The Rector Rectified, Appendix – Errata
AN APPENDIX, Containing ſeveral Queries and Arguments for Mr. Burkit to anſwer, ſince the Athenian Society have not done it.
SIR,
I Having wrote a few Queries and Arguments lately about Infant-Baptiſm, for your Brethren the Athenian Society to anſwer upon their bold Challenge; and ſince they are too hard for them to do it, having ſaid nothing at all to the purpoſe; I ſhall expect to ſee them anſwered by you, when you anſwer this Reply to your Book. I ſhall not trouble you with all, but only with a few of them.
Query 1. Whether the being the male Children of Abraham, as ſuch, gave them a right to Circumciſion, or not rather the mere poſitive Command of God to Abraham?
To this they give no Anſwer.
Query 2. Whether Circumciſion could be ſaid to be a Seal of any Man's Faith, ſave Abraham's only, ſeeing it is only called the Seal of the Righteouſneſs of his Faith, and alſo of that Faith which he had, being yet uncircumciſed?
The Athenians Anſwer.To this they ſay, Amongſt the ancient Hereticks they never met with ſuch a ſtrange Poſition as this, viz. That the Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith was the Privilege of Abraham only. Is this an Anſwer?'Tis a hard caſe Men muſt be reckon'd among Hereticks, for asking a ſober and pious Queſtion Beſides, they miſtake, 'tis no… a Poſition, but a Queſtion. Furthermore, 'tis ſaid, …braham rec…ved the Sign of Circumciſion; not only as a Seal of the Righteouſness of that Faith he had, being yet uncircumciſed, but alſo (mark) that he might be the Father of all that believe. Was this the Privilege of any ſave Abraham only?
Query 3. What do you conceive Circumciſi… did, or Baptiſm doth ſeal or make ſure to … fants, ſince a Seal uſually makes firm all the Bleſſings and Privileges contained in that Covenant 'tis affix'd to?
The A…henians Anſwer.They anſwer, It ſeals, and did ſeal to all that belong to Chriſt, Life and Salvation; but to ſuch as do not, it ſeals nothing at all.
To which I reply▪ How dare any Man to ſeal the Covenant of Salvation to ſuch, who have not that Faith Abraham had before he received that Seal? It was not a Seal of that Faith he might have o… might not have afterwards, but of that Faith he had before he received it. 3. I affirm Baptiſm is no Seal at all of Salvation; for if it was▪ and of God's Appointment, all ſo ſealed, would be ſaved▪ but many who are baptized, may periſh eternally, and do no doubt.
Query 4. I demand to know what thoſe external Privileges are, Infants partake of by Baptiſm, ſeeing they are denied the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and all other external Rites whatſoever? If you ſay, When they believe, they ſhall partake of thoſe Privileges and Bleſſings; ſo ſay I ſhall the Children of Unbelievers, Turks and Pagans, as well as they.
They anſwer;The Athenians Anſwer. We inſiſt not upon external Privileges; 'tis foreign to the Matter: if you ſay when they believe; ſo ſay I ſhall the Children of Unbelievers.
Reply. If you inſiſt not on internal Privileges, nor on external Privileges that are ſealed to Infants that are baptized, what does their Baptiſm ſignify? juſt nothing;—but which is worſe, 'tis a Prophanation of Chriſt's holy ſignificant Ordinance of Baptiſm, and that is worſt of all.
Query 5. 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 Spiritual Seed, or his Natural Seed? If not his Spiritual Seed, nor his Natural Seed, what right can they have to Baptiſm or Church-memberſhip, from any Covenant-Tranſaction God made with Abraham?
They anſwer;The Athenians Anſwer. They are his Spiritual Seed viſible, for ſo far only belongs to us to judg; and therefore they have a right to the Seal of that Covenant.
Reply. What they ſay cannot be true; becauſe the Scripture poſitively ſaith, that ſuch who are the ſpiritual Seed of Abraham, have the Faith of Abraham, and walk in the ſteps of Abraham, and are Chriſt's, Gal. 3. ult. But Infants of Believers, as ſuch, cannot be ſaid to have the Faith of Abraham, nor to walk in Abraham's ſteps, &c.
2. Such who are Abraham's ſpiritual Seed, are in the Election of Grace, and are always his Seed, not for ſo long, &c. but for ever.
3. We can judg none to be Abraham's ſpiritual Seed, but ſuch only in whom theſe Signs appear before-mentioned: but none of thoſe Signs appear; nor can appear in Infants; therefore we cannot judg they are his ſpiritual Seed, to whom the Seal of the Covenant of Grace of right does belong.
Query 6. Whether the Children of Belie…rs are in the Covenant of Grace abſolutely, or but conditionally? If only conditionally, … … ther Privilege have they then … the Children of Unbelievers?
Query 7. Whether thoſe different … upon which the Right of Infant-baptiſm i… pre…ted by the ancient Fathers of old, and the … Divines, doth well agree with an Inſtitution that is a mere poſitive Right, wholly depending on the ſovereign Will of the Legiſlation, doth not give juſt cauſe to all …o 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 Covenant, and being the Seed of Believers, are federally …oly, therefore to be baptized.
