Paedobaptism Disproved, Part 1 – Part 4
Queries for the Athenian Society to Anſwer, ſome of which were formerly ſent to them, but were paſſed by in ſilence. 1. Whether Infants are the Subjects of Baptiſm. And, 2. Whether Baptiſm is Dipping or Sprinkling.
Firſt; WHether there was not a twofold Covenant made with Abraham, one with his Fleſhly Seed, and the other with his Spiritual Seed, ſignified by the Bond-Woman and the Free-Woman, and their Sons Iſhmael and Iſaac?
If ſo, I query, Whether Circumciſion was an Ordinance that appertained to the Covenant of Grace, and was the Seal of it? 1. Becauſe 'tis contradiſtinguiſhed from the Covenant of Grace, or free Promiſe of God, Rom. 4. 2. And 'tis alſo called a Yoke of Bondage. And, 3. 'Tis ſaid alſo, that he that was circumciſed, was a Debter to keep the whole Law. And, 4. Becauſe Iſhmael, who was not a Child of the Covenant of Grace with Eſau, and many others, yet were required to be circumciſed as well as Iſaac. And, 5. Since 'tis poſitively ſaid Faith was imputed to Abraham for Righteouſneſs not in Circumciſion, How was it imputed then, when he was circumciſed, or uncircumciſe… not when he was circumciſed, but when he was uncircumciſed. Rom. 4. 10.
Secondly; Whether the being the Male-Children of Believers, as ſuch, gave them right to Circumciſion, or not rather the nicer poſitive Command of God to Abraham; ſince we do not read of any other Godly Man's Seed in Abraham's days, or ſince, had any right thereto, but only ſuch who were born in his Houſe, or bought with his Mony?
Thirdly; Whether Circumciſion could be ſaid to be the Seal of any Man's Faith ſave Abraham's only, ſeeing 'tis ſaid, he received the Sign of Circumciſion, a Seal of the Righteouſneſs of the Faith he had [mark] yet being uncircumciſied, that he might be the Father of all that believe; which was the Priviledg of Abraham …ly: for how could Circumciſion be a Seal to Children of that Faith they had before circumciſed, ſeeing they had no Faith at all, as had Abraham their Father, they being obliged by the Law of God to be circumciſed at eight days old …
Fourthly; What is it which you conceive Circumciſion did, or Baptiſm doth ſeal to Children, or make ſure; ſince a Seal uſually makes firm all the Bleſſings or Priviledges contained in that Covenant 'tis prefix'd to? Doubtleſs if the Fleſhly Seed of Believers, as ſuch, are in the Covenant of Grace, and have the Seal of it, they ſhall be ſaved; becauſe we are agreed, that the Covenant of Grace is well ordered in all things, and ſure, there is no final falling, therefore how ſhould any of them miſs of eternal Life? and yet we ſee many of them prove wicked and ungodly, and ſo live and die. If you ſay it ſeals only the external Part and Priviledges of the Covenant of Grace:
Fifthly; I demand to know what thoſe External Priviledges are, ſeeing they are denied the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper, and all other External Rites whatſoever? if you ſay when they believe that ſhall partake of … Bleſſings; ſo, ſay I, ſhall the … believers as well as they.
Sixthly; If the Fleſhly Seed, or Children of believing Gentiles, as ſuch, are to be accounted the Seed of Abraham; I query, Whether they are his Natural Seed, or his Spiritual Seed? if not his Natural Seed, nor his Spiritual Seed, what right can they have to Baptiſm, or Church-Memberſhip, from any Covenant-Tranſactions God made with Abraham?—
Seventhly; Whether thoſe different grounds upon which the Right of Infant-Baptiſm is pretended by the Fathers of old, and the Modern Divines, doth well agree with an Inſtitution that is a meer poſitive Rite, depending wholly on the Will of the Legiſlator, doth not give juſt cauſe to all to queſtion its Authority?
1. Some Pedo-Baptiſts aſſerted, It took away Original Sin, and ſuch who denied it were anathematized.
2. Some affirm, That Children are in the Covenent; and being the Seed of Believers, are federally Holy, therefore ought to be Baptized.
3. Another ſo… of Pedo Baptiſts ſay, They ought to be Bapt…, by virtue of their Parents Faith.
4. Others affirm, They have Faith themſelves, and are Diſciples, and therefore muſt be baptized.
5. Another ſort Baptize them upon the Faith of the… Sureti…
6. And … of Pedo Baptiſts ſay, It … Power and Authori…
7. … that, … affirm▪ … the Word … God
… Inſtitution, the … divided and … themſelves.
