An accompt of all the proceedings of the Commissioners of both perswasions, appointed by his sacred Majesty, according to letters patents, for the reveiw [sic] of The book of common prayer, &c.

Publike Baptisme.

UNtill they have made due profession of Repentance, &c. we think this desire to be very hard and uncharitable, punishing the poor Infan••s for the Parents sakes, and giving also too great and ar∣bitrary a power to judge which of his Parishioners he pleaseth, A∣theists, Infidels, Hereticks, &c. and then in that name to reject their children from being baptized: Our Church concludes more chari∣tably, that Christ will favourably accept every Infant to Baptisme, that is presented by the Church according to our present Order: And this she concludes out of Holy Scriptures, (as you may see in the Office of Baptisme) according to the Practise and Doctrine of the Catholick Church, Cypr. Ep. 59. August. Ep. 28. & de verb. Apost. Ser. 14.

Reply.

We perceive you will stick with us in more then Ceremonies; to your reasons we Reply, 1. By that reason, all the Children of all Hea∣thens or Infidels in the World should be admitted to Baptism; be∣cause they should not be punished for the parents sakes. 2. But we deny that it is (among Christians that beleeve original Sin) any ab∣surdity to say, that Children are punished for their Parents sakes. 3. But yet we deny this to be any such punishment at all, unless you will call, their non-deliverance a punishment; they are the Children of wrath by nature, and have original Sin; The Covenant of Grace that giveth the saving benefits of Christ, is made to none but the faithful, and their seed, will you call this a punishing them for their Fathers sakes, that God hath extended his Covenant to no more? Their Pa∣rents infidelity doth but leave them in their original Sin, and misery, and is not further it self imputed to them. If you know of any Cove∣nant or promise of Salvation made to all without condition, or to In∣fants, or any other condition or qualification, but that they be the seed of the faithful dedicated to God, you should do well to shew it us, & not so slightly pass things of so great moment, in which you might much help the World out of darkness, if you can make good what you inti∣mate; If indeed you mean as you seem to speak, that its uncharitable∣ness to punish any Infants for the Parents ••aults, and that a non-libera∣tion is such a punishment, then you must suppose that all the Infants of Heathens, Jews, and Turks are saved (that die in Infancy) or else Christ is uncharitable; And if they are all saved without Baptisme, then Baptisme is of no such use, or necessity; as you seem to think: What then is your priviledge of the seed of the faithful, that they are holy, and that the Covenant is made with them, and God will be their God? We fear you will again revive the opinion of the Anabaptists among the people, when they observe that you have no more to say for the Baptizing of the Children of the faithful, then of In∣fidels, Heathens, and Atheists. To your second Objection we Answer; You will drive many a faithful labourer from the work of Christ, if he may not be in the Ministry, unless he will baptise the Children of Heathens, Infidels, and excommunicate ones, before their Parents do repent: And the first Question is not who shall be the judge; But whether we must be all thus forced. Is not the Question as great, who shall be the judge of the unfitness of Persons for the Lords Supper? And yet there you think it not

a taking too much upon us to keep away the scandalous, if they have their Appeals to you? And is it indeed (a power too great and a••bi∣trary) to have a judicium discretionis about our own Acts; and not to be forced to baptize the children of Heathens against our Consciences? who judged for the Baptizers in the Primitive Church, what persons they should baptize? We act but as Engines under you, not as men, if we must not use our reason; and we are more miserable then brutes or men, if we must be forced to go against our Consciences, unless you will save us harmless before God: O that in a fair debate you would prove to us that such children as are de∣scribed are to be baptized, and that the Ministers that baptize them, must not have power to discern who to baptize. But who mean you by the Churches that must present every Infant that Christ may accept them? Is every Infant first in the promise of pardon? (It so, shew us that promise) and then sure God will make good that promise, though Heathen Parents present not their children to him, as (your grounds suppose) if not, then will the sign save those that are not in the promise: But is it the Godfathers that are the Church, who∣ever called them so? And if by the Church you mean the Minister, and by presenting, you meant baptizing them, then any Heathens child that a Minister can catch up and baptize shall be saved, which if it could be proved would perswade us to go hunt for children in Turkie, Tartary, or America, and secretly baptize them in a habit, that should not make us known; but there is more of fancy then chari∣ty in this; and Christ never invited any to him, but the children of the promise to be thus presented and baptized.

Sect. 3. P. 23.

[And then the Godfathers, &c. It is an erronious d••ctrine, and the ground of many others, and of many of your Exceptions that children have no other right to Baptisme, then in their Parents right, the Churches Primitive pra∣ctise forbids it to be left to the pleasure of Parents whether there shall be o∣ther* 1.1 Sureties or no? It is fit we should observe carefully t••e practise of ve∣nerable Antiquitie, as they desire; Prop. 18.]

Reply.

We conjecture the words that conclude your former Subject being mis-placed, are intended as your Answer to this, and if all the chil∣dren of any sort in the world that are brought to us, must by us be baptized without distinction, indeed its no great matter what time we have notice of it.

