Treatise of Miscellaneous Questions, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
Of Infant Baptisme.
MAster Tombes in his Apology for the two Treatises, and appendix concerning Infant Baptisme, inserts a letter to Mr. Selden, pag. 90. in which he intimateth his opinion, that Paedobaptisme did not succeed into the roome of circumcision, wherein he saith, hee was the more confirmed, having read of Baptisme, used among the Jews before the time of Iohn Baptist, in their admitting of Proselytes, and that therefore Iohn was not accused for Baptizing, as if that had been a Novation or new rite introduced, but for Baptizing without authority.
I do not marvell that Mr. Tombes is so cautious, that Baptisme should not be thought to succeed into the roome of circumcision, for so he should make baptisme more like to the circumcision of the Arabians, who are not circumcised, till they be 13. years old (as Zonaras Annal. tom. 1. de rebus Iudaicis, pag: 13. tels us) because their forefather Ishmael was circumcised about that age, then to the circumcision of the eight day, ordinarly used among the people of God under the old Testament. For my part, I think the Apostle, Col. 2. 11, 12, doth plainly hold forth, that baptisme hath succeeded into the roome of circumcision: which is also the common and receaved opinion of Divines. However, because Mr. Tombes doth rather think that the Christian baptisme, succeedeth to that baptisme used among the Jews in their admission of Proselytes, this hath Ministred occasion to mee, to apply my thoughts, to search a little into the Originall of Baptisme by …ater, and whether the Originall thereof, or that which God had respect unto in the institution thereof, maketh any thing against, or for Infant-baptisme.
That Baptizing with water is a divine institution, is plaine from Iohn 1. 33. Hee that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, &c. As for that which this institution had reference unto in the old Testament, or Jewish customs, first of all consider Ezech. 16. 4. As for thy nativity in the day thou wast borne, thy navell was not cut, neither was thou washed in water to supple thee, &c. Where the Chaldee saith, The Congregation of Israel was like unto a childe cast out into the open field, whose navell is not cut, and it is not washed in water, that it might be cleansed. The Septuagint whom Hierome followeth, and thou art not washed in water unto salvation. foreign in salutem. Hierome applyeth it toHier. in Ezech. 16. & in aqua non es lota in salutem. Cruenta infantium corpora, statim ut emittuntur ex utero lavari solent. Ita ut generatio spiritualis, lavacro indiget salutari. Nullus enim mundus à sorde nec si unius quidem diei fuerit vita ejus, & in Psalmis legitur: In iniquitatibus conceptus sum, & in delictis concepit me mater mea. Secunda nativitas solvit primam nativitatem. Scriptum est enim. Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & Spiritu Sancto, non potest intrare in regnum dei. Multaque sunt lavacra quae Ethnici in Mysteriis suis, & Haeretici pollicentur, qui omnes lavant, sed non lavant in salutem. Propterea additum est, & aqua non es lota in salutem. Quod quidem non solum de Haereticis, sed de Ecclesiasticis intelligi potest; qui non plena fide accipiunt Baptismum salutare. Baptisme, as being necessary even to Infants who are in their bloud and siufull pollution, and have therefore need to bee washed in the Laver of regeneration, and baptized.
Not onelyonly the Hebrews, but the Heathens had a custome of washing Infants soon after their birth, in those hote countries. Hence that of Virgil. lib. 9. Aeneid.—
Durum à stirpe genus, natos ad flumina primum
Deferimus, saevoque geluduramus, & aestu.
Pineda de rebus Solomonis, lib 1. cap: 13. noteth that from the Hebrews and Egyptians, this custome of washing new born babes was derived almost to all nations, for which purpose, he citeth many Testimonies.
