the rather because though there is no doubt as to the thing it self yet there is as to the first beginning of it For there are who have thought this Sacrament to have been first instituted by our Saviour immediately before his Ascension and when he gave command to his Disciples * Matt. 28.19 to go and teach or disciple all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And I willingly grant because our Saviour was sent only †Matt. 15.24 to the lost sheep of the House of Israel that that was the first institution of it as to that more general extent it was to have in the World and it may be too as to that clear and explicit profession of the Trinity into the Names of which our Saviour afterwards commanded to baptize Because such Doctrines as that were to be poured into the Disciples by dgrees and according as they should be able to receive them But that the Sacrament it self had a more early Institution will appear from the mention there is of our Saviour's baptizing long before or at least of his Disciples doing it by his Commission and Appointment For the clearing whereof we are to know that whatsoever he may be thought to have done before he first passed into Judaea after his own Baptism by John the Baptist yet there he †Joh. 3.22 or his Disciples (a) Joh. 4.2 baptized yea to so great a number that John's Disciples (b) Joh. 3.26 affirmed to their Master that all men came to him and it and news was afterwards brought to the Pharisees (c) Joh. 4.1 that he made and baptized more Disciples than John himself Into what profession is not difficult to conjecture from our Saviour's being said to make (d) Joh. 4.1 Disciples by it and from the Baptist's affirming in allowance of our Saviour's Baptism that he that believed on the Son (e) Joh. 3.36 should have everlasting Life but he that believed not the Son should not see life but on the contrary have the wrath of God abiding on him For what could that assertion have signified toward the legitimating of our Saviour's Baptism especially when John himself admonish'd Men by his to believe on him that should come after him (f) Acts 19.4 that is on Christ Jesus Were it not that our Saviour or his Disciples did expresly baptize Men into the belief of him and of that August Authority and saving power which was vested in him as the Messiah Which makes me wonder so much the more that Tertullian (g) De Bapt. c. 11. should make that Baptism of the Disciples but of the same nature with that of John but above all at his asking how Christ could be supposed to baptize into himself when he at that time made it his business to conceal who and what he was For as John the Baptist was not wanting (h) Joh. 1.29 c. to discover what he was so our Saviour was so far from being reserv'd as to that particular that the very first of those Disciples that came to him did both acknowledge him (i) Joh. 41.45 as the Messiah immediately and represent him as such to other Men. But let us rise yet higher than Christ's baptizing in Judaea though that be not far remov'd from his first setting up for Disciples because whilst John was yet †Joh. 3.22 23. baptizing which is the time from whence the Scripture (k) Act. 1.22 10.37 makes our Saviour's preaching to commence Not that there are any express proofs before that time of his baptizing any Disciples but that it may be some probable proofs may offer themselves for it and such as we cannot reasonably refuse Of which nature I reckon first his making Disciples before that time and particularly those Disciples whom he made use of to baptize in the Land of Jury For if our Saviour made Disciples before why not after the same manner wherein he made those of Judaea He had to induce him to it the custom that then prevail'd among the Jews of making Disciples by that solemnity as appears both by their so admitting Proselytes and the Baptism of his Forerunner He had to induce him to it the greater likelihood there was thereby of inviting others to the same Baptism than if those who were the first and chief and moreover made use of by himself to baptize had not first been baptiz'd themselves Because so there could have been no pretence to refuse the Baptism he propos'd whereas otherwise they might have rejected it as a thing unnecessary to be had or scrupled it as proceeding from incompetent Administrators of it In fine he had to induce him to it that which prevail'd with himself (l) Matt. 3 1◠to receive the Baptism of John even their fulfilling all righteousness who were not only the first of his Disciples but ordained by himself to be a pattern unto others Which inducements as they are of no small force to persuade his baptizing from the beginning because but suitable to his own proceedings or the common reasonings of Mankind so will no doubt be accounted such if there be not equal probabilities to the contrary as which are the only things that can take off the edge of them Now what is there of that nature that can perswade Christ's omission