Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

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scripture_n	apostle_n	doctrine_n	know_v	3,154	5	4.2097	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86928	An ansvver to Mr. Tombes his scepticall examination of infants-baptisme: wherein baptisme is declared to ingraft us into Christ, before any preparation: and the covenant of the gospel to Abraham and the gentiles is proved to be the same, extended to the gentiles children, as well as to Abrahams: together with the reason, why baptize children, is not so plainly set down in the gospel, as circumcise children, in the law, and yet the gospel more plain then the law. / By William Hussey, minister of Chislehurst in Kent.	Hussey, William, minister of Chiselhurst.	1646 (1646)	Wing H3815; Thomason E343_3; ESTC R200939	83,416	79

to the constant declaration of the Gospel which proclaimeth it more plain and full more distinct and cleer then the cloudy weak and childish manifestations of the Law The Law saith circumcise a childe at eight dayes old in the family of Abraham or any other believer baptize all nations saith the Gospel circumcise males saith the Law males and females saith the Gospel circumcise this is my Covenant saith the Law most obscurely baptize into Christ by whom we have accesse by faith into grace Rom. 5.2 most plainly saith the Gospel The Law giveth the ceremony therein most obscurely wrapping up the promise of Christ the Gospel promiseth Christ most plainly and most rationally drawing after it the sacrament of baptisme children are in Christ by election of grace before they are born this is plainly set down in the Gospel but obscurely intimated in the Law Now sacramentally men are ingrafted into Christ by baptisme but personally to judge men faithfull and thereby in Christ before they were ingrafted into him were a contradiction in adjecto therefore are men appointed to baptize and preach the Word as being able to administer externalls only The second delusion is in that they interpret the histories of the Acts of the Aposties wherein historically is related that persons baptized did believe not that confession or profession of faith was made to the Apostles and that the persons baptized had their faith approved by the Apostles and that that was the ground upon which they baptized them which is a plain addition to the Scripture But my earnest request to Mr. Thombes and all other Anabaptists is to look on the doctrine of the Gospel in a more spirituall way then to subject it to such a grosse and carnall apprehension and finde out some means in a more satisfactory way to state the promise of the Gospel according to the Word of God then heretofore Yours in the Lord William Hussey July 1. 1646. I Have perused this Answer to Mr. Tombes his Book against Pedobaptisme or the baptizing of children and finding it to be in my judgement solid and judicious I do allow it to be printed and published Iohn Downame SATISFACTION TO Mr. Tombes his scepticall Exercitation Concerning Infants-Baptisme THe Method that I shall take in the handling this Controversie shall be first to state the Doctrine of Baptisme as it was delivered by Christ and understood by the Apostles as may appear by their practice then answer the sophismes and fallcies of Anabaptists and in particular of Mr. Tombs and lastly some arguments to prove the lawfulnesse of childrens baptisme As for the baptisme of John it was of God God sent him to baptize but as the Ministry so the Baptisme of John was personall began and ended in him he was not a Minister of the Gospel he was the greatest of the Prophets but the least in the kingdome of Heaven is greater then he he was precurser the forerunner of Christ of whose baptisme the Scripture is so silent if you consider the form and nature of it that we may quickly affirm more of it then we can be able to prove As for Christ making Disciples and his Disciples baptizing the Scripture likewise speaketh little only that Christ made Disciples and his Disciples baptized them during the time of Christs abode upon earth he did all things well but some things he did which he was not pleased to reveal to us what is written is written for our learning and so much is written as by believing we may have eternall life In things that are liable to no difficultie a greater liberty of words is used as Go preach the Gospel to every creature here men cannot easily mistake because none are capaple of the Gospel but reasonable creatures So in the Commission Christ saith Make Disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Here Christ giveth a Commission to make all nations his schollers baptizing them and teaching them what he commands Here our Saviour is plain in the manner and form of Baptisine that was new and unknown concerning the doctrine they should teach he telleth them he will give speciall command what they should teach and for the subject that being before limited to Jews is now extended to the Gentiles also but what should be the qualification of persons to be baptized is not said neither doth the Apostles any where declare or give any thing in charge to Timothy or Titus to whom St. Paul wrote as unto Ministers of the Gospel to acquaint them with their duty as matter of any difficulty wherein