In the next place consider, that as the institution of Baptisme by water related to that in Ezech: 16. 4. So also to the Typicall Baptisme of all the Children of Israel, men, women, and children in the red sea, and in the cloud, 1 Cor: 10. 1. 2. Moreover brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and the sea. The Apostle speaking there of the Church which was brought out of Egypt (whom he calls our fathers, because they were the people and Church of God long before us, and from them the law and service of God was transmitted and propagated to us) sheweth that as their Sacraments could not profit them to salvation, they living in sinne and provoking God after they had receaved those Sacraments, no more can our Sacraments profit us, if wee sinne as they did. For their priviledges were the same with ours. The Manna and Water out of the Rocke was the same for substance and signification to them, which the Supper of the Lord is to us; the same spirituall meat, the same spirituall drinke was given both to them and us. So likewise their passing through the Sea, and under the cloud was the very same for substance and signification with our Baptisme, and they were externally baptized with a true Sacrament of Baptisme, as well as wee. That Baptisme of theirs, did fitly resemble this Baptisme of ours in diverse respects. For instance. 1. They were first brought out of Egypt before they were brought through the sea, so we are first redeemed by Christ, and finde grace and favour in his eyes, before we receave the seals of the Covenant of grace. Baptisme is intended onelyonly for the redeemed of the Lord. 2. They were baptized unto Moses, (or as the Syriak, and Arabik, as likewise Augustine, by Moses) that is, Moses was the leader and commander of the people, (so Theophylact) and hee the Captaine of their salvation, or rather Moses was a typicall Mediatour typifying Christ; or they were baptized unto Moses, that is, they were by Baptisme dedicated and consecrated to that Doctrine, Covenant, promise of life, faith and obedience, which God revealed by the hand of Moses. So are we baptized unto Christ, or unto his death, and the benefits and fruits thereof. The same Covenant of grace for substance, was sealed by their Baptisme and ours. 3. That Baptisme of theirs did visibly separat between them and the Egyptians: for the cloud divided them from the Egyptians, and the Sea drowned the Egyptians. So our Baptisme, which is unto us a token of Salvation, is unto aliens and those without, a token of perdition, and distinguisheth between the Church and the rest of the world. 4. Their Baptisme was by water, both in the sea and cloud (it being also probably conceaved that they were sprinkled with drops both of the sea and cloud) so is ours by water. 5. The sea resembleth the water, the cloud resembleth the Spirit in our Baptisme. So Athanasius. that is beside the water in Baptisme, the Spirit is also powred out from on high, and there is an influence of grace from above, according to the good pleasure of Gods will, upon so many as are ordained to eternall life. That the cloud did typifie the Spirit was Damascens observation, who is herein followed by some interpreters. 6. They passed but once through the red sea; but the cloud continued alwayes with them in the wildernesse. So the externall Baptisme is a transient action, and but once used to one person, not reiterated; but the Spirit and gracious presence of God continueth ever with them in this world. 7. They passed through the sea, and were under the cloud, and so baptized, before they did eat of the Manna, or drink of water out of the Rocke, so must wee bee baptized, before we be fit to receave the Lords supper. 8. All that were baptized in the sea and cloud, were not acceptable to God, for with many of them God was not well pleased, and he sware in his wrath, that they should not enter into his rest; so of those that are now baptized, many are excluded from the heavenly Canaan.
For these and the like respects the Apostle compareth, paralelleth and equalleth their Sacramentall priviledge of Baptisme with ours. And as P. Martyr observeth upon the place, the Apostle doth not give instance in their circumcision, but in their Baptisme, that his paralell and comparison with our Baptisme might be the more evident. Now therefore if this paralell hold so fully, then adde two considerations more to make it yet more full; they are both of them against the Anabaptists. First they were truly baptized with water, when but wet or besprinkled under the cloud, (and therefore the Apostle saith, they were baptized in the cloud) so are we and our children truly baptized with water, when sprinkled as well as dipped, which is not at all inconsistent, but most agreable to the signification of the verbe foreign. For althogh it signifieth immergere, tingere in which sense Iulius Pollux, lib: 1. cap, 9. reckoneth among the passions of a ship, foreign, submergi to be drownd or run under water (and if any shall contend that the native significatiō of foreign, is mergo, or tingo, I neither think it can be convincingly proved, nor that it maketh against sprinkling …hough it were proved) this I hope cannot be denied that foreign, doth also signifie abluo, lavo and so is used for any maner of washing by water, which whosoever will deny shall contradict Hesyclius, Budaeus, Stephanus, Scapula, Arias Montanus, Pasor in their Lexicons, and the Holy Ghost himself, 1 Cor: 10. 2. 2 Heb: 9. 10 Luke 11. 38. with Mark. 7. 3, 4. Secondly I observe, that though the infants of the people of Israel were not fitt to eat of the Manna and drink of the water out of the Rock, as those of some age did, yet the youngest of their Infants were baptized and received a sacramentall seal of their interest in Christ and the covenant of Grace, which is a notable president to our Infant-baptisme, and it must needs hold, unlesse we weaken, yea subvert the Apostles argumentation in that place. For what more certain then that among so many hundreth thousand people, there were diverse Infants who had not yet the use of reason, nor were able to give an account of their Faith? What more uncontravertable then that these Infants were with the rest of the congregation baptized in the Sea and under the cloud, being externally incorporated in the Commonwealth of Israel, and the seed of Abraham? What more manifest then that the Apostle holds foorth to us that their baptisme was materially or substantially the same with ours, both for the grace signified and sealed, and for the very element of water? So that this Infant-baptisme of theirs, is (upon the matter and according to the Apostles doctrine) a good warrant for Infant-baptisme among us, as well as if the new Testament had expresly told us that some Infants were baptizedSynops. purior. Theol. Disp. 44. Thes. 48. Item exempla infantium Israeliticorum, qui non minus quam Israelitae adulti, sub nube & in mari rubro fuerunt Baptizati, teste Apostolo 1 Cor. 10. Gualther. Archetyp. in 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. Confutantur Anabaptistarum errores. Negant infantibus baptismum, quia nuspiā legatur esse baptizatos, & quia mysterium non intelligant. At Baptizati sunt omnes qui mare transierunt, inter quos infantes quoque fuerunt. Exod. 20. Deinde neque isti intellexer unt mysteria, nec ideo Symbola prophanata sunt. by Christ or his Apostles. This argument hath taken deep impression in my thoughts, and while I look after the suffrage of Divines, I finde some of very good note have had the same notion from this Text against the Anabaptists, shewing also that their objections against Infant-baptisme fall as heavy upon that baptisme of the children of Israel. My Reverent Brother Mr. Baillie, hath drawn an argument from the same Text for Infant-baptisme. See Anabaptisme. p. 149, 150.