of Baptism unless it be either the Scripture's silence which shall be afterwards considered or his willingness thereby to intimate that he had not so tied his own Graces to an external Rite but that he could and would upon occasion conferr them without it But beside that there was a like fear thereby of Men's neglecting his appointments upon a presumption of their receiving his Graces as the Apostles did This may seem to have been too early a season for such an intimation because before Men were well confirm'd in his Authority or ability to conferr them even by the ordinary solemnities For if they were not as yet well confirm'd in that how should they dream of a greater power yea not rather be thereby tempted to question altogether his Authority because departing so far even from the example of John the Baptist whom all Men (m) Matt. 21.26 accounted as a Prophet But beside that our Saviour made Disciples before and may therefore not improbably be thought to have made them after the same manner We find yet farther that before he baptiz'd those of Judaea he represented the solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them Our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus that except a Man were born again (n) Joh. 3.3 he could not see the Kingdom of God but yet more plainly that except he were born again of Water (o) Joh. 3.5 and of the Spirit he could not possibly enter into it For how could Christ represent that as necessary which be himself had not afforded to
Imprimatur Johannes Battely RRmo P. ac D no D no Wilhelmo Archiep. Cantuariensi à Sacris Domesticis Ex Aedib Lamb. Apr. 10. 1686. OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM In Pursuance of an EXPLICATION OF THE CATECHISM OF THE CHURCH of ENGLAND BY GABRIEL TOWERSON D.D. and Rector of Welwynne in Hartfordshire LONDON Printed for Richard Chiswell at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-Yard MDCLXXXVII TO THE Right Reverend FATHER in GOD FRANCIS Lord Bishop of ELY AND LORD ALMONER TO His Majesty My Lord YOUR Lordship 's favourable acceptance of my Discourse of the Sacraments in General with the desire I have if it may be to put an end to the whole hath prompted me to make the more hast to present your Lordship and the World with this of Baptism in particular Two things there are in it which I thought my self most concern'd to clear and which therefore I have employ'd all requisite diligence on the Doctrine of Original Sin and Infant-Baptism The former being in my opinion the foundation of Christianity the latter of our interest in it For if there be no such thing as Original Sin I do not see but some persons heretofore might and may hereafter live with such exactness as not at all to stand in need of a Saviour And I see as little if Infant-Baptism be null what interest any of us can have in him according to the ordinary dispensation of the Gospel who have for the most part been baptized in our Infancy or at least have been baptized by those that were Throughout the whole Treatise I have endeavour'd to retrive the antient notion of Baptism to shew what advantages are annexed to it and what duties it either involves or obligeth to To either of which if I have given any light or strength I shall hope I have done some small service to the Church and which your Lordship in particular will take in good part from Your Lordship's Most obliged Most obedient and Most humble Servant GABRIEL TOWERSON Wellwyne Aug. 23. 1686. THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST PART Of the Rite of Baptism among the Heathen and the Jews THe Heathen themselves not without the knowledge of another World and of the insufficiency of natural Religion to bring them to the happiness thereof Occasion taken by them from thence to enquire after other ways of obtaining it and by the Devil to suggest the mysteries of their respective Deities as the only proper means of compassing it Those mysteries every where initiated into by the Rite of Baptism partly through Men's consciousness of their past sins and which they judged it but meet they should be some way purged from and partly through the policy of the Devil who thereby thought to procure the greater veneration to them That as it was a Rite which was in use among God's own people so naturally apt to represent to Mens minds their passing from a sinful to a holy Estate Of what Service the Heathens use of this Rite is toward the commendation of the Christians Baptism and a transition from thence to the use of it among the Jews Which is not only prov'd at large out of the Jewish Writings and several particulars of that Baptism remark'd but that usage farther confirm'd by several concurring proofs such as is in particular the no appearance there is otherwise of any initiation of the Jewish Women the Baptizing of the whole Nation in the Cloud and in the Sea and a remarkable allusion to it in our Saviour's Discourse to Nicodemus The silence of the Old Testament