Father c. that is invocating the name of the Father Sonne and Spirit bringing Acts 22. for their proofe Paul is bid to bee baptized calling upon the name of the Lord now Infants cannot call upon the Lord when to bee baptized Now let us consider the weight of what hath been said 1. For the order of the words as morall in Matthew because also in Marke and so morall in both for saith Mr. B. it reacheth to the worlds end it was Christs last commission and it were absurd to thinke a man baptized before preached to and so baptized into hee knowes not what And indeed this is urged as an argument distinctly against Pedobaptisme because children understand not the mysteries of Baptisme and what hath God to doe with such as know him not nor what hee offers them or doth for them c Whence I. S. urgeth it as an absurditie that wee will have children baptized which know nothing of it and so must build their faith upon humane testimony We shall now answer to these particularly SECT II. 1. THen some things in this order of Christ were perpetuall as that preaching the Gospel should goe before Baptisme that baptisme is to bee administred by such as preach that discipled in-churched persons are to bee baptized that in founding Churches the first members are to bee visible professors of the faith in reference to Church estate that baptisme is with water to bee applyed to the persons baptized and that into the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Yet non sequitur that all which here Christ held forth is so strictly to bee attended to the end of the world as that which is to indure to the end of the world or that what in Matthew and Marke hee propoundeth it is presidentiall in all Church cases of persons to bee baptized as alike and that without distinction of Churches then or now gathering or to bee gathered There is a commission given to Elders or Churches as here was to ministers James 5. 14. that they are to pray over the sicke and to anoint them with oyle wee must now then without all distinction of times or Churches doe so too by Mr. Blackwoods argument wee must stick to Scripture commission of the Lord as this was by his spirit according as the other was viva voce And let our opposites that urge Matthew and Marke as presidentiall to all Churches and times attend what is said in Marke 16. 16 17 18. if Marke 16. be the rule to us what persons should bee baptized onely scil beleevers then few are to bee now baptized but such whose beleeving is attended with signes that can cast out devills speake with strange tongues take up Serpents drinke deadly poyson without hurt or if any other are yet at least some amongst the baptized beleevers now as well as then will have such miraculous gifts For Christ speaking of some of those baptized beleevers at least albeit not of all for all had not then gifts of miracles and tongues 1 Cor. 12. saith these signes shall follow them that beleeve c. Marke 16. 17. and it was one continued speech and touching some of the persons spoken of vers 15 16. hence Mr. B. will never deny unlesse his reason faile him but that such kind of persons were proper to bee found in those first Churches and times of first foundings of Churches amongst the heathen nations And therefore will hee nill hee must he make a distinction of first Churches gathered amongst such as never heard of Christ and other Christian Churches in these dayes Secondly bee it that it was Christs last commission yet it sufficiently appeares already that what he here held forth in this gracious order about Gentile Churches it was not therefore morall and applyable to all times no such signes now following any beleeving baptized members of Churches as did then And if that very order of Christs last words were so morall and strictly to bee observed why doe the Evangelists and Paul so vary in expressions of those last words of Christs order touching the Lords Supper Matthew expresseth the Sacramentall actions of Christ about the bread and cup to bee as they were eating Matth. 26. 26 27. and so Marke Chap. 14. 22 23. but Luke and Paul say hee tooke the cup after supper Luke 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Matthew Luke and Paul make the Sacramentall promise to bee uttered before the Disciples dranke even whilst Christ gave order for their drinking but Marke mentions the promise This is my blood of the Testament c. as spoken after they had all drunke of the cup Marke 14. 23 24. Luke addeth to what Matthew and Marke say This is my body which is given for you Paul otherwise which is broken for you Matthew Marke and Luke say of the bread that Christ gave it to them yet Paul which affirmeth what hee had received and did deliver accordingly to the Church of Corinth as from the Lord he leaveth out that act of giving the bread Matthew and Marke say as much expresly of the giving of the cup to them which Paul omitteth Matthew and Marke expresse that thus This is my blood of the New Testament which Luke and Paul expresse thus This is the New Testament in my blood Matthew and Marke say which was shed for many Luke which is shed for you Paul wholly omitteth it Luke addeth in mention of the bread Doe this in remembrance of mee but not in mention of the cup Matthew and Marke omit that passage in both Paul addeth it to both and addeth that in the latter as oft as yee drinke it What varietie is here additions omissions