The Promise was sealed by the initial Sacrament aforetime to Infants of visible Professors seeking it for â—hâ—m both Iews and of the Gentiles therefore it may be sealed to the Infants of Christians by the initial Sacrament THE Consequence I prove by six Arguments Argum. 1 I. The principal promise sealed aforetime which was the promise of propriety in God is not made voyd For 1. It was not a temporary promise Gen. 17.7 Heb. 8 7. Eph. 2.14 for that promise was faultless and it was no part of the partition wall broken down by Christ 2. Infants of Christians are as faultless as the infants of Gods people in the former administration undeniably included in it Therefore it may be sealed to the infants of Christians by the initial Sacrament in this dispensation Argum. 2 II. Sealing that promise by an initial Sacrament to infants of Gods people which was the substance of Circumcision and a distinct thing from it did not of right cease with the Jewish Church-State For it was not peculiar to that Church as a national Church For 1. That promise was sealed to infants by the initial Sacrament long before the existence of a national Church Gen. 17. and to infants of strangers which were not of that Nation 2. Sealing the promise by an initial Sacrament is principally in reference to the Catholick Church for shews of grace are sufficient to it Acts 8.36 37 c. 10.47 though the parties have not joyned themselves to any particular Church and one that cannot be rightly iudged to be of the Catholick Church cannot have the promise rightly sealed to him by an initial Sacrament though he be a Member of a particular Church Argum. 3 III. Sealing the promise by the initial Sacrament in this dispensation is upon such terms as the sealing of it was in the former Faith and repentance were no less required in the former then in the present dispensation Fides et resipiscentia non magis am constituunt foedus dei quà m tempore Abrahami Ames The seal is changed but not the Faith Sacramenta sunt mutata non fides August God indented with Abraham to walk before him and to be perfect Gen 17.2 before sealing the promise to him by the initial Sacrament Rom. 4.11 and that Sacrament was called the seal of the righteousness of Faith yea a greater measure of Faith might seem necessary aforetime Heb. 11.13 Rom. 13.11 for they were to behold things afar off which to us are nearer and there was a vayl of Ceremonies upon things which are to us open and naked Therefore the promise may be sealed to Infants of Christians in this dispensation by the initial Sacrament Argum. 4 IIII. Infants of Christians are as capable of the promise and sealing of it by the initial Sacrament as the Infants of Gods people were aforetime for there is not in them a greater absence of Faith Knowledg c. neither is there less innocency and ability to bear it Infants of Christians are now as able to indure sprinkling or washing with water as Infants of Gods people aforetime the cuting with the knife Therefore the promise may be sealed to the Infants of Christians by the initial Sacrament Argum. 5 V.
THE Divine Warrant OF JNFANT-BAPTISM OR VI. ARGUMENTS FOR Baptism of Jnfants of Christians VIZ. I. Infants of Christians are rightly judged in the Promise of Propriety in God p. 1. II. Infants of Christians are rightly judged to be of the Church p. 20. III. Infants of Christians are rightly judged meet for Baptisme p. 25 IV. The sealing of the Promise to Infants of visible professors hath been the practise of the Universal Church ever since God added seals to the Covenant p. 30 V. The profit of Baptism is great to the Infants of Christians p. 36 VI. The Promise was sealed by the initiall Sacrament aforetime to Infants of Visible Professors both Jews and of the Gentiles p 38 By JOHN CHURCH M. A. Minister of Seachurch in the County of Essex Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins For the promise is to you and to your CHILDREN and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shal call Act. 2.38.39 LONDON Printed by John Macock for George Calvert and are to be sold at his shop at the sign of the Half Moon in Watling street neer Austins gate MDCXLVIII To the sober-minded Reader HAving read this short Treatise we find the Divine Warrant of that a Quod autem apud simplicem vulgum disseminant longam annorum sertem post Christi resurrectionem pâ—aeteriisse quibus incognitus erat paeâ—oâ—aptismus in eo foedissime mentiunâ—ur Siquidem nullus est Scriptor tam vetustus qui non ejus originem ad Apostolorum seculum pro certo referat Calv. Inst l. 4 c. 16. sect 8. ancient Ordinance of Christ viz. Infant-Baptism so clearly compendiously and solidly proved therein not by Ecclesiastical Tradition b Anabaptistas Duraee Scripturarum armis opprimimus quibus solis haeretici superantur Si enim nulla nobis arma suppeterent nisi haec viz. Ecclesiae Traditiones quae tu commemoras nae Anabaptistae nostrum impetum non valde reformidarent Whitak contra Duâ—ae l 8. sect 80. p 197. in fol. but by Scripture-demonstration that we do heartily commend it to