® PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
 Agnciv Coll. on Baptism, No, 
 
 /otf>7 
 
i/. 
 
\ 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F 
 
 nfmt - Hapttfm 
 
 In Two Parts. 
 
 The Firft being 
 
 An impartial Collection of all fuch 
 Paffages in the Writers of the four 
 firft Centuries as do make FOR, or 
 AGAINST IT. 
 
 The Second, 
 
 Containing feveral things that do illii* 
 ftrate the faid Hiftory. 
 
 By aa^Caall, Vicar of gfloflftam in Rt\\U 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed by J. Downing, for R. Symffon at the Harp, 
 and H. Bomvick at the Red- Lion in St. TauVs- 
 Church- Yard. 1705, 
 
THE 
 
 HISTORY 
 
 O F 
 
 $nfont -iSaptif u 
 
 BEING 
 
 An impartial Collection of all fuch 
 PaiTages in the Writers of the four 
 firft Centuries as do make FOR, or 
 AGAINST IT. 
 
 Part I. 
 
 By ifflu a$aU, v ^ar of g>lweljam in fttllU 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 Pirinted by J. Downing, for R. Sympfon at the 
 Harp, and H. Bonwkk at the Red-Lion in 
 St. Paul'S'Churcb'Yard, 1705-. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/historyofinfantb 
 
£ < x 
 
 THE .;. .^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 FOrafmuch as the Comrnijfwn given by our Sa- 
 viour to his Difciples, in the time of his mor- 
 tal Life, to baptize in the Country of Judea, 
 is not at all fet down in Scripture', only it is 
 [aid, that they baptised (i) a great many : And the (i) John 4, t, 
 Enlargement of that Commiffton given* em afterwards, 2. it. 3. 22, 
 Mat. 28. 1 9. to perform the fame Office among all the * 
 Heathen Nations, is fet down in fuch brief Words, 
 that there is no particular Direction given what they 
 were to do in reference to the Children of thofe that re- 
 ceived the Faith : And among all the Perfons that are 
 recorded as baptized by the Apoflles, there is no ex- 
 prefs mention of any Infant} nor is there on the 0- 
 ther fide any Account of any Chriftian's Child, whofe 
 Baptifm was put off till he was grown up, or who was 
 baptized at Man s Age : ( for all the Perjons that are 
 mention d in Scripture to have been baptized, were the 
 Children of Heathens, or elfe o/Jews, who did not 
 believe in Christ at that time when thofe their Children- 
 were born ). And fince the Proofs drawn by Confe- 
 qucnces from fame places of Script are, for any one fide of 
 this JQueflion, are not fo plain a- to hinder the Argu- 
 ments drawn from other places for the other fide, j rem 
 feeming Jlill con fider able to thofe that have no help from 
 the Hiftory of the Scripture-Times for the better undtr- 
 ff an ding of the Rules of Scripture : It is no wonder that 
 the Readers of Scripture, at this diftance from the 
 Apoflks times, have fallen into contrary Sentiments 
 about the Meaning of our Savours Command, and the 
 A 3 Practice 
 
iv*. The Preface. 
 
 Practice of the Apofiks in reference to the baptizing 
 of Infants. 
 
 But fince the PraElice of the ancient Chrifiians that 
 liv'd nigh the Times of the Apoftles, being more largely 
 deliver' 'd, is more eafdy known : that fuck at have gone 
 about to give an Account thereof out of the ancient 
 Records, Jljouldgivefo contrary Accounts as they do 7 is 
 a great Wonder and a great Shame. 
 
 For they do not only differ in the Vnderftanding ef 
 
 the meaning of fever al of the places produced \ but alfo 
 
 as to matter of Fall: £ whether they be riqhtly cited or 
 
 (i) More not ) do charge one another (2) with Forgery. And 
 
 Proofs for In- indeed among all the Books of Contr over fie between Pa- 
 
 fjntsch.Mem- ^fife ^ Proteftants, or others, that are fcandalom 
 
 ■ c ! -'P ^ for falfe Quotations, there is none comparable to one 
 
 ' ' that is written on this Occafion, which I pall at pre- 
 
 Jent forbear to name. 
 
 Such a thing done by Mifiake, or for want of Skill, is 
 bad enough : but if it be done wilfully, it is hard t» 
 think of any thing that is a greater Wickednefs : for it 
 goes the way to deflroy the common Faith of Mankind, 
 by which we are apt to rely upon a Writer, that how 
 z.ealous foever he may be for his Opinion, he will not 
 forge Matters of Fatl, nor fpeak wickedly ( tho it 
 h)Jph 13. 7, be) for God, as Job fays, ( 5 ; 
 
 • • Some other Accounts alfo are very partial, mention- 
 in* only that which makes for their Side, and leaving 
 Out parts of the CLiuJcs which they cite. 
 
 The Inconvenience of this is the worfe, becaufe it is 
 in a Matter which would have a great Influence to 
 fettle and determine this unlucky Contr over fie; pro- 
 vided thai the Accounts of the ddcji Times were given 
 fairty a>:d impartially, and Jo that the Reader miyht be 
 fatisfiedof the Truth and Impartiality of them. 
 
 t':>r when there is in Scripture a plain Command to 
 
 fyivte or make Dijciples all Nations, baptising \m ; 
 
 . the Method ofdoin* it is not in all Particulars cx- 
 
 V difefted ; it not being particularly mentioned 
 
 whether they were ffl Admit into this Dihiplcjhip and 
 
 Baptifniy 
 
The Prefaced v* 
 
 Baptifm^ the Infants of thofe that were converted, as 
 the Jewiftl Church had always done to the Infants of 
 Profelytes, (giving them Circumcifion, as we know by 
 Scripture, and Baptifm as we are (of) afford by their (4)Seethe In= 
 Records ) or whether they were to proceed in a new w^y,troduftion. 
 and baptize only the adult Perfons themfelves : there is 
 no Body that will doubt but that the Apoftles knew what 
 was to be done in this Cafe : and confequently, that the 
 Chrifiian Churches in their time did as they fliould do 
 in this matter, 
 
 And fmce the Apoftles liv'd, fome of 'em, to near 
 the End of the firft Century, and St. John fomething 
 beyond it ; and had in their own time propagated the 
 Chrifiian Faith and Pr attic e into fo many Countries; 
 it can never fink into the Head of any confidering Man^ 
 but that fuch Chrifiians as were ancient Men about 
 loo or I50 'tears after that time of the Apoftles Death, 
 which is the Tear of Chrifi 200 or 250, mufi eafily 
 know whether Infant -B apt ifm were in ufe at the time 
 of the Apoftles Death or not : becaufe the Fathers of 
 fome of 'em, and Grandfathers ofmofi of 'em were born 
 before that time, and were themfelves Infants in the A- 
 poftles Days,and fo were baptized then in their Infancy, 
 if that were then the Order : or their Baptifm deferred to 
 adult Age, if that were the ufe then. For fuch a thing as 
 the general Baptizing of Infants, being a Rite public k and 
 notorious, and in which the whole Body of the People, 
 Poor and Rtch, Paftors and Laymen, Men and Women 
 are concerned, cannot be forgotten in afhort time, nor 
 altered without a great deal of Noije. In a point of 
 Doctrine deliver d by Tradition, a Ml flake may hap- 
 pen : or in the Account ofjome Matter of Fall done 
 by fome particular Man: But for a Rittrof univcr- 
 jal Concern, a whole Church cannot forget it, much lefs 
 nil the Churches in fever at Parts of the World in fo 
 fho^t a time. We Englifhmen cannot be ignorant who- 
 ther Infants were ujually baptized in England or not, 
 in Jjhieen Elizabeth's Days, which is the fame cU- 
 fance. The Alan that thinks this pojjiblc, is one that 
 ts not us'd to confidcr. A 4, fa 
 
vi. The Preface. 
 
 Jt is to be rcmembred likewife, that the Apofiles be- 
 fore they dieb, chofe Aien of whom they had good Proofs 
 to teach the Churches the fame things that they had 
 done ; many of whom liv'd till a great while after the 
 Apofiles were dead : which makes the time that needs 
 to be kept in memory fo much thefhorter. 
 
 Some pretend to flight this Argument, as not being 
 a Scripture one : but it is that too by a direB Confe* 
 quence. For fince the Scripture promifes that the 
 Church fimll be ltd into all Truth, i. e. all Truth that 
 u necejfdry or fundamental ; xfo follow the Example 
 of the Primitive Church mufibe, by the Rule of Scrip- 
 ture, afure way not to err in Fundamentals. 
 (5) Unrcafon- j ( mre £ M g^ Stillingfleet obferves (<$) in anothir 
 
 ^rTtion p c *fi) a S rcat Blot and Difhonour to Chriftian 
 22k ' Religion, if the Primitive Churches could not hold 
 to their firft Inftitution, not for one Age after the 
 Apoftles : no not the pureft and belt Churches. 
 
 But the Truth is, there is no Man that does really 
 flight this Argument, thd thofe that have no Skill in it, 
 or dofufpect that it. will go again fl their fide, will make 
 as if they did. And therefore you flail jee, both on 
 the one fide and on the other, thofe Men who, for a 
 Flourifli, do pretend that they lay fmall Strefs on ft, as 
 having Proof enough from Scripture, yet take all the 
 Pains poffible to bring this Argument to bear on their 
 fide-, and that fo ualoujly, that they often do it unfair- 
 ly. There is no Chriftian that ipvts to hear or to ad- 
 mit, that all the ancient Churches pra&is'd otherwife 
 than he does in a controverted matter. 
 
 Seeing therefore that all the Arguments from Scrip- 
 ture for each fide, have been fo fe Arched and fo often 
 bctndyed too and fro, that not much more can be faid 
 to illufirate'cm : and that, where a Command in Scrip- 
 ture ts eivtn in brief and aenerai Words, the Pratt ice 
 sf the Primitive Church thereupon gives us the beft 
 Direction for the Senfe in which it is to be applied to 
 f articular Cafes ■ s.nd that a great many have dt fired 
 to fee the Bifiory of this ] rail ice fully and fairly re- 
 
 prcjti-jtcd : 
 
The Preface. vii; 
 
 trefented : J have thought it worth my Pams to draw 
 up and publifi fuch a Collection as is exprejs'd in the 
 Title. 
 
 And if any one ai\, what there is done in this more 
 than in others that have been already. I anfwer, 
 
 i. That the be ft Collections of this nature have not 
 been published in the Englifh Language: and it* is for 
 the ufe of Englifhmen that this is intended. 
 
 2. That this is more compleat than any I have feen 
 becaufe among thoje I have feen, each one omitted Jome 
 Teftimonies which the other had : and it is eafy for one, 
 that collects out of all of em, to havs more than any one : 
 be fide that, noinconfiderable Number ofthefe have been 
 gathered from my own Reading. 
 
 The firft and beft Collection that I have feen, is 
 Calenders, then VoR\vs,andoflatc, Dr. Hammond's, 
 and out of him Mr. Walker's. The reft are moftly 
 intermixt, by thafe that produce 'etfz, with their Proofs 
 and Arguments from Scripture, and muft be picked 
 out : So there are many in the Books of Calvin, Bul- 
 linger, Featly, Tombs, Marfhall, Cobbet, Baxter, 
 Danvers, Wills, &c. 
 
 3. / pretend it to be more impartial than the reft : 
 for moft of them are Collections of fuch Quotations 
 only as make for that fide of the Jgueftion for whic\) 
 they are difputing. find here my Reader will fay ; 
 If thole produe'd by yon do make fome for one 
 tide and fome for the other, they will leave us in 
 the fame Ambiguity that they find us. To 
 which J muft anfwer, thit if lie will come to the read- 
 ing ofem w.'th the fame refolved Impartiality, that J Jet 
 my Jelf to the writing of ? em, I believe he will find it 
 otherwije. However, the only way to pafs a true Judg- 
 ment, is to fee both together. 
 
 4. / have recited the i'Lices more at large than 0- 
 thers have done. One (ingle Sentence, or( as they fre- 
 quently cite.) a bit or (crap of a Sentence, fives but 
 a very imperfvef and oftentimes a nnii.iken Account 
 
 of 
 
CH. I. 
 
 *m. The Preface. ' 
 
 of the Author's Meaning : but the Context added Jhews 
 the Tenor and Scope of his JDiJcourfe. 
 
 After all, J acknowledge that there are in the Booh 1 
 mention 'd, and others, fever al Quotations which I have 
 not here : and the Reafon is partly becaufe I confine my 
 felfto Authors that liv'd and wrote within the firji four 
 hundred Tears, i tbtf fome of them out-living that 
 Term, wrote fome of their Works after it) : and that 
 / do, becauje all Men of Reading know y that from that 
 time to the time of the Waldenfes, about the Tear 
 1 150, the Practice is un que flion able : and partly be' 
 cauje many of the Quotations were falfe, andfo alter d, 
 that when I came to fearch the Original, they wot there 
 nothing- to the purpofe : or they were out of fpurious 
 Books, &c J have been forced to write one Chapter 
 (J^ Part 2. (6) of this Work to give an Account what fort of Quo- 
 tations J have left out, and for what Reafons : And if 
 any one will inform me of any Pajfage in any Author 
 within the term limited, which he, after the reading of 
 the [aid Chapter, Jhall yet judge to be to the purpofe ; 
 I will, if I live to fee any Second Edition of this 
 mean Work, put it in ( if it feem to me to be to the 
 purpofe ) ; and that indifferently, whether it make for, 
 or againft P&dobaptifm.' For J defirc that this Colle- 
 ction Jhould be as complcat and impartial as may be- And 
 it is for this Reafon only, that I have pat my Name to it, 
 ( th,:t any one may have the Opportunity of advertifag 
 me of any Pajfage that I have omitted ) intending o- 
 therirife, that the impartial Management fiould have 
 left the Reader uncertain which Practice of the two 1 my 
 Jclfhadoivnd. 
 
 When 1 fay in the Title \_ Of all the PaiTages ] / 
 do not pretend but that in St. Auflin there are a great 
 many more : but all to the fame purpoje. For he in his 
 .Oifputes with the Pelagians has whole Books wherein he 
 proves Original Sin from the P rati ice of Pxdobaptifm. 
 In thofe I have only taken here and there a Piece : fince 
 every Body h:cr:s hjs Pc:ir;ac. \ 
 
 I have 
 
The Preface. ixl 
 
 / have recited the Originals of all the principal Quo- 
 tations : becaufe in this matter Writers have fo accused 
 one another of Forgery ', or perverting ofTeftimonies by 
 falft Tranflations, &c. that People are grown diftruft~ 
 ful: now they will be fatisfyd that if 1 have miftran- 
 flated any thing, J did not do it willingly : for then I 
 fhould never have added the Author's own Words for 
 the Difeovcry of it. 
 
 I have made two Tarts of this Worh Thefirfi con- 
 tains the principal Quotations with fome Notes drawn 
 from them. I have rejeUed all the fpurious ones : only 
 J have put a few of the rripft ancient of J em together in 
 the lafi Chapter. The two firfi Chapters- have no Quo- 
 tations that [peak exprefly of Infant-Baptifm : but of 
 Original Sin as it affects Infants : Of the Neceffity of 
 Baptifm to Salvation : Of Baptifm fucceeding Circum- 
 cifion, &C. But all the reft are concerning Infant-Bap- 
 tifm exprefly, either for, or againfl: it. 
 
 I mitft crave fome Pardon for the length of the i 9th 
 
 Chapter, which recites the Arguments usd on both fid.es 
 
 in the Pelagian Difputes about Original Sin and the 
 
 Rcafon of baptising Infants. My Excufe is, that the 
 
 Scnfe of the places would not have been well apprehended, 
 
 if I had not fliewn on what Occafwns they were fpoken, 
 
 during the fever al Steps which that Sell made. There 
 
 was alfo a NcceJJity of reciting the Words both of St. 
 
 Auftin, St. Hierom, &c. on the one fide, and of 
 
 Pelagius, Celeftius, &c. on the other, the more at 
 
 large ; becaufe they have been (trangely mifrcprefented 
 
 in a Treatife that goes for an Hiftory of Pelagianifm, 
 
 written very partially in favour of that Hercf.c. h 
 
 was written in French : but has been ( together with 
 
 the Lives of fome Fathers written by the Jame Author, 
 
 and with the Jame Sincerity ) put into Englifh _/or the 
 
 tije of fitch among us as incline to Socini3fiifm. 
 
 The other part contains an Account of fome matter: 
 proper for the fuller Explication of the Primitive Pra- 
 ctice. Of which the chief is, the inquiry concerning 
 the Baptijm and Parentage oftho'e who arc brought 
 
 ai 
 
X. The Prefaced 
 
 as Inflames of Verfons not bapttUd in Infancy, tho 
 born of Chriftian Parents : for which Work I wijh I 
 had been a little better furnijhcd. Yet I think I have 
 rectified fome Miftakes concerning fome of J em that had 
 paft currently. 
 
 I have noted in the Margin over- again ft every Au- 
 thor, the Age wherein he flouriflied ( or began to be a 
 Man oj Note, by writing Books, &c. ) viz. how ma- 
 ny Tears it was after the Apoftles time : ( which I make 
 to end with the Tear ofChrisl i oo, tho 9 - St. John liv'd 
 a Tear or two beyond it :) and this I do, becaufe during 
 all the Apoftles time, every Body is fatisfied that the 
 Church had an infallible Direction. 
 
