The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. That Baptiſm ſucceeds to all the Eſſentials of Circumciſion.
A Succeſſour muſt be, as after in time, ſo really diſtinct from that, which precedes it; otherwiſe it is not the ſucceſſour, but the ſame. Thoſe, therefore, who indeavour to diſprove Baptiſm's ſucceſſion to Circumciſion, by alledging many differences betwixt them, do our Work in deſiring to deſtroy it, whileſt the ſame differences are but accidental betwixt them.
We ſhall firſt obſerve what ſuch accidental differences are betwixt Circumciſion and Baptiſm, and they will appear ſuch as do not diſ-eſſential the one from the other.
It is remarkable that all the differences betwixt Circumciſion and Baptiſm, are on the gaining ſide for us Chriſtians, whoſe eſtate is not impaired, but improved thereby, Baptiſm being milder in the ſign, freer in the time, larger in the ſubject.
1. Milder in the ſign; the Law ſaith, cut off, and be clean, which is Painful; the Goſpel ſaith, waſh and be clean, which is eaſie. At Baptiſm no violent Impreſſion is made on the Infant, only a little water powred on his Face. Waſhing is ſo far from doing wrong even to a new born Infant, that his natural wel-being cannot be without it, Ezek. 16. 4. When thou waſt new Born, thy navel was not cut, thou waſt not waſhed in water to ſoften thee.
2. Freer in the time; Circumciſion was confined to the eighth day, and thoſe equally guilty who anticipated or protracted the ſame. God, in the Goſpel hath left Baptiſm to the diſcretion of Chriſtians, to accelerate or retard it, as they are adviſed by the childs ſtrength, and their own conveniency: He hath given Parents as much liberty herein, as kind Elkanah allowed Hannah his loving wife, 1 Sam. 1. 23. Do what ſee meth good unto thee. Preſume we here that pious Parents will not create needleſſe delayes to Baptiſe their children, Ne quod differatur, auferatur, Leſt God, in the interim, take their child away from them. In which caſe, as I will not be the Judge to condemn the Child; ſo ſhould I be one of the Jury, I would not acquit the Father.
3. Larger in the ſubject; Circumciſion left out, a juſt half, or full moiety of Mankinde, confin'd only to the Males; whereas Baptiſm takes in the weaker ſex. Indeed we have but one woman, ſignally named, whom we find baptized; namely Lydia, Acts 16. 15. the ſeller of Purple, in Thyatira; But the precedents of more: And let the enſuing parallel in the ſame Chapter be obſerved.
Acts 8. 3.
Saul made havock, and haling men and women committed them to priſon.
Acts 8. 12.
Philip preached concerning the kingdom of God, and they were baptized both men and women.
See here the weaker ſex joyntly partake in perſecutions, and (which was but equal) did alſo communicate in the comforts. It was juſt that thoſe, who with men had drunk their ſhare in the cup of bitter affliction, ſhould alſo have their part in the cup of Sacramental conſolation.
Let none be troubled that only two places expreſly mention the baptizing of Women. For Scripture proofs are not to be taken by their number, but weighed in the ballance; One witneſſe from an infallible mouth is as valid as one thouſand. Yea, one teſtimony of Scripture, coming from the Spirit which is 1 Cor. 15. 28. all in all, is as much as if all the Scripture, and every verſe therein had avouched the ſame.
Here let the weaker ſex enlarge their gratitude to God, on this very account, that he hath cleared their title to this Sacrament in the Goſpel; whoſe right to Circumciſion under the Law was incumbred with ſome difficulty. For, ſuppoſe a Jewiſh woman diſtreſſed in conſcience, and complaining that ſhe was excluded the Sacrament of Circumciſion, becauſe not actually ſigned with it; and, ſuppoſe a Rabbin, or Levite, endeavouring to ſatiſfie her by the anſwers Chapter 1. formerly alledged, (viz. that ſhe was vertually, or reductively circumciſed in her father, or huſband) poſſibly all this might not pacifie her minde; and, though ſuch a ſcruple be but a mote in it ſelf, yet might it prove painful in ſo tender a place, as conſcience, the eye of the ſoul, is How thankful therefore ought Chriſtian women to be to Gods goodneſſe, expreſly admitting them to Baptiſm, and having equal right with men in that Sacrament.
Theſe three forenamed circumſtantial differences between Circumciſion, and Baptiſm, are not of ſuch conſequence, as to diſeſſential them, or to make them diſtinct Sacraments; both remaining the ſame in effect, thoſe accidental variations notwithſtanding.
For the like may be obſerved between the Paſſeover, and the Lords Supper, and thoſe alterations alſo for the benefit, and behoof of Chriſtians, the later being both cheaper in price, and freer in time then the former.
In the Paſſeover, a lamb was offered; which, many Chriſtians (ſuch is their poverty) cannot provide for themſelves; and rich men (ſuch is their covetouſneſſe) will not provide for others. It is therefore commuted in the Lords Supper, into a bit of bread, and ſip of wine, which on eaſier rates may be obtained.
Freer in time; The Paſſeover was but once a year, Exod. 12. 6. on the fourteenth day of the first monethmonth; In the Lords Supper we are left at large, ſtinted to no time, 1 Cor. 11. 25. Do ye this as oft as ye drink it; we may take it for food, or for phyſick; when ill, to remove; when well, to prevent diſeaſes; once a monethmonth, once a week if we wil; always provided, that the frequent repetition of it hinder not the ſolemn preparation for it. But to return to Baptiſm, that it ſuccee… to all eſſentials of Circumciſion, is proved by theſe Arguments.
