The Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Children of the Faithful, Chapter 6 – Chapter 7
CHAP. VI.
3. I Finde this for a third Argument,Silveſter. againſt the Baptiſme of Infants:
That this practiſe overthroweth and deſtroyeth the body of Chriſt, the holy Temple of God. For in time it will come to conſiſt of naturall, and ſo a Nation, and ſo a Nationall Generation, and carnall members. Amongſt whom, if any Godly bee, they will bee brought into bondage, and become ſubjects of ſcorn and contempt: and the power of Government reſt in the hands of the wicked.
This Argument …utteth a feare where no fear is,Silvanus. or at leaſt a cauſeleſſe feare. For ſuppoſe all the Children of the Church bee baptized, it is an unwonted and unexpected enlargement in th…ſ… dayes for one Congregation to grow ſo populous as to become a Nation. Wee read of no ſuch increaſe of any Congregation ſince Chriſts time.
But ſuppoſe that all the children in a Nation were baptized, yet that of it ſelf will not make a Nationall Church, but many Churches in one Nation.
Beſides, if one Family ſhould grow a Nation, as the houſe of Jacob did, and all the children being received into Covenant, and unto the ſeal thereof, the whole Nationall Generation ſhould become members of the Church, as they did in Iſrael: Yet that will not bring the godly into bondage, and into ſcorn and contempt, nor put the power of Government to reſt in the hands of the wicked.
For the faithfulneſſe of God (who keepeth Covenant and mercy with his People) prevented that in the Houſe and Church of Iſrael. Where, though the whole Nation was in Covenant with God: yet ordinarily the Government was kept in the hands of ſuch, as either were Godly, or for the moſt part favoured godlineſſe. Or, if they failed herein, God was wont to deliver both them and their Governours, into the hands of their Enemies, that they might learn to rule with God, and to bee faithfull with his Saints.
But furthermore, this above all may juſtly ſatisfie you: That in the ſtate of the Churches of the New Teſtament, God hath inſtituted ſuch an order therein, that though all the Infants of the Church-members bee baptized; yet none of them are received (by the order of the Goſpel) unto Communion at the Lords Table, nor unto liberty of power in the Government of the Church, untill they doe approve themſelves both by publick Profeſſion before the Church, and alſo by their Chriſtian converſation, to take hold of the Covenant of their Fathers, and of the Church, and to walk in the ſteps of their Faith, and profeſſed ſubjection to the Goſpell of Chriſt. For it is an expreſſe Commandement given, as to all Chriſtians in their place, ſo eſpecially to the Officers and Brethren of the Church, Not to caſt holy things to dogges, nor Pearles before Swine, Mat. 7.6. Nor to receive ſuch to the Lords Table, as have not on a Wedding Garment. But in ſuch a caſe the Servants and Miniſters of Chriſt, are to …inde ſuch hand and foot, (to wit, by the cenſures of the Church,) and to caſt them out, unto outer darkneſſe, (Matth. 22.11, 12, 33.) that is to ſay, into ſuch an eſtate of darkneſſe, and miſery, wherein they live that are without. For without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whore-mongers, and Murtherers, and Idolaters, and Lyars, Rev. 22.15. And there want not holy, and judicious, and faithfull witneſſes of the Goſpel of Chriſt, and of the wayes of pure Reformation, who doe ſo expound the principles of the Apoſtles Catechiſme, Heb. 6.1.2. That none of the Members of the Church were admitted to the fellowſhip of the Lords Table, but ſuch as were inlightned to Repentance, and had taſted of the Heavenly gift of Faith, and were partakers of the Holy Ghoſt (in ſome kinde) and had taſted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, through the acknowledgement of the Reſurrection of the dead, and of the laſt judgement.