 I think it needful to qive the Reader notice before' 
 hand, that in the Sayings of the Fathers here recited, 
 he will find, that as we, be fide the Word \_ to baptiz.e~\ 
 do ufe the Word [_ to chriften~\ in the fame Senfe ; fo 
 they us'd fever al Words tofignifie Baptifm. The most 
 ttjual was <Iv*.-)mv2Lv, to regenerate ; which is alfo a 
 Scripture Word for it. Sometimes they cxprefs 
 it vs>iva7tniHv, or dva.vtfiv\^Hv , to renew: and 
 frequently &yl? s ziv, to fan&ifie. They frequently by 
 this Word [Jhe Grace"] do mean Baptifm. Some- 
 times they call it the Seal, and frequently <px-n<r^oi, 
 Illumination •, as "'tis alfo called, Heb. 6. 4. andfomc- 
 times -nhiiccan, Initiation. The Senje of the Places 
 will ficw that where the Words are of an Infant, oro- 
 thcr Perfon, regenerated, renewed, fealed, inlight- 
 ned, initiated, fandtified, Crc. we must under/land 
 baptized. 
 
 / have added a DiiTwafive from Schifm,or Mtns 
 renouncing Chriftian Commiuuon with one another, on 
 account of this difference in Opinion : for which I wijl) 
 I had a f r ein of fpeaking more powerfully : for I am 
 fully perfwaded and clearly of Opinion, that neither this 
 nor moft of our other Differences, are any fuffcient or 
 reafonable Ground of flying to that dreadful Extremi- 
 ty of Separation. 
 
 One thing I was refolvd on: Th.\t if I wrote any 
 
 thin?) 
 
The Preface. xi. 
 
 thing, it flwuld be fomething which ftiouldgive no Body 
 any Occasion to force me to write again. Jf any one 
 will write again ft this ; they Jliall either write against 
 the Aden that have been dead thefe 1300 Years: or if 
 they find fault with the Notes that I have here and 
 there made on their Words, as not naturally drawn from 
 them • my Anfwer is beforehand, that I wiH refer it 
 t$ the Readers, whether they be or no. 
 
 1 conclude with a Story told by CafTander (7) which 
 he makes long, but the Subftance is this; " A Man (7) Praefar. in 
 *' of Note among the Antip^edobaptifls, being told Tcftimoniade 
 " that there was a full Agreement of all the An- p*dobaptifino 
 ** cients, who do with one Mouth affirm, that this 
 " Cuftom of baptizing Infants has been in ufe ever 
 '* fince the Apoftles times, confefFed igenuoufly, fi J 
 " that he did put a great Value upon fuch a Con- 
 u fent of the Church, and mould be much moved 
 " with fuch an Agreement of the ancient Chriftian 
 <c Writers : and that if this could be proved by 
 " competent Teftimonies, he was not fo obflinate 
 "• as to flight fo forcible a Reafon : efpecially if 
 " fuch Authors were produced to prove this, as 
 " lived very nigh the Apoftles times. And there- 
 ct fore he earneftly defir'd that the Teftimonies of 
 a this matter fhould be fhewn to him. And ha- 
 tc ving read them, and ( as he was a Man of good 
 tl Senfe ) diligently confider'd 'em 5 he alter'd 
 u that Opinion which he had taken up from 
 " a miftaken Underfhnding of the Scripture, 
 Which happened in him becaufe he was endued 
 with thefe three good Qualities. 
 
 1. The Fear of God and Reverence for his Word: 
 So that it was by Occafion of that Zeal for 
 Truth that he fell into this way. 
 
 2. Judgment and good Senfe: fo that he quickly 
 perceived the Force of an Argument. 
 
 3. Modefty and a meek Temper, which caufed 
 that when he had heard and comprehended the 
 Truth, he did not obftinatelv withftand it. 
 
 THE 
 
* •. 
 
THE 
 
 Contents of the Introduction. 
 
 §. i. f I ^HE Jews baptiz'd all Profelytes of the Na- 
 tions that were convened to their Religion. 
 § 2. Their Proof from Mofes's Law that they 
 ought io to do. § 3. They baptiz'd alfo .the Infant 
 Children whom fuch Profelytes brought along with 'em 
 to be enter'd into the Covenant of the true God. 
 § 4. They baritiz'd all fuch Infant Children of the Hea- 
 thens as they found, or took in War, (3c § 5. The 
 great Light that this gives for the better understanding 
 the Meaning of our Saviour's CommifTion to baptize the 
 Nations, Mat. 18. 19. §. 6. The Jews call'd fuch a Pro- 
 felyte's Baptifm, his being bom again. Which makes our 
 Saviours Speech to Nicodemus, Job. 3. 3, 5. more eafie 
 to be underftood. § 7. A Parallel inftitutcd between the 
 Jewifh and the Chriftian Baptifm. §. 8. The Arguments 
 of Sir Norton JQiatchbul, Mr. Ster.net, &c. brought to dis- 
 prove this Cuftom of the Jews, anfwer'd. 
 
 Tbe Contents of the Book. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Quotations out of Clemens Komaims and Hermas. p. 1. * n ta ® ^P * 
 
 L ftle's time. 
 
 § 1. jT\$ Original Sin, as it affects Infants. §. 2. Of 
 CJ the Necefftty of Baptifm to Salvation. §3. The 
 Subftance of that Rule of our Saviour 'Job. 
 3. 5. Except one be born ef 'Water, Sec. expreffed by Her- 
 mat before it was written by St. John. §. 4. The holy 
 Men of the Old Teftament reprefented in a Virion as 
 baptiz'd into the Name of Chrift by the Apoftles, after 
 they were dead. The Explication given by the An- 
 cients 
 
the Firfi Part. 
 
 dents of thofe Texts, r Pet. 3. 19. & 4. 6. oftheGofpel 
 being preached to them that were dead. §. 5. Of God's 
 tender Regard to Infants. § C. That rhefe Books ofClc- 
 tnens and He/mas are genuine. $ 7. That they were 
 written before St. Jchn wrote his GofpeJ." $8. But not 
 fo foon after the Death of St. Peter and St. Paul as Biftiop 
 Pearfon and Mr. Dodveel place them ; proved from Ire- 
 n<em. § 9. That this Clement is not probably that Cle- 
 ment mention'd Phil. 4. 3. nor this Her mas he that is na- 
 med t\om, 16. 14. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 Year after Quotations out c/Juftiri Martyr, p. 12." 
 
 the Apoftles ; . 
 
 40, § 1. Of Original Sin, needing Redemption and For- 
 
 i^^rv^s givenefs befide the Guilt of Actual Sins. § 2. He fpeaks 
 of Baptifm , as being to us inftead of Circunicifion. 
 Note on Col. a. 1 1, 12. § 3. The plain and fimplc way 
 of Baptifm at that time. § 4. They ufed the Word .fy> 
 gencration to exprefs Baptifm ; and conftantly under* 
 ftand that Text ^o/j. 3. 5. of Water- Baptifm. § 5. The 
 modern Writers have alter'd the Senfe of the Word rege- 
 nerated. § 6. St. Juftih fpeaks of Infants made Dtfcipfcs, 
 
 CHAP. Hi. 
 Year after Quotations out of Irenxus. p. 17. 
 
 the Apoftles ^ - He f peaks f Original Sin as affeding all Man: 
 Jlr^y^^f kind ; and calls Baptifm, Rcde??iption. § a. He exprefly 
 reckons Infants among thofe that are regenerated. 
 § 3. He in all other places ufes the Word Regenerating 
 for baptizing. § 4. Several Inftances (hewing that the 
 Ancients do ufe this Word for Baptifm, fo as to exclude 
 that Converfion or Repentance that is not accompanied 
 with Baptifm, from being fignified by it. § 5. When 
 Infants are faid to be regenerated, there can in their cafe 
 be nothing elfe underftood, but baptised. § 6. Of the 
 time when Irenxus wrote, and the Country where he was 
 educated : and how impoffibie it is to conceive that the 
 Chriftians then fhould be ignorant, whether in the Aro- 
 ftle's time Children were baptiz'd or not; §. 7.! A Te- 
 ftimony of any Father is not to be fo much regarded, as 
 it fpeaks his Opinion ; as it is for that it gives an Evi- 
 dence of the Pradtieeor Belief of the Church at chat rime- 
 
the Firfi Part. 
 
 Year after 
 CHAP. IV. the Apoltles 
 
 Quotations out of TertuHian.^.' 22.' 
 
 §. i. A Premonition concerning Tertullian and Origen 
 that they were guilty of great Errors : yet may ferve tor 
 evidence of the Practice of the Church at that time. Ori- 
 gin's ftrange Opinion of Original Sin, that it is deriv'd 
 from Sins which the Soul has committed before it was 
 united to the Body. § 2. Tertullian reckons the.I1me.0r 
 Age of one's receiving Bnptifm among-~thufe Queftions 
 that arc not efTential to it. $ 3. fie takes it for a Pre- 
 fcription or {landing Rule, That none can be faved with- 
 out Bnptifm ; and Anfwersthe Objection of the Apoftle$ 
 not being baptiz'd ; refuting thole that fay, Faith ts fuf- 
 ficictit for Salvation without Baptifm. $ 4. He allows 
 Laymen to baptize in cafe of the danger of Death; and 
 fays, If they refufe to do it, they are guilty of the Party's 
 Perdition. § 5. Speaking of the weightinefs of Baptifm, 
 he advifes the delay of it in the cafe of fcveral forts of 
 Perfons ; as of Infants till they are of Age to underftand .- 
 of unmarried Perfons and young Widows, till the dan- 
 ger of Luft be over. And in Cc.n-radictisn to what he 
 had laid before, fays, That an entire Faith is fecure of Sal- 
 vation. And of Infants fay«, Wont need has their innocent 
 AgetomfikefuchhaJlefcrtheforgivcneJsefSins? §6. He 
 in another Book fpcaks of Infants as being unclean and 
 fmful; and that they are net holy, nor can enter into the 
 Kingdom of God till they are baptiz'd : contrary to 
 what he faid before. § 7. An Attempt to reconcile 
 thefe Differences in his Saying*, He leems to have 
 thought, that in cate of danger of Death, Infants, Vir- 
 gins, Widows, ©V. muft be baptiz'd prcfently, bthcrwife 
 they might better be delay'd. § 3. This is agreed to have 
 been his Opinion by feveral both of theFocdobiptiftsand 
 Antipoedobaptifts. The unfair dealing of Rigaltius , 
 to leave out of the laft Edition ( wiihcut giving any 
 reafon, from the MSS.) thole words cf Tertullian 
 that '-were in the former Edition, which do plainly 
 fjcprefs this meaning- § 9. Ic appears by his words, th:t 
 Baptifm of. Infants and Godfathers for them, v:erct ; .a; 
 in ufe. §10. His abfurd Comment on Mat, 19, 14- 
 ■ Sujfer little Children, &c. § 11. He fays the Heather :- 
 had a Rite of backing r and caTd. it Wegener at, ::■■. 
 
 a § i?- 
 
 100. 
 
The Contents of 
 
 i ii. He takes the Holincfs menrion'd i Cor* 7*~i£ for 
 baptifmal Holinefs dejigned to them. § 13. His Book 
 of Baptifm had not come into the hands of moft of the 
 learned Men of the next Centuries : or elfe they would 
 not quote him, as being an Heretic. Yet S. Hierom had 
 feen it. 
 
 __ . , C H A P. V. 
 
 Year after 
 
 the Apoftles Quotations out of Origen, p. 33. 
 
 110. 
 
 §.1. That Infants were then baptiz'd by the uftgeof 
 the Church. § 2. His Enquiry for what Sins they were 
 baptiz'd. § 3. His Teftimony that the Apoftles ordered 
 Infants to be baptiz'd. § 4. Some Tallages of his that 
 are-to this puppnie, but are fpurious or doubtful, reject- 
 ed. § <; . His Homilies on S. Luks were certainly tran- 
 slated by S. Hierom. § 6. What credit is to be given to 
 the others that were done by i\ufirius. §7. An Ob- 
 jection of Mr. Totnh's againft their being authentic, con- 
 iuler*d. And in what fenlc Origen laid any Foundation 
 ■fov Pel agianifm. § 8. That %uj\nus would never have 
 inferred any thing making for the Dodtrine of Original 
 Sint. that his private Opinion was againft it. §9. He 
 enquires whether the Guardian Angel given to Infants, 
 and fpoken of Mat. 18. 10. be given at their Birth or at 
 their Baptifm. § 10. The Advantages that Origen had 
 to know the practice- of Chriftiansfrom the beginning. 
 
 -Year afar ' '« H A P. VI. ' 
 
 che^Apoftles- Qu°t-itlons out of S. Cyprian, p. 44; 
 
 § 1. The Letter written- by him and 66 Bilhops in 
 Council with him,' in anfwer to Fidus, who had ask'd 
 their Opinion, whether an Infant might be baptiz'd be- 
 fore he were eight days old, § 2. There is not in all 
 Antiquity any piece more clearly -prov'd to be genuine 
 than this Letter. $ 3. The Ignorance of thole that en- 
 quire, why this Council is not in the Volumes of Coun- 
 
 . cils. $.4. A Reflection on that .Observation of Grotius, 
 that there is in the- Councils no earlier mention of In- 
 
 .fant Baptifm, than in the Council of Carthage, Ann.$\%. 
 § 5. S. Aujiin, who had faid that Infant Baptifm was not 
 inftituted in any Council, but was ever in ufe, does roc 
 contradict himfelf in citing this Council, which does not 
 
 in- 
 
the Ftrfl Tart. 
 
 Inftitute it, but takes it for granted. § 6. The reaforl 
 why the Argument iifed by thefe Fathers to latisfie F/* 
 dus, feem to fome Men frivolous. § 7. The force of the 
 Argument for Infant Baptilm from fuch a Debate, ma- 
 nag'd by fo many ancient Men, and fo nigh the time of 
 the Apoftles ; of whom not one made any doubt but 
 Infants were to be baptiz'd. § 8. Of the Kjfs of Peace,, 
 then ufually given to the new-baptiz'd Perfon. §9. They 
 then held, That to fuffer an Infant to die unbaptiz'd.waS 
 to endanger its Salvation. $ 1 o. A Miftake of Mr. bailie 
 in the reading of this Letter* §u. Another Paflage of 
 S.Cyprian, fpeaking of Infants as baptiz'd. $ 12. S. Au- 
 Jiins Note on it. § 13. Another 01 the abfolute necef- 
 fity of Baptiim to Salvation* § 14. Note on that Text 
 Job. 3: 5. and the Argument drawn by fome Ahtipcedo- 
 baptifts from it. 
 
 CHAP. VII. Year after 
 
 A Quotation out of the Council of Eliberis, p. 5 Q* the A P ft Ie ^ 
 
 105. 
 
 § i» They (peak of fome Infants carried over from, ** r v^ 
 the Catholick Church to the Sectaries. $ 2. The feverc 
 penance they inflict oh fuch a$ have, after years of dif- 
 crecion, revolted to the Sdiifmatics, and would return to 
 the Church. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. T ear A %, 
 
 , the Apoftle* 
 
 Out of the Council of Neocajfareaj p. 61I 214. 
 
 $ I. Can. 6. That a Woman mth Child may be bapti^d 
 nbenjhe pleafe, &c. § 1. The Antipaedobaptifts expli- 
 cation of the reafon ot this Canon. \ 3. The Fsedo- 
 baptifts explication of it. § 4. That the words are ca- 
 pable of either of the ftnfes : but the notation of the 
 word iV)©- enclines more to the latter. \ 5. The Em- 
 phafis of that word, ufeful likewife to fhew the., force of 
 that Text 1 Cor. 7, r, 2. againft Polygamies. § 6. Gro- 
 tius cites Balfr.rnon and Qnaras, as if they had reprefen- 
 ted the Council as determining againft infant Baptifm- 
 $7' The Words of thbfe two Commentators produced 
 at large to the contrary. $ g, The tyords of thixCaun> 
 cil prove nothing for or again^: Infant Baptifm. 
 
The Contents of 
 
 Year after CHAP! IX. 
 
 the Apoftles Out of Optatus Bifkop of Milevis, />. 68. 
 
 160. 
 
 %S*>/ m *** § 1. The D.onatifis had no difference with the Catho- 
 lics about the manner or fubjeft of Baptifm. § 2. Qpta- 
 tus fpeaks of Baptifm as fit for Infants. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 Year after Out of Gregory Nazianzen, concerning St. BafiTx being 
 the Apoftles baptist! in Infancy, p. 69. 
 
 160. 
 lyyf***' i 1. Gregory defcribes Baptifm by a peculiar iort of 
 Periphraiis [the diurnal formation, &c] § x. He fpeaks 
 of the fame as applied to S. Bafil in Infancy. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Year after q^«- Quotations out of S. Gregory, concerning the DoElrinc 
 she Apoftles f i„f ailt Baptifm, p. 73. 
 
 l6o. 
 
 $. 1 . He had the moft reafon to be prejudiced againft 
 the Doctrine of the ncceffity of Infant Baptifm. § 2. An 
 Abftrad of his Sermon concerning Baptilm ; the feveral 
 Names of Baptifm : It is a Seal for thofe that enter into 
 this Life, &c. There is no other Regeneration but that. 
 § 3. Againft the delay of Baptifm. § 4. His Exhorta- 
 tion to Parents to baptize their Infants without delay. 
 § 5. His Anfwer to the Pretences of thofe that put off 
 Baptifm. § 6. Infants dying unbaptiz'd, and others that 
 mils of Baptifm not by their own fault, will not be pu- 
 nifh'd : but yet neither will they be glorified. § 7. In- 
 fants that are in any danger of dying muft be baptiz'd 
 prefently : Others, he advifes, fliould be baptiz'd about 
 three years old. § 8. He declares he will baptize no 
 adult Perfon that is an Arian, or does not believe the 
 Trinity. § '9. Some Obfervations from the whole : 
 1 A plain Specimen of Grotius's foul dealing in perver- 
 ting the Senie of Ka^ian^en's Words concerning the lofs 
 fufferd by Infants dying unbaptiz'd, to a quite contrary 
 purpofe; as if his meaning were, That Infants did n«c 
 ufe to be baptiz'd. $ 10. z. An Abftradr. of what Nation- 
 %en appears to have held about the Fate of thofe Infanrs 
 that did obtain Baptifm, and of thofe that miffed of it. 
 $ 11- 3. His and other Authors frequent ufe of the word 
 
 fan- 
 
the Firft Part. 
 
