Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Are infantes alwaies to bee baptized, seeing it is no where commaunded to Bap∣tize them?

They are: because it is no where forbidden; and although it bee not commaunded expresly and literally, yet it is comman∣ded by proportion, and good consequence.

1. Because (excepting the difference of the visible Cere∣monie) the Analogie, or reason of Baptisme and Circumcision is all one, the inward and spirituall thing, and signification all one, that is to say, forgiuenesse of sinnes, and mortification of the flesh. The thing figured, one and the same, to wit, Regenerati∣on: both of them a badge of the ingraffing and adoption into the family of GOD, the same Christ promised in circumcision, and declared in baptisme, the same Couenant: also the same will of God continueth ratified, for the sealing of that Couenant: and baptisme succeeded Circumcision, by which, all male children were commaunded to bee circumcised vpon the eight daya. Now the condition of Christian Infants, in as much as cōcerneth their age, is not made worse in the Newe Testament: for then it must needes bee, that by Christs comming the grace of God is made more obscure, more straight, and lesse manifest to vs, then before it was to the Iewes: which is contumelious against Christ. Truely, if there was nothing in the commaundement of God for circumcising of Infants reprouable, neither can there bee any absurditie noted in the baptizing of Infants. But because that part of the Couenant which concerneth infants, was now knowne to the Apostles, by reason of Circumcision. Therefore Christ was contented with a generall commaundement for Bap∣tisme: and did not iudge it needfull to commaund any thing pe∣culiarly for Infants.

2. Because they are in the Couenant, as were the children of Is∣raell, to whom was the promise of the Couenant, I will bee thy God, that is, hee that will haue mercie and saue thee, and of thy seede after thee. (In which wordes is contained a promise of the fatherly fauour of GOD, of the forgiuenesse of sinnes, and of eternall lifeb) the which beeing now apprehended of the Parents by faith, doth not onely comprehend a spiritu∣all and allegoricall issue, but also the children which they

shall beget to a thousand generations ^b. The which surely doth no lesse appertaine to Christians, then in times past to the people of the Iewes. And Act. 2, 38, Peter saide; Let euery one of you be baptized: for, to you and your children is the pro∣mise made.

And Christ commandeth little children to be brought vnto him that hee might touch them, not such as were of riper yeares, and able to goe, but tender ones, & children which did yet suck, which many brought vnto him, and did not lead them. And it is said that hee tooke them in his armes and embraced themc, and commended them vnto his father by his prayer and blessing, and sanctified them by the laying on of his hands, which cannot bee taken otherwise, but that he receiued them into fauourd. And last of all, most clearely, hee speaketh of Infants, inuiting them to his fellowship and society, Math. 19, 13. Suffer little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not, because to such, that is aswell In∣fants in age, as those which are like them, appertaineth the king∣dome of heauen: whom Peter calleth 1. Pet. 2.2. spirituall children, such as by the word of God are regenerated to immortall life: like as Math. 18.4. Whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as this child, hee is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen.

And in the 14. verse. It is not the pleasure of your heauenly father, that one of these little ones should perish. For it is manifest that Christ approueth and receiueth little children, otherwise he would not allow those which were like them.

And the Euangelist signifieth that the kingdome of GOD appertained to those children which were slaine by Herod, reciting the place, Ier. 31.15. of the holy Martyres, the children of Ra∣chel, or of their posteritie, Mat. 2.16.17.

Now, vnto whom appertaineth the promise of the Commu∣nion with Christ, and of eternall life, which is signified in the word of Baptisme, To the same appertaineth also the signe, accor∣ding to the diuine determination proper to euery Sacrament. And there can bee no other meanes to bring them vnto Christ, but that they by baptisme bee ingrafted into the Church, which is the bodie of Christ, seeing they are not yet capable of Do∣ctrine.

3 Because although hearing is an ordinarie beginning of

faitha, yet because it is impossible that any should please God without faith. Hebr. 11.6. Infants must needes haue in the place of faith, the seed, or budding of faith, or the renewing of the spirit, although they are not yet endued with the knowedge of good or euill: forb God holdeth them not for vncleane, but adopteth them for his children, and sanctifyeth them from the wombe, as it is said. 1. Cor. 7.14. Your children are holy: that is to say, by an hidden operation, and enlightening of the spirit which maketh in them new motions, and new inclinations to Godward, according to their capacitie, as farre as we can gesse, without the word, which is the onely seed of regeneration to them which are able to be taught. 1. Pet. 1.23.c. for the Lord gaue a taste in Iohn Baptist, whom he sanctified in his mothers wombe, what he is able to doe in the restd. And yet must the secret workes, and iudgements of God be left vnto himselfe, because the Church iudgeth not of hidden thingse.

Neyther are the prayers of the Church for the Infantes of the beleeuers which are baptised, in vaine, ouer whom the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, is called vpon: but they obtaine that which they aske, Mat. 18.19. If not in each singular person, yet in the species or kinde of each. Whereu∣pon it followeth, that they are receiued into fauour, and are en∣dued with the holy Ghost, and therefore are to bee bap∣tizedf.

4. Because though Infants haue not sinned actually, as Adam did Rom. 5.14. yet they haue sinned Originally in Adam, as in∣cluded in his loynes, vers. 12. and are dead in himg: Secondly be∣ing conceiued in sinneh (contrarie to the Pelagians opinion) they are by nature, the children of wrath,i and doe daily die no lesse then men of riper yearesk: wherefore that they may please God, and may bee admitted into his kingdome, where no polluted thing entereth. 1. Cor. 15.30. they haue neede of the sparke of some regeneration, the abundance whereof, they may afterward enioy, which is sealed vnto them by Baptismel. And therfore it is not to be denyed them, for except a man bee borne againe of wa∣ter and the spirit, hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen. Iohn. 3.3.5.

