Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 59
THE SECOND PART OF THE PRINCIPLES, CONCERNING BAPTISME. LIX.
WEE HAVE DISPVTED IN THE FORmer Principles touching the cauſes and effects of Baptiſm: it followeth, that wee deale with thoſe things, touching the ſame argument, which wee referred vntounto this Diſputation.
1 THe ſubject of Baptiſme is hee, who is baptized: And all thoſe are to bee baptized, who in regard of likelihood, are contained within the couenant of God.
2 Now, the infants that are the progenie of beleeuing Parents; and alſo thoſe, who beeing of full age, doe offer themſelues vntounto the church, by making profeſsion of their faith, and yeelding their conſent vntounto the Doctrine therein prefeſſed, are to be accounted within the couenant.
3 We holde, that they who are of full age, are not to be receiued vntounto baptiſme, before ſuch time as they be inſtructed, and hauehave yeelded a confesſion of their true faith, together with a proteſtation, that they will lead a better life: Becauſe for more aſſurance, the confesſion of the mouth is to be required at their hands.
4 Touching infants, ſeeing our adoption doth not depend vponupon our ſelues, or vponupon any outward thing, but onelyonly vponupon the election of God, which began to be manifeſted at our very conception, by vertue of that couenant, [I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed,] and againe, [I will be the God of thoſe that feare me vntounto a thouſand generations:] And although, that infants be not indued with actuall faith, which is, by hearing: yet doe wee at this day, juſtlie baptize, (as in times paſt they were circumciſed) the infants of the Saints, becauſe they are comprehended with in the couenaunt of aeternall life, by meanes of the faith of their Parents.
5 It maketh nothing againſt this point, that al, who are borne of faithfull Parents, are not elected: For if this reaſon might preuaile, wee would hardly be drawen to admit thoſe, that are of yeares: Seeing all that profeſſe, are not elected. It is not our part, to enquire into thoſe ſecrete myſteries of God: but wee may juſtlie preſuppoſe, that both all their children who profeſſe Chriſtianitie, and all thoſe alſo, who being of full yeares, doe make profesſion of true faith, are elected vntounto aeternall life.
6 Whereas eueryevery man is ſaid to bee ſaued by his owne faith, and not by another mans; it is to be vnderſtood onelyonly of thoſe that are of yeares: and we cannot allow of the opinion, concerning the actuall faith of infants. But leauing vntounto God his ſecrete judgements, wee doubt not, but that the faithfull Parents, doe according vntounto the condition of the couenant, apprehend the promiſe both to themſelues, and alſo to their children.
7 Now the Sacramental adding of the ſeale, doth preſuppoſe that, which is ſealed to be preſent indeed; namely, that the partie baptized, is by likelihoode comprehended within the couenant.
8 If no wel ordered Church did euer admit, either Iews or Turkes being of yeares, or any other the profeſſed enemies of Chriſt, vntill they had beene catechiſed, and made open profesſion of Chriſtianitie: much leſſe, cann any receiue their children, but with the manifeſt profanation of Baptiſme.
9 Touching Papiſtes, wee are in ſome ſort to thinke otherwiſe of them; in aſmuch as wee may juſtly preſuppoſe, that the Church doeth as yet remaine within the filthines of Poperie, (in reſpect of the elect, that are in their time to be drawen out of that mire) becauſe that the ſeale of chriſtianitie, though defiled with many ſpots and ſtaines, hath continued among them, in the ſubſtantiall forme thereof: as alſo the doctrine of Chriſtianitie, in reſpect of the Trinity, and the perſon of Chriſt: And therefore we are of judgment, that the children of Papiſtes, may bee receiued vntounto Baptiſme, if either one of the Parents do require the ſame, or ſom man be preſent, that wil promiſe their right bringing vp.
10 It is a great error, to tie ſaluation vntounto the outward Sacramentes, as though they were abſolutelie neceſſarie therevnto; which the Papiſtes themſelues, that are of anie ſound judgement doe not altogeather holde. And on the other ſide, hee that deſpiſeth the marke of the couenant, is juſtlie guiltie of aeternall death: And therefore it is not the want, but the contempt of Baptiſme that is damnable; the which ſinne, (as alſo all other) may bee done away by true repentance.
11 Now he cannot be accounted a contemner of Baptiſme, who wanted oportunitie to receiue the ſame lawfullie.
And therefore, wee doe caſt away theſe caſes of neceſſitie, and all the corruptions brought into the Church vponupon this occaſion, as being the inuentions of men.
12 The effects of Baptiſme adminiſtred, either vntounto infants, or vntounto thoſe that are of age, is not to be tied vntounto the verie time of the adminiſtration thereof. For the ſeede, both of the worde, and alſo of the Sacraments, lieth as it were, buried in the earth, as long as it pleaſeth God to deferre his grace.
13 Now, ſeeing wee are baptized for our whole life after, and that Chriſt doeth neuer caſt away thoſe that were giuen him; it followeth, that Baptiſme is not to be itterated.
We doe therefore condemne Rebaptization; neither can wee in this point, allow of CYPRIAN, and the Affricane Churches; and eſpeciallie of that falſe and dangerous opinion, which holdeth, that the remisſion of ſins paſt, is onelyonly ſealed by Baptiſme: whence it came to paſſe, that ſome did very careleſly defer Baptiſme vntounto their laſt end.
14 The Baptiſme of IOHN and of Chriſt, was one and the ſame, both in regard of the ſignes, & alſo of the things ſignified.
15 The moſt meete place for Baptiſme to bee adminiſtred, is that, where the worde is preached: and the moſt meete time is, the time of the preaching; euen for this cauſe, if their were no more, that publicke praiers, which are of great force in this action, may bee joyned with the adminiſtration of the Sacraments.
16 Yet may particular Churches appoint the time, and the place, as circumſtances ſhall require.
17 The vſe of witneſſes, (called God-Fathers) is neither abſolutelie neceſſarie, nor yet to bee cleane rejected: but ſuch witneſſes onelie are to be choſen, as both knowe, and are alſo likelie to performe what they promiſe, concerning the holie bringing vp of the infants.
Defended by IAMES ROVLAND a Low-countrey man.