 Qnfyified of holytov baptised. The Paraph rafe of S. Pnufs 
 Dilcourfe i Cor. 7. 14. given according to their fenfe : 
 Several Obfcrvations from Scripture and Antiquity that 
 do confirm that fenfe. The inconvenience of fome o- 
 thcr Explications. § 12. An Enquiry on occafion of St. 
 Gregor/ s refufing to baptize Ariani, and the Cat hdics then 
 refufing Communion with them : how far the Catholics 
 now can admit the Project of the Socinians, call'd, The 
 Agreement between the Unitarians z:;/^ the Catholic Church. 
 $ 13. They explain the Divinity of Chrift only by Gnu's 
 inhibiting in him. $ 1 4. They have alter'd their No- 
 tion of the A.'iyQ- from one Extreme to the other, and 
 yet keep their main Article ftill, of Chrift's having no 
 Nature but the Humane.. 6 1 5. The ill colours they 
 put on the Catholic Faith. §. 16. The Prog re is they .. 
 boaft they fhould make, if they had a Toleration, has no, 
 prefident in former Ages. § 17. Difference in lefler O 
 pinions, is no bar agatnft Communion 1 But it is ether- 
 wife in Fundamentals. § j8. The mean Opinion they 
 have of Chrift's Satisfaction. § 19. The diftinct Afleip- 
 blies, which they fay they will hold for preserving the 
 Doclrine of the Unity of the God-head are need'efs 
 § 10. Their virulent endeavour to blacken the Nicetie 
 Creed. 
 
 Year after 
 
 CHAP. XII. Apoftl.260. 
 
 Out of S. Bali!, v. too. w-v~w 
 
 § 1. An AbftracT: of his Sermon perfwading People to 
 Baptifm. § 2. Any time of one's Life prgper for Bap- 
 tifm. § 3. He fpeaks to ievcral cf his Auditory, as 
 having been inftrudted in Chriftian Religion frorn In- 
 fancy, and net yer baptized. ') 4. M/.ny ar that time 
 were perfwaded of the Truth of Chriiti.-n Rchgion^and 
 intended to be baptized into it 'feme time* or other; but 
 put it off. T^efe Mens Children were i nil rude \ in it, 
 but not vet baptized ; bccan'fe the Parents themielves 
 were not yet baptized. 9 5, Ho proves, the ncccdlty er 
 Baptifm from- the Threat denounced againft an Jnfai i 
 that Was not cireumcifed en the eighth day. \ 6. His 
 patherieai Dilcourfe againft the delay of Repentance and 
 Baptifm. § 7. He tells lomc People that had v.toje to 
 him of -Barp.'.:-.-!, that they muft firlt be inftfu&ec^and 
 'a 2 then 
 
The Contents of 
 
 then admitted to Baptifm. § 8. His explication of 
 John 3. 3, 5. § 9. He fpeaks of Boys and little Chil- 
 dren joyrtingin the Divine; Offices. $ 16. He advifes 
 Valens to have his Child baptized by the Catholics ; but 
 Valens would have it done by the Brians. § 1 1, A Pif- 
 quifition concerning the Age of that Child. 
 
 C H A P. XIII. 
 
 Year after Out of St, Ambrofe, p. 1 08. 
 
 'Apoftl. 174. 
 
 V" , W W! jj. 1. He fpeaks of Infant Baptifm being in ufe in his 
 and in the Apoftles time. $ i. He makes it a Que- 
 ftion, whether an Infant can be iav'd without Baptifm. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Year after put of St, Chryfoftom, p. uu 
 
 Apoftl. ago,! 
 
 -y/-V~ > -- § 1. He fays, One in Infancy, or one in Middle-age, 
 or one in Old-age, may receive Baptifm. $ 1. He of- 
 ten affirms. That there is ho entring the Kingdom of 
 Heaven without Baptifm. $ 3. He fays, Infants are 
 baptized, tho* they have no Sins. § 4. S. Auftiris Defence 
 of him againft the Pelagians, who challeng'd him for 
 one of their fide. $ 5. His mention of the Sign of the 
 Crofs made On the Infant's Forehead : at its Baptifm. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 Year after Q Ut f S. Hierom and 5. Auftin, before the rife of the 
 Apcft!.^8°. Pelagian Controverfte. 
 
 Sett. l.p. 1 r<5. 
 Out of S. Hieroms fetter to Leta. 
 S. Hierom fays, If Infants be not baptiz'd, the Sin of 
 omitting .it is laid to the Parents charge. 
 1 ScH.x.p. 1 1 8. 
 
 Our of S. Auftiris Book de Sermone Domini in monte. 
 S. Auftin explains thofe words, 1 Cor. 7, 14. Nov? are 
 your Children holy, thus, Now are your Children bapti^d* 
 Setl. 3. p. ill. 
 Out of S» Auftiris Books de libera Arbitrio. 
 § r.» He makes anfwer to thofe that ask'd, What 
 good : -■•Baptifm does to Children before they have any 
 Fakir. ; 5 2. A reflection on that Saying of Grotius, That 
 Si ^fkftin before he was heated by the Pelagian Contro- 
 vert^ never wrote any thing of the Condemnation of 
 unbaptiz'd Infants, Seft, 
 
the Fnjl Part. 
 
 Sett. 4./\ 124. 
 Out of S. Aujlins Books de Baptifmo, contra. Donatijlui. 
 
 §. 1. S. Auji in's way of managing againft the Dona- 
 tijis, § 2. He proves, that Infants or others baptiz'd In 
 the right Form , tho' in a Schifmaticd or Heretical 
 Church, have their Baptifm valid. § 3. He 1 peaks pj 
 Infant Baptifmas a thing pracras'd by the whole Church, 
 and tot instituted by any Counci', but having ever been 
 in uff , and order'd by the Apoftles ;- and that it is to us 
 infteid of Circumcidon. And tho' God has command- 
 ed bxh Faith and Baptifm, yet either of 'em, where live 
 other cannot Jbe had, i-s available to Salvation. § 4. The 
 miftake of thole who fay, The Donatijls denied Infant 
 Baptifm 
 
 Sea. 5. p. 134. 
 Out of S. Aujiin's Letter ttn Boniface. 
 
 § 1. He anfwers the Qucftion, How the Faith of Pa- 
 rents (lands their Children in'ftead for their BactWiri, 
 andy^tthe Apoftafie of the Parent afterward de-es nee 
 -hurt tie Child. § 1. That the validity of the Baptifm 
 does jot depend on the- right Faith or Intention ofthofe 
 that .bring the Child : The Child is iuppos'd to bc.of- 
 fer'd :o Baptifm by the whole Congregation that pray 
 for it. § 3. That the Parent-, at tivat tiir-c were ufually 
 the -Godfathers ; but that this Office, might be done by 
 any oher that was. Owner of the Child. $ 4. In what 
 fenfe he Anfwer made by the Godfathers in the name of 
 the CHld, that he does renounce, believe, &c. is to .be un- 
 derftood. § 5. S. Aujiiu fpeaks of thcl'e Queftions and' 
 Anfwes as necefTary. 6 6. He fuppofes it to be the 
 Belief )f all Chriftians, That Children baptiz'd and dy- 
 ing before actual" Sin, are undoubtedly ' faved. § 7. He 
 had nonotion of Tranfubftar.tia.iun/ § 8. Thc'cuftom 
 then to receive the Holy Communion every Day, or at 
 leat every Lord's-Dav. § .9. He docs not pretend that 
 Infants lave Faith: The Opinion cf die Luther ens^ and 
 the Fancy of F. Mnlehranche on that Subject. 
 Sect. 6. P. 149. 
 Out of the Books de Gencfi ad literam. 
 
 $ r. A Debate concerning the Origin of the Soul ; 
 whether t be bv I Propagation or immediate Creation. 
 S. Auftin bdws rhar 'the former agrees beft with the Do- 
 ctrine of Original Sin. § 1. The true reading of'aplace 
 in S. Aufth. de Genrfi ad lit. I, io. c. 23. of Infant jfrpiifn 
 
 a 4 being 
 
The Contents of 
 
 being order d by the Apcftlcs, teftor'd by Bifoop Stilling, 
 fleet cut of the MSS. 
 
 SVfl. -J. f. 155. 
 Out of S Auflin's Letter to S. Hierom, 
 § 1. S.AuJlin defires S. Hierotns Opinion, how Ori- 
 ginal Sin can be cxplain'd if the Infant's Soul be anew 
 created. § 2. The Opinion of fome Moderns of the 
 nature of the Soul j and of the Antipaedobaptifts con- 
 cerning the fleep of the Soul. $ 3. Private Baptifn of 
 Children in Ho^fes not ufed in S. Aujlins time, except 
 in cafes of the uttnoft extremity. How much the En^lifh 
 Presbyterians have chang'd their Sentiments about that 
 matter. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Year after Quotations out of fome Councils of Carthage befort the 
 the Apoftles Pelagian Controvcrfie, f. 165. 
 
 t -^V^- / § r. The Bifhcps make a Queftion whether the/ (hajl 
 admit to holy Orders thofe who had been in their In- 
 fancy baptized by the Donatifts,znd were fince come over 
 to the Catholic Church. They ask the Opinion of reigh- 
 bouring Bifhcps'. $ 2. They determine afterward* that 
 fuch may be admitted. § ■$<. A Canon for abatirg to 
 poor People the Fees due for baptizing their Children ; 
 but thought to be fpurious. $ 4. A Canon made for the 
 cafe of fuch as had been in their Infancy carried c?ptive 
 into the Country of Barbarians, and when return'd, poukl 
 not tell whether they had been baptiz'd before their 
 Captivity or not j ordering that fuch fhould be baptiz'd. 
 4 5- A Canon cf a former Council of Hippo to th? fame 
 purpofe. (j £. A Decree afterwards of Pope Leozotfc fame 
 purpofe. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 Year after Out cf the Decretal Epi files of Siricius and Irtnoctntius, 
 the Apoftles Bifocps of Rome, p. 175; 
 
 284. 
 t yyyj § 1. The grofs way of forging Decretal Epftles for 
 
 the Bifhops of Rome of the firft Ages. $ 2. Sircius's E- 
 
 piftles are the firft that are genuine ; all befcrehim are 
 
 fbrg'd. § 3. He declares the Order and Praclcc of the 
 
 Churches to be, That none be baptiz'd but at ne i'ct and 
 
 aproinred times of the Year for Baptifm, wjjf. I-ficr and 
 
 Woitfunt'ule\ except Infants, fick Pcrfons, or ethers that 
 
 may (pe in danger of Death before that time, \ 4. Proof 
 
 that 
 
the Firfi Part. 
 
 that this Epiftle is not forg'd, as the foregoing arej 
 § 5. The reafon of that Order, That no adult Per Con, 
 except in cafe of neceffity, fhould be baptiz'd but at the 
 times aforefaid I And of the cuftom of catechifing in 
 Lent. § 6. He informs the Chrrftians of Spain, That 
 Biftiops and Presbyters ought to be chofen, net out of 
 new Converts, but of fuch as have been baptiz'd in In- 
 fancy. $. 7. Innocentiut informs Decentius, that tho' Pres- 
 byters may baptize Infants, only B:fhors may give them 
 Chrifm or Confirmation. $ 8. He repeats to the Council 
 of Toledo the Advice of Siricius, that the Clergy ought 
 to be choten, not out of Novices, but of fuch as have 
 been baptiz'd in Infancy. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. Year after 
 
 the Apoftles 
 Out of Paulinus Bijhop of Nola : and another Paulinus, 293. 
 
 Deacon of the Church of Milan, p. 1 86. ■, •"V"**'-' 
 
 $ 1. An Infcription compos'd to be fet over the Font, 
 mentioning Infants there baptiz'd. §2.. Th.it ah 1 new- 
 bapriz'd perfons, young or old, were about this time 
 called Infants. § 3. An Epitaph made on a Child feven 
 years old, mentioning his Baptifrr. § 4. Paulinus defires 
 S. Hierom's Opinion how 5\ Paul, 1 Cor, 7. 14. caJls 
 the Children of Chriftians holy, when as without. Bap- 
 tifm they cannot be faved. $ 5, S. Hie, cms Anivver ; 
 agreeing, That without Baptilm they can't be faved, 
 $ 6. Paulinui the Deacon, in relating S. Ambrofe'i, Death, 
 mentions fome Infants then newly baptiz'd. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. - Year after 
 
 Out of S. Hierom and S. Auftin, after the rife <f j$ the A P°M** 
 Pelagian Contrcverjic -. & a'.fo out o/Pe)ncius, Celeftius, Jt*^ 
 Innocent the firjl, Zofiinas, Julianas, Theodcrus Mo T 
 pfueftenfis, Z§c, and cut of the Councils of Diofpolis, 
 Mile vis, Carthage, &V./>. 194. 
 
 § 1. The Occafion the Pelagian Controverfie gave to 
 fpeak of Infant Baptifm. ^ 2. The account of this Con- 
 troverfie given by Mr. lc C.'er, is very partial for Pelo~ 
 pus. § 3. Pelagius was a Jj it on, not a Scot ; and Ce- 
 leftius an Iri/hman. § 4. T.icy vented their Opinion a- 
 gainft the Doctrine of Or igiml Sin, at firft covertlv, and 
 
 by 
 
the Contents of 
 
 by way of Obje&ion, § 5^ Cclejlius being examin'd at 
 the Council oi Carthage, anno 412. would not own Ori- 
 ginal Sin; yet granted the neceffity of Infant Baptiim* 
 § 6. S. Auflin proves againft the Pelagians, That Infants 
 have Sin, becaufe it was acknowledg'dthat they muft be 
 baptiz'd. § 7. He refutes that Evafion of theirs, That 
 they are baptiz'd not for forgivenefs of Sins, but to gain 
 them admiflioninto rhe Kingdom of Heaven. $8. And 
 another Evafion, That they are baptiz'd for Sins com- 
 mitted by their Souls in a ftate of Przeexiftence. § 9. He 
 proves that Chrift came to fave only fuch as were in a loft 
 condition ; and that only fuch are to be baptiz'd. § io* 
 That there is no middle ftate between . Salvation and 
 fome degree of Damnation. § n. Refutes thofe that 
 faid, Infants have a&ual Sins, as Peeviflincfs, &c. and 
 that they are baptiz'd for them. All the Pelagians own'd 
 that Infants are to be baptiz'd. § 12. CelcJHus own'd, 
 that Infants have Redemption by their Baptilm, but would 
 not fay Forgivenefs, § 13. The Difpute between the Ca- 
 tholics arid Pelagians about the Neceffity of God's Grace. 
 '$■14. The unfair account of this Ditpute given by Mr. 
 h Clcrc. § 15. How far Pelagius owned God's Grace- 
 § 16. How far he recanted what fie had faid againit ft* 
 § 17. S. Auflin afferts; That the whole Church has from 
 of old conftantly held, and that he never read or heard 
 of any Chriftian Catholic or Sectary who denied, that 
 Infants are baptiz'd for Forgivenefs. f 18. How Ba- 
 rents that are by Baptilm clcanfed from Original Sin, 
 do yet beget Children liable to it. § 19. Several In- 
 terpretations given 'by the Antients. of that Text, 1 Cor. 
 7. 14. Norv are your Children holy, -conferr'd together. 
 $ lo. S. Hierom's Letter to Ctefiphon. Some- blafphe- 
 mous Tenets of the Pelagians. S. Aujlin's Letter to 
 Hilarius and management of the Argument for Origi- 
 nal Sin, from Rem. 5. § 21. Difpute between S. Au- 
 flin and the Pelagians, of the pcfinility of a rich man's 
 being faved, and of the lawfulnefs of Swearing in any 
 cafe. $ 22. The Sophifticai way of arguing ufed by the 
 ■Pelagians. § 13. Pelagius was die firft that ever affirm- 
 ed the bleffed Virgin Mary to be fink [s. § 24. What Pela- 
 gius own'd, and what he denied, and hbw he came off 
 in the Meeting at Jerufalcm, and in the Synod of Diof- 
 polis. He was forced there to anathematize all thole 
 -that (ay unbapti^ed Infants may have eternal Life § 25 . 
 The Give ^ Fathers^ condemn Ptlagiamfin as well as rhe 
 
 Latin. 
 
the Firjl Part. 
 