Eighthly; Is it not an evil thing, and very abſurd for any to ſay▪ Baptiſm is a Symbol of preſent Regeneration, and yet apply it to Babes, in whom nothing of the things ſignified thereby doth or can appear? And alſo to ſay, I Baptize thee in the Name, &c. when indeed he doth not Baptize, but only Rantize the Child? and to ſay Baptiſm is a lively Figure of Chriſt's Death, Burial, and Reſurrection, and yet only ſprinkle or pour a little Water upon the Face of the Child?
Ninthly; Whether that can be an Ordinance of Chriſt, for which there is neither Command nor Example in all the Word of God, no… Promiſe …de to ſuch who do it, nor Th…s denounced on ſuch who neglect it or do it …? For though there are both Promiſes made to Believers Baptized, and Threa… denounced on ſuch who neglect it, yet where are there any ſuch in reſpect of Infant-Baptiſm?
Tenthly; Whether a Pagan, or Indian, who ſhould attain to the knowledg of the Greek Tongue, or of the Engliſh, or any other Tongue into which the Original ſhould be tranſlated, by reading over the New Teſtament a thouſand times he could ever find Infants ought to be Baptized; if not, how doth it appear the Faith of People about Pedo-Baptiſm ſtands in the Power of God, and knowledg of his Word, and not rather in the Wiſdom of Men, who having endeavoured, with all the Art and Cunning they can, to draw pretended Conſequences for it, tho after all they do not naturally and genuinely follow … the Premiſes to which they refer?
…; Whether Chriſt having … the Qualifications … ſuch as … Baptized, viz. actual Repentance, … and the Anſwer of a good Conſci… ▪ doth not thereby exclude all thoſe … not capable of thoſe Qualifications?
…; Whether it doth not reflect up… the Care, Wiſdom, and Faithfulneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, who as a Son over his own Houſe, exceeded the Care and Faithfulneſs of Moſes, to affirm, Infants ought to be Baptized, and yet it cannot be found in all the Ne… … an it be … ſhould be a Goſpe… recept, nay, a …, and yet Chriſt ſpeak nothing of it? or could it be in the Commiſſion, and yet the Apoſtlet never to mention it, but contrariwiſe, require Faith… all they admitted to Baptiſm? Paul ſays, He declared the whole Counſel of God, and ſaid nothing of it in any of his Epiſtles, nor any where elſe. How many thouſands of Children were born to baptized …ievers, from the time of Chriſt's Aſcenſion, to the time John …e the Revelations, but not one word of … one Child Baptized?
Thirteen; Whether in matter of poſitive Right, ſuch as Baptiſm is, we ought not … keep expreſly and punctually to the Revelation of the Will of the Law-giver?
Fourteen; Whether the Baptiſm of Infants be not a dangerous … ſince it tends to deceive and blind the Ey… of poor ignorant People, who think they are thereby made Chriſtians, and ſo never look after Regeneration, nor true Baptiſm, which repreſents or ſignifies that inward Work of Grace upon the Heart?
Fifteen; Whether the Ancient Church, who gave the Lord's Supper to Infants, as well as Baptiſm, might n… …e allowed as well to do the one as the other, ſince Faith and Holy Habits are as much required in thoſe who are to be Baptized, as in ſuch who come to the Lord's Table? And all ſuch in the Apoſtolick Church, who were Baptized, were immediately admitted to break Bread, &c. And alſo the Arguments taken from the Covenant, and becauſe ſaid to be Holy, and to belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, are as ſtrong for them to receive the Lord's Supper, there being no Command nor Example for either, and human Tradition carrying it equally for both for ſeveral Centuries.
Sixteen; Whether Nadab, Abih…, and … Tranſgreſſions were not as much Circumſtantials, and ſo as ſmall Errors, as to alter Dipping in …o Sprinkling; and from an underſtanding Believer, to a poor ignorant Babe? And whether to allow the Church a Power to make ſuch Alterations, be not dangerous? ſee R…, 22. And doth … open a Door to other innovations?
