The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 10

The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism · Chapter 10

p. 85CHAP. X. The Second Reaſon, drawn from the birth-holineſſe of Chriſtian Infants.

OUr Second Reaſon out of Scripture, is bottomed on S. Pauls expreſſion, 1 Cor. 7. 14. for the unbelieving husband is ſanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is ſanctified by the husband, elſe were your children unclean, but now are they holy. Now becauſe there is ſome difficulty about p. 86the meaning of the words, we will be the larger in explaining the ſame.

It appears by the firſt verſe in this chapter, that the Corinthians by letter had requeſted from S. Paul, ſolution and ſatisfaction to ſundry Queries by them propounded: Wonder not that they, who 1 Cor. 1. 5. were commended by S. Paul to be enriched in all knowledge, ſhould now deſire further inſtruction. For firſt, they had all knowledge, but not all the degrees of knowledge. Secondly, they had all knowledge, in fundamental neceſſaries to ſalvation, not in all caſes of occaſional emergency, ſuch as their queſtions were. Thirdly, grant that even in theſe, they had information before, they now ſue for further confirmation from the infallible ſpirit of the Apoſtle.

Alas, will ſome ſay for the loſſe of this letter of the Corinthians to S. Paul: Pitty it was that providence did not tranſmit the ſame to poſterity; How uſeful had it been for us if it had come into our hands? Let ſuch know, firſt, this their letter was no part of Canonical Scripture, pen'd by a fallible Spirit. Secondly, we have ſtill p. 87this letter in effect, becauſe we have Saint Pauls anſwers to the queſtions therein. Thirdly, men generally are more curious to enquire about thoſe parts of Scripture which they ſuſpect to have miſcarried, then careful to improve thoſe which remain, and are ſufficient for our ſalvation.

Amongſt theſe Queſtions, this was not the eaſieſt, whether a believing huſband or wife were to continue in wedlock with an unbelieving wife or huſband, if by providence it ſo came to paſſe that one was an Infidel, the other a Chriſtian. The Negative no doubt ſeem'd probable to ſome, and on this account, that if he who is joyned to an Harlot is one body, then by the ſame conſequence, Idolatry being ſpirituall whoredom, Copulation with an infidel is unlawful, and infectious.

But S. Paul in the foregoing verſe determines the contrary; That in caſe the Infidel is pleaſed to dwel with the believer, they ought ſo to continue; rendring a reaſon thereof in the words afore alledged for the believing husband, &c.

p. 88The words contain

1. A Propoſition.

2. The proof thereof.

The Propoſition is reciprocal, it turneth and windeth backwards and forwards, the unbelieving husband is ſanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is ſanctified by the husband; the proof thereof is in the enſuing words▪ elſe were your children unclean, but now are they holy. In the propoſition the Cardinal word Sanctifie, (as being the main Hinge whereon the ſame turneth) deſerves our ſerious examination.

Sanctified here is not taken, quoad perſonam, to enholy the party ſo, as to procure his or her eternal ſalvation. If the holy Triumvirate of Noah, Daniel, and Job, Ezek. 14. 20. could ſave neither ſon nor daughter, but their ſole ſelves from a temporal deſtruction, much leſſe can the ſanctity of a Chriſtian huſband or wife, operate ſo effectually on his, or her Pagan Partner as to eſtate them in a ſaving condition. Indeed the wives holy converſation may be inſtrumental to her huſbands converſion, 1 Pet. 3. 1. But it is God alone p. 89who ſanctifies, in this high acception thereof.

Sanctified then here is taken quoad uſum, that is eouſ que , they are made holy ſo far in relation to Marriage, that the chriſtian may have a lawful, and comfortable converſe, and cohabitation in bed and board with the counter-Pagan. Thus all meats (though ſome of them formerly forbidden as unlawful by the Levitical Law) 1 Tim. 4. 5. are ſanctified by the word of God and prayer; that is, the uſe of them is legitimated, and they made healthful to the bodies, and lawful to the ſouls of ſuch praying Chriſtians as feed upon them.