 Latin. A Reflection on fome Sayings of Chryfnflom and 
 Tbeodoret. $ x6. S. Hierom (hews that Pelagius muft ei- 
 ther own tiut the Baptifm of Infants is for Forgivenefs 
 of Sins, or elfe he muft make two forts of Baptifm, one 
 for Infants, and another for grown Perfons : Whereas 
 the Confiantinopotitan Creed had determin'd that there 
 is but one Baptifm, and that for the Forgivenefi of Sins. 
 § 27. Pelagius openly denies Original Sin, and explains 
 what he had faid at Diofpolis in an equivocal fenfe. 
 § 28. Synodical Epiftles from the Councils of Carthage 
 and Melevis, anno 416. to Pope Innocent againft Pelagius. 
 And Innocent's Anfwer. § 29. Pelagius s Creed, which 
 he fent to Innocent for his own Vindication, recited at 
 large ; wherein he owns, that Baptifm is to be adminijlred 
 to Infants with the fame Words as it is to elder Perfons. 
 §30. His Letter fent at the fame time wherein he de- 
 clares he never heard any one Catholic cr Seclary deny In- 
 fants Baptifm. § 3 U Celcfiius's Creed, owning, that In- 
 fants are to be baptised for Forgivenefi of Sins, according 
 to the Rple of the Vniverfal Church ; and yet maintaining, 
 that they have no Sin deriv'd from Adam. § 31. Pelagius 
 alfo was at laft brought to this contradiction, That the 
 Baptifm of Infants is for Forgivenefs of Sins ; and yet they 
 have no Sin. How he endeavour'd to make fenfe of this, 
 and then gave over difputing. $ 33. Pope Qfimus fail 
 declares for Celefiius, and fitting in judicature, pronounces 
 his Creed (wherein he denied Original Sin) to be Catho- 
 lic; and afterwards condemns both him and his Doctrine, 
 and confeffes all Perfons to be under the Bond of Original 
 Sin till! they be baptiz'd. His Letters pro & contra on this 
 Subjecl:. $34. S*Auftin's charitable endeavour to falve 
 the Credit of fyfimw. $ 35. Celefiius pleads, that lo 
 long as one gives Baptifm to Infants, the Queflion whe- 
 ther they have Original Sin, or not, is not a fundamen- 
 tal one ; and a Miftake in that is no Herefie. S. Aujiin 
 holds the contrary. $36. How great Opportunities Pela- 
 gius and Celefiius had, to know whether there were any 
 Chriftians in the World that denied Infants Baptifm ; 
 and how much it had been their Intereft to mention 'cm 
 if there had been any fuch. $ 37. The fecond Cancn of 
 the Council of Carthage, anno 4 1 8, condemning the Pe- 
 lagians who faid, Infatus were to be bapriz'd for For- 
 givenefs of Sin, and yet that they had no Original Sin. 
 4 38. Julian continues the Difpute with S. Aujiin after 
 Peiagius was condemn'd. He pretending that the Catho- 
 lics 
 
The Content* of 
 
 li?s fe«4 gone ibout to make the People believe that he 
 denied Baptifm to Infants, anathematizes any that deny 
 it. % 39. A new Device of Tbeodorut Bifhop of Mopfue- 
 Jiia, to reconcile thefe two things; That Infants are to 
 be baptiz'd for Forgivenefs of Sin, and yet that they have 
 none. $ 4c The Tenets of the Semipelagians concern- 
 ing God's Decree about Infants obtaining Baptifm, viz. 
 which (hall partake of it, and which not. 
 
 Year after C H A P. XX. 
 
 thc ^ ftlcS Out of S. Auftin <md Vincentius Viclor, p. 2S3. 
 
 Km ^y^^ / § r. The time when Vincentius publifh'd his new Hy- 
 pothecs. § 2. The fubftance of it, viz* That unbaptiz'd 
 Infants fhould be admitted to Paradife, tho'-not to Hea- 
 ven r with S. Aujliris Anfwer. § 3. He adds fomething 
 mere to it, vi%. That they may poffibly go to Heaven, 
 but not till the Refurreclion. S. Aufliyi^ Anfwer. The 
 practice of thofe times in praying for the De id. § 4. The 
 miftake of a late Writer in thinking that I'inccntius de- 
 nied Infants Baptifm. § 5. Vincentius recants what he 
 had written. § 6. A Claulc that in fome Copies is ad- 
 ded to the fecond Canon of the Council of Carthage, 
 Anno 418, and a conjecture at she reafon why fome Co-- 
 pies have this Claufc, and others not . 
 
 CH A P. XXI. 
 
 From the Irenjeus, Jtpiphanius, Philaftrius, $> Auftin, and Theodo- 
 Year after ret, who wrote each of 'em Catalogues of all the Se8s of 
 the Apoftles Ckrijlians that they had heard of, do none of 'em mention 
 67,jo^o. any that denied Infants. Baptifm, p. 193. 
 
 $ 1. The Donatijls, Avians, Pelagians, and all other 
 Seels that S. Aujlin or Pelagius had heard or rend of, if 
 they were fuch as ufed any Baptifm at all, did uie to 
 give it to Infants. $2. The Seels recited by Lenxus ; 
 their monftrous Tenets about the Deity : The reafon of 
 inferting that Claufe into the Creed, THE Maker ef Hea- 
 ven and EartL What they held lingular about Baptifm. 
 § 3. Of fome Seels that baptiz'd People after they 
 were dead, and others that baptiz'd a living Pcrfpn in 
 the name of another that was dead ; The various Inter- 
 pretations given by the Ancients and Moderns of thar. 
 Saving, of S.Pu*l f iVty arc they then' baffled far the dead I 
 
 6 4. No 
 
the Tirfl Tart, 
 
 $. 4. No Sect is faid to have had any difference with the 
 Church about the baptizing of Infants j but the PcU* 
 ginns differ'd in their Opinion about the effects of it in 
 Infants. § <;• Of the Hieracites, who held that no Infant 
 can go to Heaven. They thought it unlawful to marry 
 or get Children. 
 
 C H A P. XXII. Frem the 
 
 Cont /lining Inferences to the Books of fotne Authors of the Year after 
 next fuccee ding Age, p. 306. the Apoftles 
 
 TL 3 QO » tO 40O. 
 
 They do all fpeak of Infant Baptifm as a thing taken 
 for granted. A Story that will (hame our Merchants 
 that take no care ©f inftructing and baptizing their N<r- 
 groes. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 Quotations out of fome Books that are fpuriow, i. e. not * ear a ?? r 
 written by thofe whofe Names they bear, but yet arepovd the A P oltIes 
 to be ancient, p. 3 n. *^*2^r* 
 
 f 1. Out of Clement's Conjiitutiont, ordering Christi- 
 ans to baptize their Infants ; with fome account of that 
 Book. § 2. Out of the Ecckjiajiical Hierarchy of Dio- 
 nyfius the Areofagite ; Anfwering the Objections of the 
 Heathens, who derided the Chriftians for baptizing In- 
 fants, and for their ufe of Godfathers. $ 3. Out of the 
 Quefiiom ad Orthodoxos afcrib'd to Juflin Martyr, and 
 the Quefiions ad Antiochum afcrib'd to Athanafius, con- 
 cerning the future ftate of Infants of the Heathens, and 
 of the Infants of Chriftians dying unbaptiz'd. 
 
 THE 
 
t« 3 
 
 Tbe Introdutlion. 
 
 f i.f ■ ^HE meaning and full import of a Rule 
 
 given in any old Book for the doing of a- 
 
 ■ ny thing is not fo well apprehended by us, 
 
 unlefs we underftand the Hiftory of that 
 
 Nation and of that time in which the faid Rule was 
 
 given. And this holds efpecially for fuch Rules as are 
 
 exprefs'd in very fhort and general Words. 
 
 For 'tis common for a Rule or Law to be fo word- 
 ed, as that one may perceive that the Lawgier has fup- 
 poied or taken for granted, that the People to whom it 
 was given did already know and underftand fome things 
 which were previous to the apprehending of his mean- 
 ing : fo that 'twas needlefs to exprefs 'em. But tho* 
 thefe things were ordinarily known to the People of that 
 Time and Place; yet we that live at fo great a diftance of 
 time do not know 'em without an inquiry made into 
 the Hiftory of the State of that time, as to thofe things 
 which the Law fpeaks of : and confequentiy without 
 fuch inquiry the Law or Rule that was plain to them, 
 will in many particulars be obfcure to us. So, for Exam- 
 ple, many of the Grecian and Roman Laws, whereof we 
 have Copies yet extant, would not be well underftood 
 by us, unlefs they were explain'd to us by fuch as have 
 ski.i in the Hiftory of the ftate of Affairs in thofe Em- 
 pires. And fo, many pafTages in the Books of the new 
 Teftament of our Saviour Chrift are not rightly appre- 
 hended without having recourfe to the Books or the old 
 Teftament, and other Books wherein the Cuftoms of the 
 Jexvifh Nation are fet forth, for underftanding the ftate 
 of Religion among that People at that time when our 
 Saviour gave his Rules. 
 
 And another thing that does much help us in under- 
 ftanding the meaning of any fuch old Law, that is gi- 
 ven in fuch fhort Words, is, to obferve and learn how 
 the Men that liv'd in, or fo near that Time, that the 
 meaning of the Law-giver muft esfily be known by 'em, 
 
 iid 
 
Jews Bapnfm. 
 
 did practife it. For in what particulars foever we may 
 doubt how or in what manner it is to be executed, their 
 Act-ions' fwid Declarations do ferve as Precedents to us 
 upon the faid Law. And this holds efpecially in fuch 
 Laws as have been in continual ule from the time of 
 their enacting to this time. 
 
 Now our Saviour's Law concerning Baptising all the 
 Nations, is, as I (hewed in the Preface, fct down in Scri- 
 pture in very (hort and general Words : And many Peo- 
 ple of later times have doubted whether it is to be un* 
 derftood to reach to the bapci2ing of Infants, or only of 
 adult Perfons. All that have any fuch doubt, ought to 
 have recourfe to the two feveral helps for understanding 
 the faid Law, which I have here propos'd. 
 
 I mean, they ought to learn as well as they can, what 
 was the State of the Jemfh Religion as to Baptifm, at 
 and before that time when our Saviour gave his Or- 
 der for baptizing all the Nations ; and what we muft 
 fuppofe the Apoftles did of themfelves already know 
 concerning its being proper or improper for Infants, 
 which it might not be fo needful for our Saviour to ex- 
 prefs in his new Direction to 'em. 
 
 And alfo they ought to learn as well, as they can, 
 how the firft Chriftians did practife in this matter: whe- 
 ther they baptiz'd their Infants or not. 
 
 Tis the later of thefe two things, that I have taken 
 upon me as my task to fhew ; pM$. how the Primitive 
 Chriftians did practife : and this I do by giving you their 
 own Words, without omitting any that I know of for 
 the firft 400 years after Chrift. 
 
 But yet fome knowledge of the other point alfo (<ftf< 
 how the Jews in and before our Saviour's time did ule 
 to act in reference to the baptizing of Infants J isf© 
 very necelfary to a right understanding of the Words 
 both of our Saviour and his Apoftles, and alfo of the Pri- 
 mitive Chriftians ; and he that knows nothing of it, is 
 fo incompetent a judge of the force of their Sayings ; 
 that I think it needful for the ufe of ordinary Readers 
 to premife, by way of Introduction, fome account of that 
 matter alfo. 
 
 But I do hot pretend in this Introduction in which 
 I treat of the cuftom of the jews in baptizing Infant, 
 before our Saviour's time, to do as I do in the Book it 
 felf, wherein I treat of the cuftom of the Chriftians in 
 baptizing them after it : That is; to recite all the Au- 
 thorities 
 
Jews Bbptifin. 
 
 thorides that are about that matter. Partly becaufe 
 the Quotations for that purpofe are to be fearch'd for in 
 Books with which I am not fo well acquainted : And 
 partly becaufe thole few which I (hall produce, will make 
 ic clear enough that there was fuch a cuftom. I (hall 
 therefore content my felf with reciting fuch of 'em as 
 have been already made ufe of by Learned Men : Such 
 as Ainfcvortb on Gen, 17. Dr. Hammond's Annotations on 
 Mat. 3. Mat, 19. Mat, 13. John 3. it. Six Queries, it. De- 
 fence of Infant Baptifm. Selden dejure Nat. & Gent.juxta 
 Hebr*:s. it.de Synedriff, it.defuccc£ionibus,&tc. Dr. Light- 
 foot- Hot. Hebr- on Mat. 3* and John 3. it. Harmony on 
 new Tejlamcnt. Luke 3. Jacob. Alting. praleclio 7. de profe- 
 lytis, &c. and the Learned Author of the Difcourfe concern* 
 ing Lent. Pt. z. Ch. 2» 
 
 Firft then, it is Evident that the cuftom of the Jews be- 
 fore our Saviour's time (and, as they themfelves affirms, 
 from the beginning of their Law) was to baptize as well 
 as Circumcife any Profelyte that came over to them from. 
 the Nations. This does fully appear both from the Books 
 of the Jews themfelves, and alfo of others that under- 
 ftood theJewiQi cuftoms and have Written of 'em. They 
 reckon'd all Mankind befide themfelves to be in an un- 
 clean State, and not capable of being enter'd into the 
 Covenant of Ifraelitcs without a Wafhing or Baptifm, to 
 denote their Purification from their Uncleannefs. And 
 this was called the Baptizing of 'em unto Mofes. 
 
 This cuftom of theirs is fully and largely fet forth by 
 Maimonides. Ifuri Bin, c. 13. 8c 14, 
 
 He had been laying there that the Ifraelites themfelves 
 were enter'd into Covenant by Circumcificn, Baptifm ,, 
 and Sacrifice. And then he adds ; 
 
 Andfo in all Ages when an Eihnic is willing to enter into the 
 Covenant andgather himfelf under the Wings of the Majefly 
 of God, and take upon him the Yoke of the Law; ke mujl 
 be Circumcis'd, and Bipti^d, and bring a Sacrifice ; or if 
 it be a Woman, be bapti\d, and bring a Sacrifice. As it «r 
 Written (a) ; As you are, fo Ihall the Stranger be. How 
 are you ? By Circumcifion^ and Baptifm, and bringing $f 
 . a Sacrifice. So likewife the Stranger for Profelyte j thro 
 all Generations ; by Circumcificn and Baptifm and bringing 
 of A Sacrifice. And what is the Strangers Sacrifice ? A- 
 
 b Burnt" 
 
 (a) Nurrib. *5* it- 
 
Jews haptizd Profelytcs. 
 
 Burnt-offering of a Beaft, or two Turtle Doves, or trssR 
 young Pigeons, both of 'em for a Burnt -offering. 
 
 And At this time, when there is no Sacrificing ; they muft 
 be circumcis'd end bapti^'d: and when the Temple /halt 
 be built, they are to bring the Sacrifice* 
 
 A Stranger that is circumcis'd and not bapti^'d} or ba~ 
 fti^d and not circumcis'd ; he is not a Profelyte tilt he be 
 both circumcis'd and bapti^d. Andhemujl be bapti^d it* 
 the prefence of three, Ike. 
 
 Even as they circumcife and baptise Strangers ; fo do they 
 circumcife and baptise Set v ants that are received from 
 Heathens, into the name of Servitude, &C_ 
 
 Wien a Man or a Woman comes to join as a Profe" 
 lyte ; they make diligent inquiry concerning fuch , left they 
 come to get themfelves under the Law for fome Riches that 
 they fhould receive, or for Dignity that they fhould obtain ; 
 or for fear. If it be a- Man ; they inquire whether be 
 have not fet his Affect ion on fome Jewifh Woman: or <* 
 Woman, her Affection on fome young Man of Ilracl. If no 
 fuch like occafion be found in them, they make kjiown unto- 
 'em the weightinefl of the yoke of the Law, and the toil 
 that is in the doing thereof, above that which People of o- 
 ther Lands have : To fee if they will go back.. If they take 
 it upon them, and withdraw not $ and they fee that they 
 come of Love ; then they receive 'em, &c. 
 
 Therefore the Judges received no Profelyte all the day: of 
 David and Solomon. Not in David'* days, lefi they fhould 
 have come of fear : Nor in SolomonV, left they fhould have 
 come becaufe of the JKjngdom and great Profperity whieh If- 
 rael then had. For whofo comes from the Heathens for any 
 thing of the Vanities of this World, he is no righteous Pro~ 
 felytc. Notwithftanding there were many Profelytcs that in 
 David*/ and Solomon'* time joined themfelves in the pre- 
 fence of private Perfons : and the Judges of the great Sy- 
 nedrion had a care of 'em. They drove 'em not away, after 
 they were bapti^'d, out of any place : Neither tool^they 'erm 
 near to them, until their after-fruits appeared. 
 
 Maimonides gives at the fame place an account of feverai 
 Circumftancesof Time, Place, &c. obferved in this a&ion: 
 of baptizing a Profelyte. As that, They baptised not a Profe- 
 lyte on the Sabbath, nor on a holy day, nor by night, &c They 
 do it in a confluence of Waters, &c. Affoon as he growf 
 whole of the wound of Cireumcifion, they bring him to Bap~ 
 tifm : And being placed in the Water, they again inftruH 
 bim, &c And fuch * confluence of Waters, Jonathan's 
 
 Cbaldec 
 
Jews hptizci Profelytes. 
 Chaldee Paraphrafe determines ought not ro be Icfs than 
 40 of the meafures called Sxt* where h« Paraphr a fa on 
 Exod.z 9 . Lev. 11. ind other Places. F 
 
 IvJTk ^""i fayS ^ e fame thi "g of receiving Profe- 
 Ves by Bapcifm : only whereas Mnimmides ffeaks of 
 the number or three, as necefTary to be prefer, at the 
 bapti Zl ng ; the Talmud Batyonic docs not iniift on any 
 more than two grave Men; ' 
 
 T^/W. ^*r/o». Majf. Jcvamotb, fol. 47 
 W&t» a Profe/jrcis received, he mufi be ttcutikhd '■ 
 And then whcn he U cured [of the ' d ^ f f 
 
 JV l »g> Behold he IS an Ifraehte in all things. Or if it 
 b< all oman, the Women lead her to the tftteri &c 
 
 But the Talmud HierofoL Jevnmoth fays as'jL^ 
 *i£« does, that a Projelyte has need of three \b) And di 
 recfts the other Circumftances as he doe', % Thcyt 
 
 baptised Ull the fmn of Circumcijhn were healed (d) 
 
 dice of rh.T'f f0nt i nUeS "£ th !- S d ^ t0 bc ^ #*" 
 Ctice of the prefent Jews. For fo Leo Modena in his 
 
 ^miflion 5 IV ^ andCircumcife him : and as feln at 
 
 bins &c tVf J r 'V'; ^"^ ** Rab - 
 
 bms, &c. ^^/r, w rto^« he becomes as a n.itunl 
 
 TheBooksdofpcakof this Wafchk; or Baptifm as 
 abfoluteiy neccn-ry ; and an Ordinance without which 
 none was to be counted a Profelyte. So 
 
 Won, Baptifm, and fpy inlying of tilood. 
 , And Tit. Jr.bimoth. c. 4. 
 
