Gold Refined, Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Shewing the evil Conſequences, Abſurdities, and Contradictions, that attend Infant-Baptiſm, as 'tis Aſſerted and Practiſed.
Object. BVT what harm is there in Baptizing of Children? is it not an innocent thing? can it do the Child any hurt?
Anſw. The harm will be to the Parents and Miniſters, who do that in Chriſt's Name, which they have no Authority from him to do. If it do any harm to Infants, 'tis not till they are grown up, and then it may be a means to blind their Eyes, and cauſe ſome of them to conclude, they in Baptiſm became the Children of God, were regenerated, made Chriſtians, Members of Chriſt, and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven; and cauſe others to think they were then rightly baptized, and ſo to look after no other Baptiſm. Whereas, poor Souls, they are all unbaptized Perſons, having never had any Baptiſm at all but Rantiſm.
Pray ſee what Mr. Danvers hath ſaid upon this Reſpect.
1. But is it no harm to alter Chriſt's Order in the Commiſſion,Mr. Danver's Book of Baptiſm, p. 212, 213, 214. who requires Faith and Repentance to precede, or go before Baptiſm; or firſt to make them Diſciples by Teaching, and then to Baptize them? And for Men to invert this Order as to baptize them, & then teach them Repentance and Faith, ſure it muſt be an evil and hurtful thing ſo to do.
2. Is it not an evil thing to change the true ſubjects of Baptiſm, who are Believing and Underſtanding Men, to ignorant Babes, who neither know good nor evil?
3. Is it not an evil thing to fruſtrate the ſacred and ſpiritual ends of Baptiſm, which are many, as you have heard; and by adminiſtring it to poor Babes, render it wholly an Inſignificant thing?
4. Is it not an evil and a ſhameful thing to change Baptiſm into Rantiſm, from Dipping the whole Body, to Sprinkling or pouring a little Water upon the Face, and to pronounce an Untruth in the Name of the Lord, ſaying, I baptize thee in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and holy Spirit, you not doing the thing? nor have any Authority ſo to do, nor to baptize Children at all, much leſs to ſprinkle them.
5. Is it not an evil and harmful thing, and a great error to ſay,Heb. 9. 12, 13. Baptiſm takes away Original Sin? whereas nothing can do that, (nor Actual Sin neither) but the Blood of Chriſt.1 Joh. 1. 7.
6. Is it not a fooliſh thing and a Lye, to ſay, Children have Faith, and are Diſciples, who are not capable of Underſtanding? to aſſert a thing that no Man has any ground to believe, nor can't, without offering violence to his Reaſon?
7. Is it not a weak thing, to open a Door into the Church, which Chriſt hath ſhut up?
8. Is it not weak and an abſurd thing to ſay, that Infants can't be Saved except they be Baptized, partly becauſe Chriſt ſaith,Joh. 3. 3. Except a Man be born again, he cannot ſee the Kingdom of God, Baptiſm, as ſome of you ſay, taking away Original Sin? As if it were in the power, and at the will of the Parents to ſave or damn their Children. For this is intimated by this Notion of yours; If the Parents or Friends baptize the Child, it ſhall (if it die in its Infancy) be ſaved; but if they, nor no other, indeavour to get it Baptized, the Child is loſt, and muſt periſh.—How can outward Water,Charn. on Regenerat. p. 75. ſaith Mr. Charnock, convey inward-Life? How can Water, a material thing, work upon the Soul in a Phyſical manner? Neither can it be proved, That ever the Spirit of God is tied by any Promiſe, to apply himſelf to the Soul in its Gracious Operations, when the Body is applied to the Water. (He ſays, Water applied to the Body.) Becauſe the adult Perſon (who ſat under the preaching of the Word) cannot be ſaved without Regeneration. Can't God ſave poor dying Infants, unleſs the ſame change by the Spirits Operations paſs upon them? Is not God a free Agent? may he not do what he pleaſes, and magnifie his Grace to poor dying Infants, through the Blood of his Son, in other ways than we know of? Do not ſecret things belong to him, what Vanity is there in the minds of ſome Men?
