L T 13 R A. R Y (IF TllK Theological Seminary. PRINCETON, N. J. cv.vf ..oOC-<. '. m>rlf, / Book NA) ••■• •••«•>•• •••»•• %»^»mr \1:M^: ^ w^' 'y/^"'^^* ' L .'-.S*'^'^ r-laik tfff • jt ' - • , ^. ''^ > V ^ . V '^r :'• i ■■'< ■ ■* --." ♦S'' - - v' 'f'-^ t, -W^. ;.'■■■ r . . jiiT' MBfT^'^T'^^ j^'JUB* ii^-^X*^ fflSc". ' if.'JK/^'**' &%^ ^^ r ^^ /H .^^dH vsN^si^ ii^^. _ S^' «!>*R / THE HIS TORY O F Infant In TWO PARTS. The FIRST, being An Impartial Colka-ion of all fuch Paflages in che Writers of the four firft Centuries as do make For, or A g a i n s t it. The SECOND, Comaining feveral Things that: do help to illuPcratc the fald H i s ro r Y. By If, IV ALL, Vicar of Shoreham in Kient. C1)C ^econti ^Ditiott \i)itl} large ^s^iticn^* LONDON, Printed by Jjfeph Downing, for Richard Burrctt^h, at th-e Sun and Mocn in Cornbill,v\Q2.x the Roy d- Exchange, 1707. M*MHMiXnai_aB. THE H I STORY O F Infant-Baptifm. BEING An Impartial Colledion of all fuch Paffages in the Writers of the Four firft Centuries as do make For, or Against it. PART I. By IV. WA L L, Vicar of Shorcham in I\ent. Cljc^econti edition nnHj idx^t Hnmttou^. LONDON^ Printed by Jofefh Dov^ning^ for Rich/ird Burroughs at the Sun and Moon in Cornhill^ near the Royal- ExchMjgc^ 1707. " A~2 THE PRE F AC E \Qra/much as the Commijfton given ly our Savior to his Difci^ pJes, iff the Time of his mortal Life, to haptize in the Country cf Judea, h not at all fet down in Scripture ; only it is faid^ that they baptized Ci) ^ 2/^^^ man): And the Enlargement of that Commiffion given V»? afterwards^ Mat. 18. 19. to perform the fame Office among all the Heathen Nations, is fet down in fuch brief Words, that there is no particular Dire^ ion given what they were to do in reference to the Children of thofe that received the Faith: And- among all the Terfons that are recorded as baptized by the Apoflles^ there is no exprefs Mention of any Infant ; nor is there on the other fide any Account of any Chn{\.i2in s Chi/dy whofe Baptifm was put off^ till he was grown up, or who was baptizd at Man^s Age : (^for all the Terfons that are mention d in Scripture to have been baptized, were the Children of Heathens, or elfe of Jews, who did not believe in Chrifl, at that Time when thofe their Children were born). And fince the froofs drawn ly Confequences from fome Places of Scripture, for any one Side of this Queflion, are not fo plain as to hinder the Ar^ guments drawn from other Places for the other Side, from feeming flill confderalle to thofe that have no Help from the Hifl^ry of the Scri' pture-Times for the better underfianding of the Puk^ of Scripture i It is no wonder that the Readers of Scripture, at this Diftance from the Apoflles Times, have fallen into contrary Sentiments about the Meaning of our Saviors Command^ and the Pra^ice of the Apoflles in reference, to the Baptizing of Infants. . Bus; (0 John 4.. I, 2, It. 3. 2I5 26i " VL The Preface. But fince tie Tra^ke of the ancient Chrijlhns that livd nigh the Times cf the Apoftles^ being more largely deliver d^ is more eafily known: that fuch as have gone about to give an Account thereof out of the ancient Records^ jhould give fo contrary Accounts as they do^ is a ■ great iVcnder and a great Shame. For ihsy do not only differ in the Vnderflanding of the Meaning of fever al of the l laces produced ; hut alfo as to Matter of Fad {whe- ther they Le rightly cited or not') do charge one another (i} with Forgery : and are come^ as A/r.. Baxter complains, to [Thoulieji] and [Thou liefi]. And indeed among all the Books of Contrcrverfie between Papifts and Protefiants, or others, that are fcandahus for falfe Quo- t'.ti.ns, there is none comparable to ohe that is written on this Occa* fcrtj which 1 fhall at prefent forbear to name. Such a Thing done by Mijlake^ or for IVant of Skilly is had enough : - /'/// // it be done wilfully ; it is hard to think of any thing that is a greater VVickednefs : for it goes the way to deflroy the common Faith of Mankind^ by which we are apt to rely upon a Writer, that how ze- bus foever he may be for his Opinion, he will not forge Matters of Facl, iter fpcak wickedly^ {thd it be) for God, as Job fays (;). Sonvi other Accounts aljo are uery partial, mentioning only that which makes fjr their Side, and leaving out Farts of the Claufes which they cite. The Inconvenience cf this is the ivorfe, bccaufe it is i>i a Matter ivhich w:uld have a great Influence to fettle and deter min this unlucky Contrcverfe ; provided that the Accounts of the eldefl Times were gi- njen fairly and impartially, and fo th.it the Reader r/iight be fatiified of ih: Tiuth and Impartiality cf them. For when there is in Scripture a plain Command to profelyte or t^Akc Difciples all Nations, baptizing ^ern • but the Method of doing it is mt in all Particulars exprefly direlhd -, it net heing particularly r.ent ; tho thofe that have no Skill in it^ or do fafpetl that it will go agn/tT/l iheir Side^ will r.utke as if they did. And therefore you fhall fee loth on the one Side ^nd on the other ^ i-hoft Men who ^ for a Flourifh^ do pretend tiJt they lay fmall Strefs on it, as having Proof enough from Scripture, yet take all the Pains pojjihle^ to bring this Argument to hear on their Side ; and that jo zehifly^ that they often do it un^ fairly. There is «.'» Chnflian that loves to hear or to admit ^ that all the ancient Churches pra^is'd othenvife than he does in a controverted Matter. Seeini therefore that all the Arguments from Scripture for each Side^ have heen l<> fe arched and fo often handy ed too and fro^ that not much more can he faid t'^ illuflrate 'em : and that where a Command in Scri- pture is given in brief and general iVords^ the Fraciice of the Pri* mitive Church thereupon gives us the hefi Di region for the Senfe in which it is to be applied to particular Cafes : And that a great many have deft'-edtoje-e the Hifiory of this Pra^ice fully and fairly repre* finted : I have thought it worth my Pains to draw up and puhlifh Juch a Colleciion as is e>iprefs\l in the Title. And if any one ask^ luhat t^^ere is done in this more than in others that have been already. I anfwer^ I. That the lejl Collet ions of this Nature have not been puhlifhed ht the Englifn Language : and it is for the Vfe of Engliflimen that this is intended, z. That this is more compleat than any I have feen : lecaufe amoy>g t-hofe I have feen^ each one omitted fonie Teflimonies ivhich the other had : and it is eafie fcr one that ccllefls out of all of 'em^ to have fnore than any one : hefide that^ no inconfiderable Number of thife have been gat her'' d fom my own Reading. The firfl and hejl ColhtTion that I have feen, is CafTander^ ; then Vorfius, and of hve Dr. HammondV, and cut of him Mr, WalkerV. The reji are mrftly interwixt, by thffe that produce Vw, with their Trocfs ar.d Argmr.ents from Scripture ^ and muft be picked out : So there .(i}Unrcaibnablcncrs of Scpararion, ;?, 126. The PrefacCo ix, fjyere are fyiany tn the Books of Calvin, Bullinger, Featly, Tombs Marfhall, Cobbet, Baxter, Danvers, Wills, ^c. 3. / pretend it to he more impartial than the reft : for mofl of them are Colle^ions of fuch Quotations onl^ as make for that Side of the Quefiion for which they are difputing. And here my Reader will fay, \i thofe produc'd by you do make feme for one Side and iom^ for the other, they wifi leave us in the fame Ambiguity that they find us. To which I mufl anhver ; that if he will come to the Reading of 'em with the fame refolved Impartiality^ that I fet my felf to the Writing of Vw, / helteve he will find it otherwife. However the only iVay to pafs a true Judgment^ is to fee both together. 4, / have recited the Places more at large than others have done. One fingle Sentence^ or (^as they frequently cite') a Bit or Scrap of a Ser> tence^ gives hut a very imper^efl^ and oftentimes a mijlaken Account of the Author s Meaning : hut the Context added [hews the Tenor and Scope of his Difcourfe. After all, I acknowledge that there are in the Books I mention d, and others, feveral Quotations which I have not here : anA the Reafon is partly hecanfe I confine my felf to Authors that livd and wrote with- in the frft four hundred Tears^ Qtho* feme of them out-living that Term ivrote jome of their Works after it^ : and that I do, hecaufe all Men tf Reading knjw^ that from that Time to the Time of the Waldenfes ' about the Tear 1 1 50, the Prafiice is unqueflionihle : and partly he^ icaufe many of the Quotations were fiife, and fo alter d, that when I came to fearch the Original, they were there nothing to the Pwpofe : or they were out offpurious Books, &c, I have he en fore d to write one chapter (^6^ of this Work to give an Account what fort of Quo- tations I have left out, and for what Reafons : And if any one wiil inform me of any Paffage in any Author within the Term limited, which he^ after the r cabling of the [aid Chapter, [hall yet judge to he to the Purpofe ; / will, if I live to fee any more Editions of this mean Work, put it in {Jf it feem to me to he to the Purpofe') : and that in- differently, whether it make for, or againfl P^dohaptifm. For I defire that this Colleflion fhould he as compleat and impartial as may he. And it is for this Reafon only, that I have put my Mame to it, (that an\> one ma^ have the Opportunity of advert ifing me of any Paffage that I have omitted) intending otherwife^ that the impartial Manag^nent fhouhl a kav;: (6) Part 2, CH. L J, The Preface. have left the Reader uncertain which PraSiice of the two I my felf had oivn'^d. When I fay in the Title [Of all the PaiTages] / do not pretend I'At that in St. Auik'm there are a great many more : hut all to the fame pnrpofe. For he in his Difputes with the Pelagians has whole Books wherein he proves Original Sin from the Fratlice of Fadoha^ ptifm. In thofe I have only taken here and there a Piece : /ince eve- ry Brdy knows his Do^rin. I have recited the Originals cf all the principal Qmtations : lec^wfe in this Matter Writers have fo accus'd one another cj Forgery^ or per- verting cf Teflimontes by falfe Tranfliticns^ &c. that People are grown diftrujlful. Now they will he fatisfyd that if I have miflranflated any things, I did not do it willingly : for then I fhould never have ad- ded the Author'' s own Words for the Difcovery of it. I have made two Parts of this Work. The firfl contains the prin- cipal Quotations with fome Notes drawn from them. I have rejecied all the fpurious ones : only I have put a few of the mofl ancient of ' their Vindication, I know nothing^ to the contrary but that he may new think it provd fo. But if his Lordfhip he flill of another Opinion ; / hope a Diffent from him in that Particular will not he judgd a Re^- flexion. If the Imputation he no mare, than that fome particular Taffages in the Fathers are fo inartificially worded, that taken by themfelves they might give Occapon to a Dcubt, whether they conceivd as me do of the numerical Vnity of the divine Effence ; 'tis no more than iv>hat I hav^ ownd. But to yield, that upon the whole their fettled Opinion was to- deny it, would make it to he in vain for me or any ether to go about to juftify Infant Baptifm or any Thing elfe by the Praciice of thofe whom we call the ancient Chriflians, if thofe Ancients he allowed to have been no Chriftians, but Tritheifls. But it will be objeded^ and it has leen told me even by my Friend s^^ that in f peaking of thefe Matters I might have ufed Exprefftons that had carried in *em more achmvledgment of, and Deference to^ the higls Charafiem The Preface. xiii, Charaiier and great Accomplifhment s of the Perfon from whom I dif- fented. This^ I douht^ is true : and is a Fault , or at leafl a Deficiency which I would amend if 1 could^ and have in this Edition endeavor"* d: tho* I fear it will appear that at lefl I have but a mean Faculty at court-* ly or handfom Expreffions. This may ht called Bluntnefs and Rufli- city in a Writer : hut 'tis hard upon us Countrymen^ if this mufi be ftyl^d a Reflexion. In fame Cafes the very Weight of the Matter does give a Difpenfation for Salutations. In a Word^ As to the Matter it felf^ and the Fofitions themfelves^ I am of the fame Mind I was when J wrote ; and have endeavor d to confirm 'em againfi for^e new Cavils of Mr, le Cierc brought^ fince myfirfl Edition^ againfi St. Hilary, As for the Expreffions ; I wifh ^em better than they were^ or yet are. And having [aid fo much here^ I fhall have need to fay the lefs on that Matter at the place it felf. i But putting the Cafe I had ufed Reflexions on this one Reverend Bifhop ; Why does my Accufer put a plural l^umber inftead of a Sin- gular > Why does he go about to make mine a Party-Book as his is> Z could almofi be content to refer it to him hirnfelf to determin what a Man mufi do in fuch a Cafe as mine was. I was vindicating the Fa- thers againfi Mr. le Clerc. If I found that a great Man had expref^ fed an Opinion to the Difadvantage of my Defence^ Mufi I therefore of neceffity give it over? There is now another great and learned Man^, who lately maintaining one of OrigenV Tenets (viz. about the Fraex^ ifiertce of ChrifFs human Soul : of which I have Occafion (a J to fay fomething) and finding that the Generality of the ancient Church-men- condemn ^ Ong^nfor this ; endeavor d to he even with 'em all by one. Stroke. He fays ; Who that confiders what an Account is given, (particularly by Eufebius and St. Cyprian') of the early fad Degene- racy of the Church, can at all raatter the Judgment of thofe Church- men, as fuch ? Now they do indeed make pious Complaints and humble Confeffons to God of their Vnworthinefs and of the Corruptions of the Times : one of which IS here recited out of Platina, But 'tis very hard to take fuch Advantage of this, as from thence to conclude that their J^udgments are not at all in any things to be matter'd, 'Tis in vain then to fiudy and learn to know their Judgments and Practices in any Point of Religion, . By (4Pt.,2,cH. VIII. §.6.r>5. 3„rv. The Prefaced By fuch a Ccurfe Ire fhall never fail to reprefent the htfl Men that e* ver ivere {fuch as Job, David, Daniel, St. Paul) the worfl that ever were^ ar.d their Times the rncfl corrt^pt : for they are moft free in coKderr^nin'i^ ihcwfelves and complaining of the Times. To carry up fuch a Degree cf the Degeneracy of the Church ( as to render their Judgments not worthy any Regard) to the Times fo early as Conftsntin'j and even 5^CyprianV Tme^ does leave us litt a wo- iul Sp2 circle of a Catholic Church : and it is hut a Step farther to "^^arry it to St. Vm\'s Time^ who titters a wjrje Complaint of his Tims (if we were to take fuch pious Bemoanin^s in a rirorous Senje^ than Eu- febins or 6'/'. Cyprian ufe of Convocation have dn Averfion to the prefent Government, and to the Succeffion in the Proteftant Line ? An Accufation which, if true^ would juflly bring their Lives in Danger, and which feems to he defignd to render *em fufpeXed to the Government, odious to all good SuhjeSls, and obnoxious to the Lnw. Does he think 'em all perjurd Perfons^ and fuch as re- gard The Prefaced xvl gar d not an Oath ? Smce they have all [worn an Ackmvi>Iedgmsnt of^ and Adherence to^ loth her prefent Majejiy Qivhom God long preferve) and the Tretejlant Succejfion : and dv in their public Prayers and o^ ther jolemn Declaration^^ every Day almofl^ declare their Contimunce in the fime loyal Stntiments. Are not thefe^ mo(l odious and intoler- ahle Reflexions ? There are indeed two or three Boutefeus ivho do in weekly Papers figge/l to all the Coffee- Houfes fi4ch an Opinion as this is, of the Cler%y. But they conftanth writing fo^ and the contra'^ ry conflantly appearing^ has at lajl render d ihofe Writers incapahle of doing any more Mifchief in this Way. But will this Author all the Part of one of them ? As to the Fa I (hood of the Ace u fat ion (taken as fpoken of the Body or general Part of ''em) I may he fure of it Ly this ; That I do not know {as I foler/inly declare I do not know") any ene Clergy-man in England, either in City or Country^ either in the Convocation or out of it^ concerning whom I have any Reafon to doult either of his loyal and dutiful Allegeance to her Majefly^ or his true Concern for the'Succeffion eftahlifh^d hy her Majefly in Parliament. And f:all this Man fuggefi the contrary cmicerning the Body of thofe ivhom we choofe to reprejent us in Convocation ? Are they therefore to he accounted til affeSled to her Majejiy^ hecaufe they are grieved that any ene fhould preach the Lawjulnejs of refifling Her^ or any lawful So- vereign^ on any Pretence whatever > The furious Heats in Chwch and State^ which fet Men on infinuatingfuch Reproaches^ one againjl a- nother^ are heccm-e jo exorhitant^ that he can hardly he a good Mem- her of either^ that does not do his Endeavor to allay *em. But is this the Way ? I am fenfjhle^ this mufi he as tirefome to the Reader as grievous to me. Therefore to return to my SuhjeX of Infant- Baptifm : I conclude^ with a Story told hy CaHander (7) vJjich he makes long^ hut the Suh- fiance is this ; " A Man of Note among the Antipx'dobaptids, be- " ing told that there was a^full Agreement of all the Ancients, who " do with one Mouth afiirm, that this Gullom of Baptizing In- " fants has been- in ufe ever fmce the Apoftles Times, confe/led in- ** genuoufly, that he did put a great Value upon fuch a Confent " of the Church -, and ihould be much moved with fuch an A- " greement of the ancient Chriftian Writers: and that if this could *' be proved by competent TePdmonies, he was not fo obflinate "ai {7) Praefat. in Tcltimonia de Pa^dobaptifrao, ivi. The Prefacc.^ " as to flight (o forcible a Rcafon : efpeclally if fucli Authors were " produc'd to prove this, as lived very nigh the Apoftles Times. *' And therefore he earneftly defir'd that the TeQimonies of this " Matter Ihould be fhewn to him. And having read them, and (as " he was a Man of good Senfe) diligently confider'd 'em ; he alter'd " that Opinion which he had taken up from a millaken Under- " (landing of the Scripture. Which happened in him becaule he " was endued with thefe three good Q^iaiities. " I. The Fear of God and Reverence for his Word : So that *' it was by Occafion of that Zeal for Truth that he fell into this '" Way. " 2. Judgment and good Senfe : fo that he quickly perceived the " Force of an Argument. " 3. Modefty and a Meek Temper, which caufed that when he ** had heard and comprehended the Truth, he did not obftinately *' withfland it. To which I jhail here add an Advice of Bp. Stilling- fleet to his Clergy y (8) ivhofe Sayings and Advices all People love to hear. Where the Senfe [of Scripture^ appears doubtful ; and Dii- putes have been rais'd about it; Inquire into the Senfe of the Chri- flian Church in the firfl; Agesj as the beft Interpreter of Scripture: As whether, ^<:. And, whether Baptifm were not adminiflred to Infants, ^c. (8) Duties and Rights of the Parochial Clergy, p. n8. THE SCVll. THE CONTENTS O F T H E INTRODUCTION. §♦ I- f I IHE Jews baptiz'd all Profelytcs of the Nations that ■ were converted to their Religion. §. 2. Their Proof M from Mofes's Law that they ought fo to do. §. 3 . They baptiz'd alfo the Infant Children whom fuch Profelytes brought along with 'em to be enter'd into tbe Covenant of the true God. §. 4. They ba- ptiz'd all fuch Infant Children of the Heathens as they found, or took ia War, &c. §. s- The great Light that this gives for the better Un- derftanding the Meaning of our Savior's Commiflion to baptize the Nations, Mat. 28. 19. The Teftimony of St. Ambrofe^ that John the Baptifb baptized- Infants. §. 5. The Jews call'd fuch a Profelyte's Ba- ptifm, his being born again. Which makes our Savior's Speech to Ni- codemus^ Joh. 3, 3, 5. more eafie to be underllood. §. 7. A Parallel inftituted between the Jewilh and the Chriltian Baptifm. §. 8. The Arguments of Sir Norton Knatcbbnl^ Mr. Stennet^ &c. brought to dis- prove this Cuftom of the Jews, anfwer'd. The Contents of the BOOK. parti: CHAP. I. ^otaifons out of Clemens Romanus and Hermas, p u In the S« !• Apoftle's OF Original Sin, as it affeds Infants, ;>. i. §. 2. Of the Time. NecefTity of Baptifm to Salvation, p. 2. S. 3. The Sub- ''^'V ftance of that Rule of our Savior, Joh. 3. 5. Except one be horn of Water^ &c. expreffed by Hermas before it v/as written by St. John^ p. 4. §. 4. The holy Men of the Old Teftament reprefented in. a Vifion as baptiz'd into the Name of Chrift by the Apoftles, after ^ thev 3tviii. T^^^ Contents of the firft Tart. they were dead. The Explication given by the Ancients of thofe Texts^ I Tet. 3. 19. & 4- • <»/ the G off el being preached to them that were dead^ p. 4. '§. 5. Of God's tender Regard to Infants,;. 5. ^.6. That thefe Books of Clemens and Hermas are genuin, /?. 5. §. 7- That they were written before St. John wrote his Gofpel, /?. 6. §. 8. But not fo foon after the Death of St. Peter and St. P^/Jas Bifliop Pearfon^^nd. Mr. Dodwet place them \ proved from hen^us^ p. 7. §. p. That this Clement is not probably that Clement mention'd Fhil. 4. 3- nor this Herma4 he that is named Rom. \6. 14. p. 9. CHAP. II. Y^^pj^f_ Quotations oM o/Juftin Martyr, p. 10. roftics ' §• T- Of Original Sin, needing Redemption and Forgivenefs befide .^•V^ the Guilt of Adual Sins, p. 10. §. 2. He fpeaks of Baptifm, as be- ing to ns inftead of Circumcifion. Note on Col. 2. 11, 12. p. 10. §. 3. The plain and fimple Way of Baptifm at that Time, p. ir. §. 4. They ufed the Word Regeneration to exprefs Baptifli] ■-, and con- ftantly underftand that Text, Joh. 3. 5. of Water-Baptifm, p.' 13. §. 5. The modern Writers have alter'd the Senfe of the Word Rege^ nerated^ p. 13.. §. 5. St. ^ufiin fpeaks of lafaats made Difciples,p. 13,. CHAP. III. Yg^-gf. Qnotations otit 0/ Irenaeus, p. 14. loftles^' §. I. He fpeaks of Original Sin as affeding all Mankind ^ and calls \/y^ Baptifm, Redemption^ p. 14. §. 2. He exprefly reckons Infants among ' thofe that are regenerated^ f- i4- §• 3- He in all other Places ufes the Word Regenerating for Bapti7Jng,p. iS- §• 4- Several Inftances Ihew^ ing that the Ancients do life this Word for Baptifm, fo as to ex- clude that Converfion or Repentance that is not accompanied with Baptifm, from being fignified by it, p. 15. §. 5. When Infants are faid to be regenerated^ there can in their Cafe be nothing elfe under-^ ftood, but baptized, p. 16. §. 6. Of the Time when Iren. 31. §.9. He enquires whether the Guardian Angel given to In- fants, and fpoken of Mat. 18. 10. be given at their Birth or at their Baptifm, p. 32. §. 10. St. Hlerorn% Teftimony that Origen fpoke of Infants Baptifm, p. 35. §. 11. The Advantages that Origen had to. know the Pradice of Chriftians from the Beginning, p. 3 5* CHAP. VI. Year af- Quotations out of St. Cyprian, f. 36". poftles^' ^* ^' '^^^ Letter written by him and". 56 Bifhops in Council wftft j-Q^^ him, in anfwer to Fidus, who liad ask'd their Opinion, whether aa %,r\r^ Infant might be baptiz'd before he were eight Days old, p. 35. §.2. There is not in all Antiquity any Piece more clearly prov'd to be genuin than this Letter, p. 40. §. 3. The Ignorance of thofe that enquire, why this Council is not in the Volumes of Councils, p. 41. §. 4. A Refleftion on that Obfervation of Grotius^ that there is in the Councils no earlier Mention of Infant Baptifm, than in the Council of Carthage^ Ann. 418. p. 42. §. 5, St. jluflin.) who had faid that Infant- Baptifm was not inftituted in any Council, but was ever in life, does not contradid himfelf in citing this Council, which does not inftitute it, but takes it for granted, p. 42. §. 6. The Reafon why the Ar- guments ufed by thefe Fathers to fatisfie Fidus^ feera to fome Men frivolous, p. 42. (). 7. The Force of the Argument for Infant Ba- ptifm from fuch a Debate, manag'd by fo many ancient Men, and fo nigh the Time of the Apoftles \ of whom not one made any Doubt but Infants were to be baptiz'd, p. 43. ^. 8. Of the Kifs of Peace^ then ufually given to the new-baptiz'd Perfbn, p. 43. §. 9. They then field. That to fuffer an Infant to die unbaptiz'd, was to endanger its Salvation, p. 44. §. 10. A Miftake of Mr. Daille in the Reading of this Letter, p. 44. §. 11. Another Paflage of Si. Cyprian^ fpeaking of Infants. The Contents of the firfi ?an\ xsi. Infants as baptizM, p. 44. §.12. St. Anjlins Note on it, p. 46'. §. 1 3 . A- nother of the abfolute Neceflity of Baptifm to Salvation, p. ^.j, §. 14. Note on that Text, Job. 3. 5. and the Argument drawn by iome Antipjedobaptifls from it, /?. 47. CHAP. VII. ^ Quotation out of the Council of Eliberis, p. 48. Year af- ter the A" §. I . They fpeak of fome Infants carried over from the Catholick poftles ' Church to the Sedaries, />. 48. §. 2. The fevere Penance they inflid 205. on fuch as have, after Years of Difcretion, revolted to the Schifma- '^V!^ tics, and would return to the Church, p. 49. CHAP. VIII. Out of the CounciL o/Neocaefarea, p. 50. YearafT ter the A'^ §. I. Can. 6. "That a Woman with Child may be baptized when jhe poftles fleafe^ &:c. p. 50. §. 2. The Antipjedobaptifts Explication of the Rea- 214. fon of this Canon, f. 51. §.3. The PsdobaptiAs Explication of it, i/^V>iJ />. 51. §.4. That the Words are capable of either of the Senfes: but the Notation of the Word icT/of enclines more to the latter, />. 51. §. 5. The Emphafis of that Word, ufeful likewife to Ihew the Force of that Text i Cor. 7. i, 2. againft Polygamifls, p. 52. §. 6. Grotius cites Balfamon and Zonaras^ as if they had reprefented the Council as determining againft Infant-Baptifm, p. 52. §. 7. The Words of thofe two Commentators produced at large to the contrary, /?. $3. §.8. The Words of this Council prove nothing for or againft Infant-Baptifm, CHAP. IX. Out of Optatus Bijliop of Milevis, p. 55. Year .if §. I. The Donatifts had no Difference with the Catholics about the ^^'^^^^.^^ ^^ Manner or Subjed of Baptifm, p. 56. §. 2. Optatns fpeaks of Baptifm ^^ " as fit for Infants, p. ^6. v3^X-^ CHAP. X. Out of Gregory Nazianzen, concerning St. BafiFs being haptiz.'^d in In- y^^j. ^^ fancy, ^.'^q. ter the A^ §. 1. Gregory defcribes Baptifm by a peculiar Sort of Periphrafls ^^^^^ {the diurnal Formation, &c. ] p. 57. §. 2. He fpeaks of the fame as applird ^%y\p^ to St. ^^y?/ in Infanc/, /7. 58. §.3. Other Proofs of his Baptifm in In- ^ -^ idiliQYrp' 59" C H A P> xxIL '^he Contents of the firfi Part. CHAP. XI. Ycaraf-OWco- Quotations cut 'of St. Gregory, concermng the Doflrin of Infant -ter the A- ^^ Baptifm^ p. 60. poitlcs 2.60^ ^. T. He had the moft Reafon to be prejudiced againfl the Do6:riii of the KecefTity of Infant-Baptifm, p. 60. §. 2. An Abflrad of his Sermon concerning Baptifm. The feveral Karnes of Baptifm : It is a Seal for thofe that enter into this Life, &c. There is no other Re- generation but that, p. 61. §.3. Againll the Delay of Baptifm, p. 52. ^. 4. His Exhortation to Parents to baptize their Infants without belay, p. 61. §. 5. His Anfwer to the Pretences of thofe that put off Baptifm, p- 63. §. 6. Infants dying unbaptiz'd, and others that mifs of Baptifm not by their own Fault, will not be punilh'd: but yet neither will they be glorified, p. 63. §. 7. Infants that are in any Danger of Dying muft be baptiz'd prefently : Others, he advifes, fliould be baptiz'd about three Years old, p. 65. §. 8. He declares he will baptize no adult Perfon that is an j4rian^ or does not believe the Trinity, p. 66. §. 9. Some Obfervations from the whole : i A plain Specimen of Grotins\ foul Dealing in perverting the Squ^q of Nai.ianz.ens> Words concerning the Lofs fuffer'd by Infants dying un- baptiz'd, to a quite contrary Purpofe ^ as if his Meaning were, That Infants did not ufe to be baptiz'd, ;;. 66. §. 10. 2. An Abltrad of Vih-Jit Naz,ian!Lcn 2i-\)-^Q2iVS to have held about the Fate of thofe Infants that did obtain Baptifm, and of thofe that miifed of it, p. 6q. §. 1 1. 3. His and other Authors frequent Ufe of the Word fan^ified or holy for haptiz^ed. The Paraphrafe of St. P^///'s Difcourfe i Cor. 7. 14. gi- ven according to their Senfe : Several Obfervations from Scripture and Antiquity that do confirm that Senfe. The Inconvenience of fome other Explications, p. 6q. §. 12. An Enquiry on Occafion of St. Gre- goryh refufing to baptize Arians^ and the Catholics then refufing Com- munion with them : how far the Catholics now can admit the Projed of the Socinians^ call'd, The Agreement between the Unitarians and the Catholic Churchy p- li' §• \3' They explain the Divinity of Chrifl only by God's inhabiting in him, p. 72. §. 14. They havealter'd their ^Notion of the xhy©- from one Extreme to the other ^ and yet keep their main Article ftill, of Chrift's having no Nature but the Hu- man, p. 73. §.15. The ill Colors they put on the Catholic Faith, p. 75. %. 16. The Progrefs they boaft they Ihould make, if they had a Toleration, has no Precedent in former Ages, p. q6. §. 17. Difi^e- rencc in leflcr Opinions, is no Bar againll Communion: But it is o- thcrwife in Fundamentals, p. 77. §. 18. The mean Opinion they have of Chrift's Satisfaction, p. 79. §• ip* The diftind Aflemblies, which they Jay they will hold for preferving the Dodrin of the Unity of the God-head^ The Contents of the fir fl Part. Xl\\u God-head, are needlefs, p. 80. §. 20. Their virulent Endeavor to blacken the Nicen Creed, p. 80. CHAP. xir. Out of St. Bafil, p. Hi. Yearafi. §. I. An Abftracl of his Sermon perfwading People to Baptifm, poftlcs ° p. 81. §. 2. Any Time of one's Life proper for Baptifm, p. 82. §. 3. He 260. fpeaks to feveral of his Auditory, as having been inftruded in Chri- ^^^V"^- ftian Religion from Infancy, and not yet baptiz'd, p. 82. §. 4. Ma- ny at that Time were perfvvaded of the Truth of Chriitian Re- ligion, and intended to be baptized into it fome Time or other, but put it off. Thefe Mens Children were inftruded in it, but not yet baptized ^ becaufe the Parents themfelves were not yet baptized, />. 83. §. 5. He proves the Necellity of Baptifm from the Threat de- nounced againfl an Infant that was not circumcifed on the eighth Day, p. 83. §. 6. His pathetical Difcourfe againft the Delay of Re-^ pentance and Baptifm, p. 84. §. 7. He tells fome People that had wrote to him of Baptifm, that they muft firft be inftructed, and then admitted to Baptifm, p. 85. §. 8. His Explication of John 3. 3, 5. p. 85. §. 9. He fpeaks of Boys and little Children joyning in the Divine Offices, f. 85. §. 10. He advifes ralens to have his Child ba- ptized by the Catholics-, but ^alefis^ wovAd have it done by the A- rians^p. 85. §. 11. A Difquifition concerning the Age of that Child, p. 87. ' CHAP. XIII. Y,,p^^^ Ont of St. Ambrofe, p. 88. terthe A- ^ poftles §.-T. He fpeaks 01 Infant Baptifm being in ufe in his and in the Apo- 274. files Time, and pradifed by John the Baptilt, p. 88. §. 2. He makes it a ^»«'^V^-^ Queftion, whether an Infant can be fav'd without Baptifm, p. 8p. CHAP. XIV. Out of St. Chryfoftom, p. 91. rertheAr §. T. He fays, One in Infancy, or on^ in Middle-age, or one in Old-^gc ^ age, may receive Baptifm, />. 91. §-2. He often affirms, That there is no^_^ entring the Kingdom of Heaven without Baptifm, p. 92. §.3. He*"^ fays, Infants are baptized, tho' they have no Sins, p. 93. §. 4. St. AHftin\ Defenfc of him againfl the Pelagians, who challeng'd him for one of their Side, p. 94. §.5. He fpeaks of Infants as ordinarily ba- ptized, p. 96. §. 6. His Mention of the Sign of the Crofs made on the Infant's Forehead at its Baptifm, p. 96, CHAP. iftxlv. The Contents of the firfl Tart, CHAP. XV. Yeai af-Owf of St. Hierom and St. Auflin, hforc the Rife of the Pelagian Con^ ycrrheA- trover fie. roftles ^ _, iSo. ^^^- ^- P- 97. ^^-yv^ Out of St. Hierorn'^j Letter to Leta. St. Hierom fays. If Infants be not baptiz'd, the Sin of omitting it is >laid to the Parents Charge, p. 98. Se^. 1. p. 99' Out of St. Auflin s Book de Sermone Domini in monte, St. Anfin explains thofe Words, i Cor. 7. 14. Now are yonr Chil- dren holy^ thus Now are your Children baptiCd^ p. 99. SeEL 3. p. 100. Out of St. Auflin S Books de libera Arhitrio. §. I. He makes anfwer to thofe that ask'd. What good Baptifm does to Children before they have any Faith, p. 100, §. 2. A Refle- xion on that Saying of Grotiusy That St. uiudin before he was heat- ed by the Pelagian Controverfie, never v^rote any Thing of the Con- demnation of unbaptiz'd Infants, p. loi. Se^. 4. p. 103. Out of St. AiifiinS Books de B apt ifmoy contra Donatiflasf §. I. St. Auflin s Way of managing againft the Donatifis^ p. 103; §. 2. He proves, that Infants or others baptiz'd in the right Form, tho'' in a Schifmatical or Heretical Church, have their Baptifm valid, t. 104. §.3. He fpeaks of Infant Baptifm as a Thing pradis'd by the whole Church, and not inftituted by any Council, but^ having e- ver been in ufe, and order'd by the Apoftles ^ and that it is to us inftead of Circumcifion. And tho' God has commanded both Faith and Baptifm, yet either of 'em, where the other cannot be had, is a- vailiable to Salvation, 104. §.4. The Miftake of thofe who fay, The Vomtifls denied Infant Baptifm, p. 107. SeH, 5. p. I op. Out of St. Attftin's Letter to Boniface. §. 1 . He anfwers the Qiieftion, How the Faith of Parents ftands their Children in ftead for their Baptifm, and yet the Apoftafie of the Parent afterward does not hurt the Child, p, 109. §. 2. That the Validity of the Baptifm does not depend on the right Faith or In- » tention of thofe that bring the Child : The Child is fuppos'd to be ofTer'd The Coaftftts ef the firfl 'Part. -^^ oITerM toBaptifni by the whole Congregation that pray for it, p. itj ^. 3. That the Parents at that Time were iifually the Godfathers l Iwt that this Office might be done by any other tiiat was Owner of the Child, p. iir. §. 4. In what Senfe the Anfwer made by the Godfathers in the Name of the Child,- that he does renounce^ believe^ ^c. is to be nnderllood, p. 112. §,5. St. Aufiin fpcaks of thefe Qiic- ilions and Anfwers as nccedary, p. it 5. §. 6. He fuppofes it to be the Belief of all Chriftiaiis ^ That Children laptizM and dying before a6i-ual Sin, arc nndeubtcdly llived, />. 116, §. 7. He had r.o Notion of Tranfubftantiation, />. 117. §. 8. The Cuftom then to receive the Holy Communion every Day, or at Icaft every Lord^s Day, p. 11-, §. 9. He does not pretend that Infants have Faitli : Tlie Opinion bf the Lnthrans^ and the Fancy of F. AiaUbranch^ on that Subjed, p. 117, Sc&-. 5. p. III. Out of the Books de Genef ad linram. §. I. A Debate concerning tTie Origin of the Soul ^ whetlicr it be 'by Propagation or immediate Creation. St. Aujlin flievvs tliat tlic for- mer agrees bcft with the Dodrin of Original Sin, p. 121. §. 2. The true Reading of a Place mSt.Aufiin de G->^ and were lince come over to the Catholic Chuixh. They ask UieO- pinion of neighbouring Bilhops, p. 133. §. 2. They detcrmin after- wards that fuc>i Hiay be admitted, p. 135. §. 3. A Canon for abating ■to poor People the- Fees due for baptizing their Children^ bur •'diought to be fpurious, p. 135. §. 4. A Caaou made for the O^i^c of c fuch xxvH ^'^ CoHUMts of the fir Jl Part. fuch as had been in their Infancy carried captive into the Country of Barbarians^ and when return'd, could not tell whether they had been baptized before their Captivity or not :, ordering that fuch Ihould be baptiz'd, /». 1 3(5. §. 5. A Canon of a former Council of Hifp to the fame Purpofe, p. 138. §. 6, A Decree afterwards of Pope Uo to the fame Purpofe, p. 1 39- CHAP. XVII. Yearaf-0/.t of the Decretal E0les of Siricius and Innocentius, Bifljops of Rome,, serthe A- f. M-'t* 284^^ §' ^' The grofs Way of forging Decretal Epiftles for the Bifhops of %Jy\/ Rome of the firft Ages, f. 141. §. 2. Sirichu?. Epiftles are the firft that are genuiny all before him are forgM, p. 143. §. 3. He declares the Order and Practice of the Churches to be, That none be baptiz'd but at the fet and appointed Times of the Year for Baptifm, viz,^ Eafler and Whitfontide \ except Infants, fick Perfons, or others that may be in Danger of Death before that Time, p. 144. §. 4. Proof that this Epiftle is not forg'd, as the foregoing arc, p. 145. §. 5. The Reafon of that Order, That no adult Perfon, except in Cafe of Ne- eefllty, ibould be baptiz'd but at the Times aforefaid : And of the Cuftom of Catechizing in Lent^ p. \^6. §. 6. He informs the Chri- ftians of Spain ^ That Bifhops and Presbyters ought to be chofen, not^^ out of new Converts, but of fuch as have ht^'^ baptiz'd in Infancy, p. 147. §. 7. Innocentiits informs Decentius^ that tho' Presbyters may baptize Infants, only Biihops may give them Chrifm or Confirmation^. p. 148. §. 8. He repeats to the Council of Toledo the Advice of 5/- ricins^ that the Clergy onght to be chofen, not out of Kovices^ but of fuch as have been baptiz'd in Infancy, p. 149. CHAP. XVIII. Year ^{'Oui- of PauUnus Bi^wp of Kola: and another P^ulinus, Beacon of tkt nertheA- Church of MWan^ p. 150. ^95^ §. 1. An Infcription compos'd to be fet over the Font, mentioning \r)j'>u Infants there baptiz'd, p. f^o. §. 2. That all new-baptiz'd Perfons^ Young or Old, were about this Time called Infants^ p. i 50. §". 3. An. Epitaph made on a Child feven Years old, mentioning his Baptifm^ p. 151. §. ^. Paulintti defires St. Hierom\ Opinion, how St. raul^i Cor. 7. 14. calls the Children of Chriftians W_y, whenas without Baptifm they cannot be faved,p. 1 52. §. 