See we here firſt, Grace where it came, did not always take one and all in a family; God in diſpenſing thereof, dealeth as Jacob did in bleſſing Ephraim and Manaſſeh, Gen. 48. 14. He croſſeth his hands wittingly, taking a husband out of one houſe, a wife out of another; a wife out of one houſe, a husband out of another. The reaſon hereof, Mat. 11. 26. even ſo father, becauſe it pleaſeth thee, John 3. 8. the Spirit bloweth where it liſteth. Thus Amos 4. 7. the p. 90earth is often chequered with moiſture, and drought, with barrenneſſe, and fruitfulneſſe, the effects thereof; I cauſe it to rain upon one city and not upon another.

Secondly, Hence we may learn, that Dominion is not founded in Grace: Had it been ſo, then the believing wives to unbelieving huſbands, had a juſt title to deny any obedience, pleading that their huſbands by their Paganiſm had forfeited all power over them; yet the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 3. 1. enjoyneth ſubjection, even to ſuch huſbands who did not obey the word, and who as yet were without the word.

Laſtly, and chiefly hence we obſerve, Mixt mariages made againſt Gods will, do defile the Religious, but continued according to Gods will, do ſanctifie the profane perſon. Solomon may be a proof of the firſt, 1 Kin. 11. 4. not converting his Idolatrous wives, but perverted by them. Namely, becauſe he croſſed Gods commandment, Deut. 7. 3. Neither ſhalt thou make Mariages with them; and the reaſon is added, for they will turn thee away from following me. And although the husband was doubly advantaged, both p. 91with his marital authority, and a good cauſe on his ſide, rather to prevail on his wife then to be impoſed on by her; yet becauſe there was Laeſum principium, a fault in his firſt Match, the edge was taken off from all his arguments to her, and added to her arguments againſt him▪ making them by Gods juſt judgement, twice more piercing and powerful to ſeduce him.

Should then a Chriſtian Man wilfully take a Heathen wife, he could not pretend that his Chriſtianity ſhould ſanctifie her Infidelity, ſo far as to make his bed and board comfortable and lawful unto him, becauſe he croſt a poſitive precept, which enjoyns the believing party if at liberty, 1 Cor. 7. 39. to Marry only in the Lord: The Phyſitians obſerve, that faults committed in the firſt concoction, are ſeldom amended in the ſecond: ſuch men had ſmall hopes to better their condition by converting their wives after Marriage, who before Marriage ran ſo deſperate a hazard againſt Gods will in his word.

On the other ſide, when mixt Marriages are continued according to Gods will, they do ſanctifie the profane perſon: I mean p. 92when both parties at Marriage were originally Pagan, and one of them afterwards converted to Chriſtianity. In ſuch a caſe a ſeparation is not to be made, (as was done, Nehemiah 13. 30. when he cleanſed the Jews from all their ſtrange wives) but the Chriſtian may continue in wedlock, with the Pagan, without fear of infection, and with a double comfort.

1. That hereafter his, or her Pagan partner probably may be made Chriſtian, verſe 16. for what knowest thou O wife, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy husband, &c.

2. That for the preſent the Pagan company is ſo ſanctified unto him, or her, that all conjugal acts qua-conjugal may be performed betwixt them, without the leaſt ſuſpition of ſinfulneſſe therein.

Come we now to the proof of the propoſition: elſe were your children unclean, but now are they holy: Not to ſpeak of natural uncleanneſſe (as alien from the purpoſe:) We will principally inſiſt upon a threefold uncleanneſs mentioned in Scripture, with a holineſſe parallel thereunto.

Such as underſtand, uncleanneſs or holineſs in the Text, in this low acception of the word, under-ſhoot by much the true meaning thereof.

Now we have over-ſhot the mark, and are as much above the meaning of the Text. For no good parents can make p. 94their children thus holy, many of them being▪ humbled in Scripture, (as Eli and Samuel) with a profane iſſue which lived and died impenitent: It is an impudent ſlander, wherewith the Rhemiſts (in their notes on this text) charge us to maintain, that from theſe words we collect, the children of pious parents, to be ſo holy, as that they need no Baptiſm. Whereas indeed hence we gather, ſuch children to be ſo holy, that they have a lawful right to Baptiſm. Which hath brought us to the third and laſt acception of the word.