Of theſe ſix Principles of the Apoſtles Catechiſme, the Lords Supper is not mentioned for one amongſt them, becauſe theſe chiefely concerned the baptized members of the Church, to bee trained up unto the knowledge (and taſte at leaſt) of them, before they could bee admitted to the Lords Table. And if their ſavoury profeſſion of theſe things were approved before the Church, then they were received (as confirmed Members) by laying on of hands. Which holy order was a long time preſerved pure in the purer ſort of Primitive Churches. But afterwards, it (as all other the Inſtitutions of Chriſt,) were abuſed and adulterated in the Papacy: this profeſſion and confirmation of baptized Infants, being tranſlated from the Church, whereof they were members, to the Biſhop; and their holy Profeſſion of the principall Doctrines and Duties of Chriſtianity, transformed into a Catechiſme touching the Faith, and Promiſe of their God-fathers, and God-mothers: And the Impoſition of hands upon them by the Paſtour, or Biſhop, was finally transformed into a Sacrament. But all theſe groſſe ſuperſtitions, were but ſuper-additions to the firſt primitive holy inſtitution. And yet, as by the ſtraw and ſtubble, you may gather what kinde of Grain grew in the field: So by theſe abuſes of this Ordinance, it may eaſily bee gathered, what was the practiſe of the Primitive Apoſtolick Churches in this caſe. Let then this primitive practiſe bee reſtored to its purity (as it is in ſome of the firſt Churches planted in this Countrey) and then there will bee no more feare of peſtering Churches with a carnall Generation of members baptized in their Infancy, then of admitting a carnall company of Hypocrites, confeſſing their Faith and Repentance in the face of the Congregation. Either the Lord in the faithfulneſſe of his Covenant, will ſanctifie the hearts of the baptized Infants to prepare them for his Table: or elſe hee will diſcover their hypocriſie and profaneneſſe in the preſence of his Church, before Men and Angels, and ſo prevent the pollution of the Lords Table, and corruption of the Diſcipline of the Church, by their partaking in them.
CHAP. VII.
THe Fourth Argument,Silveſter. that I finde againſt the Baptiſme of Infants, is,
That it is a ground both of ignorance and errour, for it holdeth people in blindneſſe, that they cannot come to know the nature of the holy Ordinance, nor what the ſame requireth in the ſubjects thereof, and alſo it cauſeth the ſimple to conceive, that Baptiſme is of neceſſity to ſalvation.
Doe you think that the Circumciſion of Infants in the dayes of the Old Teſtament, was any ground of ignorance or errour?Silvanus. that it held people in blindeneſſe, that they could not come to know the nature of that holy Ordinance, nor what the ſame requireth in the ſubjects thereof? Surely, God was of another minde, when hee ſaid, hee knew Abraham (who had lately circumciſed his children and houſehold) That hee would command his children and houſhold, to keep the way of the Lord, &c. Gen. 18.19. which how could he poſſibly doe, unleſſe he firſt taught them to know it? In like ſort, the Baptiſme of a mans children, doth not allow him to keep them in blindnes and error, but rather bind and charge him to traine up his children in the knowledge, and faith, and obedience of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, into whoſe name they have been baptized. It is not the baptiſme of the children of believers, but of the children of carnall, and ignorant, and prophane perſons, that holdeth or keepeth men in the blindneſſe of ignorance and error.
When you ſay, that Baptiſme of infants cauſeth the ſimple to conceive, that Baptiſme is of neceſſity to ſalvation. I would know whether the Circumciſion of infants did cauſe the ſimple to conceive the neceſſity of Circumciſion to ſalvation? If not, why ſhould the Baptiſme of infants, rather cauſe ſuch an errour, then the circumciſion of infants? If yea, whether did the people of God forbeare the circumciſion of their infants, for feare they ſhould cauſe ſuch an errour of the neceſſity of circumciſion in the hearts of ſimple people? were it not that we know, when men have once ſet up an idoll in their hearts, every wind and ſhew of an argument will prevaile with a mans mind to bow down to it, wee ſhould not think that men diſputed in good earneſt, that uſed ſuch arguments in ſuch a cauſe. Have you not met with any other argument of more weight?