variations c. in the mention of Christs last commission about the other Sacrament surely Mr. B. and others will confesse that if it had beene so morall and invariable because Christs last commission holy men inspired would not had not could not have so placed them before or after one another something before as mentioned by one something set after the same words by another analogie of faith and comparing Scriptures with Scriptures must regulate in such things here and in this Sacramentall order and so in the other And because so much is put in order of phrase and words to conclude thence without compare thereof with other Scriptures the order of things in acting because in those two places such in order of uttering and expressing I would argue hence If because beleeving is set before baptizing none is to bee baptized but such as beleeve then because being baptized is in the same place Marke 16. 16. set before being saved therefore no beleevers are saved but such as are baptized and so baptisme is absolutely necessary to salvation and a man may bee a true beleever but for want of baptisme which yet was the case of some of old which were martyrd may bee damned yea then since Christ when preaching Marke 1. 15. saying Repent and beleeve the Gospel it must bee
as of much use on his part in way of authoritie yet saith hee will not regard any authorities which the other party at least bring above the limit of time But to returne to Chrysostome who in his 40. Homil. upon Genesis saith But our circumcision or grace I say of Baptisme hath cure without griefe and brings innumerably good things to us c. and it hath no limited time set as there was but it is lawfull to receive this circumcision made without hands either in our first or middle or last age and so in his homily ad Neophytos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this cause wee also baptize little ones which have no sinne meaning of their owne have not committed actuall sinnes that to them righteousnesse holinesse adoption inheritance and fraternitie of Christ may be communicated that they may all become his members and an habitation of his Spirit Anno 430. Of Theodoret Theodoret in his Epitome of divine decrees and Cap. of baptism for baptism is not like a razour as the frantique Messalians say taking away onely sinnes that are past for that God giveth in superabundantly for if this only were the effect of baptisme why doe we baptize infants which have not yet relished sin for the Sacrament doth not promise onely those things but greater for it is the pledge of future good things and a type of future resurrection and it is the communication of the Lords death and participation of his resurrection the garment of salvation and gladnesse For as many as are baptized into Christ have put on Christ and as many as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death that as Christ was raised from the dead so wee should walke in newnesse of life and adding haec nos de sanctissimo baptismo sentire docuit Apostolus and the Apostle hath taught us thus to hold concerning baptisme and makes those speeches Gal. 3. and Rom. 6. to bee verified in Infants baptizing as well as others and that they are baptized in respect of future good rather then present and that the Apostle taught them so to thinke hereof Nor is that Dionysius Graecus who ever hee were albeit not the Areopagite yea albeit having sundry mixtures in his booke to bee wholly slighted or neglected SECT II. Cassander de baptis Inf. Of the Easterne and Greek Churches As for the Easterne and Greeke Churches Cassanders testimony is very round and full albeit their discipline may well bee gathered by their teachers and councells doctrine speaking of testimony of Paedobaptisme he saith but especiall and chiefe testimony and weight of authoritie to this baptisme of Infants is further added from the universall and constant custome which unto this day in the Churches which are extant in the world and there are many such without the limits of the Roman Church is retained for the Churches which are yet remaining in Greece Asia Syria Aegypt and India and the Russians and Muscovites which follow the Greeke orders lastly the Aethiopians under the government of Prester John I say all these Christians professing nations although differing in some opinions and rites yet in the custome of baptizing Infants they all of old agreed among themselves some stating the 8. and the Aethiopians the 40. day for baptizing them unlesse in the case of danger or those of the female Sex The Russians and Armenians baptize Infants as they doe Adults unlesse that when they baptize Infants there are witnesses and the Indian Christians doe so likewise for which hee quotes Josephus Judas in his Aethiopian navigations and Franciscus Alvares and it 's not credible that such Churches so averse from the Latines would yet buckle to their customes of consecrating the unleavened bread or eating thngs strangled or blood that they did borrow this of Paedobaptisme so much abhord formerly by them from the Westerne Churches and Paget in his Christianography citeth a speech of the Bishop of Bitonto in the Councell of Trent acknowledging of the Greeke Church thus ea igitur Graecia mater est that the Greeke Church is that mother to whom the Latin owneth whatever it hath see the acts of the Councell of Trent pag. 18. and hee mentions the forme of the Russians baptisme the Priest when hee dippeth the child useth these words in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and as oft as the God-fathers are asked whether they renounce the Devill so oft they spit on the ground Guagniny relig Muscovit In the Greeke Church the Priest having said certaine prayers taking the child in his armes putteth him three times into the water saying The servant of God N N. is baptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost Jerom the Patriarch pag. 103. and the same doth Thomas Aquinas observe in his third part Quest 6. Artic. 