Defense of the Lawfulness of Baptizing Infants, Tract · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Containing a defence of the opinion of them that hold no right or orderly Miniſteriall Church, without, or before Baptiſme.
I. S. Having ended his former matter, againſt the Churches continuance, and likewiſe the continuance of Baptiſme under the popiſh defection, proceeds, ſaying,
And ſo we come to ſuch as will have no Church before Baptiſme, and ſo make Baptiſme the form of the Church.
Anſw. Who theſe (ſuch) are that he intendeth, I cannot tell; they are either ſome of his own way, or ſome other: ſome of his own way do indeed ſo hold, that Baptiſme conſtitutes, or is the form of the Church. Did I think he intended them, I ſhould leave them to try it out, and ſhould not intermeddle with the ſtrife. I ſhall only, as the matter relates to them, ſhew my thoughts briefly: namely, that they will be too hard for J. S. in the tenent, he himſelf being of their belief, but that he is not true to his owne principle: otherwiſe how ſhould he, without Schiſme, and being a Schiſmatick, leave the reformed and ſeparated Churches, and ſet up another of his own, as he hath done; only he accounteth them no Churches of Chriſt, and what is the reaſon he doth ſo? nothing but his Baptiſme is wanting, ſo as that muſt be the form that gives being; for otherwiſe, They are companies of Saints profeſſing faith in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and living accordingly; that is, in holyneſſe of life. This he deſcribeth to be the matter, and the form he declareth to be their being united and knit together in one fellowſhip or orderly body; and that is the Covenant of grace by which God becomes (not viſibly, as he unawars ſaith) but in an outward way of relation, a God unto them, and they become viſibly his people. Now what is there to hinder J. S. from being a Schiſmatick by his own ground: for ſurely nothing hinders thoſe Churches which he forſaketh and diſclaimeth, as no Churches of Chriſt, by all or any thing, that in his deſcription of the matter or form of the Church, by him ſet down can be found: and let him take in his five Reaſons to help him if he pleaſe. So as it muſt be the want of his new Baptiſme or nothing, and then I leave it to him to judge, whether that be not the form of the Church neceſſarily, according to his ground that gives the being thereunto.
Secondly, if by (ſuch) he meanes thoſe he was an opponent of in the former matter of the Churches continuation, and likewiſe Baptiſme under Popiſh defection: I ſhall adde a little in the way of defence.
Firſt, granting that ſuch hold indeed no Church (to wit, rightly conſtituted, as a right or lawfull Miniſteriall Church) without or before the matter of this Church is baptized.
Secondly, denying that in ſo holding, they make Baptiſme the form of the Church, as he inferreth, (and ſo make Baptiſme the form,) there is more goeth to the proof of a matter then ſo.
His five Reaſons might well have been ſpared, by which he would prove Baptiſme, not to be the form of the Church, till he had made that to appear to be of neceſſity the right conſequence, which ſure he is never able to do: for there was no right Miniſteriall Church of old without Circumciſion, yet Circumciſion was not the form of that Church: an uncircumciſed perſon was not to be admitted a member, much leſſe an officer Circumciſion was then an externall qualification of the matter; as in like manner is Baptiſme now.