But now thirdly whereas tis stood upon that the Originall of Baptisme was derived from the Baptisme used among the Jews in the admission of Proselytes, first it must be proved by these who are of this opinion, that the Jewish custome of baptizing with water the Proselytes whom they received, is older then Iohn Baptist, which I finde supposed, yet not proved. Mr. Ainsworth on Gen: 17. 12. is indeed of that opinion that the custome of baptizing Proselytes, is older then Iohn Baptist, but he …rings no Testimony for this, older then Moses Maimonides. Mr Marshall in his defence of Infant baptisme pag. 170. yeeldeth to Mr. Tombes, that Baptisme was a knowne rite among the Jews at their admitting of Proselytes, long before it begun to be a Sacrament of Divine Institution. And so from Mr. Tombes his own supposition, he argueth for Infant-baptisme, which he had reason to doe. Neverthelesse I have never yet read any proofor. Testimony brought to prove the Baptisme of Proselytes, which is not far short of Iohn Baptist or Christs dayes. The Scripture mentions no signe or seal or ceremony of the initiation of Proselytes, but circumcision, after profession of their faith and desire to worship the true God and to be of his people. The baptizing of Proselytes was one of the Jewish traditions and inventions in their later and declining times. When it began I have not yet found, neither have I yet seen any proof which can make that custome older then Iohn Baptist, or as old as Christs baptisme. Next let it be proved to be as old as it can, yet the greatest searchers of the Jewish Antiquities have observed that the Baptisme of Proselytes was administredBuzt. Lex. Chald. Rabb. & Talumd. pag. 407. proselyto minorem; conferunt Baptisrum ex decreto domus judicii, hoc est, Senatus. M. Selden de jure nat. & gent. lib. 2. cap. 2. ut Gentiles majores ad hunc modum exanimi sui sententia proselyti fiebant, ita minores (masculi ante annum decimum tertium praeter diem unicum, foeminae ante annum duodecimum & diem insuper expletum) ex sententia sive patris sive fori cui suberant in Judaismum pariter cooptati. Atque actus tam forensis quam paternus assensum eorum tum in circumcisione & Baptismo, tum in sacrificio offerendo quod sequebatur, supplebat. Si verò minor, simulac aetatem compieverat, Judaismo renunciasser, nec eum omnino postquam major erat, fuisset amplexus, ita dem evanuit, quicquid per initiamenta quibus ex assensu sive paterno, sive forensi cooptatus est, ut in Gentilis plane conditionem rediret. not only to those who were grown up and of age, but to children also under age. So Dr Buxtorf. and Mr Selden.
Such a Proselyte under age the Hebrew writers call foreign, Ger katan: and they reckon a sonne to be minor & puer, from hisFilius ex quo natus est, dum fuerit tredecim annorum vocatur minor et puer. nativity till he be thirteen years old (for which see Buxtorf in the word foreign) so that by their principles a child of one year or two years old might bee baptized as a Proselyt upon the consent of the Father or of the court.
I conclude, that since the institution of Baptisme by water hath respect unto those baptizings or washings in the old Testament, which are mentioned Ezek: 16, 4. 1 Cor, 10. 1. 2. whereof Infants as well as aged persons were partakers; and since the very Talmudists admit the Infants of Proselytes als wel as themselves to Baptisme, surely Mr. Tombes hath gained nothing, but loosed much by starting this question.
I adde another Text, Eph: 5. 26. where the Apostle (having respect as I conceive to those passages in the old Testament) saith, that Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it, &c. Are not the children of the faithful parts of this Church, which Christ loved, and for which he gave himself, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it, and that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle? If so, then remember that whole Text is copulative; and none that belong to the Church and bodie of Christ may be secluded from any part of the Text. We may al… well hold that the Children of beleivers not yet grown up to knowledge and the use of reason, are incapable of the love of Christ, or of justification, sanctification and glorisication by Christ, as to hold that they are uncapable of the washing of water by the word, i.e. of Baptisme, which cannot be made void, but is efficacious to all the members of Christ, young and old, by vertue of the word of promise and Covenant of grace sealed in that Sacrament; according to that of Augustine, Accedit verbum ad elementum & fit Sacramentum: The washing of water, by the word, can no more be restricted to the Church of aged or actuall beleevers, then Christs love and death with the ends and effects thereof, can be restricted to such. The complication of these benefites, is clearer in the Originall; the the nearest rendering, whereof is thus, That cleansing it with the laver of water, by the word, he might sanctifie it. The Tigurine version thus, ut illam sanctificaret, mundatam lavacro aquae, &c.