8. Quest 67. Artic. 6. and Quest 66. Aâ—…tic the 5th And the same doth Dominic a Sot in quest 1. Art 8. testifie and let mee adde two things more First that the doctrine of Paedobaptisme was never ex professo opposed by any Orthodox Churches or Christians in all the times of old as farre as I can finde of Tertullians mind wee have spoken before and Gregory Nazianzen how farre they went Auxentius the Arrian Bishop of Millain as Bullinger in his Decads hath it did so and so indeed did the Samosatenian Heretiques The Donatists they baptized Infants witnesse the 48. Canon of the third Carthaginian Councell in reference to Siritius and Simplicianus So did other African Councels in Austins time ordaine that children baptized by Donatists should not bee rebaptized the Pelagians themselves denied it not wholly Austin in his 14. Sermon de verbis Apostoli baptizandâ—… esse parvulos nemo dubitet c. none need to doubt of baptisme since even those here doubt not which in part doe contradict scil the Pelagians there are cases and times wherein some one of the servants of God saw much more then many and most did as Athanasius and some few more in the point of the Divinitie of Christ in that Arrian age and Paphnutius the Confessor in the point of Ministers marriage to which the Fathers of the Nicene Councell had like to have gone contrary and yet before and after these times whole Churches and Councels held out as much as these Saints did SECT IIII. Object NO such example in the opposers of Paedobaptisme Yes you will say Berengarius about a 1050. and afterwards Peter de Brucis and the Albingenses and so the Waldenses for they had such diverse names according to places and countries in which they were scattered c. they denied it and some of them appealed to the Scriptures and to the Greeke Church for warrant Answ I deny not but that the Popish writers as their manner is use to brand the servants of God with some odious tenents for which all would hate them when that they never held the same but that old accuser of the Brethren casteth on by
eate of that spirituall meat and drinke of the rock c. Answ The least male childe of a day old or two or three houres old at that instant of which there were many scores its likely in that numerous Church were in respect of succeeding Churches fathers yet none will imagine the word all to take them in in the latter as if they gave them water out of the rock to drink or Manna cakes to eate so young but a Synecdoche must needs bee yeelded therein So I say all in the former is taken for all the fathers simply but in the latter for all Synecdochically or for all such which were capable of making a spirituall use thereof SECT XVI TO draw to a Conclusion one argument more used by A. R. and which is Mr. B. his first argument against Paedobaptisme would bee cleared it stands thus the Baptisme of Christ is dipping the Baptisme of Infants is not dipping ergo the Baptisme of Infants is not the Baptisme of Christ Now what hee meaneth by dipping hee sheweth in his answer to that of washing of cups c. which saith hee is not by sprinkling but dipping yea not onely dipping but totall dipping washing all over The weaknesse of the Minor we shall consider in the latter end and beginning with his Major The Major of this Syllogisme is fallacious for baptisme of Christ is washing Ephes 5. 25 26. Heb. 10. 22. 1 Pet. 3. 21. and washing is as well by sprinkling or powring on of water yea Christs Baptisme is such a washing as is in way of powring out or sprinkling Hence Tit. 3. 5. washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost which hee hath powred out on us Vers 6. Greeke and in urging their proofe from the difference of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth sprinkling properly Heb. 9. 13. 19 21. they forget how the holy Ghost termeth all those divers sprinklings Vers 10. namely divers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are after named in the followings Ver. scil sprinkling the blood of Bulls c. Vers 10. 13. 19. 21. compared So then by the interpretation of the holy Ghost which is more then a thousand Authors baptismes are sprinklings and sprinklings are baptismes Hence speaking to the inchurched Hebrews as alluding to their legall sprinklings hee calleth baptisme baptismes Heb. 6. in the plurall number yet Ephes 4. there is but one baptisme it 's observable how the Author to the Hebrews in speaking of baptisme alludeth and relateth to their legall baptismes or sprinklings and therefore calleth them baptismes Now who knoweth not that children were sprinkled with that typicall blood as well as others to note the necessitie of the sprinklings of them also with that blood Yea since the Hebrews in Church estate for such they were witnesse that Heb. 10. 24 25. and 13. 