In this matter we ſhall have recourſe to the firſt beginning of the Church of the new Teſtament, and of Baptiſme. John the Baptiſt the forerunner of Chriſt, ſent of God, to prepare the way of his Son, according to Commiſſion, baptized much people, as did alſo afterward the Diſciples of Chriſt our Lord: to him repaired our Lord to be baptized, that righteouſneſſe might be fulfilled. It may be obſerved by the way, that this was in the Church of the Jewes. Of theſe thus baptized was the Church of the new Teſtament begun, whether the initiation of it be referred to the time before the paſſion of our Lord, as to himſelf and the twelve, with whom he brake bread, or whether it be referred to the time after his reſurrection, when he gathered the 120. together and bleſſed them, (as is moſt Acts 1.proper) let him take his choice, and refer to which he will, it was begun of the aforeſaid baptized matter, which is certainly to the life of the matter in hand, in diſcovering that the matter of the Church was fitted by Baptiſme before it was laid together. As was the Church at the firſt riſe of it, ſo was the proceed: thoſe 120. baptized, thoſe that joyned with them (being not before baptized) as it is written, they were baptized and added to the Church. This firſt Church ſcattered by perſecution, became the inſtrument of increaſe, and the firſt matter of many Churches; which Churches by their inſtruments, baptized ſuch as received the faith, and joyned into the Lord, and thus was the Church and Kingdome of Chriſt ſpread throughout the World, as the holy hiſtory doth ſhew. And let J. S. or any of his way, ſhew that there was ever any unbaptized Church or Congregation of the new Teſtament, or that ever any unbaptized perſon was received into fellowſhip, or that ever any unbaptized perſon, after Baptiſme was a foot in the World baptiſed, or was authorized for to do it. And laſtly, let him tell me, whether the order of the new Teſtament, (as in another caſe he asked,) be not as ſtrict in this caſe of Baptiſme, as it was in Circumciſion of old, when no uncircumciſed might have part in the Church, or fellowſhip in the Ordinances, much leſſe act Ordinances Eſek. 44.in way of diſpenſing of them to others. And let him tell me, whether a precept or example be not as neceſſary in all thoſe caſes, as in that of baptizing Infants. And laſtly, whether his practice of raiſing and beginning the Church of unbaptized perſons, do agree with the primitive practice of our Lord and his Apoſtles, that began the Church of baptized matter, as before.
J. S. propoundeth a ſecond Reaſon of his opponents thus, The Scripture ſpeaketh of no Church before Baptiſme. To which he anſwereth as he did to that of the Gates of Hell not prevailing againſt the Church: He muſt diſtinguiſh, he ſaith. A meer ſhift to blind his Reader, and avoid the truth; there needs no diſtinction at all in the caſe. He would not take it well, if any ſhould diſtinguiſh in caſe of Infants Baptiſme. But what is his diſtinction, it is betwixt the truth of the doctrine of Baptiſme, and the adminiſtration of it (juſt as he did in the fore-named caſe) as much as if he had ſaid, He muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt the Scripture that teacheth Baptiſme, and Baptiſme or waſhing according to the Scripture. In this firſt ſenſe, Baptiſme or the doctrine of Baptiſme (as much as if he had ſaid, the holy word of God) is before the Church: What this is to the purpoſe, is beyond my judgement; nor yet that which followeth: no Church according to the order of Chriſts Teſtament without it or before it. No Church without or before the Scripture; how this is to the matter in hand, and what clearing (or rather darkning) there is in this diſtinction, I leave the Reader to judge.
But now for the ſecond part of the diſtinction: Namely, the outward adminiſtration of Baptiſme that ever followeth the Saints joyning in fellowſhip, by mutuall faith and agreement in the Doctrine, wherein conſiſts the ſtating of the Church in her conjoyning in Covenant, which ever goes before in the adminiſtration of Baptiſme, and gives power and authority for the ſame; ſo, ſaith he, in the firſt ſenſe the Church is not before Baptiſme, but in the laſt it is.
Anſw. The ſumme and ſcope of this whole matter amplified and enlarged, is utterly falſe, being referred to the purpoſe for which J. S. doth bring it, namely to prove an unbaptized Church, or the Scriptures ſpeaking of ſuch. Alas, this is farre from proving the matter; no not in a ſeeming way. In this caſe it may be truly ſaid, from the beginning it was not ſo: The matter of the Church was fitted outwardly by Baptiſme, as is before declared: And the Scriptures give no preſident of ſuch Church, officer, or member, at any time ſuch a proceed being cleane beſides the Scriptures.
2. J. S. deceiveth (if not himſelfe) yet others in what he ſetteth down; in referring that to the initiation of a Church, which is onelyonly true of the proceed. The Church ſtated and on foot in the world, according to God, of baptized perſons, baptizeth others in way of proceed, in a orderly way of adminiſtration; ſo it was at the beginning, and to begin otherwiſe is not according to the pattern. So as not taking notice of the difference, between right beginning and orderly proceed, he is clean out, and beſide the truth, and his diſtinction will appeare to be vain and to no purpoſe unleſſe to deceive; for as he ſetteth down, that Baptiſme ever followeth in regard of the adminiſtration of it, the Saints joyning in fellowſhip, &c. this is onelyonly true of the proceed of the Church as before; but this joyning is to be of baptized matter, as it was at the beginning, which neceſſarily calleth either for a perſon from heaven, as in the inſtance of John, or the continuance of baptized perſons in the world from John downward, as is the caſe now, though J. S. will not acknowledge the ſame. The ſum of the diſtinction he maketh to be this in the firſt ſence, the Church is not before the Scriptures. In the laſt ſenſe, it is before Baptiſme; utterly untrue, as before.