5. St. ///Vrow's Anfwer ^ agreeing, That without Baptifm they can't be faved,p. 1 53- §.6. Panlinus the Deacon, m relating St. Ambrofe'% Death, mentions fome Infants then nev/ly baptiz'd, p. 155* CHAP The Contents of the firjl Taft, \viL CHAP. XIX. 0«f of S>t. Hierom and St. Auftin, after the Rife of the Pelagian Contro- Yearaf- ve-rfie : as alfo out of Pelagius, Celellius, Innocent the frft^ Zofimiis,':er the A- Julianus, Theodoriis Mopfueftenfis, &c. and out of the ComcihofDi-^^^^^^ ofpolis, Milevis, Carthage, &c. p. 1 56. \L2^r-^ §. I. The Occafion the Pelagian Controverfie gave to fpcak of In- fant Baptifm, p. 156'. §. 2. The Account of this Controverfie given "by Mr. /f Clerc^ is very partial for Pelagiuiy p. 155. §. 3. Pelagius was a Briton^ not a Scot: and Celcftlus an Iriflmtan^ p. 158. §. 4.. They vented their Opinion againft the Dodrin of Original Sin^ at firfb co- vertly, and by way of Objection, p. 1 59. §. 5. Ceiefiius being examined at the Council of Carthage^ Anno 412. would not own Original Sin :i yet granted the Neceflity of Infant Baptifm, p. 160. §. 6. St. Anjlin. proves againft the Pelagians^ That Infants have Sin, becaufe it was acknowledged that they muft be baptiz'd, p. 161. §. 7. He refutes that Evafion of theirs *, That they are baptiz'd not for Forgivenefs of Sins, but to gain them AdmilTion into the Kingdom of Heaven^- p. 161. §. 8. And another Evafion^ That they are baptiz'd for Sins:> committed by their Souls in a State of Pi-«exiftence, f . 153. §. 9. He> proves that Chrift came to fave only fuch as were in a loft Condi- tion-, and that only fuch arc to be baptiz'd, p. 153. §. 10. That there is no middle State between Salvation and fome Degree of Dam- nation, p. 153. §. II. Rtfates thofe that faid. Infants have actual Sins, as Peevilhnefs, &c- and that they are baptiz'd for them. All the Pelagians ov^n'd, that Infants are to be baptiz'd, p. 16^. §.12. Ce- iefiius own'd that Infants have Redemption by their Baptifm, but would not fay Forglvenefs^p. 16'^. §. 13. The Difpute between the Catholics >and Pelagians about the KecefTity of God's Grace, p. 16%. §. 14. The unfair Account of this Difpute given by Mr. le Clcrc^p, 167. §. i 5. How far Pelagius Owned God's Grace, p. 169. §. \6. Hovv far he recanted "what he had faid againft it, p. 172. §. 17. St. Auflin afferts. That the whole Church has from of old conftantly held, and that he ne- ver read or heard of any Chriftian Catholic or Sedary who denied, that Infants are baptiz'd for Forgivenefs, ;>. 173. §. 18. How Parents that are by Bapiifni cleanfed from Original Sin, do yet beget Chil^ dren liable to it, p. 174. §. 19. Several Interpretations given by i\\t<.. Ancients of that Text, i Cor.^. 14. Novo are your Children holy ^ con-^ ferr'd together, p- 175. §. 20. St. Hierom\ Letter to Ctefiphcn. Some blafpbcmoua Tenets of the Pelagians. St. Auflins Letter to Hdurius^ and Managenjent of the Argument for Original Sin, from Rora. 5. p. 178. §.21. Difpute between St. Anflin and the Pelagians^ of the Pornbility of a rich Man's being faved, and of the Lawful ncfs of Swearing in any Cafe, .p. 181. §. 22. The fophiftical Way of arguins; c 2, \\k4 ^,2. ^^ Contents' of the firfl Part, ufcd by the VcUgians^ p. 183. §. 23. Vclagius was the firft that e^- ver affirmed the bleffed Virgin- Mary to be hiilefs. p. 1 8 5. §. 24. What. Telarius ownM, and what he denied, and how he came off in the- Mecring at Jeritfalem^ and in the Synod' of Diofpolis. He was forced there to anathematize all thofe that fay mbaptiz^ed- Inf^.nrs may have tfcrnd Lifc^ p. 186. §. 2^. The C7rff;^ Fathers condemn Pt'-%z^;7//w as well as the L.nin. A Reflcdion on fome Sayings of Chryfofiom and Theodoretj p. 190. §. 25. St. Hicrom Paews that Pelagius mufc either own that the Baptifm of Infants is for Forgi^^enefs of Sins ^ or elfs he muft make two Sorts of Baptifm, one for Infants, and another for i^rown Perfons : Whereas the ConflantinGpolhan Creed had deter- min'd that ther^ is but one B^iptifm^ and that for the Forgivcnefs of Sins^p. 192. §. 27. Pf/^^/«i openly denies Original Sin, and explains^ what he had faid at Diofpolis in an equivocal Senfe,/?. i9T- §• ^8. Sy- nodical Epiftles from the Councils of Carthage and Milevis^ Anno 416'* to Pope Innocent againft Pelagius. And Innocejit\ Anfwer, p. 196',. §. 29. Felagins's Creed, which he fcnt to Innocent for his own Vindi- cation, recited at large *, wherein he owns that Baptifm is to be admi- nijlred to Infants with the fame Words at it is to elder Perfons^ p. 199. §. 30. His Letter fent at the fame Time ^ wherein he declares he ne- •ver heard any one Catholic or Senary deny Infants Baptifm^ p. 208. §..31. C«?- leftius's Creed, owning, that Infants are to be baptiz.ed for Forgivencfs of Stnsy according to the Rule of the univcrfai Church \ and yet maintaining,. that they have no Sin derived from Adam, p. 111. §.32. Pelagius aXfo was at laft brought to this Contradidion ^ That the Baptifm of In- fants is for Forgivenefs of Sins ^ and yet they have no Sin. How he endeavour'd to make Senfe of this, and then gave over Difputing,. p. 21 1. §.33. Pope Zofimus firll declares for Celeftius •, and fitting in Judicature, pronounces his Creed (wherein he denied Original Sin^ to be Catholic-, and afterwards condemns both him and his Do-- drin, and confelTes all Perfons to be under the Bond of Original Sirt till they be baptizM. His Letters pro & cofitra on this Subjejft,/?. 213^ §. 34. St. Aftfiins charitable Endeavor to flilve the Credit of Zofi- mus-, p. 216. §. 35. Cetefins pleads, that fo long as one gives Baptifm to Infants, the Qiieftion whether they have Original Sin, or not, is not a fundamental One ^ and a Miftake in that is no Herefie. St.. Au(iin holds the contrary, p. 217. §. ^6. How great Opportunities- PeUgius and Celeftius had, to know whether there were any Chriftians In the World that denied Infants Baptifm^ and how much it had heca their Intereft to mention 'em if there liad been any fuch, p. 218. §. 37. The fecond Canon of the Council of Carthage^ Anno 418, coa- demning the Pelagians who faid, Infants were to be baptiz'd for For- givenefs of Sin, and yet that they had no Original Sm^p. 2i9.§. 38. Ju- lian continues the Difpute with St. Auftin after Pelagius was con- dema'd-- He pretending tliat th€ Catholics had gone about to make the The Ctmtents of the fir jl Fart, is£\% the People Believe that he denied Baptifm to Infants, anathematizes any that deny it, /?. 222. §. 39. A new Device of Theodorus Bifliop of Md^fuefti'a^ to reconcile thefe two Things \ That Infants- are to be ba- ptized for Forgivenefs of Sin, and yet that they have none, 0. 224. §. 4c. The Tenets of the Sanl^cUgians concerning God's Decree about Infants obtaining Baptifm, viz.. v/hich fliall partake of it, and which not, p. 216, CHAP. XK. Out of St. Aultin and Vincentius Vidor, f. iij, YcaraC ^er the A- ■ §. I. The Time when Vincemms pu-blifli'd his new Hypotheff., p. 11 j. poitlcs §. 2. The Subftance of it, viz,. That unbaptiz'd Infants Ihouki be ad- 3i5» mitted to Paradife, tho' not to Heaven : with St. Aufliri's Anfwer, "^-""V^ p. 228. §. 3. He adds fomething more to it, viz. That they may pofllbly go to Heaven, but not till the Refurredion. St. Aifliin\ Anfwer. The Pradice of thofe Times in praying for the Dead, p. 230, §. 4. The Miftake of a late Writer in thinking that Fin^entiits denied Infants Baptifm, p. 1^1. §.5. Vincentius recants what he had written, f. 233. §. 5. A Claufe that in fome Copies is added to the fecond Canon of the Coiin'"il of Carthage^ Anno 41 S : and a Conjedure at the Reafon why forne Copies have this Claufe, and others- not, p. 233. CHAP. XXI. Irensus, Epiphanius, Philaftrius^, St. Auftin, and Theodoret, who wrote ^^ov^ tnc each of ''em Catalogs of all the SeHs of Chrijiians that they had heard of^ ^ *-'^," ^^' do none ^fem mention vny that denied Infants Baptifm, "P' 2.35. po^Ie^67*"' §. I. The Donattfis, Arians, Pelagians, and all Other Seds that St. ^/^v-v^ 'A/ifiin or Pelagius had heard or read of, if they were fuch as ufed any Baptifm at all, did nfe to give it to Infants,/?. 2^1 5. §. 2. The Seds recited by IrcnAm •, their monftrous Tenets about the Deity *, The Reafon of inferting that Claufe into the Creed, THE Maker of Hea- ven and Earth. What they held ilnguhr about Baptifm, p. 236". §. 3. Of fome Seds that baptiz'd People afrer rhey were dead, and others that baptiz'd a living Pcrloii in the !Na-ne of another that was dead : The various Interpretations given by the Ancients and Moderns of that Saying of St. Paul, Why are they then baptized for the Dead ? p. 239. §. 4. No Sed is faid to have had any DifTerence with the Church a- bout the baptizing of Infants^ but the Pelagians difler'd in their O- pinion about the Effeds of it in Infants, p. 242. §. 5. Of the Hie- racites, who held that no Infant can go to Heaven. They tliought i& unlawful to moiTy or get Children, p. 243- C H A E ^xl fhe Contents of the fir [I Part, CHAP. XXII. '^^o^'^i\^zContMmng References to the Booh of fame Authors of the next fucceedlng Year .if- ' ^i^^V' ^+5' poitles^' 'Th^y ^" ^^^ ^P^^^ ^^ ^"^^"^ Baptifm as a Thing taken for granted. ^oo, to A Story that will Ihamc our Merchants that take no Care of Inftru- 400! ctiag and Baptizing their iVfj-r(?(?i, /J. 248. C H A P. XXIII. Ye^r a(' Qiiotatiofjs out of fame Booh that are f^urious^ i. €. not written by thofe 'lertheA' whofe Names they hear •-, but yet are proved to be ancient j p. 249. ■poftleS ■ » . A^i -rr 1 . aoo. §• I- Out oi Clement % Conflitutions^ ordering Chriltians to baptize 's^Y^ their Infants; with fome Account of that Book, p. 249. §. 2. Out of the Ecclefiafiical Hierarchy of Dionyfms the Areopagite *, anfwering the Objections of the Heathens, who derided the Chriftians for ba- ptizing Infants, and for their Ufe of Godfathers, p. 251. §. 3. Out of the Queftions ad Orthodoxos afcrib'd to Jnjiin Martyr^ and the Que- (lions ad Antiochnm afcrib'd to Athanafms^ concerning the future State of Infants of the Heathens, and of the Infonts of Chriftia as dying uu- :l)apti2'd, j>. 255. THE XXXIi THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND PART. C H A P. I. Of fome other Pajfages which are by fome qnoted and pretended to be to thi-: fHrfofe^ but are nat, §.i.^^ O M E are ont of fpurious Books, lately forg'd, Page 259. ^^ §. 2. Some, nothing to the Purpofe, />. 160. % 3. Some wrefted i^J and alter'd, />. 262. §. 4. Some not the Author's own Words^ tut Conclufions unfairly drawn and fet down as the Author's Words, f. 16^. §. 5. Some abfolutely falfe : Inllances of each of thefe forfi of Quotations, />. 264. CHAP. IL The Opnions of modern learned Men concerning the ancient Praftice or Omif' fion of Pddobaptijm. §. I. They do almofl all conclude, that it was the general Pfaftice to baptize Infants : Some few think that this was not at all pradlis'd at the firft", and others, that it was at firft held to be indifferent, f. 255. §. 2. The Opinion of Walafi-idns Straho^ p. 266. §. 3. Of X«- dovicfts Vives., p. 267. §. 4. Of CnrcelUns^ p. 268, §, 5. Of Rigaltinsj p. 268. §. 6. Of Bifhop Jeremy Taylor. He himfelf aiifwer'd the Arguments he had brought in his Liberty of Prophecying againll the An- tiquity of Infant-Baptifm, /?. 270. §. 7. Of Dr. Barlow Bifhop of Lin- coln^ p. 273. §. 8. Of Bilitts and SdmafitSy p. 2*3. §. 9. Oi Hugo Crotius. He was the Author of the Opinion, That it was held in- difierent, />. 2n<,. §. 10. Bifhop Taylor alfo judges it to have been ac- counted indifferent, /?. 277. §. 1 1. Of Mr. Thorndyke, p. 278. §. 12. Of Mr. Daille, f. 278. §. 13. Of Mr. Baxter aad fome Remonftrants^ p. 279^ '^miu ??•'een baptiz'd himfelf, till a little l^efore his Death, when the youngelt of them was 8 Years old,/?. 295. St^. 4. Of Theodofius the First., p. 196. §. I. He was not baptiz'd rill after he was E-mperor, p. 29^. %. 2. His Father was not a baptiz'd Chriftian till he £the Son] was 25 Years old, p. 296. S^et. 5. Of St. Bafil,p. 29-: There is no Froof to the contrary-, but that he was baptized in Infancy. %. 1. The Quotations brought by I\fr. Danvers for his Baptifm at liis^ adult Age, are fome of 'em forg'd, others unfairly recited, p. 297. '§. 2. Amphilochius's Life of St. Bafil^ from whence this Story is fetch'd. Is a forg'd Piece, p. 298. §. 3- Naz.ianz,eny Nyjfen, arid Fph-aim Syrus^ writins Tke -Contents of the fecond Part. X\%((% •writing the Paflagcs of his Life, have no fuch thing, p. 298. §. 4. The fame Man that baptiz'd him, did afterward give him Ordination, p. 298. Sed. 6. Of St. Gregory Nazianzen, p. 299. He was not baptiz.'^d in Infancy^ tho* probably born of baptized Parents. §. I. An Account when he was baptiz'd, p. 199. §. 2. His Father was not a Chriltian till the Year 325, p. 300. §. 3. The old Account is, that the Son was born ^nno 300, which is contradided by Baroni- us^ p. 300. §. 4. Papebrochins refettles the old Account, and anfwers Baronius^ p. 301. §. 5. A Qiiotation out of Gregory himfejf, that he was born after that his Father was in Orders, p. 303. §. 6. Some other Reafons on each fide examinM, p. 303. §. 7. An Enquiry when, his Sifter Gorgonia and Brother C^tfarius were baptiz'd, p. 305. Sed. 7. Of Nedarius, p. 305. §. I . He was eleded Bifliop before he was baptiz'd, p, ^06. %, 1. There is not the leaft Pretence that his Parents were Chriftians, p. 307. Sed. 8. Of St. ChryroII:om,p. 307. His Parents were probably Heathens at the Time of his Birth* §. I. Ancient Hiftorians do fay they were, p. 307. §. 2. Grotius^ without giving any Reafon, affirms the contrary, p. 30?. §. 3. Proof out of Soz,omen^ that Chryfofiom himfelf was for Ibme Time a Heathen, f. 309. §• 4- Mr. dtt Pins Qiiotations on this Subjed examin'd, f. 310. Sed. 9- Of St. Ambrofe,p. 310. There is no Account of his Parents being Chriftians^ at the Time of hii Birth. §. I. He was chofen for Bifliop before he was baptiz^, p. 310." §. 2. There is no Proof that his Parents were Chriftians at the Time of his Birth, p. 311. §.3. There's very probable Proof from his own ■Words of the contrary, p. 312. Sz^. 10. There is no Proof to the contrary .^ hut that St. Hierom was baptized in Infancy, §. 1. Erafmus thought he was baptiz'd at Rome^ becanfe he fays he there took on him the Garment of Chrifl^ p. 312. §. 2. St. Hierom by that Phrafe means the Monk'' s Habit ^ p. 314. §. 3. Baronius'^s Reafon to the contrary confider'd, p. 315. §. 4. The Objedion taken from his Ordination, anfwer'd, p. 316. §. 5. The State of the Monritic Life at that Time, p. 318. §. 6. St. Hierom^s exceflive Value for it, t 319- d Scd- xxxl7. fheContOitsofthefecondFart Soft. II. Of St. Auftin, f. 3^0. His Father was a Heathen when he was born^ and a long Time after. %. I. He was thirty three Years old when he was bapti^'d, /?. 320. §. 2. His Father did not turn Chriftian till he [St. Juflin'] was 17 Years old, p. 320. §. 3. St. Au ft in was d, Adanichee^ and then a Deifl, before he was a Chriftian, p. 323. Se£t. 12. Of Monica, Adeodatus, Alipius, and fume others. They do none of ^em make Infianses to this fttrfofe. §. I. It is not known whether Monica were born of Chriftian Pa- rents, and baptiz'd in Infancy, or of Heathens, and baptiz'd at Years of Difcretion, p. 323. §. 2. St. Aiifiin was no Chrifuian when his Son Adeodatus was born : As foon as he was baptiz'd himfelf, he got his Son baptiz'd, p. 324. §. 3. Alipius was a Heathen firft, and then a Chriflian, p. 324. §. 4. A Refledion on Mr. DcUm^s Qiiotations a- gainfl Infant Baptifm, taken out of Danvers^ p. 86. p. 324. CHAP. IV. Of the Church of the ancient Britons : And of the Sc^s of the Kovatians and Donatifts, which are by fome thought to have been Antipitdobaptifis. u^d of the Arians, p. 32-6. §. I. Danversh Proof from Fabianh Chronicle, that 1 the ancient Bri- ions were againft Infant Baptifm, is grounded on the mifprinting of two or three Words in one Edition of that Book : The contrary prov'd, p. 316. §. 2. The Pretence that the N'ovatians and Donatifls denied Infants Baptifm, has no Proof: There is Proof to the contrary, p. 327. §. 3. The Arians call'd Anabaptifts : not that they difliked Infant Ba- ptifm, but becaufe they rebaptiz'd all that had been baptiz'd by the Catholics, p. 329. CHAP. V. Of ^ fome Heretics that dented all Water-baptifm : And of others that gave^ Baptifm fever al Times to the fame V erf on. The Difpnte tn the Catholic Chnrch about Rebaptiz.ing. Of the Paulianifts, whom the Nicen Fathers §rderd to be baptized anero-i if they would come into the Church. The Re- venge which the modern Paulianifts tale on thofe Fathers, by accufing them of Tritheifm. The Falfenefs of that Accufation, p. 330. §.i. The Valentinians, fome of 'em,'renounc'd all external Baptifm ; others profan'd it by their Alterations of the Form, &c. Their fe- veral Tenets concerning it out of Jren&us, p. 330- §• 2. QuintilU preach'd at Carthage in the fecond Century, that V/ater-Baptifm is needlefs ^ The Contents of the fecond Tart, X3CXV. iieedlefs^ Faith alone is enough, p. 332. §. 3. The Mankhtes held, that Baptifm in Water does no Body any Good, /?. 332. §. 4. The Mejfalians held the fame, being a diftradted fort of People. And fo did the Afcodryti-y Archontici^ and Seleucians or Hermians^ p. 332. §. 5. The Marcionites of old, and the Adufcovites of late, the only Perfons in the World that ever own'd formal Anabaptifm, or Re- baptization of the fame Perfon feveral Times, p. 334. §. 6. The Difpute among the Catholics, Whether Baptifm given by Heretics be valid, or muft be reiterated. Baptifm given in the right Form of Words, tho' by Heretics, adjudg'd valid, />. 335. §. 7. The Paidia- vifts excepted by the Council of Nice from the Number of Heretics that were to have this Privilege, /?. 335. §. 8. The modern VauUa' nifis do, in Revenge, accufe the Nicen and other Fathers of Tritheifm r And that they held not a Numerical, but only a Specifical, Unity of the Divine ElTence, p. ss. 338. §• n. And thofe they bring from Gregory Naz^ian- z,en^ p. 340. §. 12. The Herefles of Praxeas^ Noetns^ ana Sabeliitis on one lide ^ and Philoponus on the other ^ and the Way the Churchmen take to refute 'em ^ do plainly fliew that the Church held the Nu- merical Unity, f. 344. §. 13. St. Anfiin^ St. Hierom^ St. Amhrofe^ &c. do exprefs. fully the Numerical Unity of the Eilence : But thefe are blacken'd on other Accounts, />. 348. §. 14. The Mifchief brought on the Credit of Chriftian Religion, by vilifying the ancient Profef- fors of it, becaufe their Sayings cannot be brought to ferve a Turn, p. 348. p. S. St. Aitflin alfo in a late Piece is made a Tritheill. §. i S« St^ Hilary vindicated from the fame Imputation,/?. 350. C H A P. VI. The Opinio?]S of the A.:cients concerning the fiiture State of Infants^ and, other Perfons that happen cl to die unbaptizJd^p. 354* §. 1. They do all underftand that Rule af our Savior, John 3. 5. Except one be born again^ 8^ St. ^Hflin thinks it to be a very moderate one •," a State better than n^ Being at all. The Books in which the more rigid Opinion is held, are Fnlgentiush^ and not his,;. 365. §.,,6. The Opinions of the follow* ing Ages. Fulgsntins anno %oo\ ?0])^ Gregory, 600 -, Anfelm, 1000 •, do fpeak of their being tormented. The Schoolmen, ^«;?c» 1200, go o- ver to the Opinion of the Greek Church, That they fhall be in a middle State. The Council of Tr^^r were about to determin the O- pinion of their being tormented io be a Herefie, />. 358. §• 7- Some in the middle Age have conceived Hopes of fome unbaptiz'd Infants going to Heaven. Hincmarns RhemenjfiSj VVicklijf, the Lollards, Hitjfites^ &c. (and the Schoolmen for Infants dying in the Womb) and in the latter Times Caj^tan and Cap.nder, p. 370- §• 8. The Opinions of the Proteftants, Lutherans, Calvinijis, Church of England, Englijl) Presbyteri- ans, y4«f//>. 401. 4. 8. The Life of Peter Brms and Henry, the two firft Aa- tipsedobaptifl Preachers in the World, p. 404. d H A P. VIII. TTjc prefent State of this Controverfie. That all the National Churches in the World are P^dobaptifis. Of the Antip^» Chardin, who tra- veird in that Country. Of the Armenians^ Jacobites^ Maronites, Chri- Ibians of St. Thomas^^ &c. They do all baptize Infants, p. 408. §. 3. The two Sorts of Chriftians that are in Africa^ viz.. the Cophti and Abaffens^ do both of 'em baptize their Infants 40 Days after their Birth or Circumcifion. A Miftake in the Print of Mr. Thevenot concerning what he heard by the Relation of an Embaflador from the Abajfens^ That before the Jefuites came there, they did not ufe to baptize till 40 Years, putting Tears for Days, p. 413. §. 4. Of the Antip^doba- pti-fts in Germany, Anno 1 522. An Enquiry whether that Opinion was then fet up anew, or had been continued from the Time of the Pe- trobrnflans. A Letter written to Erafmus, Anno 1519, concerning the Pyghards, p. 414. §. 5. Of thofe in Holland and the Low-Countries ^ . their Infurredion at Amfleldam. Of Menno, and the prefent Minnifls ^ their Tenets, &c. p. 418. §. 6. Of the Englifli Antipxdobaptifts. Some Dutchmen in England, but no Englijlmien, of this Way in the Reigns of Henry VllI, Edward VI, Queen Mary, Qiieen Eliz.abeth. No confidcvable Number of Englifi till the Times of the Rebellion, p. 426'j The great Encouragement given 'em by Oliver Cromwell. Their greuc Encreafe at that Time. The prefent State of 'em. Their Tenets\oi.- t^rning, t. Separation 2. Immerfion. Their Reafons for the Necef- fity of it. The Woi^'b^ttI^j-o does not include Dipping in its Signl- fcation, p. 428. 3. Baptizing naked. 4. The Form of Baptifm. 5. The Flcfh. of Clirili. 6, The Amenmim. 7. Eating of Bloodi 8. Sleep;! xxxviil. "^^^^ Contents of the fccond Fart. 8. Sleep of the Soul. The Opinion of the Ancients concerning Hades^ and the State of Souls in it, p. 430. 9- Singing of Pfalms. 10. The 'Ufe of the Lord's Prayer. 1 1 . Extream Undion. 12. Way of Mar- riage. 13. Pofture in receiving the Lord's Supper. 14. The Satur- day Sabbath. 15. Confirmation, or laying on of Hands. 16. Prede- ftination. 17. Original Sin. 18. The Divinity of Chrift. 19. Their Difputes with the Quakers, 20. Their Church-Officers. 21. Their .Way of adjufting Diiferences in Mony-matters. 22. Church-Difci- plin againit fcandalous Members. 23. Of the Jefnites creeping in a- mong 'em. Bifhop Stilli?/gfieet'^s Sagacity in difcovering Hdlingham^ Cdeman^ and Benfon to have been Jefnltes. Of one Everard a Papift, who having got in Cromwell\ Tim^e a Commidion for a Troop of Horfe, fwt up for a Preacher againft Infant-Baptifm. All the Papifts do of late Years indufbrioully put it into their Books, That Infant -Ba^tifm cannot be f rev d from Scripture. The Weaknefs of foine late Antipsedo- baptiils in valuing themfelves on the Papifts thus fiding with 'em in the Difpute, p. 42 1 , &c. top. 460. §. 7. Of the Antipxdobaptifts in Po- land^ Hnngary^ Tranfylvania^ &c. Thofe that were formerly m T bland were moftiy Socinians ', and fo are they that are at prefent in Tranfylva- nia.y p. 460. CHAP. IX. The ancient Rites of Baptifm^ p- 46'2. ■§. I. The Adult ufed Prayer and Fafting before it, p. 462. §. 2. The ■ ordinary Way of Baptizing was by Immeriion •, but in Cafe of Sick- nefs, &c. they gave it by Affufion of Water on the Face. Some an- cient Proofs of this from a Letter of St. Cyprian. The Examples of No'vatian^ St. Lawrence^ BafiUdes^ the. Jaylor in Acls T(5, &c. An Ac- count of the Times when Immerfion was left off in the Latin Church : France was the firft Country in Chrifiendom that left it off j then' Italy^ Germany^ See and lalt of all, England •, not till the Time of Qiieen Elizabeth. The Diredfory forbids Dipping. The Church of England at the Reftoration re-eftabli(h'd it, in Cafe the Child be able to bear it. The Opinion of Mr. Mede^ Bifliop Taylor^ Mr. Rogers^ Sir Norton Knarchhuly Mr. Walker^ Dr. Tovoerfon^ Dr. Whithy^ Sir John Floyer.^ &c. tnat the general Ufe of it Ought to be reftord. All Nations of Chri- itians in the World, except thofe that are or have been under the Pope, do dip their Infants, if in Health, p. 462, to p. 479. §. 3. The ancient Chriftians baptized naked. The Care that was taken to pre- iervcthe Modefty of Women, p. 479. §. 4. The Head of the Baptiz'd was thrice put under Water •, once at the naming each Name of the holy Trinity, p. 480. §. 5. The Forehead was lign'd with the Sign of the Crofs, p. 483. §. 6, A Mixture of Mli|( and Honey given to •the nevi^-baptiz'd Pcrfon. A Qiiotation out of the Epiftle of Bar- ■ nnh^ to that Furpofe, p. 483, §. 7. The white Garment put on after Baptifm,' The Contents of the feccnd Part. xxxlx. Baptifm, p. 485. §. 8. Of the two Anointings ^ one with Oyl before the Baptifm •, the other with a rich Oyntment or Chrifm after Ba- ptifm, together with the laying on of Hands of the Bifhop, ;;. 485. §. p. The ProfefFions made at Baptifm, both of the Adult and Infants : And firft, the Promife of renouncing the Devil and all Wickednefs* p. 488. §. 10. The Profeffion of Faith : The Form of it at firft -^ only to fay, / believe in the Father^ and in the Son^ and in the holy Sbirit. It was afterwards made in the Words of the Creed that was in ufe m each Church. The Copies of the molt ancient Creeds are loft. The. Subftance of 'em colleded from Rules of Faith deliverd by jHJlin Martyr^ Jretidm^ Tertullian^ Origen^ Cyfrian^ &:c. p. 490. §. 11. The Nicen Creed the eldeft Copy of any public Creed that is extant. Ettfehins's Creed ^ the Creed of Alexander ^ of Arins ; of fome Arian. Councils at Antioch \ of Emomins. Julian the Apoftate's Applaufe of Vhotinus'% Belief : The Abhorrence exprelt by the Arians^ as well as Catholics, againft it. All the Catholic Chriftians of the Eaft ufed the Nicen Creed at Baptifm, />. 495. §. 12. The Conflantinopolitan Creed: What is added to the Nicen. Of the Senfe of thofe Words 2 Cor. 3. 17. ly.veiQ- to Wvzviia ss?, p. $^2. §. i^.T\{t Roman Creed 5 no Copy of it extant elder than the Year 400 : What Claufes have been added to it fince that Time : The Defcent into Hell, &c. And how it came to be call'd the ApofioHc Creed, or, the Apoflle's Creed, p. 504. §. 14. The baptifmal ProfefFions made twice by the Adult; but once in the Cafe of Infants. Infants never ordinarily baptiz'd without Godfathers making Profeffion in their Name, p. 509. §. 1 5. The Eiicharift given quickly after Baptifm ^ Always to the Adult, and ia fome Places and Ages of the Church, to Infants. Mr. Daille's Charge againft the Ancients for doing this, examin'd. No Proof of its being given to mere Infants till after the Year 400. The Miftake of thofe that fay St. Attfiin calls it an Apoftolical Tradition, f. 5 1 1. §. i5. This Cuftom continued in the Church of Rome from 400 to 1000. It was then dropt on Account of the Dodrin of Tranfubftantiation coming up. The contrary Determinations of Pope Innocent and Pope Pins -. about the Neceffity of it. The Greeks in later Times took it from the Latins ^ and not being difturb'd by the Dodrin of Tranfub- ftantiation, do pradife it Itill, p. 515. §. 17. The Argument of the Antip^dobaptifts againft any Regard to be given to the Pradice of the Ancients in other Matters, becaufe they were in an Error in this Matter, propos'd and confider'd,p. 517. CHAP. X. AfummingHp of the Evidence that has here been given onboth Sides^^. 519; . §. T. Evidence for Infants Baptifm, p. 519. §.2. Evidence againft Infants Baptifm, p. 524. §. 3. Evidence that feems to make againft Infant Baptifm, but does not reallv, p- 527. C H A P. xl The Contents of the fecond /*wn unto '«w ths Weighthiefs of the Take of the Law^ and the Toil tktt is in the doing thereof^ ahoie that which Peo^Le of other Lands have : To fee if they will go bach. If they take it upon them^ and -withdraw not, and they fee that they come of Love \ then they receive Vw, &c. Therefore the Judges received no Trofelyte all the Days of David and Solomon. Not in David'j Days^ lefi they fhould have come of Fear : Nor in Solomon'^, lefl they Jlwuld have come becanfe of the Kingdom and great Tro- fperity which Ifrael then had. For who/a comes from the Heathens for any T'hing of the Vanities of this World^ he is no righteous Frofelyte. Not" withflanding there were mofiy Profelytes that in DavidV and SolomonV Time joi>:ed themf elves in the Pre fence of private Perfons ^ and the fudges of the great Synedrion had a Care of ''em. They draw \m not away^ after they were baptizSd.y out of any Place : Neither took they ''em near to thcrd^ until their jifter-frnits 'appeared. Maimonides gives at the fame Place an Account of feveral Circiim- ftances of Time, PJace, &c. obferved in this Adion of baptizing a Profelyte. As that, They baptiz.ed not a Profelyte on the Sabbath^ nor on a Holy-^Day^ nor by Night., &c. They do it in a Confluence of Waterr^ &"c. u4(foon as he grows whole of the Wound of Circumcifon^ they bring him to Baptifm : And being placed in the Water., they again inflruci him^ &c. Andf fueh a- Confluence of Waters, Jonathan''^ Chaldee Paraphrafe determines ought not to be lefs than 40 of the Meafures caRed Sata^ where he paraphrafes on Lxod. 19. Lev. 1 1. and other Places. The Talmud fays the fame thing of receiving Profelytes by Baptifm t only whereas Maimonides fpeaks of the Number of Three, as neceflary to be prefent at the baptizing \ tha Talmud Baby Ionic does not infift on any more than two grave Men. Talmud. Babylon. Majf. Jevamoth^ fol. 47. When a Trofelyte is received., he mufh be circumcifed : And then when he it cured Cof the Wound of Circumcifion^ they bapti.z,e him in the Prefence. of two wife Men.., f^y'^^g '1 Behold he is aji Ifraelite m all Things. Or tf it be a Woman ^ the Women lead her to the Waters^ &C. But the Talmud Mierofol. Jevamoth lays as Maimonides doe% that a Trofelyte hai need, of Three (b). And direfts the other Circumftances. as he does, viz.. They do not baptize a Profelyte by Night (/). And, They were not baptized tilt the Pain of Circumcifion were healed (d). And the fame continues to this Day to be the Pradice of the pre- fent Jews. For fo Leo Modena in his Hiftory of them, Pt. 5. CH. 2. fpeaking of a Profelyte's Admiffion ^ They take and circumcife him :■ and as foon as he is well of his Sore, he is to waft himfelf all over in Wa^ ter : and this is to be done in the Prefence o/r/;rff Rabbins, &C. And f^ ftom thenceforth, he becomej oia nAtural Jew. The. (b) Fol. 46. z, (e) fol. 46. 2. (d) Fol. 41,2= Jews ^apthed Profelytes, XiV'*. The Books do fpeak of this Wafhing, or Baptifm, as ablolutely neceflary *, and an Ordinance without which none was to be counted^ a Profelyte. So Gemara Babylon, ad tit. Cherltjjoth^ c. 2. The Profelytes enter d not into Covenanty hut by Circumcijion., BaMiftn.^ and ffrinkling of Blood. And Tit. Jabimoth^ c. 4. //(? is no Profelyte unlefs he be circnmcifed and baptiz,ed. And, If he ^e not baptiz^ed ^ he remains a Gentile Qo^^ Pagan]]. And there is in that Chapter a Proof given of that Opinion of the Neceflity, which I fhall have Occafion by and by to mention. Maimonides {"ays the fame Thing,, as. we faw in the Chapter I quo- ted before (ej. Alfo the Talmud. Tract. Reptdii., fpeaking of Jethroy Mofes^s Father- in-law. J-fe was made a Profelyte by Circnmcifton and Immerfion in Waters'. This Cudom of the Jews continued after Chrift's Time, and after their Expulfion from the Holy Land ; and continues (as I Ihew'd front Leo Modena) to this Day, if there be any that now a-days do turit- Profelytes to their Religion. Wherever they fojourned \ if they found any of that Country that chofe to be of their Religion, they would not admit him, unlefs he would firft be waflied or baptized by them.. And fome heathen Writers do exprefs a great deal of Scorn and Difdain at this their valuing themfelves upon their own Purity ia comparifoa with other Nations. So Arrianns^ a Philolbpher at Romc^ (about the Year of Chrifl 147) jeers (f) thofe that turn'd ProjR^lytes to the Jews, calling them ^i^ctixi^ivni^ dipt : and defcribes their Cuftom to be, that when a Man is fo dipt by them, then he is accounted ntS evTi UJ'ctiQ-y a right Jew : and calls one that is a Counterfeit Pro- felyte to them, OT£5t^itT775rtV, one that puts an Abufe upon their Ceremony of Baptifin. This folemn Baptizing of Profelytes differed from the reft of their divers Baptifms (which St. PW, Heh. 9. 10. fays were cuftomary a- mong the Jews) in this •, that thofe others were upon new Occalions of Uncleannefs, &c. many Times repeated : but this was never givenv but once to one Perfon. It was called (as Dr. Light foot fhews (g), Ra-^ ptifm for Profelytifm^ diftincl from Baptifm for Vncleannefs. §. 2. It is not very material to our Purpofe to inquire upon what Reafons or Autorities this Cuflom of the Jews of baptizing all Pro- felytes was graunded. AH that is material, is to know that they had Time out of Mind fuch a Cuftom. And for that, the Sayings of their own Writers here produced are a fufficient Evidence. Yet I Ihall fpend a few Words in (hewing how they prove the Neceflity of this Waih- ing, or Baptizing, from Mofes\ Lav/. They; (e) iruriBia,c. 13. (f) Differt. in Epide:. 1, 2. c, 9. (g; Hor.Hcb, on Mat. 3. $, -xjvi. Jews lapt'iz^ profelytes. They talie notice that Mofes Nnmb. 15. 15. orders thus, One Ordi- nance full be both for yon of the Congregation^ and alfo for the Stranger [^or Profelyte] that fojoams with yon. An Ordinance for ever in your Generations : As you are^ fo jhall the Stranger be before the Lord. One Law and one Manner fljall be for yon and for the Stranger^ &c. Now they reckon that the Jfraelites themielves were at their entring into Covenant with God at the Time of their receiving the Law in Mount ■ Sinai^ all of 'em wafhed or baptized. So they underftand thofe Words, Exod. 19. 10. And the Lord faid unto Mofes j Go unto all the People and fandifie them to Day and to Morrow., and let ''em wajh their Clothes^ and be ready againfi the third Day : and the third Day the Lord will come .down, &c. They underftand the Meaning of that Command by which Mofes was to fandifie the People on thofe two Days, to be the Wafh- ing of 'em : and fo that Word, to fanclifie^ does commonly fignifie in the Jewifh Law (as feveral Writers have fhewn by many Inftances, and I alio do in this Book (h) give fome) efpecially when 'tis fpoken of a Man fandifying other Men. And Adaimonides^ Mickvaath. it. More Nebochim. Ft. 3. c. 33. fays ^ This is a Rule ^ that wherefoever in the Law the Wajlnng of the Body or Garments is mention d^ it means ftill the Wafinng of the whole Body. And the fame is affirmed •, Gemara, Babyl. Tit. Jabimath-, c. 4. FoL 4.6, And fo Aben Ez^ra, on that Place of Scripture (i) where Jacob being to meet with God at Bethel, faid to his Houfhold j Be clean, and change your Garments ^ underltands the wafinng of their Bodies. And Selden (k) fhews by the Expofitions which the Jewifh Commentators give on Levit. 11. 25, 28, 40. Levit, 14. 8, 47. Numb. 19. 10, 21. Numb. 31. 24. and feveral other Texts where wafhing of Garments is mention'd, that they always underfland walhing of the whole Body. And for the like underftanding of the "for^faid Place in E.vod. 19. 10. quotes Mechilta. Nachmanid. R. Bechai. Mofes Mihtfi, &:c. That they gave this (Baptifm of the Jews, and the Command for Profelytes to be as the Jews were) as a Proof that Profelytes muft be baptiz'd, appears by the Words of Maimonides in the place be- fore quoted. For he firfl fays thus ^ By three Things did Ifrael enter .into Covenant, by Circumcifion, and Baptifm, and Sacrifice. Circumcifioa rvas in ^gypt, as it is written ; no uncircumcifed (1) Perfon fiiall eat thereof, &c. Baptifm was in the Wildernefs juji before the giving of the Law J as it is written (m) ', fandifie them to Day and to Morrow, .and let them wafh their Clothes. And facrifice : as it is faid (n). And die fent young Men of the Sons of Ifrael which ofier'd Burnt-ojferings, &c. And (h) Pt. I. CH.XI.'§. II. (i) Geno3 5- 2^. (k) De Synedr.i. i.e. 3. (1) Exod. 12.' ^8. Cn:i) Exod. 19. 10. (n) Exod, 24. 5, Jews hapttzd Profelytes. And then he adds that which I recited before concerning Profelytes ^ And fo in all Ages when an Ethnic is voUUng^ &c. he muft be circumcifed^ and baptiz.ed, and bring a Sacrifice : As it is written \ As you are, fo fhall the Stranger be, &c. And fo fays the Talmud. TraSl. Refud. Ifrael does not enter into Covenant but by thefe three Things., by Cir- cumcifion., Ba^tifm., and Peace Offering : And the Trofelytes in like man-' ner. And again, ad Tit. Cherithoth, c. 2. As you are fo jhall the Stranger be. As yon are, that is ^ as was dorie to your Fathers. And what was done to them ? Tour Fathers did not enter into Covenant but by Circumcifion., and Ba^tifm^ and Sprinkling of Blood, So neither do Trofelytes enter into Covenant^ but by Circumcifion^ and Ba- ftifnty and Sprinkling of Blood. And Rabbi Solomon, in loc. Onr Rabhies teach that cur Fathers enter d into Covenant by Circumcifion^ and. Ba^ifm^ and Sprinkling of Bloody &:c. The ancient Chriftians, efpecially fuch of 'em as liv'd in Places ■where they could have Converfe with the learned Jews, and might learn from them the Meaning of the Hebrew Phrafes ufed in the Old Teftament, do alfo fpeak of this Baptifm of the Jews. r So Gregory Naz.ianz.en., Orat. 39. fhewing the Preference of the Chri - Itian Baptifm before the Jewifh, fays, e/^'xtt?!