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A91973	Pædo-baptisme: or, the baptizing of infants justified: by the judgement and practice of ancient and moderne Protestant divines, both foraine, and of this nation: clearly proving the absolute necessity of baptizing infants, from the authority of sacred scripture and the force of undeniable reason. Together with an excellent letter of Mr. John Philpots to the same purpose. / Collected by Robert Ram, minister of Spalding in Lincolnshire. Published by authority.	Ram, Robert, d. 1657.; Philpot, John, 1516-1555.	1645 (1645)	Wing R194; Thomason E276_12; ESTC R209870	23,751	33

to Abraham for signing the children of believers with the signe of the covenant yea he hath said Suffer little children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven Matth. 19.14 Zanch. de Rel. Christiana Because this question whether infants should be baptized hath been much perplexed with the disputations of the Pelagians of old and of late with the clamors of the Anabaptists Daneus we will collect some reasons to prove that the infants of believers may and ought to be baptized The Papists indeed teach that this practice hath prevailed onely by the degrees of ancient Fathers and custome of the Church and by the traditions of men But we better and more truely affirme that both the doctrine and practice hereof is founded and established by the Word of God although the Scripture doth not in expresse termes declare that infants should be baptized yet by consequence and the analogy of faith it will appeare to be the direct sense and meaning of the written Word We will not insist upon all the reasons that may be produced to this purpose but onely select some c. 1. Infants and children of believers even they are believers and within the covenant and belong to God even as the fathers themselves Gen. 17.7 Exod. 20.6 Therefore the signe of Gods covenant belongs to them as well as their parents which now under the Gospell is baptisme For the children of believers are sanctified from the wombe 1 Cor. 7.14 therefore baptisme which is the signe of sanctification belongs to them 2. Those to whom God giveth and applieth the thing it selfe to them doth the signe appertaine for no man ought to restraine or withstand the grace of God Acts 11.17 now God doth give to infants of beleeving parents the thing signified in baptisme which is remission of sins and sanctification although the effects of those gifts doe not presently appeare in them 1 Cor. 7.14 for he affirms that of such is the Kingdome of Heaven So that infants of believers are heires of the Kingdome of God as well as those that are of yeeres of understanding therefore to them belong the signes of those graces for the baptisme of Christ belongs to the whole Church 3. Circumcision as well as baptisme was a signe of the righteousnesse of God Rom. 4 11. and circumcision was to the Jewes a signe of mortifying the flesh as baptisme is to us Deut. 10.30 Rom. 6.4 and God commanded that infants should be circumcised therefore they ought to be baptized otherwise the grace of God under the Gospell should be scanter and intended to fewer then under the Law 4. Christs command for baptisme was generall not excluding infants Matth. 28.19 therefore baptisme belongs to them and the Apostles are said to baptize whole families Acts 16.15 33. amongst which t is probable that there were infants 5. The example of the universall Christian Church confirms this practice which may appeare by the testimony of divers writers in severall ages as Origen on Rom. 6. Aug. lib. 4. of baptizing infants against the Donatists 6. Heb. 6.2 The doctrine of baptisme is called the doctrine of imposition of hands which belongs to infants ' Daneus Isag part 4. P. Martyr As of old circumcision was administred to infants so ought it not to be denied them now for if they have the thing signified why should they not have the signe Let no man doubt that circumcision and baptisme are alike and that there is the same reason of the one as of the other This doth Paul plainly teach to the Colossians where he cals baptisme the circumcision of Christ And they who allow that the Hebrews children ought to be circumcised and yet deny that ours should be baptized doe make God better to the Jewes then to Christians But some will say forasmuch as we cannot tell whether infants have the matter of the Sacrament why doe we give them the signe and apply the Seale to that which is uncertaine To whom we answer that this question is not so much against us as against the Word of God for he hath absolutely commanded that children should be circumcised We say of our Infants that 't is enough for us that their parents or any other in whose power they are doe present them to the Church and if election and predestination concur with the Sacramentall action then what we doe is confirmed but if not then all is void for our salvation depends upon the election and mercy of God Peter Martyr on Rom. 4. Bucer It appeares plainly by St. Paul that baptisme succeeds circumcision and that baptisme is the same now that circumcision was of old excepting that the Spirit is given more powerfully now and the knowledge of Jesus Christ is more fully and plainly manifested As therefore of old the infants of Gods people were admitted into the covenant by circumcision even so ought ours by baptisme neither are our children lesse deare to God then were the children of the Jewes And whereas some deride us saying why then doe we not baptize males onely seeing onely such were circumcised We answer that in Christ there is neither male nor female c. Bucer on Matth. 