An Answer to Mr Tombes Examination of Infant Baptism, Title page – To the reader
AN ANSVVER To Mr. Tombes his Scepticall Examination OF INFANTS-BAPTISME:
Wherein Baptiſme is declared to ingraft us into Chriſt, before any preparation: And the Covenant of the Goſpel to Abraham and the Gentiles is proved to be the ſame, extended to the Gentiles children, as well as to Abrahams:
Together with the Reaſon, why Baptize children, is not ſo plainly ſet down in the Goſpel, as Circumciſe children, in the Law, and yet the Goſpel more plain then the Law.
By William Huſſey, Miniſter of Chiſlehurſt in Kent.
HEBREWES 8.5, 6.
Who ſerve unto the example and ſhadow of heavenly things, as Moſes was admoniſhed of God when he was about to make the Tabernacle: For ſee (ſaith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern ſhewed to thee in the mount.
But now hath he obtained a more excellent miniſtry, by how much alſo he is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was eſtabliſhed upon better promiſes.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Saywell, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the Sign of the Starre in Little Brittain, 1646.
TO THE READER.
Courteous Reader,
I Having read and ſeen the Labours of divers learned men that have undertaken the handling of this point; and ſeeing that this Doctrine of Anabaptiſts doth much ſpread, notwithſtanding all the induſtry that hath been uſed by men of ſingular parts and piety; I did wonder that ſuch a growing evill ſhould ſpread and prevail with men that did pretend ſo much to prety; and finding that they cryed up the authority of the Scripture, as of men that did plead for baptiſme of children, had nothing to countenance their doctrine, but humane authority, and ſet up mens inventions contrary to the Scriptures; when I ſaw that theſe An…ptiſts did ſo earneſtly plead for the authority of Scriptures, and declare themſelves ſo devoted to the rule of Gods Word, I had compaſsion on the affections of theſe men, willingly granting that that was indeed the rule we ought all to be guided by, I did as unpartially ſift, how truly and faithfully they had dealt in the applying themſelves to this ſacred rule: I perceived, that they did rather ſteal away the heats of men with the ſhew only of pretended reſpect unto the Scriptures, then that they did with d…ſing aged ſpirits ſearch into the ſenſe and meaning of the Holy Ghoſt, as men deſirous to be lead by the authority of God. I heard men cry up Scripture, Scripture, nothing would prevail with them but Scripture. I reſolved to concurre with them in this, that the Scripture and only Scripture ought to be our ride, in theſe ſupernaturall things of Gods worſhip: and if I could have found that they had argued rightly out of Scripture, I ſhould have moſt willingly joyned with them; but examining the ſincerity of their dealing herein, I ſaw them carried on with a ſpirit of pride, imagining, that becauſe children had been baptized, and that thoſe men which had maintained childrens baptiſme, had maintained other errors; therefore in the diſaffection that they bear unto former times, they were reſolved to wrap up baptiſme of children among other things, and throw out it alſo, together with thoſe things that were indeed ſpurious and humane, out of the worſhip of God: they could not endure mans inventions in Gods worſhip, and therein their zeal was good, if their knowledge had been anſwerable: but here I ſaw much pride, vailed under the cloak of piety, men carrying on their opinions with oppoſition and clamour of multitudes, rather then with ſobriety and diligent enquiry into the ſtate of the queſtion: But whileſt I ſaw this humour, wandering in the lower region of the unlearned, I did not ſo much wonder, though I were much moved for their ſakes, becauſe their ſouls were as pretious to me as other mens, yet when I heard that it ſoared aloft among the learned, I thought it then high time to beſtir my ſelf, to ſearch into the ground and reaſon, why they alſo with others might be deceived in that point: wherein I took ſome pains to ſearch into the cauſe, and have for the publike good given ſome ſmall account thereof: and here I will turn ſceptique with Mr. Tombes, and examine whether our books have ſtated up the queſtion of Anabaptiſts high enough, and have ſufficiently cleered thoſe Scriptures that are cited in the controverſies. For my part, I conceive, that the main reaſon that hath ſo much prevailed with the multitude, is, becauſe the ceremony of circumciſion being put down, and that being required of the Iews; ſo as that every circumſtance of time, qualification