concerning that Rite shewn to be of no force because though it take notice of the first Jews being under the Cloud and passing through the Red Sea yet it takes no notice at all of their being Baptized in them or of their Eating and Drinking that spiritual Repast whereof S. Paul speaketh The Baptism of Christians copied by our Saviour from that of the Jews and may therefore where it appears not that he hath made an alteration receive an elucidation from it p. 1. The Contents of the Second Part. Of the Baptism of the Christians and the Institution of it THe Institution of the Christian Baptism more antient than the Command for it in S. Matthew 28.19 though not as to the generality of the World nor it may be as to the like explicit Profession of the Trinity As is made appear from Christ or his Disciples baptizing in Judea not long after his own Baptism by S. John. Enquiry thereupon made whether it were not yet more antient yea as antient as Christ's execution of his Prophetical Office. Which is rendred probable from our Saviours making Disciples before and the equal reason there appears to have been for his making them after the same manner with those of Judea From Christ's representing to Nicodemus the necessity of being born again of water and the spirit which is shewn at large to be meant of a true and proper Baptism As in fine from Christ's telling S. Peter when he ask'd the washing of his Hands and Head as well as Feet that he who had been washed needeth not save to wash his feet An answer to the supposed silence of the Scripture concerning so early a Baptism and that shewn to be neither a perfect silence nor an unaccountable one p. 23. The Contents of the Third Part. Of the outward visible Sign of Baptism THe outward visible Sign of the Christian Baptism shewn to be the Element of Water and enquiry thereupon made wherein it was intended as a Sign Which is shewn in the general to be as to the cleansing quality thereof more particularly as to the use it was put to toward new-born Infants and that application of it which was first in use even by an immersion or plunging the Party baptized in it Occasion taken from thence to enquire farther how it ought to be applyed more especially whether by an immersion or by that or an aspersion or effusion Evidence made of an immersion being the only legitimate Rite of Baptism save where necessity doth otherwise require And enquiry thereupon made whether necessity may justifie the Application of it by an Aspersion or Effusion and if it may whether the case of Infants be to be look'd upon as such a necessity What is to be thought of those additions which were antiently made or continue as yet in being in the outward solemnities of Baptism Where the sign of the Cross in Baptism is more particularly considered and answer made to those Exceptions that are made against it as a Ceremony as an addition of Men to the Institution of Christ and as a supposed Relique of Popery or giving too much countenance to the Papists abuses of it p. 43. A Digression concerning Original Sign By way of Preparation to the following Discourses The Contents OF the ground of the present Digression concerning Original Sin and enquiry thereupon made what Original Sin is Which is shewn in the General to be such a corruption of
were not capable of Circumcision yea even in them that were capable of it after the Rite of Circumcision was over if it were only to put them in mind of that deliverance they receiv'd by it Especially when their Eucharistical Manna though thence forward not enjoyn'd to be us'd because it ceased from among them was yet laid up in the Ark of God (o) Exod. 32.16 c. to put them in mind of God's nourishing them by it I say Thirdly that though Baptism might not be enjoyned at the first or at least enjoyn'd only for the use of those who were not capable of Circumcision yet it might by the advice of their Governors and the approbation of those Prophets whom God raised up among them be afterwards added to Circumcision both upon the account of their Fore-fathers being commanded to sanctifie themselves and wash their Cloaths when they appear'd before God at Mount Sinai and as a farther declaration to them of the impurity of their Nature and of that pure and holy estate which they entred into For if their forefathers were even by the command of God to sanctifie themselves with washings toward their entring into Covenant with God at Mount Sinai what should hinder such of their posterity as presided over that Nation to make an addition of the like Baptism Especially when all was little enough to admonish them of their own natural impurity and of the necessity that lay upon them of purging themselves from it I observe Fourthly that though there be not any express mention in the Scripture of that Baptism whereof we speak nor indeed of any like it beside that of John the Baptist which being immediately from Heaven ought not to be drawn into example yet is it sufficiently intimated by