3. Another ſort of Pedo-Baptiſts ſay, They ought to be baptized, by virtue of their Parents Faith.
4. Another ſort baptize them upon the Faith of their Sureties.
5. Others ſay, By the Faith of the Church, as Au…i…, Bernard, &c.
6. Others ſay, they have Faith themſelves, and therefore muſt be baptized.
7. Some ſay, it is a … Apoſtolical … Tradition; but others deny that, and ſay, it may be proved from the Scripture.
8. Others ſay, it is a regenerating Ordinance, and Infants thereby are put into a ſavable Some: Others ſay, the Infants of Believers are ſafe before, becauſe in Covenant with their Parents.
To this Query they ſay nothing, pretending they had anſwered it before.
Query 8. Whether that can be an Ordinance of Chriſt,Conſequences was not in our former Query. for which there is neither Precept nor Example, nor plain and undeniable Conſequences for it in all God's Word, nor Promiſe made to ſuch who do it, nor Threat denounced on ſuch who neglect it?
This they ſay they anſwered in one of our Arguments.The Athenians Anſwer.
Their Anſwer is there about Womens receiving the Sacrament, &c.
Query 9. Whether in matter of mere poſitive Right, ſuch as Bap…iſm is, we ought not to keep expreſly and punctually to the Revelation of the Will of the Law▪ giver?
They anſwer, Yes.
Reply. Then your Cauſe is loſt, for God's Word expreſly directs us to baptize only ſuch who are firſt taught, or made Diſciples by teaching, or who make a Profeſſion of their Faith: And Dipping is the expreſs and direct Act of Baptizing, as practiſed in the New Teſtament, and a great Cloud of Witneſſes teſtify.
Query 10. Wh…her the Baptiſm of Infants be not a dangerous Error, ſince it tends to deceive poor ignorant People, who think they were thereby made Chriſtians, and regenerated, and ſo never look after any other Regeneration nor Baptiſm, that repreſents or holds forth that inwar… Work of God's Grace?
They anſwer, They never tell them they are made Chriſtians throughly, &c.
Reply. Then I appeal to all Men who have read the old Church-Catechiſm—In my Baptiſm, wherein I was made a Child of God, a Member of Christ, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.
11. Since we read but of one Baptiſm in Water, and that one Baptiſm is that of the Adult, i. e. ſuch who profeſs Faith, &c. how can Infant-Baptiſm, or rather Rantiſm, be an Ordinance of Chriſt?
12. Whether God hath any where commanded or injoined Parents to bring their little Babes of two or ten days old; into a Covenant with himſelf by Baptiſm, ſince 'tis not to be found in all the Scripture▪
If not, how can that Covenant oblige their Child when he comes to Age, if it be ſo great a Sin not to perform that Covenant, or to renounce the thing it ſelf?
Whether there is any Covenant appointed by Chriſt for Infants to enter into, unto, which no Promiſe is made of Aſſiſtance to perform it, nor of Bleſſing if it be kept, nor one Threatning, if caſt off and diſowned?
13. What ſhould be the reaſon that our Tranſlators of the holy Bible ſhould leave the Greek word Baptiſm… or Baptiſma, …ranſlated, ſeeing the Dutch have not done ſo, but contrariwiſe tranſlate for John Baptiſt, John the Dipper, and for he baptized them, he dipped them?
The Athenian Society anſw…, They are the beſt Judges themſelves; if we can underſtand them, 'tis enough.
Reply. No▪ tho the Learned in the Greek do know what the word Baptizo and Baptiſma is, yet the Unlearned in that Tongue, do not know that 'tis to dip, or Immerſion, therefore 'tis not enough.
14. Whether ſuch who have only been ſprinkled, ought not to be deemed unbaptized Perſons, ſince Aſperſion is not Immerſion, or Rantizing not Baptizing, ſeeing the Greek word ſignifies to dip; and tho ſometimes to waſh, yet ſuch a waſhing as is by dipping, as the Learned confeſs?
To this they ſay, Thoſe that doubt, may be of the ſure ſide.
Ten ARGUMENTS againſt Pedo-Baptiſm.
Arg. I. Thoſe that our Saviour commanded in his Commiſſion to be baptized, were ſuch who were firſt diſcipled by the Word.
Infants are not diſcipled by the Word: Ergo, Infants, according to Chriſt's Command in the Commiſſion, ought not to be baptized.
Arg. II. To believe, and repent, are required of all that ought to be baptized.
Infants are not required to believe and repent: Ergo, They ought not to be baptized.
Arg. III. The Church of England ſaith, Faith and Repentance is required of ſuch who are to be baptized, and ſhe ſpeaks the Truth in ſo ſaying: and if Infants cannot perform Faith and Repentance, then Infants ought not to be baptized.
But the Church of England ſays, Faith and Repentance is required of ſuch who are to be baptized, and ſhe ſpeaks the Truth in ſo ſaying, and Infants cannot perform Faith and Repentance: Ergo, Infants ought not to be baptized.
