A Defense of Infant Baptism, Title page – Scripture index
A DEFENCE OF INFANT-BAPTISM: IN Anſwer to two Treatiſes, and an Appendix to them concerning it; Lately publiſhed by Mr. Jo. Tombes. Wherein that Controverſie is fully diſcuſſed, the ancient and generally received uſe of it from the Apoſtles dayes, untill the Anabaptiſts ſprung up in Germany, manifeſted. The Arguments for it from the holy Scriptures maintained, and the objections againſt it anſwered.
By Steven Marſhall B. D. Miniſter of the Goſpell, at Finchingfield in Eſſex.
The promiſe is made to you and to your Children,
Acts 2. 39.
foreign,
Greg. Naztanzenus.
foreign,
Baſilius Magnus.
Hoc (viz. infantium baptiſma) Eccleſia ſemper habuit, ſemper tenuit; hoc à majorum fide accepit, hoc uſque in finem perſeveranter cuſtodit,
Auguſt.
Printed at London by Ric. Cotes, for Steven Bowtell, and are to bee ſold at his Shop, at the Bible in Popes-head Alley, 1646.
TO THE Reverend Aſſembly of Divines and Commiſſioners of the Church of Scotland now ſitting at Weſtminſter.
Reverend Sirs,
WHereas all of you in generall are concerned, and ſome of you particularly named in the Booke I deal with, the world might happily have expected a joint endeavour, where there was a common interest: That I therefore (whilſt you are otherwiſe fully employed) ſhould undertake this taske, I deſire may not bee imputed by you or any to an over weening conceipt of mine own abilities: for had it fallen to ſome of your lots, I ſhould have hoped the Church of Chriſt might have reaped more fruit, then it is like to doe by my poore and weake endeavours. But my perſonall ingagement to aſſert that truth of God which I had held forth in a Printed Sermon, which my Learned Antagonist (paſſing by other bookes written by other men on the ſame argument) was pleaſed to ſingle out to combate with, and to lay out his ſtrength upon, hath called me forth to ſtand up in this controverſie, not as your Champion, but as an affectionate friend to the truth, which we are all called upon earneſtly to contend for; in which Jude 3.conflict as I cannot but feare that you will eaſily diſcover my weakneſſe; ſo I cannot but hope that you will not finde me either ſo foiled by mine adverſary, or deſerted by God, whoſe cauſe I plead, as not to have ſufficiently anſwered that booke, which hath obtained to bee called in Print, The ſtrongeſt Shield and Mr. John Goodwins anſwer to Mr. Edwards Ga…gr. p. 20. Pſal. 76. 3.Buckler wherewith that cauſe was ever protected; but in Salem God of old brake both Sword and Shield, and if he hath done the like now, the weake hand which hee hath made uſe of, ſerveth onelyonly to point at that mightie arme of his, which hath gotten himſelfe the victory. Truth, triumph and the Churches peace I have had in mine eye, and have deſired to carry meekneſſe and love even to him, whoſe opinion I fight with, all along in my heart and pen: what ever meaſure my former writing met with from him, I have endeavored to looke upon his with a neither bloodſhot nor loftie eye; paſſion blinds the one, and pride makes the other oft-times overlook that truth which a lowly eye ſeeth clearly at a nearer diſtance: ſure I am, the wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſſe of God, whilſt James 1. 20.the meeke hee will guide in judgement, and teach his way. VVhat herein God hath inabled Pſal. 25. 9.me to doe, I willingly ſubmit to the Churches cenſure, and humbly preſent to you, not as any way worthy of you, but onelyonly as a publick teſtimony of my reverence and gratitude for all the refreſhings of ſpirit, and that abundance of ſpirituall grace I have found from the hand of God, whilſt I have had the happineſſe to ſit among you; for a yet more plentifull effuſion whereof upon you, to the happy ſetling at length of theſe diſtracted Churches in truth and peace, is the prayer of
Your unworthy brother, and ſervant in the Lords work Steven Marſhall. Aprill 2. 1646.
A Table of Scriptures vindicated and explained.
Gen. 17. 9. 10, 14, p. 92.
Deut. 30. 6. p. 128. Deut. …3. 2. vindicated, p. 149
Eſay 19. 24. explained, 210.
Eſay 44. 2. p. 128 Eſay 59. 21. p. 128.
Malac. 2. 15. vindicated, p. 156
Mat. 18. explained and anſwered, p. 209, 226, &c.
Mar. 10. vindicated, p. 221 John 15. 2. p. 138.
Acts 2. 38, 39. vindicated, p. 124. Proves Infant-baptiſme by conſequence, p. 218.
Acts 15. 10. explained and vindicated, p. 217.
Acts 19. 5. 6. vindicated, p. 69.
Rom. 11. 6. vindicated, p. 134.
1 Cor 7. 14. vindicated, p. 145, 153, 154, 157, &c. maintained againſt, p. 148. Verſe 17, p. 161. ver. 34. vindicated, p. 151.
1 Cor. 10. 3, 4. explained, p. 199. 2 Cor. 3. 10. vindicated, 188.
Gal. 3. 27, 28. opened, p. 189.
Epheſ. 6. 1, 2. explained, p. 200.
Coloſſ. 2. 8, 9, 10. vindicated, p. 169, 174. Heb. 8. vindicated, 188.
1 Tim. 4. 5. vindicated, p. 152.