they might easily fail and in 1 Cor. 1. he by occasion speaking of Baptisme speaketh of that as of a thing consisting in form of words and outward rite of washing so as it is ministerially to be performed wherein no such difficulty was or danger of mistake and therefore he had little care thereof men of meaner qualifications might do that yet were the Corinthians baptized before he wrote to them and a Church In all the dogmaticall parts of Scripture not one word concerning any direction to the Minister whom he should baptize whereby it is plain that Christ did not charge his Disciples with any danger of mistake in baptizing they should teach what Christ had or should command for matter of doctrine and Christ doth referre the commission to future direction but in all the Scripture no farther explanation concerning the persons that were to be baptized The Churches were baptized no man knowes by whom To Churches and Saints men received into the Church is all the doctrine of the Apostles directed whereby it appears that they had care to teach all that Christ by his Spirit did command but so little is spoken concerning the persons to be baptized or the manner of administration more then is in the commission that it may plainly appeare no controversies were raised concerning that it was a plain case wherein they walked without dispute or it seemeth suspition of controversie though light enough be given to the truth so that Antipedobaptists without offending against plain Scripture can have no ground to oppose the baptisme of Infants by those inartificiall and groundlesse arguments which they urge against it and certainly it was long ere much was said and the strength of that which is said will appear What is gathered out of the commission Go make Disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them c. we shall consider Nations is the subject that is so cleer that Mr. Tombs confesseth it though with this limitation nations that are made Disciples which limitation can receive no colour without apparent alteration of the words First make them Disciples and then baptize them saith Mr. Tombes three words are added first and then the words plainly import make Disciples by baptizing them and teaching I have added nothing but the word by and that is implied in the participiall expression

that point but if he will sell the interest of his child to a Christian I doe not know but that Christian might bring that childe to be baptized as his upon that promise that he will bring him up in the feare of God I am certaine notwithstanding the promise was made to Abraham and his seed yet hee that was bought with money might be circumcised all children therefore that are brought may be baptized so as they be brought by persons that have interest in them and in any charitable construction may be credited that they will bring them up Christians it is sufficient for us if they be such as unto whom the Kingdome of heaven doth belong though the Kingdome of God belong not to them neither can that any way belong to this argument that Christ doth teach men that are of yeares humility from the emblem of a childe yet one childe cannot be distinguished from another as more or lesse fit to come to Christ by their humility for that Mr. Tombes saith Baptisme doth not bring to Christ I say it doth as Christ sitteth in the visible Church into which presence the Ministers of the Gospell have commission from Christ to admit all Nations baptize all Nations as for the kingdome of grace or glory Ministers certainly have no power or authority to keepe any out of them or hinder any from comming to Christ by faith The seventh argument is from Acts 15 32 33. Acts 18.8 1 Cor. 1.16 If the Apostles baptized whole housholds then Infants c. but c. ergo This argument saith Mr. Tombes rests on a sleight conjecture that there were Infants in those houses and that these Infants were baptized but saith he the words plainly prove under the name of the whole house are understood those only that heard the Word and believed Hence he denieth the consequence implying that many whole houses may be baptized yet no Infants because it is possible they may be without children And he further affirmeth either these were without children or else the children were not comprehended under the whole house which he laboureth to prove out of the severall circumstances of the severall Texts which I shall endeavour to examine along with Mr. Tombes not only as he mentioneth them here in this pag. 20. of his Exercitation but as in his Ex●men of Mr. Marshals Sermon from p. 137. to 142. Mr. Marshall saith that the Gospel took place as the old administration by taking in those families together This Mr. Tombes strongly endeavoureth to oppose and endeavours to set up an assertion opposite to that for true saith he the administration is quite opposite to that of circumcision the opposition which he fancieth he feigneth to consist in severall differences First that Abrahams family was singled out the males only whether in the covenant of grace or not children or servants elder or younger at eight dayes old in the house by the Master or others in his stead For his first difference was Abrahams family only singled out for circumcision that is boldly affirmed it is plain the promise in the seed