The Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Children of the Faithful, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Silveſter.A Sixth argument againſt the Baptiſm of Infants I have found to bee this, becauſe it buildeth faith upon humane teſtimony in matters fundamentall, for ſuch as are baptized in their infancy, have no other way to ſatisfie themſelves or others, but the bare word of man, that muſt ſtand in the place of the Word of God, for ſuch to believe their true receiving of ſo holy an Ordinance of God.
Silvanus.If Baptiſme be a matter fundamentall, why did your fourth Argument make it an error in the Baptiſme of infants, that it cauſed the "ſimple to conceive, that Baptiſm is of neceſſity to ſalvation.
Surely if Baptiſme be a matter fundamentall, it is no offence to make both the ſimple and the wiſe, and all ſorts to conceive, that it is of neceſſity to ſalvation. But ſuch indeed is the wiſe and righteous hand of God, that ſuch as will contradict the truth of God, ſhall be ready alſo to contradict themſelves, and that ſometimes within a very few words.
But to ſpeake to your argument, doe you thinke that the Circumciſion of infants was a matter fundamentall? If ſo, doe you thinke thoſe infants growing up to yeares, did build their faith in matters fundamentall upon humane teſtimonie? And had they no other way to ſatisfie themſelves or others, for their true receiving of ſo holy an Ordinance of God, but onelyonly the word of man, which muſt ſtand them in ſtead of the Word of God?
Yea, let me demand a further Queſtion, What if a man were baptized at as ripe yeares as the Treaſurer of Candace, Acts 8. who ſaw himſelfe baptized by Philip? What hath ſuch a man to build the faith of his Baptiſme upon, and to ſatisfie himſelfe and others th…rein, but onelyonly the teſtimony of his owne eyes, and ſenſe of f…eling? but neither a mans eyes, nor his ſenſe of feeling are any …hitmore the Divine teſtimony of the Word of God, then the teſtimony by word of mouth of many ſcore… of witneſſe…: yea, put the caſe a little further, (and no more then poſſible) what if a man of grown yeares (ſuppoſe a Pagan) were converted to the faith by the hearing of the Word, and yet had been blinde from his mothers wombe? If hee ſhall come to be baptized, he will want the teſtimony of his eyes to ſee himſelfe baptized. And though he may heare the words of him that baptizeth them, yet hee hath it onelyonly by the words of men, that he that baptizeth him i… a Miniſter. For himſelf did neither ſee him elected nor ordained; which is alſo the caſe of any man, though of growne yeares, that commeth to be baptized of ſuch a Miniſter who was ordained to his Office before himſelfe was borne; muſt ſuch a mans faith think you be built upon the word of man for the truth of his baptiſme? But be willing to call to mind, the Lord Jeſus upbraided his eleven Apoſtles with their unbelief and hardneſſe of heart, becauſe they believed not them which had ſeen him after hee was riſen from the dead, Mar. 6 14. And yet ſome of them mentioned in the former part of the Chapter were but women▪ and others of them were private diſciples, neither ſort of them were Apoſtles. The truth is, if one Propoſition in a Syllogiſme be found in the Word of God, and the other Propoſition be found certaine and evident by ſenſe or reaſon, the concluſion is a concluſion of faith. As for example, it is a propoſition found in Scriptur…; Th…t the City which raigned over the Kings of the earth …n Iohns time, is that woman, the great Whore Babylon, which ſhall bee deſtroyed, Revel. 17.18. But Rome is that City which reigned over the Kings of the earth in Johns time. This propoſition wee have by certaine and evident teſtimony of the hiſtories of thoſe times. Therefore Rome is that woman, the great whore Babylon, which ſhall be deſtroyed. This Concluſion is a Concluſion of faith, not built upon the word of men, but upon the word of God. Apply the like man…r of arguing to the point in hand, thus;
Every diſciple of Chriſt (that is, every believer and his ſ…ed) that is baptized by a Miniſter of the Goſpell in the name of the Fath…r, Son, and holy Ghoſt, is truly baptized.
This Propoſition i… delivered in the Goſpell.
But I the child of a b…liever was baptized by a Miniſter of the Goſpell in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt.
This Propoſition is confirmed by ſo many eye-witneſſes, and ſuch approved records, that no reaſonable man can doubt of it. The concluſion then is a concluſion of faith.
Therefore I the child of a believer was truly baptized.