An enquiry into the constitution, discipline, unity & worship of the primitive church that flourished within the first three hundred years after Christ faithfully collected out of the extant writings of those ages / by an impartial hand.

CHAP. III.

§. 1. Of Baptism: The Persons Baptizing. §. 2. The Persons Baptized: First, Infants. §. 3. Next, Adult Persons. The Qualifica∣tions that were required in them. §. 4. The manner of Baptism: The Person to be Bapti∣zed abjured the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and gave his Assent to the Fundamental Arti∣cles of the Christian Faith. §. 5. A Digression concerning the Ancient Creed. The Creed com∣monly call'd the Apostles, not known within the first Three Hundred Years after Christ. In those Days they had other brief Summaries of Faith, agreeing in Sense, but not in Words. §. 6. All the ancient Creeds transcribed in their Original Language. §. 7. The Creed, common∣ly call'd the Apostles, compared with the Anci∣ent Creeds. §. 8. How the Creed was com∣posed.

§. 1. HAving in the former Chapter discour∣sed of their Publick Prayers, I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the next place to consider the Two Sa∣craments, viz. Baptism, and the Lord's Supper. And first of all, to treat of that of Baptism, together with its Appendix and Confirmation; for the more methodical and distinct handling whereof, I shall enquire into these three Things, viz. The Persons Baptizing, the Persons Bapti∣zed, and the manner of Baptism.

First, As to the Persons Baptizing, usually they were the Bishops or Pastors of their Re∣spective Parishes, as Justin Martyr describes Baptism as performed by the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 1 President; and Tertulli∣an by the Antistes, or, 2 Superintendent; and 3 by the High Priest, who is the Bishop; but 4 with his Permission and Consent, It was allowed to Presbyters and Deacons; and in case of Necessity, even to Lay∣men to Baptize; but 5 ne∣ver under any Necessity whatsoever was it permit∣ted to a Woman so to do.

§ 2. As for the Per∣sons that were Baptized, they were two sorts, ei∣ther Infants, or Adult persons. That Infants were baptized, will be evident from this single Consi∣deration. Baptism was always precedent to the Lord's Supper; and none were admitted to re∣ceive the Eucharist, till they were baptized. This is so obvious to every Man, that it needs no proof: If any one doubts it, he may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it clearly asserted in the Second Apology of Ju∣stin Martyr, p. 97. Children received the Eu∣charist in the Primitive Church, which is also a thing so well known, as that for the proof of it I shall only urge one pas∣sage of 6 Cyprian's, where he tells a long Story of a Sucking Girl, who so vio∣lently

refused to taste the Sacramental Wine, that the Deacon was obliged forcibly to open her Lips, and to pour down the Consecrated Wine. There∣fore it naturally follows, that Children were baptized; for if they received that Ordinance, which always succeeded Baptism, then of ne∣cessity they must have received Baptism its self. But I needed not to have mentioned this Consi∣deration, since Infant-Baptism is as clearly as∣serted in Words at length in the Primitive Wri∣tings, as a thing can possibly be. Thus Origen writes, that 7 Children are baptized for the Remission of their Sins, fer the purg∣ing away of their natural Filth, and original Impu∣rity which is inherent in them, according to Job 15. 14. What is Man that he should be clean? And he which is born of a Wo∣man, that he should be Righteous? And that of the Prophet Isaiah, chap. 4. v. 4. When the Lord shall have washed away the Filth of the Daughter of Sion, and shall have pur∣ged the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst there∣of. No one is clean from the Filth; no, though he lived but one Day upon the Earth. Wherefore because through the Sacrament of Baptism, the Uncleannesses of our Birth are purged away, there∣fore Children are baptized. And the same Fa∣ther Commenting on that place of our Saviour,

Matth. 18. 10. See that ye despise not one of these little ones, alledges this as one Reason, why we should not do so, because of the Angels that guard them, on which reason he makes this Que∣ry, 8 At what time the Angels begin their Guar∣dianship over those little ones, whether at the time of their Birth or their Baptism? So that little ones were Baptized; by which little ones he means Infants and Chil∣dren, as is most evident from those other Titles, which he gives them in the same Tome, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, little Children, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Infants; and in one place he supposes them to be 9 under three or four Years old.

To these Testimonies of Origen, I might also add those of Irenaeus, Lib. 2. cap. 39. p. 137. and of Cyprian, De Lapsis, §. 7. p. 279. But I shall chuse to wave them, because I would wil∣lingly translate at length the Determination of an African Svnod, held Anno 254, whereat were present Threescore and Six Bishops; 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 the occasion of which Determination was this: A certain Bishop called Fidus, had some Scruples, not concerning the Baptism of Infants, but concerning the time of their Baptism, whether they might be baptized before the Second or Third Day after their Birth, or before the Eighth Day, as it was observed with respect to Circumcision under the Mosaical Oeconomy;

the Reasons or Grounds for which his Scruples he proposed to this Synod, who having serious∣ly examined them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 decreed, That Childrens Baptism was not to be deferred to long, but that the Grace of God, or Baptism, should be given to all, and most especially unto 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which Synodical Decree, because so pertinent to my purpose, I have at large tran∣scribed as follows:

Quantum vero ad can∣sam Infantium pertinet, quos dixisti intra secun∣dum vel tertium diem quo nati sint constitutos baptizari non oportere; & considerandam esse le∣gem Circumcisionis anti∣quae, ut intra octavum diem eum qui natus est baptizandum & sanctifi∣candum non putares; longe aliud in consilio nostro omnibus visum est; in hoc enim quod tu putabas esse facien∣dum, nemo consensit, sed universi potius judicavi∣mus, nulli hominum na∣to misericordiam Dei & gratiam denegandam; nam cum Dominus in E∣vangelio suo dicar, Filius hominis non venit animas hominum perdere, sed

salvare; quantum in no∣bis est, si fieri potest, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 anima perdenda est. Quid enim ei deest, qui semel in utero, Dei manibus formatus est? Nobis enim atque oculis nostris, secundum die∣rum secularium cursum, accipere, qui nati sunt incrementum videntur: Caeterum quaecunque a Deo fiunt, Dei factoris majestate & opere per∣fecta sunt. Esse denique apud omnes, sive infan∣tes, sive majores natu, unam divini muneris ae∣qualitatem, declarat no∣bis divinae Scripturae fi∣des, cum Helisaeus super Infantem Sunamitis Vi∣duae Filium qui mortuus jacebat, ita se Deum de∣precans superstravit, ut capiti caput, & faciei fa∣cies applicaretur, & su∣perfusi Helisaei membra singulis parvuli membris & pedes pedibus junge∣rentur. Quae res si se∣cundum nativitatis no∣strae & Corporis qualita∣tem cogitetur, adulto & provecto Infans non pos∣set

〈1 paragraph〉〈1 paragraph〉.

Nam & quod vestigi∣um infantis, in primis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ini diebus consti∣tuti, mundum non esse 〈◊〉〈◊〉, quod unusquisque nostrum adhuc horreat

exosculari, nec hoc 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coelestem gratiam dandam impedimento esse oportere; scriptum∣est enim, omnia munda∣sunt mundis; nec ali∣quis nostrum id debet hortere, quod Deus dig∣natus est facere. Nam etsi adhuc infans a partu novus eft, non ita est ta∣men, ut quisquam illum in gratia danda atque in pace facienda horrere de∣beat osculari, quando in osculo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unusquis∣que nostrum pro sua re∣ligione ipsas adhuc recen∣tes Dei manus debeat cogitare, quas in homine modo formato & recens nato quodammodo ex∣osculamur, quando id quod Deus fecit, am∣plectimur. Nam quod in Judaica. Circumcisi∣one carnali octavus dies observabatur, Sacramen∣tum est in umbra atque in imagine ante 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

〈◊〉〈◊〉 veniente Chri∣sto veritate completum. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quia octavus dies, id est, post 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 dies 〈◊〉〈◊〉 erat, quo Dominus 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 & Cir∣cumcisionem nobis 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, hic dies 〈◊〉〈◊〉, id est, post Sab∣bacum primus, & Domi∣nicus praecessit in imagi∣ne, quae imago cessavit fuperveniente 〈◊〉〈◊〉 veritate, & data nobis spirituali circumci∣sione. Propter quod ne∣minem putamus a gratia consequenda impedien∣dum 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 lege quae iam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est; nec spiritua∣lem circumcisionem im∣pediri carnali 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, sed omnem omnino hominem admit∣tendum efse ad gratiam Christi, quando & Petrus in Actibus Apostolorum 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & dicat, Do∣minus mihi dixit, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 communem dicen∣dum & immundum.

Caeterum si homines 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aliquid ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉 gratiae posset; magis adultos & prove∣ctos & majores natu pos∣sent impedire peccata graviora. Porro autem si etiam gravissimis deli∣ctoribus & in Deum multum ante peccanti∣bus, cum postea credi∣derint, remissa peccato∣rum datur, & a baptismo atque a gratia nemo pro∣hibetur; quanto magis prohiberi non debet 〈◊〉〈◊〉, qui recens natus nihil peccavit, nisi quod secundum Adam carnali∣ter natus contagium mor∣tis antique prima nativi∣tate contraxit? Qui ad remissam peccatorum ac∣cipiendam hoc ipso faci∣lius accedit, quod illi re∣mittuntur non propria, sed aliena peccata & id∣circo, frater charissime, haec fuit in concilio no∣stra sententia, a baptis∣mo atque a gratia Dei, qui omnibus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & pius est, neminem per nos debere prohiberi. Quod cum

〈◊〉〈◊〉 universos observan∣dum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 atque retinen∣dum, tum magis circa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ipsos & recens natos 〈◊〉〈◊〉 puta∣mus, qui hoc 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉, ac de divina 〈◊〉〈◊〉 plus merentur, quod in primo statim na 〈◊〉〈◊〉 suae ortu 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 flentes nihil aliud 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quam 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