thy serious perusal wherein thou mayst discern that Infants of Christian Parents are true Denizons of the visible Church and Kingdom of God having just right to and interest in Gods Magna Charta or Covenant of Grace though some enemies to them and to the Truth have of late but in vain attempted to voyd and overthrow their Title Many learned Tractates of this subject have been already published if their prolixity or polemical contendings for this truth against Anabaptistical or Catabaptistical fancies deter or discourage thee from reading them yet this invites thee being Dogmatical rather then Polemical and not tedious but compendious Here thou hast as they say an Iliad in a nut-shel much in a little the strength of former Writers Arguments for the c Legentibus brevitas ejusmodi plurimum pâ—otest dum non intellectum legentis sensum liber longior spargit sed subtiliori compendio id quod legitur tenax memoria custodit D. Cypr. Praefat. in Testam ad Quirinum help of memory extracted and contracted with select additional notions of the Authors inserted All are thine that the Truth of Christ may abide in thee FRAN. ROBERTS Pastor of the Church at Augustines Lond. JOHN GEREE Minister at Faith's To the right Honorable and most noble Lord Robert Earl of Warwick Lord Rich Baron of Leeze c. Right Honorable IT was hoped not long since that the time was come in which God would gloriously exalt his Truth and make Ierusalem a praise in the earth for God seemed to appear more for us then ever in our or our forefathers days In assembling so many Worthies in Parliament in calling an Assembly of so able and worthy Divines in bringing the Nation into the bond of a Covenant to root out Popery Prelacy Errors Heresies Schism and all that is contrary to sound doctrine and in subduing the publike enemies of Truth and Peace But our iniquities have separated between God and us and our sins have hid away his face from us We looked for light and behold darkness God hath let loose men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith who resist the trurh and bring in damnable Heresies and many follow their pernicious ways The abounding of Errors and in particular the spreading of Anabaptism calling all to contend for the faith hath compelled me contrary to my intentions to make publike this defence of * Tanto magis pro infantibus loqui debemus quanto minus ipsi per se loqui possunt August Poedo baptism which is the fruit of some hours spared from my other studies I am bold Right Honorable humbly to dedicate these my first fruits to your honor and with all observancy to subject them to your judicious censure That which hath made me thus presuming is your singular goodness and unparalleld humility which makes you worthily had in honor of all Artaxerxes the Persian Monarch received with a chearful countenance a present of water of a poor labourer when he had no need of it accounting it the part of a truly Noble and generous spirit to take in good part smal presents offered with an hearty affection as wel as to give great things liberally This smal present most Noble Lord is presented with an intire affection to one as truly Noble and generous as Artaxerxes Your unfeigned love to the truth manifested by your constant cleaving to it even in this hour of temptation which is come upon us in which many are turned aside after Satan Your care to place able and faithful Pastors over people where you have opportunity to do God this service and casting honor and respect upon such in these times in which they are cast down and filled with contempt Your great fidelity to your Country and your many heroick vertues shining in you Make it our duty who are Ministers of the Gospel to celebrate your due praises for the honor of your noble deservings and the incouragement of others to walk in your pious steps That your honor may be preserved in safety in these sad divisions of the Kingdom receive a daily increase of honor and continue faithful to the death that you may receive the crown of life shall be the prayer until death of him who is your Honors Humble and Devoted Servant Iosiah Church VI ARGUMENTS FOR THE BAPTIZING OF THE Infants of Christians ARGUMENT I. The Infants of Christians are rightly iudged in the promise of propriety in God therefore they may be baptized THE Antecedent I prove by ten Arguments Argum. 1 I. The Infants of the Jews so long as they continued visible professors were rightly judged to be in the Promise of propriety in God for it was sealed to them by the initiall Sacrament Gen. 17.7 12 no lesse then to actuall professors Therefore the Infants of Christians are rightly