5. Because the commandement concerning baptisme is vniuer∣sall,

and comprehendeth the whole Church, whereof Infants are members, & a great part: for Paule includeth the whole Church where he saith, that it is clensed by the washing of water in the word. Ephes. 5.26. and Math. 28.19. Preach the Gospell to euery creature, and baptise them. It is not therefore particularly to be applied to those of discretion onely, but also to the children of the faithfull.

6 Because though by reason of their yeares they vnderstand not Gods word, nor can beleeue in action, and professe their faith and repentance (whereof Baptisme is a Sacrament, as circumci∣sion was in times past) and enter into mutuall obligation betwixt God and them, which belongeth onely to them of discretion, notwithstanding it is vnto thē in steed ofa professing of faith: for that they are borne within the Church of the people of God, and are not onely within the couenant, but also are presented by them which beleeue, and doe promise and make answere for them. And therefore Saint Augustine saith, the Sacrament of faith maketh children faithfull, though they haue not yet that faith which consisteth in the will of beleeuers to make them faithfull. Euen as they doe not know that they haue the holy Ghost, though it be in them, or a minde and life, though it cannot be denied that they haue both. And to conclude it sufficeth, that they are bapti∣sed and bound vnto a repentance and faith to come: Euen as the infants of the Israelites were circumcised into a faith and repen∣tance that was to follow, although they neyther vnderstood the word of God, nor the mysterie of circumcision: and Christ bles∣sed little children and prayed for them, though they vndestood not what he did for them.

7 Because that, which the institution of Baptisme commaun∣deth that they which are to be baptised should first be taughtb, as Iohn is said to haue preached the baptisme of repentancec, whi∣lest he taught these whom hee was about to baptise (out of which places the Anabaptists impugne childrens baptisme) it is not precisely to be tyed to the order of words, but to be distinct∣ly applied to those which may be taught, or their children which are strangers from the couenant who must be first instructed be∣fore they be baptised: but it is to be applied otherwise to chil∣dren that are within the couenant, who though they cannot heare the Gospell, yet can and ought to be baptised, for that they

are both borne in and belong vnto the Church, before they can be taught, and then it is time enough to teach them, when they are capable of learning, howbeit in the Church of God, the word is not there separated from childrens baptisme.

Likewise also this: He that beleeueth & is baptised shall be saued, but he that beleeueth not (although hee be baptised) shall be condemned, belongeth not to the children of the faithfull, but to those whiche may heare the Gospell. As likewise that of the A∣postle, 2. Thess. 3, 10. He that laboureth not, let him not eate, which being spoken vnto men of yeares, ought not to bee infer∣red vpon all indifferently: Nor followeth it simply, that be∣cause all beleeuers are to be baptised, therfore all that are baptised ought to beleeue, or because a vniuersall affimatiue is not simply conuerted: neyther are these termes conuertible to be baptised, and beleeuing: but to bee baptised, and to be acknowledged for the members of the Church.

8 For that Paule. 1. Cor. 10.2. witnesseth that all the Israe∣lites which passed through the red sea were baptised, among whom, seeing no doubt there were many children among so ma∣ny thousands, no doubt, they likewise receiued the type and fi∣gure of our baptisme: It is therefore false which our aduersaries obiect that no place of Scripture testifieth the baptism of Infants.

Likewise, though we read not that the Apostles baptised any Infants by name, yet they baptised whole families, whereof chil∣dren are not the smallest portiona, neither need we to vse fi∣gures, when the words are plaine. Neyther can there from these speeches, be collected any reason of such a Synecdoche, by which wee must vnderstand portions of yeares onely, and exclude children.

9 Because ancient writers testifie, that the custome of bap∣tising children hath continued from the verie Apostles times till now, Origen faith: The Church receiued a tradition from the Apostles, to giue baptisme euen to Infantes. And Au∣gustine saith of the baptisme of children. That which the Ʋniuersall Church holdeth, and vvas neuer decreed by Coun∣cils, but alwaies hath beene helde, it may be verse vvell be∣leeued, that it was deliuered no otherwise but by Apostolicke authoritie. Therefore it is false, which the Papistes saie,

That Baptisme of children proceeded not so much from any ap∣parant commaundement of the scripture, or from example, as from the decree of the Church.

Notes

• a

  Gen. 17.12 Col. 2.11.12
• b

  Mat. 21.32 Gen. 7.7 Exod. 20.6
• c

  Luk. 18.15
• d

  Mark. 18 16
• a

  Ro•• 10.17
• b

  Deut. 1.39
• c

  Rom. 8.16
• d

  Luk. 1.15:41
• e

  1 Peter. 23
• f

  Act. 10.47
• g

  1 Cor. 15.22
• h

  Psal. 51.7
• i

  Ioh. 3.6
• k

  Eph. 2.3
• l

  Apo•• 21.27
• a

  Act. 2.41 & 8.12.37
• b

  Mat. 2.19
• c

  Marc. 1.4
• a

  Act. 16.15 & 18 8. 1 Cor. 1.6
• In 6. ad ad Rom. de Pec¦catorum me¦ritis et remis l. 3 c. 6. et Contra Do¦nat. l. 4. c. 13,