Infant baptism God's ordinance, or, Clear proof that all the children of believing parents are in the covenant of grace and have as much a right to baptism the now seal of the covenant, as the infant seed of the Jewes had to circumcision, the then seal of the covenant / by Michael Harrison ...

ARGUMENT IV.

If it hath been the constant custom of the Church of Christ all along from the Apostles days to baptize Infants, none never denying It till some hundreds of years after; Then we may rationally conclude it was the practice of the Apostles to baptize Infants; but the former is true, therefore the latter.

Now that Infant Baptism was practised in the Primitive Times by the whole Universal Catholick Church, is evident.

Irenaeus, who had seen Policarpus, St. John's Disciple, and therefore lived very near the Apostles days, saith, Christ came to save and sanctify all sorts; Qui per eum venascuntur in Deum Infantes, &c. All that are born to God, In∣fants, little ones, and Children— Born to God in the Ecclesiastical Phrase, is but the same with Infant Baptism.

Tertullian, who lived about the Year of Re∣demption 200. moved some Scruples about Baptism, yet never denied the lawfulness of it: And in case that the Infant was in danger of death, did vehemently urge it.

Origen, who lived but little after him, speaks again and again of the baptizing little Children, and saith, They received it by Tradi∣tion from the Apostles.

About 150 years after the death of St. John, there was one Fidus, who raised a doubt, Whether Infants might be baptized before they were eight days old, because Cir∣cumcision was not to be administred till then. Therefore Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, and 66 more, met to consider this Case; and agreed, That Infants, recens nati, new born, might be baptized.

And thus we might cite Testimonies of Athanasius, Chrysostom, Augustin, and many o∣thers, that it was the constant custom of the Church to baptize Infants.

Which Custom is still continued in all the Churches of Christ all the world over; as ap∣pears in all the Confessions of all the Protestant Churches: As Helvetia, Bohemia, Belgia, Aus∣purg, Saxony, Wittenberg, Swedeland, France and Peidmont; and Histories tell us 'tis pra∣ctised by the Russians, Muscovites, and all the Christians in India, Syria, Cyprus, Mesopota∣mia, Babylon, Palastine; and in every part of the world where there be any Christian Churches planted.