^ M9ihtt from Jeiv}j7f ^ Why (f) haptiz^eft than then^ if thou he not that Chrift, nor Elias ? &C. fignj- fying that if he had been the Chrift or Elias ^ they Ihould not have "wondcr'd at his baptizing of jews. The lame Thing is to be faid of that Tenet of the Jews, that the Marit Children of a Pvofelyte, born to him before his Baptifm, are to bebaptk^d •, but not the Children born to him after his Baptifm, nor any 'of their Poftcrity in any fiicceeding Generations, they being now look'd on as natural Jews. This, I fav, does not affeft the QiieRion of Chriftian Paidobaptifm. - Becaufethat Privilege which the Jew had, or fappofcd himfelf to liave, above other People^ is as to the Chriftian Difpenfation abolifh'd : and becaufe botli the Pxdobaptifts and Antipxdobaptifts are agreed that irH- Perfons do now need Baptifm •, as well thofe that are born of ba- ptized, as thofe that are born of nnbaptized Parents : our Savior ha- ving fatisfied Nicodemns (ft) that that which is horn of the Flefi (whether of a Jewifh or Gentile, baptized or unbaptized Parent) is FleJJj j and ?hifft be born again. The Antipasdobaptifts are fatisfied of this. The only Queftion is, 3t what Age they nuilt be baptized. Kow the Practice of the Jews before an Jin our Savior's Time was •, that all Perfons whom they ba- ptized at all, they baptiz'd in Infancy, if they had, as I faid, the Power OY PoflefHon of 'em in Infancy. And in this Matter our Savior gave rid Direftion for any Alteration. He took (as Dr. Lightfoot (e) fays) ^nio his Hands Baptifm fitch as he found it : adding only this, that he ex- alted it to a nobler Purpofe and to a larger Vfe. Some Socinians indeed would have the Ufe of Baptifm to be aboliflf d in all Chriftian Nations, whci-e the Body of the People has once been generally baptiz'd : and do fay of Chriftian Baptifm, as the Jews did of theirs ; that the Baptifm of the Forefathers is fufFxient for them and all their Pofterity. This Reafon againft the Continuance of Ba- ptifm, which was never thought a Reafon by any Chriftians before^ Socinns gave about i 50 Years ago ^ Water Baptifm ff ) feems unnecejfar^ for thofe that are born of Chriftians^ and do imitate their Parents in the rProfclfionofChriflianity. 'It matters not whether fuch be baptized or not. And if they be, 'tis all one whether it he at their adult Age or in Infancy* Which Opinion, or one more againft Baptifm, the Quakers have fince taken up. But the Antipasdobaptifts do hold it necellary, as I faid, for eve- ry particular Perfon, and not only for a Nation at the firft planting ■of Chriftianity. And 'tis cafieto guefs what it was that fwayed Socinus into the 0- ther Opinion : viz.. his Delire of abolifhing the Dodrin of the Trinity : which it was hard to accomplifti fo long as Perfons were -continually ^baptiz'd into that Faith. There (c) John r. 25. (d) John 3. 6j 7. (e) Hor. Hebr. in Mac. 3. 6, {/) Epift. tic ba- iPjilhio., apudVoifiiim de Baptifmo Difp. 13. to Chr'iflUn P<£dohapt}fM. \i^^ There ne\'er was any Age (at leaft fince Abraham) in which the Chil- dren, whether of Jews or Profelytes, that were admitted into Cove- nant, had not fome Badge or Sign ot fuch their Admiflion. The male Children of Abraham's Race were enterM by Gircnmcifion. The whole Body of the Jews, Men, Women, and Children, were in Mofes\ Time baptiz'd. After which the male Children of Profelytes, that were enter'd with their Parents, were (as well as their Parents) admitted by Circnmcifion, Baptifm, and a Sacrifice: the, female- Children by Baptifm and a Sacrifice. The male Children of the na- tural Jews, and fuch male Children of Profelytes as were born after .their Parents Baptifm, by Circnmcifion and a Sacrifice : and the female .Children by a Sacrifice offered for them by the Head of the Family. Kow after that Circnmcifion and Sacrifice were to be abolifh'd, there was nothing left but Baptifm,. or Wafhing, for ^ Sign of the. Covenant and of profeflTing Fvcligion. This our Savior took "(probably as being the eafieft and the leaft Operofe of all the reft •, and as being com- mon to both Sexes, making no Difference of Male or Female) and ia- join'd it (^) to all that jJiodd enter mo the Kingdom of God, And Stj. Paul does plainly intimate to the Cclojfians^ ah. l. v. ii, 12. that it ferved them inftead of Circnmcifion : calling it, the CinumGifion ofChrift ; or Chrifiian Circmnclfion. The Baptifm indeed of the Nations by the Apoftles ought" to be regulated by the Praftice of "John and of 'Chrifl himfelf (who by the Hands of his Difciples baptized many Jews) rather than by any pre- -ceding Cuftom of the Jewilh Nation •, if we had any good Ground to feelieve that they did in the Cafe of Infants differ, or alter any thing from the ufual Way. But we have no kind of Proof that they made .any fuch Alteration. The Commilfion which our Savior gave-to his .Difciples to baptize in the Country of Jud^a during his Abode with them, is not at all fet down, as I faid. And what 'John did in this Particular, we have no Means left to know, but by obferving what •was done before and after. There is no exprefs Mention indeed of any Children baptized by him. But to thofe that confider the Commonnefs of the Thing (which 1 have here fnewn) for People that came to be baptiz'd to bring their Children along with 'em, that is no more a Caufe to think that he baptiz'd no Children, than one's minding that in the Hiftory of the Old Teftament there is fometimcs 500 Years together without the Mention of any, Child circumcis'd, is a Caufe to think that none were circumcis'd all that while. And whereas 'tis faid of the Multitudes that came to Jo/w, that they were baptiz'd by him, confej[mg their Sws (which Confeflion can be underftood only of the grown Perfons) That is no more than would be faid m the Cafe of a Minifter of the Church (s)John 3.3., -Chnrch of England (yN\\\c\i I put before) going and converting a hea- 'then Nation. For in a Ihort Account which lliould be fent of his Succefs, it would be faid that Multitudes came, and were ^baptiz'd confejfwg their Sins : and there would need no Mention of their bring- ing their Children with 'em: becaufe the converting of the grown Ferfons was the principal and moll difficult Thing, and it would be fuppcs'd that they brought their Children of Courfe. I fliall at CH. XIIL of this my Colledlion, fhew that St. Amyroft docs take it for granted that Jo^;z muft have baptiz'd Infants as well as •others: for 'he does by wav of Allufion make a Comparifon between Ebas and him:, and fpeaks ot Elioi's turning the Waters of J(jrdan back toward the Spring-head, as a Type of that Baptifm of Infants by St. John^ by which they were reformed Irom their natural corrupt State» back again to the primitive Innocence of Nature. And St. Ambrofe does not there ftand to prove that any Infants were baptiz'd by him : tut fpeaks of it as of a Thing commonly fo underftood by all Chri- llians. And fo Dr. Lightfoot fays on this Account (Jo): I don't believej the People that flocked to John'j Baptifm were fo forgetful of the Manner and Cuftom of the Nation^ as not to bring their little Children along "with them to be baptized. And the fame Man, wlio was mofl excellently skill'd in the Books -and Cuftoms of the Jews, lays at another Place ^ CO If Baptifm and ■.haptiz,in/r Infants had been a new Things and unheard of till John Baptift •€ame^ as Circumcifion was till God appointed it to Abraham ^ there would have beeny no doubt ^ as exprefs Command for baptiz^ing Infants^ as there was for eircumcifing ''cm. But when the baptidng of Infants was a Thing com- -tnonly known and ufed^ as appears by unconte^ahle Evidence from their Writers *, there need not be exprefs Affertions that fuch and fuch Perfons were to be the ObjeEi of Baptifm : when it was as well known, before the •Cofpel began, that Men, Women, and Children were baptized., as it is to i>^ known that the Sun is «/>, when, &c. And he deduces the Argument with great Evidence in this Fafhion(^); ' The whole Nation knew well enough that Infants were wont to «• be baptiz'd. There was no need of a Precept for that which was al- * ways fettled by common ufe. Suppofe there fliould at this Time come ^ out a Proclamation in thefe Words ^ Every one on the Lord's-Day fiall ' repair to the public AJfemhly in the Chnrch. That Man would dote, * who Ihould in Times to come conclude that there were no Prayers, * Sermons, Pfalms, &c. in the public Aflemblies on the Lord's-day, *• for this Reafon, becaufe there was no Mention of 'em in this Pro- ^ clamation. For the Proclamation order'd the keeping of the Lord's- ^ Day in the public Aflemblies in general : and there was no need ^ that Mention ihould be made of the particular kinds of Divine Wor- Ihip .(/?) Hor. Hebr. on Mac. 3. {i) Haimony on John i. 25. (^ Hor. Heb. on Mar. 3. Jewtpj Baptifm. Ivll. <= fhip there to be ufed ^ fince they were both before and at the Time ' of the faid Proclamation known to every Body, and in common Ufc. * Juft fo the Cafe flood as to Baptifm. Chrifl order'd it to be for ' a Sacrament of the New Teftament, by which all Ihould be ad- * mitted to the Profeffion of the Gofpel, as they were formerly to ^ Profelytifm in the Jews Religion. The particular Circuraftances * of it, as, the Manner of Baptizing, the Age of receiving it, which ^ Sex was capable of it, &c. had no need of being regulated or fet ^ down, becaufe they were known to every Body by common Ufage. 'It was therefore necelTary on the other fide, that there fhould * have been an exprefs and plain Order that Infants and little Chil- * dren fhould not be baptiz'd, if our Savior had meant that they ' IhSuld not. For fince it was ordinary in all Ages before, to have *■ Infants baptized ^ if Chrifl would have had that Ufage to be abolifh'd, * he would have exprefly forbidden it. So that his and the Scriptures ' Silence in this Matter does confirm and ellablifh Infant Baptifm for ' ever. §. 6. Fourthly, Another Thing obfervable about the Jewifh Ba^ ptifm of Profelytes, is this j that they called fuch an one's Baptifm his JVerv-blrthf Regeneration^ or, being born again- This was a very ufual Phrafe of the Jews. Gemara. tit. jevamoth. c. 4. fol. 61. i. If any one become a Profelyte ^ He is like a Child new born, Adaimonides. IJf. Bia. c. 14. §. 11. The Gentile that is made a Profelyte j and the Slave that is made free ." Behold^ he is like a Child new born. The Rabbles do much enlarge on this Privilege of a Profelyte's being put into a new State, and putting off all his former Relations : Thofe that were a kin to him before, are now no longer fo •, but he is jufl as if he were born of a new Mother, as the Talmud often exprelTes it. And 'twas probably from the much Talk that they made on this Sub- jed, that Tacitus the Roman Hillorian f who liv'd in the Apoflles TimeJ drew the Notion he had of the Jews Pradice in initiating Profelytes. The firfl Thing yfiys he, (/) that they teach 'ew, is^ to defpife the Gods^ Ewhich they worfliipp'd before] to renounce their Country: Par^ntes, libcros, fratres, vilia habere, to make no Account of their Parous. Chil- dren^ or Kindred. And fome do think that St. Paul alludes to this Notion, when he fays, I Cor. $. i5, 17. Henceforth know we no Man after the Flep^ &:c. Jf any one be in Chrifl^ he is a new Creature. Old Things are pajfed away^ &c. And St. Peter^ when he calls the Chriflians, new bom Babes. The Talmudical Doftors do indeed carry on this Metaphor of the new Birth too far in all Rcafon : they determin that it is no Incefl for fuch an one to marry any of his nearelt Kindred •, becaufe upon g . ^'s (/JHift.l. 5.C. 5.~"' ^"~" ^''~^' Iviii. Jewtjh Baptifm^ ft tied a new Birth. bis being new born all former Relations do ceafe *, fo that if he marry his own Mother, he does not fin. But letting pafs the vain and abfurd Confequences which they drew from this figurative Speech, 'tis abundantly evident that the common Phrafe of the Jews was to call the Baptifm of a Profelyte, his Rege- neration^ or new Birth. And the Chriftians did in all ancient Times continue the XJ^q of this Name for Baptifm : fo as that they never ufe the Word D*ege- nerate^l or Cborn again^ but that they mean or denote by it Baptifm. Of which I fhall produce no Proof here, becaufe almofl all the Q_uo- tations which I fhall bring in this Book, will be Inftances of it. Now the Knowledge of this makes thofe Words of our Savior to Nicodemiis in the '^d Chapter of St. John to be much more intelligible to us ^ where he tells him, that Except any one be born again^ he cannot fee the Kingdom of God. He ufed that which was then the ordinary Phrafe. All that was new in that Saying of our Savior, was this \ the Jews knew, that any Gentile that would enter the Kingdom of God, muft be born agiin : but our Savior alllires Nicodemiis^ tint e- 'Very one^ Jew or Gentile, mult be fo born. And when Nicodemus did not apprehend his Meaning, but took the Words in a proper Senfe ^ our Savior fpeaks plainer, and fays, that every one mitfi be bom of Water, &c. wondring at the fame time that he, being a Mafter in Ifrael^ had not understood him. This puts it beyond all doubt that our Savior is to be underltood there of Baptifm (of which fome People, fince the Difufe of the Word \jegenerated^ or born again~} for ^baptized] have made a Doubt) and alfo guides us into a ready Conception of the Senfe of thofe Say- ings of the ancient Chriltian \Vriters where they ufe the Word •, and of St. Paul for one, when he mentions the IVajlnng of Regeneration (m). Therc"are fome other^more plain and grofs Miftakes made by forne Men in the Underltanding of thofe Words of our Savior to Nicodemm : As, that of thofe who being able to read none but the Englijh Tran- flation, where 'tis worded •, Except a Man be born again^ Sec. do con- ceive that they concern only grown Men. And that of thofe who tell lis, that by the Kingdom of God in that Text is meant, not the Kingdom of Glory, but fomething elfe. The Abfurdity of which Miftakes will be occafionally Ihewn in the following Colleftion of the Sayings of the eldeft Chriftians,, who do very frequently quote this Text. §. 7. It may be ufeful to illuftrate the Point in hand, if we do here inftitute a Parallel between the Jewifh aiid the Chriftian Baptifm, and the Modes and Circumftances ufed in each : by which it will more plainly appear that St. John^ and our Savior, and the Apoftles and primitive Chriftians had an Eye to the Jewiih Baptifm in many of the Rites and Circumftances which they ufed at the Adminiftration of the C^/OTic. 3.5. A Parallel let ween Jeivi/h and Chriflian Bapttfm. X\yi the Chriftian Baptifm. As all agree they had to the Jewifh Paflover in the ordering of the other Sacrament. 1. As there was a Stipulation made by the whole People of the Jews juft before their Baptifm. Exod. ip- S-lf you will keep my Covenant^ &:c. The People anfwering, ver. 8. ^11 that the Lord h^ ffoken we will do^ dec. And Mofcs returned the Words of the People to the Lord^ &c. And the Lord faid, ver. lo. Go and fan^ifie Vw», and let \m wajh their Clothes Hi. e. their whole Bodies^]. And as the Jews did accordingly afterwards require of any that were to be profelyted or enter'd as Difciples to their Religion, a Stipulation to renounce Idolatry, &c, Maimottid. Iff. Bia. c. 13. §. 14, 15. And to believe in Jehovah. ^ So the Chriftians requir'd a like Sort of Stipulation of all whom they baptized : And being taught, that all Idolatry is ojfering to De- vils J they exprefs'd it, Renouncing the Devil and all his Worh^ &c. And to believe in the Trinity. From whence it is probably, that St. Teter^ i £/>. 3. 2 1. calls Baptifm emfw';:;^^' the Interrogation or Stipu- lation of a good Confcience. 2. As the Jews^ tho' the Perfon to be baptiz'd had before made this ProfelTion, yet interrogated him again as he flood in the Water : as appears by the Words of Malmonides^ quoted §. i. So the Chriftians requir'd of all adult Perfons that were to be ba- ptized, that befide the Profeffion made before in the Congregation, they fhould anfwer to each Interrogatory of it over again, when they were going into the Water : as I ihew Vt. 2. CH. IX. §.13. 3. As the Jews baptized the Infant Children of fuch Profelytes as delir'd that their Children Ihould be enter'd into Covenant with the true God. So I have, thro' all the firft Part of this Work, given the Hiftory of what the Chrifiians did in refped of the Infant Children of Chriftian Profelytes. And I believe all impartial Readers of it will conclude that they did the fame. 4. As the Jews requir'd that for an Infant Profelyte either his Father or elfe the Confiftory for Church^j of the Place, or at leaft three grave Perfons, Ihould anfwer, or undertake at his Baptifm (AnA they re- quir'd the like at Circumcifion, as Buxtorf'm his Synag. Jnd, has fully Ihcwn ^ and is not by any denied). So the Chrifiians (as I Ihall Ihew at Pf . 2. CH. IX. §. 13.; did the fame : putting the feveral Interrogatories of the Creed, and of the Renunciations, and requiring the Child's Anfwer by his Parents, or other Sponfors. 5. As fuch a Profelyte of the Jews^ when baptiz'd, v/as faid to be horn again. So our Savior, and the Apoftles, and primitive Chriftians gave the fame Term to Chriflian Baptifm. As appears John 3. 3, 5. Tit. 3. 5. and in almoft all the Pallages of this my Colledion. ^ 6. The Jews told fuch a Profelyte, that he vvas now taken out of his unclean State, and put into a State of Sanflity or HoUnefs, IJf. Bia. c, 14. §.14. g 2 So i3f^ A Parallel hetween Jewi/h, So the Scriptures of the Mew Teftament do_ call the baptized Chri- ftians^ the Saints, the Holy, the SnnUified in Chrift Jefits \ and fay, that the Church of them is fanSlified with the Wajhing of Water, Sec. Rom. 1. 7. I Cor. I. 2. it. 7. 14. Efh. 5. 25. And it will appear by ma-> ny Qiiotations which I fhall produce from the ancient Chrifiians, that there is nothing more common with them than to call Baptifm by the Name of SanUification, and to fay ffanaified^ or Qholy^ inftead of Cbaptized^], and to give to Perfons, while they continued unbaptized, the Name of [unclean]. 7. The Jews declared the baptized Profelyte to be now under the Wings of the Divine Ma jefty, or Shechinah, Iff. Bia. c. 13. §. 4. This was more vifibly made good to the new baptized Chriftians^ by palpable Signs and Effeds of the Holy Spirit coming on 'em. And as the Laying on of the Hands of an ApoHle was iu the primitive Church imployed to procure this (or of a Bifliop as the Supream Pa- llor when the Apoftles were dead, for obtaining the more ordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit) So there is good Reafon to believe that the Jews had before ufed this Ceremony of Laying on of Hands on this Occafion : for it was a thing ufed by them on almoft all Occafions that werefolemn. 8. TheP^/cWSeafon is known to have been the molt folemnTime both with the Jews and Chrifiians for admitting Profelytes or Difciples by Ba- ptifm. The Jews did then baptize all the Profelytes that were ready, for this Reafon ; that they might be admitted to partake of the Pafrover and Sacrifices. The Chriftians obferv'd the fame Time for a like Reafon. 9. In the Jews Time, fome Gentiles were abfolute Idolaters -, fome came nearer to the Jews Religion, believing their God to be the true God, and were called Profelytes of the Gate. And of thefe laft fome, who deelar'd their Defire to be circumcis'd and baptiz'd and fubmit to the whole Law, were Cfor fome time before their Circumciflon and Baptifm j diftinguifli'd from the reft. So in the firft Preachings of Chriftianity in heathen Places fome flighted it. Some gave fo much Regard to it, as to hear at leaft what the Chriftians preach'd ', and were called Andientes. Some beginning to approve it, fubmitted to a Courfe of Catechifing, and were called Catechumens. And of thefe, fuch as delir'd Baptifm and were now fit for it, were called Competentes. Now. both under the Jewiflj and Chrifiian Difpenfition, thele Men as they ftood in the faid different Degrees of Preparation to Baptifm, had different Places, and Liberties of Accefs , both among the Jews to their Temple and Synagogs, and among the Chriftians to their Churches and public Offices : as is largely fliewn from Jewifh and Chriftian An- tiquities by the Author fwhom I mentioned before) of the Difcourfe concerning Lent. And thofe Degrees of preparatory Admifllondid fo refemble one a- Hother, that 'tis plain that the firft Chriftians fmitated the Jews in the Steps that they made towards admitting a Profelyte to Baptifm. 'Tis ami Chrifiian Baptifm. Jxj, 'Tis true, that fometimes a Perfon was convincM, converted, and believed, and was baptized, all in a ihort Time. As the Eunuch, the Jaylor, &c. But this was extraordinary: and the ordinary Courfe was as I have faid. lo. There were fome other Cuftoms conftantly us'd by the molt ancient Chriftians at and after the Baptizing of any Perfon, which (fince they are not mention'd in any Command of our Savior or the Apoflles recorded in the New Teftament) one might wonder from whence they had 'em. As namely, 1. When they baptiz'd any one, whether Infant or Adult, they thought it not enough to put him once into the Water : but as his Body was in the Water, they put his Head alfo three Times into the Water ; fo that his whole Body was three fever al Times under Water. This was the ordinary Way Cbut with an Exception of lick, weakly Perfons, &€.) as I fiiew Ft. 2. CH. IX. §. 2, & 4. 2. And after he came out of the Water, they gave him to tall, a Portion of Milk and Honey mix''d together. 3. And alfo they then anointed him with a Sort of precious Ointment.' The firft Chriftians were too plain Men to invent thefe Things of themfelves. And yet they were univerfally ufed. The Books of the fecond Century do fpeak of 'em as Cufboms ufed Time out ojf Mind^ and of which they knew no Beginning. The Heretics alfo of the fame Time us'd 'em .• as I fhew in Ft. 2I CH. IX. §. 6. it. 8. So that the Beginning of 'em muit have been from a Principle univerfally received. And this could not probably come but from fuch like Culloms ufec[ by the Jews at their baptizing of a Profelyte. The Author whom i laft mention'd, (hews the Probability of this for the two lalt : viz^. the. Anointings and the Milk and Honey : One a Ceremony much ufed by the Jews (and probably the Jewifh Profelyte was anointed with the Blood of his own Sacrifice that he offer'd). The other, the Emblem of the Holy Land, to the Enjoyment whereof he was now entitled^ And for the firft of the three, viz,, the trine Immerfion ; another Per^ fon very learned in Jewifh Cuftoms afTures me that their Way of Wafh^- ing any Perfon or any Thing, that was by their Law to have a 7>- villah, or folemn Wafhing, was to do it three Times over : So that a Veflel that was to be wafh'd, was drav/n three Times thro' Water^ And Mr. Selden fays («j, It muft be the fame Qumtity of Water as that Tpherctn a Profelyte -was baftizjd. Whence 'tis probable that they gave the Profelyte a trine Immerfion ^ and that the Chriftians by their Ex- ample did the like. §. 8. I fhall conclude this Introdudory Difcoiirfe with obrerving- \vhat a weak Attempt that is, which Sir Norton Knatchbnl has made to difprove this Cuftom of the Jews, to baptize Profelytes ^ and how un- like to the reft of his Annotations on the Kew Teftament, which are de- fer vedly (w) De SynedfyJ. i. c, 3. %ii. Jemip? Baptifm of ■ fefTcdly valued. That learned Gentleman feenis to have had fome Difguft; againft Dr. Hammond^ and to have endcavor'd to oppofe him in feveral of his Criticifms and Obfervations. Such a prejudic'd En- deavor does often lead Men from a true Judgment of Things into a Vein of Cavilling. The Dr. (but not he alone, but with him all that ever had any Skill in the jewifh Learning) had fpoke of this Cuftom of giving Baptifm to Profelytes : and he had produced, among other Proofs of it, a Quotation out of the Gemara (which I purpofely o- ; mitted before, becaufe it muft be fct down here). Sr. Norton picks out (o) one Claufe of that Quotation, which taken by it felf might feem to make for his purpofe : which is, that Rahhi Ellez.er had faid, .of one that was circumcis'd^ and not baptizdj that he was a Profelyte, Kow fee the Qiiotation at large. Geipara. tit. jevamoth. c. 4. Of him that was circumcis^dj and not bapiz^d^ Rabbi Eliezer faid^ that ^e was a Vrofelyte. Becaitfe^ faid he^ we find of our Fathers ^Abraham, Jfaac, &c.~\ that they were circHmcis''d^ but not ba^ti^Cd. And of him that woi baptiz,''d and not circumcised^ Rabbi Jofhua faid tihat he was a Profelyte. Becaufe^ faid he, we find of our Mothers, that they were haftiz^d, and not circnmcis d. But the wife Men pronounced, that till he were both baptized and circnm* jgis^d he was not a Vrofelyte. The Queftion here was not whether Profelytes oitght, or were wont, to be baptized : but whether one that had negleded it, or by fome Chance had mifs'd of it, could be counted for a Profelyte. And the like Queftion w^as made of one that had mifs'd of Circumcifion. And Eliezerh maintaining that one might poflibly without Baptifm go for a Profelyte, is no more an Argument that Profelytes were not ufually haptiz,^d, than Jojhua^ maintaining that one might without Circumci- lion go for a Profelyte, is an Argument that Profelytes were not ufu- ally circnmcis'' d. So far is that from being a good Conclufion which Sr« Norton there draws from Eliez.er''s Words, viz.. that he did ex- ^refiy deny this Baptifm. On the contrary, the Tenor of the Difcourfe iliews that it had been taken for granted and agreed, that a Profe- lyte ought of right to have both Circumcifion and Baptifm : only Jo- Jhua had a favorable Opinion againft the abfolnte Keceflity of the firft, as Eliez.er had of the later (and both of 'em were alfo declared lin- gular in fuch their Opinions) fo that upon the whole this Qiiotation does prove that which Sr. Norton Knatchbid hrought it to difprove. I give an Account in the 20th Chapter of this Book, how one ^/»- dentins ViBor maintained a Difpute againft St. Auflin, that a Child dying unbaptized might yet poflibly be Partaker of all that Meafure of Glory which is promised to Chriftians. From whence a certain late Antipiedobaptift- rais'd an Argument that Vincentius held that Children ,(oJ Annot. on 1 Pet, 3. 21.. Profelytes vht^kated, fxiiL Children were not to be baptiz'd. Whereas Flncentlpu^s Words do, as I there fliew, fufficiently prove, that he knew that Children ought of right to have Baptifm : only he puts the Cafe of a Child that had mifs'd of it. This Argument drawn from £/z>ier's Words to prove that Profelytes were not wont to be baptiz'd, runs on the fame Foot, and is as weak as that. 'Tis certainly one thing to fay, A Perfon tho' not baptizM might be accounted a Profelyte: Or, A Child dying nnbaptized may be faved : and another very different thing to fay, that either one or the other were not wont, or ought not, to be ba- ptized. So that 'tis hard to guefs what Mr. Stemet thinks he has gain'd to his Caufe by quoting fo largely this Difcourfe of Sr. Norton Knatchhnl in his late Book (p). Some Objeftions Mr. Stemet [adds there of his own, to overthrow this Argument taken from the Jewifh Baptifm : As that. If the Jews praftifed Baptifm to initiate Profelytes ^ it muf have been an Invention of their own : for no fuch Initiation is commanded in the Law of God> But I. He may fee that they quoted Texts in the Law of God for what they did in this Matter. And 2. Putting the Cafe that they miftook the Senfe of thofe Texts : yet when they had upon that Autority eftablifh'd a Pradice of bapti- zing Profelytes and their Children •, and that Pradice had now con- tinued for many Ages : if our Savior had meant that his Apoftles in baptizing Profelytes of the Nations Ihould have alter'd that Praftice \ we have all the Reafon in the World to think that he would have forewarn'd 'em of it. And fince he did not*, we have Reafon to think that the Jews were not miftaken in what they did. Suppofe our Savior had order'd his Apoltles to require the Nati- ons to keep the Fealls. If he had meant that they Ihould not keep the Feafr of the Dedication (v/hkh had no Divine Inftitution, but yet being become Cuftomary was obferv'd by all the Jews and even by Chrill himfelf) as well as the Paflbver and the reft (which had been commanded in the Lav/J he v/ouli doubtlefs in that Cafe have ex- cepted that. And there is the fame Reafon in the Cafe before us. But that which Mr. Stennct there fays in a challenging Manner to Mr. Ruffen (who had mentioned this Praftice of the Jews') Where does he find that the Jews always did and do fli/l baptize Infants ^ and that^ to initiate ''em into the Myfttries of Religion ? is tOO fecurely fpoken. He may fee here, as in a Specimen, but much more largely in the Books of Sclden^ Lightfoot^ &c. to which I have here referred, that they bring full Proofs of the ancient Praftice of the Jews in this Matter. And that the Jews do ftill continue fo to do, there is no other Qiieftion ; than as it is a Qjiellion whether any Profelytes do now a-days either come over themfelves, or bring their Children to be at all initiated in. their Religion : For the Books that order the initiating of Infants by B."- ptifm, arc fuch as the prefent Jews do own for Orthodox and Authentic. Sir {p) Anfwer to liiijjfcn, ch, 4. ■Ixlv, Jewtjh Bapttfnt of^ ^cl Sir Norton Knatchbtdhzs one Argument, which I wonder much at him for ufing, and at the other for borrowing it of him : becaufe it had been •very rommonly anfwer'd long before he ufed it. Which is*, that if bapti- sing of Profelytes had been in ordinary and familiar Ufc with the Jews ; the Pharifees would not have faid to John ^ Why baptiz,efi thou then^ ifthoH he not the Chrift, nor Elias ? &c. Ifjohi had been then baptizing of Gentile Profelytes, and had notba- ptiz'd the natural Jews ^ the Pharifees would not at all have wonder'd to fee converted Gentiles baptized. Tho' the Office of doing even that, was probably not accounted lawful for any but fuch as had a Commif- Jdon from the Sanedrim ^ which John^ we fuppofe, had not: And therefore they might even in that Cafe have examined by what Autority he did it. But the Cafe here was quite otherwife. The Multitudes \si\iomjohn ba- .ptiz'd, w^re moftly (if not all) natural Jews. And the Pharifees and o- iher Jews (knowing that their own Kation was not to have any other Ba- jjtifm than what they had already, till the Chrifh fhould come, or £lia,s hh Forerunner) look'd upon this Pradice to be in efTed the fetting him- felf up for the Chrifi-, or at leaft for Elias (as he was indeed that (q) FMas Cor Forerunner^] rvhich was for to come) and therefore it was that they fent Priefis and Levites from Jerufalem to ask him ^ Who art thou ? And that all Men mufed in their Hearts concerning him^ whether he were the Chrifi or not^ Luke 3 . 15. Ainfworth^ Lifhtfoot^ Hammond^ and every one that has Occadon, do Jhew the Eafinefs of folving this Doubt. The firft of thefe, having large- ly ihewn how common and known a Cuftom this Baptifm of Profelytes was, adds at the End of it (r), Herenpn Baptifm was nothing firange to the Jews when John the B apt ifi began his Minijlryj Mat. 3. 5. 6. They made Quefiion of his Perfon that did it : but not of the Thing it fclf^ John 1.25. And 'tis plain that their Qjieftions put to John do naturally import no other. They do not ask him •, What meanefl than ? or. What wouldfh thoH fgnife to us by this new Ceremony of BaptizJng ? Kor any Qiieftion like that. But, Who art thou? And when he confefled, John i. 20. lam -not the ChriJf. They fay. What then ? Art thou Elias ? &:c. and when he iaid, I am not : (meaning that he was not Elias in that proper Senfe that they dreamt of: For they exptjfted that very fame Perfon that had been •carried to Heaven) they ask'd farther ^ M^ho art thou? What fafft thou ef thy felf ? Why haptiz,cft thou then (meaning the Nation of the Jews) if thou be not the Chrift, nor Elias ? &c. All this has nothing in it to evince the contrary but that the Jews themfelves did ufe before to baptize fuch Heathens as came over to them. And indeed fuch a pompous Recital of Argum.ents that have been long ago commonly anfwer'd, may ferve to amufe fuch as have not read the Anfwers : but it is not fair nor ingenuous Dealing for any learned Men to ufe 'em for that purpofe. It brings on the World that great Inconvenience of being forc'd in Books to fay Pro and Coritra the l^me Things over and over again. THE (j) Mat, II. 14. (rj On Gen. 17, 12. "THE HISTORY O F INFANT BAPTISM. PART I. CHAP. I. ■Rotations out of Clemens Romanus and Hermas. in the ■' Afoftles Time, Clemens Romanus Epifl. i, ad Corinthios^ cap. 17. ^,1. V ' T I Jt >Lj 'ckX IrJ3 StTW yiy^Trlcti^ TaJ.3 »f c/VV^/^ i^ ^^fMu-rlQ-^ * ^gain of Job it u thus written^ That he was juft and blamelefs, true, one ^'*'*^ < that tcaredGod, and efchewed Evil. Tet he condemns himftlf ^ and fays ^ There """ « is none free from Pollution: no, not tho' his Life be but of the Length of * one Day Thefe Words of Job are quoted from ch. 14, ver. 4. where the Englijh Tranflation is \ Who can bring a clean thing out of an nnckan ? not one. But IE the Greek Tranllation made by the Septuagint^ which was in ufe in the Times of our Savior and the Apoftles, they are as Clement here renders 'em : and they are accordingly fo read by all the primitive Chriftians. And yon will fee in the following Quotations, that they often from rhence con- '^ elude the Neceffity of Baptifm for the Forgivenefs of Sins, even of a Child that is but a Day old. And in the next Chapcer he brings in, to the fame Piirpofe, the Saying of J)avid,^^al. 51. j. B Ibid Ky'Y^ ^ St. Hermasi Chap. I In the Afinoles Jhid. Cap. 58. rev iv the Truth. Hear therefore why the Tower is * built on the Waters. Becaufe your Life is faved, and fhall be faved by * Water. By this is denoted, that Baptifm with Water is appointed the Sacrament of Salvation to fuch as are faved : which Meaning will more plainly appear by the Import of the Paflage following. Her mas Taflor I. 3. SimiUtud. 9. cap. 16. He is there relating a Vifion of the fame Import as the other ^ the building of the Church reprefented by the building of a Tower, wherein all things are lhew*d and explained to him by an Angel. He fees fome Stones put into this Building that were drawn up from the Deep ^ and o- thers that were taken from the Surface of the Earth : the firit denoting Perfons already Dead ^ the other, Perfons yet Alive. Of thofe drawn up from the Deep, he faw firft 10 Stones, which filled one Range of Building next the Foundation : then 25 more, then 35 more, then 40 more. And afterward in the Explication of the Vifion, he asks the Angel- ' Lapides vero illi, Domine, qui de profundo in ftruftura aptati funt, ! qui funt ? Decern, inquit, qui in fundamentis collocati funt, primum fe- " ' culum Chap. T. 5"^. Hermas. ^ culum efl: : Sequentes viglntl qulnq; fecundum feculum eft juftorum viro- In the rum. Illi autem triginta quinq^ Prophets Domini ac Miniftri funt. Qua- Aroftles draginta vero, Apoftoli & Dodores funt prsedicationis Filij Dei. Quare,Time^^ inquam, de profundo hi lapides afcenderunt, &: pofiti funt in ftrufturam ^"'»^ tuvris hujus, cum jampridem portaverint Spiritus juftos? Necefle eft, in- quit, ut per aquam habeant afcendere, ut requiefcant : non poterant enim aliter in rcgnnm Dei intrare, quam ut deponerent mortalitatem prioris vitse. IIU igitur defunfti llgillo Filij Dei fignati funt, & intraverunt in regnum Dei. Antequam enim accipiat homo nomen Filij Dei, morti deftinatus eft : at ubi accipit illud figillum, liberatur a morte & traditur vkx. Illud autem figillum aquaz^^'m quam defcendunt homines morti ob- ligati, afcendunt vero vitse affignati. Et illis igitur praedicatum eft illud figillum, & ufi funt eo ut intrarent in regnum Dei. ' Et dixi J- Qiiare ergo, Domine, illi quadraginta lapides afcenderunt cum illis de profundo, jam liabentes illud figillum? & dixit, Qiioniam hi Apo- ftoli & Doftores qui pr^gdicaverunt nomen Filij Dei, cum habentes fidem ejus & Poteftatem defundi eifent, pr;£dicaverunt his qui ante obierunt : & ipfi eis dederunt illud fignum. Defcenderunt igitur in aquam cum illis, & icerum afcenderunt. Sed hi vivi defcenderunt : at illi qui fuerunt ante defundti, mortui quidem defcenderunt, fed vivi afcenderunt. Per hos igitur vitam receperunt & cognoverunt Filium Dei : ideoq; afcenderunt cum eis, & convenerunt in ftruduram turris. Nee circumcili, fed intc- gri aedificati funt, quoniam sequitate pleni cum fumma caftitate defundi funt: fed tantummodo hoc figillum defuerat eis. Habes horum Expla- nationem. * Bur, Sir, What are thofe Stones that were taken out of the Deep | and fitted into the Building? I ' The Ten, fdid he, which were laid in the Foundation, are the firft Age: the next ly, the fecond Age, of righteous Men. The next 35", are the Prophets and Minifters of the Lord: and the 40, are the Apo- ftles and Teachers of the Preaching of the Son of God. Why, faid f. Did thefe Stones come up out of the Deep to be placed in the build- ing of this Tower, fince they had the juft Spirits before? Qviz. ofjujiice^ Temferance^ Chajiity^ &C. which he had mentioned before.'