of Abraham was to all the families of the earth Gen. 12.3 which is rendered by nations 18.18.22.18 there promise is made in the seed of Abraham which in the 3. of Galat. is applied to Christ so that Abrahams family is not singled out for the blessing it is true Abrahams family is singled out to be the line of Christ according to the flesh many families could not have that priviledge but the priviledge of circumcision was not restrained to Abrahams family but extended to all the nations of the earth and was actually afforded to so many families as would dwell among them or desired to eat the Passeover as I have formerly proved it it is plain as many as would be or were partakers of the blessing must be circumcised but the blessing was promised in actu signato to all the nations of the earth though before Christ it was in actu exercito performed to no nation but the Jewes yet many other families besides Abraham were circumcised therefore that difference is not between baptisme and circumcision that circumcision did belong to Abrahams family alone For his second diffence that males only were circumcised I have already spoken to that and the third wherein all the knot of the question doth consist what is here affirmed by Mr. Tombes is but petitio principii as circumcision was to be administred in all the families that would eat the Passeover whether persons that were circumcised did belong to the covenant of grace or not so is baptisme there being no man on earth that can judge of any but himself whether he belong to the covenant of grace or no As for the circumcision of children servants elder younger I know not baptisme doth make any more difference then circumcision doth for that in the house and by the Master of the family or some in his stead I say that in Abrahams time all the publike offices of King and Priest were in Abrahams person Levi was in the loines of Abraham what hand the Priest or the Judge had in the act of circumcision the Scripture is silent but certainly whether it were to be administred privately or publikely there must be a publike account given of it for as much as the person that was not circumcised must be cut off which could not be done but by a publike act neither do I know a more publike dispensation under the Gospel should inforce a more particular administration but the agreement in the last circumstance is that whereon the argument doth rest that is that whole families were brought to baptisme under the Gospel To which Mr. Tombes saith that it was but contingent to families that they were baptized no precept no prophesie for it contingent it is I confesse in respect of any causes that any nation family or person in the world should be baptized but that nations should be baptized is not without either precept or prophesie the Apostles are commanded to baptize all nations the blessing is promised to all nations in Abraham and all nations are prophesied to flow to the mountain of Gods Church Isai 2. but we find not infants baptized nor families baptized in conformity to circumcision Mr. Tombes saith that the conformity is not intimated I say that families were baptized the conformity ariseth of it self But Mr. Tombes desireth to elude this argument by shewing that actuall faith was first required in every person before he were baptized and therefore the Apostles did not baptize any but such as actually did believe and make profession of their faith so that they did not baptize any family unlesse upon particular cognizance of every particular mans faith this you shall see how fairly he will prove as for the examples from John and before the commission I know they walked by speciall light but what we cannot tell after they had their commission certainly they walked by it The first

were vainly reported and taken up to countenance severall errors as delivered from the Apostles if some have disclaimed the proof of Scripture for childrens baptisme and held it notwithstanding lawfull from weaker grounds that doth not any way weaken the authority of Scripture and strength of reason taken from thence If any one hath proved baptisme lawfull from Apostolicall tradition that doth not hinder me or any other from proving it lawfull by Scripture neither doth the mixing it with errors in the same person make the baptisme of Infants erroneous if so all truths would quickly be turned into errors seeing few men have been without their slips which yet have not only held but defended and propagated with admiration many pretious truths Mr. Tombes would be loth if his Anabaptisme be convicted erroneous that all that he hath or shall hereafter speak should be therefore reputed erroneous by the same reason all the truths that were taught among Papists are eo nomine erroneous because they taught them and so not only the doctrine of the Trinity but the incarnation of Christ th●● 〈◊〉 of the dead were therefore erroneous because those that held 〈…〉 held likewise many other heresies and so his tenth argument 〈…〉 ●●●wered His 6 7 8 and 9. 