Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. That baptizing of infants doeth verie well agree both with the inſtitution of Chriſte, and alſo with the nature of the ſigne.
Obiect.
1 BAPTIZING of infantes is grounded vponupon no inſtitution of God, but it is brought in onlie by the boldnes and curioſitie of men, and afterwarde raſhlie vſed through fooliſh facilitie.
2 An. The force of baptiſme dependeth vponupon the promiſe:The force of Bap: dependeth vponupon the Promyſe. therefore we may not denie the ſigne to thoſe, to whom the thinges are giuen which are there repreſented.
3 Moreouer if God made infants partakers of circumciſion, becauſe the promiſe was made to Abraham & his ſeed*:Gen. 17.10. Circumciſion and Bapt: are all one why ſhall we not ſay the ſame of Baptiſme, ſeeing it is inſtituted for vsus in ſteede of circūciſion? For as Chriſt is the foundation of baptiſme, ſo likewiſe of circumciſion.
4 There is the ſame promiſe in both, namelie of the fatherlie fauour of God, of remiſſion of ſinnes,1 The promiſe. and of eternall life. The thing figured is all one, namelie regeneration.
5 But and if the couenant made with Abraham,2 The thinge figured. remaine firme and ſtedfaſt, it doth no leſſe belong to the children of Chriſtians at this day,Why Infants are to be baptized. then it did appertaine vnderunder the old teſtament vntounto the children of the Iewes. And they are partakers of the thing ſignified, why ſhall they be excluded from the ſigne? If they hauehave the truth, why ſhall they be put backe from the figure?
Obiect. There was a certaine day appointed for circumciſion.
An. Therefore wee hauehave greater libertie. And God wil hauehave infants to be receiued into his couenant, what more will we hauehave.
6 Wherefore the children of the Iewes were called the holie ſeede: becauſe beeing made partakers of that couenant, they were diſtinguiſhed frō the children of the wicked*:Gen. 17.12. and euen by like reaſon the children of chriſtians are accounted holy, yea although they be the iſſue but of one faithful parent & they differ frō the vnclean ſeed of the idolaters*.1 Cor. 7.4.
7 Wherefore the Lorde Ieſus doth meeklie embrace the infants, which were brought to him, chiding his diſciples which went about to keepe them from him: foraſmuch as they led away thoſe to whō the kingdome of heauen did belong, from him thorow whom alone the entrie ſtandeth open into the kingdome of heauen*.Mat. 19.13.
What agreement there is betweene Baptiſme and the embracing of Chriſt.Queſt. What agreement hath Baptiſme with this imbracing of Chriſt?
An. Becauſe Baptiſme doth conueigh vsus vntounto Chriſt, whom imbracing by faith we hauehave the kingdome of heauen. Which thing hee doth afterwarde teſtifie in deed, when as he commendeth them afterward to his father. If the kingdome of heauen be theirs: why ſhal the ſigne be denied them?
Obiect. Chriſt ſaith, Suffer little ones to come: therefore they were in age and good big ones.
An. But they are called by the Euangeliſts foreign by which wordes the Grecians ſignifie thoſe young infants which hang vppon their mothers breaſtes.To come put for to hauehave acceſſe. Therefore to Come is put for to hauehave acceſſe.
Obiect. The kingdome of heauen is not giuen to infants, but ſuch as they be: becauſe it is ſaide, To ſuch, not to them.
An. When he commandeth that infants be ſuffered to come vntounto him, nothing is more plaine then that hee meaneth verie infancie.
8 Ob. We can no where finde that euen one infant was baptized by the hands of the Apoſtles.
An. So often as mention is made of ſome familie that was baptized*,Whether the Apoſtles did baptize infants Act. 16.15.32. and infants are not excluded who wil reaſon thence that they were not baptiſed? By the very ſame reaſon women ſhoulde be forbidden to come to the Lords ſupper.
9 Queſt. What fruit commeth by this obſeruation either to parents or to the infants, which are dipped in the holie water?