3. The Judgement of our English Modern Divines touching Infants Baptisme IN the very beginning of Regeneration Dr. Ames whereof baptisme is the Seale a man is mereely passive and hence it is that of a man that is to be either circumcised or baptized no externall act is required as in other Sacraments there is but onely a capacity passive to receive infants therefore are as capable of this Sacrament in respect even of the chiefe use thereof as men of yeeres themselves Ames contra Anab. Though faith and actuall repentance be required in those that be of yeeres before they receive the signe of the covenant Dr. Davenant yet is it not necessary in the infants of believing parents for to be within the covenant is enough to make one capable of the signe of the covenant now infants are in the same covenant with their parents Gen. 17.7 This we see in Abraham who first believed and then was circumcised but Isaac was circumcised before he could declare that he believed This same thing is rightly done in the children of believing parents by the practise of the Apostles who did not baptize any of yeeres till they had professed their faith but when the parents had imbraced the faith then their whole families were baptized Act. 16.15.33 1 Cor. 1.16 now no man doubts but that children are comprehended under the notion of family Davenant on Colos 2. In some the Sacraments do effectually worke in processe of time by the helpe of Gods Word read or preached Mr Thoj Rogers which ingendreth faith such is the estate principally of infants elected unto life and salvation Rogers Explication of the 39 Articles Infants receive the Divine vertue of the holy Ghost in baptisme Mr. Hooker which giveth to the powers of the

PAEDO-BAPTISME OR The Baptizing of Infants JUSTIFIED By the judgement and practice of Ancient and Moderne Protestant Divines both Foraine and of this Nation clearly proving the absolute necessity of baptizing Infants from the authority of sacred Scripture and the force of undeniable reason Together with an excellent Letter of Mr. JOHN PHILPOTS to the same purpose Collected by ROBERT RAM Minister of Spalding in Lincolnshire PROVERBS 11.14 In the multitude of Counsellors there is safety Aug. ad Hil. Epist 89. Tanto magis pro infantibus loqui debemus quanto minus ipsi pro se loqui possunt Published by Authority LONDON Printed for Iohn Wright in the Old-baily 1645. To my honoured Colonell Colonell Edward Rossiter SIR ACcording to my promise I have transcribed Master Philpots Letter for baptizing infants to which I have added the universall and continued practice of the Church of God from the Apostles time hitherto together with the judgement of the most learned orthodox and godly Divines both ancient and moderne which may serve as a cloud of witnesses to prove that infants of Christians not onely may but ought to be baptized I am confident that these collections with the blessing of God will give full satisfaction to any that are not fore-stalled with wilfulnesse in their owne opinion For if Venerable Antiquity Vniversall Practice un-interrupted Custome Harmony of Churches strength of Argument and the Authority of sacred Scripture be of any force then doubtlesse we have sufficient warrant for admitting the children of believing parents to this Ordinance of baptisme The testimonies I have here produced lie scattered up and downe in severall Authors I sum them up together in this little Treatise which I strove to make little because little bookes do most good or most harme being every mans purchase and soon read over My Apologie for troubling you with a businesse of this nature is onely this that I am Your humble servant in the Lord ROBERT RAM The names of the Authors here cited for the baptizing of Christian infants Fathers 1. CYprian 2. Origen 3. Augustin 4. Athanasius 5. Gregory Naz. 6. Bernard 7. Hierom. 8. Chrysostome 9. Isidorus Hisp The Divines of Magdeb. for 1300 yeeres Foraine Divines 1. Mercer 2. Calvin 3. Sadeel 4. Junius 5. Vossius 6. Polanus 7. Aretius 8. Brentius 9. Pareus 10. Spanhemius 11. Lavater 12. Gualter 13. Musculus 14. Chemnitius 15. Marlorat 16. Beza 17. Hemingius 18. Zanche 19. Daneus 20. P. Martyr 21. Bucer English Divines 1. Dr. Ames 2. Dr. Davenant 3. Mr. Th. Rogers 4. Mr. Hooker 5. M. Perkins 6. Mr. Ainsworth 7. Dr. Willet 8. Mr. Hildersham 9. Dr. Fulke 10. Mr. Hieron 11. Dr. Whitaker 12. Dr. Jewell 13. Dr. Mayer 14. Mr. Wynel 14. Dr. Featley Confessions of reformed Churches 1. Helvetian 2. Belgick 3. French 4. Augustane 5. Saxon. 6. Palatine 7 Harmony c. Mr. Philpots Letter THE JUDGEMENT OF the ancient Fathers in this point of baptizing Infants THe Spirit refuseth not to communicate himselfe even to infants and the holy Scriptures declare Cyprian That divine grace is dispensed to all aswell infants as others which was shadowed out in Elishnes stretching himselfe upon the infant insensible of the good which the Prophet did unto him Cyprian Epist ad Fidum Because by baptisme originall sinne is done away Origen therefore children are baptized Origen Hom. on Luke 14. We say that in infants baptized Augustin although they be not aware of it the Holy Ghost doth dwell August Epist ad Bonifacium of baptizing infants Whence may a man know plainly that he hath been baptized Athanasius and received the spirit of baptisme seeing he was but an infant when he was baptized Athan. in his booke of questions quest 2. Baptisme hath force even upon infants Gregory Nazianzen and therefore it is necessary that they be baptized For it is better that they be sanctified without any apprehension of the thing done then that they should depart this life without baptisme and initiation And if this thing Circumcision may afford us any president for that being the forerunner of baptisme that was administred to such as could not by the use of reason discern what it meant Nazianzen in his Oration of baptizing infants He who denies baptisme to infants of Christian parents Bernard doth declare a diabolicall envy even such an envy as brought death into the world this man is not of God who doth and speakes so contrary to God Bern. Epist. 