 J 1 ' &7 P r'X eL T UHlefs hehe drcumcifedandBap^ 
 LorFaganJ Ahd there is jn that Chapter a proof ei- 
 cccaiion by and bv to mention 
 
 c£S^Ta' f r, s - he r ?T e thin "> as we raw fo i« 
 
 v Parser icjuoted before (e^. 
 
 b * Alf?> 
 
Jews bapth'd Profelytes. 
 
 Alfo the Talmud Tratt. Mtfudii. fpeaking of Jethro* 
 M tl'^P^ b Circumcijlon and Immcrfion 
 in ?i?-?™ftam of the Jews continued after Chrift's time, 
 
 would not admit h.m urdefs ^ wouldfirtt be , 
 
 calling them SiJw"". <J>* : an ? d< £ V, thcm thcn 
 ftomtobe, that when a Man s fo ££ by h , £. 
 
 he is accounted id in I«.T«<«> * ''£'* J „„.,-„ 
 one that is a counterfeit Profely te to them, v**™™"' 
 
 This lolemn baptizing ot /™^i es p , H( j. ,, io . 
 «ft of their fa. ^'><fte * Hn th£ thatthofe 
 fays were <**^™^TJ££*&. * ■* 
 
 ''TT^t is not very material to our purpofe to inquire 
 cuftom. And for that the S *£"f "J^^ll f pen d 
 
 s^sr^Etr^ of 
 
 They take notice f #'?■;' feW*^ 
 
 sS f^ri: 6. y J as-** = * 5 
 
 (f) Dife. i»Epia«,l. *.c.J. te) Hor. Heb. on Mat 
 
Jews laptlzd Profelytes. 
 
 are, fo floall the Stronger be before the Lord. One Law and 
 one manner flinll be fur you and for the Stranger, &c. Now 
 they reckon that the Ifraelites themfelves were at their 
 entring into Covenant with God at the time of then- 
 receiving the Law in Mount Sinai, all of 'em wafhed or 
 baptized. So they underftand thofe Words, Exod. 19. 
 10. And the Lord faid unto Moles ; Go unto nil the Peo- 
 ple and fantftifte them to day and to morrow, and let 'em 
 wafh their Clothes, and be ready againft the third day z 
 and the third day the Lord will come down, &c. They un- 
 derftand the meaning of that Command by which Mofcs 
 was to fan&ifie the People on thofe two days, to be 
 the wafhing of 'em .- and fo that word, tofaniYifie, does 
 commonly fignifie In the Jewifh Law fas feveral Wri- 
 ters have fhown by many inftances, and I alio do in 
 this Book (h) give fome) efpecially when 'tis fpokeri of 
 a Man fanctifying other Men. And Maimonides, Mick- 
 vaoth.it. More Kcbochim. Pt. 3. c. 33. fays • This is a 
 Rule ; that wherefoever in the Law the wafhing of the Body 
 or Garments is mention d, it means ft ill the wafhing of the 
 whole Body- And the fame is affirmed ; Gemara Babyl. 
 Tit. Jabimoth. c. 4. Foi. 46. And lb Abcn K\ra, on that 
 place of Scripture (i) where Jacob being to meet with 
 God at Bethel, faid to his houfhold j Be clean, and change 
 your Garments ; understands the wafloing of their Bodies. 
 And Selden (k) fhews by the Expofirions which the Jew- 
 ifh Commentators give on Levit. n. 25, 28, 4c. Le- 
 vit, 14,8,47. Numb* 19, 10,21. Kumb. 3 1 . 24. and fe- 
 veral other Texts where wafhing of Garments is men- 
 tion'd, that they always underftand wafhing of the 
 whole Body. And for the like undcrftanding of the 
 forefaid place in Exod. 19. 10. quotes Mcchilta, Kachma- 
 nid. i^. Bechai. Mofes Mikotfi, &c. 
 
 That they gave this (Baptifm of the Jews, and the 
 command for Profelytes to be as the Jews were) as a proof 
 that Profelytes mult be baptiz'd, appears by the words 
 of Maimonides in the place before quoted. For he firft 
 fays thus ; By three thing; did Ifrael enter into Covcnint, 
 by Circumcifion, and Baptifm, and Sacrifice. Circumcifion 
 was in >-£g}pt, as it is Written $ no Uncucumaled 
 (1) Perlbn ihall eat thereof, £?<;. Baptifm was in the 
 
 b 3 iVildcrncfi 
 
 (h) P t. r 1 CH. XT. §. 1 1 . (i) Gen. 3 5. 2. • (k) De Sy nedr 
 !• 1. c. 3, (1) Exod. f2. 48. 
 
Jeivs haptizd Profelytes. 
 
 PlllJernefi juji before the giving of the Law : as it is 
 Written (m) • fandifie them to day and to morrow, 
 and let them wafti their Cloths. And Sacrifice : as it 
 is fai'd (n), And he fent young Men of the Sons of If- 
 rael which offer'd Burnt-offerings, &c. 
 
 And then he adds that which I recited before con- 
 cerning Profelytes; And fo in all Ages when an Ethnic 
 is willing, &c he mujl be Circumcifed, and Baptised, and 
 bring a Sacrifice: As it is written-, As you are, fofhall 
 the Stranger be, ££c. 
 
 And fo fays the Talmud. Traft. Repud. 
 
 Ifrael docs not enter into Covenant but by thefe three 
 things, by Circumcifion^ Baptifm, and Peace Offering : 
 And the Profelytes in like manner: 
 
 And again, ad Tit* Cherithoth. c. 2. 
 
 As you are fo fhall the Stranger be. As you are, that is ; 
 as wm dons to your Fathers* And what wai done to them ? 
 Tour Fathers did not enter into Covenant but by Circumci- 
 jion, and Baptifm, and fprinkling of Blood. So neither do 
 Profelytes enter into Covenant, but by Circumcifion, andRap- 
 tifm, and fprinkling of Blood. ; ' 
 
 ' And Rabbi Solomon, in loc. 
 
 Our Robbies teach that cur Fathers enter d into Cove- 
 nant by Circumcifion, and Baptifm, and fprinkling of 
 Blood, &c. / . ■ 
 
 . The ancient Chriftians, efpecially fuch of 'em as liv'd 
 in p'aces where they could have converfe with the 
 Learned Jews, and might learn from them the mcafr- 
 ing of the Hebrew Phrafes ufed in the old Teftament, 
 do alfo fpeakof this Baptifm of the Jews. J 
 
 So Gregory Na^ian^en.Orat. 39. (hewing the prefe- 
 rence of the Chriftian Baptifm before the Jewifli, fays, 
 
 *} iV T« 0*\fl»W>» TUVIK0S $ T8T0 'Kp** m $ TlcLvKa 
 
 ^ox«, &C. -Mofes gave a Baptifm, but that was' with 
 Water only. And before that, they were bapti\d in the 
 Cloud and in the Sea. But thefe were but a Type [[or, 
 FigureJ of ours ; as Paul alfo underftands it. 
 ! And St- Cyprian. Epifl. 73. ad Jubaianum. 
 
 Alia enim fuitJud'Corum fub Apoflolis ratio .- alia eft 
 Genii Hum conditio. I Hi quia jam Icgn (3 Moyfi antiquif- 
 i. - ,. , • . . ■ . Jimum 
 
 (m) Excel. 19. 10. (n) Exod, 24- 5. 
 
Jem laptizd Profelytes. 
 
 /mum baftifma fuerant adepti, in nomine quoque Jcfu 
 
 ihrijli crr.ut bajxi^and,'- 
 
 * The cafe of the Jews who were to be baptiz'd by 
 the Apoftles was different from the cafe of the Gen- 
 tiles ; for the Jews had already, a.nd a long time 
 
 * igo, the Baptifm of the Law and of hlofc; ; and 
 
 * .vere now to be baptiz'd in the Name of Jcfus Christ. 
 
 Alfo St. Bafil in his Oration of Baptifm, compares 
 ^gether the Baptifmsof Mofcs, of John, and of ChriiU 
 Vhofe Words I Hull quote Pt. i, CI I. XU. b 7. of this 
 Collection. 
 
 And Air. Selden. de Syncdr* I. 1. c. 3. obferves that that 
 faying of St. Paul-, 1 Cor. io# 1, 2. All our Fathers were 
 Upti^ed unto Mofes in the Cloud and in the Sea, would 
 iave been difficult for thofe to whom St, Paul wrote, 
 o make any fenfe of; had it not been a thing well 
 Inown at that time when the Apoftle wrote, that the 
 "cm look'd upon themfelves as having been cmer'd 
 hto Covenant by Baptifm : and that St. Paul {poke as 
 dluding to that. And Dr., Hammond concludes the 
 fime (0). 
 
 §. 3. Secondly, It is to be obferv'd, that if any fuch 
 Jrofelyte who came over to the Jewifh Religion and 
 was baptiz'd into it, had any Infant Children then born 
 to him j they alfo were at the Father's Defire cirenm- 
 cisi and baptiz'd, and admitted as Profelytes. The 
 Chad's Inability to declare or promife for himlelf was 
 not nok'd on as a Bar againft his Reception into the Co- 
 venait: but the Defire of his Father r,o dedicate him to 
 the Due God, was counted available and fufficient to 
 juftifie his Admiffion. So that it was with fuch a Pro- 
 felyte, is it was with Abraham at his firft Admiffion to 
 the Covenant of Circumcifion : As Abraham of 99 year 
 old, ana 1/hmael his Son of 13 year old, and all the 
 Males in his Houfe that were 8 Da\s old or upward, 
 were circuncis'd at the fame time ; fo fuch a Prolelyte, 
 with all his. were both baptiz'd (and circumcis'd if they 
 were male Children ^ and had each of 'em a Sacrifice 
 ( fuch as wasby Law (p) required for a Jews Child) made 
 for "em : but'f Females ; they were baptiz'd, apd a Sa- 
 crifice was onVd for cm. 
 
 b 4 And 
 
 (*) Six Qaeries. Iuf, bapt. §. 7, 8. (p) Luke 2. 24. 
 
to Jews haptizd the Children of Profelytes. 
 
 And the Reafon which the Jewifh Writers give, wHy 
 it was not necefXary to ftay to fee whether the Chid, 
 when come to age, would be willing to engage himftlf 
 in the Covenant of the true God, or not, is this ; Trut 
 it is out of the reach of any Doubt or Controverfie, tbrt 
 this is for his good. Where there may be any Queftoh 
 made whether a thing be beneficial, or not ; the Con- 
 cerns of a Child are not to be difpbfed of by anotrur : 
 but here the Benefit of being dedicated to Jehovah bf 
 which Dedication thefe Rites were the Sacrament aid 
 Seal ) is evident and unqueftionable. One may (as 
 they give the Reafon ) privilege a Per/on, tho he be una- 
 fable of knowing it', but one ought not to dif privilege a 
 perfon witjjcui his Kjtowledge. l 
 
 They judge therefore that a Profelyre had no mce 
 need to expect his Child's Confent to be cleanfed ty 
 this Baptifm or Wafhing from the unclean and accurfd 
 Eftate in which he was born, than a natural Jew hai 
 to make any fuch Delay in giving his Child Circun- 
 cifion, the Seal of the Covenant. Which Delay, inftexl 
 of being cautious, would have been impious. THs 
 Reafon of theirs will appear in their Sayings, which I 
 am now going to produce. 
 
 Gemara Babylorr. Chetuboth. c. \- fol. II. 
 
 If with a Profelyte hts Sons and his Daughters be tntde 
 Profelytes; that which is done by their lather redounds to 
 their Good. 
 
 And 'tis not only the Gemara (which perhaps fome 
 will object againft, as not being ancient enougl) but 
 the Text of the Mlfna it felf, both in the Baklcnian 
 and in the Jerufalem Talmud, which fpeaks at that place 
 of a Child becoming, or being made, a profelycc. For 
 the Jerufalem Mifna fays, that if a Girl born of heathen 
 Parents be made a Profelyte after fhe be three "ear and a 
 Day old ; then (he is not to have fuch and J&ch Privi- 
 leges there menrion'd. And that of the BaMon Edition 
 fays, that if fhe be made a Profelyte before hat Age, fhe 
 (hall have the faid Privileges. Both agreeng (as Selden 
 reciting (q) thofe places obferves) that a Child of never 
 fo little Age might by their cuftom be male a Profelyre. 
 Ar-d then the Gemara there gives the Re/on, or rather 
 , ■• takes 
 
 (q) De Synedrijs, h i. c. 3, 
 
the Jews baptized the Infants of Profelytes, x i 
 
 takes off the Obje&ion which might be made becaufe 
 of their Nonage, faying ; 
 
 They are wont to baptise fuch a Profelyte in Infancy upon 
 the Profejfign of the Houfe of Judgment [the Court] ft>r 
 this if for his good. 
 
 And the Glofi there ( having firft put in an exception, 
 that if the Father of the Child be alive and prefenr, the 
 Child is baptiz'd at his requcft : but if not, on the Pro- 
 feflion of the Court) comments thus on thofe words. 
 
 They are wont to baptize. Becaufe, fays the Glofs, 
 mne is made a Profelyte without Circumcifion and Baptifrn. 
 Upon the profeffion of the Houfe of Judgment. That is, 
 the three Men have the care of his Baptifrn, according to 
 the Law of the B apt ifm of Profelytes, which requires three 
 Men : who do fo become to him a Father. And he is by 
 them made a Profelyte, &c. 
 
 So that, as Selden there expreffes it, A Profelyte, if of age, 
 made profeffion to the Court, that he would keep Mofes'j 
 Law. But in the cafe of Minors, the Court it fclf did pro- 
 fefl in their Name the fame thing. Juft ai in the Chrifiian 
 Church the Godfathers do : at leaf, if their Parents were 
 not there to do it for 'em. 
 
 And Maimonidcs in the Chapter I quoted before, IJfun 
 Bia. c. 13. §• 1. after he has difcours'd what I there reci- 
 ted of the Baptifrn of grown Perfons made Profelyte-,, 
 adds the fame that the Gemara had faid. 
 
 A Profelyte that is under age they are wont to baptise 
 upon the Kjiowledge [or Profeffion] of the Houfe of judg- 
 ment [or Court] Becaufe this is for his good. 
 
 If a Child were fatherlefs, and his Mother brought 
 him j they baptiz'd him at her Deiire : but the Court 
 profefTed for him. As the Gemara fays at the place fore- 
 cited. 
 
 Concerning the__Age of the Child to be baptized, 
 they had this Rule r Any male Child of fuch a Profelyte, 
 that was under the Age of 13 Tears and a Day , and Fe- 
 males that were under 12 Tears and a Day, they baptized 
 as Infants at theRequeft and by the Affent of the Father, or 
 the Authority of the Court .- becaufe fuch ah one wai 
 not yet the Son of AJfent ; as they phrafe it, ;. e. not capable 
 to give affent for himfelf : but the thing is for his good. 
 If they were above that age, they contented for them- 
 felves. This Selden fhews, both in his Book dejure Nat., 
 (3 Gcnt.juxta Hebrjos, I. 2. c. 2. and alfo de Synedr. I. 1. 
 c. 3 , by particulars too large to be inferted here. 
 
 •' " "••;■ ' ■■' JUabbi 
 
1 2, but not their own Infants. 
 
 l\ilbi Jofeph indeed gives this Sentence, that when they 
 grow to years, they may retract. Where the G/o/? writes 
 thus - y this is to be underftood of little Children, who are 
 viade Profelytes together ve.itb their Fathers. And the 
 fame is the Opinion of fome People concerning Chri- 
 ftians Children baptized in Infancy. But the Council 
 oi Trent anathematizes (r) this Opinion. 
 
 What has been laid of the Baptifm of Children of 
 Profelytes, is to be underftood of fuch Children as were 
 born before the Parents themfelves were baptized : for 
 all the Children that were born to them afterward, they 
 reckon'd were clean by their Birth 5 as being born of 
 Parents that were clcanfed from the polluted State of 
 Heathenifm, and that were in the Covenant of Abraham, 
 and were become as natural Jews. They therefore did 
 by them only the fame thing that the natural Jews did 
 by their Children: that is, for the Male Children they 
 uied Circumcifion, and Sacrifice or Offering .- and far 
 the Females only a Sacrifice. 
 
 Dr. Hammond did indeed once maintain the contrary 
 in a Diipute (s) with Mr. Selden and Mr. Tombs : and 
 thought that both the Children of natural Jews were 
 wont to be baptized ; and alio the Children of Profelytes 
 born after their Parents Baptifm. But the learned Men 
 that have fince made a more exact Enquiry in the Books 
 of tlie learned Jews, have found and given their Verdict, 
 that Selden was in the right, and the Doctor in a Mi- 
 ftake in that matter. And Bp. Taylor, Mr. Walker, &c. 
 have followed him in that Miftake. 
 
 The natural Jews reckon'd that neither they them- 
 felves nor their Children did ftand in any need of this 
 Baptifm, never fince the time (which I mention'd be- 
 fore) when their whole Nation, Men, Women, and In- 
 fants, were baptized before the giving of the Law on 
 mount Sinai. 'Twas our Saviour who firft order'd by 
 himfelf and by his forerunner, that every particular Per- 
 fc-n, Jew or Gentile, or of what parents foever born, mull 
 be bom (t) again of Water. As for the Prolelytes Bap- 
 tifm, it was a Rule among 'em, as Mr. Selkn (hews («) 
 that it vt>ai never reiterated on him or his Pojlerity* And 
 
 as 
 
 (r) Self. 7. Can. de Baptifmo. 14. (s) Defence of Inf. Bapt. 
 (*) John 3* 3, 5. («) D« jure Nat. & Gent. 1, z , c, 2. 
 