An. Faith is holpen by an excellent comfort.The fruite of the Baptiſme of Infantes. The promiſe is confirmed to a thouſande generations.
Obiect. The promiſe is ſufficient to confirme the ſaluation of our children.
An. It ſeemed otherwiſe to GOD, who as he knoweth our infirmitie,What baptiſme doth profit children. would beare ſo much in this matter with it. Therefore let thoſe which imbrace the promiſe, offer their children to the church to be ſigned with the ſigne of merciemercy. Children reap this profite, that being ingrafted into the bodie of the church, they be ſomewhat the more commēded to the other members. Secōdlie whē they be grown vp, they are thereby pricked forward not a little, to the earneſt ſtudie of worſhipping God. Laſt of all God will puniſh it, if anie man deſpice or diſdain to hauehave the child dipped in the ſigne of the couenant.The arguments of the aduerſaries againſt baptizing of Infantes.
10 But let vsus examine the arguments of our aduerſaries. Firſt they holde that the ſignes of Baptiſme and circumciſion differ muche for diuers thinges are ſignified: the couenaunt is altogeather diuers: neither hauehave the children the ſame names.
Circumciſion a figure of mortification.Obiect. Circumciſion was a figure of mortification.
An. So is baptiſme.
Obiect. With whom the couenant made goeth not beyonde the temporall life: to whom the promiſes giuen, doe reſt in preſent and bodilie good thinges.
An abſurd thinge.An. And if God meant to fat the Iewiſh nation as an heard of ſwine in a ſtie.
11 Surely if circumciſion were a literall ſigne we muſt think none otherwiſe of baptiſm. Foraſmuch as the Apoſtle maketh the one no whit more ſpirituall then the other*.Coll. 2.11. Spirituall promyſes are confirmed by erthlie benifits Gen. 15.1.18. And in the meane ſeaſon wee doe not denie, but that God did teſtifie his good will by earthlie and carnall benefites, whereby wee doe alſo ſay that that hope of the ſpirituall promiſes was confirmed*.
12 Obiect. They were called the children of Abraham which tooke their beginning of his ſeede: they are called by this name which imitate his faith. Therefore theirs was the carnall infancie, and ours the ſpirituall.
Who are Abrahams children.An. God promiſeth to Abraham that he will be his God, and the God of his ſeed. Whoſoeuer they be which receiue Chriſt the authour of this bleſſing they be heires of this promiſe: and ſo conſequentlie they are called Abrahams children.
13 Circumciſion was giuen to teſtifie ſuch bountifulneſſe to the Iewes: whereby their mindes were lifted vp to the hope of eternall life: and it was called the ſeale of faith*,Rom. 4.20. that Abraham might be the father both of vncircumciſion and of circumciſion.
14 Obiect. Paul teacheth that thoſe which are of the fleſh,Rom. 9.7. are not the ſonnes of Abraham*.
An. Hee ſheweth by the example of Iſmael and Eſau that the goodnes of God is not tied to the carnall ſeed:The goodneſſe of God is not tyed to the carnall ſeed but that he which ſhall keepe the lawe of the couenant, and imbrace the promiſe of God by faith, he is counted the childe of Abraham.
15 Obiect. Thoſe which in times paſt did circumciſe infants, did onelie figure the ſpirituall infancie, which commeth from the regeneration of the word of God.
An. The Apoſtle doeth not ſo ſubtillie play the Philoſopher,Rom. 15.8. when he writeth that Chriſt is the miniſter of circumciſion to fulfill the promiſes which were made to the fathers*.
16 Obiect. Women ought not to be baptiſed,Act. 2.29. if baptiſme muſt be like to circumciſion.
An. By circumciſion was teſtified the ſanctification which did agree both to men and women.Whether women ought to baptized. But the bodies of men children alone were imprinted, which coulde be ſo onelie by nature, yet ſo that the women were through them after a ſort partakers & companions of circumciſion.The likelihood of Circum. and Bap. Therefore let the likelihood of baptiſme and circumciſion remaine in the inward myſterie, in the promiſes, in vſe, in efficacie.
