The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. The Grand Objection, drawn from the ſilence of Scripture herein, Anſwered.
OUr Adverſaries in this point, gain not a greater advantage againſt us amongſt common people, then by urging of that, which indeed we confeſſe, no literal precept or practice for Pedo-baptiſm in Scripture. By popular improving of which argument, they not only gain to themſelves the reputation of a ſtrict adherence to the Word, and will of God, but alſo aſperſe us with the dangerous imputation of wil-worſhip, and Popiſh inclinations.
Yea, which is more, they threaten us with a curſe pronounced, Rev. 22. 18. If any man ſhall adde unto theſe things, God ſhall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this book.
In Anſwer whereunto; In the firſt place we requeſt our Adverſaries to remember, that this place by them cited out of the Revelation, like a two edged ſword, cuts on both ſides; for it followeth immediatly, And if any ſhall take away from the words of the book of this propheſie, God ſhall take away his part out of the book of life. See here a curſe incurr'd, as well by the defect, as the exceſſe. And be it reported to our oppoſites in this point, whether denying ſuch conſequences, which infallibly flow from Scripture, be not taking away from the words, as well as mutilating, or abſtracting the numerical words from the ſame.
More particularly I anſwer; Baptizing of Infants appears not to ſuch who only read the Scripture, but is plainly viſible to thoſe who alſo ſearch the Scriptures, (which John 5. 39. is the duty of all judicious Chriſtians) as by reaſons out of Scripture we have made it to appear.
Here will it not be amiſſe to mind our adverſaries in this point, that they account themſelves concerned in conſcience to believe and practice many things as neceſſary to ſalvation, which notwithſtanding are built on the ſame foundation with the Baptiſm of Infants, namely not on the expreſſe letter of Scripture, but undeniable conſequences ariſing from the ſame.
But I conceive ſuch inſtancing, though lawful yet not expedient, in this unhappy juncture of time, leſt Satan get an advantage over us, for we are not ignorant of his devices; and leſt ſuch inſtancing, though intentionally good in us, prove occaſionally evil to others, by caſting ſcruples into mens conſciences who are quiet, for the preſent. There needs more allaying of old, then raiſing of new jealouſies in divinity, more needful to ſettle, then ſcatter mens belief, in our dayes, wherein ſo many deniers, and more doubters, in moſt Articles of Faith.
Indeed the words of the wiſe, Eccleſ. 12. 11. are as goads or as nailes faſtened by the masters of the aſſemblies; But ſuch builders muſt be wary, leſt whileſt they faſten one nail they do not looſen another.
However to prove this point, I will embrace a way, as ſure to clear the matter, and more ſafe, not having any dangerous influence on the times. This may be done by removing the inſtance, from our age; and fixing the ſame in the time of Gods Church amongſt the Jews▪ Now none will deny but that wil-worſhip, or adding to Gods Word, and his Service, was as utterly unlawful amongſt them, as amongſt us Chriſtians; Yet the moſt religious amongſt them, uſed that as their bounden duty, and neceſſary to Gods ſervice which hath no original expreſly in the word of God.
For proof hereof, we ſhall offer three things to the readers conſideration.
1. Repairing to Synagogues amongſt the Jews, was a neceſſary part of Gods ſervice.
2. The ſame was not grounded on any expreſſe of Scripture.
3. But conſequentially on ſeveral places, prudentially joyned together.
For the firſt, It plainly appeareth by Chriſts conſtant practice, Luke 4. 16. And as his cuſtome was, he went into the ſynagogue on the ſabbath day. As ſure as a ſeventh day return'd every week, ſo certainly did our Saviour viſit the ſynagogue. It is alſo evident by the continual cuſtome of all pious Jews, Acts 15. 21. For Moſes of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the ſynagogues every ſabbath day. To deſtroy theſe ſynagogues was accounted a wicked work, witneſſe Gods ſervants their paſſionate complaint, Pſal. 74. 8.
And again, to erect them was an acceptible act, alledged by the Phariſees as an argument to endeer the Centurion unto our Saviour, Mat. 8. he loveth our nation and hath built us a ſynagogue. Laſtly, it was eſteemed a heavy puniſhment, equivalent to our excommunication, John 9. 2…. to be put out of the ſynagogue.
Yet repairing to ſynagogues, or the erecting of them was not founded on any poſitive precept in Gods word. Indeed the Tabernacle, and afterward the Temple, were of Divine inſtitution where all males were commanded to preſent themſelves thrice a year; namely at the Paſſeover, the feaſt of Trumpets, and Tabernaclos. But theſe ſynagogues (which I may terme Chappels of eaſe, to the mother-Temple) no written law obliged men either to the founding or frequenting of them.