} ' It was necefiary, faid he, for them to come up by [or thrd^'] Water^ that they might be at reft ^ for they could not otherwife enter into the Kingdom of God, thrin by putting off the Mortality of their former Life : They therefore, after they were dead, were fealed with the Seal of the Son of God, and fo enter'd into the Kingdom of God. For be- fore any one receives the Name of the Son of God, he is liable to Death : But when he receives that Seal, he is deliver'd from Death, and is afligncd to Life. Now that Seal is V/ater, into which Perfons go down liable to Death, but come out of it afllgned to Life. For which Reafon to thefe | alfo was this Seal preached ; and they made ufe of ic that they might enter into the Kingdom of God. ' And I faid. Why then. Sir, did thofe 40 Stones which had already that Seal J com.e up with 'em out of the Deep ? B 2 'He ^^ St Hermasi Chap, t In the *He anfwer'd, Becaufe thefe Apoftles and Teachers that preached the Apoftles ' Name of the Son of God, dying after they had received his Faith and Time, t Power, preached to them that were dead before, and gave to 'em this ^•^"^^ * Seal. For that Reafon they went down into the Water with 'em, and I ' came up again. But thefe laft were alive before they went down : but * they that died formerly, went down dead, but came up again alive. So * that it was by the means of thefe, that they received Life, and knew ' the Son of God : and accordingly they came up with them, and fitted ' in the building of the Tower. And they were not hewed, but put in ' whole, becR^fe they died in great Purity, being full of Righteoufnefs : « Only this Seal was wanting to 'em. So you have the Meaning of thefe * things. " §. 3. When he fays, that the Seal of the Son of Cod is mctfffy^ for their tntring tnto the Klngtlom of God ^ and that that Seal is Water^ it is plainly an E^prenion of that Sentence or Definition of our Savior, which St. John did aftervcard put into writing in thefe Words, i) Except a Man (fo 'tis in the Englijh^ but the Original is, eaV (^ 77?, except one, or except my Perfon) he born of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the King- dom of God. I fay, afterward \ becaufe this Book was written before ^t. John wrote his Gofpel, as I (hall (hew. And tho' Herman here fpeik of the Apoftles indefinitely, as being dead •, it is to be underftood of the major Part of 'em : for St. } ohn was not dead. §. 4. The Paflage it felf, which reprefents the Patriarchs and Prophets of the Old Teftament to Hand in need of Baptifm, and of the Apoftles preaching the Name of Chrift to 'em after they were dead, before they could be capable of entring the Kingdom of God, does indeed feem ftrange to us, and is the oddeft Palfage in all the Book. But we muft confider it is reprefented by way of Vifion, where every thing is not to be taken in a proper Scnfe : Yet Clemens ^kxandrinns^ who Jiv'd about 100 Years after this Book v^'as written, (2) cites this Paflage, and takes it for real Matter of fad. And thofe Texts, i Pet. 3. 19. & 4. 6. which fpeak of the Gofpel being preached to them that were dead^ tho' they be now by moft Proteltants underftood in another Senfe, were by moft of the (3) Ancients underftood in a Senfe like to this. This Pafl^age does alfo lead one to think anew of St. Paurs mention- ing a Pradice of fome Men in thofe Times being (4) baptized for the dead. A thing that has never yet been agreed on in what Senfe it is to be underftood. Of the Explications that are, I give fome Account ( j; here- after. There is, if we compare this Pafl^ige with thofe Sayings of the Apoftles, fomething like, and fomething unlike. St. Peter mentioning the Gofpel f reached to the Dead^ ( if he be fo to be underftood; makes it to be done by jefns Chrifi himfelf in or by the Spirit: which Hermas reprefents as done by (i)John3. 5. (zjStrom. 6. (3) Iren. J. 5. c. 31. Clem. Alex- Strom. 6. Origen, c. Cell. 1. 2. Tertul. de Anima c 7. U) 1 Cor. 1 5. 29. (5) Ch. xxi. §. 3. Chapi T. St. Hermas. "^ by the Apofllcs after they were dead; and (6) Clemens \Alex. by both: In the for he makes Chrifl: to have preached to the deceafcd juft Men of the^^poftles Jewifli Nation ^ and the Apoftles to the deceafed heathen Men. St P^«/Time. fpeaks of fome Perfons baptized for the dead ^ but Hermas in the way of ^^^^''^ Vifion reprefents the dead themfelves that died under the Old Tcflamenr, to be baptized in the Name of Chrift. And (7) Origcn fpeaks much to the fame pnrpofe as Herman. But whether thefe were true Vifions, or only the Author's Senfe given under fuch a Reprefentation, ftill the Scope of the Place is to reprefent the Neceffity of Water-Baptifm to Salvation, or to Entrance into the King- dom of God, in the Opinion of the then Chriftians, /. e. the Chriftian? of the Apoftles Times. Since even they that were dead before the Inftitu- tion of Biaptifm in the Name of ChriH, are in way of Vifion reprefented. as uncapable of the Kingdom of God without it. Hermas Taflor I. 5. Smil. 9. c. 19. §. 5. He having there fpoken of Martyrs, ConfefTors, and fome other- Degrees of Chriflians, comes to fpeak of a fort of Harmlefs People, repre- fented there by the white Color, who have always been as little Chil- dren : and adds thefe Words. ' Quicunq^ ergo permanferint ficut infantes, non habentes malitiam, ho- ' noratiores erunt omnibus illis quos jam dixi. Omnes enim Infantes ho- * norati funt apud Dominum, & primi habentur. * Whofoever therefore (hall continue as Infants, without Malice, fhall be 1 * more honourable than all thofe of whom I have yet fpoken. For all In- / * fants are valued by the Lord, and efteemed firll of all. This being to the fame effed as our Savior's embracing Infants, and fay- ing, Of fuch is the Kingdom of Gody is one of the Reafons ufed to prove that they are fit to be admitted into the Covenant of God's Grace and Love- by Baptifm. And whereas the Antipxdobaptifts expound our Savior's Words, not of Children themfelves, but of Men that are of an innocent • Temper, like Children : not only that is affirmed here, but it is moreover- faid of the Infants themfelves, that they are greatly valued and efteemed of God. §. 6. Thefe Books of Clement and Hermoi^ when, after they had in the ignorant Age Iain hid and unminded, they came again into the Hands of learned Men, were at firft queftioned, whether they were thegenuin Pieces of thofe Authors, and the fame that 8) Euftbius teftifies to have been reckon'd ' by many for books of Holy Scripture, and to have been read in many Churches accordingly. But after that fo many Quotations of 'em by the Ancients have been examin'd, and found to be verbatim the fame, there is no longer doubt of that Matter. They were accounted divinely infpired • | by fome, but rejeded from that Rank by others. They may therefore very ' well pafs for the two apocryphal Booh of the New Tef^ament., as Toi^itj &c. are (6) Loc. citat. (7) Horn, in Luc. 14. (8) Eccl. Hift. 1. 3- c. ?, 5c 16. 6 Clement apiJ Hermas. Chap. T. In the are of the Old: and fo they are reckon'd by (9) EufchtHS^ (10) RufinMS^ Apoftles &c. The greater Commendation is due to the Pains of Dr. Wah^ for Tjmc. putting them and fome other of the moft ancient Pieces into the Hands ^"^"^^'"^ of the Englijlj Reader : and the more prepollerous is the Humor of many, that prefer the reading of modern Things before 'em. §. 7. I faid that thefe Books were written before St. John wrote his Gof- pel which may be made appear thus : St. John lived to 68 Years after our Savior's Pafllon, viz.. to the Year of Chrift loi. as is attefted by St. Hierom, who fays it in (11) two places, and in one of 'em fays •, that the Church Hiflories do moft plainly Jl^ew it. And it is certain he cannot be miftaken confiderably, becaufe Iren^ns^ who often recounts how greedily he had in tiis younger Years heard Polycarp difcourfe of St. John and his Affairs, and of the Conferences he had had with him, fays in C12) fev.eral Places, r^^t St. John continued to the Times of Trajan : and the Year of Chrift loi. is but the 3d Year of Trajan. And it is agreed by all, that he wrote his Gofpel but a very little before his Death. 'Tis true indeed, that St. John feems, chap. 5.2. to fpeak of Jerufalem as if it were then ftanding. But many learned Men underlland thefs Words, There is at Jerufalem, &c. that is^ in the place where Jerufalem was^ or in the Ruines ^ as if one had faid, during the Ruines of London., there is in Cheapfide a Conduit. The Current Tradition is, that he wrote it upon his Return to Ephefiu, after that violent Perfecution of Chriitians in the 14?^ Year of Domitian^ u^nno Dom. 94, remembred by all Writers. In that Perfecution St. John was banifh'd into the Ifland Fatmos, (13) /or the Word of God., and for tU Tefiimonj of Jefas Chrif; : where he had that Villon or Revelation which he has publifh'd, which Ircnam fhews to have been in the latter End of Do- mitian\ Reign, in thefe Words, C h) W'e will not run the Hazard of af- ffirming any thing fojitlvely., concerning the Name of .^ntichrifi Qfignified by the Number 6661^ for if it had been expedient to be publijlied plainly at prefent., i^ VPodd h^.ve been expreji by him himfelf that fan? the f^ifton : fince it is not ver^ long ago that it was feen j being but a little before our Time., at the latter end (T ;vDomitian's Reign. f Domitian dying, Anno 96. and Nerva a mild Prince fucceeding, the Prifoners and banifhed Men were releafed : and St. fohn returned to Ephefm..^ where, as (i j) hen^m and (j6) AthanafimXzSUx'^.t.^ he wrote his Gofpel. And St. Hierom mentions the Occalion of it •, (17) He^ lafl of all the refi, wrote his Gofpel., being entreated fo to do by the Bijhops 0/ Alia, againfi Cerinthus and other Heretics., and efpecially the then new-jprnng-up Opinion of the Ebionites, voho affirm., That Chrifi had no Being before Mary, for which Reafon he thought it needful to difcourfe concerning his Divine Nativity alfo. And this is, as to the main, confirmed out of Iren^m himfelf^ for he fays (18) that he wrote if at Ephefus : and, that (19) he aim'd thereby to extirpate the Error which had (9)EccL Hift, 1. 3.C. 3, & 16. (ro) In Symbolum. (11) de fcripc. Eccl. 8cl. i. contra Jovinian. (i2)1.2.c. 39. & ]. 3. c. 3. (igJRev. 1.9. (14)1.5.0.30. (i 5) 1. 3. c. i-e (16} in Synopfi. (17J dc fcript. Eccl. v. Joan. (18) 1. 3. c. i. (id) I. 3. c. 1 1. Chap. I. Clement ajiJ tiermas- y-. had been [owed in the Minds of Men by Cerinthus. Thefe things are reported In the by fuch Men as had the Opportunity of eafily knowing the Truth in fuch^-PoftJes Matters of Fadl. Time. Now for the Age of thefe Books of Clement and Hermas^ one need only ^"^^VT^' enquire for the Time of Ckmenth Death : for Hermas wrote his while C/e- mer.t was living and Bifhop of the Church at Rome^ and (20) mentions him therein as fuch. And tho' the Time of Clement's Death be not fo exactly to be difcover'd from the Ancients, but that they that have gone about to fettle it have varied ^ and fome from others 20 Years : yet they that have plac'd it the lateft, have placed it as foon as St. ^ohnh Death is placed by thofe that have placed that the fooneflj i-iz.. j4nno loi. for in givinp . that Date of St. Johnh Death, I gave the earlieft that is pitch'd upon. St, Chryfojlom and the Chronicon jikxandr. make him live fome Years longer. The Two that of late have made the moll exad Difquifition about the Time of St. Clement^ are Bp. Tear [on and Mr. Dodwell. (21) Bp. Pearfon having found by undeniable Proofs than the Times of Hyginus Bp. of Rome are fet too low in the Chronological Tables by 1 5 or 20, or fas fomeWriters place him) 30 Years, and that he muft have cnter'd upon his Office j^nno 122 at the lateft, does proportionably fet all the foregoing Bifhops higher: and fb he has made St. Clement come into the Bifhoprick immediately after the Death of St. Teter and St. Panl^ which he places, Anno 68 : (3 j Years after our Savior's Paffionj and to continue alive till the Year 83. And he fup- pofes Linus and Anencletns^ who are commonly placed before St. Clement to have been no otherwife Bilhops there than as they aded under the faid Apoftles in their Life-time. (22; Mr. Dodwdl judges that after the faid Apoftle's Death, which he. places Anno 64, Linns was Bifhop, and after him yinemletHs, But that they botb died in a very ihort time, about a Year •, and that Clement fuceeded Anno 6f, and continued to 81. By either of thefe Accounts, Clement was dead . a great while before St. John had wrote any of his Books. §. 8. But there is a Paflage in IrenAtus ('whofe Authority every one owns to be in this Matter beyond Compare) wherein the Time of elements Sue- ceflion, and the Diftance thereof from the Time of thofe Apoftles, is pur- pofely infifted on : and that tho' it mention not the Years ^ yet as it fup- pofes his Entry on that Office, to be nigher St. Peter and St. Paul's TimCj than fome had placed it ^ fo it will by no means fuffer him to be placed fo early, as to fucceed within a Year or two after their Death. It is /. 3. c. 3. where he is confuting that Plea of the P^alentmians^ ( Heretics thae held that there is another God, fuperior to him that created the World) whereby they pretended to have this Dodtrine by Tradition from the A- poitles \ who would not write it, nor tell it to every Body, but to fome more perfed Difciples, by whofe Hands it came to them. The Words are thefe. (zo) L. r. vif. 2. (n) Pearfoni opera pofthuma Chronolog- Diflert, 2, (22) Differ^ tatio ling, de Succeff. Rom, Pont.c. ii, i2,,&c, " 8 •In the A~>oftles Clement and Hermas. Chap. f. ^ It is eafie for any one that would be puided by Truth, to know the ' Tradition of the A pollles, declared in all tbe World. And we are able ' to reckon up thofe that were placed Bifhops by the Apoftles in the feve* ' ral Churches, and their Succefibrs to this time •, who never taught nor * knew any fuch thing as thefe Men dream of. Now the Apoftles, if they * had known of any deep Myfteries which they would communicate to ^ thofe that were perfedt privately and by themfelves, would have taught ' 'em to thofe Men fooner than any, to whom they committed the Churches : ' For they defired that fuch fhould be very perfed: in every thing, and want- * ing in nothing, whom they left as their Succefibrs, delivering to them * their own Place of Government. Since if thefe Men did well, there would * enfue great Advantage ; but if they mifcarried, great Mifchief. ' But it being a long Bufincfs in fuch a Book as this to reckon up the *Succe(rions of ^// the Churches: if we (hew the Tradition left by the A- * poftles, and the Faith taught the Chriftians derived by Succefllons of Bi- ' fhops to our Time, in that Church which is one of the gr^ateft and molt ancient, and known to every body, founded and built by the two moft glorious Apoftles, Tenr and Paul-^ we fhall ftianie all thofe who by Self- conceit or Vain-glory, or by Ignorance, and miftaken Opinion, hold Things that they ought not. For every Church, I me^in the Chriftians of all Places round about, have necelTary Occa lions ^o come to this Church, by reafon that the Government and Power is there : {mean' ing the Seat of the Empire"} and fo in this Church the Tiudition of the Apoftles is always preferved by means of thofe that from all Places re- fort thither. * The bleffed Apoftles then having founded and built this Church, de- liver'd over to Lint^s the Office of the Biftioprick. This Lims Paul men- tions m his (2;) Epiftles to Timothy. 'The next to him is ^-nendetns, « After him, in the third place from the Apoftles, Clement -comz^ into the Biihopricii, who had both feen the bleficd Apoftles and conferred with them, and had the Preaching, and Tradition of the Apoftles as yet found- ing in his £ars^ and that, not he alone ^ for there were many then left alive who had been perfonally taught by the Apoftles. It was under this Clement that a great Diflenlion happening among the Brethren that were at Corinth^ the Church that was at Rome fent a moft powerful Ei iftle to the Corinthians^ perfwading 'em to Peace, ftirring up their Faith a-new, and declaring to them the Tradition which they had lately received from the Apoftles: which teaches, that there is but one God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Creator of Man, &c. — And that the fame God is declared by the Churches to be the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift^ whofo will may fee, ex ipjQ Scriptar^^ by that Scripture £or Writing!] k felf, and miy underftand the Apoft^lical Tradition of the Church .- For that Epiftle is older than they ate that now teach thefe falfe Do- ctrines, and invent another God above the Creator and Maker of the ' Things (13) 2 Tim. 4. 2i< Chap. 1. Clement and Hermasi 9 ' Things that are feen. He proceeds to Name the Bifhops from Clcrr.m I" the to Eleiitherm, who was then Bifhop, the 12th from the Apoilles : and to'^'^<^^» appeal to the Church of Smyrm which had had Poiycarp : and to the Church "JV^^^ oiEfhtfi'j which bad had St. ]ohi To lately living among 'em \ and that none ^^ - of thefe had taught or pretended to know of any of thofe fecret Tradi- tions that thefe Men fet up. Now when it was for his Purpofe to fhew how near Clement and this E- piftle of his were to the Times of St. Feter and St. PW, and he fays no more, but that Clement had feen and heard them, and that fe\^eral others v/cre then alive befide him, that had done the like ;, he plainly fiippofes that they had been dead a confiderable time. For we never fpeak fo of Men that have been dead but a Year or two. When we fay, There are many yet alive that can remember [nth a Man^ and have conversed with him \ a Stander by will conclude, we fpeak of one that has been dead a good ' while: it may be 15 or 20 Years. And yet even fo, if we reckon with (.4) EiifcbiHi and other ancient Accounts, that Clement held the Seat buc nine Year?, he will yet die before St. John, and before the Time when, by all Account^, he wrote his Gofpel. This alfo is confiderable-, that Clement^ who quotes many Places out of orher Books of the New-Teftament, feems never to have feen any of St. Jchnh Writings. Therefore tho' Bp. Pearfon has convinc'd every Body that Hyglnus is to be placed as he has placed him : yet it feems improbable that Clement fhould have been Hifhop fo foon as he places him. Rather fome Years are to be taken from the Times of the Bifhops that were between tlwfe two §. 9. For the fame Reafon, I think it very improbable that this Clement was the Clement mentioned, Phil. 4. 3. as St. Panlh Fellow- Labourer^ whea he was at i^owe the firll time, fix Years before his Martyrdom : tho' (25) Enftbiits^ St? (26) Jerom, and Epiphanins do guefs him to be the fame. For would not Irenam have mentioned that, inftead of faying what he does? It was much more to his Purpofe, than to obferve the like of Li- «///, of whofe Authority he makes no fuch life. And more improbable it is, that this Hermds fliould be the fame whom St. Pad falutes as his Acquaintance 11 Years before he died, Rom. 16. 14. tho' (27) Origen guefs it to be he'^ and ^28; Euftbius and (29J St- Jf- rom tell us that feveral thought fo. For th's FJermas^ as he was no young Man, becaufe (?o) he had Children then guilty of Fornication^ fo he was no very old Man when he wrote: becaufe he mentions the (31) Woman that had been brought up with him, as a Woman of fuch great Beauty at that time. To conclude Men to he the fame, becaufe of the fame Name^ as it is very obvious, fo 'tis of little weight. C And C24)Chronic. it.Hift.l. 3.C.34. (25) H. E. ). 3. c. 12. (26) de Scnpr. Ecd. v. Cle- mens. (27) Horn, in Rem. 16. (i8j 1. 3. c. 3. (29} de Scnpr. Eccl.Hermas. (30) h i» viC2. c. 2. (31; 1. I. vif. 1. TO Juflln Martyr. Chap. If. In the And if they be not Judged to be the fame, nor to have had any fuch Apoftlcs Familiarity with the Apoftles, but only to have feen or heard 'em, &c. Time. |.}^£jj f j^^j. Argument falls to the Ground of thofe that fay, Thefe Books *"''"*^''"^ are either fpurious, and then. Why do we regard 'em?. Or elfe, if they be counted genuin. Why are they not put into the Canon, as well as the Writings of St. Luh^ and St. Mark? St AUrk and St. Luke were for cer- tain Contemporaries, Companions, and intimate Acquaintance with the- Apoitles for a long time of their Life : the fame is not certain, and I believe not true, of the Authors of thefe Books •, tho' it be plain that they liv'd in the Apoftles Age, and wrote before the Death of St. John,^ CHAP IL Quotations out of JuJ}in Martyr. Dialog, cum Trj phone ^ pag, 94. Ed, Steph. 155 1. Year s^?- $• ' •"'I/^'^' "X.' *^ c*J^» au-nv rf^ ^ef/jiSr^i/cu^ « 7? im^^avJQ- n^ tiAt '7ri^L cujiiy ihzKvOTifou hm rov ■^tw^;', affTn^ iSi to y^vvH^ poftles )C U7nf ra y^va? t« iwv dv^^cc^ ^yy^^ -^rziiv^ 0 ^^ m 'Ac/V*/y, v.td ddvctjov }^ 'TThdvnv nv rii^O^tai sttst^w'/.s;, 7ra.^.'-n)v \afAV ed^iAV injsv tWTWV 7:ivr\f>ivou^vis. ' And we know that he did not go to Jordan^ as having any need of ' being baptized, or of the Spirit's coming on him in Shape of a Dove. As ^^/^y*^ * alfo, neither did he fubmit to be born and to be crucified, as being un- ' der any Neceffity of thofe things. But he did this for Mankind, which * by j^dam was fallen under Death, and under the Guile of the Serpent^ * befide the particular Caufe which each Man had of Sinning. I recite this only to (hew, that in thefe Times, fo very near the Apo- ftles, they fpoke of original Sin afFeding all Mankind defcended of ^- dam : and underftood, that belides the adual Sins of each particular Per- fon, there is in our Nature it felf, fince the Fall, fomething that needs Re- demption and Forgivenefs by the Merits of Ghrift. And that is ordina- rily applied to every particular Perfon by Baptifm. Dialog, cum Tryphone^ pag. 5" 9. ejufdem Edit, tAA'^ofMcv K) ymatv S^STof ofMiai ?^A[jLlidveiv. ' We alfo who by him have had Accefs to God, have not receiv'd this ' Carnal Circumcilioii, but the Spiritual Circuraciiion, which £mch^ and *• thofe Cfiap. n. Juflin Martyr^ rr ' thofe like him obferred. And we have received it by Baptifm^ by the Year af- * Mercy of God, becaufe we were Sinners: and it is enjoined to all Per- '^'i tl^e A- * fons to receive it by the fame way. poftles4o. 'Tis plain that this moft ancient Father dces here fpeak of Baptifm, be- ^''^^'^^''^ ing to Chriftians in the ftead of Circnmcifion : and the Analogy between thefe two is one of the Arguments ufed by the P^dobaptifts to prove that one ought to be given to Infants, as well as the other was. It is to the fame Senfe, as is that Saying of St. Paul^ where he calls Baptifm, with the putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flefh, which attends it, the Clr^ cumcijion of Chrift^ for as it would be more intelligibly render'd, the Chn^ Jijan Circiimcifwn) in thefe (3) Words \ In whom alfo ye are circitmcifed with the CircHmcifwn made without Hands, in flitting off the Body of the Sins of the Flejly^ by the Circumcifion of ChriB, buried with him by Baptifm. For by thofe Words, the Circnmcifion of Chrifi^ mull be underflood either that Aftion by which Chrift himfelf in his Infancy was circumcifed : and it is no Senfa to fay, that the Colojfians were circumcifed with that : or elfe, that Circumcifion which Chrift has appointed, the Chriftian Circnmcifion • and with that he fays they were circumcifed, being buried with him by Baptifm. Only he, as well as J lifting refers both to the inward and out- ward Part of Baptifm i whereof the inward Part is done without Hands : and accordingly the Ancients were wont to call Baptifm, TneiToy.ih A^i^g. TTOJij^of, the Circnmcifion done without Hands'^ as will appear by fomej follow- ing Quotations, {a) So that it feems hard for the Antiptedobaptifts to maintain, as fome of them do, that the Scripture and ancient Chiillians do not make any Refemblance betv/een thefe two Sacraments. The Paraphrafe given of this Text, of St. Paul in the Quefi. ad Ortho' dox. afcribed to Jhftin Martyr q. 102 is this. The (lueftion there is, Whf^ if Circumcifion were a good things we do not ufe it as well as the Jews did ? The Anfwer is, We are circumcifed by Baptifm with ChrifFs Circumcifion^ &C. And he brings this Text for his Proof. Jufiini Apologia prima Qvulgo 'hda) ad Ant on mum Pium. ^4^ §. 3. This holy Man and good Martyr of Jefm Chrif does in this A- pology prefented to the Emperor and Senate, in behalf of the Chriftians, vindicate them from the abfuid and abominable Slanders which the People rais'd on 'em : as that they did in their Allemblies eat young Children, and commit promifcuous Fornication, &c. And having fpoke of their Dodrine and Converfation, and (hewn that they neither believed nor practifcd any fuch mifchievous Things as were reported, he proceeds to fpeak of the two moft folemn Rites that they ufed, viz.. of initiating or entring the Converts that came to 'em by Baptifm : and of confirming their Faith, by receiving the LordVSupper. And of Baptifm fays thus, C 2 o7m(: (3) Col. 2. 1 1, iz. {a) See Chap. xii. §, 5. Chap. xiv. §. i. C4) prope finem. 1 1 Juflln Martyr. Chap. IT. "Year nf- &;7raj f^vi r/jo Tra.^.XiTiivlii J^^a/J/J TPiVUfiveiv r) Iv ta gfii^/ncw. Oar/ dv TniSnSiyt }^ ter the A- OTTEt'jyir/j' etA«6w tojjta to v(p' H6a»f J)Jk,7iV>uivet. }y K'.)P^vet^ iivcu^ ^, ^«> um-f ''■'^^^^'''^' a.i't< 70 dy ttJ i//aT/ T07? h>s^.t^v ■miivTcu.. Kct/ 5S 0 Y^ex- SiV c?7rsf, 'Ac fo) dva.} dva.yivfi)^Tivcu ly y.ija.- voYi^VTi ^ roif riyy-ipmuivoii lo t6 YiuJcPi toc "oKcov ^ Az^wzra Qid ci'ouu^ &C. Kct^eiTCJ i5 nTO TO h/jfh i(}t. Several Perfons among us of 60 and 70 - i Tear J old, of both Sexes^ who were dfcipkd [or made Difciplesj to Chrifi in - j their Chddhood, do continue Hncormpted for Vii gins ] St. Juftin s Word, £,t«t9M7?u'9n7ai', were difcipled, or, rnade X>//c/'/>/eJ,is the very fame Word that had been ufed by St. Matthew inexpiefling our Savior's Com- ma nd,,a^9n7^Jo-a7i5, Difciple for, make Difciples] ^11 the i^hitions. And it was done to thefe Perfons, Jufiin fays, in their Childhood. So that whereas the Antipxdobaptiftsdo fay, that when our Savior bids the Apoftles, Difciple the Nations^ baptizing 'em-^ he cannot mean infants '^ becaufe he muft be under- ftood to bid 'em baptize only fuch among the Nations as could be made Difciplcs: and Infants, they fay, cannot be made Difciples. They may perceive 14 Iren.'eusi Chap. "IfT. 'Year af- per cbi\re that in theSenfe in which Infiin iinderfliood the Word, they may terthe A- be made Difciples. And J.'.>fiin vvrote bn'-.po Years after St. Matthew, who P^^^^Ho- wrote about 15 Years after Chrift's Afcenfion. And they that were 70 ^"^'^^^ Years old at this time muft hnve been made Difciples to Chrift in their Childhood (as he fays they were"» about 36 Years after the Afcenilon : that is, in the midft of the Apoftles Times, and within 20 Years after St. Mat^ derv's Writing. CHAP. III. Onptations out of St, Irenxus. ■:Year af- §• i. MT^HIS Father does in many Places fpeak of original Sin, as affed- ter the A- JL ing (i) ^// Mariklnd, (2J all our Race, putting 'em in a State of poftles67.('3) Debtors to God, Tranfarfjfors^ and Enemies to h';m,(^') under the Stroak '^'^"V''^ of the Serpent, and addicted to Death. And that it is only in and thro' Chrift that they have (5) Reconciliation and Reden.ftion. He alfo fo fpeaks of Ba- ptifm, as of the Means or iDflrument by which this Redemption is conveyed and applied to any one, and calls it by the Name of (6) KvTfatxn and stxo- KvT^acti, Redemption. But tho' this laid together do make an Argument for the baptizing all Perfons, Infants as w^ell as others; yet I Ihall pafs by this and other fuch Places in this and other Authors, that fpeak of Original Sin, and the Ne- ceffity of Baptifm only in general: intending henceforward to recite fuch only as do more diredly and immediately concern Infants, and fpeak of their Baptifm ^ either for or againft it. Iren£us adv, Harefes,L z. c. 39. Speaking of ChriH:. §. 2. Magifler ergo exifiens Magifiri e^mq^ habehat atatem. Non reprobans mc fupergrediens homtnem, neq', folvens [nam legem in fe humani generii : fed om- nem atatem fanUificans per illam qua ah ipfnm erat fimiUtHdinem. Omnes enim 'venit per femet ipfum f ah are : omnes ^ inquam, qui per earn renajcuntitr in Deam ; infantes, & parvulos, & putros, & juvenes, & fcniores. Idea per om- mm venit dtatem : & infantihui infans faUus, fanUificans infantes : in parvH- lis parviilus, fanCtificans hanc ipfam habentes atatem ; Jimtd & exemplmn illis pietatis effeBus, & JMjiitia & fubjetlionis : in juvenibHS jiivcnis, &c. ' Therefore as he was a Mafter, he had alfo the Age of a Mafter. Not ' difdaining nor going in a Way above human Nature^ nor breaking in t his own Perfon the Law which he had fet for Mankind : but fanftifying * every (i) L. c. hxr. 5.C. 19. (i) ibid. c. II. (3) ibid. c. 16. (4) 1. 4. c. 5. & 1. 5. c. 19, (5)1. 3.C.2C. (6)1. I. CIS. Chap. ni. Irenxus, ,v * every feveral Age by the Likenefs that it has to hicn. For he came Vear af^ ' to 4ve all Perfons by himfelf: -^//, I mean, who by him are re^enerated^^r the A- * Co^- baftiz.ed'} unto God-, Infants^ and Little-ones, and Children, andP'^^^"^7. ' Youths, and Elder Perfons. Therefore he went thro' the feveral Ages •.^"^"^''^ ' for Infants being made an Infant, fandifying Infants : to Little-ones he * was made a Little-one, fandifying thofe of that Age^ and alfo giving 'them an Example of Godlinefs, Jullice, and Dutifulnefs: to Youths he ' was a Youth, &c This Teft-imony, which reckons Infants among thofe that are regenerated is plain and full ^ provided the Reader be one that is fatisfied that the Word Regeneration does, in the ufual Phrafe \oi thofe Times, fignify Ba- pifm : and this cannot be doubted by any that are at all acquainted with the Books of thofe Ages. As for thofe that are not, I have already had Occalion to (j) refer 'em to the life of the Jews before and in Chrifl's Time, and to fome places of Scripture: and it may be worth the while to turn back to the Paffage of jHftm Martyr lad quoted, (He lived but 30 or 40 Years before this Man) and to obferve how he ufes the Word. The Reader will alfo fee in almoll all the PafTages that I fhall have oc- calion to produce, the fame life of the Word conftantly obferved : that to fay regenerated is with them as much as to fay baptiz^ed. §. 3. At prefent, take thefe three Evidences of it. i. Irenaus himfelf ' ufes it fo in all other Places of his Book that I have ever obferved : as > for Inftance, /. 5. c. 19. where he is producing Teilimonies of Scripture con- cerning the Holy Spirit, he has this, Et iterum^ potefiatem regenerationis , in Deum demandans difciptdis, dicehat eis^ &c. And Sgain, when he gave his Difciples the Commiflion of Regenerating unto God, he faid unto them, Go ■ and teach all Nations, baptiz.ing ''em in the Name of the Father^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Commijfion of regenerating plainly means ■ the Commijfion of baptlz^ing. §.4. 1. There are feveral Sayings both of the Latin and Creel Fathers, . which do plainly fhew, that they not only ufed that Word for Baptifm ; . but alfo that they fo appropriated it to Baptifm, as to exclude any other Converfion or Repentance that is not accompanied with Baptifm, from being fignified by it. As thefe that follow. Creg. Naz.ianz.en, when he deters the baptized Perfon from falling back i6q^->> into finful Courfes, tells him, (8) There is not another Regeneration after- ward to be had, tho* it be fought with never fo much Crying and "Tears -^ and ; yet grants in the next Wo'rds, that there is Repentance after Baptifm : / but fhews a Difference between that, and the free Forgivenefs given in Ba- / ptifm. St. j^uftin being askt, whether a Parent carrying his Child which had 300: been baptized, to the Heathen Sacrifices, do thereby obliterate the Benefit of his Baptifm, (9) gives this Rule ^ An Infant does never lofe the Grace of ChriB which he has once receiv'dy but by his own finful Deeds, if when he grows np (7) Intrrodud. §. 6. (8) Orac. 40. prope ab initio. »x. tarji j\v]i^i ttyay^mTia^i (9) Epift. 23. ad Bonifacium, 1 6 Irena^us! Chap. Ilf. Year af- up he ^rove fo wicked : For then he will begin to have Sins of his own^ qtu tertheA-;;o„ regeneratione aHferantHr^ fed alia curatione fanentur. ' Which are not poftIcs67.t J.Q ^^ jJQj^g g^^y ^y Regeneration, but by fome other way of Cure; "**^^'"^ Thele kind of Sayings do plainly contradiflinguifh Regeneration from Re- pentance, Converhon, &c. except in cafe of Baptifm. -1^'i So St. Hicrom difcourling in Praife of Virginity, has this ( \o) among ''the reft,' that 0r,ift was natm ex Virg.ne^ renatus per Firginem: born of a, f'irgin^ and regenerated by a Virgin : meaning he was baptized by John that was unmarried. To fay that Chrifl: vj^is regenerated, taking the Word, as many modern Writers do, for Converfion, Repentance, &c. would be an impious Speech. St. A'lfiin calls the Perfons by whofe Means Infants are baptized, eos per cjHOs renafcimtHr, thofe by whom they are regenerated : which would be a Itrange Speech in the Dialed of fome late EngliJJj Writers, who ufe the Word for the Converfion of the Heart ; §. y. 3 When IrenxHs does here fpeak of Infants regenerated-^ 'tis plain ^enough of it felf^ that rhey are not cipable of Regeneration in any other Senfe of the W^ord, than as it fignifies Baptifm: I mean the outward Adt •t)f Baptifm accompanied with that Grace or Mercy of God, whereby he ad- mits 'em imo Covenant, tho' without any Senfe of theirs. I fti^^ll in the Places that 1 muft cite henceforward, where we meet with the Word, regen'ratm renatm^ &c. tranflate it regenerated , without any farther Explication: but the Reader will find that he muft underlland by it, bapt'.TCd\ or elfe that he will make no Senfe at all of tiie Place. §. 6 Since this is the firft exp-efs Mention that we have met with of Infants baptized, it is worth the while to look back, and confider how near this Man was to the Apoftles Time. Mr. Dodwell^ who has with the greatcft Care and Skill computed his Age, f ' o) makes him to be born in the Apoflclic Age, -z/z's- the Year after Chrift's Birth 97,four Years before St. John died ^ and that he waschofen Bifhopof Lyons, jinno Hom. 167. which is after the Apoftles 67. His Proofs are too long to repeat here. So much is plain, that he wrote the Bock I here quote within 80 Years after the Apoftles, and that he was then a very old Man. For he wrote the two firft of his five Books againft Herefes firft, and ( 11) publiili'd tbem • in which thefe Words are : and he publilh'd his third Book in the Time oiElt.therus Bidiop of Rome, for he (i 2) mentions him as then Bidiop. Eleu- thermh Time is fet by (13) Bi hop Pearfon from the Year of Chrift 170 to 185 : but by (i^) Mr. Dodwdl from 162 to 177. So that the Yesr of Chrifl; 180 is the latelt that the two firft Books can well be fuppos'd to have been written. Therefore whether we agree or not with Mr. Dodvrdl, that he was born before St. Johnh Death •, yet it could be but very little after, by the Age he muft be of when he wrote. And befides, he himfelf (i^) fays, as 1 alfo recited before, that the Revelation made to St. John in Patmos, was but (10) L, i. contra Jovinian. circa medium. (10) Differ r. ad Irena^um. (iijVide Prolog. I.'b. (12) c. 3. (li.) Pcarfoin opera pofthuma. (14) Differt. fmg. de Rom. Ponuf. SuccclTicne, c. i4, & i 5. (i 5>) 1- 5- c S*?- Cliap.' IIF. Irenxusl 17 y^it a little before his time, and that ReveUtion was ^ or 5 Years before 'St. Year af- John died. The learned Man that has given the lafi; Edition of his Works, ter ilicA. though he differ from Mr. Z>o^ire//, yet makes him born but 6 Years after foft^"^7. St. John's Death. Every Body that was at this Time 80 Year old, mult'"'^^^ have been born in the Apoftles Time. lrenAns% Parents mull have been born then, if he were not himfelf. I (hall fay no more, but leave it to every Body to judge whether it were pofllble for the Church then to be ignorant what was done as to the baptizing of Infants in the Apoftles Time; when many then living, and the Parents of mofl: then living were themfelves Infants in that Time. Yet this I may add, that Ire?2£tts^ tho' at this Time he liv'd in France, be- ing Bifhop of Lyons, yet was brought up in yifta^ (where St. John had died but a little before) and probably born of Chriftian Parents. For he had in his younger Years often heard Folycarp^ fwho was St. Johns Acquaintance, and was (16) chofen by him Bifhop ei Smyrna^ and was probably that -^«- £[l [pv Bifhop3 of the Church of Smyrna, that is fo much commended, Rev, 2. 8. j difcourle of St. John and his Teaching. This he relates of himfelf in his (17) Epftle to Florinm : and he fays, he remembers the thing as if ic were but Yefterday : for, fays he, / remember the things that were done then , better than 1 do thofe of later Times ( which is the Property of Old Men) fo that I coidd defcribe the Place where he fate, and his Going out and Coming in^ hts A4anner of Life, his Features^ hisiDijcoiirfe to the People cort^ ^* cerning the Converfation he had had with John, and others that had fun our Lord ; how he rehearsed their Difconrfes^ and what he had heard therrTthat were Eye- Witncffcs of the Word of Life, fay of our Lord^ and of his Miracles and Do- flrine : all agreeable to the Scriptures. In an Age fo nigh the Apoftles, and in a Place where one of 'em had fo lately liv'd, the Chriftians could not be ignorant what had been done in their Time in a Matter fo public and notorious as is the baptizing or not baptizing of Infants. §. 