240. Hieronymus We hold that there is one baptisme and that this Sacrament is to be administred to infants in the same words that it is administred to them of elder yeeres Hieron Symboli explanatio ad Damasum Chrysostom Therefore the Catholique Church teacheth that infants ought to be baptized because of originall sin And the uniforme practice of the holy Church throughout the universall world concerning baptisme whether of infants or of young men should not be accounted as an idle thing Chrys Homil. de Adam Heva Isidorus In such as are of yeeres baptisme serves either to clense them from originall sin or to wash them from the guilt of actuall sinne but infants are onely freed from originall sin by it Isid Hispalensis de officiis Eccles l. 2. The continued practice of the Church for baptizing infants for 1300 yeeres together from the Apostles times collected out of the Centuries Written by the Divines of Magdeburgh Cent. 1. lib. 1. cap. 4. ALthough the Apostles before they were rightly informed did forbid children to be brought to Christ yet were they reproved for it and did without question afterwards baptize infants themselves being better instructed by the Spirit of God as Origen Cyprian and others doe testifie and that the custome of baptizing infants was from the Apostles continued to posterity Cent. 2. cap. 4. Cent. 3. cap. 6. We read no where in this age that infants were denied baptisme In this age both men and women infants and those of elder yeeres were baptized according to the tradition received from the Apostles Cent. 4. cap. 6. In the same Churches and waters all sorts of people of whatsoever sex age or condition were publickly baptized The Churches of Africa baptized infants in this age Nazianzen speaking of the Asian Churches saith That they used to baptize infants if they were in any eminent danger otherwise baptisme was deferred till they were about three yeres old neverthelesse he saith that baptisme is sutable to any age Nazian Orat. 3. of Bapt. That Infants should be Baptized Cent. 5. cap. 4. Chrysostome affirmeth in his Homily of Adam and Eve Augustin saith That the Baptizing of Infants came not into the Church by the constitutions of any Councells but hath been alwayes retained by the Church and ought to be beleeved as an Apostolicall Tradition Contra Donatistas lib. 4. Infants are Baptized Cent. 6. cap. 4. not only that they might attain the Adoption of Sons

soule their first disposition towards future newnesse of life Hooker Eccles politic Mr. Perkins The baptisme of infants hath warrant out of the Word of God however some men be of contrary opinion for all the Israelites were baptized in the Sea and among them no doubt were many children If it be said that baptisme was extraordinary and therefore is no ground for ours Answ True it was extraordinary for the manner but yet herein the matter and substance and the thing signified is ordinary and the end all one with ours And therefore the baptisme of infants in the red Sea is some warrant for the Baptisme of infants in the Church now adaies Perkins on Heb. 11. Mr. Ainsworth They are but a faithlesse and crooked generation that notwithstanding all that God hath spoken and done in this kind doe deny this grace of Christ to the infants of his people and the seale or confirmation of this grace by baptisme now as it was by circumcision of old Ainsworth censure of a Dialogue of the Anabaptists Dr. Willet Every man-child of eight daies old shall be circumcised c. From hence the baptisme of infants which commeth in the place of circumcision is most pertinently proved against the grosse errour of the Anabaptists For as then infants were circumcised to shew the contagion of the nature from the which they were cleansed by the circumcision of the Spirit so even infants now being guilty of originall corruption have need of the Sacrament of Regeneration Willet on Gen. 17. Mr. Hildersham There is great need that infants should be baptized for this maketh greatly for the faith and comfort of their parents for the present and of their owne afterwards that as they are by nature so filthy and loathsome in the sight of God so the Lord hath in the blood of Jesus Christ whereof the water in baptisme is a signe and seale provided a laver to wash and cleanse them in even the laver of regeneration as the Apostle calleth it Tit. 3.5 yea a fountaine opened as the Prophet calleth it Zach. 13.1 for sin and uncleannesse sufficient to cleanse them from all this filthinesse and corruption of their nature Hildersham on Psalm 51. Lect. 55. Dr. Fulk We doe no otherwise affirme Christian mens children to be holy from their mothers wombe then St. Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 saith they are holy because they are comprised in Gods covenant and have right to be baptized Fulk on Rhem. Test Rom. 5. Mr. Hieron Indeed the Anabaptists who dispute against the baptizing of infants doe much urge the practice of the Apostles and of Philips baptizing the Eunuch urging that they baptized none but such as were able to give an account of their faith To this I answer 1. That it is not simply improper to call the infant of believing parents a believer because though he doe not now actually believe yet partly because for his parents sake he is within the compasse of the covenant and partly because of that which may well be hoped for hereafter it were hard to terme him an infidell so it were not harsh to call him a believer And why not a believer as well as a reasonable creature though yet there is in him no use of reason nor any certainty of ability hereafter to enjoy it 2. The argument is naught from the Apostles practise for that course which they took with one certaine age of persons cannot be stretched out to all without exception In Abrahams person the knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament and a yeelding himselfe to live under the Lords obedience went before the receiving of circumcision yet in Isaac it was not so he was circumcised first and instructed after 3. As concerning the Apostles practise it selfe there is no certainty for it that they baptized none but such as were able to make acknowledgment of their faith there is more probability on the contrary that they baptized even some infants as namely when they baptized whol families 4. Be it that none of all these things wil serve to justifie the baptisme of infants yet unable to make confession of their faith yet their interest into the promise of God is a sufficient plea that promise Acts 2.39 is made to them that believe and to their children If then the promise belong to infants why not also the seale of the promise Hieron in his Sermon of baptizing the Eunuch This covenant is contained in the Scripture Dr. Whitaker I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17.7 therefore the baptisme of infants is grounded upon the written Word of God and certainly if we had not better authority for the baptizing of infants then unwritten Traditions we were in an ill case to deale with Anabaptists in this matter Whitaker against Bellarmin de perfectione scripturae We say that baptisme is a Sacrament of the remission of sins Dr. Jewell and of that washing which we have in the blood of Christ and that no person which will professe Christs name ought to be restrained or kept backe there from no not the very babes of Christians forasmuch as they be borne in sin and doe pertaine unto the people of God Jewels Apologie cap. 11. division 3. D. Mayer That the children of believing parents ought to be baptized it is plaine 1. From the use of circumcision which was the forerunner hereof which was appointed to be done upon the eighth day after the birth Now the Seale of Gods covenant is to be applyed unto the children of Christians as soone as unto the children of the Jewes but unto the Jews the seale was applyed in their infancy therefore to the children of Christians likewise as circumcision their seale to them so baptisme our seale to us 2. From the estate of infants the promises belong to them as well as unto their parents saith Peter Acts 2.39 and theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven saith Christ and they are holy saith Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 now unto those that are wholly partakers of the promises of God and of the Kingdome of Heaven the signe and seale of God is not to be denyed but children of believing parents are such even in their infancy therefore the seale or signe of baptisme may not be denyed 3. From the practise of the Apostles and first teachers of the Gospell St. Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus and Lydia and her houshold and the Jaylor was baptized with all that belonged unto him And when little children were brought unto Christ some disliking it were reproved and the bringers of them encouraged neither hath there beene any time since wherein they have been refused but since the springing up of the many headed Hydra of Anabaptisme Mayers Catech. of childrens baptisme Mr. Wynel The covenant now and formerly with the Jewes is the same in relation to the eternall welfare of the soule 1. The foundation of the covenant is the same as Gods free eternall

children he comprehended in a family or houshold as the chiefest and dearest part thereof Therefore we may conclude that the Apostles did baptize infants or children and not onely men of lawfull age and that the house or houshold is taken for man woman and child is manifest in the 17 of Genesis and also in that Joseph doth call Jacob with all his house to come out of the Land of Canaan into Egypt Finally I can declare out of ancient writers that the baptisme of infants hath continued from the Apostles time unto ours neither that it was instituted by any Councels neither of the Pope nor of other men but commended from the Scripture by the Apostles themselves Origen upon the Declaration of St. Pauls Epistle to the Romans expounding the sixt chapter saith That the Church of Christ received the baptisme of infants from the very Apostles St. Hierom maketh mention of the baptisme of infants in the third booke against the Pelagians and in his Epistle to Leta Saint Augustine reciteth for this purpose a place out of John Bishop of Constantinople in his first booke against Iulian chap. 2. And he againe writing to St. Hierome Epist 28. saith That St. Cyprian not making any new decree but firmly observing the faith of the Church judged with his fellow Bishops that as soone as one was borne he might be lawfully baptized The place of Cyprian is to be seene in his Epistle to Fidus. Also St. Augustine writing against the Donatists in the 4. booke chap. 23. 