Yet that the ſame was grounded on rational deductions from Scripture, may infallibly be evinced. The text ſaith, Exod. 20. Remember thou keep holy the ſabbath day. And reaſon dictated unto them; Firſt, that peoples preſence at publick ſervice was a principal part of ſanctifying the ſabbath. Secondly, that it was impoſſible for them to repair to the Temple, and return to their houſes, ſuch their diſtance betwixt them. Thirdly, therefore it was neceſſary ſome room of receipt ſhould be provided, ſequeſtred from common uſes, wherein people ſhould meet together. Laſtly, another text affirming, That the Priests lips ſhould preſerve knowledge. It was proper for them, and the Levites diſperſed in all Iſrael, on the ſabbath, in the ſynagogue, to read Moſes to the people. Thus we find the firſt foundation of ſynagagues, not on the floating ſands of humane fancy, but firm rock of Gods Word; Though not directly, yet by conſequence collected from the ſame.
In a word, as chambers and houſes were for mens perſonal & family devotions, every day, or as oft as they pleaſed, & as the Temple was for the national ſervice of the Jews, thrice every year, ſo Synagogues were interpoſed in the middle betwixt both; for Towns and Cities to ſerve God on the Sabbath day: the whole nation meeting thrice a year, every City once a week, as private perſons every day, and as oft as they pleaſed.
Suppoſe now that a Prieſt amongſt the Jews, ſhould preſſe an obſtinate Jew to repair to the Synagogue, how might he have returned this anſwer according to the Principles of our Anti-pedo-baptiſts? I will go up to the Temple thrice every year, and there I will not appear empty-handed: But I will not on the ſabbath preſent my ſelf in the Synagogue, which meeting is not JURE DIVINO, a meer civil inſtitution, groundleſs on Gods word; ſhew me a place of Scripture injoyning my attendance in a Synagogue, and I will become your convert; Till which time I will not only my ſelf refrain my appearance there, but wil alſo account it wilworſhip, in all ſuch as there aſſemble themſelves.
I believe not one of our Adverſaries, in our preſent Controverſie, which are ingenuous, but will condemn ſuch a recuſant, amongſt the Jews, for refractory and obſtinate: Yea, they will conceive him, if perſiſting herein, to deſerve Church-cenſure, for his ſchiſmatical ſingularity. Yet give me leave with love, grief, and anger to ſay unto him, as once Nathan to David, thou art the man, in denying Infants Baptiſm, which (though not in ſo many words expreſſed) is by neceſſary conſequence infallibly founded on Gods Word.
Now although I freely confeſſe, no litteral precedent of Pedo-baptiſm in Scripture, yet ſuch an one therein is preſented unto us, which although it will not confute our oppoſites, it will confirm us in our judgements; and though it be not able, Titus 1. 9. to convince the gainſayers, yet it will ſtrengthen us in the Truth: When the principal is known of him ſelf to be ſufficient, any ſecurity with him will be accepted, and the following inſtance may be caſt in, as over-weight, to ſuch minds, who already have their full meaſure of perſwaſion in this point.
Namely, when it is ſaid, Acts 16. 15. Lydia was Baptized and her houſhold: And again, Acts 16. 33. of the Jaylor, was baptized, he, and all his, ſtraight way. Alſo 1 Cor. 1. 16. I baptized alſo the houſhold of Stephanas.
For the Jaylor; That Children (if he had any) were compriſed under the expreſſion, of all his, is ſufficiently known by Satans interpretation, Job. 1. 12. of Gods commiſſion, Behold all that he hath is in thy power; and Gods conſenting thereunto, when permitting him by vertue thereof, to deſtroy all Jobs children. And whereas in the other two inſtances, the baptizing of whole houſholds are expreſt, we muſt rationally conceive that ſome infants were amongſt them.
I muſt confeſſe I can tell the time, when there were three houſholds of young folk in the world (and then but three houſholds of young folk in the world) namely, the three ſons of Noah, and his daughters in law in the Ark, and yet not one Infant betwixt them all. But this was a rare and myſtical accident: Again to hold the ballance even, I can tell the time when in a large Country every famil… offered a first-born, namely in Egypt, Exod. 12. 3. There was not a houſe where there was not one dead. Which S. Auſtin accounts miraculous, God purpoſely making every family fruitful, that it might yield a fit object for his own juſtice.
But to wave theſe inſtances of extraordinary diſpenſation; take three houſes together, indifferently numerous, ſuch as thoſe of Lydia, the Jaylor, and Stephanas muſt be preſumed to be, (conſidering the garbe of that age, wherein moſt of mens moveable wealth conſiſted in men and maid ſervants, with the children begotten by them) and it is utterly improbable but ſome infants will be amongſt them. For a great family is like unto an Orenge tree, which at the ſame time hath buds and bloſſoms and knobs, and green and half ripe, and full ripe Orenges on it all together. I mean, infants, children, ſtriplings, youths, men of perfect, reduced, decayed ages.