Either Baptiſm ſucceeds to the Sacrament of Circumciſion, or elſe ſome other Ordinance doth ſucceed, or elſe nothing at all remains in lieu thereof: But that Sacrament root and branch totally extinguiſhed in Gods Church.
But nothing elſe ſucceeds Circumciſion; and that Sacrament is not aboliſhed, but ſtill vertually extant.
Therefore Baptiſm ſucceeds in the place of Circumciſion.
The Major we preſume of unqueſtionable truth, where the diſtribution is uncapable of any other member therein.
For the firſt part of the Minor, if any other heir (beſides Baptiſm) can be found out, let our Adverſaries in this controverſie aſſign it: What is the name, or the ſons name thereof, if they can tell? ſurely no ſuch ſucceſſor to Circumciſion can be produced.
Now to maintain that Circumciſion died iſſueleſs, and left no ordinance behind it of Divine inſtitution, to inherit the power and place thereof in the Church, is what none ever defende… For ſeeing Sacraments are the Pillars of the Church, ſupporting the whole fabrick thereof; how much would it weaken the ſtructure totally to take away one pillar, without ſubſtituting another in the place thereof?
We proceed to a ſecond Argument after this manner.
If all ſuch graces confer'd on Gods children in Circumciſion formerly, are now beſtowed on them in Baptiſm: Then (notwithſtanding ſome accidental differences) Baptiſm ſucceeds to the eſſentials of Circumciſion.
But all graces formerly confer'd in Circumon, are now beſtowed in Baptiſm:
Therefore Baptiſm ſucceeds the eſſentials of Circumciſion.
The minor, which (alone is queſtionable) may eaſily be proved: Graces in Circumciſion are compriſed in that expreſſion, Gen. 17. 7. To be a God unto thee, whereof largely before; and the ſame is performed in Baptiſm; whein God ſolemnly contracts with his ſervants to receive them into his Covenant, and conveyeth unto them Grace neceſſary for their Salvation.
But what need we more Reaſons, when the very words of S. Paul, Col. 2. 11, 12. atteſt the ſame? In whom alſo ye are Circumciſed with the circumciſion made without hands, in putting off the body of the ſins of the fleſh, by the Circumciſion of Chriſt; buried with him in Baptiſm.
Chriſtians are here ſaid by Baptiſm to be ſpiritually Circumciſed; and by the ſame proportion, the believing Jews may be ſaid by Circumciſion to be ſpiritually Baptized; ſuch the affinity or rather the eſſential ſameneſſe betwixt theſe two Sacraments: Thus Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 1. 4. One generation paſſeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth remaineth for ever: So one Sacrament of Initiation [Circumciſion] paſſeth away, and another [Baptiſm] cometh; One Sacrament of Confirmation [the Paſſeover] paſſeth away, and another Sacrament [the Lords Supper] cometh; But the Church remaineth for ever.
Ob. Baptiſm cannot ſucceed to Circumciſion, becauſe what ſucceedeth muſt come after in time, when its predeceſſor is departed: But Baptiſm for ſome years went abreaſt with Circumciſion, both were ſet a foot together in Church practice. For Baptiſm was inſtituted in our Saviours life time, uſed by his Diſciples, John 4. 2. to the Jews, and enjoyned immediately after Chriſts Aſcenſion, Mat. 28. 19. to be practiſed upon all Nations: Now Circumciſion held in force many years after, ſee in Timothy (a Jew by the half bloud) Acts 16. 3. was Circumciſed by Paul himſelf. Wherefore Baptiſm contemporary …th Circumciſion, could not be ſucceſſour unto it.
Anſw. It is confeſt, that for ſome years Circumciſion remained in the Church after Baptiſm was ordained. Have we not often ſeen the Moon ſhining in Heaven even after the Sun ſome hours hath been riſen therein; But then ſhe ſhines dully and dimly, with a faint and feeble light as conſcious to her ſelf of uſurpation, and guilty of intruſion to the territories and dominion of the Sun; the Moon being only made to rule the night. So may I ſay there was a weak and wan appearance of Circumciſion in the Chriſtian Church after Baptiſm was ordained, and that for theſe two reaſons.
Firſt, It was continued ſome time in the Church for the more decent expiring thereof. God would not have that Sacrament, which had lived ſo long in luſtre, dye in ſhame: And therefore it was thought fit, that Circumciſion, as it began on a good man, ſo it ſhould expire on a gratious Saint: Abraham being the firſt, and Timothy the laſt; whom we find Circumciſed in Scripture.
Secondly, God foreſeeing what an advantage Satan might take, if his Church were left Sacramentleſs, to aſſault the ſame in the interval of the going out of the one, and coming in of the other (as Ahab was wounded, 1 Kings 22. 34. in the naked place betwixt the joynts of his harneſs) would have his Sacraments (rather then they ſhould fall ſhort) one lap, and fold over the other, that both ſhould be in being at once. Probably, had another government of the Church been prepared, and fitted; yea, and ſet up (rather two together then none at all) before the old one was demoliſhed, profaneneſſe, and damnable hereſies, which we now behold, and bemoan, had not made their progreſs ſo faſt, and ſo far into the Engliſh Nation.
The reſult of all is this: Though Circumciſion did for ſome time rather languiſh then live after the inſtitution of Baptiſm; and for the Reaſons aforeſaid, was continued in the Church (uſed on Timothy not ſo much to ſanctifie him, as to ſatisfie his half-Countrey-men the Jews) yet ſoon after it decently expired, leaving Baptiſm to ſucceed in the Church to all the eſſentials thereof; amongſt which, this was one of main importance, That as Children were admitted to Circumciſion, ſo they ſhould alſo participate of Baptiſm; Which by reaſons out of Scripture, God willing, ſhall plainly appear.