It seemes we differ in Doctrine though we subscribe the same Arti∣cles we earnestly desire you distinctly to tell us, what is the Infants ti∣tle to Baptisme, if it be not to be found in the Parent: Assign it and prove it when you have done, as well as we prove their right as they are (the seed of Believers dedicated by them to God) and then we promise to consent: Its strange to us to hear so much of the Churches primitive practise, where so little evidence of it is produced, Aug. ep. 23. talketh not (of primitive practise: ab initio non fuit sic; was i•• so in the Apostles days? And afterwards you prove not that it was the judg∣ment of the Catholick Church, that bare Sponsers instead of Parents, Pro-parents or Owners of the Children, might procure to the Children of all Infidels a title to Baptisme, and its benefits. Such Suscepters as became the Owners or Adopters of the Children, are to be distinguish∣ed from those that pro forma stand by for an hour during the baptising of the Children, and ever a••ter leave them to their Parents: who as they have the natural interest in them, and power of their disposal, and the Education of them, so are fittest to covenant in their names.

[The Font usually stands as it did in primitive times, at or near the Church* 1.2 door, to signify that Bap••isme was the entrance int•• the Church mystical, we are all baptised into one body, 1 Cor. 12. 13. and the people may hear well enough. If Jordan and all other waters be not so far sanctified by Christ, as to be the matter of Baptisme, what authority have we to baptise? and su••e his Baptisme was dedicatio baptismi.]

Repl. Our less difference of the Font, and flood Jordan is almost drowned in the greater before going: But to the first we say that we conceive the usual scituation for the peoples hearing, is to be preferred before your Ceremonious position of it. And to the second we say, that dedicatio baptismi is an unfiting phrase, and yet if it were not what's that to the sanctification of Jordan, and all other waters? Did Christ sanctify all Corn, or Bread, or Grapes, or Wine to an holy use? when he administred the Lords Supper? Sanctifying is separating to an holy use; But the flood Jordan and all other water is not separated to this holy use, in any proper sense: No more than all mankind is sanctified to the Priestly Office, because men were made Priests.* 1.3

[It hath been accounted reasonable, and allowed by the best Laws▪ that* 1.4 Guardians should Covena••t and contract for their Minors to their benefit, by the same r••ght the Church hath appointed sureties to undetake for Children, when they enter into Covenant with God by Baptisme; And this general

practise of the Church is enough to satisfy those that doubt.]

Repl. 1. Who made those Sureties Guardians of the Infants that are ••either Parents, nor Pro-parents, nor Owners of them? we are not now 〈…〉〈…〉aking against Sponsors: But you know that the very original of those Sponsors is a great Controversi••: And whether they were not at first most properly Sponsors for the Parents that they should perform that part they undertook (because many Parents were Desertors, and ma∣ny proved negligent) Sponsors then excluded not Parents from their proper undertaking, but joyned with them; Godfathers are not the In∣fants Guardians with us, and therefore are not power thus to Covenant and Vow in their names: We intreat you to take heed of leaving any Children indeed out of the mutual Covenant that are baptised: How are those in the Covenant that cannot consent themselves, and do it not by any that truly represent them; nor have any Authority to act as in their names? The Authority of Parents being most unquestionable (who by nature, and the word of God, have the power of disposing of their Children, and consequently of choosing and covenanting for them) Why should it not be preferred? at lest you may give leave to those Pa∣rents that desire it to be the Dedicators of and Covenants for their own Children, and not force others on them whether they will or no. 2. But the question is not of Covenanting, but professing present actual believing, forsaking &c. In which though we believe the Churches sense was sound, yet we desire that all things, that may render it lyable to mis-understanding may be avoyded,

[Receive remission of sins by spiritual Regeneration, most proper for Baptism is our spiritual Regeneration, St. John 3; unlesse a man be born again of* 1.5 water and the spirit, &c. And by this is received remission of Sins, Acts 2. 3. Rep••nt and be Baptized every one of you, for the remission of sins; So the Creed one B••ptism for the remission of sins.]

Repl. Baptism as an outward Administration, is our visible Sacra∣mental Regeneration: Baptism as conteyning with the Sign, the thing signified, is our spiritual real Regeneration. As we are regenerated before Baptism, (as you know adult Believers are) so we cannot pray to receive remission of sins by that same regeneration renewed. As we are regenerated really in Baptism, that Regenera••ion and Remission are conjunct benefits: B••t if Baptism at once give Regeneration and Remission, it follows not that it gives remission by regeneration: But as Regeneration comprehendeth the whole change (re••l•• or Phisical) and relative, so we acknowledge, that as the part is given by the whole,

you may say that remission is given by regeneration, but more fitly in it than by it; But we are not willing to make more adoe about words than needs.

[We cannot in faith say that every Child that is baptized is regenerate, &c.* 1.6 seeing that Gods Sacraments have their effects, where the Receiver doth not ponere obicem, put any bar against them (which children cannot do) we may say in faith of every child that is baptized that it is regenerated by Gods Holy Spirit, and the denial of it tends to Anabap••is••, and the contempt of this holy Sacrament, as nothing worthy, nor m••terial, whether it be admi∣nistred to children or no: Concerning the Crosse we refer to our Answer, to the same is general.]

Repl. All Gods Sacraments attain their proper ends: But whether the Infants of Infidels be the due Subjects, and whether their end be to seal up Grace and Salvation to them that have no promise of it, or whe∣ther* 1.7 it be only to seal the Covenant to Believers and their seed, are Questions yet undecided, wherein we must intreat you not to expect that we should implicitly believe you; and it is as easy for us to tell you, that you are promoting Anabaptisme, and much more easy to prove it: We take those but for words of course.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Aug. Ep. 23.
• * 1.2

  §. 4.
• * 1.3

  §. 5.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 s••. 14. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. A••g. ep. 2••.
• * 1.5

  § 6. pag. 24.
• * 1.6

  § 7. pag. 24.
• * 1.7

  Tit. 3. 5.