A Forerunner to a Large Review of the Dispute Concerning Infant Baptism, Letter 1 – Letter 2
Cyprian, and the other Collegues which in the Council were present, to the number of 66. to brother Fidus greeting.
MOst dear brother, we have read thy letters, in which thou hast signified concerning one Victor a Presbyter, that Therapius our Collegue in a time not ripe, and with overmuch haste, hath granted him peace, before he had done full penance, and satisfied the Lord God, against whom he had offended. Which thing hath enough moved us, that he hath departed from the authority of our Decree, that before the allowed and full time of fatisfaction, and without the asking and privity of the common sort, no infirmity urging, nor necessity compelling, peace should be granted to him. But upon counsel weighed long with us, it was enough to chide Therapius our Collegue in that he rashly did this; and to have instructed him; that for hereafter he do no such thing. Yet we have not thought, that the peace however once granted by a Priest of God should be taken away; and for this cause we have permitted Victor to use the Communication granted to him. But for what belongeth to the cause of Infants, whom thou hast said should not be baptized within the second or third day in which they were born; and that the law of antient Circumcision is to be considered, so as that thou shouldest not think him that is born should be baptized and hallowed within the 8. day; it seemed farre otherwise to all in our Council. For unto this which thou thoughtest should be done, none of us have agreed, but all have rather judged that the mercy and grace of God is to be denied to none that are born of mankind. For when the Lord in his Gospel saith, The son of man came not to destroy mens souls, but to save them, as much as in us lies if it may be, no soul is to be lost. For what is wanting to him, who is once formed in the wombe by the hand of God? For to us and in our eyes they which are born do seem to receive growth according to the course of secular dayes: but what ever things are made by God are perfected by the Majesty and work of God the Maker. Lastly, the faith of Divine Scripture declares to us, that there is one evenness of the Divine gift to all, whether Infanrs or elder in age. When Helisaeus upon the Infant son of the Shunamite widow which lay dead so laid himself when he prayed to God, that head was applied to head, & face to face, & the members of Helisaeus spread over were joyned to each of the members of the little one, and the feet to its feet; Which thing if it be thought on according to the quality of our birth and body, an Infant cannot be equalled to a person grown and come to full stature, neither could he close and fit little members to greater: But their Divine and Spiritual evenness is expressed, that all men are even and equal when they are made By God, and our age may have difference in increase of bodies according to the world, not according to God: unless if the grace also which is given to the baptized be given lesse or more according to the age of receivers: where as the holy Spirit is equally given to all, not by measure, but out of tendernesse and fatherly indulgence. For God as he accepts not a person, so neither doth he accept of age, sith he affordes himself alike to all with a ballanced equality for the obtaining of heavenly Grace. And for what thou hast said the footstep of an Infant made in the first dayes of his birth is not clean, because every one of us as yet is afraid to kiss him, neither do we think this to be a hindrance to the giving of heavenly Grace: for it is written, all things are clean to the clean; neither ought any one to be afraid to do that which God hath vouchsafed. For although the Infant is yet new from the birth, yet it is not so that one in giving grace and granting peace ought to be afraid to kiss him, sith in the kiss of an Infant every one of us according to his religion ought to think of the very hands of God as yet fresh, which we in some: sort kiss in man now formed and newly born, when we embrance that which God hath made. For as for what was observed in Jewish carnal Circumcision the 8. day, is a Sacrament foregoing in a shadow and in an image, but is now compleat in the truth, Christ being come. For because the day in which the Lord should rise and quicken and give us Spiritual Circumcision was the 8. day, that is, the first after the Sabbath, this 8. day, that is, the first after▪ the Sabbath and the Lords day went before in an image, which image ceased, the truth after …ing upon it, and the Spiritual Circumcision being given us. For which reason we think none ought to be hindred from obtaining the grace of Christ, nor that the Spiritual Circumcision ought to be hindred by the carnal, but that every man altogether is to be admitted to the grace of Christ, sith Peter also speaks and sayes in the Acts of the Apostles, The Lord hath said to me, none is to be said to be common and unclean. But if any thing might hinder men from the obtaining grace, more grievous sins might hinder grown men and commen to full stature & elder in birth. But moreover, if to most grievous offenders, and those that sin much before God, when after they believe remission of sins is given, and no man is withheld from Baptism and from grace, how much more ought not an Infant to be withheld, who being new born hath sins no whit, but that being born according to Adam carnally he drew on him in his first nativity the contagion of death of old: who in this respect doth more easily come to receive remission of sins, because not his own sias but anothers are forgiven him? And therefore most dear brother, this was our sentence in the Council, that none by us ought to be prohibited from Baptism, and the grace of God, who is mercifult and kind and tender to all. Which as it is to be observed and held concerning Infants themselves and newly born, who in this respect do deserve more of our help and 'Divine mercy, because in the first beginning their birth presently crying and weeping they do nothing else but pra We wish to thee most dear brother alwayes health.
For Mr. Richard Baxter at Kederminster.
Sir, some of my neighbours conceived it would be their best way to resolve their doubts about Baptism to know what arguments you could bring for Infant-baptism, and against their being baptized, notwithstanding the pretended Baptism they had in Infancy. Whereupon with my privity one came to you, upon whose relating to me your answer, I wrote to you, and upon receipt of your letter to me think good to let you understand, that I said not, I utterly refused open dispute, but that I affected it not, it being fit for Schools, and not common auditors, entered into usually with animosities and eagernesse to obtain a supposed victory, mannaged with heat and multitude of words, with answers and replies not so delibrate as were requisite to settle any ones judgement, they being misapprehended by Auditors who commonly take him to have the better who speaks the most, ending usually in wrangling or something like it, followed with misreports, accompanied w… disorders and inconveniencies insomuch that except in case of betraying truth by declining a dispute, I can hardly bring my self to yield to it. And howsoever you conceive of my advantages, you may if you will, and perhaps do know, that you have such advantages in your ready wit and speech, and the favour and general acclamation to any thing that is said for the superstition of Infant-baptism as to bring things so to passe, that the event shall be crying down truth and disgrace of my person. Nor have your disparaging speeches of my writings without animadversions on them communicated to me, or your carriage at or not long after the receipt of my letter, encouraged me to hope for all candour from you in this matter. For preaching, sith it belongs to you to maintain the Divine institution of Infant-baptism, I shall be willing to examine what you say, when you have said what you think good for it if I may obtain a copy of your Sermon which you will own; and if it satisfie me, I shall confesse it, if not in a Sermon in the same place or elsewhere I shall give a distinct and plain answer to it. Fo… writing (which I like best) I desire not to put you to any tedious or volu…nous way, but in the most compendious way of syllogisms, yea if it may …, that you put in one medium the strength of all you can. Of the sho… …ispatch you desire, you may assure your self who are to be the opponent in …oint, my answer will be as short as your argument will permit, and …e you conttact it keeping to the point, the more satisfactory it wil … I am
Yours in our Lord JOHN TOMBES Bewdley, Sept. 10. 16
End of the text · John Tombes, A Forerunner to a Large Review of the Dispute Concerning Infant Baptism (1652)