Infants found \ or taken in War, h apt i zed. J 5 
 
 as other learned Men do (hew, that Filius bapti^ati habe- 
 tur pro bapti^ato. " He tha^ is born of a baptized Parent 
 " is accounted as baptized. And Dr. Lightfoot gives 
 this as their Rule , The Son* of Profelyte:, in following 
 Generations were circumcifed indeed j but not baptised--—— 
 \u being already Ifraelites: 
 
 And tho' the Child were begotten and conceived in the 
 Womb before the Parents were baptizsl^ yerif they (and 
 particularly if the Mother) were baptized before it was 
 born into the World, the Jews had a Saying (which is 
 quoted by (x) Dr. Hammond himfelf ) recorded by Mai- 
 monides. Iff, Bia. c. 13. and alfo in the Talmud. 
 
 A heathen Woman, if foe K made a Profclytefs when big 
 with Child , that Child needs not Baptijhi : for the Baptifm 
 of the Mother ferves him for Baptifm. 
 
 $ 4. Thirdly, This is alfo plainly prov'd and agreed by 
 all the learned Men aforefaid and by all others, to have 
 been the cuftom of the Jews; that if they found any 
 (Child that had been expos'd in the Fields, Woods, or 
 High-Ways by the Heathens ; or if they took in War 
 any Infant Children, whom they brought heme as Booty, 
 and intended to bring 'em up in their Religion ; they 
 baptiz'd 'em in Infancy, and acccounted 'em as Profelytes. 
 So fays, 
 
 Maimonides. Halach Aibdim*c. 8. 
 An Ifraelite that takes a little heathen Child, or that 
 finds an heathen Infant t and baptises him for a Profelyte : 
 Behold he is a Profelyte. 
 
 • At this Baptifm of fuch a Child the Owner of him was 
 wont to determine whether he fhould be a Slave or a Free- 
 man : and he was baptiz'd in the Name of the one or 
 of the other accordingly. To which purpole is that Rule 
 of I{abbi He%ekjah,fyt down in the 
 
 Hicrofol. Jcvamoth.fol. 8. 4. 
 Behold, one finds^an Infant cafi out, and baptises him in 
 the Name of a Servant ": Do thou alfo circumcife him in the 
 Name of a Servant. But if he baptise him in the Name 
 of a Freeman ; Do thou alfo circumcife him in the Name 
 of a Freeman. 
 
 Thefe Cafes were very frequent. For befides that 
 many Profelytes of the Gentiles came over with their 
 
 ■ * Children; 
 
 (x) Six Qua*, Iuf.bapt- §. 109, 
 
1 4 Infants founds or taken in War, laptizei. 
 
 Children ; The Jews cuftom in War was to bring away 
 the Children of the People whom they conquer'd, that 
 they might either make Servants of 'em, or if they took 
 a liking to 'em, adopt them for their own. And 'twas 
 a common thing with the Heathens to expofe their In- 
 fants, whom they would not be at the charge to bring 
 up, in the High-Ways, &c. So that Dr. Lightfoot fays 
 (y) The baptising of Infants Wdi a thing as well knomi in 
 the Church of the Jews, as ever it has been in the Chriflian 
 Church. 
 
 § 5. Now this gives great Light for the better under- 
 ftanding the meaning of our Saviour, when he bids his 
 Apcftles (iQ 4 Go andDifciple nil the Nations, and baptise 
 'em. For when a Commiffion is given in fuch fhort 
 Words, and there is no exprefs Direction what they 
 ftall do with the Infants of thofe who become Profelytes ; 
 the natural and obvious Interpretation is, that they muft 
 do in that matter as they and' the Church in which they 
 liv'd always ufed to do. 
 
 As now at this time, if an Ifland or Country of 
 Heathens be difcover'd, and a Minifter be fent out to 
 them by the Bifhors of the Church of England, who 
 fhould lay, Go and convert fuch A Nation and baptise 'em ; 
 He would know without asking any Qucftion, that he 
 muft baptize the Infants of thofe who being converted, 
 ofFer'd them to Baptifm ; becaufe he knows that to be 
 the Meaning and the Cuftom of that Church or Bifhop 
 by which he is fent. And on the contrary, if any one 
 were fent from a Church or Congregation of Antipaedc- 
 baptifts with a Commiffion of the fame Words, Go and 
 convert fuch a Nation and baptise 'em ; He would take it 
 for granted that he muft baptize none of their Infants, be- 
 caufe he knows that to -be contrary to the meaning and 
 cuftom of the Church that fends him. 
 
 So when the Apoftles were fent out to the Heathen Na- 
 tions with a Commiffion of no other Words than thefe, 
 Go and difciple [or profelyte] all the Nations, baptising 
 'em in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 Holy Spirit .- when the cafe came in hand of the Infant 
 Children of thofe that were difcipled, what could they 
 think other, but that they muft do with 'em 2s had been 
 
 uiually 
 
 (y) Hor. He!>r. on Mat. 3. <>. (*) Mat. 28. 1 9. 
 
The Argument from Jewijh P adobapttfm^ 1 5 
 
 "ufually done in chat Church in which they and their Ma- 
 tter had always liv'd ? Since the Nations were to be pro- 
 lelyted, how could they, without particular Order, alter 
 any thing in the cuftomary way of receiving Profelytes 
 of the Nations ? For to difciple the Nations to Chrift, is 
 the fame thing as to profelytc 'em to him : and probably 
 in the Hebrew Text of St. Matthew was the fame Word. 
 And we fee that the cuftomary Phrafe and Language 
 of the Jews was to call the Infants, young Profelytes, or 
 Difciples : as I Ihall (hew (a) that Jufiin Martyr, one of 
 the eldeft Chriftian Writers, calls the Chriftian Infants 
 likewife. 
 
 If our Saviour meant that the Apoftles fhould make 
 any Alteration in that matter, and not baptize the In- 
 fants as had been ufually done $ it is a wonder He did 
 not fay fo. 
 
 The Antipsedobaprifts depend upon this as an unerring 
 Rule ; that fince our Saviour did not fay (or at leaft St. 
 Matthew does not recite that he ted)' Baptise the Infants 
 alfo ; his meaning muft have been that they fhould not 
 baptize 'em. 
 
 But if they would put this cafe ; Suppofe our Savi- 
 our had bid the Apoftles, Go and difciple all the Nations, 
 and (inftead of baptizing had faid) circumcife 'em: An 
 Antipxdobaptift will grant that in that cafe, without 
 any more Words, the Apoftles muft have circumcifed 
 the Infants of the Nations as well as the grown Men, tho' 
 there had been no exprefs Mention of Infants in the 
 Commiflion : So that that is not always an unerring 
 Rule. 
 
 And what is the reafon that in cafe Circumcifion had 
 been appointed for the Nations, it muft have been of 
 courfe given to Infants tho' they had not been exprefly 
 named? The reafon is chisj becaufe the Apoftles knew 
 of themfelves that Circumcifion was ufually given to 
 Iofants. If it do appear then, that Baptifm was alfo 
 ulually given to Infants, and the Apoftles muft know it ; 
 the fame Reafon would direct era to the fame Inter- 
 pretation. 
 
 If it had been Circumcifion that had been order'J, 
 the Apoftles going out into the Nati®ns muft have cir- 
 cumcifed the grown Men at the Age that they found 
 
 them 
 
 (*)Pm,CH.II§,S. 
 
1 6 for Chriftian Tddohaptifm, 
 
 them of: but they would have circumcifed the Infant? 
 alfo ; becaufe one that is to be circumcifed at all fliould 
 be circumcifed in Infancy, if one has then the Power or 
 Direction of him. So they muft baptize the grown 
 Men among the Nations at the Age that they found 
 them of: and we have reafon to conclude that they muft 
 think themfelves oblig'd to give Baptifm (or order it to 
 be given ) to the Infants alfo ; becaufe by the Rules of 
 Baptifm received in their Nation all that were to be 
 baptiz'd at all/were baptiz'd in Infancy ; if they had then 
 the Power and Direction of 'em. 
 
 And tho' the Proof that Circumcifion was ufually gi- 
 ven to Infants, is taken from the Writings of the Old 
 Teftament, but the Proof that Baptifm was ufually gi- 
 ven to the Infants of Profelytes is taken only from the 
 Teftimoniesof the Jews themfelves : yet the Jews them- 
 felves ( how fallible foever they are in judging of the 
 meaning of the Law, what ought to be done, or how 
 neceffary it was, yet) cannot fail of being fufficient Wit- 
 nefles of the matter of Fact, and able to tell what was 
 actually done among themfelves. 
 
 The difference which the Jews made between them- 
 felves and other Nations in giving Baptifm to Gentile 
 Profelytes and their Children, but not to themfelves nor 
 their own Children, does not at all affect the Queftion 
 that is difputed between the Chriftian Paedobaptifts and 
 Antipjedooaptifts : becaufe in refpect of the Chriftian 
 Religion the Jews themfelves have the lame need of be- 
 coming Profelytes and of being baptized, that other Na- 
 tions have. The Gofpel has concluded all under Sin : 
 and St. Paul fpeaking of this very matter of Baptifm (b) 
 fays, that in refpedr. of it there is neither Jew nor Greek, 
 i. e. there is no difference between em. The Jews them- 
 felves do feem to have underftood that when the Chrijl 
 came, their Nation muft be baptiz'd as well as others : 
 and therefore they ask'd John ( who baptized Jews) why 
 (c) bapti^ejl thou then, if thou be not that Chrift, nor Elias ? 
 Sec. fignifying that if he had been the Chrijl or Eliai^ 
 they fliould not have wonder'd at his baptizing of Jews. 
 
 The fame thing is to be faid of that Tenet of the 
 Jews, that the Infant Children of a Profelyte, born to 
 
 him 
 
 Q>) Gal. 3, 27, 2t. (0 John i t IJi 
 
the Argument from Jewijh Ptdohaptifrnficc. 17 
 
 him before his Baptilm, are to be baptized ; but not 
 the Children born to him after his Baptifm, nor any 
 of their Poftcrity in any fucceqding Generations, they 
 being now look'd on as natural Jews. 
 
 This, I fay, does not affect the Queftion of Chriftian 
 Pxdobaptifm. Becaxife that Privilege which the jew had, 
 or fuppofed himfelf to have, above other People, is as 
 to the Chriftian Difpenlarion abolifh'd ; and becaufc both 
 the Paedobapdfts and Antipxdobaprifts are agreed that all 
 Perfons do now need Baptilm ; as well thole that are born 
 of baptized, as thofe that are born of unbaptized Pa- 
 rents : our Saviour having fatisfted Kicodemus (d) that 
 that which is born of the Flejh ( whether of a Jewifh or 
 Gentile, baptized or unbaptized Parent) is Flefo-, and 
 muji be born again. 
 
 The Antipaedobaptifts are fatisfied of this. The only 
 Queftion is, at what Age they muft be bapuzed. Now 
 the Practice of the Jews before and in our Saviour*-, 
 time was ; that all Perfons whom they baptiz'd at alt, 
 they baptiz'd in Infancy, if they had, as I fold, th° 
 Power or PofTeflion of 'em in Infancy. And in this mat 
 ter our Saviour gave no Direction for any Alteration, 
 He took, (as Dr. Lightfoct (e) fays) into his Hands Bap- 
 tifm fuch as he found it : adding only this, that he exalt id 
 it to a ncbler purpofe and to a larger ufe. 
 
 Some Socinians indeed would have the ufe of Bap- 
 tifm to be abolifh'd in all Chriftian Nations, where 
 the body of the People has once been generally baptiz'd r 
 and do fay of Chriftian Baptifm, as the Jews did of 
 theirs; that the Baptifm of the ^Forefathers is fufficicr.z 
 for them and all their Pofterity. This Reafon againft 
 the Continuance of Baptifm, which was never thought a 
 Reafon by any Christians before, Socinut gave about 
 J 50 year ago; Hater Baptifm (f) feems unnecejfary for 
 thofe that are born of Christians, and do imitate their Pa- 
 rents in the ProfeJJion of Christianity. It matters not whe- 
 ther fuch be baptiz'd or not. And if they he, 'tis all one 
 whether it be at their adult Age tr in Infancy. Which O- 
 pinion, or one more againft Baptifm, the Quakers have 
 fince taken up. Bu: the Amipsdobaptifts do hold it ne- 
 ceffary, as I faid, for every particular Perfon, and net 
 
 only 
 
 (d) John 3. 6 t 7. (f) Her- Hebr. in Mat. 3. £• (f) Epifr; 
 rfe bapcifroo, apud Voffiuoi de Baptifsw. Difp. 13, 
 
x8 The Argument from Jewijh 
 
 only for a Nation ac the firft planting of Chriftiani- 
 
 c y- 
 
 And 'tis eafie to guefs what it was that fwayed Socinus 
 into the other Opinion : vi%* his Defire of abolifhing the 
 Doctrine of the Trinity : which it was hard to accom- 
 plilh fo long as Perfons were continually baptiz'd into 
 that Faith. 
 
 There never was any Age ( at leaft fince Abraham ) in 
 which the Children, whether of Jews or Profelytes, that 
 were admitted into Covenant, had not fome Badge of. 
 Sign of fuch their admiflion. The Male Children of 
 Abrahams Race were enter'd by Circumcifion. The 
 whole body of the Jews, Men, Women, and Children, 
 were in Mofess time baptiz'd. After which the Male 
 Children of.?Profelytes, that were enter'd with their Pa- 
 rents, were ( as well as their Parents ) admitted by Cir- 
 cumcifion, Baptifm, and a Sacrifice : the Female Chik 
 dren by Baptifm and a Sacrifice. The Wlale Children of 
 the natural Jews, and fuch Male Children of Profelytes 
 as were born after their Parents Baptifm, by Circumcifion 
 and a Sacrifice : and the Female Children by a Sacrifice 
 offer'd for them by the head of the Family. New after 
 that Circumcifion and Sacrifice were to be abolifh'd, there 
 was nothing left but Baptifin, or Wafhing, for a Sign of 
 the Covenant and of profeffing Religion. This our Sa- 
 viour took ( probably as being the eafieft and the leaft 
 operofe of all the reft ; and as being common to both 
 Sexes, making no difference of Male or Female) and 
 injoin'd it (g) to all that fhould enter into the Kingdom of 
 God. And St. Paul does plainly intimate to the ColoJJians, 
 ch.i. v. 1 1, iz. that it ferved them inftcad of Circumci- 
 fion : calling it, the Circumcifion of Chrift ; or Chrifiian 
 Circumcifion* 
 
 The Baptifm indeed of the Nations by the Apoftles 
 ought to be regulated by the Practice of John and of 
 Chrift himfelf (who by the hands of his Difciples baptiz- 
 ed many Jews) rather than by any preceeding Cuftom of 
 the Jewilh Nation ; if we had any good ground to believe 
 that they did in the Cafe of Infants differ, or alter any thing 
 from the ufual way. But we have no kind of proof that 
 they made any fuch alteration. The Commiflion which 
 our Saviour gave to his Difciples to baptize in the Coun- 
 try 
 
 (s) John 3. 
 
to Cbriftian Pddobaptijm. 19 
 
 try of Judxa during his abode with them, is noc at all fet 
 down, as I laid. And what John did in this particular, 
 we have no means left to know, but by obierving whas 
 was done before and aftef. 
 
 There is no exprefs mention indeed of any Children 
 baptized by him. But to thofe that confider the com- 
 monnefs of the thing ( which I have here fhewn ) for Peo- 
 ple that came to be baptiz'd to bring their Children along 
 with 'em , that is no more a caufe to think that he 
 baptized no Children, than one's minding that in the 
 Hiftory of the oldTeftament there is fometimes 500 year 
 together without the mention of any Child circumcis'd, 
 is a caufe to think that none were circumcis'd all that 
 while. And whereas 'tis faid of the Multitudes that came 
 to John, that they were baptiz'd by him, confcjjing their 
 Sins ( which Confeflion can be understood only of the 
 grown perfonsj That is no more than would be faid in 
 the cafe of a Minifter of the Church of Eng land ( which 
 I put before ) going and converting a heathen Nation. 
 For in a (hort account which (hould be fent of his Sue- 
 cefs, it would be faid that Multitudes came, and were 
 baptiz'd confejfing their Sins .- and there would need no 
 mention of their bringing their Children with 'em : be- 
 caufe the converting of the grown Perfons was the prin- 
 cipal and moft difficult thing; and it would be fup- 
 pos'd that they brought their Children of courfe. 
 
 I fliall at CH. Xm. of this my Colle&ion, (hew that St. 
 Ambrofe does take it for granted that John muft have ba- 
 ptiz'd Infants as well as others, for he does by way of Allu- 
 sion make a comparifon between Elias and him : and fpeaks 
 of Eli as' s turning the Waters of Jordan back toward the 
 Springhead,as a Type of that Baptifm of Infants by St. John, 
 by which they were reformed from their natural corrupt 
 ftate, back again to the primitive Innocence'of Nature. And 
 St. Ambrofe does not there ftand to prove that any In- 
 fants were baptiz'd by him : but fpeaks of it as of a 
 thing commonly fo underftood by all Chriftians. And 
 fo Dr. Lighfoot fays on this account (/;): I don't believe, 
 the People that flocked to John's Baptifm were fo forgetful 
 »f the manner and cufiom cf the Nation, as not to bring 
 their little Children along with them to be baptiz'd. 
 
 c And 
 
 Her; Hebr. oc Mat, fr 
 
 
Jewifh Baptifm. 
 
 And the fame Man, who was mod excellently skWV d 
 in the Books and Cultoms of the Jews, Cays at another 
 place; (i) If Baptifm and baptising Infants had been & 
 new thing, a>id unheard of till John Baptift came, as Cir- 
 cumctfion was till God appointed it to Abraham, there would 
 have been, no doubt, as exprefs command for baptising In- 
 fants, as there was for circuyncifmg 'em. But when the 
 baptising of Infants was a thing commonly kriown and ufed, 
 as appears by uncontefiable Evidence from their Writers ; 
 there need not be exprefl Affertioni that fuch and fitch Per- 
 f'ons were to be the Object of Baptifm : when it was as well 
 known, before the Go/pel began, that Men, iVomen, and 
 Children were bapti\d, as it is to be \nown that the Sun 
 « up, when, Sec. 
 