7. It is to be noted, that this Teftimony of Iren&pu, or any other of any of the Fathers, is not fo much to be regarded as it fpeaks their Opinion or Senfe, as it is for that it gives us an Evidence of what was then be- liev'd, taught, or pratflis'd by the Church. If he had only lignified that he thought fit that Infants fhould be regenerated, it had been but one Dodor's Opinion : but he fpeaks of it as a Thing generally known that they were then ufually regenerated. ij6) Ircn. I. 3.C. 3. ('17) ApuJ Eufeb. Hift. 1. *;. c. 19. D CHAP- 1 3 Tertulllan: Chap. IV. Year af- CHAP. IV. ter the loa '" Out of Tertulllan. ^. I, r I "^ErttiU'an and Origen being the two next that have laid any thfng J^ of this Matter, their Charader is fuch as requires fomething to be find of it. They were both of 'em very learned Men ^ but both in- clin'd CO be Angular in their Opinions, and accordingly both fell into great and monftrous Errors in the Faith. The lirfl fell into the Herefie of the Afomanifls^ who blafphemoufly held that one Montanus vvas that Paraclete or Comforter which our Savior pro- mifed to fend : and that better and fuller Difcoveries of God"s Will were made to him than to the Apoftles, who propheiled only in Part. He commonly calls the ^athoUcs, Pjychichos, the carnal Men. And he afterward forfook the Montanifii too, and fet up a new Sed of his own called (i > Ter- ttillianifis : Some Remainders of which Sed continued at Carthage till St. ^nfiins Time, and he had the Happinefs to convert the lafl: of 'em, and to get 'era to give up their Church or Place of Worfliip to the Catho- lics. The other being a great Platonifl, taught the Pr^exiflence of Souls: that the Souls of all Men had a former Being before the World, and had iinned in that former State, and were fent hither into Bodies as a Punifhment : and he (2) derived original Sin from thence, which the Scripture derives from the Fall of ^dam. He had alfo other Frrors about the Refurreftion and the future State, &c. So that (3) St. Hierom giving Advice to Tranquili- vui of the Caution wherewith one muft read Origen s Works, fays, Afy O- f'lnlon is that Origen is fometimes to he read hecaufe of his Learnings hut fo as we read Tertulllan, Arnobius, Apollinaris, and fome other Ecdcfiafiical Writers.^ both Greek and Latin, taking^ Care t& choofe the Good that is in ^em, and avoid the contrary. As for the Occafion I have here to quote 'em, the Rule I mention'd be- fore is chiefly to be minded^ that fo far as they do, as Hifborians, give us an Account of the Faith and Practice of the Church in their Times, their Teftimony is confiderable : but where either of 'em has any particu- lar Opinion of his own, it is not of any great Authority. Tertulllan has fpoke fo in this Matter of Infant-Baptifm, as that it is hard to reconcile the feveral Paflages with one another. The Reader (hall have the Particulars. TertHlliantu (i) Auguftixi. de haerefibus, c. 16, & 86. (2) Aug. de Civit. Dei, 1. 11. c. 23: (3) Ep. ad Tranquilinum 76, Chap. IV, Tertulllaa 19 Tertuflianus de Baptifmo^ c. 10^ Year af- ter the A- §. 2. Having fpoken of the Matter of Baptifm, Water, and the Form of Po^les it, I?7the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy GhoB, he adds, ^°"- DiximHS (jitantiim mediocritati nojlra Iknit de Hniverfis qua haptifmi reUgio- ^^'^'^ v:m fir Hunt : nunc ad reliqunm flat urn ejus aque Ht fotero frogrediar de qudfii- unciilis quibitfdam. ' I have according to my mean Ability difcours'd of all things that make < up the Religion \_or Ejftnce'} of Baptifm : Now I will proceed to fpeak of ' fome lelTer Queftions about the other State thereof. Afterward c. n, 13. §. 3. ^mm vero ^r£fcribltnr nemini fine baftifmo comfetere falutem, ex ilia maxime pronnnciatione Domini., qui ait ^ nifi natHJ ex aqua qitis ert, non hahet falutem : fhhoriitntur fcrupuU, imo temerarii tra^atus quorundam^ q':omodo ex ifia prafcript/one j^pofloUs fains competat, quos tinElos non invenimus in VominOy prater Panlum : imh cmn Vaiilus folus ex illis haptifmam Chrifil induerit^ ant prajiidicatum ejfe de cateroram perituloj qui careant aqua Chrifii, ut pryfcriptia falva fit : aut refcindi prafcriptionem, fi etiam non tin^is fains flatuta tfi^ Aiidlvi (Domino Tefte) cjufmodl : ne quis me tarn perditum exiflimet, ut ultro ex- agitem Ubidine Styli quae, aliis fcrupuium tncutiant. Et nunc illis^ ht pot era, re- fpondebo qui negant u4pofiolos tin^os. Nam fi humanum Johannii haptifmum inierant & Dominicum dcfiderabant ( quatenus unum baptifimum definicrat ipfe DominuS; dicens Pctro perfundi volenti ; qui Jemel lavit non hahet neceffe rurfum : ■qnod Httq\ non tincio omnino non d.xifftt^ & hac efi prohatio excrta adverfm ilics qui adimunt j4po[iolis etiam Johannis baptifimum, ut defiruant aqua facra- mentum. — paulo poft — Hx ergo fcekfiiffimi illi provocant qiufiiones : ^deo dicunt^ haptffimus neccfiariu-s non efl^ qu bus fides fiatis efi: nam & Jibrahamnul- lius aqu£ nifi fidei Sacramento Deo placuit. Sed in omnibus poficriora concludunt, & fiequentia amecedentihus pr£valent. Fuerit fa'us retro per fiditn nudam ante Domini pajfioncm^ & ref'urrc^ioncm : at ubi fides auBa eft credendi in nativitatem^ pafiionem., rejurre^linnemq', ejus •, addita ■eft ampliatio facramento, obfignatio baptifimi, vefiimentum quodammodo fideiy que retro erat nuda^ nee poteft jam Z'fiQ fi"^ fi^^ l^g<^- Lex cnim tlnguendi impofita efi & jorma prjejcr.pta • Ite, inqutt, dcctte nationes, tmgucntes eas in nomcn Pa- iris, & Filij^ & Spiritns SancH, Huic legi collata defimt.'o ilia, nifi quis renattu finer It ex aqua & Spiritn, non intrabit in rtqnum calorum ; olfirinxU fidem ad baptifmi neaffitatem. Itaq; omnes cxinde c< edtntes tingntbantur^ &c. ' Whereas ic is an acknowledged Rule, that none can be iaved without * Baptifm: grounded efpecially on that Sentence of our Lord^ Vnlejs one •■ be born of Water, he cannot be faved: Some Scruples do arife, and even ra(h ' Difcourfes of fome Men •, How according to that Rule the Apoftles could *■ be ifived, whom we do not find to have been baptized with our Lotd's ^ Baptifm, except Paid. And when Paid only of them had the Baptifm of '■ Chrlfi:, either the reft who wanted this Water ofChrilt muit be fuppos'd D i ' ' in no tTertuHIan] -Chap. IV, Yenraf' •• in a dangerous Condition, that fo the Rule may {land faft: or elfe the ter the A- ' ie;//g is broken if any Perfons not baptized can be faved. I have heard poftles c ^Qj^^g jyj^j^ (God is my Witnefs) talk at this rate, and would have no l^^^Y^^'' ^^^y think me fo lewd as by the Itch of my Pen to raife Quellions pur- * pofely, which may caufe Scruples in other Men. * I will here give an Anfwer, as well as I can, to thofe Men that deny * the Apoftles to have been bapiiz'd. For if they received only the Ba- *■ ptifm of John as of a Man^ and had not that of our Lord (Inafmuchas ' our Lord himfelf had determin'd that there is to be but one Baptifm, * faying to Peter when he defired to be wafhed ^ He that hxs been once wajli- *■ ed^ hM no need again : which he would not have faid to one that had not ' been wafh'd at all) even this is a plain Proof againft thofe who take a- ' way from the Apoflles even the Baptifm of ^ohn^^ that they may abolilh •• as needlefs the Sacrament of Water. And a little after — Here again ' thefe impious Men raife Cavils, and fay, Baptifm is not necejfary for thofe * that have Faith^ "which is fufficiem : for Abraham without any Sacrament of ' Water^ but of Faith only^ vleafed God. ' But in all Matters the later Injundions bind, and the following Rules ' take place above thofe that were before. Tho' there were Salvation ' formerly by bare Faith before our Lord's Paffion and Refurredion •, yet *■ when the Faith is enlarged to believe in his Nativity, Paflion, and Re- * furredion, there is an Enlargement of the Sacrament, the Sealing of Ba- ' ptifm, as it were a Garment to our Faith ^ v;hich formerly was bare, * but cannot now be without its Law : for theLaW of Baptizing is given, * and the Form of it appointed ^ 6'o, fays he, teath the Nations^ baptiz.in^ ' them in the Name of the Father .^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy Spirit. And ' when to this Law that Rule is added, Except one be regenerated of Water ' and the Spirit^ he jhali not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.^ it has bound * up Faith to a Neceffity of Baptifm. And therefore all Believers from ' thenceforward were baptized, &c. And afterward c. ly. §. 4. Having faid that it is not abfolutely unlawful for Laymen to ba- ptize, he adds, Sed quant 0 magis laicis difciplina verecundi£ & modefliiz incumbit -^ cum ey£mtlatio fchifmatum mater ejl. Omnia licere dixit fanctijfmus j^poftoluSj fed mn omnia expedire. Sufficiat fcilicet in neceffitatibus utaris^ ficubi aut loci AHt Temporii aut perfontc conditio compelHt. Thic enim conflantia fuccurrentis excipitur cum urget circumftantia periclitantis. .^oniam reus erit perditi humi- tiiSj Ji fuperfederit prafiare quod libere potuit. '■ But how much more necelfary for Laymen is it to keep the Rules of ' Humility and Modefty •, that iince thefe Things belong to Men of high- * er Order, they do not arrogate to themfelves the Office of the Bilhops ' that is proper to them ? Emulation is the Mother of Schifm. The moft ' blelfed Apoltle faid, that all Things were lawful, but all Things were ' not Ctiap. IV. Tertulllan. ii * not expedient. Let it fuffice that thou make ufe of this Power in Cafes Venraf- ' of NecefTitv : when the Circumftance either of the Place, or of the Time, ^^'r the A* ' or of the Perfon requires it. For then the adventuring to help is well taken, P-^^-'^^ ' when the Condicion of a Perfon in Danger forces one to it: becaufehe '^^^,,^ ' that (hall neglect at fuch a time to do what he lawfully may, will be * ^ ' guilty of the Ferfon's Perdition [^or Damnation-2 Let the Reader mind how all this is to be reconcird with what ha fays afterward c. i8. §. f . Cattntm bapt/fmnm non temtre credendum (Jfe fciant quornm officium efi. Omni petenti te dato^ fuum habet titulum^ proinde ad clcemofynam perti- nent em. I mo illiid pot ins perfpiciendum j nolite dare fan^urm can.baSj C^ porcis projicere margarita vejira : 0\ manns ne facil} impojiterisy ne participcs aliena deli [fa. ]tat^-^ pro cujufq-^ perfona conditione ac difpojit^one^ etiam £ta~ te, cunlhatio baptifmi Htilior efi : prjicipne tamen circa parvulos. ^tid enim neceffe efi £ ] fpon fores etiam perict^lo insert ? quia & ipfi per mor- talitatem defiituere promifiiones fnas pofiltnt, QP" proventu maU indolis falli. u4it ejHidem Dominus^ Nolite illos prohihere ad me venire. Veniant ergo dnm ado- lefcnnt. veniant dum difcunty ditm quo veniant docentttr : fiant Chrijliani quiim Chrifinm nojfe potuerint. Qnidfefiinat innocens atas ad retnijfionem peccatormn f Cantius agetur in fecidarihus •, lit cni fubfiantia terrcna non credit nr^ Divina crc'^ datnr. Norint petcre faltttemj ut petenti dedijfe videaris. Non minori de caufl innnpti qHOq\procrafiinandi.y in qttibHS tentatio prxparata efi'; tarn virginihiis per . matHyitatem^ quam viduis per vacationem.^ donee ant nub ant nut continently cor^ roborentur. Si qnl pondns intelllgant baptifmi^ magis timebunt confecntionem quam dilationem. Fides integra [ecura ei? de jalute. Diem bapt.fmo p)lemnlorem Pafcha prafiat:^ cum d" pafilo Domini in qnam tingimHr, adimpkta e/7, &c. *• But they whofe Duty it is to adminifter Baptifm, are to know, that I ' it mud not be given rafhly. Give to every one that asketh thee.^ has its pro- ' per Subjed, and relates to Almfgiving : But that Command rather is ' here to beconfider'd ^ Give not that which is holy to Dogs, neither cafi your * Pearls before Srvine. And that, lay hands fnddenly on no Man., neither be * Partaker of other Mens Faults. — Therefore according to every one's Con-' ' dition and Difpoficion, and alfa their Age, the delaying of Baptifm is ' more profitable, efpecially in the Cafe of Little-Children. For what need * is there [_ 3 that the Godfathers (hould be brought inta ' Danger ? becaufe they may either fail of their Promifes by Death, or they ' may be miflaken by a Child's proving of wicked Difpoficion. Our Lord * fays indeed, Do nut forbid ^em to come to me. Therefore let 'em come * when they are grown up : let 'em come when they underftand : when * they are inftruded whither it is that they come: let'em be made Chri- ^ Itians when they can know Chrilt. What need their ^/^7r/c/j Age make 'fuch haft to the Forgivenefs of Sins? Men will proceed more warily in ' worldly things: and he thatlhould not have earthly Goods commiited * to him, yet fliall have heavenly. Let them know how to dellre this ' Salvation; . z-% Tertullian. Chap. IV, Ycai-af-' Salvation, that you may appear to have given to one that asketh. terthe A- « For no lefs Reafon unmarried Perfcns^ought to be kept off, who are poftles « likely to come into Tentation, as well thofe that never were married, ■CV^ '"PO'"! account of their coming to Ripenefs, as thofe in Widowhood, for ^ ^ ' the Mifs of their Partner : until they either marry or be ccnfirm'd in ' Continence. They that underfrand the Weight of Baptifm will rather ' dread the Receiving it than the Delaying of it. An intire Faith is ' feciirc ot Salvation. I ' The moil folemn Time for Baptifm is Eafter^ st which Time the j ^ Paffion of our Lord, into which we are baptized, was fulfilled, &c. Lee there be ajfo compar'd with this, what he fays in another Book. TertuUhnus ds Jnima^ c. 39, 40. §. 6. y4deo nulla fere 'natlvitas mundd f/?, ittiq-^ Ethnkornm. Hlnc mim •& ^pojiohis ex Jan^ificato alter utro fexH fantlos procreari ait : tarn ex feminis prarc^ativd quam ex injiitHtionis difcipUna : cater nm^ ifiqnit, imr}2Hndi nafceren- tur. Oifafl defio^natos tamen [anllitati^ ac per hoc etiam fahitl intelligi volens fideltum fiios : ut hnjui fpei pignore matrimonijs qu£ retinenda cenfiur^at patrO" cinaretur. j4lioqmn meminerat Dominica dtfinitionis ^ nif quis nafcctur ex aqitk & fpirit/iy no?! ihit in regnum Dei^ i. e. non erit fanSius. ha omnts anlma €OHj'q\ ■in Adam cenfetitr^ donee in Chrifio recenfeatur ^ & tamdiu immunda^ quarndiii recenfeatur : peccatrix antem quia immunda. ' So there is almoU no being born clean \_or free from Sin2 that is of ' Heathens. For hence the Apoftle fays, that, of either Parent fan^lified the Children that are horn are holy : by reafon of the Prerogative of that Seed ' and alfo the Inftruftion in their Education. Elfe^ fays he, were they un- ^ clean. But yet meaning to be underitood thus ^ that the Children of the ^ Faithful are dcfgncd for Holinefs, and fo for Salvation : that by a Pledge ^ of fuch Hope he might plead for thofe Marriages which he would have ' to be continued. Otherwife for, as for any other Meaning'] he knew well ^ enough what our Lord had determined, E'xcept one be horn of Water and the Spirit^ he flmll not enter into the Kingdom oj Cod: that is, he jhall not h^ ^ holy. Thus every Soul is reckoned as in Adam^ fo long till ic be a new * enrolled in Chrift, and fo long unclean, till ic be ^o enrolled, and fiiifuj, ' becaufe unclean, &c. <^. 7. I have cited thefe Pafiages at large and all together, that the Reader may try if he can pick any coherent Senfe out of 'em. It is the Proper- ty of warm Men, when they arc fpsaking earneftly on one Subject and urging that, to overlalh fo as that when they are fpeaking on another with like Earneflnefs, they fall into Contradiction of what they faid be- fore. This Author in the Places here firft cited, treating of the Neceffuy of Baptifm, fpeaks of that NecelTity as abfolute ; and o"f thofe that die unbaprizcd, as loft Men : and is enrag'd at thofe that maintain that Faith without ic is fufficient to Salvation. Yet afterward, when he is difcourfing of the Weight.^ as he calls it, of Baptifm, he advifes feveral forts of Peo- ple chap. IV. Tertuillan; pie to delay it j and to encourage 'cm, tells 'em that if they fhould by Yearaf- that Delay happen to mifs of it, an entire Faith is fecure of Salvation. rer the The mofl probable Guefs that I can make of that which was his fteadv Ape files Meaning (if he had any) is^ that thofe who put off their Baptifra negligent- ^°°- ly, or as flighting ic, do, if they finally die without it, lofe their Life;^"''^'^ but that in thofe that put it off only that they may be fitter for it, and* in a more likely Condition to keep it unHained, if by that Means 'they happen to die without it, the Will and Purpofe of being b:3ptized (hail he accepted for the Deed. And when he is difcoifrfing on the aforefiid Siibjaft of the IVeJpht of Baptifm, he finds Fault with the Guftom of Baptizing Infants^ and would have them delay'd till they are able to underfland and confider what they do: and then farther, till they are married: and if they do not marry,, or if their Gonfort die, tien ifarther till the Danger of Liift is over, which is frequ'ently not till Old Age. A ftiange Advice, and which no Man either of the Ancients, or Moderns, either of the one or the other fide in this Gontroverlle do approve of. And to urge liis Opinion the more, he fpeaks of Infants as if they were innocent or linlefs, and fo had no Need of the Forgivenefs of Sins granted in this Sacrament. Vet in the lafl: cited place, when he is on another Theme, he plainly owns the Catholic Dodrine of Original Sin in Infants ^ and that every. Soul born of j4dam is unclean and finful^ and continues fo till it be en- roiled or ranked anew in Chrift : and cites, as pertinent to their Cafe, the:- Prcfcriptlon^ as he calls it, or the Standing- Rule^ John 5. 5. Except any one be born of Water ar:d the Spirit, he cannot enter into God''s Kingdom. How to reconcile this Diverlity, I know not, unlefs his Meaning (when he would have fpoke for good) were, That the Baptifm of Infants, and of thofe other forts of Perfons, fhould be delay'd till the Times he fpeaks of, i-n cafe there were no Danger of Death in the mean while: but that in cafe of fuch Danger it fhould be adminiftred prefently: in whicli Cafe he fays it is fo neceflary, that any one that is prefent (whether in Orders or not, fo he determines itj ought to adminilter it, or elfe he is guilty of the Perfon's Ruine or Perdition. §. 8. And I like this my Refolution of his Opinion the better, becaufe I find it to be what feveral of each of the difagreeing Parties do agree to have been his Senfe. For as (4) Mr. Baxter makes this Acknowledge- ment ^ yet again J will confefs that the Words of Tcrtullian and Nazianzeii JIkw that it rvoi long before all rvere agreed of the very Time, or of the Necejfi- ty of Baptizing Infants before any Vfe of Reafon^ in cafe they were like to live to Maturity. So Mr. (f) Danvtrs his Antagonift owns this ; ' TertulUan ' that, as Dr. Barlow tells us, was fo great an Oppofer of Infant- Baptifm, ' as irrational and unwarrantable, yet had this Fancy of Baptizing a dying * Child tofave it. Some Body or other had fo flrangely impofed upon this Man, that he thought the modern P^dobapcifts were afham'd to own this Docl:rine, that a Child or other Perfon is to be baptized that he may be faved. (4) More Proofs Pc. II, Ch. 4. Sedt. 59. (5) ift Anfwcr co Willis , p. 9> 24 Tertullian. Chap. IV. Ycaraf-faved. Alfo (6) Mr. Tombs fays, // he CTei'tnllian^ di^ aUoxv ?V, it was only tertheA-;-;; Cafc^cf Ncccjjity^ af may appear by his Words in his Booh de Anima e. 39. poltlcs .^^^ fQ pa^e Q^Q Qf tj^e Church of Kome^ Vajqi'tx. fays, that tho^e Vlaces '^^V'^vj ^^ '^^ '^'^*^' ^^ Anima, and thofe vchere he makes Baftifm neajfary to Salvation^ do not prove that he recanted his Opinion^ C7) for he 7n^ght well enorcgh ajfcrt that Baitifm i: necejfary for alh^ and yet think that it was not to be ^.'ven be- fore adult ^ge in any ether Cafe but only that of extreme Necfffuy. This Explication of his Meaning is alfo confirmed from the older Edi- tions of this Book de Ba'ptifmo, which inftcad of thofe Words in Ri'/al- tins^s Edition, Quid en'.m necejfe efl fponfores^hz. 'What need is there that Godfathers, &c. read thus-. Qiiid enim ncctjje f/?, Ji non tarn neccffc^ fpon- fores. &c. ' What Occafion is there, except in Cafe of Neceflity, that the * Godfathers, C^c So it is in the Edition oi Pamclita : and fo, as Pamelms affirms, Gaigncm the firft Editor of this Book de Baptifmo has it. But I have followed the Edition which I had, which is Rigaltifus (only leaving a Blank at the place} fuppofing he had fome Ground from the Manufcripts 10 leave out that Claufe. Yet it cannot be denied that he has (as Mr. le Clerc (8) obferv.'s} fet fome Paflages falfe, that v>7ere true in the for- mer Editions-, nor that he has otherwife fhewn himfelf partial for the Antipxdobaptifts, as I fhall fhew hereafter, Fa^t 11. Chap. XI 6. 5. And therefore I incline now to the Opinion, that the old Editions are the trueft, and that it ought to be read, except in Cafe of Ntceffity. ^nd then the Cafe is plain how his Meaning was. §. 9. But that which moft deferves the Reader's ObferVation is, that the Words of Tertullian do not import that the Cuftom of the Chriftians at -that Time was to leave Infants unbaptized : but on the contrary, they plainly intimate that there was a Cuftom of baptizing 'e^ : only he dif- likes that that Cuftom fhouW be generally ufed- For when he fays. Why Joes that innocent Jge make [uch haft^ &c. His Words fliew the Matter of Fadl to have been fo, together with his Opinion againft it. But the Thing we BOW enquire of, is the Pradice of the Church, and not one Dodfor's O- pinion, efpecially when it does not appear that any Body was prevail'd •on by him to alter that Praftice •, for there is no Appearance that either the Montanifls (to w^hom he turn'dj or the Tertullianifis (v^hom he fet np) were againft it. On the contrary, St. ^/(/?/« (9) reciting the Opinions of both thefe Seds, does not mention any fuch thing held by either of 'em, and fays at other Places, that he never read of any Sed that did .deny it, as I fhew hereafter. The fame Obfervation ought to be made concerning the Sponfors or Godfathers whom he fpeaks of as ufed in the Baptifm of Infants that could not anfwer for themfelves. Which fhews the great Miftake of fome of the more ignorant Perfons among the Antip^edobaptifts, who derive the life of Godfathers from I know not what Pope of Rome of late Years: whereas this was within a 1.00 Years of the Apoftles. §. 10. (6) Examen of Marfhal's Sermon pag. 10. (7) In giam partem Thomx. Tom. 2. ;Dirp. 1 54. c. I . (8) Q.u3eftiones Hieronvm. Q.. 9. c. 3, (9) 1, de haerefibus c, 26, & 86^ C!iap." TV. TertulIIan! i^ 6. 10 It is a heedlefs Anfwer that he makes to thofc Words of our Venr af- Savior • Suffer little Children to come to me^ &c. when he lays, Let \m come'^^'^ ^^^ A-- when they are ^r own Mp^ when they underjland^ &:c. For that feems to beP°^^^^ the very thing that the Difciples faid when they rebuked thofe that^ brought 'em, for which Rebuke our Savior blamed the Difciples. It is"^ fomething a better Anfwer which the Antip^dobaptiils now a Days give, 'viz. that our Savior would indeed have Infants brought to him then in their Inf?ncy, and before they underftood, and that he blefs'd 'cm, &c. But we do not read that he baptized 'em. To which the other reply, that he declar'd the Love of God to 'em, by his blefling and embracing, and fjying, Of fuch is the Kingdom of God. Which (hews 'em to be ca- pable of the Covenant of Mercy : and that Infants are expreily admit- ted to enter Covenant, Dc::t. 29. 10. you^yoitr Littk'oncs, &c. and in the Old Teftament had the Seal of the Covenant. From whence it will fol- low that it is no Abfurdity by reafon of their Nonage-, which is the only Thing TtT/«//A7« argues from. And befides: when our Savior fays- Of fuch ii the Kingdom of God: (which (hews 'em to be capable of his Kingdom) and thereupon orders 'em to be brottght to him^ and fiys; forbid Cor withold^ ^em not: iince he is now prefent with us only in his Ordinances and Sacraments ^ What way have we to bring our Chil- dren to him, as he orders, but by Baptifm to offer and dedicate 'em to him? ^. I I. In the fame Book of Baptifm, c. 5. he obferves that the Hea- then Nations alfo ufcd Baptifm, as a religious Rite, and particularly /« the A')jieries of Apollo and Ceres Pcrfons n^erc baptized^ idq-^ fe in retreneratio- ncm & imp.inltatetn pcrjnriorum JHOritm ngere pr&fiimnnt. ' And they fay, ' they do this for their Regeneration and the Pardon of their former Fer- ' juries. And he fays, Here we fee the Aim of the Devil imitating the Things of God. He means \ the Heathens imitated the jevvi(h Baptifm. §. 12. One Thing more ought to be obferv'd out of the Paflage I cited from TertidUanh Book de Anima^ viz.. that he expounds that Text 1 Cor. 7. 14. Elfe were your Children unclean^ hnt now they are holy, much after the fime rate as many modern Pasdobaptills do, of baptijmal Ho- linefs : only he thinks the Apoftle fpeaks of it, not as then given, but as defigned for them. He paraphrafes, Sa?i^liy Holy, by Jan^itati deji- gnati^ defigned for Holinefs, {viz.. when they come to be baptized, as his tollovving Words in the faid Paflage (hev/, if the Reader will turn back to 'em.) This Senfe of a baptifmal Holinefs the Antipcedobaptifts fwho underftand no more by it but that fuch Children are no't Baftardsj would condemn as a new Expofition. But 1 (hall fliew by more Inftances that will come in my way, and efpecially in C//. XIX. §. 19. where I com- pare together all the Expofitions of this Text given by tlie Ancients, that it was the moll general one. §. ix,. It is plain that St. Auftin and Vclagim and feveral others that manag'd the VeUgian Controverlie, had never fecn l'ertii\Uan% Book of E Baptifm. 2.^ Orlgen: Chap. V. Yearaf-Baptifm. For when St. Auflin (13) pleaded that no Chriftian, Cathp. A^4f ^'^^■y or Sca:jry, had e\rer taught to the contrary, but that one Reafon 100 ^^^ ^^^ Biptizing of Infants was for the Forgivenefs of Original Sin- PeU- >,/-V^ f/>&f granted (14) that there was none that denied that they were to be ba- ptized : But when he, and Celcfi m^ and JuUan do ranfack Antiquity for Places to Ihew that they are baptized on other Accounts, and not for Forgivenefs; how neatly would that Saying of Tfm////>; have fitted 'em ^ What need their innocent {or linlefs] j4ge make fach h.tfi for th Forgivenefs of Sin ? Or elfe we muft fiy, they would not quote it, becaufe lie con- tradidb himfelf in this Point. Or elfe they would not ufe his Autho- rity, which was in no good Repute, becaufe he revolted to Hercfy : tho* Dr. ^!l:x concludes this Book to have been written before. It was cuftomary in thofe Times, if any one made ufe of Terti^lHan's Authority in any controverted Matter, to flop his Mouth with that (15) Saying of St. Hierom^ ilkm hominem ecdefu non fuijfe -^ that Tertul- liatj was not a Man of the Church : and Pelagim had a great Mind ( if it had been poffible for him continuing in his Opinion of denying O- riginal Sin) to have continued a Member of the Catholic Church. Baronim Jikewife obferves, that when the Donatifts maintained againft St. ^uftin and the Catholics, that Baptifm given by Heretics is null, and the Party mull be baptized again j if St. jinftin could have fhewn that this Opinion was firft fet on foot by TertnlHan (whofe Name was in ill Repute for his fingular Opinions) that that one Thing would have ferved much to difcredit it. And that he might have done if he had ever feen this Book of Baptifm, where that Opinion is afferted, c. i f. which is the earlieft Mention we find of it. Yet St. H'erom had feen this Book either in Greek or Latin (in both which Languages it was written) For he quotes fome Paflages out of ic about the Story of St. Tad and TecU^ but nothing about the Matter of Infants. C H A P. V. Qiiotations our of Orlgen, Homilia 8. in Levtt.c^ 12. Year af- §• I • A Vdi David dicentem ; In iniqiiitatibpUy inqnit^ conceptui ///w, & ter the jlJl ^^ fcccatis peperit me mater mea : oftendens quod qit£CHnq'^ ani- Apoftles ma in came nafcatnr^ inlquitatis & peccati forde pollmur : & proptcrca di- (i3)SeeCH.XIX.§. 17, (i4)See CH,XIX. §. 30. (15) adv. Helvidium, Chapi V. Origen." 27 i^nm ejje ilkd quod jam fiiperlifs memoraviwm • quia nemo wuijdus a forde^ Year af^ vec fi untn6 diti juerit vita .ejus, ^ddi his etiam illud foteji^ ttt req^iratur ^^^ the ^tiid ca:if£ Jit^ cum baptifma ecclefia in remijfionem peccatorum detnr^ ftcun- A|:oftIes dnm eccUftit obfervafitiam etiam parvulis baptifmnm dari : cvm uticj-^ fi tiihil '^°- tjfet in parvfilis quod ad roTiijfionem deberet & i^diihemiam pertlnere^ gratia '"''"V*^ haptifmi fuperflim videretur. * Hear David fpeaking : I was, Jays hcy conceived in Iniquity, and in ' Sin did my Mother bring me forth : Shew.ng that every Soul that is ' born in the Flejlj is polluted with the Filth of Sin and Iniqu'ty : jind that ' therefore that was faid which we mention d before ^ that none is clean from * Pollution, tho* his Life be but of the Length of one Day. * Befides all this, let it be confider'd, what is the Reafon that where- f ' as the Baptifm of the Church is given for Forgivenefs of Sins, Infants j * alfo are by the Vfage of the Church baptized : when if there were nothing 1 ' in Infants that wanted Forgivenefs and Mercy, the Grace of Baptifm | ' would be needlefs to them. Homil. in Luc am 14. §. 2. ^iod frequenter inter fratres qiKCritur^ loci occafione commota [_l. com- motm'} retracio. Parvuli baptizjintur in remijfionem peccatorum. Quorum pcccatorum ■* vd quo tempore peccaverunt ? aut quomodo potefi iilla lavacri in parvulis ratio fuhf/lere., nifi juxta ilium fenfum de quo paulo ante diximus ; TJullus mundus a forde^ nee fi umm diei quidem fuerit vita ejus fuper terram ? Et quia per baptifmi facr amentum nativitatis fordes deponuntur^ propterea ba* ftiz^antar & parvuli- * Having Occafion given in this Place, I will mention a Thing that ' CHiifes frequent Enquiries among the Brethren. Infants are baptiz'd * for the Forgivenefs of Sins. Of what Sins ? Or when have they fin- * ned ? Or how can any Reafon of the Laver in their Cafe hold good, ' but according to that Senfe that we mentioned even now : None is ' free from VoUntion, tho' his Life be but of the Length of one Day upon the ' Earth'^ And it is for that Reafon becaufe bf the Sac.ament of Ba- ' pcifm the Pollution of our Birth is taken away, that Infants are >ba- ' piized. Comment, in Epifl. ad Romanes^ lih. 5*. §. 3. Bcniq-^ & in lege pro ilh qui natm fuerit^ jubetur offcrri hoflia^ par turturum ant dwj pulU coUimhini : ex quibus unu4 pro peccato^ alius in hohcau- tomata. Pro quo peccato ofertur hie pullus unus ? nunq'nd nupcr edit us parvw lus peccare potMt ? Et tunc habet peccatum, pro quo hojlia jubctur offerri^ a quo mundus n^gaftr qw's tjff. etfi un-pvs diei fuerit vita ejus. De hoc er^o ec^m Duvid dixijjc crcJifidus efi illud quod fupra memoravimus -^ quia in peccato concepit me mater mea : fccundum hijioriam enim nullum matris declaratur peC" catum. Pro hoc & Eulefia ab j^poJloUs traditionem fufce^it etiam parvulis E 2 haptijmum 28 Orlgen! Chap. V. Year at- baftlfmum dare, Sckhant enlm illi quihui myfleriorum fccreta commijfa fimt ^A "^ ""a*^ ^^■y/»or«?w, cjHia ejfmt in ommbm gcnnnd fordes peccati, (JM/c per aqiiam & Spi" Apoltles yjf.,f„ ^f^i^i deherent : propter cjuas etiam corpus ipfum Corppts peccati nominatur. ^J^i^^,,^. ' And alfo in the Law ic is commiinded that a Sicrifice be ofFer'd for ' every Child thit is born ^ a Pair ( i } of turtle Doves, or two young Pi. *■ gtons : of -which one is for a Sin-Offtring^ the other for a Purm -Offering. ' For what Sin is this one Pigeon offer'd ? Can the Child that is new ' born have committed any Sin ? It has even then Sin, for which the * Sacrifice is commanded to be offer'd \ from which even he who^e Life is ' hut of one Da) is denied to be free. Of this Sin David is to be fuppofed ' to have faid that which we mention'd before ^ In Sin did my Mother ' conceive me : for there is in the Hiftory no Account of any particular Sia ' that his Mother had committed- * For this alfo it was, that the Church had from the y^pofiles a Tradi- < tion [^or, Order^ to give Baptifm even to Infants. For they, to whom ' the Divine Mylteries were committed, knew that there is in all Per- * fons the natural Pollution of Sin, which mufl; be done away by Wa- ' ter and the Spirit: by reafon of which the Body it felf is alfo called ' the Body of Sin. §. 4. The Plainnefs of thefe Tellimonies is fuch as needs nothing to l)e faid of it, nor admits any thing to be faid againfl: it. They do not only fuppofe the Pradice to be generally known and ufed, but alfo mention its being order'd by the Apoftles. But concerning the Authenticalnefs of 'em there does need fome- thing to be faid. For the Greek (which is the Original ) of all Origenh Works being loft, except a very few ; there remains only the Latin Tranflations of 'em. And when thefe Tranflations were colJeded toge- ther, a great many fpurious ones were added and mixt with 'em, and went under Origenh Name. But upon the Renewal of Learning^ ,^g. the Critics quickly fmelt 'em out, and admitted none for his, but fuch ^98. as appear'd to have been done into Latin either by St. Hierom or elle by Rufinus : both of whom lived within the Tims limited for our pre- fent Enquiry, viz. the firft 400 Years. For which Reafon I have rejefted the Quotations brought by fome for Infant-Baptifm out of Origen on Jobj which is plainly a fpurious Piece written by fome Jrian. §. 5. Of thefe which I have brought, the Homilies on St. Lule were tranflated by St. Hierom: but thofe on Leviticus and the Comments on the Eplfi. to the Romans., by Rufinus. St. Hierom added a Preface to his Tranflation, which is printed with it •, a Padage out of which is quoted by Rufinus, (2) and alfo fome Part of the Tranllation it felf. And St. Hierom himfelf mentions this Work in the Catalog of his own (3) Works. So that of this there is no Doubt. Erajmus once doubted whether e- ven thefe Homilies were the genuin Works of Origen^ as Huetius ob- ferves (i) Le^t U. 8. (2) Apolog. adv. Hieronym. zda. (3} De Scriptoribus EccK Chap- V. Orjgen! 29 ferres in thefe C4) Words : Erafmus in his EpJIU to Francis Ciglianus, Year afi' hnd written that thefe Homilies Md fecm to be fame other Man's and not O- ^^"^ ^"^^ rigen's : hnt in his Cenfure affixed to the Books of Origen, he recanted hi4 •'^P^ft^^ Opinion^ and acknowledged the trne Author. Which I the rather note, be- 'J^^V.. caufe Mr. Tombs ( 5 j and Mr. Danvers (6) do quote Erafmus on Lnke 1.3. ^^^^^ faying thu?, For (0 he feems to think whoever he woi whofe Commentaries are extant upon Luke, under the Title of Adamantius, Qor, Origen]]. From whence they conclude /W Erafmus took ^em not ro /;e Origen's, or at leaf}; doubted of it- Which is not fair, if they knew that EmjmHs had recant- ed his Doubt, as is to be fecn in his Edition of Origin s Works. § 6. Neither does any one raife any Queftion ot the Tranflation of the other two, on Leviticus and the Romans^ but that it was done by Riifinus. But thefe two Men ufed feveral Methods in trandating. For, whereas Origenh Books contained in them feveral Exprefiions not con- fiftent with the Faith in fome Points. St. Hierom (7; changed nothing, but exprefs'd every thing as it was in the Original, as he owns himfelf : but Riifinus alter'd or left out any thing that he thought not Orthodox, And in xhz Homilies on Leviticus hz himfelf fays, that he took a £,reater Liberty than ordinary. All the World fince have approved the Method of St. Hierom^ and blamed that of Rn^nus-. for it is fit for a Tranflator to give a true Ac- count of what his Author fays, be it Good or bad. Whereas now in thefe Tranflitions of Rufinus^ the Reader is uncertain (as Erafmus an*- grily fays) whether he read Origen or Rufinus. Some AntipGedobaptifts do for this Reafon rejed the Quotations here brought out of the Homilies on Leviticus and the Romans: it being un- certain whether they are the Words of the Author, or the Additions or Interpolations of the Tranflator. This Plea mud needs give fome Abatement to the Authority of thefe two Teftimonies : yet it is the leis in this Matter, becaufe, 1. That on St Luke tranflated by St. Hierom contains the fame thing in effcft. It is as full an Evidence of the then Pradice : only it does not mention the Tradition from the Apoflles. 2. There is no kind of Probability that Rufinus ( whatever Interpola* tlons he might make in other Matters) made any Alteration in this: fmce this was none of the Subjedts on which Origen\ Opinion was que* ftion'd by the Church in Riifin:ts''s time. Thofe Things in which he was fmgular, are largely canvafs'd both by St. Hierom and Rnfinus them-? felves in their Invectives and Apologies one againft another : and alfo by ;8) Epiphanius^ and fp) Theophilus 'Bp. of Alexandria, who reckons 35 fiiigular Opinions that Origen held : and they are about the Refurrcclion of the fame Body, the Eternity of Hell Torments, the Pr;£exifl;ence of Souls, (4) Origenianorum. 1. 3. p. 253. (■>) 3d Review. (6) ift Reply to Mr. Willis, p. S7. (7) Vide Erafmum in cenfura orcrmn Otigenis. (8) Epift. aJ Joanncm Hierofolymit. (9) Epiftolae tafchales B.P. Tom. 4. lo Ongen; Chap. V. Year af- Souls, fome E\'pre(lions about the Trinity, &c. but not one Word a- ^Ty% ^°^^^ '■^^^ Matter. And there is no Pretence that Knfmj had any other Apoitlcs. Occafion to alter any thing, but only as being a great Lover oi Origen^ ^^^J^^y^s^ whatever was in his Comments exprefs'd in a doubtful or heterodox Senfe concerning any of the aforefaid Points, he left it out, or elfe gave it a favorable Turn in the Tranflstion, or in fome Explication that he added. But what is this to the Eaptifm of Infants, concerning which in is not pretended that Or*^e«'s Enemies challeng'd him as holding any fingular Opinion? 3. Ri:fin -s (who confefTes that in the Tranflation of the Comments on Levitlciu^ he had ufed m^ore freedom) fays only this of his Management in the Tranflition of the Comments on the £p. to the Romans^ that he bad (lo) p:o-tncJ this Work by one hat,\ He fpeaks of no Addition to that! and it is in that that there is ^]ention of the Tradition from the Apoftles. §. 