In our Translation, indeed, the word, teach, in Christ's command is placed before baptize; but, if the word be properly understood, Jews would do the same with Adults, and yet baptize their children also. For, the word, teach, does not here mean what we mean by, teach; nor the same it does in the next verse,' where it properly means to 1 Matt. xxviii. 20. teach, or instruct; but it means, to make disciples or scholars. Neither is it said, Make disciples, and baptize, and teach; but, Make disciples, baptizing and teaching; so that baptizing and teaching are only two parts of making disciples, whereof baptizing 1 3 is the first, and teaching the second, or continuance 2 John, iv. 1. 2. of the first. So then, baptizing is the first thing 3 Matt. xxvii. 57. which really enters us into the school of Christ," and is the proper beginning of being a disciple; and, therefore, we see that children may and ought, by this command, to be baptized and made disciples. Not only so, but as it was said, No one can enter 6 the kingdom of heaven, or the Church of Christ,* Pt. III. sec. 5. except he be born of water and of the Spirit; and 5 John, iii. 5. the promises in Baptism were also expressly said to belong to parents and their children, in which Acts, ii. 38, 39. name is certainly included that of Infants, parents would naturally bring them to Baptism, and have no denial; and since we never read of Infants being refused Baptism, we have in these things a strong argument in its favour. And this is still further confirmed by our being told that households and 71 Cor. i. 16. whole families were baptized; since the very use Acts, xvi. 15,33. of the word, household, naturally implies that children, among others, were baptized. Again, as the Jewish children were holy, so are 9 Rom. xi. 16. g The Greek word used in verse 19, is area (make disciples;) but the word in verse 20, is didácxw (instruct.) h Not unfitly, then, purifications are the first of the mysteries of the Greeks, as also the Bath among the Barbarians (i. e. Christians ;) but after these are the lesser mysteries, which consist of a certain foundation of teaching and preparation for future things. There are (A. D. 151.) many men and many women of sixty and seventy years of age, who as children were made disciples (anrevenoav) of Christ, and remain incorrupt. (i. e. unpolluted by digamy. Pt. II. 43, note b.) Clemens Alex. Strom. v. 11. pp. 688, 689. Justin Martyr. 1. Apol 15. + 1 Cor. vii. 14. 1 Acts, x. 14, 15. 3 Mark, x. 16. 4 Rom. ix. 11. 5 Pt. I. 2, 3. those of Christians, i.e. sanctified,* or cleansed sc as to be capable of being brought into the Church :* They are also and, therefore, mɩy They can, moreover, and, therefore, they and become actual 2 Mark, x. 14, 15. nay, of such like is God's kingdom;" and, therefore, much more, of Infants themselves. capable of Christ's blessing; be blessed by him in Baptism.' be elected to be God's sons; ought to enter the Church, sons; and if so, then we know that, if they die as Infants, before they commit actual sins, they will Rubric at end of be saved. And, besides, all believe they can enter heaven without faith or repentance; and, so, may well believe they ought to enter the Church on earth. From all these things we may see that Infant Baptism is the general, natural, and normal rule concerning Baptism. Infant Baptism. 7Eph. iv. 4-6. 8 Eph. v. 1. 9 Eph. vi. 1-3. † 1 Pet. i. 23. 11 Pet. ii. 2. Ireneus, Lib. iv. 34, 12. Ireneus, Lib. ii. 33, 2. Augustine, de Bap. iv. 24. VII. p. 52. Apost. Const. vi. 15. 6 Accordingly, we find that children are treated as members of the Church. For, they are reckoned among those who are of the one body,' the Church, and children of God; since they receive exhortations as the rest of the members. Further, they are not exhorted to be baptized, or born again, but, as those who had already been born, and were babes,' to be brought up" in the nurture of the *He, who, according to the flesh, was born Christ, was to be sought for by the people that he might be slain; but to be rescued in Egypt, that is, among the Gentiles, and to sanctify them who there were Infants; whence also he perfected the Church there. He came to save all by himself: all, I say, who by him are regenerate to God: (See note e. Pt. III. 17.) infauts, and little ones, and boys, and youths, and old men. Therefore, he passed through every age, and for infants was made an Infant, sanctifying infants. m As in that thief the mercy of the Omnipotent supplied what was deficient from the sacrament of Baptism; because the deficiency was caused not from pride or contempt, but from necessity: so in Infants who die after Baptism, we should believe that the same grace of the Omnipotent supplies the deficiency; because, not from an impious will, but from want of age, they can neither believe with the heart unto righteousness, nor confess with the mouth unto salvation. Therefore, when others answer for them, that the celebration of the Sacrament may be performed for us, it avails for their sanctification; because they themselves cannot answer. n Baptize ye also your Infants, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God; for he says, Suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not. Lord; and spoken of as those who had already 2 Eph. vi. 4. their sins forgiven.3 Moreover, they are spoken of 3 1 John, ii. 12. 5 Joel, ii. 15, 16. as joining in God's service in fasts and intercessions, 52 Chron. XX. 3, equally with Adults; and in holding a feast and 4, 13. sacrifice to God, though Pharaoh thought that men 6 only were fit persons to do so; and, besides, they are 6 Exod. x. 8-11. so honoured by God, as to pay to him perfect praise.' 