17. had such baptisme amongst them of persons suitable to the legall baptismes with blood why should not we conclude baptizing of their children too as well as of growne persons to bee in use with them according to the type of that ceremoniall sprinkling A. R. his reason makes rather against him too if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with baptisme signifie in and never with then baptizing saith hee must bee dipping and not sprinkling To which I reply if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned with baptizing signifie with and not in then by way of contrary baptizing is sprinkling and not dipping now in the very places quoted by A. R. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put after the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth with and not in Matth. 3. 11. Hee shall baptize you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the holy Ghost and with fire and not in it which is expounded by Acts 11. 16 17. the holy Ghost fell on them and Acts 1. 5. compared with 2. 17. it is expounded by powring out of the Spirit nay Luke in mentioning the very signe leaveth out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 3. 16. and Acts 11. 16. I baptize you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which if grammatically rendred is not in but with water Besides it 's most suitable to Sacramentall actions which are signes to hold proportion to the thing signified wherefore also it is so rendered in mentioning the signatum hence mention is made of sprinkling the Nations by Christ Esay 52. 15. and of the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 2. See more Ezek 35. 25 26. Esay 43. 3 4. Joel 2. with Acts 2. Sprinkling or powring of water most fitly expresseth the maine thing properly signified and sealed visibly 〈◊〉 baptisme scil first grace wherein the Spirit applyeth not us to the Word or to Christ as in dipping the party is applied to the water and not the water to him but the Word and Christ to us as first in order of nature 1 Cor. 12. 13. Object But baptizing is burying with Christ Answ It is not necessary the resemblance should hold fully unlesse as none is buried before they are dead so wee should bee first dead with Christ in baptisme and then afterwards buried which if in baptisme too and so to be twice baptized but if the allusion bee urged it is for us rather wee use not to bury men by throwing them downe with their faces downeward as when persons are dived with their faces under water but by laying them in with their faces upwards nor doe wee plunge them into the dust and earth but powre and sprinkle dust and broken earth upon them When Christ was baptized of John in Jordan it 's said hee went downe c. but was hee therefore by John dived into the water Yes say you what in his clothes then his clothes too were baptized with him as I may say but how then is it said he came straightway out of the water Marke 1. 10. and vers 1 2. immediatly the spirit drives him into the Wildernesse what in that dung wet case as wee say is that probable Luke saith Chap. 3. 21. when all the people were baptized hee also was baptized women also then were baptized openly for it was a Church action and if they were dived were they not stript how improbable is it that they were ducked in all their clothes if they were stripped in whole or in part would Christ be present at such immodest spectacles That women were baptized by John see Matth. 21. 31. 32. compared with Luke 7. 39. and Matth. 3. 4 5 6. Nicephorus his story lib. 13. chap. 19. of the flying of the women naked being beset with armed men as they were to bee baptized and that sad story of a Priest defiling of a woman when to bee baptized besides the sad plunges which they were of old put to when they tooke up this course of diving baptized persons in such sort witnesse that order of the fourth Carthage councell Can. 4. touching widowes baptizing of women and other like acts mentioned in Justinian besides the
mischiefe of restrayning baptisme to certaine times of the yeare in cold countries and sundry other sad consequencies of such a course might bee propounded but thus much for the Major The Minor of Mr. Bs. Syllogisme is weake also since some which hold paedobaptisme yet baptize by dipping therefore wee shall thus retort Mr. Bs. Syllogisme Baptisme by dipping is the baptisme of Christ but with sundry Ministers baptisme of Infants is baptisme by dipping therefore with them at least baptisme of Infants is the baptisme of Christ so contradictory are Mr. Bs. reasonings to his own principles And thus much bee spoken from the solid grounds of Scripture to that part of the controverted case touching Infants Baptismall Right PART III. CHAP. I. Sect. I. Generall consideration of the eight Propositions HAving seene before what defensive and offensive weapons the Armory of the Scripture affords us for the just vindication of the controverted Title of the little ones of inchurched visible beleevers unto the Covenant and Baptisme the initiatory seale thereof the globe of contention is againe cast by sundry and a challenge is made that laying by a little those spirituall weapons of our warfare which indeed are mighty through God to cast downe all the specious Logismes reasonings of the sonnes of men against Christ in the doctrine of his free grace and Covenant and initiatory seale thereof wee should try it out at other