J. S. telleth us, his diſtinction being obſerved, we are not to deny a Church to be a Church, though the Scriptures doe not ſo call it. So the Scriptures of which he ſpake ſo great things in caſe of raiſing Baptiſme loſt, are now become deficient, and we may be wiſer then they teach us; and call a people a Church, though they doe not ſo call them or teach us ſo to doe and we are not ſo ingaged: to ſpeak as the Word of God. His reaſon of this ſtrange divinity is the Church of the Old Teſtament, and many of the new were Churches before they were ſo called. But I ſay they were not rightly gathered Churches before they were baptized, neither doth the Scriptures give that appellation to any in a relative way to Chriſt, and we may not be wiſe above what is written. Cornelius and his friends coming together, were no right orderly gathered Church before Baptiſme, neither doth the Scripture ſo call them. After all ſaid that may be, he demandeth, why it may not be ſo, that a Church may be a Church before Baptiſme be adminiſtred: why may not children be baptized, I would aske him? let him tell me that, I will tell him why.
Againe he ſaith, a Church is ſo a Church before Baptiſme, as that the end of her union is for communion. J. S. at the laſt doth in effect in a modeſt way give up the cauſe; (A Church ſo a Church) That is, in another way then at the beginning it was, when it was firſt inſtated. Againe in another way, then according to a right Conſtitution and orderly way of ſerving God. Again, is a Church ſo as a betrothed Virgin is a wife before the day of her Eſpouſlas, and playeth the Harlot in the mean time, and ſo defileth the marriage bed: So is an unbaptized Church a Church of Chriſt.
After this he is up with the ſubſtance of his five Reaſons before alledged, to prove that Baptiſme was not the forme of the Church, but the Covenant. And what then? (for I will not meddle with his Reaſons, be they right or wrong.) A Church may be in Covenant and fellowſhip before Baptiſme be adminiſtred (ſo as Cornelius and his friends were:) But I ſay ſuch a Church can never adminiſter Baptiſme according to God, unleſſe they had a man ſent to them, as Iohn was ſent, or as Peter was to Cornelius and his friends. He is pleaſed to call ſuch a Church, whom the Scripture calleth not ſo. But what he here ſetteth down he doth as formerly, but ſay it and not prove it, ſo as we need not much ſtand upon it. A People are a Church by covenant, he ſaith, to which Ordinances are annexed: But the matter of this Church is to be firſt outwardly ſitted by Baptiſm. An orderly way is neceſſary, and that is by perſons ſent of God, as was John; here he deceiveth again, affirming that of (his ſo a Church) which is onelyonly true of a Church ſtated, and on foot, according to God in the world, as was the Church of the new Teſtament baptized, and ſo the matter outwardly ſitted by John before the building was erected.
He quoteth, Gen. 17. 11. Ezek. 16. 8. Act. 2. 41. Epheſ. 4. 5. and concludeth thus: So here was a Church before Ordinances, or before ever Baptiſme was adminiſtred, either by John the Baptiſt, or the Apoſtles.
To which I anſwer, in regard of thoſe two places of the old Teſtament, alledged in this matter in queſtion: It is at leaſt as far off as the proving the baptizing of Infants from Circumciſion, or their being baptized of old to Moſes in the cloud and ſea, which he 1 Cor. 10.accounteth nothing to the purpoſe, as indeed this is little to the purpoſe. They uſe to ask in the inſtance before, when produced: whether that Baptiſme of the cloud, &c. was the Baptiſme of the new Teſtament. I in like manner ask him whether thoſe were the miniſteriall Churches of the new Teſtament. Alas, this matter is too far fetcht. I could tell him of a Church, and a great one too, without faith, or the profeſſion of it: namely, that gathered by Demetrius and his fellow Crafts-men, Act. 19. 25. 46. he happily will count it to no purpoſe; truly, ſo is his matter here.