Now are we juſt level, and even to the ſence of the words, and conceive our p. 95ſelves, to have hit the mark, or meaning thereof: And thus it is expounded by all our Proteſtant Divines. Muſculus alone excepted, who (though otherwiſe a ſtiff Champion for Infants Baptiſm) accounts the argument drawn from theſe words not cogent thereunto.

Queſt. If you call this Sacramental holineſs, why do you confine the effect thereof to Baptiſm alone, & why are not the children of pious parents admitted alſo on their parents account without any further examination to the Lords ſupper, by the vertue of this (which you terme) Sacramental holineſſe.

Anſw. It is the method of the Church, not to intruſt a member therein with this ſecond Sacrament, of confirmation, until firſt he hath given teſtimony of his good improving of his firſt Sacrament of Initiation. Beſides, a child, while a child, is more properly a part of the parent, and may be ſaid to trade under him. p. 96Whereas when grown a man he ſets up for himſelf, and takes up a new ſtock, on his own account; This Sacramental holineſſe therefore eſtates a childe in a real right to Baptiſm, and only in a capability of the Lords Supper in due time, except excluded thence by his own wilful unworthineſſe.

Thus amongſt the Jews every childe▪ deſcended from Abraham, might challenge Circumciſion as due unto him, but could not ſo lay claim to the Paſſeover (of which ſome of his own intervening uncleanneſſe might make him uncapable) except he was adjudged fit by ſuch, whoſe place was to ſearch into peoples purity, who were to partake of the ſame.

The main obſervation is this, Such as are chriſtianly extracted, though but by the half bloud, have a whole right to the Sacrament of Baptiſm, Rom. 11. 16. If the Root be holy ſo are the Branches. Say not in ſuch mungrel matches, the root is but half holy, and therefore but ſemi-ſanctity, is as much as comes to the ſhare of the branches thereof.

p. 97For herein the mercy of God is magnified, that whereas he might have made the childe, as the concluſion to follow what was worſt in the premiſes of either Parent, his mercy interpreteth all according to the better part thereof. What reſult could be expected from the joyning of hot and cold but lukewarm? What product from the blending of white and black but a motley? What amounts from the mixture of light and darkneſs but twy-light? but ſuch is Gods goodneſs to paſs over and take no notice of the Paganiſm in one parent, whiles the child ſhall ſolely ſucceed to the purity in the other. Now if Chriſtian children by the half-bloud be holy ▪ how clear is thoſe Infants title Religiouſly deſcended on both ſides? when Deus eſt in utro que parente, Let none be ſo cruel as to queſtion their title to the Sacrament.

IF any then aſk, what advantage then hath a Chriſtian, and what profit is there of pious parentage? We anſwer, much every way; chiefly becauſe extraction from them entitles to the Sacrament of Baptiſm. They have alſo the benefit of their p. 98parents dry and wet prayers, (even before their conception) petitioning to God importunately, to make them be inſtruments not to People Hell, but Plant Heaven. When growing up, capable to learn, they have advantage of precepts (Abraham will teach his children) of good precedents, whiles the children of wicked parents ſee daily what they ſhould flie, theſe ſee what they ſhould follow; the advantage of correction moderately and ſeaſonably uſed. All theſe are the ſap which the root of holy parentage ſends up into the branches thereof, though all of them too often prove ineffectual, and God (who finally ſaveth not children for their parents ſake, but parents and children for Chriſts ſake) juſtly condemneth many children of good parents, for neglecting all theſe precious advantages to ſalvation.

To conclude. In the Low Countries, the eldeſt ſon of a Commiſſion Captain, being born there whileſt his father is in the ſervice of the State, is by the courteſie of the camp, enrolled in the ſouldiers liſt on his birth-day, and by the allowance of the State, receives pay from the time of his p. 99nativity. In the Chriſtian warfare, though Chriſt alone be our Captain, every common ſouldier (male or female) enliſted under him, derives this priviledge to all his children; that from their very births they are thus far entred into the muſterroll of the Church, as to receive pay; I mean the right, and title to the Sacrament of Baptiſm, as being by their very extraction, not unclean, but Sacramently holy.