17 Obiect. Children are not yet by age fit to vnderſtande the myſterie ſignified there. Therefore they are to be accoūted the children of Adam, vntil they grow vp to the age which is agreable to their ſecond birth.
An. Then were they to bee left in death. But on the other ſide Chriſt commaundeth that they bee brought to him*: becauſe he is the life*Ioh. 14.6..Mat. 19.13.
Ob. Infants doe not therefore periſh if they bee counted the children of Adam.
An. Yea in Adam we all die: neither doth there remaine anie hope of life, but in Chriſt alone*.1 Cor. 15.22.
Eph. 2.3. Ioh. 11.25. How infants are regenerate.Queſt. How are infants regenerate being not endowed with knowledge either of good or euill?
An. The worke of God, though it be not ſubiect to our capacitie is not yet nothing. For theirs is the kingdome of heauen, where into no vncleane thing doth enter.Ioh. 3.3. Therfore they are firſt regenerate*, & ſanctified*Luk. 1.15. from their mothers wombe.
Obiect. From the wombe, that is, from their childhood. The ſecripture ſpeaketh ſo.
An. The Angel telleth Zacharie, that that which was not yet borne ſhall bee filled with the holie ghoſt*.Luk. 1.15.
17 And ſurelie Chriſt was therefore ſanctified from his verie infancie,Chriſtes ſanctification. that he might ſanctifie his elect in himſelf, out of eueryevery age without differēce.
Obiect. The ſpirit acknowledgeth no regeneration in the ſcripture, but of the incorruptible ſeede, that is,1 Pet. 1.23 the word of God*.
An. Peter ſpeaketh onelie of the faithfull which had been taught by the preaching of the word.The word of God is the ſeed of regeneration. To ſuch the word of God is the onlie ſeed of regeneration. It doth not thereupon follow that infants cannot be regenerate by the power of God.
19 Obiect. But faith commeth by hearing, the vſe whereof they hauehave not yet obtained*.Rom. 10.17
An. Paul ſpeaketh of the ordinarie diſpenſation of the Lord,Manie are illuminate without preaching which he vſeth to keepe in calling his. But hee hath inlightened manie without anie preaching.
20 Obiect. Baptiſme is the Sacrament of repentance and faith. But neither of theſe is in tender infancie.
An. Circumciſion was a ſigne of repentance*, and a ſeale of faith*Rom. 4.11..Ier. 4. And yet infants were circumciſed. What if we ſay that infants are baptiſed to the repentance and faith to come? Which two though they be not as yet formed in them,The ſeed of faith in infants yet the ſeede of both lieth hid in them through the ſecrete operation of the ſpirit, whoſe fruits ſhall afterward appear.
21 If therefore thoſe whom the Lorde hath vouchſafed to elect, hauing receiued the ſigne of regeneration, doe depart this life before they growe vp, he renueth them by the power of his Spirite, as he himſelfe alone foreſeeth to be expedient. If they come to riper yeares, that they may be taught the truth of baptiſme,Baptiſme is a marke of renewing. they ſhall be heereby more inflamed to the deſire of renuing, the marke whereof they hauehave giuen them, that they might think thereupon throughout the whole courſe of their life.
22 Obiect. Baptiſme is giuen for remiſſion of ſinnes.
An. I graunt: Therefore ſeeing God doth aſſure this age of hope, of merciemercy, why ſhould we take frō it the ſigne, being indeed farre inferiour?
Obiect. The church is cleanſed by the Lorde,Eph. 5.26. by the waſhing of water in the word of life*.
An. Therfore it ſeemeth to be an vnmeet thing, that it ſhould want the teſtimonie of it in infantes,Infantes are heires of the kingdome. who are by right accounted a part of the churche, ſeeing they be heires of the kingdome.
Obiect. Wee are ingrafted by baptiſme into the bodie of Chriſt*.1 Cor. 12.13.
An. Therefore infants muſt bee baptized, that they be not pluckt from the body of Chriſt.