our Saviour where upon Nicodemus's wondring how a Man could be born of Water and the Spirit he with equal wonder demanded (p) Joh 3.10 Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things For as that is a sufficient indication that the notion our Saviour advanc'd was no stranger to the Israelites and therefore neither such a Baptism as was the subject of it So it became yet more clear by the Jewish Writers representing the Baptism of a Proselyte as giving a new birth unto him That as it is the same in effect with the product of Christ's Baptism so making it yet more reasonable to believe that our Saviour had an eye to it when he wondred so much at Nicodemus for stumbling at that property in his All which put together because tending toward the same thing will make it yet more reasonable to believe that the Jewish Writers spake not at adventure when they represented the Rite of Baptism as a Rite of their own Nation and by which both themselves and their Proselytes had been of old initiated no less than by the Rite of Circumcision If there be any thing to hinder the admission of it it must be the silence of the Old Testament concerning it or at least concerning the Institution of it But as we find no great mention even of Circumcision it self after the five Books of Moses and may therefore the less wonder at the no mention of Baptism especially if as it might be instituted after his time As we find as little mention even where it might have been more reasonably expected of the first Jews being baptized into Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea or of their Eating and Drinking that spiritual repast whereof S. Paul speaketh (q) 1 Cor. 10.3 4. So there is as little reason therefore to wonder at its silence concerning this Rite especially considering what is notorious enough from thence that God from time to time rais'd up Prophets among them For their Authority and Preaching might suffice to constitute or confirm a matter of greater moment than the Rite of Baptism as added to Circumcision can be supposed to have been There being therefore no great doubt to be made of a Baptism among the Jews antecedent to that of John the Baptist and our Saviour it will not be difficult to believe first that our Saviour had an eye to it when he appointed the same Rite to initiate Men into his Religion Partly because it was his avowed Profession that he came rather to reform than destroy their former Oeconomy and partly because he might the more reasonably hope to bring them over to that faith which it was an initiation into It will be as easie to believe Secondly upon the score of the same condescension and compliance that Christ departed as little as might be from their manner of Administration of it or from the ends which it was appointed for among them such a compliance being equally necessary to carry on his design of bringing them over to his Religion The consequence whereof will be thirdly that where it doth not very plainly appear that Christianity hath made an alteration in it we interpret the Baptism thereof conformably to that of the Jews from whence it appears to have been transcrib'd How much more then where there are any fair hints in Christianity of its symbolizing with the Doctrine of the other The result of which will be fourthly our having recourse upon occasion to the Baptism of the Jews for the better clearing or establishing the Doctrine of our own Which as I shall therefore not fail to do as often as their Writings shall furnish matter for it so having said thus much concerning their Baptism and that of the Heathen I will pass on to the Baptism of the Christians and confine my self yet more strictly to the consideration of it PART II. Of the Baptism of the Christians and the Institution of it The Contents The Institution of the Christian Baptism more antient than the Command for it in S. Matthew * Matt. 28.19 though not as to the generality of the World nor it may be as to the like explicit Profession of the Trinity As is made appear from Christ or his Disciples baptizing in Judea not long after his own Baptism by S. John. Enquiry thereupon made whether it were not yet more antient yea as antient as Christ's execution of his Prophetical Office. Which is rendred probable from our Saviours making Disciples before and the equal reason there appears to have been for his making them after the same manner with those of Judea From Christ's representing to Nicodemus the necessity of being born again of water and the spirit which is shewn at large to be meant of a true and proper Baptism As in fine from Christ's telling S. Peter when he ask'd the washing of his Hands and Head as well as Feet that he who had been washed needeth not save to wash his feet An answer to the supposed silence of the Scripture concerning so early a Baptism and that shewn to be neither a perfect silence nor an unaccountable one NOW the first thing to be enquired after is the Institution of it and so much