24. saith That the baptisme of infants was not derived from the authority of man neither of Councels but from the Tradition or doctrine of the Apostles Cyril upon Leviticus chap. 8 approveth the baptisme of children and condemneth the iteration of baptisme These authorities of men I doe alledge not to tye the baptisme of children unto the testimonies of men but to shew how mens testimonies doe agree with Gods Word and that the verity of antiquity is on our side and that the Anabaptists have nothing but lies for them and new imaginations which seigne the baptisme of children to be the Popes commandement After this I will answer to the summe of your arguments to the contrary The first which includeth all the rest is It is written Goe ye into all the World and preach the glad tidings to all creatures He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not shall be damned c. To this I adde that nothing is added to Gods Word by baptisme of children as ye pretend but that is done which the same word doth require for that children are accounted of Christ in the Gospell among the number of such as doe believe as it appeareth by these words Matth. 18. He that offendeth one of these little babes which believe in me it were better for him to have a mill-stone tied about his necke and to be cast into the bottome of the sea Where plainly Christ calleth such as be not able to confesse their faith beleevers because of his meere grace he reputeth them for beleevers And this is no wonder so to be taken since God imputeth faith for righteousnesse unto men of riper age for both in men and children righteousnesse acceptation and sanctification is of meere grace and by imputation that the glory of Gods grace might be praised And that the children of faithfull parents are sanctified and among such as doe believe 1 Cor. 7. is apparent in the 1 Cor. 7. And whereas you doe gather by the order of the words in the said Commandement of Christ that children ought to be taught before they be baptized and to this end you alledge many places out of the Acts proving that such as confessed their faith first were baptized after I answer that if the order of words might weigh any thing to this cause we have the Scripture that maketh as well for us for in Saint Marke we read Marke 1. that John did baptize in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentance In the which place we see baptisme go before and peaching to follow after And also I will declare this place of Matthew exactly considered Matth. 28. to make for the use of baptisme in children for St. Matthew hath it written in this wise All power is given me saith the Lord in Heaven and in earth therefore going forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Disciple ye as I may expresse the signification of the word that is make or gather to me Disciples of all Nations And following he declareth the way how they should gather to him Disciples out of all Nations baptizing them and teaching by baptizing and teaching ye shall procure a Church to me and both these aptly and briefly severally he setteth forth saying Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Now then Baptisme goeth before Doctrine But hereby I doe not gather that the Gentiles which never heard any thing before of God and of the Sonne of God and of the holy Ghost ought to be baptized neither they would permit themselves to be baptized before they knew to what end But this I have declared to shew you upon how feeble foundation the Anabaptists be grounded and plainly it is not true which they imagine of this Text that the Lord did onely command such to be baptized whom the Apostles had first of all taught Neither here verily is signified who onely be to be baptized but he speaketh of such as he of perfect age and of the first foundations of faith and of the Church to be planted among the Gentiles which were as yet rude and ignorant of Religion Such as be of age may heare believe and confesse that which is preached and taught but so cannot infants therefore we may justly collect that he speaketh here nothing of infants or children but for all this they be not to be excluded from baptisme It is a generall rule he that doth not labour must not eate but who is so barbarous as might thinke hereby that children should be famished The Lord sent his Apostles at the beginning of the setting up his true religion unto all Nations unto such as were both ignorant of God and were out of the covenant of God and truely such persons it behooveth not first to be baptized and afterwards taught but first to be taught and afterward baptized If at this day we should goe to the Turkes to convert them to the faith of Christ verily first we ought to teach them and afterward baptize such as would yeeld to be the servants of Christ Likewise the Lord himselfe in times past did when first he renewed the covenant with Abraham and ordained circumcision to be a seale of the covenant after that Abraham was circumcised But he when he perceived the infants also to pertaine to the covenant and that circumcision was the