23 Obiect. Peter counſaileth the Iewes to repent and then to be baptiſed for the remiſſion of ſinnes*Act. 8.37..Act. 2 37. Alſo Philip maketh anſwere to the Eunuch, that he may bee baptiſed, if hee beleeue with his whole heart.
An. Hee ſpeaketh of thoſe which are growen vp which are not to bee baptized vnleſſe their conuerſion & faith be ſeen and tried.They which are growen vp muſt not be baptized vntill they make confeſſion of their faith. Gen 15.1. Gen. 17.11 Infantes are contayned in the couenant by right of inheritance. Ioh. 3.5. There is an other reſpect to be had of infants.
24 As wee may ſee in Abraham, whoſe faith the Sacrament doth followe*: in Iſaach it goeth before all vnderſtanding*: becauſe hee is contained in the couenant from his mothers womb, by right of inheritance.
25 Obiect. Vnleſſe one be borne againe of water and the ſpirite, hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God*. They thinke that baptiſme is called regeneration. Therefore they which are not capable of regeneration, ought not to be baptiſed.
A ſimilitude.An. He doth not there intreat of baptiſme, but of regeneration which is made by the ſpirite, which is compared to water*,Mat 3.11. as in an other place to fire: otherwiſe faith ſhould follow after baptiſme, ſeeing water is put before the ſpirit.Mat. 28.19. Which is contrarie to the ſcripture*.
26 Obiect. All which are not baptized muſt bee adiudged to eternall death.
An. Yea whoſoeuer beleeueth in the ſonne, ſhall not ſee death.Ioh. 5.24. Thoſe which are not yet baptized muſt not be adiudged to death. Mat. 28.19. Mat. 16.16. He ſhall come into iudgement, but he ſhall paſſe from death to life*, we do no where finde that hee which was not yet baptiſed is condemned.
27 Obiect. It was ſaid, Teach, then Baptiſe*. Againe, he which ſhall Beleeue, & be baptiſed, ſhall be ſaued*. What will we more? Therfore doctrine and faith muſt needes goe before baptiſme.
An. If we would greedilie ſtay in the order of the wordes, it ſhoulde likewiſe follow, that we muſt firſt baptize, then afterward teach: ſeeing it is ſaid, baptiſe,Mar. 16.15. teaching them to keepe*, &c.
28 But hee intreateth there of thoſe which are growen vp, which muſt firſt be taught, & then when they beleeue, they muſt bee baptized:Infantes muſt be baptized becauſe of the promiſe. but infants are baptized by reaſon of the promiſe made to their parents.
29 If any man cauill, that infants are to be depriued of food,2 Theſ. 3.10. becauſe the Apoſtle doth not permit them to eate which doe not worke, ſhall he not be worthie to be ſpitted at of all.Why Chriſt was bap. when he was thirtie yeares of age.
Obiect. Chriſte was not baptized vntill he was thirtie yeares of age.
An. Becauſe he determined to lay a ſure foundation of baptiſme then by his preaching, he ſanctified it vnderunder his owne bodie, that it might ſucceede circumciſion.
30 Obiect. In like ſort infants were to bee made partakers of the ſupper.Why the Supper is not made common to infants.
An. They differ greatlie therin: becauſe baptiſm is a certaine entring into the church: the ſupper is giuen to thoſe which are growen vp in yeares, which are now fit to beare ſtrong meate, which are apt to diſcerne the body & blood of the Lord, which thing doth not agree to infants.
31 Obiect. As the ſignes of Chriſt are perfect, they do likewiſe require thoſe which are perfect, or capable of perfection.
An. The perfection of baptiſme reacheth vntounto death:The perfection of Baptiſme reacheth vntounto death therfore it is ill done to reſtraine it vntounto one minute of time.
Obiect. The ſignes of Chriſte are inſtituted for memories ſake, that euerie one may call to minde that he was buried togeather with Chriſt.
An. It appertaineth to the ſupper,The examination of the Supper. that eueryevery one examine himſelfe.
