The Baptizing of Infants Justified, Title page – List
PAEDO-BAPTISME: OR, The Baptizing of Infants JUSTIFIED: By the judgement and practice of Ancient and Moderne Proteſtant Divines, both Foraine, and of this Nation: clearly proving the abſolute neceſſity of baptizing Infants, from the authority of ſacred Scripture and the force of undeniable reaſon.
Together with an excellent Letter of Mr. JOHN PHILPOTS to the ſame purpoſe.
Collected by ROBERT RAM, Miniſter of Spalding in Lincolnſhire.
PROVERBS 11.14.
In the multitude of Counſellors there is ſafety.
Aug. ad Hil. Epiſt. 89.
Tanto magis pro infantibus loqui debemus, quanto minus ipſi pro ſe loqui poſſunt.
Publiſhed by Authority.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Wright in the Old-baily, 1645.
To my honoured Colonell, Colonell Edward Roſsiter.
SIR,
ACcording to my promiſe I have tranſcribed Maſter Philpots Letter for baptizing infants; to which I have added the univerſall, and continued practice of the Church of God, from the Apoſtles time hitherto; together with the judgement of the moſt learned, orthodox, and godly Divines, both ancient and moderne: which may ſerve as a cloud of witneſſes to prove, that infants of Chriſtians, not onelyonly may, but ought to be baptized. I am confident, that theſe collections (with the bleſſing of God) will give full ſatisfaction to any that are not fore-ſtalled with wilfulneſſe in their owne opinion. For if Venerable Antiquity, Ʋniverſall Practice, un-interrupted Cuſtome, Harmony of Churches, ſtrength of Argument, and the Authority of ſacred Scripture be of any force, then doubtleſſe we have ſufficient warrant for admitting the children of believing parents to this Ordinance of baptiſme. The teſtimonies I have here produced, lie ſcattered up and downe in ſeverall Authors, I ſum them up together in this little Treatiſe; which I ſtrove to make little, becauſe, little bookes do moſt good, or moſt harme, being every mans purchaſe, and ſoon read over. My Apologie for troubling you with a buſineſſe of this nature, is onelyonly this, that I am
Your humble ſervant in the Lord, ROBERT RAM.
The names of the Authors here cited, for the baptizing of Chriſtian infants.
Fathers.
1. CYprian.
2. Origen.
3. Auguſtin.
4. Athanaſius.
5. Gregory Naz.
6. Bernard.
7. Hierom.
8. Chryſoſtome.
9. Iſidorus Hiſp.
The Divines of Magdeb. for 1300 yeeres. Foraine Divines.
1. Mercer.
2. Calvin.
3. Sadeel.
4. Junius.
5. Voſſius.
6. Polanus.
7. Aretius.
8. Brentius.
9. Pareus.
10. Spanhemius.
11. Lavater.
12. Gualter.
13. Muſculus.
14. Chemnitius.
15. Marlorat.
16. Beza.
17. Hemingius.
18. Zanche.
19. Daneus.
20. P. Martyr.
21. Bucer.
Engliſh Divines.
1. Dr. Ames.
2. Dr. Davenant.
3. Mr. Th. Rogers.
4. Mr. Hooker.
5. M. Perkins.
6. Mr. Ainſworth.
7. Dr. Willet.
8. Mr. Hilderſham.
9. Dr. Fulke.
10. Mr. Hieron.
11. Dr. Whitaker.
12. Dr. Jewell.
13. Dr. Mayer.
14. Mr. Wynel.
14. Dr. Featley.
Confeſſions of reformed Churches.
1. Helvetian.
2. Belgick.
3. French.
4. Auguſtane.
5. Saxon.
6. Palatine.
7 Harmony, &c.
Mr. Philpots Letter.
THE JUDGEMENT OF the ancient Fathers in this point of baptizing Infants.
THe Spirit refuſeth not to communicate himſelfe even to infants; and the holy Scriptures declare,Cyprian. That divine grace is diſpenſed to all, aſwell infants as others; which was ſhadowed out in Eliſhnes ſtretching himſelfe upon the infant, inſenſible of the good which the Prophet did unto him. Cyprian Epiſt. ad Fidum.
Becauſe by baptiſme originall ſinne is done away,Origen. therefore children are baptized, Origen. Hom. on Luke 14.
We ſay that in infants baptized,Auguſtin: although they be not aware of it, the Holy Ghoſt doth dwell, Auguſt. Epiſt. ad Bonifacium, of baptizing infants.
Whence may a man know plainly that he hath been baptized,Athanaſius. and received the ſpirit of baptiſme, ſeeing he was but an infant when he was baptized? Athan. in his booke of queſtions, queſt. 2.
Baptiſme hath force even upon infants,Gregory Nazianzen. and therefore it is neceſſary that they be baptized: For it is better that they be ſanctified without any apprehenſion of the thing done, then that they ſhould depart this life without baptiſme and initiation: And if this thing Circumciſion may afford us any preſident (for that being the forerunner of baptiſme) that was adminiſtred to ſuch as could not by the uſe of reaſon diſcern what it meant: Nazianzen in his Oration of baptizing infants.
He who denies baptiſme to infants of Chriſtian parents,Bernard. doth declare a diabolicall envy, even ſuch an envy as brought death into the world; this man is not of God, who doth and ſpeakes ſo contrary to God: Bern. Epist. 240.
Hieronymus.We hold that there is one baptiſme, and that this Sacrament is to be adminiſtred to infants, in the ſame words, that it is adminiſtred to them of elder yeeres: Hieron. Symboli explanatio ad Damaſum.
Chryſoſtom.Therefore the Catholique Church teacheth, that infants ought to be baptized becauſe of originall ſin. And the uniforme practice of the holy Church, throughout the univerſall world, concerning baptiſme, whether of infants or of young men, ſhould not be accounted as an idle thing: Chryſ. Homil. de Adam & Heva.
Iſidorus.In ſuch as are of yeeres, baptiſme ſerves either to clenſe them from originall ſin, or to waſh them from the guilt of actuall ſinne: but infants are onelyonly freed from originall ſin by it: Iſid. Hispalenſis de officiis Eccleſ. l. 2.