7. Mr. Tombs (w) fays, that if one read thefe Vajfages^ and confider hoTv thty are brought In^ and hov? plain the txfyrejfions art again ji the Pela- gians, one pjall cG/'ceive that tlm were p'/.t in after the Pelagian Here fie was confuted by Hiciom and Auftin, h-Ijo often tells tts^ that the Fathers afore that Contr over fie arofe, did not J peak pLiinly again fl the Pelagians, ^nd of jzll others Origen is mof taxed as Pelagianizing. If the Paflagesdid fpeak of, or relate to any Conteft; about the Dcdrine of Original Sin, or any Adverfaries to it • or did fet themfclves to prove It as a Thing controverted : this Exception would have fome Weight. But they fpeak of it as a fuppofed and known Thing from Scripture, and as of a Thing denied by none, and in no other Style than many Sayings of other Fathers do before Pelagim\ Time, fome of which I cited (12) out of Irenaus. And the Opinion in v/hich Origen 'Pelagiamz.'d, was not as Mr. Tombs would intimate, in denying that cor- rupt State in which all are born into this World f his alferting of that in many other Places is notorious, and he built his Opinion of Prseexiftence on it) but in affirmJng that it is poflible for a Man in this Life to ar- rive at fuch a perfed Gonqueft of the faid Corruption, that he may af- terward live without Sin : which was another of the falfe Doctrines of Telag'iis. This is plainly proved to have been the Opinion of Origen from the few Words of St. Hierom in the Prolog to his Dialogs againfi the Pelagians-^ where having recited the Opinions of fome former Here^ tics that vaunted themfelves to be without Sin, he adds, IlLid aittem Ori- gents proprium efi, &c, But Origeii had this peculiar Opinion^ that it is impof- fible for a humane Soul to be without Sin from its Beginning to its Death-: And on the other fide^ that it is pojfible^ when a Man turns himself to a good Life^ to arrive to fuch Strength^ that afterwards he fi all not Sin. It was on account of this Tenet that St. Hierom calls Origen the Pelagians beloved. Which he does at the latter End of the laft of the Dialogs above- mention'd. {loJPrasfat. in Epift. ad Romanes. (11) Exatnen. pag. 7. (iz) CH. IIL f u Chsp. v. Orlgen; "^t- mention'd. MwTomhs might eafily have obferv'd in thofe few Works VcMmf- of Or '^en that are left in the Original, as plain Exprejfions againfi the Pe-tertbeA- laf.am a^ he calls it, /. e. as plain Mentions of Original Sin) as there **^^'**^'' afe in thefc Pallages. As in his 7th Book againft Celfns^ p. 56^. £^. Cara. ^^^1^^^ 1658. He difcourles much as he does here, how the Books of the Old ^^^^^^^"^ Teilament dooidera Sin Offering to be offer'd )y md rmv a'fji yt^ivm^Mvcov^ d( a >ig.Qa.pav W d^^jicii \ evcn for Infants new born^ 04 bcin£ not clear from Sin. Where he proceeds, on the fame Argument, to quote, as he does here, the Saying of David Pfal. 91. 5-. and feveral fuch Texts. $. 8. But this Argument of Mr. Ton;bs may be well retorted againft thofe that think thefe Paflages were put in by Rufinm [ Mr. Ton^bs in one Part of his Difcourfc feems to lay it on him, and yet in another, feems to thirk they were put in by fome Body afterward : or elfe he fpeaks abfurdly when he makes it to be done after the Pelagian Times). For whoever had put in any Thing of Original Sin, J^/finus would not : he had been more likely to raze it out, if he had not been afraid of Cen- fure. For tho' he feems to have conceal'd his Opinion from the World^ except fome few Confidents^ it was proved after his Death, that he was an Enemy to the Doftrine of Original Sin, at lead as derived from our firft Parents. St. Bieroyn does once or (13) twice reckon him by the Name of Crmniw among the Precurfors, or thofe that had given Oc- cafion, to ViUgiw. He himfelf tells how fome had accus'd him to u^na- [tafms Bifliop of ^owe, as having unfound Opinions about the Origin of the Soul : and he makes but a lame Anfwer to it, in the Letter which he writes to him for his Apology. But Cdefiim difcover'd all, when being upon his Trial at a Council of Carthage^ (in which he was coo- 'demned for this Herefie) there were thefe Lxaminations and Anfwers, ^^^*' which St. ^^ifiln has quoted (14) out of the j^Us of that Council^ which was held Anno Dom. 412. The Bilhop Aurelin^ faid, *^ Let the reFi [of the Articles charged on him] he read. * And there was read, That the Sin of Adam hurt himfelf only^ and not ' Mankind. Celefiim anfwer'd, / faid^ that J wot nnrcfolved concerning the Derivation of Sin (yet fo * 04 to fiihmit to any one to whom God has given the Grace of Knowledge) be- *■ caufe I have heard different Opinions of th^s from thofe that have been Pref- ' bytcrs of the Catholic Church. Paiilinus the Deacon faid, Tell us their Names. Celeflins faid, ' The holy Presbyter Rufinus, who dwelt at Rome with holy PammachiuSj ' / have heard him fay ^ that there is no Derivation of Sin. * Panlinus the Deacon faid, Are there any more'i ' Cekfiins faid, J have heard others alfo fay the fame. ' PauHnns (13) Ep. ad Ciicfiphontemir. Prarfac. 1. 4. in Teremiam. (ia) Lib. de peccaro origi- nail, c, 3,4. 72, On gen] Chap. V. Yearaf- ' T a iiiims the Dt^coR faid, Tell us their Namss'. ter the Celejiiiis faid, Is not ant Presbyter enough for yon ? Apoftles no. And afterward, in another place [of the Adls] -\yy-\j e ^;S\^ him a Syrian only becaufe he lived 50 Years in 5;^/^ and thofe Eafera Parts, and brought his Errors, and his X.ove of Origcn^ from thence. And the Rufinus meant by Cclejlius has al- ways been taken for the fame that is ordinarily known by that Name. §. 9. There would have been the lefs Need of this long Difquiiltiori to prove that the forecited Pallages of OrigenavQ genuin, if that Paflage of his which Mr. King has found out in the Original Greek of his Com- nientaries on St. Afatthtw, and produces {a) to this Purpofe as an Evi- dence for Infant-Baptifin, were not a very ambiguous one. If the Sen- tence had ended there where Mr. King cuts it off, it had been a plain Cafe that Origen muft have been underltood to fpeak there of Intants in Age. But fome Words, which he has left out, do, when they are read with the reft, very much puzzle the Caufe, and make it doubt- ful whether Origen be to be there underltood of Infants in Age_, or of fuch (/j) Inquiry in:o :he Confticudon, Difcipline, Zjc. of the Primitive Church p?.g, 57. Chap. V. Orlgcn.^ ^, " fnch Chriltian Men as are indued with the Innocence and Simplicity Yearaf. of Intants. The impartial Management which I have promis'd, oblioes^f' the A- me to fet down the whole Place, or elfe none of it. ° poftles Oriie>7 is there commenting on thofe Words of our Savior, Mat. i8. V*^- lo. I'akc heed that ye defpife not one of thcfe Little-ones : for I fay unto yo'A^ ^•'^V^ t\oat in Heaven their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven. He has a long Difcourfe, and fomething rambling: fpeak- ing fometimes of Infants in Age (fuch as our Savior had one then before him mention'd, v. 2.) and fometimes of Men refembling Infants. After which he puts this Queftion, Comment, m Mat. torn, 13. ^ag, 3]!. Ed. Huet'ij^ Rhotomag. 1668. Xi}P^S/Joi dvTwv AyyiKoi (z^i^vrau ^ mTiC9V J\^ct^j^oi nv oiyjovo[ifa.v Tntl djjvf Slmtkiv «e^ k «/)* Ab]?^ ■mLKiyy.viGla.i^ a iyivvu^ncmvy eSi d,fT/}ivvtnti /3p4(5rt 73 Xo- ' Then again one may inquire ^ When it is that the Angels here ( ' fpoken of are fet over thofe Little*ones fhewed [or fgni^ed'] by our I ' Savior? Whether they take the Care and Management of 'em from the \ *• Time when they by the Wafhing of Regeneration, whereby they were ' ' new born, do, oi new born Babes dcfire the fincere A^ilk of the Word, and ' are no longer fubjeft to any evil Power ? Or from their Birth, accord- *• ing to the Fore-knowledge of God and his predeftinating of 'em, ^c.^ If Origen Meant to fay, that it is a Queftion whether fuch a little Child as our Savior then fet before the Apoftles, have his guardian Angel given him by God from his Birth, or from his Baptifm •, then 'iis a plain Suppofal that fuch Infants were baptized. But his Mention of their defiring of the Milk of the Word at the Time of their Ba- ptifm, makes it doubtful whether he meant of fuch who are Infants in a proper Senfe, or whether he had in his Mind at that Place fuch Men as he had before called Chrifi's Little onesy i. e. Men, who when conver- ted and baptiz'd, do become humble in Spirit, &c. And this Doubt is encreafed by obferving the Anfwer that he gives to this his own Qiie- fbion: for he fays, that for one fide of it (viz.. that the Guardian Angel is given to every one from his BirthJ thefe Places of Scripture do make^ God (b) who feparated me from my Mothcr^s Womb. And (c) Be- fore thou camcfi forth out of the Womb., I fanclified thee, 6kC. But for the other fide (vi^. that it is at Baptifm that the good Angel is given) this does make, that the Time of Peoples Vnbelief u> under the Angels of Sa- tan : and then after their New birth^ he that has bought us with his own Blood, delivers 'em to a good Angel. He has alfo another Fancy; that poffibly the evil Angel that preades over a Man during his Heathen- F i^m {b) Gal. I. 15. (c) Jer. i. 5. 34 Origcn. Chap. V. Yearaf-ifni, b at the Man's ConverlTon converted alfo himfelf, and becomes a ter :hc good Angel to him. Apoft.es Moreover in the Text it felf^ tbo' our Savior had begun his Dif- ^J^^^^ courfe with taking a little Child, and telling 'em they muft h'tmble them- felvei oi that I ttle ChiU\ yet in the Procefs of it (and before he came to fpeak the forecited Wordsj 'vi^. at v. 6. he ufes the Phrafe of Little oyics which believe in him. So that upon the whole, the Proof of Infant Baptifm from this place oi O^iien^ does labor under confiderablc Ambiguiry: and it is better for the Ftcdobaptifls not fi) to rely upon it for a Proof of Origen\ Senfe, but that they do adhere likewife to thofe PafTages of his which I re- cited before; which tho' they are but Tranflations of fuch Books of his, the Oiiginal whereof is not now extant, yet they are, as I have fhewn, Tranflations well attefted. I will add to this one Paflage more, in which Origen brings in this Text of Scripture, which is, Horn. 9. in Jo fit am. He is fpeaking of that Text^ .7o/ 8. 33. how Jo^nHa wrote a Copy of the Law of Mofes on the Stones of the Altar: and that he did it tn the Frcjtnce of the Children of I frael. And in Allufion to this-, fpeaking of our Savior's writing his Law, not on Stones, but in the Hearts of his Difciples, he finds this way to prove that this alfo is done in the Pre- fence of the Children of Ifracl. He fays that the Word Ifrael figniiies a A'lind that jecs God: and that that Definition fits well to Angels : and that the Angels aie to be thought to be prefent at the giving of the Holy Sacraments. And then he adds, Secitridum Domini fententiam ^iccnti^ de infant! bus (cjiiod & tu fuifti in- fans in bapttfmo) cjnia j4ngeli eorum fcmfer vidcnt faciem patrii mei qui in ceelis eft. Coram illis igitur filijs Ifrael^ es that of which there was Doubt : he took this from the Foun- dMion of the Church to faflen a Stone that was loofe. I St. Niirom alfo quotes a good Part of it verbatim I. v Dialog, adv. Telag. I §. 3. Since then it is plain that it was at that time, and in thofe Places where St. Cyprian had liv'd, commonly known for his, and fre- cjuent in the Hands of learned Men ; there is the lefs need of confidcr- ing thofe Objedions which are brought as probable againft its being genuin. The forefaid Author faysj We meet with no fuch Councilj neither can it Appear where it was held. But this is to make himfelf more ignorant than he is, as if he did not know that the Date of this is before thofe Times in which the Ads of the Councils ufed to be regiltred and collected into Volumes: ^o that this had been loft, if it had not been prcfcrv'd among the Epi- ftles of this Father. And befides, that they never us'd to put into the G Volumes (^ Scrm. 14.de verbis Afoft. \.y^y^^^ ^z St. C^^prian. Chap. Vf. Year a f- Volumes of Councils the Acls of thofe ordinary A (Temblies in which the ter the A- neighbouring Bi(hops met every half Year at the principal City (where- poftles (jf j.|^|g yygs Q^Q^ ^iz.^ St. Cyprian's, neighbouring CoUegues allembled at Carthage) but only thofe in which fome extraordinary Matter was hand- led. " §. 4. Yet this is proper to obferve here, that whereas (4) Crotiics would prove that Infant- Baptifm was not miiverfally held to be necelTary, hccaiife in the Councils one finds no earlier Mention of it than in the Council of Carthage, meaning that in the Year 418. We fee here that tho' that were true f which I (bail by and by (9) fhew to be falfe) that there were no earlier Mention of it in thofe Councils that are in the ordinary Col- ledions: yet there is Mention of it in this, that was earlier than any of 'em 5 and tho' met on ordinary Occafions, more numerous than fe- veral of 'em. §. J. It is objeded likewife, that whereas St. y^itfiin foraewhere (6j lays down this as a Rule, that what the whole Church thro' all the World does pra5iife, and yet it has not been inflitnted in Councils^ but has been always in ufcy is with very good Reafon fnpfofed to have been fettled by Author it/ of the ^pofiles, and applys that Rule to Infant-Baptifm •, he confequently takes it not to have been inftituted by any Council ^ and therefore that he contradicts himfelf when he believes there was fuch a Council as this Letter mentions. But there needs nothing but for a Man to open his Eyes to fee that tills Council does not inftitutc the Baptifm of Infants, or enad that they fhould be baptized ^ but takes that for granted, or as a Thing known and fuppofed by both Parties, that they are to be baptized ^ and deter- mines only that Qiiellion, whether they may be baptiz'd before the eighth Day. Which very Thing St. Mfi^n notes in the Words 1 jult now cited, Ep. 28. Cyprian not making any new Decree^ &ic. §. 6. Another Exception that is made^ has I think, fome Truth in it, viz. That fome of the Reafons nfed in this Council and exprefs'd in this Letter, do appear fomething frivolous and iliallow. But I do not fee how it is at all to the Purpofe. 1. Becaufe thefe Reafons are not defign'd to prove Infant-Baptifm, but to take off" the Objedions concerning the eighth Day. 2. If they had been us'd by thefe Bilhops as Grounds of Infant-Ba- ptifm ^ yet fmce our Enquiry is what the Church then practis'd, and not how able St. Cyprian and they were to argue ■ their Evidence is the fame, how weak foever their Reafonings are. But, 3. This alfo may be faid in Apology for their Abilities-, that to a frivolous and foolifh Queilion or Objedion 'tis almolt impoflible to give any Anfwer that will not feem frivolous to thofe that confider not the Occafion of it. On this Account Iren^pu^ and many of the Fa- thers fuffer in our Judgment: they are forc'd to write a great deal in Confutation (4) Annot.in Mac. 19. (5} CH. XV/j (6) DebaptifmocontraDonatiftas,1.4.c,23, Cfiap: V^ St. Cyprian' 4j Confutation of fuch idle and enthuUaftical Stuff as feems to us not Ycarat- to deferve tliree Words: but it was necelPary then to difentangle the^ertheA- Souls of ignorant Chriflians. So any Book written now ia anfwer to poiUc^ the Reafonings of the ^^ahrs^ &C. will in the next /.ge feem to be the ^5^' Work of a Man that had little to do. This Fidus thought that the na- '"-'V'^ tural Uncleannefs of an Infant in the firft Days after his Birth, was a Reafon againfl: baptizing it then : which, as Rigaltks obferves, was a Relique of heathenifh Superftition. He alfo feems to have made fome QueJtion whether lO young an Infant be a perfeft human Creature : as if eight Days made any great Difterence in that Matter. The Anfwers to fuch Arguments will feem ot little Weight. All that he objeded of Senfe, v/as the Rule of Circumcillon on the eighth Day. To which St. Cyprian anfwers, as other Fathers do, that the Circumftance of the Day was typical, and fo not now obliging. §. 7. If we look back from this Time to the Space that had pafTed from the Apoflles Time, which was but 150 Years ^ we muft cdnclude that it was eafie then to know the Pradice of Chriftians in the Apo- itles Days. For fome of thefe 66 Biftiops mult be thought to be at this Time 70 or 80 Years old themfclves, which reaches to half the Spsce : and at that Time when they were Infants, there mull have been feve- ral alive that were born within the Apoftles Age. And fnch could not be ignorant whether Infants werebapciz'd in that Age, when they them- fdves were fome of thofe Infants. It is plain likewife that there was no Difpute or Difference of Opi' nion (as there mnft have been among fo many, if any Innovation had been madej. For 'tis here faid, there vpm not one of Fidus'/ Afind thac Infant- Baptifm muft be delayed till the eighth Day. Much lefs then was there any of Opinion that it was not to be us'd at all. In a Do^rinal Point, as Mr. Baxter well obferves, a Aiiflake is eajter^ or in a bare Narration of [onte one FaH:: But in a Af After of FaEi of fo p/tb- iic Notice^ and which fo many thonfands were Partakers in^ as Baptifm was^ How could they be ignorant. Suppofe it were a Q_ueItion now among us, Whether Perfons were baptiz'd at Age only, or in Infancy alfo, 70 or 80 Years before we were born : Were it not eaiie to know the Truth, what by Tradition, and what by Recoids ? § 8. I fliall conclude what I have to note on this Teltiniony with ob- 'ferving thefe Things. I. That it was the Cuftom of thofe Times and Places to give the new baptized Perfon, whether Infant or Adult, the Kifs of Peace^ or, as it is called by (7 J St Pad and (8) St. Peter., the Holy Kifs, or the Kifs of Char.ty, in token of their owning him for a Chriftian Brother : for Fidas makes that a Part of his Ohjedion, that that would be indecent or loathfome in the Cafe oi a new born Infant, before it be a Week old. G 2 ?. 9„ (7) I Cor. 160 20. (8J I Pec. 5. 140 44 '^'' Cyprian. Chap. VJ. Yearaf- §. 9. 2. That tlicfe Bifhops held, that to fuffer the Infant to die tcr tbeA- uubaptlz'd, was to endanger its Salvation. This appears in their Rea- poftlcs ibnings. \Sr\n>j y- ^o- }' The Third is a various Reading or Spelling of one Word in this Epiltle, from whence fen\e Difputes have arifen. Mr. Daille in a Book written on purpofe to publifh the Ndvi and Errors which he conlj find in the Fathers Works, (9) reckons St. Cyprian one of the firft of thole from whofe Words one may prove there was a Cnltom of giving the Holy Communion to Infants. And he proves it firft and chiefly from this Epiftle, in which, as 'tis here written, there is never a Word about it. But where we read in- the firfl; Claufe of ic, haptiz.atf' dnm & farU:ijicandHm^ jldonld be baptiz.ed and fanU:ijied^ ('which latter Word is commonly ufed as another Word for Baptifm) he quotes it, bapl- z.andHm & facrifcandum, by which he underftands, ponld be baptized and partake of the Eucharifi. Some Editions, it feems, have it fo. But, 1 fup- pofe, very few: and thofe miftaken ones. For (loj Dr. Hammond^ (II; MarjJial, znd the A fagdcbHrgen/es, 2nd Mr. Walker-, and all that 1 have feen, do quote it fan^i[icandiim^ as it is alfo in the laft Edition, viz. Oxon. 1682. in which are the various Ledions of feveral Manufcripts that had been collated : but no Variety in reading of this Word. And the Matter is out of doubt ^ fince St. jinfiin^ tranfcribing that Part of the Epiftle (12) writes k fan^lificandiim. And indeed facrificandnyn in that Senfe is not Latin. From this life of the Word SanElification for Baptifm^ and SanBified or made holy for baptized C which I ftiall (hew C13) hereafter to have bz^^ very common and ufual) the Fathers do give Light to the Explication of that Text of St. Taul, 1 Cor, 7. 14. As I (hall more fully fhew at a (13) fitter Place. 4. We fee alfo here confirm'd, what I faid (14) before, that they reckon'd Baptifm to be to us in the room of Circumcifion. For it was upon that Account, that Fidm thought it muft keep the Times of the Old Circumcifion: and the Bifhops of the Council, tho' denying that, do call it the Spiritfial [ox Chriftian] CircHmcifion. Another Paffage out of St. Cyprian. Lihro de Lapjis^ circa Medium, §. II. There had been at C^rr^;?^e a great Perfecution of the ChriftianSj in which many had fallen, and had denied their Religion, and had joined in the idolatrous Sacrifices : fome of which afterward, when the Perfe- cutioG (9) De ufu Parrum. 1. 2,. c. 4. (10 J Six Queries inf. bapc. §.36. (11) Againft, Tombs p. 39. (ii) L. 4. contra duas Eplft. Pelagianorum c. 8. ii 3) CH, XL §. 9/ {i4}CH.II.§.2. Chap! Vr. St. Cypriarr. 4f cution was over, went about to crowd themfelvcs into the Church, with- Yearaf- out giving firft any fiifficient Proofs of their Repentance for fo horrid "^^f cheA- a Crime, or expecting the Confent of the Church for their ReadmifTion. P°^'^^ St. C)pr:an thought it neceflary for thefe Men to be firlt made fenllble of '^^^^^^ the Guilt they had contraded : for which Purpofe he writes this Book \ and has among others, this Paflage, in which he mentions their Infants ^ and tho* there be no exprefs Mention of their Baptifin, yeE you will fee it is in other Words plainly defcribed. Nomie qnando ad Capitolaim ffonte ventum fi?, qiiando idtro ad cbfequium diri facinoyis accejfum f/?, Ubavit grejfn^^ callgavit afpe^u^^ tre}7i:ierunt vlfcc- rrf, brachia concidcmnt ? Nonne Jenjits ohjiupuit^ lingtia hafitj fermo defecit i Stare i/lic potnit Dei fervas^ d" loqui & renunclare Chrijio^ qui jam Dia' boh rer.unc'arat (^ featlo ? Nonne ara tlla^ quo moritHn:s acccjferat^ rO' £Hi ilii fuit / Nonne DiaboU altare, quod foetore tetro fumare ac redolere (onfpexcrat^ velut fiir.m d" bHjium v/ta fu£^ horrcre ac fugcre debtbat f Qiiid hofiiam tecum ^ mifer^ quid 'viSbimam fupplicatHrtis imponis ? ipfe ad aras hojiiay vitlima ipfe venijii. Immolafli illic faliitem tuam \ [pern tuam^ fidem tnam funefiis tills ignibiti concYsmafii. Ac midtis pYOprius interitHS fatis mn fuit : hortamentis mHtuis in exitinm [Hum popnlm impulfpu efl : mors invicem lethall poculo propinata eji. Ac ne quid deejftt ad criminis cumhluw^ infantes qmq'j parentum manibus vel impofiti vel attra^i^ amiferunt parvuli quod in pri' mo fiat im nativltatis exordia fuerant confecuti. Nonne illi^ ckm judicij dies venerit^ dicent •, nos nihU fecimu-s^ nee dereliUo dbo ac poculo Domini tad prof a- na contagia fponte proper avimus : perdidit nos aliena perfidia^ parentes fenfimus. parricidal. Jlli nobis ecclefiam matrem^ illi patrem Denm negaverunt : ut dum parvi & improvidi & tanti facinoris ignari per alios ad confortlum crlminum jungimury aliena fraude capercmur ? ^ When you came to the Capitol, {jhe Idol Temple"] when you went with ' a ready Compliance to the committing of tiiat horrible Crime, Did * not your Legs- tremble, your Sight wax dim, your Bowels turn, and ' your Arms flag ? Did not your Mind grow amazed, your Tongue * falter, and your Speech fail you- ? Could one that was God's Ser- ' vant ftand there and fpeak out, and renounce Chrift, who had before * renounced the Devil and the World ? Was not the Altar of Incenfe * a Funeral Pile to him, lince he came thither to take his \ifpirit/ial'}, ' Death ? Had he not reafoa to abhor and fly from the Altar of Sacri- ' fice to the Devil, which he faw fmoak and ftink with a nafty Smelly * as from the Funeral Fire which fignihed the Forfeiture of his Life ? ' What need hadft thou, poor Wretch, to bring thy Offering or Sacri- * fice thither with thee ? Thou cameft thy felf a Sacrifice and a Burnt- ' Offering to the Altar. Thou didft there facrifice thy Salvation : thou * didft burn up all thy Hope and Faith m thofe deadly Fires. There were alfo a great many that thought it not enough to procure. '^ their own Damnation. The Multitude encourag'd one another to theic ' peftruclion : they drank Death to one another, and pledg'd each other I la. that poyfoflous Cup. Acd 4^ "^A Cyprian. "Clmp. Vt. Year at- * And that ROtliing might be wanting to the Meafirre of their Wick- ter the A- ' ednefs. their little Infants alfo being kd or brought in their Parents poRles *• Arms, loft that which they had obtain'd prefently after they were born, i no. * Will not they at the Day of Judgment fay-, Wc did nothing ofthis^nei- '^-^'^1^ iher did vre fori'txkir.g; the Me ^t and Cup of oar Lord, run of oar own Accord to the partaking oj thojs profane Difilancnts. 'Twas the u^poflaty of others that rnind ns : ive had our Parents j'or our Murderers. ^Trvas they that re^ noitnced for us the Church from beina- our Mother^ and God from being our Father. IVhtnwe^ being young and inconfu^krate^ and nut jenfible of the Greats ■nefs of the Crime^ were made Partakers of the IVickednefij we Wire en- trapped by the Treachery of others. §. 12. When he fays, f/?e Infants lofi []or forfeited^ that {_G\h or Grace"] which they had obtained prefently after they were born: *tis pliin that he means their Baptifm or the Benefits thereof. St. Jhijlin had occafion to recite thefe Words of St. Cyprian and tO' give his Comment on them. The occafion was this ; one Boniface had put to him this Queftion •, Whe- ther Parents do their Children that are baptiz.cd any Hurt when they carry ^em to the Heathen Sacrifices to be card of any Illnefs: And. if they thereby do V»2 no Hurt^ then how it comes to pafs that the Faith of the Parents flands ^em in fiead when they are baptized : and yet their Apofiacy afterward fJjould Tiot be able to hurt ''em. St. Aufiin (15) anfwers, that the Force of that Sacrament is fnch^ that he that is once regenerated by it^ cannot afterwards be entangtd in the Guilt of another Perfon s^Sin^ to which he does not confent. He gives the Reafon of the Difference to this purpofe ^ that the Guilt of Original Sin defcerds from the Parent to the Child, becaufe the Child is not as yet a feparate living Perfon, anima feparatim vivens^ from his Parent. But when a Child is become in fe ipfo alter ab eo qui genu.t^ in himfelf a feparate Perfon fiom him that begot him, he is not guilty of his Parents Sin done without his Confent. He derived his Guilt, becaufe he was one v/ith him and in him from whom he derived, at the time when it was derived to him : but one does not derive from another, when each has his own proper Life •, fo as it may be faid, the Soul that finneth it f^all die. That the Faith and godly Will of the Parent in bringing his Child to Baptifm, is avail- able, becaufe the fame Spirit that fanftifies and regenerates the Child, moves the Parent to offer him to Baptifm. The regenerating Spirit^ fays he, is one and the fame in the Parents that bring him^ and in the In- fant that is brought and regenerated. And the Guilt is not fo cornmu- n 'cared by another Perfon'' s Will^^ as the Grace is communicated by the Vnity j~or Identity^ of the Spirit. Tet (as he obferves afterward) the Parents or other Guardians that en- ^eavcur thus to entangle their Children or other Infants in this Sacrilege of 4he Devil, are defervedly called fpiritual Murderers. For they do not, ^tts true^ effi^ any Murder upon \m •, but yet as far as it lies in them they are Murder- e: J .* (i 5 j Ep. 23. ad Bonifaciuin, Chap. Vr. St. Cyprian. 47 ers : and we do with Reafon fay to Vw, Don't murder your Infants. Fcr Vearaf- the yipoftle fays^ Qiiench not l^or extinguifh not^ the Spirit : not that he ^^^ ^^^ Aj can he extingnifhed -^ bitt yet they are fitly called Extirjaa.'Jhers of him as pcfties TTiiich as in them lies, that woidd have him cxtingnijlKd. ^>^*j*^^ Then it is that he takes notice of this Paflage of St 6)'/5nV?», and fays, ''^''*'*^~ Jn this Smfe may that he rightly underflood which St. Cyprian wrote in his Epiftle concerning the Lapli, when reproving thoje that had in the Time of TerfecHtion facrificed to Idols^ he fays, ' And that nothing might be vvant- ' ing to the Meafure of their Wickednefs, their little Infants alfo being ' led or brought in their Parent* Arms, lofl that which they had ob- * tained prefently after they were born, &c. They lo(l it^ he means^ as fay*- as concerns the Wickednefs of thofe by whom they were brought to loje it, iti^ the Will and Purpofe of thofe that committed fo fonl a Wickednefs upon 'em. For if they had lofl it indeed as to themfelves^ they would have continned as Per^ fons to be condemned by the Sentence of God without any Excufe : which if St. Cyprian had thought to be fo, he would not prefcntlj have fitb joined their Excufe., fayingy '■ Will not they at the Day of Judgment fay ? &c. §. 13. There is one Place more in St. Cyprian, where he Ipeaks of all Perfons in general^ yet becaufe he names not Infants particularly, I Ihall but juft mention it. It is Lihrv \. Tefimomorum ai Qujrtnum, c. 15*. This is a Common-place-Book of the Heads of Chriftian Doftrine, . rollefted by this Father, and proper Texts of Scripture added for the Proof of each of 'em. The Doftrine or Propolition for this Chapter is this. J^d regnum Dei nifi baptiz^atus & renatm cjuis fuerit^ pervenire non pojji. * If any one be not baptized and regenerate, he cannot come to the ' Kingdom of God. The Texts of Scripture are among other, thefe In Evangelio cata Joannem. Nifi quis renatm fuerit ex aqua C^ fpiritu^ fjon poteft introire in regnum Dei. Quod enim natiim eFi de came, caro efl -, C^ quod natum efl de fpiritu^ SpiritHS efl. In the Gofpcl according to St. John. *- Except any one be regenerate of Water and of the Spirit, he cannot en- ' ter into the Kingdom of God. For that which is born of the Flefh, is ' Flelh : and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. §'. 14. We have in our Engi^fli Language a way of fpeaking where- by inftead of the Word CPerfon Q in a Sentence, we generally ufe the Word [Man] tho' the Senfe be fuch as requires to be underftood of any"' human Creature -, Man, Woman, or Child. And fo in the Text of Sti fohn here cited, fohn 3. f. tho' the Original be e^tV (Wh 7^, &c. and all Latin Books and Writers tranllate it, as Cyprian here does, nif quis, &c. which fignifies, except one Coi' except a^y one, or, except a Perfon] be born^ 4^ CcHKcil of Eiiberis. Cliap. VU. Year af- horn^ &:c. Yet the Emlijlj Tranflators have rendred it, 5.xceft a Man he tertheA- yQy„^ §:€. And fome Englijh Antip-asdobaptifts (learned ones you'll fay) pcities j^^yg taken the Advantage of the Word [Man] to prove that it is of J^^;^,^^^ a grown Perfon in Exxiullon of Children, that our Savior fpeaks. But the more wary of 'em finding that this Argument will from the Origi- nal turn ftrongly againft 'em, are willing to compound, and leave this Text quite out of the Difpute, and fay that our Savior does not there fpeak of Baptifm at all. There is not any one Chrillian Writer of any Antiquity in any Lan- guage, but what underftands it of Baptifm. And if it be not lb un- derilood, it is difficult to give an Account how a Perfon is born of Wa- ter, any more than born of Wood. I fhall have Occafion to fpeak more (16) particularly of the Senfe of the Ancients concerning this Text. In the mean time, we fee here plain- ly that Sl Cyprian underftands it of Baptifm : and alfo we fee by read- ing the foregoing Epiftle to F/W?«, that he and his Fellow- Bilhops un- derftood the Cafe of Infants particularly to be included in it. There is another Paflage in St. Cyprian, from which is plainly in- ferr'd the Baptifm of Infants, becaufe it ihews that in his Church the Cuflom was to give the Communion to them at the Age of 4 or 5 Years. But fince it mentions not their Baptifm exprefly, I fhall referve it to the (17) Chapter where I fpeak of the Cuftom that was in fome Churches of their communicating. CHAP. vn. A Qiiotation our of the Council of Eiiberis. Coftcil, Either it aitum. Can, iz. [Yearaf- §• ^« O^ ^^^^ dc Catholic a Ecckjia ad harefim tranjitum fecerit, rurfuscj'^ ad ttx theA- v3 ccckjiam recnrrerit : placttit hnic poemtentiam fion ejje dcnegandam, poftles €0 cjHod cogmverit peccatum [i:nm : qui etlam decern annif agat pcemtetitiam • ao"). CM poft decern annos prafiari communio debet. Si vero infantes fuerint tranjdu- ^•''"V***^ ^i ^ ijitod non fio vitio peccaverint, incuntianter red pi debent. ' If any one go over from the Catholic Church to any Herelie j^or * Sed] and do return again to the Church: It is refolved that Penance ' be not denied to fuch an one ♦, becaufe he acknowledges his Fault. * Let him be in the State of Penance for ten Years, and after ten Years, * he ought to be admitted to Communion. * But iU) Parr 2. CH. ^Vl. §. r. (17) Part 2. CH. IX. §. 15, 16, 17. Chap. VII. Council of Elibens. 49 'But if they were Infants when they were carried over^ inafmuch Year a f- * as it was not by their own Fault that they finned, they ought to be tcrthcA- * admitted prefently. poftks Here b indeed no exprefs Mention of thefe Infants having been ba- ^°^'-^^ ptized in the Catholic Church before they were carried over to the ^'^^'^"'^ Sedl. But inafmuch as they are faid to be tramdn^ti^ carried ever from the Catholic Church ^ it is, I think, plainly implied. For the Phrafe of all Antiquity is not to call any one of the Church, till he be baptiz'd. Be he Infant or Adult that is deligncd to be a Chriftian, till he be baptiz'd, they call him CatechnmenHs : and a Catechumen is not yet of the Church. We perceive by St. j^njln in many fO Places, that it was a common thing for the Neighbours or any Vifitant, to ask concerning a Chriftian's Infant-Child •, Is he FiMis or Catrchnmepia ? i, e U he yet -baptiz'd or not? So that an Infant or adult Perf:n was not reckon'd Ftddis or of the Church till his Baptifm. And theicfore to fpeak of In- fants conveyed over from the Catholic Church to any Sect, is to fup- pofe them firil baptized in the Catholic Church, and riftav\ard by their Parents or others carried to the Congregations of the Stddrics, and e- ducated in that way. The Council decrees that fuch upon their Return to the Catholic Church Ihall be received without any Penance. Concerning the Time of this Council, I lliall not enter into any of the nice Inquiries. Almofc all^ Chronologers place it as I here do, 'viz,. Anno Dom. 30). Balu^iti, will have it be 10 or 15' Years later. A. main Exception againft moving the Date of it any lower, is that a great many of the Canons of it do enacl what Penance is neceffary in . the feveral Cafes of fuch as thro' Fear do deny the Chriftian Religion, or comply to facrifice to the Idol Gods. This is a Sign that Perfecuti' on reigned at that Time, at leaft in Sfain : but every Body knows that a little after this Time Perfecution for the Chriftian Religion ceafed in all the World. §. 2. That which will make a Reader, that is not acquainted with Antiquity, wonder, is, that thefe ancient Fathers do inflicl: To fevere a Penance on thofe that had run into any Sed. They ordain that fuch muft be kept in a State of Penance (i. e. of Humiliation and asking Pardon of God and the Church; for ten Years Time before they be ad- mitted to full Communion : except they were Infants when they were carried over. The Commonnefs of a Sin does in moft Men wonderfully abate the Senfe of the Guilt of it. Now a Days if Men have run into Schifm, and do afterwards think fit to return to the Church ^ they are fofar from being fenfiblc of any Guilt that they have incurred, that they think their very Return does lay a great Obligation on the' Church. In (hort, many Chriftians, that take the Word of God, not as it lies, but as their • ^ - H Prejudices (O Serm. 14. dc verbis Apoft. Sc alibi. \\ j,| .ci .; ru*. ^1] JO, Council of 'NQocxmea] Chap- VIIL Yearnf Prejudices have reprefented, do think that Adultery indeed is a Sin, and tercheA- Drunkennefs is a Sin, but that SchifiTi is none. poftks g,^|- ^j]^ j-{-,e Ancient Chriftians do expreFs the fame Sentiment of the ^^^>^ Guile of Schifm as St. Paul does, who (2) reckons thofe that make Di- vifions^ Seditions^ and Herefies in the -Church among the moft capital Of- fenders, vphich jliall not inherit the Kingdom of God : fuch as Murderers, Adulterers, Cf. And commands that they be excommunicated, or (3)3- voided by all good Chriilians. Nor has God ever palled any Ad of In- dulgence or Toleration in Abatement of that Lav;. (2) GaL 5. 19, 20. (3) Rom. 16. 17. C H A P. VIII. A Quotation out of the Council of Neoccefarea, Yearaf- §. i . r~r^H O^ this Council mentions nothing at all about Infants or tcr the A- j^ their Baptifm ^ yet Groti'M ( i ) feems to himfelf to have found poftles 3 Proof out of it that many in thjt Age judged that they are not to \lX/-v^ 'be baptized. Bp. Taylor (2) from him, and from them others, profecute the Argument. So much is plain, that fome about that Time and Place had put this Qiieftion ^ Whether a Woman with Child, that had a Mind to become aChriftian and be baptiz'd, m.ight conveniently receive Baptifm during her going with Child, or muH ftay till fhe was deliver'd. And 'tis a- greed likeArife that the Reafon of the Doubt was, becaufe when (he was' immers'd into the Water, the Child in her Womb did feem to fome to be baptized with her : and confequently they were apt to argue that that Child mufl: not be baptizM, or would not need to be baptiz'd, afterward for it felf. This any one will conclu.de from, the Words of the Council, which are thefe ^ CoKcilij l>leoc£farienJis^ Canon 6. « -jiiijiscrti TU TtKTv^.ya : T ooMAoytA J\i~ KVV&V.I. * A Womaa with Child may be baptiz'd when fhe pleafes. For the ' Mother in this Matter communicates nothing to the Child : becaufe in * the Profeflion every one's own Qor peculiar 3 Refolution is declared. ' Cor, (i) Annot. in Mat, 19. 14, (i) Liberty of Prophefying. Chap, Vill. Ctf«»tv/ ^/Neccaefarea. .'