As for the matter of Infants, whom, you said, were not to be Baptized within the Second or Third Day after their Nativity, or according to the Law of Circumcision within the eighth Day thereof; it hath ap∣peared to us in our Council quite contra∣ry; no one maintain∣ed your Opinion, but we all judged, That the Mercy and Grace of God was to be deni∣ed to no Man; for since the Lord said in the Gospel, The Son of Man came not to de∣stroy, but to save the Souls of Men; there∣fore as much as lies in our Power, no Soul is

to be lost; for what is there defective in him, who has been once formed in the Womb by the Hands of God? To us indeed it seems, that Children increase, as they advance in Years; but yet what∣ever things are made by God, are perfected by the Work and Ma∣jesty of God their Ma∣ker. Besides, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Scriptures declare, that both Infants and Adult Persons have the same Equality in the Divine Workman∣ship: When Elisha prayed over the Dead Child of the Sunami∣tish Widow, he lay upon the Child, and put his Head upon his Head, and his Face upon his Face, and his Body upon his Body, and his Feet upon his Feet. This may be thought improbable, how the small Mem∣bers of an Infant should equal the big ones of a grown Man;

but 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is expressed the Divine and Spiri∣tual Equality, that all Men are equal, and alike, when they are made by God; that though the encrease of our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 may cause an inequality with re∣spect to Men, yet not with respect to God; unless that that Grace, which is given to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Persons, be more or less according to the Age of the Receivers; but the Holy Ghost is given equally to all, not according to measure, but according to God's Mercy and Indul∣gence; for as God is no respecter of Persons, so neither of Years; he equally offers to all, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his Hea∣venly Grace.

And whereas you say, that an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the first Days after his Birth is unclean, so that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 one is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to kiss him, this

can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no Impediment to his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Heavenly Grace; for it is written, to the Pure all things are pure; and none of us should dread that which God hath made; for although an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be newly born, yet he is not so, as that we should dread to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 him; since in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of an Infant, we ought to think upon the fresh Works of God, which in a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 we 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in an Infant newly formed and born, when we em∣brace that which God hath made. And whereas the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jewish 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was performed on the Eighth Day, that was a Type and Shadow of some future good thing, which, Christ the Truth being now

come, is done away; because the Eighth Day, or the First Day after the Sabbath, was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be the Day on which our Lord should rise and quicken us, and give us the Spiritual Circumcision; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was the Carnal Circumcision on the Eighth Day, which Type is now abolished, Christ the Truth be∣ing come, and having given us the Spiritual Circumcision. Where∣fore it is our Judg∣ment, that no one ought to be debarred from God's Grace by that Law, or that the Spiritual Circum∣cision should be hin∣dred by the carnal one; but all Men ought to be admitted to the Grace of Christ, as Peter saith in the Acts of the Apostles, that the Lord said unto him, that he should call no Man common or unclean.

But if any thing can hinder Men from Baptism, it will be hainous Sins, that will debar the Adult and Mature therefrom; and if those who have sinned extremely a∣gainst God, yet if af∣terwards they 〈◊〉〈◊〉, are baptized, and no Man is prohibited 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this Grace, how much more ought not an In∣sant to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉, who being but just born, is guilty of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sin, but of Original which he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from Adam? Who ought the more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be received to the remission of Sins, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not his own, but others sins are remit∣ted to him. Where∣fore, dearly beloved, it is our Opinion, that from 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and the Grace of God, who is merciful, kind and be∣nign to all, none 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to be prohibited by us, which as it is to be ob∣served and followed

with respect to all, so especially with respect to Infants, and those that are but just born, who deserve our Help, and the Divine 〈◊〉〈◊〉, because at the first instant of their Nati∣vity, they beg it by their Cries and Tears.

Apud Cyprian. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 59. §. 2, 3, 4. p. 164, 165.

Notes

• 1

  Apolog. 2. p. 97.
• 2

  De 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Milit. p. 336.
• 3

  Summus Sacerdos qui est Episcopus. De Bap∣tism. p. 602.
• 4

  Dehinc Presbyteri & Diaconi, non tamen sine Episcopi auctorirate—Laicis etiam jus est—〈◊〉〈◊〉 in necessitati∣bus. Ibidem, p. 602, 603.
• 5

  Mulier non tingendi jus sibi pariet. Ibid. p. 603.
• 6

  Diaconus reluctanti li∣cet, de Sacramento Ca∣licis infudit. De Lap∣sis, §. 20. p. 284.
• 7

  Parvuli baptizantur in Remissionem peccato∣rum; Quorum peccato∣rum? Vel quo tempore peccaverunt? Aut quo∣modo potest ulla lavacri in parvulis ratio subsi∣stere, nisi juxta illum seusum de quo paulo an∣te diximus, nullus mun∣dus à sorde, nec fi unius diei quidem fuerit vita ejus super terram? Et quia per Baptismi Sacra∣mentum nativitatis sor∣des deponuntur, prop∣terea baptizantur & par∣vuli. In Lucam. Homil. 14.
• 8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Comment. in Mat. Tom. 13. p. 331. Vol. 1.
• 9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ibid. p. 321.
• This they speak with reference to their Custom of Saluting one another at the Conclusion of their pub∣lick 〈◊〉〈◊〉.