7 Matt. xxi. 16. From these things, then, we are sure that Christ wished Infants to be baptized, and thereby regenerated, without repentance and faith. Hence, at their Baptism no more is required than the promises of these things." And these are very fitly required. For, since baptized persons should 8 repent and believe, the Church should have some 8 Pt. III. sec. 20. security for these things in Infants, not as necessary to their Baptism, but to their life and education afterwards; and this, as in ordinary affairs, may be given through elder persons. Hence, in private Baptism they are understood and implied, as being for the time made by the parents; but in Baptisms generally, and in publicly acknowledging a child already baptized, they are made openly by the children's Godfathers and Godmothers.1 9 The Office of these persons, indeed, is not an Ordinance of God, but established only by the authority of the Church. It began, however, very early; and, like Infant Baptism, was the common custom of the Church: as appears by the testimony of a writer, who, through too great fear and strictness, wished to delay Baptism; and the persons who thus undertook it were then i.e. persons who answer; viz., at 9 Form of Public Baptism. Private Baptism. 1 Pt. I. sec. 1. called Sponsors, 2 Before A. D. 195. Baptism, and for Hermas Pastor. • Whoever, (i. e. in the Church, Sim. 9, 17.) remain as infants, says he, not having malice, shall be more honourable Lib. iii. Sim. 9. 29. than all those whom I have mentioned; for all Infants are honoured by the Lord, and accounted first. ? At first (Introd. p. viii.) this answer stood thus, 'Yes, they do perform them by their Sureties, who promise and vow them both in their names, which, when they come to age, themselves are bound to perform.' The delay of Baptism is more advantageous, especially in the case of little children. For what necessity is there to increase the dangers of Sponsors, who even themselves may by death fail from their promises, and be deceived by the springing forth of an evil disposition. Wheatley. ch. viii. sec. 1. Tertullian, de Bap. 18. Before A. D. 395. the children's good behaviour afterwards; and later,' by another name having the same meaning, viz., Sureties, i. e. persons who become a security for them, both then, and in after life. * Gal. vi. 2. ¿ Questions in Infant Baptism. Exhortation at Baptism. It is also an Office which is reasonable: for sometimes there are no parents to bring them to Baptism, or through shame will not do it themselves; and sometimes they die while the baptized are still children; and, besides, Sureties do no more for their particular God-children than a religious person would do for his neighbours generally; and, so, their help may well be added to that of the parents; * and, hence, such an Office is rightly used. In order, then, to fulfil the duties of it, Sureties should consider that they do not promise for themselves, but in the child's name; nor that they will make the children keep their promises; but that all they undertake is to see that the child is taught its end of Infant Baptismal vows and promises; which, therefore, they should either see is done by the parents or guardians, in which case nothing more is required; or if not, do it themselves; either by word, if near, or by letter or book, if distant. And, since such are their duties, parents should choose faithful members of the Church; and, by preference, those of their own neighbourhood. SECTION XX. 1 Acts, xvii. 29-31. CONFIRMATION. All persons must repent1 and believe who are able to do so.3 In like manner, all baptized persons must renounce iniquity, repent after sin," and believe in the Christian faith, i.e. so believe as to keep God's Commandments, and thus fulfil the second part of * Matt. xxviii. 20. being made a disciple of Christ.8 Further, all such, 7 Pt. I. sec. 10. X. p. 274. Augustine, Not only by example, but also by exhortation, ye ought 'er.cxvi.de Temp. to admonish them to every good work; but especially they, who from religious love desire to adopt boys and girls, both before they are baptized and after they have been baptized, should not cease to admonish and teach them concerning chastity, humility, sobriety, or peace; and should acknowledge that they are their Sureties; for they answer for them, that they will renounce the devil, his pomps, and his works. 9 whether Adults' or Infants, promise in Baptism to Pt. I. sec. 5. do these things; and, so, become bound to them.1 Hence, even those baptized as Infants, as soon as they can distinguish between good and evil, are bound to the best of their ability, with the help of their Sureties, to perform them; but when they come of age, i.e. when they are able to judge and act for themselves, they are 'themselves,' i. e. alone, bound to do so. 3 † Pt. III. sec. 19. 1 Pt. I. sec. 11. 2 Eph. v. 1. 3 Deut. x. 12-16. 4 Isaiah, i. 2. To assist them to perform these, their Baptism, even in infancy, is a great help: because by teaching them that God has already loved them, and made them his sons, it shows that they are more bound to please and obey him, and that disobedience in them would be very unnatural: and, besides, in it they receive grace and power to assist them to do so. But after this, there is in the Church's system another Rite, viz., Confirmation; in which they become both more bound to perform them, by renewing their vows themselves; and are more Bishop's Question assisted by special gifts of grace" to do so. 6 5 5 7 8 8 Pt. III. 17, 19. in Confirmation. Prayers in Confirmation. Now, this Rite or Ordinance was at the first administered to Adults either immediately after Baptism, Acts, xix. 1-6. when an Apostle or Bishop was present, or else with some space of time between the two Rites; and, 9 Acts, viii. 12-17. hence, when any are baptized as Infants, it is put off until they come of age. And, so, by coming of age in the answer is meant their Confirmation; when, also, the duties of Sureties, as an obligation, cease. This Rite was also ordained and administered first by the Apostles; and, therefore, is now + Acts, viii. 14-17. administered by their Successors in the Apostolic Office, viz., the Bishops; and fitly so, to show the 1 Pt. II. sec. 25. union of all the members of the Church with the Bishop, or chief Pastor, in one family. In it there was. at one time, the ceremony of anointing with oil; but this is not necessary," it not a Having come forth from the Bath, we are then anointed with the blessed ointment, after the ancient Law, in which men were wont to be anointed into the priesthood by oil from a horn. . . . . After this, hands are laid on us, entreating and inviting by benediction the Holy Spirit. Tertullian, de Bap. 7, 8. vii. 22. b But if there be neither oil nor myrrh, the water will Apost. Const. suffice, both for the anointing, and the seal, and the confession of him who died, namely, of dying with him. |