The infants advocate of circumcision on Jewish and baptisme on Christian children. By Thomas Fuller, B.D.

CHAP. XII. The fourth Reason drawn from some degrees of Faith, conferred on lit∣tle Infants. (Book 12)

THe Fourth Reason out of Scripture is thus formed; They that have some degree of Faith, may and ought to be Baptized; But Infants have some degree of faith;

Therefore they may and ought to be Baptized.

The Major is the very same with the words of the Scripture: The Eunuch askt of Philip, Acts 8. 36. See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip answered, if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest.

Al the difficulty is in the proof of the Mi∣nor; For our Adversaries wil say, if the In∣fant could rejoyne with the Eunuch in the same place, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, then the [now most zea∣lous] opposers would be the most earnest

advancers of their Baptism.

For the proof then of Infants faith, let us bring another Reason, but still out of Scripture.

• Without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. 6.
• But Infants please God;
• Therefore they have Faith.

Herein the Minor alone is dubitable, and may manifestly be evinced. All men I know are ready to pretend that they please God; And Hypocrites themselves most (odious unto him) as forward as any to claim this priviledge to themselves. To put this therefore out of question, it mat∣ters not what men say, but what God says herein: We appeal to him (who best knows his own mind) and he hath judged this case already, That Infants please him.

Say not if so smal then, were they in∣sensible of any benefit by the blessing? not conceiving the meaning of our Savi∣our therein.

This appears by Christs carriage to∣wards the little children brought unto him in the Gospel; Concerning whose years

be this premised, that though we have not the Register books of their several ages, yet we may conclude (at least some of) them no bigger then Babes. First, because called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by S. Mark 10. and judicious∣ly rendred by our Translators, verse 13. young children, verse 14. little children; The diminution in the Original word, being equally appliable either to their age or stature. The same are termed by S. Luke 18. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and translated In∣fants, alwayes used in Scripture for such as suck on their mothers breast. Secondly, they are said to be brought by their parents, as unable to bring themselves. Third∣ly, Christ took them up in his arms, as not big enough to kneel down and be blessed, which otherwise was the posture of strip∣lings upon the same occasion.

That these little children pleased Christ, is proved by his expressions (the best in∣terpreters of love or hatred in that heart which could not dissemble) concerning them, Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Of Such, that is not only of those who are like unto

these, (in which sense our Saviour might as significatively have said the same of Doves or Lambs, that the kingdom of hea∣ven consists of such who are like unto them) but of these, and also of those who imitate them in their innocential qualities. Such make strange interpretation of the words, who exclude the Original, and only admit the Copy; let in such as are like to children, and shut out children themselves from the kingdom of hea∣ven.

Secondly, The complacency Christ took in these little children appears by his acti∣ons unto them, vers. 16. he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them; See wee such Infants were in a blessible condition.

Here we distinguish between childrens being sensible of the meaning, and their being capable of the benefit, by a blessing. Probably some of the smallest children here presented unto Christ, understood not our Saviours language, nor the mean∣ing of his gestures, until their parents af∣terwards interpreted the same unto them as they grew up in years. And yet such

Infants might effectually partake of the vigour, and vertue of Christs benedi∣ction. Thus as many though by natural defect they never had, or by sicknesse have lost their Taste, and by their pallat cannot distinguish betixt sweet, bitter, sharp, sowre, &c. (and consequently take no pleasure or delight in what they eat or drink) yet by the receiving thereof, may have their hunger and thirst satisfied, and their strength daily increased; So these Infants purely passive in our Saviours Arms, brought thither without their knowledge, and blest there above their understanding, did nevertheless (some of them no doubt) really participate of the spiritual comfort which the emphatical blessing of Christ impressed upon them.