8. Has God ordained Baptiſm to be an Ordinance to ſave the Souls of any Perſons, either the Adult or Infants? is the Opus operatum of Baptiſm, think you, a likely way or means to beget or bring forth Children to Chriſt, or make Diſciples of them? Baptiſm ſignifies no thing (it being but a Sign) where the inward Grace ſignified by it is wanting.
9. Is it not ſtrange that you ſhould ſay, That none but the Children of Believers ought to be Baptized? And that Baptiſm is abſolutely neceſſary to Church-Communion, or an initiating Ordinance? And yet commonly take into your Churches, ſuch Perſons (that are converted) whoſe Parents were very wicked and ungodly Perſons as any in the Pariſh, and ſo lived and died (as far as you know); and yet do you not account their Baptiſm to …e ſufficient?
10. Is it not an hurtful and evil thing, to defile and p…lute the Church, by bringing in the Fleſhy Seed which Chriſt hath caſt out?
11. Is it not an evil and dangerous thing to lay a foundation of Ignorance and Prophaneneſs, and to confound the World and Church together, which ought to be ſeparated? and to make the Church National, which ought to be Congregational?
12. Is it not an harmful and evil thing to eſtabliſh Human Traditions, and make them of equal Authority with Chriſt's ſacred Inſtitutions, and reproach them who will not againſt their Conſciences, do the ſame things?
13. Is it not an evil and harmful thing to plead for In…ant Baptiſm, or rather Rantiſm, and make it a bone of Contention amongſt Chriſtians, and ſo …inder the Unity of Churches and godly Chriſtians? For was that Rubbiſh gone, what a glorious Harmony would follow, even ſuch a Day as would make all our Souls rejoyce? for he is blind who can't ſee that that Relick is the cauſe of our ſad Diviſions▪
14. Is it not an evil and falſe thing to ſay, Perſons may have Grace and Regeneration before they know God, or are called by his Word and holy Spirit?
15. Is it not a ſtrange thing to ſay, Perſons may be viſible and lawful Members of the Goſpel-Church before Conversion; and to deny them one Sacrament, and yet give them another?
16. Is it not a falſe thing to ſay, Perſons may believe and be ſaved by the Faith of others?
17. Is it not an evil thing and a contradiction to ſay, Baptiſm is a Symbol of preſent Regeneration, and yet apply it to Ignorant and Unconverted Babes, wholly uncapable of Regeneration, in whom none of the things ſignified thereby, do, or can appear?
18. Is it not a falſe thing and a contradiction to ſay, that Baptiſm is a lively Figure of Chriſt's Death, Burial, and Reſurrection, and yet do nothing but ſprinkle, or pour a little Water upon the Face; by which act, all muſt confeſs nothing of ſuch things can thereby be repreſented?
19. Is it not a ſtrange and fooliſh thing to ſay, Baptiſm is an Ordinance of the Solemnization of the Souls Marriage with Chriſt, and to ſay, 'tis a ſtrange Marriage where nothing is profeſſed of a Conſent; and yet adminiſter it to Babes wholly uncapable ſo to do?
20. Is it not a fooliſh thing to cry out againſt Traditions, and all Inventions of Men, and yet ſtrive to uphold and maintain them? And doth not theſe things hinder that glorious Reformation we all long for, and encourage Papiſts?
21. Is it not ſtrange Men ſhould ſay, all the Children of Believersare in Covenant, and that there is no falling from a State of Grace; but that the New Covenant is ſo well ordered in all things, and ſure, that it will ſecure all that are indeed in it unto Eternal Life; and yet many of theſe Children, who they ſay, were in this Covenant, periſh in their Sins, dying Unregenerate?
22. We will conclude this Chapter, as Mr. Danvers does with the words of Dr. Taylor. And therefore,Dr. Taylor Lib. Proph. p. 244. ſaith he, whoever will pertinaciouſly perſiſt in his Opinion of Pedo-Baptiſm, and practiſe it accordingly, they pollute the Blood of the everlaſting Covenant; they diſhonour and make a Pagentry of the Sacrament; they ineffectually repreſent a Sepulchre into the Death of Chriſt, and pleaſe themſelves in a Sing without effect: Making Baptiſm like the Fig-Tree in the Goſpel, full of Leaves, but no Fruit. And they Invocate the Holy Ghoſt in vain, doing as if one ſhould call upon him to illuminate a Stone or a Tree.