As for thoſe inſtances in the new Teſtament, ſure he was much over-ſeen in them, and very inconſiderate: Thoſe Act. 2. 41. had broken bread, and prayed, and were baptized, before they were a Church. As for the Church of Epheſus, no queſtion but that was alſo baptized in like manner; and he might from that place as well prove a Church to be before faith, as before Baptiſme, by any thing I can perceive. Certainly he had little aim, in bringing ſuch places of Scripture to prove a people to be a Church of the new Teſtament, before Baptiſme was adminiſtred to them; at leaſt that it ſhould be ſo before Johns Baptiſme, that according to the Commiſſion of God, adminiſtred Baptiſme to fit the matter of the Church, before ever it was laid into form.
A further Objection he ſetteth down thus: Some ſay from Act. 2. 41. they were added to the Church after they were baptized. What is his Anſwer?
If it were ſo; they ſhould neither put on Chriſt, nor yet be baptized into one body, nor to the true profeſſion of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt, &c. directly againſt theſe Scriptures, Gal. 3. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Matth. 28. 19.
Anſw. I am very ſorry to ſee ſuch weakneſſe in perſons pretending to, and promiſing much ſtrength of knowledge. For,
Firſt, all thoſe that John Baptiſt baptized, could neither put on Chriſt, nor be baptized into one body, nor into the true profeſſion of the Father, &c. by his account and reckoning; and ſo his practice of baptizing was contrary to thoſe Scriptures by his reckoning. Was not John Baptiſt to blame?
Secondly, how appeareth it, that if perſons ſent of God, as was John of old, (as is neceſſary to raiſe Baptiſme, if it were loſt out of the world, as they hold) baptizing according to their Commiſſion, that thoſe they baptize cannot put on Chriſt, nor be baptized into one body, nor into the true profeſſion of the Trinity, onelyonly becauſe J. S. ſaith ſo, without any ſhew of ground. For,
Thirdly, thoſe Scriptures cited, have no ſuch thing in them certainly to the judgement of any rationall man; neither can it be imagined that there is any let in regard of any of them, why a perſon ſent of God ſhould not baptize before the Church be formed.
For that in Acts 2. 41. he ſaith, It is onelyonly declarative of the great increaſe of the Church through Gods goodneſſe. To which I anſwer; That it declareth plainly, that they were of, and by that Church baptized, that they were added unto, in as much as the Church receiveth no unwaſhen ones. If it were queſtioned whether the Church receive them before ſhe baptize them, or baptize them before ſhe receive them; I would give my thoughts, that in ſtrictneſſe of concluding, neither are firſt; for theſe are ſo interwoven, that they go together, & are unſeparable: As thus, perſons beleeving (being unbaptized) the Church openeth her arms to receive them, but before ſhe can fully imbrace them, they muſt be waſhed, and ſo made like the reſt of the body. There is a different caſe to be taken knowledge of:
Firſt, of the ſeed of the Church (by generation I mean) they are of the Church firſt, and baptized for righteouſneſſe ſake, becauſe they are of the Church, and for the end before ſpecified.
Secondly, the caſe of converted Infidels; their acceſſe to the Church and Ordinances is as before; as it was in like manner of old in Iſrael, the infants were circumciſed, becauſe they were a part of Iſrael, that they might anſwer the whole. But the Converts of the Nations they were circumciſed, that they might be of the Church, and have fellowſhip in the ſame. The caſe I conceive to be even ſo now, which I note in way of digreſſion, as a touch to be Exod. 12. 48.conſidered of, though happily J. S. will think it to no purpoſe.
There is another Argument, which he ſetteth down, and maketh anſwer unto; all the difference amounteth but to that of the circumſtance of time, and hath nothing in it ſubſtantiall; I ſhall not make the difference greater, but ſhall leave J. S. to his conſtituting cauſes of his unbaptized Church, and ſhall forbear to trouble him, or my ſelf, or the Reader any further, but leave all to the judgement of the godly wiſe.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
PAg. 11. l. 20. for Infants, r. Intents. p. 13. l. 16. for ſhrine, r. ſhrinke. p. 14. l. 36. for and priviledge, r. a priviledge. p. 45. l. 34. for conſtitation, r. conſtitution.
End of the text · Praise-God Barebone, Defense of the Lawfulness of Baptizing Infants (1645)