weapons even humane testimonies and authorities And besides other darings of us this way the Author or Authors of that Pamphlet entitled The plaine and well grounded treatise concerning Baptisme give out great words this way and even conclude the victory before the fight For my owne part I must confesse my selfe a very puny and too too unskilfull at such weapons yet I shall God willing adventure to accept the challenge and make a little tryall of their skill not doubting but when an essay shall bee made albeit by a learner there will bee some able seconds to take up the cause when I have laid it downe But to leave Prefacing and fall to worke The substance of the booke is laid downe in these eight Propositions 1 That Christ commanded his Apostles and servants of the holy Ghost first of all to preach the Gospel and make Disciples and afterwards to baptize those that were instructed in the faith in calling upon and confessing the name of God His proofs out of Scripture are Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15 16. Luke 24. 45. John 4. 1 2. Acts 22. 16. This proposition might passe for the most part as current allowing a latitude in the word Disciples and understanding it of such as were baptized meerely in their owne right and taking that phrase calling upon the name of God as not alwayes the present act of the persons baptized at the instant of their baptisme but rather of the Minister baptizing nor doth the instance of Paul Act. 22. 16. prove this latter It being absurd even in adult persons to suppose it thus in that example of the Samaritan woman that they should in the open face of the Congregation when they were baptized make their personall and particular prayers Acts 8. 12. or that every one of those 3000. baptized that day Acts 2. 41. made their severall prayers for if it werâ— essentiall to the Ordinance to make such personall prayers since there is no stint how long or how much they should utter in calling upon Gods name the Apostles had need to have spoken severally to them that you must not bee long the time is short and if they had taken that paines yet many dayes would have beene needfull to such a worke It was not possible to bee dispatched that very day As for the other Scriptures they have been else-where considered The second Proposition that the Apostles and servants of the Holy Ghost have according to the Commandement of the Lord Jesus Christ first of all taught and then afterwards those that were instructed in the mysteries of the Kingdome of God were baptized upon the confession of their faith Proofes out of Scripture 1 Cor. 1. 17. How this is a Proof I see not for if hee alwayes preached before hee baptized it might easily have been replyed Yes Paul if God sent you to baptize any he sent you also to preach for you are to preach alwayes to all persons that you baptize before you doe baptize them why therefore doe you say you were not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel since with the one you do the other The other proofs 1 Cor. 3. 6. and 4. 15. are somewhat farre fetched and strained but I will not stick there Heb. 6. 1 2. is as well applyed by Authors Calvin Beza c. as grounds of Paedobaptisme those being the heads of Catechising containing the summe of Christian Doctrin scil profession of faith and repentance of the articles of which Doctrine an account was demanded of adult Pagans and Jewes at the time of their baptisme and therefore called the Doctrine of Baptismes alluding in the plurall word to the many typicall washings in use of old among the Hebrewes or Jewes but from baptized Infants the same was called for when they were solemnely admitted to full Church Communion and declared so to bee by the Elders commending them therein to God by prayer And hence the same Doctrine is called also by the name of the Doctrine of Imposition of hands Amongst which articles of that Doctrin two are singled out as containing the rest scil the resurrection of the flesh and eternall judgement See Calvin and Beza in Locum His next proofe Heb. 10. 22. I let passe In the next proofe Acts 2. 36 38. 41. I observe how craftily the 39th Vers is left out unmentioned wherein the strength of argument on our part doth consist Acts 8. 36 37 38. and 10. 47 48. and 16. 31. to 34. But why is that example of Lydia here left out and her houshold but that it speakes too broadly that albeit the Apostles sometimes required confession of some persons which they baptized yet not alwayes of all sorts of persons as that one example witnesseth His other Scripture is that Acts 18. 8. but of all these consideration is elsewhere had This Proposition with the limitations formerly mentioned may passe supposing it not understood exclusively that such as they baptized were such therefore they baptized none other but such which is a non sequitur 3 Proposition That after the Apostles time by the ancient fathers in the primitive Church who observed and followed the Ordinance of Christ and the example of the Apostle the people were commonly first instructed in the mysteries of faith and after that they were taught they were baptized upon confession of the same This Proposition sano sensu might passe also understanding that that was the Ordinance of Christ and practise of the Apostles so farre as concernes growne persons baptisme but yet that was not all intended in the one nor practised by the