on the day which the Lord hath sanctified Exod. 20. Nulli cohabitanti permittitur Sabbathi dissolutio Lippom. Nehemiah threatned to lay hands on the Merchants of Tyre Neh 13 17. to 22 if they would not desist from such business on the Lords day The liberty of Conscience which we have by Christ is only to hold the truth and not a liberty to hold any error though it be conceived by men a truth the holy Scriptures and not mens phansies are the touchstone by which opinions are tryed Gal. 5.13 and Christian liberty is no occasion to the flesh To these many more might be added for which to bring an express Command or a sound collection from Scriptures of the Old or New Testament would be found very difficult II. There is no necessity of an express Commandment for sealing the promise to the Infants of Christians in this dispensation by the initial Sacrament as was for sealing it to the Infants of Gods people by the initial Sacrament in the former for Circumcisâ—on in the former administration was the first initial seal added to the Covenant and there was nothing for direction in the use of an initial seal before it Also Circumcision was very painful and seemingly as dangerous for tender Infants and to humane reason uncomely it was a yoak too heavy to be born and therefore not the least part of the partition wall which kept out the Gentiles Acts 15. for which cause there was a great necessity of an express Commandment 3. The express Commandment was not the principal reason of circumcising Infants and others but the Covenant Circumcisi olim Infantes propter foedus erant Whitak Contr. Durae Circumcision was called the Covenant and the token of it Gen. 17.10 14 and not the Commandment and the contempt and wilful neglect of it was called the transgression of the Covenant and not of the Commandment and despisers were threatned to be cut off for violation of the Covenant not of the Commandment c. Objection 5 5. Arguing from Circumcision for Baptism of Infants is the way to introduce Judaism and to subject the Church again to the whole burthen of Jewish Ceremonies and it justifies the Papists who argue for an universal Bishop from the high Priest among the Jews and for sacrificing Priests linnen garments c. from the custom in the Jewish Church Answer Arguing from the Jewish types for the substance of those shadows tends neither to an introducement of Judaism nor yet to a justification of the Quisquillian toys of the Papists for it is neither arguing for the Ceremonies of the Jewish Church nor for the fooleries of the Popish Synagogue but for priviledges which the faithful may expect by Christ of which those Ceremonies were prenunciative and are ceased not because they were evil but because we have the substanc and truth of them which is much better Non quia damnata sed quia in melius mutata August It cannot be rightly argued from the high Priest in the Jewish Church that there must be such an universal Bishop as the Pope for no such thing was intended by that type but Christ was the substance of that shadow who is our great high Priest Heb 4.14 nor from the other Priests that there ought to be sacrificing Priests under the Gospel for if that any thing were typified by them it was a faithful Ministry under the Gospel to prepare people for the Lord Rom. 12.1.2 that they may be presented to him living sacrifices holy and acceptable and by their linnen garments innocency and righteousness with which the Ministers of God ought to be clothed The Apostle argues from the sacrifices in the Jewish Church the offering up of our selves Rom. 12 2 Heb. 23.25 and the sacrificing of praises which he calls the calves of the lips c. And from sealing the Promise by the initial Sacrament to Infants of Gods people aforetime may the sealing of the Promise by the initial Sacrament to Infants of Christians in this Dispensation be rightly argued Sealing the Promise being the substance of Circumcision and benefit intended by it and such arguing hath no colour of setting up Judaism for arguing for the thing signified tends not to the introducement of antiquated Ceremonies Therefore I conclude that orthodox Divines and reformed Churches have soundly concluded Bâ—ptism of Infants of Christians from Circumcision of Infants of Gods people aforetime from which many of them have argued for it as learned Whitaker Infants were circumcised of old time for the Covenant therefore for the same cause they ought to be baptized Circumcisi olim Infantes propter foedus erant ergo propter eandem causam baptizandi Whitak Contr. Durae p. 685. Also Calvin for as much as God was pleased to grant Circumcision the Sacrament of Repentance and Faith to Infants it cannot be absurd if now they are partakers of Baptism Cum Circumcisionem poenitentiae fidei Sacramentum Deus Infantibus communicaret non absurdum si nunc Baptismi participes fiant Calv. c. This Argument from Circumcision is filled with the scorning and contempt of the Anabaptists but if it appear in its full strength against them it alone is able to put to the rout the most numerous Army of them Huic argumento non omnes Anabaptistae resistent Whitak Contr. Durae p. 685. They are like the fish called Sepia which casteth out a great deal of black ink in the water to darken it that she may glide away the more easily from the hand that else would take her they think by the multitude of their scoffs and jeers at it to elude it and escape from it FINIS Imprimatur Edm. Calamy April 12. 1648.