Seventeen; Whether there is any just Cause for Men to vilify and reproach the People called Anabaptiſts, for their baprizing Believers, and denying infants to be Subjects thereof, ſeeing they have the plain and direct Word of God to warrant their practice, i. e. not only the Commiſſion, but alſo the continual uſage of the Apoſtles and Miniſters of the Goſpel all along in the New Teſtament, who Baptized none but ſuch who made profeſſion of their Faith? And the Ch… of England alſo ſaith, Faith and Repentance. are required of ſuch who are to be Baptized. We …e not Baptize our Children, becauſe we cannot find it written; 'tis from the holy Fear of God, leſt we ſhould offend and ſin againſt him, by adding … his Word.
Eighteen; What ſhould be the reaſon that our faithful Tranſlators of the Bible ſhould leave the Greek word Baptiſm, or Baptiſma, and not turn it into Engliſh, ſeeing the Dutch have not done ſo, but contrariwiſe tranſlate, for John the Baptiſt, John the Dooper; and for he Baptized, he dooped, or dipped them?
Nineteen; Whether thoſe who tranſlate out of one Language into another, ought not to tranſlate every word into the ſame Language into which they turn it, and not leave any word in the ſame Original Tongue, which the People underſtand not, and for whoſe ſakes they undertook that Work; and not to tranſlate every word, but alſo to give the right, literal, genuine and proper ſignification of each word, and not the remote, improper, or collateral ſignification of it? Which if our Tranſlators of the Bible had ſo done, I query whether the Doubt among the Unlearned, concerning what the word Baptiſma ſignifies, …?
Twenty; Seeing the Greek Church uſes Immerſion & not Aſperſion▪ may it not be look'd upon as a great Argument againſt Sprinkling, eſpecially ſeeing they disown the Baptiſm of the Latin Church, beca… they uſe Sprinkling; for doubtleſs the Greeks beſt knew the genuine and proper ſignification of that word, that Tongue being their own natural Language in which the New Teſtament was wrote?
21. Whether if a Miniſter ſhould adminiſter the Lord's Supper in one kind only and ſo doing, it cannot anſwer the great Deſign of Chriſt the Law-giver, i. e. the breaking of his Body, and ſhedding of his Blood, would not prophane that Holy Inſtitution? If ſo, whether ſuch, who inſtead of dipping the whole Body, do but ſprinkle or pour a little Water on the Face, do not alſo prophane the holy Sacrament of Baptiſm, ſince it is not ſo done to repreſent in a lively Figure the Death, Burial and Reſurrection of Chriſt, with our Death unto Sin, and vivification unto newneſs of Life? Rom. …. Col. 2. 11, 12.
22. Whether all ſuch who have only been ſprinkled, ought not to be deemed Unbaptized Perſons, ſince Aſperſion is not Immerſion, or Rantizing not Baptizing? for though the Greek word Baptizo, in a remote and improper ſenſe may ſignify to waſh, yet, as the Learned confeſs, it is ſuch a waſhing as is done by dipping, ſwilling, or plunging the Perſon or Thing all over in the Water.
23. Since you ſay Children have Faith potentia: I query, Whether Unbelievers, and all ungodly Perſons, have▪ not alſo the like Faith potentia as well as Children, and ſo the ſame Right to Baptiſm? We grant they may have Faith hereafter; what tho?
There is one Aſſertion and Argument laid down by you, that I omitted in my Anſwer; which as it is New, ſo it muſt needs expoſe you, viz. If God be pleaſed to radiate or ſhine upon the Souls of Children in Heaven, and they do behold the Face of God, as our Saviour ſays; then it follows that they have Faith in Heaven, and why not on Earth? ſee Heb. 11. 27. Theſe are your very words▪ …
Reply; I had thought that in Heaven the Faith of the Adult ceaſes, i. e. the ſtrong and ſaving Faith of Believers: Doth not the Apoſtle ſay, Then we come to receive the End of our Faith? And is not Faith turned there into Viſion? Is not Faith the Evidence of Things not ſeen, and the Subſtance of Things hoped for? Heb. 11. …. Divines ſay, Faith, Hope, &c. ceaſe then, and that 'tis only Love that continues. What is it they have not received in Heaven, which they truſt in God for? Nor is your Concluſion good, Had they Faith there, they may have it here. The Text you cite, Heb. 11. 27. refers to that Faith Moſes had on Earth, who ſaw him that was Inviſible. God ſeems ſo to us here; but what a ſight we ſhall have of him in Heaven, we know not. Doth not the Apoſtle ſay, we ſhall behold Face to Face; and the pure in Heart ſhall ſee God? Shall that be ſuch a ſight that Moſes had whilſt on Earth?