〈…〉 neer alike and all to little purpose that I had thought wholly to 〈…〉 them but that men would have given some other construction then 〈…〉 were weak and therefore omitted I shall therefore say something of 〈◊〉 le●t men willing to be deceived should place strength where indeed there is none He telleth us in his sixth argument that Infants baptisme hath caused many inventions to support it and hath occasioned defect in Church policy but proveth none of that which he saith he only affirmeth that Infants-baptisime was supported by sureties and Episcopall confirmation and that it brought in Church-covenant as a preparation to the Lords Supper for abuses that may creep in with any duty they do not take away the goodnesse or lawfulnesse of the duty it self His seventh argument accuseth baptisme of Infants with four errors First that baptisme conferreth grace by the work done The second is regeneration The third Infants dying are saved by the faith done The fourth regenerate persons may fall from grace To these two arguments I plainly say that none of all these things are occasioned by Infants baptisme or if so men may not doubt of the goodnesse of all such things as wicked men may or will take occasion to be offended at for then Christ and the Gospel should be principally questioned the great stumbling stone and rock of offence so that occasion of offence is an argument rather of goodnesse then of fault Satan being most ready to entice us to corrupt our best actions What doth baptizing Infants imply the conferring of grace by the work done nay we say of Baptisme as Saint Paul of circumcision that is not baptisme that is outward in the ceremony but that which is of the heart but the praise of that is not of man but of God we cannot praise men for baptisme of the heart God baptizeth seeth judgeth the heart we baptise the body but leave the residue to God only in steed of Christ we teach those children that by their parents are brought to be enrolled the disciples of Christ the things that Christ hath commmanded us and tell the baptized when they come to be catechised that they must have the effect of their baptisme by faith in Christ and not by the work done What Mr. Tombes are all Pedobaptists Papists these are strange calumnies and why must Infants baptisme necessarily imply that the regenerate may fall away from grace can none of your baptized persons that are baptized being of full yeers fall away from the effect and benefit of their baptisme if that be not an heresie that such men as are judged believers by your Ministers and so adjudged fit for baptisme and baptized cannot ever after fall away from grace I know not what is I hope Religion and knowledge of God is not brought to that outward formality that all should consist in your humane judicature it seems Mr. Tombes when he baptizeth any he will promise the parties he baptizeth that they shall never fall from grace I have heard many ignorant people use this argument but that Mr. Tombes a man cried up for learning should use such an argument is admirable and strange to me and certainly by this Mr. Tombes doth plainly confute himself guilty of that opinion that baptisme doth conferre grace by the work done For he inferreth that if children may be baptized in Infancy then men may fall away from grace because many not withstanding their baptisme become wicked afterward doth not this imply that if they were baptized they were gracious if baptisme do not conferre grace by the work done how can it be inferred that such men as after baptisme turn wicked do fall away from grace Saint Paul speaking of false teachers 1 Joh. 2.19 saith of them they went from us because they were not of us not that they fell away from grace but they deserted the profession because they were not gracious but saith Mr. Tombes if baptisme be administred to Infants and they walk not according to their profession they fall from grace no such matter unlesse Mr. Tombes will say baptisme cannot be administred but to the gracious they fall from baptisme and so will many that Mr. Tombes or any the most discerning of them all notwithstanding all the caution that can be taken or else it were a most happy case to come under their hands which cannot be imagined unlesse it flow from the oper●tion of the work done some of them that passe their examination will undoubtedly be unfaithull or at least may be such for ought they can do to prevent it so that if they do deceive them and obtain baptisme then baptisme must conferre the grace or they may remain ungracious still and so notwithstanding their baptisme they cannot be said to fall away from grace which they never had though they should renounce their baptisme muchlesse by not walking answerable to the profession into which they are baptized or not behaving themselves as Disciples ought to do The eighth Argument is taken from this That baptisme of Infants hath caused many faults and abuses in discipline worship and conversation this is likewise only said nothing proved in it he reckoneth ten of these First private baptisme Secondly baptisme by women Thirdly of unborn Infants Fourthly Baptizing Infants of uncertain progeny Fifthly they that are baptized in the the name of the Lord know not the Lord Sixthly it hath brought in the admission of ignorant and prophane persons into the Church and unto the Lords Supper for who can deny rightly the right of the Church to the baptized Seventhly it p●rverteth the order of discipline that first a man be baptized and after among the catechised Eighthly the sacrament of baptisme is turned into