^,i ' [or becaufe every one's Refolution at the Profefllon is declar'd to be Yearaf- * peculiar to Iiimfclf. ] cer the A- §. 2. The Argument of the Antipxdobaptifls from this Pafiage, is, F^'ft'es that both thofe that raifed the Doubt, and the Council that refolved it, ^^4- miifc have been of Opinion that it is unlawful to baptize an Infant. v/'^'*^-^ For, fay they, thofe Men that fcrupl'd the Baptizing of a Woman with Child, fcrupl'd it for this Reafon, becaufe they thought that in fo doing they baptiz'd the Child too ^ which to do had been no Abfurdi- ty fuppofing the Baptifm of an Infant to be lawful : it would have been only the doing of both under one. And alfo the Fathers of the Council, fay they, do feem to grant that the Baptizing of the Child would be unlawful : for they give that Rea- fon why they allow the Baptizing of the Wom.an, becaufe her Baptifm communicates nothinc to the Child. And belides, the Fathers Tas thefe Men conftrue their Words) do de- termine that in the baptifmal Profeflion every Perfon muft: declare his own Choice or Refolution : which it is impoffible for the Infant in the Womb, or any other Infant to do. §. 3. The Pcedobaptifls fay, that this is a wide MiHake of the Mean- JDg of thofe that rais'd the Doubt, and of the Council in relolving it. For that it was no more than this. They that fcrupled the Baptizing of fcch a Woman, fcrupled it for this Reafon •, becaufe it would be a difputable Cafe whether the Child ih her Womb were to be accounted as baptiz'd by its Mother's Ba- ptifm or not : and fo when that Child was born, they fhoulu be in great Perplexity whether they muft baptize it or not. For if they did, there would be Danger that it would be baptized twice : and if they did not, 'twas queftionable whether it had any Baptifm at all. And that there- fore it was better the Woman fliould Hay till fhe were deliver'd and then (he might be baptiz'd for her felf and the Child for its felf. But the Biiiiops in Council (confidering, as 'tis likely, the D;?nger of the Woman's Death in the mean while) determined otherwife-, tliat (he might be baptiz'd if fhe would: and that there was no ground for the forefaid Scruple or Perplexity about the Child's Baptifm •, for that it was a plain Cafe that the Child is not to be accounted as bapt'Z'd by its Mother's Baptifm. For that fuch a V\/'oman's Baptifm reaches no farther than her felf, and is not communicated to the Child in her Womb •, and give this Reafon •, becaufe/i?e Vrofejfion that any one wakes at Eapti/m, dcilarcs 'tJ'ia.v TfoM^ia-iy^ a Refolution Qcr Delire to be baptiz'd] that is peculiar to themjelves : and fo the Woman in this Cafe docs not defire or demand the Baptifm at that Time for her Child, but for her felf only. §. 4. If the Reader wull pleafe to turn back and read the Words once again with any Attention^ he will fee that they are, as to the main of the Determination, applicable to either of thefe Senfes, If the Bifhops had thought Baptizing of Infants unlawful, they would have determined . H 2 this ^i ComcU ery one muft make his own Choice at the Trofejfion. But when they fay, 7 o^Kn-}U ^'ikvv^i^ they do (as a- ny Critic will obferve) exprefs this Senfe-, becaufe the Choice which is made at the [^baptifmal^ Trofejfion^ is declared by every one peculiar to him- felf And fo it is only a Reafon of what they had faid laft ^ that the Afother commmicates nothing to the Child: and not any Reafon againft the baptizing of an Infant. §. y. Before I go farther, I efteem it very material to obferve by the Bye this Emphafis of the Word VcT/©-, for apprehending the Force of a Text of St. Fanl againft the Tolygamifts. Thefe Men prefume to fay, that there is no Prohibition in the New-Teftament of the Plurality of Wives to one Man. St. Paul i Cor. 7. i, 2; perfwades People, if they can be fo content, to an abfolute Continence ^ but if they cannot, he al- lows Marriage : but with this Limitation, ejjafr? -nw kctvi^i -^wcuiid, k^Tw j^ Im^ ^v iS'iov dv^e^. e;)^'7w. The true Tranflation of which Words is, Let every Man have his own Wife, and let every Woman have a Husband peculiar to her. For as when j4ri(iotle fays, 'l<^iov t^to lUi dv^^dTnn : it were a very im- perfeft rendring to tranllate it •, A^en have this of their own : which ought to be, This is proper , or pccnliar^ to Men. And where he fays, t Si (idr^^f sSi'av l^f^i nv y\(oa-c494^'<;,'] having not the .^Hlifioation Cor Difpofition, or Affection] cannot male the Profejfion at Baptifm. And/ that Claufe, when they pleafe, was added to the Canon becaufe of fome that lay, ' Before the Embryo be formed into a Human Creature, the Wo- ' man may be baptized without Scruple, but not conveniently afterward;. ' becaufe the Caild in her Womb then is in the fame Cafe as Infants new- * ly born, which may not \jege may] promife. The Fathers therefore faid^ that it is at the Woman's Pleafure to be baptized when flie will i becaufe in what State the Embryo is none can tell, nor be Sponfor for it : but Infants do fromife by their Sponfor s, and being a^ually baptized have the heavenly Ilhimi" nation granted to 'em. AncTin his Glofles .upon Photius\ Nomocanon, Tit. 4- c. lo. he fays. There was a Queftion made. Whether a Woman with Child might be baptized: for fome faid, ' Becaufe the Child in the Womb is united to the Mother as SA Cnunctl of Neocojfarea.' Chap. VIU. ..ye^raf- ' a^ i\P5Tit oi k^^ ^pd --qiRnDit -br inlightned [or baptized] with tlie" t?J:the A- *, Mother, b(|caiire,i!;* is i\ot.yet coale ieto the Light, nor has any Choice pat^es c^.f lihe Protedicn.of.thc Diviue Baptifm •, therefore the Mather ooght ^5^0w/-* :POt tp J)e baprifi'd^-bucta ftay till the Child be born : leaft one Part - ' of her be inlightiled, and the other remain uninlightned. And if the 'Child be baptiz'd with the Mother's Baptifm, then, if it be baptized ' after it is born, it will .prove to be twice baptiz'd, which is abfurd. Therefore the Sytjod of Neoc^farea refolve the Doubt in their Sixth Ca- non, &c. Zonaras\ Words are thefe in his Comment on the faid Canon. Jt determines that Women with Child may be baptizJd when they pleafe. jind vchereas fome affirmed '' that the Foetus is baptiz'd together with the Mo- ' thcr, and that therefore the Infant when born mufl: not be baptiz'd, * lea ft it (hould have a double Baptifm: therefore were thofe Words ad- Jed^ > For the Mother in this Matter communicates nothing to the Child. i. e. For the Mother only and not the Child is made Partaker of Holy Baptifm. For^ fays it^ every one's oxvn Choice is requiftte that thsy do frofefs themj elves Folhxvcrs of Chrifi: and it : appears by that Baptifm which they receive with a willing MiHd> u4nd becanfe in the Fcetus that ii inclofed in the Another* s Womb time is nb Choice, it is not to Ve accounted to have received Baptifm • and therefore it has need of Baptifm again when it jlmll be able to choofe Thefe two Commentators do indeed underftand the laft Claufe of the Canon in tliat Senfe which I (hewed even now not to be the true Senfe, nor according to the Rules of Critics. But yet it was not fair in' Grotitti to reprefent them as being themfelves, or fuppoling the Coun- cil to be, againft Infant-Baptifm : lince as it appears that they fuppofe eve'ry one's Choice to be neceffary at Baptifm :, fo it likewife appears that an Infant's Choice and Promife made by its Sponfors or Godfathers is the Choice and Promife they fpeak of. Belldes that he quoting Scraps of Sentences, produces as Balfamonh own Words that which Baljamon bad brought in as pleaded by others ^ and alfo fomething alter'd, as the Reader will fee by comparing. §. 8. The IfTue of the Difpute is ^ the Council fay in this Matter, what any one, whether Pxdobaptift or Antip^dobaptift, would fay : and therefore the Proof that they were of one or of the other Opinion muft be taken from fome other Evidence: for thefe Words make neither for the one nor the other. And iince we are now come fo low as within k 60 Years of the Time of St. j4^tftin, Pelagita, &c. and they, as I (hall ftiew (4": prefently, do declare that ihey never read or heard of any Chriftians that were againfl; Infant- Baptifm^ it were a Itrange thing to fuppofe that there fhould have been a Council fo late as under the Reign of Confiantin^ as this Council was, and they never to have read or heard of it. No Man can think but they had heard of this Council, Which was but a little before the Time of their Birth. 'Tis plain there- fore {4) CH, XIX. §. 17.8c 29, 30, &c. ad 40. V Chap. Vlir. Council of Neccxfarei. j^ fore that they took the Meaning of it not to have been agalnH Infant- Yearaf- Baptifm. tcrcheA- St. JdJIm fometimes fpeaks of this Cafe df a Woman baptiz'd while Fifties great with Child : and he does not only determine it as thefe Bifnops do, V^,-^^ but he fpeaks of it as a clear Cafe^ perhaps becdufe he knew it had been ^''v^ determined in this Coimcil. He takes occadon to mention it, /, 6. contra Jiiiianiim, c. f. where he is fliewing the Weaknefs of that Argument of the Pdapans^ who faid, that if Original Sin be the Caufe why Infants are baptiz'd, then the Child that was born of Chriftian and Baptized Parents would not need to be baptized, as being born of thofe thaE were deanfed of that Sin, and of a Mother whofe Body was the Tem- ple of the Holy Spirit. He fays among other Things, this ; ' That the Mother's Body fliould be the Temple of God, is the Be- * nefit of Grace not of Nature : which Grace is conveyed not by Birth, ' but by Regeneration. For if that which is conceived in the Mother's ' Body did belong to it fo as to be accounted a Part of it, then an In- ' fant whofe Mother was upon fome Danger of Death, baptiz'd while ' fhe was great with him, vvould not need to be baptiz'd. But now ' when fuch an Infant is baptiz'd, he will not be accounted twice ba- * ptiz'd. Therefore when he was in the Womb of his Mother, he did * not appertain to it : and yet he was formed in a Temple of God, but * fo as not to be himfelf the Temple of God. And he has the fame Inftance over again, c. 6. §. 9. Some learned Men have given their Conjeftures of the Oecaflon of this Doubt, vi:l. what Ihould make fome People of this Country take up an Opinion ;, that if a Woman with Child were baptiz'd, her Child when born would have no need of Baptifm : and they give avery C5) pro- bable Account of it. Several Jews were difpers'd in thefe Parts : and the Rabhies of the Jews had this Rule concerning the Baptifm of Pro- felytes; If a Woman great vplth Child hetome a Profelyte, and be baptised ; her Child n^eds not Bapjifm when it is born : as 1 fhewed in the Introdu- iftion. - Cs) Hamnaond Six QuerieS;^,. Inf. bap. §. 109. Ljghifcot. Hon Hebr. Mar, ^mlfifT € H A^F. ^^ . ^ptatus. Chap. IX, CHAP. IX. A Qjiotatlon out of Optatns Mtleyitcinus. 'Yeaiaf-§. i- 'TPH I S Bl&lop living in Jfrica had Occafion to write fevcral terthe A- J^ Books againft the Schifra of the Donatifts. Some Part of the poftles Controverfie between them and the Catholics was about Baptifm : but ^^o- not about Infant-Baptifm as a cert;un Writer of fmall Reading has mif- ^■^^"'^'^'''^ taken the Matter It was whether Baptifm given by an ill Minifter were valid, or mufl be renewed? and whether the Catholics were fo corrupt a Church as that all bapriz'd by them, whether in Infancy or at Age, mufl be baptiz'd afrelh by fqme fuch pure Men as the Donatijis were ? Otherwife the Doftrine and Pradice of Bapt4fai was the fame with both the Parties, This appears plainly by what this Author (i) fays in way of Per- fwading them to break off their Schifm ^ The Ecckfiafikal Management is one and the fame with us and yon. Tho* Mens Alinds are at Vaviance^ the Sacraments are at none. jAnd we may fay ^ we hcleve alike j and are fealed with one and the fame Seal: no otherwife baptiz'd than you, nor otherwife ordained than yon are. We read the Scriptnre alike : We fray to the fame God. The Lord's-Prayer is the fam-ewith m and you^ «Scc. The fame thing is (2) affirmed by St. Aiiflvn. He owns their Baptifm, Ordination, &c. to be rightly perform'd : he blames nothing in them but their Separa- tion. And by Crefconim the Donatifi^ who has thefe (3) Words to the Catholics; There is between m and you one Religion^ the fame Sacraments^ nothing in the Chrlfiian Ceremonies different. It is a Schijm that is between Wy not a Herefic. §. 2. But that which I mean to quote, and is all that he has Occa- fion to fay about Infant-Baptifm is this. Lil. quinto de Schifmate Donatiflarum prope finem. He had been there comparing a Chriflian's putting on Chrift in Ba- ptifm, to the putting on of a Garment, and had called Chriil fo put on, Tunicam natantem in acjuis^ * a Garment fwimming in the Water. And then fays, Sed ne cjuis dicat^ temere a me Filium Dei vefem ejfe diEium : legat Apo- fiolnm dictntem ; Ouotquot in nomine Chrifii baptiz^ati cfiis^ Chriftum indn^fiis, O tunica femper una, & innnmerabilis^ cjita decenter vcjliat & omnes xtates (i) L. 3. de Schifmare Donatift. prope fincm. (z) Erifl. ad Thcodomm Donadft. (3) Apud Auguftinum 1. i. contra Crefconium. c, 3. Chap. X. ^St. Gregory Naz. ^; Cr format : m« in infant ib us rugatur^ nee in juvtnihus tenditHv^ nee in femi- Year a^' nSs mittatur. ter the A- ' But left any one fhculd fay, I fpeak irreverently, in calling Chrift r< ^^^s ' a Garment: let him read what the Apoftle fays, j4s many of you '^'^°'^,^. ' have been haft'iz.ed in the Name of Chrifl^ have fut on Chrift. Oh what a •*'''^^'^*'^ * Garment is this, that is always one and never renewed, that decent- ' ly fits all Ages and all Shapes ! It is neither too big for Infants^ nor *• too little for Men, and without any Alteration fits \A^omen. He goes on to rhew how it may be alfo compared to the Wedding-Garment, (^c. This needs no Note. CHAP. X. A Quotation out of St, Gregory Nazianzen, concerning St. Bafil'-i- Sapt'tjm in his Infancy, §. I. rr^HIS Qiiotation might have been plac*d 30 or 40 Years Toon- Year af- JL er, (at which Time St. 5^// mull: have been born) becaufe ncr cheA- it recites a Matter of Fad done then. But I fet it at this Year, becaufe poftles this Author that mentions it, began at this time to be a Man of Note i6o. in the Church, (a Presbyter and Writer of Books, e^c.) tho' he preach'd -^"V^ the Sermon that I (hail cite about 20 Years after. Some that have gone about to draw up a Catalog of Perfons not ba- ptized in Infancy, tho' born of Chriflian Parents, have reckon'd St. Ba- }// among 'em: but the Evidence they bring, is out of fpurious and forged Authors, as I (hall (hew in its Place (i). And in the mean time i (hall produce the Authority of a Piece that all acknowledge to be genuine, which, I think, {hews that he was baptiz'd in Infancy. St. Gregory Naz.ianz.en was contemporary with St. Bafl, and fo well acquainted with him, as that 'tis impolTible any one (hould have been more : and tho' he feems to have been fomething the older Man, yet he iiv'd to preach a Sermon in Commendation of him, in the Nature of a Funeral Sermon, tho' it was fome time after his Death. In that Sermon he recites fc veral Pallages of his Parentage, Birth, Life, and Death : And among them the Pali'age, which I take to relate to his Baptifm, is penn'd in fuch a rhetorical and figurative Periphrafi?, that taking it by its fclf, one is not fure whether he means Baptifm by it or fomething clfe. But lince the firil Reading of it, I have obferv'd in another Difcourfe of his, the very fame Defcription applied plainly and purpofcly to Baptifm : which, together with the Probability that it car- I ries tS' K:thSi ovo(xci- * Now let us contemplate the Affairs that relate to him hlmfelf. In < the Beginning then of his Age he was by his excellent Father, who was ' at that time a public Ttacher of Virtue in the Country of ?cntn.s, fjvad- ' died, as 1 may call it, and formed with that bell and moll pure For- ' mation (2) Prope ab initio. Cl^ap. X. Sf, Gregory Naz. ^p ' mation, which Divine David rightly names of the Day, and which is Yearaf. ' oppoi'ed to that of the Night. rer theA- BUif^i in his Note on thefe Words fays, He means the Formation o/poftl^s Baftifm^ or rather of Manners : which David calls., of the DT^f^jajing they '^^'^^^ fhall be formed by Day : for fo it is to he read. Which excellent Formation '""^'Vy is oppo/ite to that of the Night, which « by Copfilation., and is fordid^ and a Work of Darknefs. But I believe Bilim had not animadverted Twhat I here obferve ' that it is the very fame Pbrafe which he ufes in the other Sermon, for Ba- ptifm. I alfo at the firft reading thought it uncertain which he meant, Baptifm, or good Education in Manners : But the Likenefs of a Phrafe fo fingular feems to determine it. They of that Time feem to have underftood that Verfe of the Pfalm, as fpeaking before of the Chriftian Baptifm. This Formation appears to have been given in Infancy, both by the Words Ttt ^pwra -ni rMrjA^.^ in the Beginning of his ^ge ^ and alfo by the Emphaiis of the Wo:d axra.^ya.vaTcu^ which iignifies the binding or firft fafhioning of the Body of an Infant in fwaddling Clothes ^ and alfo by the orderly Method in which he proceeds: for he mentions in the next Paragraph to this, his Chddhood., in which he was educated at home, and by the JnflruHions that are fir ft in order and proper for a Child, fitted for the PerfeBion he wm to arrive at afterward,, ( therefore the foregoing Para- graph mufl: have referred to his Infancy). Then he proceeds to tell, that when he was a Boy big enough, he was fent to School to C4area,, then to Byziantiijfn., and then to the Univerfity of Athens : where it was that Gregory,, who knew him before (at Cafarea I fuppofe ) enter'd, as iie fays, into that ftrid League of Friendlhip with him which lafted du- ring their Joint Lives: and in which they fecmed, as he exprefles it, to ha^e both but one SohI informing two Bodies. After this he relates how he went into Orders, and came, in procefs of time, to be ^'Hiio^ oiC^farea^ and fo famous a Man as he was. $. 3. From this methodical Enumerating all the material Paffages and Adions of his Life, arifes another Proof that he mull have been ba- ptized in Infancy^ and that the Paffage which I mention'd mull be meant of that ; becaufe in all the Paflages of his Life afterward, he ne- ver mentions any thing of bis Baptifm, which it had been impoffible to omit if he had received it after any confiderable Time of his Life had paffed. Alfo I do not fee what elfe he can mean than St. BafUh Baptifm in Inf^.ncy, by another Exprcfilon which he has in the fame Oration. He is comparing B^fd to each of the Patriarchs and holy Men of the Old- Teftament, yibraham^ Mofcs,, &c. and he (hews how he had fomething in his Temper, and in the Paflages of his Life, like to fomething in «very one of theirs. Among the reft he compares him to Samuel, and fays, i 2«t/xB«^ 6o St. Gregory Naz. Chap. X7, Year af- SfiC/>c««A h 7o7f ^K^Kis:j.ivoii tt ovoua cum., )^ J)i]li '!!rO yv,'V»J^ai:^ sy ^ra. tvv tcr the A- j^';,j,„P7^ euOuf <5e9<, >y Xf'^'"^ ^ctoj^^icci y hfiAi tPiei n yJ^atjQ-, Oi>r@- q hk Ik, pofties ^^iipnf x^^iifcjfjp^ W iJ.fiT£^i^ )^ jx«7tt T«f cT/TAoi/^©- (S^c/^c/i//eci3- Tw &i)uav \ ' Samuel among them that call upon his Name, v/as both given Zor ' ^rom.fed] before he was born, and prefently after bis Birth was confe- ' crated, and he became an Anointer of Kings and Priefts out of a Horn. ' And was not this Man (Bafit) confecrated to God in his Infancy from ' the Womb, and carried to the Steps {or Font'] in a Coat^ Did he ' not become a Seer of heavenly Things, and an anointed of the Lord, ' and an Anointer of fuch as were initiated by the Spirit? The Word bhju^ properly lignifies Stefs. It is ordinarily taken for a Tdpit^ to which one goes up by Steps : and it may fignify a Font or Baptiftery, to which they did go down by Steps. But the Coat in which he fays Bafd was offer'd to God (alluding to the Child's Coat which was made ifor Samuel by his Mother) cannot well be fuppofed to have been any thing but the ^Ihes ufed at Baptifm. And this, be fays, was in his Infancy. The Inftance of Samuel dedicated in Infancy, is one which this Father does at other Places make ufe of for a Comparifon or Exrimple of a Chriftian's Child baptiz'd in Infancy : as will be feen in the next Cha- pter- where fpeaking to fome tender Mothers that were afraid, it feems^ of putting their Infants into the Water at Baptifm, he fays, Thou an afraid as a faint hearted Aifother, Sec. But Hannah before Samuel was born-^ devoted hltn to Cod : and when he was born, prefently confecrated him^ and brought him up in a. priefily Coat. The very thing that he fays here of :>£. Bafdh Parents. CHAP. XL Other Quptatiom out of St, Gregory Nazianzen, cmcem* ing the VoHrhie of Infanc-Bapcifm. §. I. rnriH I S Father was not himfelf baptiz'd in Infancy : and if it be I true that he was born after the Time that his Father was a- Chriflian and in holy Orders (of which the Antip^dobaptifts do give probable Evidence) he had the moft Reafon of any one in thofe Times to be prejudiced againft the Dodrine of the Neceflity of Infant- Baptifm:: which he could not urge himfelf, nor hear urged by others, without Ibme Reproach thereby call on the Condudt of his Father, for whom he always exprefs'd a great Reverence j tho' other Writers give him but a mean Chap. XT. Sf, Gregory N.12. 61 mean Gharader, and fhew that the (i) Son's Prudence and Skill was fonnd Year af- necellary to retrieve the Father's Credit and the Efteem of the People, and "^^r the Av to preferve him from being over-witted by the j4rians^ or frighted by '-oft^-s their Power. ^.^^X'-s^ So much is certain, that of all the Inflances brought by the Anti- ^-"^^f^ pcedobaptifts of Men who being baptized Chriftians themfelves, yet did not baptize their Children in Infancy, there is a better Appeararxe of Proof in this Man's Father's Cafe than in any other. Of which Inftances I muft treat more largely in a (2) Chapter on purpofs : and at prefenc give Account of what this Author himfelf fpeaks of the Dodrine of Infant-Baptifm. §. 2. All that I have to produce is taken out. of his Sermon that I' mentioned before, viz.. his Oratio de Baptifmo. Or, 40. In which he both perfwades thofe of his Hearers, who had not yet fo throughly embrac'd Chriftianity as to be baptiz'd into it, that they would without Delay be Partakers of it, and alfo fpeaks fomething concerning the NecelTity of it to Infants., Of this Oration I will give a fhort Abflraft, fetting down the Ori- ginal of fuch Padages only^ as do, fome way, aifecT: the Queftion in hand. After fome Commendations of Baptifm, he proceeds to mention the • Names or Titles by which it is called: which are thefe-, The Gifty the Grace^y Baptifm or Wa^nng^ the j4nointing^ the Laver of Regeneratioriy the- /Amending of our A/akey or Formation, the Seal : and explains 'the Reafon of thefe feveral Appellations. Then having fpoken of Man's natural and original Corruption, he- fays, God has not left his Creature withoHt a Remedy •, but as he firfi made j >«, fo he renews tis by this divine Formation : ii tdT; (xV dfi^uivon ^ ""^if^^j^V- I v'op^acnf. which as it fo* a Seal for fuch Perfons a>s newly enter into Life :, fb ta \ thofe that are adult it is a Grace^ and the rejioring of the hnaae which they \ had loft. ^ "* ' Then he fays, the Force and Effed of Baptifm is, A Covenant with God of a new and holy Life : and argues from thence how careful we ought: to be to keep it intire, and that., fays he, «;c kjt;? J\Ti^<; dvar/iVvhTuoi.^ becaufe- there is no Regeneration to be had afterward. Yet he grants there is Re- pentance afterward : but that leaves a Scar, and requires a long Time, and many Tears ^ which we know not whether God will give us a Spacer • for. ( They, as I obferv'd before, gave the Name of Regeneration to na other but the baptifmal Renewing). Then he warns 'em of the Tentations that they mull expsift after their Baptifm, and how they mull oppofe and overcome *ein. {i} Gicg. Presbyter in vi:a Naz. (2) Pare 2. CH. III. 6% St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XT. Yearnf- §.• 3."Again{l the Delay of Baptifm, lie minds 'em of the Danger of terthcA- milnng it by fiidden Death : and how much move creditable and com- foilles fortable it is to receive it voluntarily in the Time of Health and \^^Kf-s^x Strength, than in time of Necefllcy on a Sick-bed, when the Tongue fal- ters^- and. can hardly fitter the Words of the holy Initiation -^ and the Wajhirg- is more like the wajVmg of a Corps th^n religicu-s Baptfm. That a generous M'nd will defire not only the Forgivenffs of Sins, but aifo the Reward promifed to virtuous Adious, for which there muft fome Time be allow- '■ ed between Baptifm and Death. That there are three forts of Perlbns • very different, tho' all of 'em may be faved ^ the Slave, the Mercenary, and the Son. The firft minds no more than the efcaping of Punifhraent : the fecond regards nothing but the Pay : the Son's Mind is full of Duty' and Love to his Father. That all other good Things we defire to en- joy as foon as may be : and fo we ought to do, this Freedom from Sin. That the Devil would indeed entice us to give him the Prefent, and God the Remainder ; him the Flower of our Age, and God che Dregs. But that we mull confider the many Hazards we are fubjed to : the Chance of War., an Earthquake.^ the Sea, a wild Beafi, a DiCeafe, a Crumb of Bread, a Surfeit, a Precipice, a Horfe, a Medicine, a Tyrant.^ &c. Then he anfwers the Pretences which the half Chriflians of thofe Times made for their Delay. As, ' I am afraid I fhall not keep the ^ Grace of Baptifm undained, and fo will not take my Cleanling yet, ' as having none to take afterward. — Oh crafty Impofture, fajs he, of ^ the evil Spirit! He is indeed Darknefs, yet he counterfeits Light. When ^- he does not prevail by open War, he lays his Snares. When he can- ' not bring thee to defpile Baptifm, he would cheat thee of it by over- ^ much Caution, &c. He fets on all Ages, and muft be refifted in all. *^ Art thou a Youth ? fight againft Pleafures and PaOTions with this Auxi- ^ liary Strength : lift thy felf in God's Army, &c. — Art thou old ? let ^ thy gray Hairs haften thee : ftrengthen thy Old Age with Baptifm, 0"c. — — — Krr^ov btt (Td; ^ aw KA^^Ta y^^ifh n ys>'-i<^, ^ ^p'»?«f d-),iciSri^jw, lj "jwvn^ivra h^h Iv^vi 7ro/«, >y t,T H^tdc^ f^AiT (pjVAv'i^^i^ •4-5;', K 7^ dv^^ccmvav (jo/iiiQaiTa, ttJ '5 Q)i(o Tn^ivon'Tu. ' Haft thou an Infant-Child? Let not Wickednefs have the i^dvantage of ^ Time : Let him be fandified from his Infancy : Let him be dedicated ' from his Cradle to for, byl^ the Spirit. Thou, as a faint-hearted Mo- ' ther and of little Faith, art afraid of giving him the Seal becaufe of ' the Weaknefs of Nature. Hannah before Samuel was born, devoted him ^ to God, and alfoon as he was born, confecrated him, and brought him * up from the firft in a prieftly Garment, not fearing for human Infir- ^ mities, but trufting in God. Thou haft no need of Amulets or Charms ; ^together with which the Devil flides into the Minds of fliallow Per- fons, Chnp. Xf. St, Gregory Naz, 6"^ * fons, drawing to himfelf the Veneration that is due to God a3< dvn^'i Ycaraf- ^ 7nv TetelJk^ 7^ fx.i)(i y^ y.etkov avKAKTtieiov. Give to him the Trinity, that ^^^t^heA- * great and excellent Prefervative. poftles He proceeds toftir np all Perfons in all Eflates and Employments to re- 'i^^^{r>^ ceive Baptifm : only he wonld advife thofe that had Places at Court, to ^^ refign, and y?y from 5o^ow, if conveniently they could, vvhcn they were baptized: (It is to be noted that Salens a wicked and ^rian Emperor reigned at that time.) If they could not conveniently, yet tobebaptizM ^ and preferve the Purity thereof as well as they could in fo ill a Station : that God in judging of our Lives makes Allowance for the Circumftances that we are in : that for a Man that is fetter d to ^ct forrvard a little^ is as great Praife as for another to riw : for one that travels in a dirty Road to be but a little befpattcr^d^ is more remarkable than for another to be clean. §. 5. He next fets upon thofe Men that put off their Baptifm to Death or Old- Age for the Love of their finful Pleafures which they were unwilling as yet to part with : who Paid, Where is the Advantage of taking Baj)tifm fo foon, and thereby cutting oni s {elf off from all the worldlj Pleaftres and Delights ? Whereas one may enjoy thefe Pleaftres in the mean while, and then be baptized at lafl. For they that went the earlieft to labor in the Vineyard fped no better than thiy that came in the latejl. He anfwers •, Ton have faved me a great deal of Trouble by your making this Plea : for yon have at lafi with much ado difcover*d the very Secret of this Delay, jind tho* I d/Jlike yoir wicked Pnrpofe \ yet I commend yon for one things that you own it without Dlfgnife. Come on then^ and give the Senfe of this Parable : and be not ignorantly fan' dal/zJd Hoi* drawn into Sin^l by this Place of Scripture. Firfi^ This is not meant of Baptifm^bnt of thofe who come, fome fooner^forne later, to the Fa'th [or the Knowledge of Chriftian Religion] and enter the Vineyard, the Church : for every one mnfl labor from that Day and Hour on which he comes to the Faith^ 6vC. Befdes, fppofng by cntring the Vineyard Baptifm be meant : the Parable fiiews that thofe that do at all enter the Vineyard and labor, fliali have a Reward, Bnt yoH are in danger to mifs ofdo'ng that. If you were jure that nGtw'th/Iand- ing this wicked Contrivance to avoid laboring, joit fwuld at lafi obtain Baptifm ^ yoH might be pardoned in this fordid Cunning : But (ince there is Danger, that while yoH take this Advantage, yon will cjuite tnifs of the Vineyard, &c. take my Co-infcl, lay aftde thefe Skhtilties, and come with an honcfl A4ind to Baptifm ^ leH yon be taken oat of this Life before yon attain your Pnrpofe, and be found to have devis'd thefe Fallacies to your own Deflni5l.cn. But you will fay, ^ Is not God merciful enough to take in fuch a Cafe ' the Defire of Baptifm for Baptifm. §. 6. Toil would have m btlieve a rnonflroHS thin''<, ^ d?'.o-}i^ii iTt 'TT^arfpiAfin : eSi cTfe k^ M rSv QKiav ')(ti.U:ificc{^ or made holy'] for Baptifm. And fo did St. Cyprian in his Words before (j) cited, and other Places : and fo do the Ancients generally. Mr. Walker (8) has taken the Pains to produce Quotations out of al mofl all therinci- ent Writers to fhew that this was a common Phrafe with them, to fay,. an Infant or other Perfon [anUljied^ when they mean baptized : and 1 do for Brevity's Sake, refer the Reader to his Book. The Scripture alfo ufes it fo, I Cor. 6. il.Eph. 9. 26. -• ' .• ' tv^ * ^- ,- ; ■ •'-.;•'.'/• Which mikes that Explication of' I'-^Br^'^j^i^: JSTi^ it^'your^ Children //, which is given by Tertnllian^ ^U ^uflin, St HieromyTanlmu^ Vi^iaqim^ (9) and other Ancients j and fmce by Dr. Hammond^(\o) WvWal^cr.. f*i 1 } K z- ■ • ' ^'^ ■..'Ac (1) Supra §. 7. (6) §. 7- (7) CH. VI. §. i. (8) Modeft Plea for Inf. Bnprifm, Cha^. a?. (9) See CH. XIX. §. 19. (lo.) Six Queries. (11) Modeft Pica. 68 St. Gregory Nazi Chap. Xt Year af- &c. much the more probable •, whereby they make the- Words ^'}ict ter the A- Holy^ and «j<'*ea/ has been fanB:ified^ to refer to Baptifm- poftles And their Explication isalfothe more probable, becaufe there has no ^K^\r^ other Senfe of thofe Words been yet given by Expofitors but what is ^ liable to much Contefb : but efpccially that Senfe which fome Antipsedo- baptifts have endeavoured to affix to 'em (of Legitimacy in Oppofition toBaflardy) feems the moftfore'd and farfetch'd of alK The Words are, 'Wyta.^1 -^i l eivh^ 5 Amg^i; if 7>T '}»VauM^ )C) V}Iaga,i « yuurj jj grammatical Tranflation of which Words is. For the Mnbelieving Husband []or an unbelieving Husband! hoi been [and i fie d by the Wife^ and the iwho' lieving Wife, {_0V an Mabelieving Wife^ has been fantlfied by the Husband. Elfe yo:-d> do SanBi^e him? In anfwer to which he diftinguifhes- between the vifibh SanBification and the Invifble : and after fome Difcourfe that the. Invilible is the chief, but yet that the other is not to be negleded, fays. Hence Cornelius and they that were with him^ when they appeared to be already fanctified invifibly by the Holy Ghofl co- ming on theWi were for all that baptiz.ed : nor was' the vidblQ Sandificatioa coAnted needlefs hecaafe the Jnvifibk woi before. St. Paul infcribes his Epiftles fent to the Chriflians of any Place thus, -nt? dyUii to the holy Perfons • or thus, toT? ir/Atr^.voti to [uch as have been San- Bified at fuch or fuch a Place. And fo the Infcriptioa of his Letter to the Corinthian Chriftians in thefe (15) Words, Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth^ njia^uivoi^ iv y^ets-a Ida-s, KXwroii a.yon : to tho'^e that are fanciificd [or have been fandified^ in ChriB Jefus, called to id Saints: 'tis but a larger Periphrafrs of what one would have laid ^ to all that are Chnfiian- there. And St. Chryfoftom in his Comment On thefe very Words puts the Qiieflion, r] M l^tv h «;y*^^6< i ivhat is the SanBi^ fication he fpeaks of? and anfwers readily, to Asre^V, 0 x.*9*e<(rfta?, the La* ver., their Baptifm, their Clcanfinn-. The ancient Church likewife^ that compii'd the Apoftles Creed, when they would declare it as an Article of Chriitian Religion, that all Chriftians ought to hold Communion vvith>ne another, cxprefs thac Article thus, The Commnnion mv A-yiav of Sai/Jts, Tharefbre (iz) Qiiseft. 84. (13) I Cor, i. z. fo 5/^. Gregory N.iz! Chap. XI. Yearaf- Therefore wb en St- Vanl in this Place ufes the very fame Word, and ^er thQ A.- ^^Y^_^- clfe your Children would be unclean : but now they are ^ytti (which poftles \Vord is rendred in Engljli fometimes Saints^ fometimes Holyy) 'tis not ^^^s^-^^ at all alien to his ordinary Ufe of the Word to nnderftand it, Elfe your Children would "be kept unbaptized, unfandified, nnchriftian, unholy, or unclean: but now they are generally fandified by Baptifm, and become Holy or Chriftians. If we had lived in the Times of the Ancients, when the Word Sanctified was us'd in common Speech for Baptiz^ed, this would have feem'd a natural Interpretation. This Expofition, as it avoids on one fide the Inconveniency of that given by the Antipsedobaptifts, which takes the Word [Holy] and CUn- clean'J in sl Senfe in which they are never ufed in Scripture : fo it is likewife free frrm the Exxeptions which lie againft that which limits the Baptifm of Children fo abfolutely to that Condition of their being born of believing Parents •, that it leads the Baptizer into many per- plexing Scruples, whofe Children he may baptize, and whofe not. As the late Bifliop of Wor.cefier has largely (14) fhewn. 4. What St. Gregory here fays in the laft place, that he will baptize no Arian^ nor any that difown the Godhead of Chrift, and the Trinity, is according to the general Senfe of the Catholics of that, and of the foregoing Times. They would not hold Communion with the Arians^ and confequently would not by Baptifm enter fuch as Members into their Church. The greatefl: Perfecutions that the Catholics at any time fuffer'd, were on this Account. For the Arian Emperors feldom went fo far as to force the Bifhops to renounce the Catholic Faith and turn Brians : But they would banilh 'em, unlefs they would receive the Art- iins to Communion, or join with them; It was upon this Account that u4thanaji:ts fwho flourifhed from the Beginning to almoll the End of the Jrian Controverfie) did fo often fuffer Exile ^ becaufe he would 5,40. not admit Arius or his Followers to Communion, when it was delir'd by Conflantin (who fought herein the Quietnefs of his own Govern- ment) and the other Emperors that were themfelves Arians. Thefe Ancients reckon'd that Chriflians might and ought to hold Communion notwithflanding Difference of Opinions in lefler Matters: but that this was a Fundamental one, as relating to that which is the dired Objed of our Worfhip. The Arians for this Reafon made a great many Attetripts to exprefs their Faith in fuch ambiguous Terms as might feem to agree with the 'a5o Catholic Senfe. It is a Wonder to fee in (ij) Socrates and other Church Hiftorians, how many Creeds were fet forth for this purpofe as Schemes of Agreement between the two Parties. Some of thefe ferved in fome Churches to patch up for a while an unfound Union ^ wjiich was broken to Pieces again as foon as each Party exprefs'd their Meaning in other Words. And it was found at laft by a long Trial that there was (14) Unreafonablencfs of Separation Part III. ^. '^6, (15) Hift. 1. 2. Chap. XI. •?/. Gregory Naz." 71 was no firm Agreement to be had but by owning the Terms of the Nic en Yearaf- Creed. Mr. k Clerc obferves fomewhere that the major Part of the -erthe A- Councils in thofe Times, and of the Creeds drawn up in them, were P^^Ies on the Arian Side, No body need envy 'em this Advantage: for we ^^^i-^ are not for a Number of Creeds. The Catholics adher'd to the iV/Ve», ^^- and were for having no more than that : it was the Arian Party, which not agreeing among themfelves, multiplied feveral Draughts of Faith. The Nicen Creed was at laft tound to be the only Tell to diftinguifh a Catholic from an ArUn. §. 