Queſtions relating to the Fathers, with reſpect t…e Controverſy about Inf…-Baptiſm.
Firſt; WHat reaſon can be given why Nazianzen, an eminent Greek Father, ſhould counſel the deferring the Baptiſm of Infants, until the third or fourth Year of their Age, (except in danger of Death), if it were in Nazianzen's Time, as ſome ſuppoſe it-was, the Opinion of the whole Church, as alſo his own, that Infants, by an Apoſtolical Tradition, were to be baptized as ſuch, that is, as ſoon as born?
Secondly; Whether all the Fathers of the third and fourth Century, both of the Greek and Latin Church, who have wrote any thing abou… …nfant-Baptiſm, do not unanimouſly give this as the Reaſon why Infants ſhould be Baptized, viz. the waſhing away Original Sin, or the putting them into a Capacity of Salvation; and ſome of them, p…ticularly St. Auſtin, ſentencing Infants to …ernal Damnation if not Baptized?
Thirdly; If ſo, Whether the Fathers might not be miſtaken in the Right of Infants to Baptiſm, as well as … the Judgment of moſt Proteſtants they are, in the Reaſon why they ſhould be Baptized?
Four other Queries.
1. WHether God hath allowed or enjoined Parents to bring their …ttle …bes, of two or ten days old, into a Covenant with him by Baptiſm, ſince 'tis nor to be found in the Sc…ure he either hath allowed or enjoined them ſo to do?
2. If it cannot be proved he hath required any ſuch thing at their Hands, Whether that Covenant can be ſaid to b…nd their Conſciences when they come to …ge, eſpecially ſince they gave no Conſent to it, no… were capable ſo to do?
3. If this pretended Covenant was not of God's Appointment, I query, how theſe Children who refuſe to agree to the ſaid Covenant when at Age, can thereby be guilty, 1. Of rejecting Chriſt, 2. Of renouncing the Bleſſings of the Goſpel, 3. And that 'tis Rebellion continued againſt their Maker, 4. That 'tis Ingratitude and …jury to their Redeemer, 5. Groſs Injuſtice to their Parents, 6, That 'tis ſelf-killing Crueltie to their own Souls, 7. And a damning Sin?
4. I query, whether this be good Divinity, not rather a ſtrange Doctrine? And whether unwarrantable Articles of Faith, taken out of the Jewiſh Talmud, or. Turkiſh Alcoran, may not by as good Authority be put into a Chriſtian Catechiſm, as ſuch Aſſertions as theſe▪
Four Queries ſent by another Hand to the Athenian Society.
Gentlemen,
I Humbly conceive, that no Man knoweth what is a Duty but by the Scriptures: And ſince Pedo-Baptiſm cannot be proved by the Word of God, as every Man may know, and is generally acknowledged by the moſt Learned Aſſertors of that Practice; it therefore plainly followeth, in my Judgment, that Infant-Baptiſm is no Ordinance of God's Appointment, but an Innovation.
I therefore feriouſly query;
I. WHeth… …radition; Jewiſh Talmuds, the Opinion of private Doctors▪ Schoolmen, &c. be a ſufficient Warrant for the Churches to eſtabliſh ſuch a Practice, that hath neither Precept nor Example in the Holy Scriptures?
II. Since the pretended Foundation of Infant-Baptiſm, (viz. its abſolute neceſſity to Salvation) proving …o be a Miſtake of the Text, John 3. 5. as is generally acknowledged by Proteſtants, Whether the Structure ought not to fall with it, as it did in the Caſe of giving the Child the Euchariſt?
III. Whether the Faith of the Parent, or Goſſip on the Child's behalf, be required of God, or will be imputed to the Child by God? If not, why ventured on, and not rather a waiting for Faith in the Subject, as required in Holy Writ, by the Apoſtles and Primitive Churches, and ſeemingly by the Church of England in her Cate…ſm?
IV. Whether the Church hath a good Warrant that will juſtify her before God, in changing the Mode from Dipping to Sprinkling? and whether that Alteration doth ſo well anſwer the Deſign of the Holy God, as that Ceremony which himſelf appointed?
Gentlemen,
I knew nothing of that Gentleman's Animadverſions, or that he, or any Body el… intended to take notice of your Mercury, till I had wrote what I intended to ſay, tho when it was too late I ſaw it.