The Athenians in Anſwer to this Argument ſay, The Church of England means only the Adult who are capable, &c.
Reply. They mean Infants alſo, why elſe do they add, Yes verily they (that is, Infants) do perform it by their Sureties, &c. And how true that is, I leave to all Men to judg.
Arg. IV. If there is not one Precedent in all the Scripture (as there is no Precept) that one Infant was baptized, then Infant-Baptiſm is unlawful.
But there is not one Precedent in all the Scripture (as there is not one Precept) that one Infant was baptized: Ergo, Infant-Baptiſm is unlawful.
The Athenians anſwer, Shew us a Precedent for our Wives communicating, (they mean to receive the Lord's Supper) which we have anſwered already.
Arg. V. St. Paul declared, or made known the whole Counſel of God.
St. Paul did not declare or make known Infant-Baptiſm: Ergo, Infant-Baptiſm is none of God's Counſel.
Arg. VI. The holy Scripture being a perfect Rule of Faith and Practice, either by Precept or Example, makes known every poſitive Law and Inſtitution of Chriſt.
But the holy Scripture doth not make known, neither by Precept for Example, Infant-Baptiſm: Ergo, Infant-Baptiſm is no Inſtitution of Chriſt.
Arg. VII. That Doctrine and Practice that reflects on the Honour and Faithfulneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, who was not leſs faithful than Moſes, can be no Ordinance of Chriſt.
But the Doctrine and Practice of Infant-Baptiſm reflects on the Honour and Faithfulneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, who was not leſs faithful than Moſes; Ergo, Infant-Baptiſm is no Ordinance of Chriſt.
The Athenian Society anſwer, The Obſcurity of the Ordinance of Infant-Baptiſm does not at all reflect on the Honour and Faithfulneſs of Chriſt, ſince the Apoſtles to whom he delivered his Commiſſion were Jews; and ſince at the ſame time it was a continual and ſetled Cuſtom among the Jews to baptize Men, Women and Children of proſelyted Heathens, and Infants being not exempted out of the Commiſſion. To which I have in this Treatiſe given a full Anſwer.
Arg. VIII. If there be but one Baptiſm in Water left by Chriſt in the New Teſtament, and but one way or manner of Right for all, both Parents and Children, to be admitted into the Church, and that one Baptiſm in Water is that of the Adult, who upon their Profeſſion of Faith ought to be baptized, and ſo admitted into the Church. Then none, either Parents or Children, muſt be admitted either to Baptiſm, or into the Church, without ſuch a Profeſſion of Faith. But the former is true.The Athenians Anſwer▪
There is no need the Scripture ſhould particularly mention the Ends of Pedo-Baptiſm, ſince there is but one Baptiſm for all, though more Subjects to that one Baptiſm.—You run, ſay they, too faſt, and take it for granted that Baptiſm is only of the Adult.
Anſw. Since there is but one Baptiſm mentioned in Scripture, and that is of the Adult, and the End …nd Deſign of Chriſt in it is expreſly laid down as to that: We ſay therefore there is Reaſon why the End of Infant-Baptiſm ſhould be certain, and we run not too faſt. We ſay the Subjects are but one, ſince the Baptiſm is but one, and manner of Right thereto being but one alſo.
Arg. IX. If no Parents at any time or times have been by God the Father, Jeſus Chriſt, or his Apoſtles, either commended for baptizing their Children, or reproved for not baptizing them; then Infant-Baptiſm is no Ordinance of God: but the former is true. Ergo.
Your Anſwer ſaith,The Athenians Anſwer. The Athenian Society is anſwered, unleſs you will deſtroy Laying on of Hands, one of the Principles of the Chriſtian Religion; none were ever commended … reproved for ever being or not being ſubject to that, &c.
Anſw. Do we …t read in Acts 8.17. Acts 19.6. that thoſe Men and Women who were baptized, did ſubject to Laying on of Hands, being Believers, as ſuch? Sure what is ſaid of their coming under it, or ſubmitting to it, is ſpoken to their Commendation▪ However as 'tis called a Principle of Chriſt's Doctrine, Heb. 6.1, 2. ſo here are two Precedents of Perſons that ſubjected to it: Shew us the like as to Infant-Baptiſm.
Arg. X. Baptiſm is Dipping: Infants are not dipped. Ergo, Infants are not baptized.
As to the other Arguments ſent to the Athenian Society, with their Anſwers, I have ſpoken to ſeveral of them in this Treatiſe, and I ſhall add no more new; but …e…ve all I have ſaid to the Bleſſing of God, hoping the time is near when this Truth I contend for will be cleared up to all, which is now to enrich deſpiſed; that Wiſdom may be juſtified of her Children, and God may be honoured, to whom be Glory now and for ever-more. Amen.
FINIS.
Faults eſcap'd the Preſs.
Page 10. line 13, 14, 15. blot out the double Comma's. Page 25. line 22. for makes mention, read, makes no mention. There are other Errata's and diſpointing, which the Reader is deſired to correct.
End of the text · Benjamin Keach, The Rector Rectified (1692)