12. This I obferve on Account of fome modern Avians : or rather they are to be called Thotinians • for they have much more difhonor- able Opinions of our Savior Chrift than the Jrians had, and are more in the Sentiments of Fhotinus^ who was in the Arian Times conde- mned (16) both by the Catholics and the Arians. There are of 'em both among the Pasdobaptifts and the Antip^do- baptifls. Whether the Antipcedobaptifts, that believe in the Trinity, do baptize and receive into Communion any fucb, or not, I am not fure. It is not likely that they who do feparate from one another for far lelTer Differences, will difpenfe with fo great a one about the Divi- nity of Chrift. But thofe Antitrinitarians, that are Psedobaptifls, in Erjglandy have of ]ate, on a fudden, declared themfelves to be at Unity with the Catho- lic Church : yet the Account which they give of their Converfion to a good Opinion of the Catholic Faith, is the oddelt one that was^ ever given in fo ferious a Matter. One does not know whether they are in earnell. or whether they mock in fpeaking of that awful Myftery. A- bout the Year 1(^97 they publifhcd a Paper which they called The A-- grecmerit between the Unitarians and the Catholic Church : drawn up by themfelves, and whether approved by any other I know not. In a Book publifhed next Year, which gives an Account of The Life of Thomas Firmin, and of his Etli^ion^ they recite the faid A^reeviem^ and difcourfe fomething more on the fubjed Matter of it. Jn the Account of his Religion^ after having obferv'd that People had once thought that the Difference between the Vnitarims and the Catholic Church was real^ great-) and even unreconcilahle-) th&y add (17) ' B^t the Unitarians ( or Socinians ) being Men of ingenitOM and free Minds and Principles.) and therefore always ready to entertain farther Light ^ after ^ or ^ Tears late Contefi in print with the principal Divines of this Nation^ have been fo dextrous and happy ^ that inftead of farther embroyl- ing the Points in Cnefiion^ which is the ufual Ejfcli of the Paper War^ they feem to have accommodated whatfoever Differences between the Ckirch and them. And a little after. Other Scots by the Favor of Princes, or the J^ality of the Times^ have obtained an Exemption from MidlEts and Penalties^ &c. — If Socinianifm had. [i6) Sccrat. lib. 2. c. 29. (17) P?.g. 5. i6o. 71 St. Gregory Ndz'. Chap. Xf. Year af- had any where enjoyed thofe Halcyon Days •, it's fuMcn irrefifiihU Trorrefs x.tri\\Q k' xcQuld have been as Lightnings which rulhes out of the Eaft and fiiines e- poltles ygj^ j-Q |-|^g Weft, ^las ! on equal Ground and with eqitd CircHmftarices the Cojr.hat bttrreen mintelligibk Myjiery and clear Reafon ^ between fcemi?ig Con- traditions, Jibjurdities^ and Iinpojfih.lities', and a rational, obvioHS, account- able Faith, would foon have been ended. Bat it is better ended : the Divine froviJ.ence and Goodnejs^ in Mercy to both Parties, has o-ranted a Peace in- fiead of a ViBory.- It has pleas' d God to favor the fujfring fide with an Hit- expelled Light : He has fliewn ^em (what may feem incredible ) that their Oppofers' think as they \jhe Vnitarians^ fpeak, that their Difference is not in the Ideas or Notions, but only in the Terms or Words. To manifefi this^ JVfr. Firmin can fed the following Scheme of Agreement, &c. And to this Purpofe in the other Treatife of the faid Book, viz.. in the Life of Mr. Firmin, they fay, ( \ %) The Vnitarians never intended to oppcfe any other Trinity, hut a Trinity of Minds jor Spirits. Grant to ^em that GOD is one infinite Spirit or Adind, not two or three, they demand no more. They applied themfelves therefore to enquire which of thefe Trinities, a Trinity of Spirits, or of Properties, is the DoUrine of the Catholic Church. They could not mifs of a ready SatisfaHion: all Syftems, Catechifms, Booh of Controverfie, Councils, Writers that have been efieemed Catholic, have defined God to be one Infinite, u^ll-per- ^^feB Spirit : and the Divine Per fans to be noth'ng elje but the Divine Effena "'or Godhead, with the three relative Properties ; Vnbegotten, Begotten, Pro- ceeding. ';■ 'Tis a Wonder then that thefe Men could never perceive this before. Had they never look'd into any Syftem, Catechifm, Council, &c. before the Year 1697? they fay themfelves, that allbon as they fee themfelves -to enquire, they could not mifs of a ready Satisfadion. But fince they do now make a Propofal of Coming into the Commu- nion of the Church ; it is not fo material to enquire what was the Occa- iion of their Quarrd, as it is to know whether their Return to the Church be cordial •, and whether they are as yet of fuch a Faith, as that, according to this Rule of St. Gregory, they ought to be admitted to Ba- ptifm fthofe of them that are not yet baptized) or to the Communion. §. 13. I. And if they would be received as cordially joining with the Catholics^ why do they ftill fpeak of the Divinity of Chrift in fo ambi- guous Terms as becomes not fuch as have lain under Cenfure of falfe Do- drine in that Point? They C»9) repeat out of their Scheme ^ We fay Qur Lord Chrifl is God and Man. He is Man in Fefptcl of his reafonable Soul and human Body • Cod in RefpeSi of God in him : or more fcholaftically, dn RefpeU of the Hypoftatical or Perfonal Vnlon of the Humanity of Chrifi with the Divinity. By which the Catholic Church means, and we mean •, The Divinity wot not only occafionally ajfifting to, but was, and ij always in Chrifi ; illuminating, conduSlingt &C. And again (lo) Nor (i 8) Pag. J 3. ( J 9) Accaunt of Firmin s Religion, p. 1 8. (2 0} Pag. 30. Chap. XT. .S"/. Gregory Na 2. y^ Nor do we rechn of the Lord Chrifi as but a Creature. I have [aid before^ Year af. he is God and Man. The Divinity did fo inhabit in the Humanity of Chrifi^ tcr the A- doth fo exert in it the mofi glorious EjfeBs of Omnipotence and Omnifcience^ that poftles if others have heen called God hecaiife they reprefented God^ Chrifi is to he fo -^°' called becauje he exhibits God. v-^, which carries the utmoft Degree of Contrariety to their former Interpretation. They make the xhy©- to be not at all diftinft from God the Father, neither m Nature nor in Perfon : but to be his Attribute of Wifdom, Reafon, L &c. ('21) Vindication of Trinity, c. 4* 74 St. Gregory Na?: Chsp". XI Year af- eT^c. Tbus 3 certain Writer over the Water, whofe Works they greedi- terthe A- ly tranflate into Ef;gliJI} ; poftles j^ ^y^ Beginning was the Word: i. e. In the Beginning was Rcafon. s^^.^^->^ ^^-^ ^^^^ ^ord was "^ith God: i. e. And that Reafon was with God. jlnd the Word woi God: i. e. And God was that Reafon. The fame WM in the Beginning with God: i. e. There was^ I fay, Reafon- in God before the World was created. Are not thefe great Apo- phthegms for St. John to fay ? And in the following Verfes wherever we read He or Him, they tranf- late IT. All things were made by It ; and without It wa,^ not any things Oc. And then wr. 14. j^ndthe Word was made Flcjli : i. t. And this Reafon,. by the Man in whom it was, was made confpiciious. And where the Author to the Hbrews having expreily named God's Son, whom he h<.ts appointed Heir of all things^ adds thefe Words ; by whom alfo he made the Worlds : becaufe here is no polT;ble turning Him into /r, the Paraphrafe is ;, that is, having heretofore by that xoyQr or Reafon, or eternal Wifdom which rcfided in Jefus, and was mofi nearly united to him, created all things. ^ If by mo fi nearly united be meant fo united as to become one Per- fon, it is Catholic. But the Terms of refiding in him^ and of being made confpicimishj him^ exprefs a more lax fort of Union than what the Words of Scripture do every where fet forth. And at fuch a Rate of interpreting it might be fliid of any rneer Man, in whom the Spirit of God does re- iide, that the World was made by him : becaufe he has in him that Spirit by which it was made. But the Scripture is far from faying fo of any meer Man V and of our Lord Jefus Chrifl: it never fpeaks otherwife than for (22} By Him were all things created: and He is before all things. ('23) Of w>hom as concerning the FkJhChr.'fi came., Who is over all^ &C. With the Glo- ry (14) which I had with Thee before the World woi. 1^25) came forth from the Father. Before Abraham was, I am [or was] &c. 'Tis not faid, the Spirit or Wifdom which is in me, came forth from the Father, or had Glory .with thee: but / came forth, /had Glory, &c. And as far as the perfonal Word / or He can denote the fame Perfon, it is here and every where elfe denoted. The Faulianifis and Photinians would fay, as thefe Men do, that Chrill is God and Man : but if they were ask'd whether he was Gcd firfl, or Man firfl^ they would fay, he was Man firll, and afterwards God, by God's dwelling in him. And thefe Men feem to mean no other. But the Catholic Church believes that he was God firft, and afterward be- came Man. As St. John tells firit what he was originally : and then hov/ he was made Flelh. Cerinthus, who v/as St. fohn\ chief Adverfary, and againfl whom he had a particular Eye, when he wrote his Gofpel fas both f 25; hen^iti and St. (27) Hierom do witnefs) taught tlMi Jefus woj the Son o/Jofeph and Mary (22) Col. I. 16, 17. {%■>) Rom. 9. 5. (24) John 17.5, (25) John 16. 28-- (26) lib. 3. c, II, (27} de fcnpr= Eccl. v. Joannes, €hap. XT. S^ Gregory Naz. 7^ Mary in like Manner tn all other Men : and that he woi emhiCftt for yiijlke. Year a f- Priikence and WifdQtn^ above all others : and that after his Baptifm Chrifl came <^er the A^ down upon him from the Supreme Power in the Shape of a Vove, &c. This P^ft^es vvas Cerinthns's Doftrine, as (28) Irenans repeats it, who lived To nigh thofe -^°- times that he may well be thought to be born in the time ofCcrinthus. -^"V^^ And this is the fame for Subltance with the latter of thofe two forts of So- cinianifm that I mention'd ^ only it was by him blundringlyexprefs'd : that which they ftyle KoyQ- he calls Chrift^ and he does not allow him to be born of a Virgin. They muft be dextrous and happy Men indeed, that can reconcile St. Johns Gofpsl to that very Senfe againft which it was pur- pofely written. This Cerinthus and Ebion^ both whole Doftrine concerning our Lord was fas JrenAHs in the (29 j next Chapter teftifies) the fame, were the firfb Socinians in the World, except thofe mentioned John 6. 42. who faid, Js not this Jefns the Son of jofeph, whofe Father and Mother we know ? How is it then that he fays^ I came down from Heaven ? §. \%. 2. But beiides : what Hopes can we have of any firm Union with thefe Men, who at the fame time that they defire to be received into Com- munion with the Catholic Church, do fet forth the Faith thereof in as ill Colors as poiTibly they can •, calling it HnintelUpyie Myficry^ and their own clear Reafon} That which we hold they defcribe as feeming Im- fcfibilities^ j4hfitrd ties^ and Contrad.'Bions : theirs is a rational^ obviopu^ and Acconr.tMe Paith. And they exprefs themfeives as Men that were cock- fure, that if that Ad of Parliament, which they call a Bill in Name and Pretext agawfi Irnynoralit) and Blaffhem)\ in Truth and real Befgn againji the Vnitarians^ were tal^<2«///j, who wrote but 30 Years af- ter that he began to vent his Herefy^ and before Photinm himfelf was dead, as it feems, tells him, (3i)that/7^ Herefie of all others was the eaflefi to be confuted^ not only by skilful Men^ but by any that had atiy tolerable Vnder"- ftandini of the Senfe of Scripture. And a little after. 7 he Herefie of this Jmfofior is dwindled away^ having lafled but a very little while ^ and Theodorct lays, (^i) thatiw his time it was ^nite forgot: and fo, he fays, were all the other Herefies that had denied Chrifl's Divinity, Cerinthians^ Ebionites^ SabelH- ans^ ^C. fo that the very Names of thofe SeU:s were to many unknown. And . whereas one C33) Bonofus, about, or a little after the time of Fhotinns^ went about to vent the fame Dodrine in Dacia -, he was fo far from having any; C30) Epiphan. in Haer. Ebionitarum. (^i) Hxr. 71. (31) Haerec. Fab. I. 2»c, ult. (33} Mercator Dillert. contra Anachematirmos Neftorij, 522. Chap.^ Xf. St. Gregory Na2~ 77 any Number of Followers, that hehimfelf or his Name is hardly known Ycaraf- in Hiilory : and T/?eo«'orff feems never to have heard of him. certheA- Mahomet the Impoftor arifing in the forefaid Arabia ( of which place poft^^s (34) Ep-^haniHs fays, It was the chief NeFi of the Ebionites and Nazarenes, ^^ as 1 have^ fays he, often already obferved) was the only Man that after thefe times ventur'd to broach the Doftrin againft Chrift's Divinity : and he indeed with his SuccelFors have converted a great Part of the World with a fadden irrefiflible Progrefs : but then they have accordingly laid allde the Name of Chridians, and difowned the Scriptures, as be- ing plainly againft 'em in this Matter, tho' they do believe Cbriil to have been a great Prophet. Since that, in Poland^ and fuch Places bordering on the Mahometanj\ this Opinion has been entertained by fome few as a middle fort of Religi- on between the Chriflian and Mahometan. And now of late it is coma into Holland^ and from thence into England.^ ferving for the Life of fuch as being ftagger'd in their Faith by the Arguments of the Dcijls^ which are rife in thofe Countries, yet will not go fo far with them as to re- nounce "Jefm Chrift and the Scriptures ^ but take a middle Way, holding with the Catholics that he is a true Prophet, and the Meffiah promifed, and that he died and rofe again, and will be our Judge ^ but with ths Deijis denying his Divinity, and holding that he had no Being befors^ he was born or conceived in human Flefh. They with the Catholics- fay that the Scriptures are (originally and as they came out of the A- poftles Hands) God's Word and not feigned by Men • but with the De-^ tjh. That what they fay of Chrift's Divinity, has been interpolated, or.- mufl: be explain'd ib as to fit with our natural Conceptions ^ which, they- fay, cannot admit the Notion of a Son of God that is properly one in- Ellence with the Father ^ nor of fuch a Son of God takmg on him the. human Nature, when the Father does not. To believe fuch flrange things on the Credit of Revelation, is, they fay, to give great Advantage. to the De'ftj who deny it all. This Opinion, I fay, never had any confiderable Number of Followers' in the World. The Arian^ 1 grant, had : but that does not nigh fo plainly contradift the Scriptures. §. 17. Now to return to that which gave the Occafion of this Dl- grelfion : The Catholics, as we fee here by Gregory Na^ianzcn^ would i not baptize or receive to their Church an Arian^ nor any one that did not profefs Belief in the Holy Trinity and the Divinity of Chrift. The* Catholic Church is of the fame Mind Itill. Thefe Men do make an Over- ture, and a Declaration of their Purpofe of joining themfelves to the' Church, anl they do many of 'em put it in Praftice. If they are truly - reconcil'd to the Catholic Faith, nothing were more defirable : but for • that there is need of a better Tcit, and it is a Qpeltion whether the : Church ought to receive 'em without better Satisfadion, than this Scheme of (34) Haer, 40. -78 S*/. Gregory Naz: Chap. X!. Year a{- of Jirecmef7t. They own the ^pofiles Creed indeed^ which our Church tcrtheA. niakes life of in Bapufm : but by difowning theiV/ce«, they fhew that pofties ^j^gy jJq j^ol- o^^n the other in the fame Senfe that the Church does, but t^ri^j ^^P^^^ ^''^ ^^^^ Words in a very ^equivocal Meaning. When we fay, / ^^^^^^^"^ hel-e've r>; Jefus Chrift hi^ only Son^ &c. we do by the Fhrafe of believing .z>/ him, mean believing in him as in God properly fo called ; and fo we underftand likewife the Form of B?>ptifm in his Name, together with the Father and Holy Spirit. And fo did the Ancients : this Cregorj (3 ^) fpeak- ing of the Holy Spirit, and how we are baptiz'd in his Nam.e, // he he a Creature^ fays be, kovo do we believe In him ? For It is one thing to believe in ans one^and another to believe fomething concerning him. For the one is peculiar to God: the other common to anything. If thefe Men mean quite another thing in both thefe, 1 cannot fee how we and they have One Faith^ or One Baftifm-^ nor indeed hov/ we worfhip the fame God : for the God IV horn we worlhip, is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A Difference in iinderftanding the Meaning of fome Articles of leffer Moment, viz.. of Chrilt's Defcent into Hell, is not of the fame Nature, nor does make an Inftance for this Purpofe. If any Man differ in Opi- nion from the received Tenets of the Church in fmaller Matters ; and therefore cannot join in fome particular Colled, Office, Prayer, or Chiufe of a Prayer, wherein fomething relating to thofe Tenets is exprefs'd ; we grant, what thefe Men plead, that St. PakCs (36) Rule, If in any ihinT ye be otherwife minded.^ God fjall reveal even this unto yoii. Never the - lefs whereto we have attained.^ let its walk by the fame Rule., &c. teaches that Xuch a Man fhould continue in Communion, and conform to all that he can, and omit the faying u4men to that which he judges a Miftake. Bp. StiHingfitet has fully (37) proved this to be the Meaning of that Place againlt the DiiTenting Miniflers, who were not willing that the Separa- tion fhould fink (o. And we can well enough allow of Mr. le Clerch Explication of Rom. 14. r. Him that is weak in the Faith., receive yon with' out examining hi^ doubtful Ofinlons^ and that the Church ought to receive fuch an one. But all this is in Differences about fuch Matters as St. JPW there inftances in, Meats, Drinks, or other Things not of the Foun- dation. But the Dodrine concerning the Perfon of Jefpts ChriH:, and the Satisfadion for our Sins by him made, is, if any thing be, of the Foundation. I think the Church of England has at this Time the worft Luck in this refpeft, that any Church ever had. There are numerous Bodies of her People who hold all the fame Faith with her, that do againll her Will make Schifms from her Communion on Occafion of Differences in Opinion, which are no jult Ground for Separation, which Party foever be fuppofed to be in the right. Thefe fhe calls and invites to Com- munion in PrayerSj and Sacraments, in which they might join even on fuppofal (35) Orat. de Sp. Snnao. (36) Phil. 3. 15, 16, (37) Unreaf. of Separ. P. If, §•19. Chap. XT. St. Gregory Naz. 7P fnppofal that they could not part with their particular Opinions : and they, Year af- either out of Peevifhnefsj or elfe being over-perfwaded by their Leaders^ terthe A- who find their Account in continuing feparate Bodies whereof they may po^^^'s be Heads, do refufe to join even in thofe Things wherein they r.gree m^'^ Opinion with us. On the other fide, thefe Men who give but a poor ^^ Account of their Agreement with us in Fundamentals, declare of their own Accord (whether it be to flielter themfelves from Penalties, or nor, I know not) that they will however join with us. The leaft that can be faid, is, that it behoves every Curate, who has good Ground to believe concerning any of thofe that refort to his Communion, that they are Enemies to the Doftrine of the Divinity of our Savior, (and there are up and down more of them than one would think) to take Advice of the Bilhop how far fuch are to be admitted to Communion. §. 1 8. I mention'd the Satisfaftion of our Savior for our Sins. It is known how derogatory an Explication the Socinians have given of that. They have fometimes fo fpoke, as if the main or only Defign of his Death were to give us a good Example of fufFering patiently : fearing that if too much Value were put on his Blood as a fufficient Ranfom for the Sins of the World, it mufb be yielded to be the Blood of one that was God in a proper Senfe as well as Man. But whereas the New- Teftament does almoft in every Chapter Ipeak of the Redemption, Pro- - pitiation, Sacrifice, Price, Ranfom, Purchafe, paid or wrought by him, and does lay the Strefs (5$) of our Salvation upon our Fjiith in his Blood as well as in his Dodrine : they do (after having explain'd away ' as much of this Article as pofiibly they can) yield that he did fatisne for us a little, or redeem us a little. I have heard one of 'em iii com- pany and in a braving way explain it thus^ It is a^ if a Man oxv^d me 1000/. and not being able to fay-, a FriaTd of his who had fome Jntere^ in me^ flionld intercede with me to forgive him the Debt ', and to move me the more^ fiould offtr to pay Twelve- pence in the Pound for him-, and I in Con' defcerifion to this Friend jJwMld accept it for Payment in fill. Tnis is to count C39) f^- Blood of the Covenant wherewith wc ars fanUi- - fied a much more mean and ordinary thing than the Scripture does eve- ry where reprefent it. And that which brought this Paflage of a Dif- courfe in Company to my Memory, was, the Words which thefe Men ufe (40) to fhew the Soundnefs of their Faith in that Matter^ IVe be- lieve that the Lord Chrifi by what he did, and what he ftffer'^d was^ by the gracious Acceptance of God, a true andperjeU Propitiation for Sifwers^ thai repent. This is what any Cichollc, or any Socinian either, may fay, and yet have a very different Faith about this Article. The other Errors with which they arc charg'd, and do not by that j^greement revoke, are great j but not to be named the fame Day with thefe. (3S) Roin. 3. 24, 15. (39) Heb. lo. 29. (40) hccowni oi Firmins Religion, p, L9, - 8.0 ^/-.Gregory Naz. Ghsp. XT. Year af- §. 19. As for the Jjfcmhlles which they talk of holding for Divine tcr the A- IVorJljip diftwEi from the j^jftmbllcs of any other Denominations of Chriflians : poftlcs y^ff. fj^^j-^ fQ yg yiQt yy -p^ay of Schifm or Separation from the Churchy but only ■^^°' a^ Fraternities in the Churchy who JIio.'.U. take a more fpecial Care of that Ar- '"^^'^^ fjcle Qviz. of the Unity of the Godhead^ there would be by God's Grace Ko need of -em. The Catholic Church does^ and ever did, and ever will hold and publiih that Dodtrine in the firfl; place and above all others. The Athanafian Creed, againlt which they make their chief Exceptions, declares this in Words as abfolute as any they can delire to be devifed - that tho' the Father be God, Lord, Almighty, &c. and the Son and Holy Spirit likewife ^ yet there are not three Gods, Lords, Almighties, &c, but one God, one Lord, one Almighty : and would by Parity of Reafon have faid ^ fo the Father is Spirit, tlie Son Spirit, and the Holy Ghoft Spirit: yet not three Spirits, but one Spirit. §. 20. They confefs themfelves that all Syftems, Catechifms, Councils have defined this. But they add, efpecially fmce the Lateran Council^ &c. thereby leaving open a Door for that Slander of a (41) Friend of theirs to take place, who goes about to make the World believe that ancient- ly, in the Times of the Nicen Council, and for fome time afterward, the Chriftians held the Faith of the Trinity fo as to make three Cods in it. This Slander of an Out-landifh Author, our Soclnians do greedily em- brace and confidently averr : which has, as to moll; of the Particulars by which they would prove it, been fully anfwer'd by (42) Bp. StilUni" fleet: and 1 have occaJionally, in another Place (43) faid fomething to fome of the relt on which they infill, and to that open Affront given by the faid Slanderer to all the Churches that ufe the Nicen Creed, which he fays they mull either expunge out of their Confeffions and Li- turgies, or elfe renounce the Article of One God^ pretending that the Faith held forth in that Creed is Iritheifm. But it comes in my way there by the Bye only. All that I mention it here for, is to fhew what an Antipathy this fort of Men have to that Creed, and how they accordingly endeavour to blacken it: which is, as I fhew in C44) another Place, the mod an- cient Copy of a Chriftian Creed that is now extant in the World, and the moft univerfally fubfcribed toby all Chriftians, and has been now for fo many Ages accounted the only firm Tefl and Barrier of the Ca- tholic Church againil fuch as deny the Divinity of our Lord Chrift : being of Opinioii, that we can have no found Communion with thofe that renounce it : and that it is a vain and ill advifed thing to hope in thefe late Ages of the Church to pitch or agree on any fitter Symbol or Teft of a Catholic Chriltian. It ihould be the more unexceptionable with " (41) Mr. le Clcrc. Sxippiesr.cnt to Hmyimcnd. it. Critical Epiftles, ^c. (42) Vindi- Gation of Tnmty.-CH,-6. (43.) Fart II. CH, V. $. 8. (44) Part II. CH. IX. §. 9, JO, i.i,6 celved Baptifm from fome Heretics that had monftrous Opinions about the Deity, ought not to be admitted to Communion without a new Ba- ptifm, fays thus, (47J // by that Baptifm of theirs the Man have obtained Eemijfion of Sins, then is he fanUified and become a Temple of God. Now J ask of what God ? If they fay, of God the Creator.^ that could not be, fince he did not believe in him. If of Chrifi -, one that denys Chrift to be God cannot be a Temple' of him. if of the holy Spirit-, whereas thefe three are One, How can the Holy Spirit be pleas d with him who is again fl either the Father or the Son .<* We may by the Bye take Notice, that it appears by this and by ano- ther plainer (48) Place of St. Cyprian, that that Text (49) 0^ St. John., Thefe Three are One, either v;as read then (which was long before the Time of Jrim> mth the fame Context that it is now, or at leaft was under/lood in the fame Senfe. If thefe ancient Chriflians would not admit fuch Men, tho' recanting their Opinions, without a new Baptifm •■, I mean, if they had been ba- . ptized into any other Faith than the true Faith of the Trinity- much lefs would they have entertain'd Communion with them holding flill their Opinions. It is St. Gregory'^s mentioning in this Oration of Baptifm a Thing that is fo applyable to the Cafe of the Church at prefent, that has drawn me fo far from my Subjed. (45) Vindic. of Trinity c. 9. (46) Can. 8. (47) Ep, 73. a^l Jubianum. (48) Lib. de Unitare ecclefiae. (49) i John 5. 7. M C H A P. B:i _ St. BafiL Chap. Xlf: CHAP. XH. Quotations out of St, BafiL Yearaf. ^. i. OT. Bafil alfo has an Oration or Sermon to the Catechumens or tertheA- ^^^ new converted Chriftians, to perfwade 'em to Baptifm with- poftles cuj- fi^ch Delays as many ufed : but it has not any exprefs Mention of \^^^r\,^ the Cafe of Infants as to Baptifm : yet it has fome Things that sre "^ cited p'-o and co?7tra to that Purpofe. It may not be amifs to give a fliort Abilract of it, reciting, as I did in the other, the original Words of fuch Places only as do by fome confequeace relate to this Quellion. Oratio Exhortatoria ad Baj>tifnium. He begins with obferving that Solomon mentioning a Time for every Thing, fays, there k a Time to be born^ and a Time to die, placing the Birth firfl : but that he being to fpeak of the fpiritual Birth, mull fpeak of our fpiritual Death firll. Which having done, and (hewn the loll Con- dition we are in by Nature, and that Baptifm is the Recovery from /■ it, he proceeds. TnjK^y.is K) \JiQ- ii^mvii. \k.ciucj<; q liet7n7(7.fxci]Q- a.7wi.i I rcov tfV6pa7?w;/ J3/©-. ' There * is therefore a feveral Seafon proper for feveral Things; a Time pecu- ' liai for Sleep, and one peculiar for Watching \ a Time for War, and * a Time for Peace. But any Time of one's Life is proper for Baptifm. And afterward, ' Be it Day or Night, be it but an Hour or a Minute. *" Yet the moft proper Time is E^ifler : for that is the Solemnity of the * Refurredion •, and Baptifm is to us a Ground of our Reflirrecftion. §. 3. Then having infifted on the Advantage of ChrifiH Baptifm a- bove that of St. Johnh^ and how all are invited to it: he addrefles thus to em: 'Ox-fw; j^ (iHAdIn it) J)ce.fii?^(ii '^ hit. vn^^ tou k'o^j>v >(^TU)^i!/u^oi httco cvviQis &c. ' Do you demurr and loyter and put it off? When you have been *■ from a Child catechiz'd in the Word , Are you not yet acquainted ' with the Truth ? Having been always learning it. Are you not yet ' come to the Knowledge of it ? A Seeker ail your Life long : A Con- ' liderer till you are old? When will you be made a Chriflian ? When ' Ihall we fee you become one of us ? Lafl Year you were for flaying ' till this Year : and now you have a Mind to ftay till next. Take heed ' that by promifing your felf a longer Life, you do not quite mifs of ' your Hope. You don't know what Change to Morrow may bring, §. 4- Chap. XII. ^/.Bafil. ^j §.4. When I firfl; copied out this PafTage to put it into this Colle- Yearaf. dion, I thought it to be the flrongefl Evidence againft the general Praftice '^erthe 'a» of Infant-Baptifm in thofe Times of any that is to be found in all Anti- Fifties quity (tho' it has not, I think, been taken Notice of by any of the An- ^^°*- tip^dobaptifts) for it plainly fuppofes that a confiderable Part of St. J5^y?/'s Auditory at this Time were fuch as had been /row their- Childhood inftrufted in the^ Chrillian Religion (and confequently in all Probabili- ty born of Chriftian Parents^ and yet not bapti2;'d. But I have fince, in fearching after other PafTages, had occadon more than enough to obferve, that there were in thefe Times abundance of People that were well-Willers to Chrillianity, half Chriftians, who yet put off* their abfolute owning of it, or being baptiz'd into it for a great many Years. Thefe Men had, during that their unfettled Mind, leverai Children •• and they could not with any Face or Confciencc defire of the Church Baptifm for thefe their Infant-Children, unlefs they would firfl find in their Hearts to accept it for themfelves. i\nd fo thefe Chil- dren came to be taught the Doftrin of Chriftianity, and yet not ba- ptiz'd into it •, becaufe their Parents, tho' liking of that Religion, yet were not at prefent fully refolved themfelves. But this is no Proof that any Chriftians, after they were once baptized themfelves, did ever fuf- fer their Infant-Children to go without Baptifm. This Place it felf is a plain Proof that there were a great many fuch Men as I have mention'd : for feveral of the Men to whom St. Bafd is here Preaching, and whom he blames for putting off Baptifm fo long, muft bd thought to have Children \ which Children mull be :in the Cafe that I fpeak of So that this Place affords an Anfwer to the Ob- jection drawn from it felf, or from any other that fpeaks of Children inflruded in Religion and yet not baptized. §. 9. He goes on with his Sermon, and (hews the Advantages of this Profcffion to which he invites 'em, and the Lightncfs of the Yok^ which he advifes 'em to put on. And proceeds to fpeak of the Ne -iTity of Baptifm in thefe Words*, 'o 'lucTo?©- tW TnexniAw ^k vth^:'^:.,^ Jiet tUv 5Wf hi rrS liATrTia-fAaTi -nhem^iviDv^ ca/rQ tS Kt/et» ttK^cni^ A.^/^mV, /:■ *J', &C. AJtm ■does not delay Circitmcifion beca.'fe of the Threatnivg that overy Soul that is not circumcifed the eighth Day fhjil be cut off" from liis People; j^>id dofi thou put oftht Circumcifion made without Hands in the putting off the Flefh, which is perfor,ned in Baptifm, vrhcn thou he^refl our Lord him- felf fay, verily, verily, I fay unto you, except one be barn of Water and of the Spirit, he (hall not enter into the KingdtJm of God? //Ifr«iel had not pajfed thro" the Sea, they had not got rid -jf Pharoah .' i nnkf thou pafs thro'' the Water^ thou wilt not be dclivt ed from the cr.iel Tyrcvwy of the Xievil, &:c. • r. If yo'ir Sins are many , he not frighted hccaafs of thsir Nnrd^cr : rehire Sik hoi abounded, there Grace will mnch more abdfiftdy if you will receive it, if U 2 they JL/^^ 84 St. Bafil. Cliap. Xlf. Year af- they are [matt and not 'Very heinons^ Why are you afraid of the Time to come, ter the A- fmce yon have order d your faji Life "well, even when yon were not furniJliU pofties jpif}j fhe Chriftian Law ? "^x^r^ §, 6. Look upon yoitr Soul to be placed in a Balance : the j4ngels drary yOH one way, the Devils the other : To which will yon incline ? Which jhall o- V£rcomey Carnal Pltafure or Holinefs of Life ? • Dont you remember how /» Egypt the Defiroycr pajftd over the Houjes that were marked^ when in thofe that were not Jo he flew the Fir ft -horn ? If a Phyfician could undertake by any Art to make yon Toimg again when you are Old^ you would earneftly long for that Day in which y:>Hr florid Touth pould be rcftorcd : an^d yet now when 'tis told you that your Soul defiPd with all manner of Sin, may be renewed and born again by Baptifm^ you Jl'g^^t fd great a Bent fit. Are you Toung ? guard 'your Touth with the Bridle of Bapt';(r/i. h the Flower of your Age ^aft f dont endanger the Lofs of your Viaticum: dun^t mifs of your Prefervative : don't think of your eh'/enth Hour 04 if it wers your fir ft. I know your Reafon^tho^ yoit think to conceal it. ' Stay a. little longer^ fayyouj, ^ I will make ufe of the Flower of my Age in Pleafr.re, &c>. * and then when I have enough of that, I'll give it over and be bapriz'di Think yoH that God does not fee y cur Purpofe^ or that he will give his Grace to fo wicked a Heart? If you leave of your Sins for Old-Age^ Thanks to your Inability. We regard thofe that are fober by Choice not. by Neceffity. Who has given you a Leafe of your Life ? &C. Dont you fee Children often fnatch'd from the Breaft^ and others die in the Fhwer of their Age? &c» Do you ft ay for Baptifm ti/ifome Fever force you to it^ when yon will nel-^ ther he able to fpeak the holy Words^ nor perhaps to hear 'ew, the Difeafe being got into your Head? The. Devil crys, give me to Day, and give the Morrow to God. Bnt Cod fays. To Day if you will hear my Voice. The Devil gives us Hopd of to Alorrow, but when to Morrow is come^ as a fraudulent Divider^ he a- gain ash that Day for himfelf^anJ yields the next tv 'idorrow to God. The SanBification of Baptifm you ommend in Words, but in your Deeds- you follow the Things that your felf condemn. Take heed you dont repent of this Purpofe when it is too late, and w.'ll do you no good. Learn Wifdom by^ the Example of the foolip Virgins, &c. Do net you^ Brother .^ in like manner put off from Tear to Tear, from Month to Month, from Day to Day, till a Day feiz^e you that you are not aware^ of, and the Opportunity of Well' doing fail you together with your Life, &c. Then you'll lament at your very Soul, but no Boa)/ xxill pity you : you^ll ut- ter dreadful Moans, but they will be taken for a Delirium. Who will give- you Baptifm at fuch a Time ? &c. and perhaps it will be Night, and no Bo* dy prefent to help you or haptXe you. But you fay^ God will then hear me. Tes, becaufe you hear him nowl He will grant me fome longer Time, Good Reafon, bec'-::f; you make fo goQd ufe of what he does grant yon. Wretch^ don[t deceive your felf: let no Bod^/ Chap. Xn. St. Bafil. Z^ Body feSice )Oii with vain Words, fuddtn BeflrnCtion will come ufm you^ and ^''ear af- Rui)2e like a Storm ^ &c. The dreadful A/igel will fetch away your SonU &c. certhe A* What Thouohts will yon haaie then ? ' Fool that I was! Why did not I P^ft-cs * put off this' heavy load of Sin then when I might eafily ? that I did '^^^\f^^ * not wafh off thefe foul Stains ? &c. Oh woful Purpofe of mine ! for ^^^ * the fhort Pleafure of Sin to fuffer eternal Torments. I might now ' have been one of thofe that fhine in Glory. Oh juit Judgment of God ! * I was called and would not hear, &c. Thefe and fiich like Corr.flair.ts yon will male thcfi^ if yon depart heme be- fore you he baptized^ 8iC. Ail the reft is fuch like pathetical Exhortation to break off Sin, and enter without Delay into the Ciiriftian Covenant: and were very pro" per to be us'd to thofe who now a Days put off Repentance to a Death- Bed. §. 7 St. Bafil has alfo two other (i) Pieces about Baptifm, written at the Deflre of fome that put Queftions to him, fome concerning Ba- ptifm, and fome on other Subjeds (being probably Perfons that were preparing themfelves to be baptiz'd.) But all the Difcourfe is fas the Occalion was^ of what is proper for Adult Perfons to know and con- fkier, when they come to be baptiz'd : and has nothing that peculiarly, concerns Infants. He puts thefe. Perfons in mind on J"^ 'Tr^a-nv fMt^yfJd/^nvcu tJ yjuela^ y} TD7? vj-iu^ico^mM Ta dfiM (ict7ni 6. 8. Coming to a more particular Explication of our Savior's Words^ fohn 3- 3, 5- of being bom again., he fays, / take that Word \iivcchv againj tofignifie the reUifyifig of our former Birth^ which was in the Filth of Sin : as^ Job %T^ no Perfon is clean from Sin, tho' his Life be but of one Day;: ^fo th?y read that (2) Text of Jo^] and as David laments and fays, I ^ was conceived in Iniquity, and in Sin did my Motlier bring me forth. §. 9. TheYe is a Paffage in a Sermon of St. Baflh (that which he. preached on a Fafi-daj, that was kept for the great famine and Drought J of which' I have not Si^ill enough to judge whether it be a Proof of'^In- fants Baptifm then ufed or not. The Judgment of it depends on one's linowiag particularly to what Pare of the Public Divine :>ervice and. Prayers (i) Lib. primus & fecundus de baptifmo. (i) Job. 14. 4. '^6 SthM €hnp. XR. Year af- Prayers People were wont to be admitted before they were Baptiz'd • terche A- avid to whac not : for St. Bafd fpeaks here of little Boys and ^oung poities Children joining in the Prayers. I know that fome have written ac- ^^^^ curately the Hiftory of the Catechumens, and in what Parts of the Li- turgy they did partake. But the Paflage being fhort, I can fooner fet it down at adventure (that fo they that are skill'd in that Matter may judge whether it be to purpofe or not) than I can at prefent have re- courfe to thofe Writings. 'Tis this. He is telling 'em that their Continuance in their Sins bindred their Prayers from being heard. But befides, fays he, H^hat fon of Prayer is it that we make ? The grown Men^ all hnt a few^ follow their Trades^ &c. a very few are left to join with me in the Prayers • and thofe lazy and yawning^ and flaring about ^ &C. o'l 3 TivlAi o« criJUK^jvCiat u-ni^ ■jip-'liv TO TT^ay^ua [^iTip^VTUty 6cC. dvcLt^iTzi '■^ ' Jy AyAiXTfa jifkon