Reasons Against Two Errors of the Anabaptists, Part 1
SOME GROUNDS and reasons, shewing 1. That Baptisme is to be administred to infants, being the children of the faithful.
I.
BEcause it is the commandement of God, to give the signe and seale of his covenant of grace to his people and their seed, in their infancy, throughout their generations. Which ordinance of the Lords hath never ben repealed, but abideth stablished vponupon a certeyne and perpetuall ground, which is, his promise and covenant of grace made with the faithfull and their seed for ever. Gen. 17 7.12.13.14. Exod. 12.48.49. with Act. 2.38.39. and 3.25. and 16.31. Luk. 1.54.55.72, &c. Rom. 4.11.16.17. and 15.8.9.10. Gal. 3.8.29. Esa. 54.10. Luk. 20.37.38. Heb. 11.13-16. and 13.8.20. Rev. 14.6.
II.
Because Christ hath confirmed the same, when he sent forth his Apostles & appointed them to make all the nations disciples, & to baptize them into the name of the Father the Sonn & the holy Ghost. For, to make the Gentiles disciples, is by the Gospel to bring them vntounto the covenant of God made with Abrahā the Father of many nations, for salvation through the name of Iesus Christ. Which being a covenant everlasting and including the faithfull & their seed, Baptisme (which did now succeed and seale it in stead of Circumcision) was therefore by this appointment of Christ to be administred vntounto all that should be brought and comprehended vnderunder that covenant of grace: and consequently both to such as were of yeares coming to the faith of Christ, and to their children being yet infants. And otherwise, the Gentiles should not with the Iewes be made coinheriters, and of the same body, and ioynt-partakers of the promise of God in Christ, by the Gospel: as the Scripture teacheth, Mat. 28.18.19. and Mark 16.15.16. with Gal. 3.8-29. Gen. 12.3. and 17.4.5.7. Rom. 4.9-17, and 11.13-16. and 15.8-16. 2 Cor. 1.20. Esa. 42.6.7. and 49 6. Act. 13.46.47. Ioh. 10.16. 1 Cor. 1.9.13 and 12, 13. Ephe. 2.11-22. and 3.6.
III.
Because it was the Apostles practise, at the publishing of the gospel through the world, to baptize both the householders themselves that beleeved, and their housholds also: Like as Abraham himself first beleved, and then was circumcised; and all his familie with him: And as the stranger of the Gentiles, which received the faith of the Iewes, was circumcised likewise with all the males that were his. Act. 16.15.33. 1 Cor. 1.16. with Gen. 15.6. and 17.26.27. and 21.4. Exod. 12.48.49. And for the Scriptures speach of an house, family, or household, implying children also therin, see Gen. 30.30. & 45.18.19. with 46.5.6.7. Num. 3.15. &c. Psal. 115.12.13.14. 1 Tim. 5.8.
IIII.
Because the children of beleevers are holy, and are Abrahams seed, and heires by promise of the kingdome of heaven and eternall blessednes. And who can then withold the baptisme of water frō them, to whom God vouchsafeth the baptisme of his spirit, & the blessing of Abraham to an inheritance everlasting in his heavenly kingdome? 1 Cor. 7.14. Rom. 11.16. Act. 3.25. Gal. 3.29. Esa. 46.3.4. Psal. 22.10.30. & 71.6. & 115.12.13.14.15. Luk. 1.41.44. Act. 10.47. Rom. 8.9.16. Luk. 19.9. Mark 10.13-16.
V
Because Baptisme is the Lords signe, of his washing away of our sinnes, receiving of vsus into the Church and incorporating of vsus into Christ, for salvation by his death and resurrection. Whereof the children of belevers are partakers, aswell as they which be of yeares: and therefore can no more be deprived of baptisme, then of remissiō of sinnes, entrance into the Church, ingraffing into Christ, and salvation by his meanes. Neyther is there any thing required in the ministration of baptisme (nor was heretofore in circumcisiō) whereof young infāts are not capable, aswell as elder people: whereas in the ministration of the Lords supper, all may see it to be otherwise. For in baptisme, the Minister is†J speak of the outward agēt. the agent alone, & the person baptized (whether old or young) is onelyonly a patient, & not an agent: but in the Lords supper, besides the actions laid vponupon the Minister, there are also diverse actions required of the receivers; as namely, to take, to eat, to drink, to do it in remembrāce of Christ, to shew forth the Lords death, to examine themselves, & so to eat of that bread & drink of that cup. All which actions are required of the receivers of the Lords supper, whereby they also are made agents therein, and not the Ministers onelyonly. But in baptisme it is not so: for in it, the actiō is wholy enjoyned and layd vponupon the baptizer, and not vponupon the baptized. So as even by the institution and administration of baptisme, compared with the institution and administration of the Lords supper, the truth of this point yet further is cleared and confirmed vntounto vsus, Rom. 6.3.4. and 5.14.15 Zach. 13.1. 1 Cor. 1.13-16. and 12.13 Act. 4.12. with 16.30.31.32.33.34 and 22.14.15.16. Gal. 3.27.28. Ephes. 2.19 & 5, 25.26.27.29.30. Tit. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Rev. 1, 4, 5. Mat. 28, 18, 19, with Mat. 26.26, 27, 28, and 1 Cor. 11.23-28.
VI.
Because there is one Baptisme, as there is one body, and one Mediator and confirmer of one covenaunt of grace, to the faithfull and their seed, in all ages. So as therefore one & the same baptisme perteyneth to the children of the faithfull together with the parents themselves: as they are also of one and the same body with them, having one and the same Mediatour & ratifyer of Gods covenant of grace vntounto them, even Iesus Christ, the head & Saviour of his Church which is his body, the fulnes of him that filleth all in all things. Ephe. 4.4.5.6. 1 Cor. 12, 13. and 10, 1, 2. with Exod. 12, 37. 1 Pet. 3.20.21. with Gen. 7.1. Gal. 3.8.27.28.29. 1 Tim. 2.5. Joh. 10.16. Act. 2.38.39. Psal. 100.3.5. Ephe. 1.22.23. & 2.19-22. & 5.23, 25.26.27.32.
VII.
Because els the grace of God to his people, is now synce Christ his coming in the flesh lessened and straitned more then it was before; the comfort and confirmation of the faithfull for themselves and their children is not now so great and so fully ratified by Christ, as formerly it was; we are not now so cōpleet & throughly furnished in Christ, as they aforetime were; neither have the Scriptures given assurance of the recalling of the Iewes, nor the Apostles sufficiently aunswered such as vrged circumcision vponupon the Gentiles, &c. Which things to affirme or admit, is highly to derogate from the grace of God, the fulnesse of Christ and his Gospell, the comfort of Christians, the sure hope of the ingraffing agayne of the Iewes, the faithfulnes of the APOSTLES and sufficiency of their doctrine recorded in the Scriptures. And so is contrarie to that which is written, Col. 2.8-12. Rom. 4.11-25. & 11 11-36. & 15.4. Gē. 7.1. with 1 Pet. 3.18-22 1 Cor. 1.16. & 10.1-4. Luk. 19.9. Esa. 49.6. Act. 15.1-31: & 16.15.33. and 26.6.7.22.23. Gal. 1.6-9. & 3.8-29. Ephe. 2.18.19. Heb. 13.8. Rev. 13.8. & 14.6. & 21.3.9.10.11.12. &c.