of the perſon is expreſſe, he muſt be a male in the family of ſome believer: and no ſuch plainneſſe is uſed in the matter of the Sacrameut of baptiſme; for want whereof, ignorant perſons have proclaimed the baptiſme of Infants, will-worſhip, becauſe it is not ſaid in plain terms, ye ſhall baptize children; this may be an excuſe to men at firſt ſight and conſideration, but upon neerer enquiry; let it be conſidered, whether the different manner of the phraſe between the Goſpel and the Law, hath not put the difference. The ſervice of the Law was in ſhadows and types; therefore the externall rise was plain: they had not any ground at all from reaſon, no, not grounded upon the Word for the uſe of them: the authority of God did fall upon the rise it ſelf immediatly, without any other explication, but that it was the confirmation and ſeal of the Covenant made with Abraham and his ſeed, whereby they were made partakers of the bleſsing in Chriſt, the ſeed of Abraham: Now, the Goſpel doth declare the promiſe to Abraham more plainly, and our ingrafting into Chriſt by baptiſme more diſtinctly, according to the nature of the ſacrament; and in a more rationall way, entitling us to the promiſe, requiring the Miniſters of the Goſpel to baptize all nations, males and females: without any limitation of yeers or ſex, whereby the proffer of grace is made to all nations: the ſeal of this proffer is baptiſme, whereby we are ingrafted into Chriſt, the promiſed ſeed; the promiſe of the Goſpel is plainly declared to be the promiſe made to Abraham, enlarged not in it ſelf, but by vertue of more ample diſpenſation: the promiſe to Abraham was not only to Abraham and his ſeed, but to all nations of the earth, though by providence before Chriſt, kept within the nation of the lewes. The ignorance, or not attendance on this different manner of adminiſtration have cauſed men ſorigorouſly to require ſuch expreſſe direction in point of adminiſtration of the ſacrament of baptiſme; and by this means brought themſelves into ſuch difficulty, that if they ſhould ſtand to their principles, they could not ſinde out any way to adminiſter the ſacrament of baptiſme at all, unto any perſon whatſoever, for want of more plaine and particular direction: And thus, while they go about to inſiſt upon the Letter, and require the regulation of the Ordinance of Chriſt, to their own fancy, they make the Goſpel more obſcure then the Law, contrary to the conſtant declaration of the Goſpel which proclaimeth it more plain and full, more diſtinct and cleer, then the cloudy, weak, and childiſh manifeſtations of the Law: The Law ſaith, circumciſe a childe at eight dayes old in the family of Abraham, or any other believer; baptize all nations, ſaith the Goſpel: circumciſe males, ſaith the Law; males and females ſaith the Goſpel: circumciſe, this is my Covenant, ſaith the Law moſt obſcurely; baptize into Chriſt, by whom we have acceſſe by faith into grace, Rom. 5.2. moſt plainly ſaith the Goſpel: The Law giveth the ceremony therein moſt obſcurely, wrapping up the promiſe of Chriſt; the Goſpel promiſeth Chriſt moſt plainly, and moſt rationally drawing after it the ſacrament of baptiſme; children are in Chriſt by election of grace, before they are born; this is plainly ſet down in the Goſpel, but obſcurely intimated in the Law. Now, ſacramentally men are ingrafted into Chriſt by baptiſme, but perſonally to judge men faithfull, and thereby in Chriſt, before they were ingrafted into him, were a contradiction in adjecto; therefore are men appointed to baptize and preach the Word as being able to adminiſter externalls only. The ſecond deluſion is, in that they interpret the hiſtories of the Acts of the Apoſties, wherein hiſtorically is related, that perſons baptized did believe, not that confeſsion, or profeſsion of faith was made to the Apoſtles; and that the perſons baptized had their faith approved by the Apoſtles; and that that was the ground upon which they baptized them, which is a plain addition to the Scripture: But my earneſt requeſt to Mr. Thombes, and all other Anabaptiſts, is, to look on the doctrine of the Goſpel, in a more ſpirituall way, then to ſubject it to ſuch a groſſe and carnall apprehenſion, and finde out ſome means in a more ſatisfactory way to ſtate the promiſe of the Goſpel according to the Word of God, then heretofore.
Yours in the Lord, William Huſſey.
July 1. 1646.
I Have peruſed this Anſwer to Mr. Tombes his Book againſt Pedobaptiſme, or the baptizing of children; and finding it to be, in my judgement, ſolid and judicious, I do allow it to be printed and publiſhed.
Iohn Downame.