Obiect. All thoſe remain in death which beleeue not in the ſonne of God, and the wrath of God remaineth vppon them*.Ioh. 3.36. And therefore infantes which cannot beleeue, lie in their owne condemnation.
An. Chriſt ſpeaketh not there of the generall giltineſſe, wherein all the poſteritie of Adam is inwrapped, but he doth only threaten to the contemners of the Goſpell, damnation. But this doth nothing belong to infants.
What it is to heare the voyce of the Spirit.Obiect. Whoſoeuer is borne of the ſpirite, heareth the voice of the ſpirite.
An. That is, the faithful are framed to obedience as the ſpirit worketh in them.
1 Cor. 15.46.Obiect. Becauſe that which is naturall is firſt*, we muſt wait for the time which is fit for baptiſme, which is ſpirituall.
1 Cor. 7.14.An. Though ſaith Paul they bee loſt by nature, which are borne of the faithfull, yet they are holy by ſupernaturall grace*.
Obiect. When Dauid went vp into the tower of Sion,2 Sam. 5.8 he did carrie with him neither blind nor lame but couragious ſouldiers*Luke. 14.21..
An. Yea trulie, he biddeth blinde & lame to the heauenlie banquet*Mat. 4.19..
Obiect. The Apoſtles were fiſhers of men, not of children*Mat. 13 47..
An. All kinde of fiſhes is gathered into the net of the Goſpell*.
1 Cor. 2.13Obiect. Spirituall thinges are fit for thoſe which are ſpirituall*, infants are not ſuch.
An. He intreateth of doctrine, yea God doth conſecrate to himſelfe by his free adoption, thoſe which are begotten of the fleſh.
With what meate mē muſt be nouriſhed.Ob. They muſt be fed with ſpirituall meat, if they be new men.
An. Baptiſme being the ſigne of adoption ſufficeth them, vntill being growen vp they be able to beare ſtrong meat.
Ob. Chriſte calleth all his vntounto the holie Supper.
An. Hee admitteth none but ſuch as are alreadie prepared to celebrate the remembrance of his death.Who are to be admitted to the Supper.
Obiect. It is monſtrous if a man eate not, after he is borne.
An. Chriſte is neuertheleſſe meate to infants, though they abſtaine from the ſigne.
Obiect. A good ſteward giueth meat to the familie in due time*.Mat. 24.46.
An. It belongeth to God alone to determine that.
Ob. The Apoſtles are commanded to make haſt to the harueſt, whiles the fields are white*.Ioh. 4.35.
An. Chriſt his meaning is to hauehave the Apoſtles to addreſſe themſelues more ioyfullie to the worke, whiles they beholde the preſent fruite of their labours.
Obiect. All Chriſtians are brethren, in which number infants are not, ſo long as we driue them from the ſupper.
An. None be heires of the kingdome of heauen,Infantes are members of Chriſt but ſuch as are members of Chriſt.
Obiect. No man is made our brother, but by the Spirite of adoption, which is onlie giuen by the hearing of faith.
An. That is prepoſterouſlie drawen to infants, which is ſpoken onlie of thoſe which are growen vp.
Obiect. By regeneration we be made Gods. But thoſe be Gods to whom the worde of God is ſpoken. Which doth not agree to children, which are infants.
An. The place of the Pſalme is wreſted to a ſtrange ſenſe. Againe to feigne that there is a Godhead in the faithfull,Seruetus his doting. is of Seruetus his dotings.
Obiect. Sheepe and goates were not ſtraightway offered in ſacrifice, ſo ſoone as they came out of the wombe.
Exod. 13.2.An. All the firſt begotten ſo ſoone as they opened the matrix, were holie to the Lord*. Therefore we muſt not wait for mans ſtrength.
32 Therfore let vsus conclude that thoſe opinions muſt be taken away, which make void that conſolation which the faithfull conceiue in their minds, by the promiſes of God: which make them vnthankfull toward the merciemercy of God: & ſluggiſh to teach their children godlineſſe.