 And he deduces the Argument with great Evidence 
 in this falhion (l(\; 
 
 4 The whole Nation knew well enough that Infants 
 1 were wont to be baptiz'd. There»was no need of a 
 * Precept for that which was always fettled by common 
 4 life. Suppole there ihould at this time come out a Pro- 
 4 clamaticn in thefe Words ; Every one on the Lord'f- 
 ' day /hall repair to the public Affembly in the Church. That 
 ' Man would dote, who Ihould in times to come con- 
 ' elude that there were no Prayers, Sermons, Pfalms, &c. 
 4 in the public Alfemblies on the Lord's-day, for this rea- 
 ' fon, becaule there was no mention of 'em in this Pro- 
 4 clamation. For the Proclamation order'd the keeping 
 ' of the Lord's-Day in the public Affemblics in general : 
 4 and there was no need that mention fhould be made 
 4 of the particular kinds of Divine VV'orfhip there to be 
 
 * uled ; fince they were both before and at the time of 
 
 * the laid Proclamation known to every body, and in 
 4 common uie. 
 
 4 Juft fo the cafe ftood as to Baptifm. Chrift order'd 
 ' it to be for a Sacrament of the New Teltamenc, by 
 
 * which all Ihould be admitted to the Profefllon of the 
 
 * Gofpel, as they were formerly to Profelytifm in the 
 'Jews Religion. The particular .Cucumftances of it, 
 
 * as, the manner of baptizing, the Age of receiving it, 
 
 * which Sex was capable of ir, (£c. had no need of 
 4 being regulated or let down, becaufe they were known 
 ' to every body by common uiage. *h 
 
 (i) Harmony en John r, 15. • (£) Hor.'Heb. on Mat. ?, 
 
Jewifb Baptijm. 21 
 
 ' In was therefore neceffary on the other fide, that 
 ' there fhould have been an cxprels and plain Order chat 
 ' Infants and little Children fhould not be baptiz'd, if 
 
 * our Saviour had meant that they (hould not. For flnce 
 
 * it was ordinary in all Ages before, to have Infants ba- 
 ' prized ; if Chrift would have had that ulage to be 
 ' abolifh'd, he would have exprcfly forbidden it. So 
 ' that his and the Scriptures Silence in this matter does 
 
 * confirm and cftablifh Infant Bapufm for ever. 
 
 (f. 6. Fourthly. Another thing oblervable about the 
 Jewilh Baptifm of Profelytes, is this ; that they called 
 luch an one's Baptilm, his new-birth, regeneration, or be- 
 ing born again. 
 
 ^ This was a very ufual Phrafe of the Jews. 
 Gemara. tit.jevamoth. c. 4. fol. 62. I. 
 
 If any one become a Profelytc ; He is like a Child nevt 
 barn. 
 
 Maimonides. Iff. Bin. c. 14. §. 11. 
 
 Tlie Gentile that is made a Prcfelyte ; and the Slave that 
 is made free : Behold, he is like a Child new born. 
 
 The Rabbies do much enlarge on this privilege of a 
 Profelyte's being put into a new State, and putting off all 
 his former Relations : Thofe that were akin to him be- 
 fore, are now no longer fo ; but he is juft as if he were 
 born of a new Mother, as the Talmud often exprefles ir. 
 And Was probably from the much talk that they made 
 on this Subject, that Taeitus the Roman Hiftorian (who 
 liv'd in the Apoftles time ) drew the notion he had of the 
 Jews practice in initiating Prolelyte?. 
 
 The firs! thing, faies he, {I) that they teach 'em, is, to 
 dejpife the Gods £ which they worftiipp'd before 3 to re- 
 nounce their Country : Parentes, liberos, fratres, vilia ha- 
 bere, to make no account of their Parents, Children, or 
 Kjndred. 
 
 And fome do think that St. Paul alludes to this notion, 
 when he laies, 1 Cor. 5. 16, 17. Henceforth k"0w we no 
 man after the Flefh, &c. If any one be in Christ, he is 
 a new Creature. Old things are faffed away, 8cc. And 
 St. Peter, wheri he callsthe Christians, new bom Babes. 
 
 The T.tlmudical Doctors do indeed carry on this Me- 
 taphor of the new Birth too far in all realon : they 
 determine that it is no Inceli for fuch an one to marry 
 
 c 2 any 
 
 (I) Hift. 1, 5. c. 5, 
 
ii Jewijh Baptifm^ fl'iled a new Birth. 
 
 any of his neareft Kindred, becaufe upon his being new 
 born all former Relations do ceafe j io that if he marry 
 his own Mother, he does not fin. 
 
 But letting pal's the vain and abfurd confequencej 
 wh;ch they drew from this figurative Speech, 'tis abun- 
 dantly evident that the common phrafe of the Jews was 
 to call the Baptifm of a Profelyte, hn Regeneration, or 
 new birth. 
 
 And the Chriftians did in all antient times continue the 
 nfe of this Name for Baptifm : fo as that they never ufe 
 the word [regenerate} or [born again3 but that they 
 mean or denote by it Bartifm. Of which I (hall produce 
 v.o proof here, becaufe almoft all the Quotations which 
 I (ball bring in this Book, will be inftances of it. 
 
 Now the Knowledge of this makes thofe words of our 
 Saviour to Nicodetnut in the ^ichap. of St. John to be 
 much more intelligible to us,where he tell: him,that £«*«£* 
 any one be born again, he cannot fee the KJngdom of God. 
 He ufed that which was then the ordinary phrafe. All 
 that was new in that laying of our Saviour, was this ; 
 The Jews knew, that any Gentile that would enter the 
 Kingdom of God, muft be born again : but our Saviour 
 allures Nicodemuf, that every one, Jew or Gentile, muft 
 be fo born. And when Nicodcmut did not apprehend his 
 meaning, but took the words in a proper fenfe, our Sa- 
 viour fpeaks plainer, and faies, that every one muft be bom 
 of Water, &e. wondring at the fame time that he, being 
 a Mafter \r\lfiael, had not underftood him. 
 
 This puts- it beyond all doubt that our. Saviour is to ife 
 underftood there, of Baptifm (of which fome People, 
 fince the difufe of the word [regenerated, or born again} 
 for [baptized] have made a doubt,) and alfo guides us 
 into a ready conception of the fenfe of thofe fayings of' 
 the ancient Chriftian Writers where they ufe the word ; 
 and of St.Paut for one, when he mentions the Wafking of 
 Regeneration. (r«) 
 
 There are fome other more plain and grofs Miftakes 
 made by fome Men in theUnderftandingof thofe word* 
 of our Saviour to Xic&detnus : As, that of thole -who be- 
 ing able to read none but the Englifi Tranflation, where 
 'tis worded ; Except a Man be born again, &c. do con- 
 ceive that thev concern only grown. Men. And that of 
 
 thofe 
 
 (») Tit.}. 5. 
 
A Parallel hst ween Jewifh and Chrifiian Baptifm. z j 
 
 thofe who cell us, that by the KJngdom of God in chat 
 Text is meant, not the Kingdom of Glory, 'nit lame- 
 thing elfe. The abfurdity of which biiftakes will be 
 occafionally (hewn in the following Collection of the 
 Sayings of the eldeft Chriftians, who do very frequently 
 quote this Text. 
 
 §.7. It may beufeful to illuftrate the point in hand, 
 if we do here inftitute a parallel between thejewilh and 
 the Chriftian Baptifm, and the Modes and Circumftanccs 
 ufed in each : by which it will mere plainly appear that 
 St. John, and our Saviour, and the Aroit'.es and Primi- 
 tive Chriftians had an eye to thejewilh Ba'tifm in ma- 
 ny of the Rites and Circumftances which rhey ufed at 
 the Administration of the Chriftian Baptifm. As all 
 agree they had to the Jewilh PafTovcr in the ordering of 
 the other Sacrament. 
 
 1. As there was a ftipulation made by the whole peo- 
 ple of the Jews juft before their Baptifm. Exod. 19. 5. 
 If you will keep my Covenant, &c. The people anfw ering, 
 ier. 8. All that the Lord has Jpoken we will do, &C. And 
 MofeS returned the words of the people to the Lord, Sec. 
 And the Lord faid, ver. 10. Go and fin?}; fie 'em, end let 
 *em wafh their Cloths [\. e. their whole Bodies]; 
 
 And as the Je ws did accordingly afterwards require 
 of any that were to be profelyted or enter'd as Dnciples 
 to their Religion, a Stipulation to renounce Idolatry, &c, 
 Maimonid.IJf. Bia. c. 13. §• 14, 15. And to believe in 
 Jehovah, 
 
 So the Chrijiiant requir'd alike fort of Sti] . aticn of 
 all whom they baptized : And being canghr, ha' all 
 Idolatry is offering to Devils ; they exnreis'd i , Renounc- 
 ing the Devil and all his Works, Sec. And to believe in 
 the Trinity. From whence it is probably, that Si.Pct -r, 
 1 Ep. 3. n. calls Baptifm imf^-ni^A' the interrogation 
 or ftipulation of a good confciencc. 
 
 2. As the Jews, tho' the perfon to be baptiz'd had 
 before made this profefiion, yet interrogated him again 
 as he ftood in the Water: as appears by the words of 
 Maimonides, quoted §. 1. 
 
 So the Chriftians requir'd of all adult perfons that 
 were to be baptiz'd, that belide the profeflion made 
 before in the Congregation, they ftiould anfwer to each 
 Inttrrogatory of it over again, when they are going into 
 the Water ; as I Ihew Pt. 1. CH. IX. §. 1 3. 
 
 c 5 3. As 
 
24 A Parallel between Jeivijh* 
 
 3. As the Jews baptized the Infant Children of fuch 
 Profelytes as defir'd that their Children fhould be enter' d 
 into Covenant with the true God, So I have, thro' all 
 the flrft Part of this Work, given the Hiftory of what 
 the Chriftians did in refpecl: of the Infant Children of 
 Chriftian Profelytes. And I believe all impartial Rea- 
 ders of it will conclude that they did the fame. 
 
 4. As the J eves requir'd, that for an Infant Profelyte 
 either his Father or elle the Confiftory for Church] of 
 the place, or at leaft three grave Perfons, fhould anfwer, 
 or undertake a« his Baptifm (And they requir'd the like 
 at Circumcifion, as Buxtorf in his Synag. Jud, has fully 
 (hewn ; and is not by any denied). 
 
 So the Chriftiant (as I fhall (hew atP>. 2. CH. Of. $. 13. 
 did the fame : putting the feveral Interrogatories of the 
 Creed, and of the Renuntiations, and requiring th$ 
 Child's Anfwer by his Parents, or other Sponfors. 
 
 5. As fuch a Profelyte of the Jews, when baptiz'd, 
 was faid to be born again. So our Saviour, and the 
 Apoftles, and primitive Chriftians gave the fame Term 
 to Chriftian Baptifm. As appears John 3. 3, 5. Tit. 3. 5. 
 and in almoft all the paffages of this my Collection. 
 
 6. The Jews told fuch a Profelyte, that he was now 
 taken out of his unclean State, and put into a State of 
 Sanclity, or Holinefs, IJf.Bia. c. 14. $. 14. 
 
 So the Scriptures of the New Teftament do call the 
 baptized Chriftians, the Saints, the Holy, the SanElified in 
 Chrift Jcfus - 9 and fay, that the Church of them is fan* 
 Rifted with the wafhing of Water, &c. -JUgrn* 1. 7. I Cor. 
 1. 2. it. 7. 14. Eph. 5. z6. And it will appear by many 
 Quotations which Hhall produce from the antient Chri- 
 ftians, that there is nothing-more common with them than 
 to call Baptifm by the Name of Santlification, and to 
 fay [fan&ifled] cr £holy3 inftead ' of £baptized]» and to 
 give to Perfons, while they continued unbaptized, the 
 Name of [unclean]. 
 
 7. The Jews declared the baptized Profelyte to be now 
 under the Wings of the Divine Majefty, or Shechinah* 
 Jftl Bia.e. 13. 6. 4. 
 
 This was more vifibly made good to the new ba- 
 ptized Chriftians, by palpable Signs and Effects of the 
 Holy Spirit coming on 'em. And as the laying on of 
 the Hands of an Apoftle was in the primitive Church 
 itnployed to procure this (or of a Biihop as the Supream 
 Paftor when the Apoftles were dead, for obtaining the 
 
 mere 
 
and Chrlflian Baptiftn. 
 «iore ordinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit: ) So there is good 
 Healon to believe that the Jews had before uicd this 
 Ceremony of laying on of Hands en this Occafion : for 
 ii was a thing uled by them on almclt all Occafions that 
 verc folemn. 
 
 8. The Pafch/il Scafon is known to have been the meft 
 fclemn time both with the Jews and Cbn'Jlic.Hs for ad- 
 xn.tting Profelytes or Difciples by Baptifm. The Jews 
 dU then baptize all the Profelytes that were ready, for 
 ths Reafon j that they might be admitted to partake 
 of the Paflbver and Sacrifices. The Chriftians obferv'd 
 thi iame time for a like Reafon. 
 
 9. In the Jews time, fome Gentiles were abfolute Ido- 
 laers j fome came hearer to the Jews Religion, believing 
 tleir God to be the true God, and were called Profs* 
 Ijes of tht Gate, And of thefe laft fome, who declar'd 
 tleir Defire to be circumcis'd and baptiz'd and fubmit 
 t( the whole Law, were (for fome time before their Cir- 
 cimcifion and Baptifm) diftinguifh'd from the reft. 
 
 So in the firft preachings of Chriftianity in hc.uhcn 
 {laces fome flighted it. Some gave fo much regard to 
 i, as to hear at leaft what the Chriftians preach'd ; 
 aid were called Audientes. Some beginning to approve 
 it fubmitted to a courle of ca'techifing, and were call- 
 ti Catechumens. And of thefe, fuch as defir'd Bar- 
 tim and were now fit for it, were called Competentes. 
 
 Now both under the Jewijh and CbrijlUn Diipenfa- 
 ti.n, thefe Men as they ftood in the faid different de- 
 gres of Preparation to Baptifm, had different Places, 
 anl Liberties of Accefs; both among the Jews to their 
 Xmple and Synagogues, and among the Chriftians to 
 th<ir Churches and public Offices : as is largely ihewn 
 fr»ra Jewifh and Chriftian Antiquities by the Author 
 fvhom I mentioned before) of the Difcowfe concerning 
 Lt\t. 
 
 And thofe degrees of preparatory Admiflton did fo re- 
 female one another, that 'tis plain that the firft Chn- 
 ftiais irrigated the Jews in the Steps that they made 
 towirds admitting a Profelyte to Baptifm. 
 
 'lis true, that fometimes a perfon was convine'd, con- 
 ▼ertd, and believed, and was baptized, all in a fhort 
 time. As the Eunuch, the Jaylor, fife. But this was ex- 
 traordnary; and the ordinary courfe was as I have 
 
 foid « 
 
 10. There 
 
z6 A Parallel let ween Jewijh 
 
 to. There were fome other cuftoms conftantly us'<? 
 by the moft antient Chriftians at and after the baptizing 
 of any perfon, which (fince they are not mention'd in aiy 
 Command of our Saviour or the Apoftles recorded in tic 
 New Teftament) one might wonder from whence the/ 
 had 'em. As namely, 
 
 r. When they baptiz'd any ore, whether Infant or 
 Adult, they thought it not enough to put him once irto 
 the Water : but as his Body was in the Wacer, they ]uc 
 his Head alfo three times into the Water; fo that lis 
 whole Body was three feveral times under Water. Tiis 
 wai the ordinary way (but with an Exception of fi<k, 
 weakly Perfons, 6c. as I fticw Pt. a. CH. IX. §. 2,& 
 
 2. And after he came out of the Water they, gave hin 
 to taft, a portion of Milk, and Honey mix'd together. 
 
 3. And alfo they then anointed him with a fort >f 
 precious Oyntment. 
 
 The firft Chriftians were too plain Men to inveit 
 tfcefe things of themfelves. And yet they were unive- 
 iTally ufed. The Books of the fecond Century do fpeat 
 of 'em as Cuftoms ufed time out of mind, ana of whuii 
 they knew no beginning. 
 
 The Heretics alfo of the fame time us'd 'em : as I 
 fhew in Pt. i. CH. IX, So that the beginning of 'em mift 
 have been from a principle univerfally received. 
 
 And this could not probably come but from fuch lile 
 cuftoms ufed by the Jews at their baptizing of a Po- 
 felyte. The Author whom I laft mention'd, (hews he 
 probability of this for the two laft : vi%. the Anointng, 
 and the Milk, and Honey : One a Ceremony much ued 
 by the Jews (and probably the Jewiih Profelyte v>$ 
 anointed with the Blood of his own Sacrifice that he )f- 
 fer'd ,). The other, the Emblem of the Holy Land, to 
 the Enjoyment whereof he was now entitled. Andfor 
 the firft of the three, vi%. the trine Immerfion ; mo- 
 ther Perlon very learned in Jewifh cuftoms allure nae 
 that their way of waffling any perfon or any thing, that 
 was by their Law to have a Tevtfab, or folemn wafiing, 
 was to do it three times over: So that a Veflelthat 
 was to be wafh'd, was drawn three times thro' Vater. 
 Whence 'tis probable that they did the fame with their 
 Profelytes at Baprifm ; and that the Chriftians by their 
 Example did the like, 
 
and Chrijlian Baptifm,, 2-7 
 
 $.8.1 fhall conclude this Introductory Difcourfe with 
 observing what a weak Attempt that is, which Sir Morten 
 Knatchbu I has made to difprove this cuftom of the JevyA 
 to baptize Profelytcs ; and how unlike to the re It ot 
 his Annotations on the New Teftamcnr, which arc dc- 
 fervedly valued. That learned Gentleman leems to 
 have had fome difguft againft Dr. Hammond, and to have 
 endeavour'd to oppofe him in feveral of his Criticifms 
 and Obfervations. Such a prejudie'd Endeavour doer, 
 often lead Men from a true Judgment of things into a 
 vein of cavilling. The Dr. [but not he alone, but with 
 him all that ever had any Skill in the Jcwifh Learning) 
 had fpoke of this cuftom of giving Baptifm to Proic- 
 lytes : and he had produe'd, among other proofs of it, 
 a Quotation out of the Gemara (which I purpofcly o- 
 mitted before, becaufe it muft be fet down here ) Sr. 
 Norton picks out (o) one claufe of that Quotation, whjch 
 taken by it fe]f might feem to make for his pur pole : 
 which is, that %abbi Elie^er had faid, of one ihr.i tvj* 
 circumcis'd, and not bapti^d, that he w<H a Profelyte* New 
 fee the Quotation at large. 
 
 Gemara. tit, jevamoth, c« 4. 
 Of him that wai circumcis'd, and not bapti^d, Rabbi 
 Eliezer faid, that he was a Profelyte. Becaufe, faid he, 
 we find of our Fathers [[Abraham, Ifaac, gfa]] that they 
 were circumcis'd, but not bapti%'d\ 
 
 And of him that was bapti^'d and not circumcis'd, Rab- 
 bi Jofhua faid that he was a Profclyte. Becaufe, fiid he, 
 we find of our Mothers, that they were bapti^'d, and not 
 circumcis'd. 
 
 But the wife Men pronounced, that till he were both ba- 
 fti^d and circumcis'd he was not a Profelyte, 
 
 The Queftion here was not whether Profelytes ought, 
 or were wont, to be baptized: but whether one that 
 had negledfced it, or by fome chance had mifs'd of it, 
 could be counted for a Profelyte. And the like Que- 
 ftion was made of one that had mifs'd of Circumcifion. 
 And Elieqtr's maintaining that one might poflibly with- 
 out Baptifm go for a Profelyte, is no more an Argu- 
 ment that Profelyte s were not ufually baptised, than 
 Jofhua's maintaining that one might without Circumci- 
 
 fioa 
 
 (») Annot, on 1 Pet. 3, 2I • 
 
2 3 Jewijh Baptifm of 
 
 fion go for a Profelyte, is an Argument that Profe- 
 lytes were not ufually circumcis'd. So far is that from 
 being a good Conclufion which Sr. Norton there draws 
 from Eliejer's Words ; vi%. that he did txprefly deny thit 
 Baptifm. On the contrary, the Tenor of the Difcourfc 
 (hews that it had been taken for granted and agreed, 
 that a Profelyte ought of right to have both Circumci- 
 fion and Baptifm : only Jofhua had a favourable Opini- 
 on againft the abfclute neceflity of the firft, as Elie^er 
 had of the later ("and both of 'em were alfo declared 
 lingular in fuch their Opinions,) fo that upon the whole 
 this Quotation does prove that which Sr. Norton Kjtatch- 
 bul brought it to difprove. 
 
 I give an account in the 10th Chapter of this Book, 
 how one Vincentius Victor maintained, a Difpute againft 
 St. Aujlin, that a Child dying unbaptized , might yet 
 poflibly be partaker of all that meafure-of Glory which 
 is promis'd to Chriftians. From whence a certain late 
 Antipaedobaptift rais'd an Argument that Vincentius held 
 that Children were not to be baptiz'd. Whereas Vincen- 
 tius'* Words do, as I there fhew, fufficienriy prove, that 
 he knew that Children ought of right to have Baptifm .* 
 only he puts the cafe of a Child that had mifs'd of it. 
 This Argument drawn from Elie^er's Words to prove 
 that Profelytes were not wont to be baptiz'd, runs on 
 the fame foot, and is as weak as that. 'Tis certainly one 
 thing to fay, A Perfon tho* not baptiz'd might be ac- 
 counted a Profelyte: Or, A Child dying unbaptized 
 may be faved: and another very different thing to 
 fay, that either one or the other were not wont, or 
 ought not, to be baptized. So that 'tis hard to euefs 
 what Mr. Stennet thinks he has gain'd to his Caufe by 
 quoting fo largely this Difcourfe of Sr. Norton Kjiatcb. 
 bul in his late Book (/>)• 
 
 Some Objections Mr. Stennet adds there of his own, 
 to overthrow this Argument taken from the Jewifh Bap- 
 tifm.- As that, If the Jews fraRifed Baptifm to initiate 
 Profelytes ; it muft have been an Invention of their own: 
 for no fuch Initiation is commanded in the Law of God. 
 
 But i. He may fee that they quoted Texts in the Law 
 of God for what they did in this matter, 
 
 Ao4 
 
 {f) Anfwcr to Rufen. ch» 4. 
 
Profelytes vindicated, 2,9 
 
 And a. Putting the cafe that they miftook the fenfe 
 of thofe Texts : yet when they had upon that Authority 
 eftablifh'd a Practice of baptizing Profelytes and their 
 Children ; and that Practice had now continued for ma- 
 ny Ages : if our Saviour had meant that his Apoftles in 
 baptizing Profelytes of the Nations (hould have alter'd 
 that Practice ; we have all the reafon in the World to 
 think that he would have forevvarn'd 'em of it. And 
 fince he did not ; we have reafon to think that the 
 Jews were riot miftaken in what they did. 
 
 Suppofe our Saviour had order'd his Apoftles to re- 
 quire the Nations to keep the Feafb. If he had meant 
 that they (hould not keep the Feafi of the Dedication 
 (which had no Divine Inftitution, but yet being be- 
 come Cuftomary was obferv'd by all the Jews and even 
 by Chrift himfelfj as well as the Paflbvcr and the reft 
 ( which had been commanded in the Law) he would 
 doubtlefs in that cafe have excepted that. And there is 
 the fame realon in the cafe before u?. 
 
 But that which Mr. Stennet there lays in a Challeng- 
 ing manner to Mr. Rujfen (who had mentioned this pra- 
 ctice of the Jews) Where' does he find that the Jem always 
 did and do JIM baptise Infants ; and that , to initiate 'em 
 into the Myjteries of Religion ? L is too fecurely fpoken. He 
 may fee here, as in a Specimen, but much more largely 
 in the Books of Selden, Lightfoot, &c. to which I have 
 here referr'd, that they bring full Proofs of the ancient 
 practice of the Jews in this Matter. And that the 
 Jews do ftill continue ^fo to do, there is no other 
 Queftion ; than as it is a Queftion whether any Pro- 
 felytes do now a-days either come over themfelves, or 
 bring their Children to be at alljinitiatad in their Religi- 
 on : For the Books that order the initiating of Infants 
 by Baptifm, are fuch as the prefent Jews do own for 
 Orthodox and Authentick. 
 
 Sir Norton Kjiatchbul has one Argument, which I won- 
 der much at him for ufing, and ac the other for bor- 
 rowing it of him : becaufe it had been very commonly 
 anfwer'd long before he ufed it. Which is ; that if bapti- 
 2ing of Profelytes had been in ordinary and familiar ufe 
 with the Jews ; the Pharifeet would not have faid to 
 John ; Wly bafti^eft thou then, if thou be not the Chrift, 
 nor Elias, C?c. 
 
 If 
 
30 Jewijh Baptifm of 
 
 If John had been then baptizing of Gentile Profe- 
 lytes, and had not baptiz'd the natural Jews ; the Phai 
 rifeet would not at all have wonder'd to fee Converted 
 Gentiles baptized. Tho' the Office of doing evea that, 
 was probably not accounted lawful for any but fuch 
 as had a Commiflion from the Sanedrim ; which John, 
 we fuppofe, had not : And therefore they might even 
 in that cafe have examin'd by what Authority he did 
 it. 
 
 But the cafe here was quite otherwife. The Multi- 
 tudes whom John baptiz'd, were moftly (if not allj na- 
 tural Jews. And the Pharifees and other Jews (know- 
 ing that their own Nation was not to have any other Ba- 
 ptifm than what they had already, till the Chrifi fliould 
 come, or Elias his Forerunner) look'd upon this practice 
 to be in effect the fetting himfelf up for the Chrifi, or at 
 leaft for Elias (as he was indeed that (a) Eliot £or fore- 
 runner] which was for to come) and therefore it was that 
 they fent Priefis and Levitts from Jerufalem to ask. him ; 
 Wloo art thou ? And that all Men mufe/i in their Heart* 
 concerning him, whether he were the Chrifi or not t Luke 
 
 3. 15. 
 
 Mnfworth, Lightfoot, Hammond, and every one that 
 has occafion, do (hew the eafinefs of folving this doubt* 
 The firft of thefc, having largely (hewn how common 
 and known a cuftom this Baptifm of Profelytes was, 
 adds at the end\ of it (r), Hereupon Baptifm was nothing 
 firange to the Jews when John the Baptijl began his Mini- 
 firy, Mat. 3. 5,6. They made auefiion of his Perfon that 
 did it : but not of the thing itfelf, John 1.15. 
 
 And 'tis plain that their queftions put to John do na- 
 turally import no other. They do not ask him ; What 
 * meanefl thou ? or, what wouldfi thoujignifie to us by this new> 
 ceremony of Baptising ? Nor any queftion like that. But, 
 Who art thou ? And when he confefTed, John 1. 20. I am 
 not the Chrifi. They fay, What then ? Art thou Eli- 
 as ? &c. and When he faid, J am not : (meaning that he 
 was not Eh as in that proper fenfe that they dreamt of : For 
 they expected that very fame Perfon that had been car- 
 ried to Heaven) they ask'd farther 3 Who art thou ? Wh.tt 
 fayfi thou ofthyfclf} Why baptizeji thou then (meaning, 
 the Nation of the Jews) if thou be not the Chrift, nor E- 
 lias ? tfc. AH 
 
 (q> Mat. 11, 14, CO On Gen. 17. ifc 
 
1 
 
 Profelytes vindicated. $ 1 
 
 All this has nothing in it to evince the contrary but 
 that the Jews themfelves did ufe before to baptize fuch 
 Heathens as came over to them. And indeed fuch a 
 pompous recital of Arguments that have been long ago 
 commonly anfwer'd, may ferve to amaze fuch as have 
 not read the anfwers : but it is not fair nor ingenious deal- 
 ing for any Learned Men to ufe 'em for that purpofe. 
 It brings on the World that great inconvenience of being 
 fore'd in Books to (ay Pro and Contra the fame things p- 
 yer and over again. 
 
 errata; 
 
p 
 
 E RR A T A. 
 
 Age i. Vol. I. read Part. I. lin.ptnult. I. Gh. 14. <u. 4. p. 3, 
 /. 27. /. iliter. /. ult. I. vivi. p. 4. /. 14. Why did, /. Why, 
 faid I, did. p. 7. /. 29. 9th year, /. 3d year. p. 1 2. in the Mar- 
 gin. Vol. I. /. Pt. 2. p. 13. /. IO. /• v*<fl*i I. 13. /. iytylyti- 
 H**. p. 14. /. 9. 9, I©. 2. /. q. 102. £.15./. I. /. x*1* fci£tt. 
 /. 33. all /. ill. p. 1 8. in the Margin CH. 2. §. 4. /. Introduct. §. 
 6. p. 30. /. 26. defcribes/. diflikes. p. 37. w the Margin perora- 
 tio./. prsefat. p. 43. /. 10. /. i*»'£«7»- p. 76. /. 13. /. «?*». p. 77. 
 /. «//. /. «>X»ri«»* p. 79. /. 28. /. xf«ATs? - /. 31. /. *M»r ^. 89. 
 /. 34. were /. where, p* 9©. /. 29. tranflate it, /. tranflate, IT. 
 p, III. i. 2<5. them, /.then. ^. 129. /. antepenult- qui, /. quiau 
 />. 135. /. 16. 1, quidam. p. 138. /. 18. /. futuris. /. 39. diiigentif- 
 fnnusj. 41. /. quifquis. p. 139. /. 5 & ab, dtlt &. p. J 52. /. 39J 
 ftood,fo it,/.ftood fo, it. p, 163. /. 26. lived, /. live, p, 165. 
 (.II. effefts, /. affects, p. 174. m r£* Marg. blot out thofe words, 
 & lib, 6. Mpfc. c#r. Magni. p. 189. /. 32. Grace, /. the Grace. 
 p. 191. /. */r. their, /. the. p. 193. /. 8. /. Eafter-Eve. p. 195. 
 in the Margin* incerta, /. inferta. p. 196. /. 30. looked, I. had 
 looked.^. 200. in the Margin 1 1 6 J. /. (16) p. 204. /. 15./. were 
 not moved, p. 206./. 17. fhall, /. (hoHld. p. 212. i. 38. elfe by 
 his, /. elfe his. ^.219. /. 17. Grace, /. the Grace, p. 220. l.n. 
 clean, /. unclean, p. 225. /. 32. what but, /. but what. p. 231. 
 /. penult, heretical Doctrine, /. Heretic a Doctrine, p. 249. /. 8. 
 Dcmetrias. /. 35. not a made. p. 26 1. /. 18. Opinions, p. 284. 
 1. 3^. How it could confift. p. 291. /. 3 5. publimed in Maurita- 
 nia, p. 304. /. 34. Articles of Faith, p, 307. /. 33,8c 34. Roman, 
 /. Prsedeftinarian. f. 313. /• 34. does feem. p. 315, /. 38. who, 
 V- which. 
 
 THE 
 

 | 
 
 • ■ ■ ... 
 
 

 T H E 
 
 Jrl 1 u 1 vJ Jtv Xi 
 
 O F 
 
 Infant BAPTIS 
 
 VOL. 1 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Quotations out of Clemeils Romanus 
 and Hermas. 
 
 tlemens Romanus Epift i< ad Corhthlos^ cap. 1 7. 
 
 "Sen irmTot xmiI, 'Am' duros tajUTx Ksc7»}<0£<a» 
 
 Xt^H* 'Ou^«J X*S*£?f &79 ftf'*8, iJi fi' f*t£s 
 
 ^/Jj'w of job j»V is thus written, That be was juft and 
 blamelefs, true, on© thac feared God, and efchewed 
 Evil. Tet he condemns himfelf, and fays y There is non-e 
 free from Pollution; no ; riot iho' his Life be but; of the 
 length of one Day. 
 
 Thefe words of Job are quoted from ch. 14. and 4, 
 bifete the Bnglifh tranflaiionis; Who ean bring a tit t 1 
 
fc St. Hermai. Chap, 1. 
 
 * n the Apo- thing out of an unclean ? not one'. But in the Greek tran- 
 ftles time. flation made by the Septuagint, which was in ufe in the 
 times of our Saviour and the Apoftles, they are as Cle- 
 ment here renders 'em : and they are accordingly fo read 
 by all the primitive Chriftians. And you will fee in the 
 following Quotations, that they often from thence con- 
 clude the Neceflity of Baptifm for the Forgivenefs of Sins, 
 even of a Child that is but a Day old. And in the next 
 Chapter, he brings in, to the famePurpofe, the Saying of 
 David, Pfal. 51. 5. 
 
 Ibid. Cap. 38. 
 
 tint tieMofjfy tie to» xo<7/*o», tie i*. tv rd$* j£ »xoT«r. *0 irothovtc 
 *fA*e K) JM/Atxpyistts eisiyiyir tie tov xofytar *ujt$i vgftloifs.aimtt T*f 
 *vigy*<rit*9 twiv ir&i *iy.Z t }*v>>i9»iva». 
 
 Let us consider therefore, Brethren, whereof we were made : 
 •who and what kind of Perfons we came into this World', as 
 if it were out of a Sepulchre, and from utter Darknef. He 
 that made and formed w, brought us into his own World, ha- 
 ving prepared for 11s his Benefits before we were born. 
 
 That which I produce thefe places for, is to (hew what 
 the Doctrine of this Apoftolical Man was concerning the 
 Pollution and Guilt with which Infants are born into this 
 Wopld. 
 
 Hennas Taftor 7. x.Vijlone $.cap. jj 
 
 §. i. He having there defcrib'd an Emblem or Vifion," 
 fhewed him by a Woman who reprefented the Church, 
 concerning a certain Tower built on the Water, by which 
 the building of Chrift's Church was fignified : has thefe 
 Words ; 
 
 Interrogavi illam : Quare turris <cdificata ejifuper aquam, 
 Domina ? Dixeram tibi £? prius te verfutum ejfe, circa. 
 firuBuram diligenter inquirentem : igitar invenies verita- 
 tem. Quare igitur fuper aquas <cdificatur turris, audi? 
 Quoniam vita veftra per aquam fa/va fa&a eft, &fiet. 
 
 I ask'd her, Why is the Tower built on the Water ? 
 She anfwerd, I-iaid before that you were wife to in- 
 quire diligently concerning the Building : therefore you 
 Ihall know the Truth. Hear therefore why the Tower 
 is built on the Waters. Becaufe your Life is fayed, and 
 (hall be faved by Water. 
 
Chap. L St. Herman 5 
 
 By this is denoted, that Baptifm with Water is appoin- In the Apc= 
 ted the Sacrament of Salvation to fuch as arc laved : ft lesjime. 
 •which meaning will more plainly appear by the Import 
 of the Paffage following. 
 
 Hennas T after I ^.Sirmlitud. 9. cap. 16* 
 
 He is there relating a Virion of the fame Import as the 
 other i the building of the Church reprefented by the 
 building of a Tower, wherein all things are ftiew'd and 
 explain'd to him by an Angel. He ices iome Stones pur, 
 .into this Building that were drawn up from the deep ; 
 and others that were taken from the Surface of the Earth : 
 the firft denoting Perfons already dead - 3 the other, Per- 
 fons yet alive. 
 
 Ofthofe d ra w r n up from the deep, he fa v; firft 10 Stones, 
 which filled one Range of building next the Foundation: 
 then 25 more, then 3 5 more, then 40 more. And after- 
 ward in the Explication of the Villon, he asks the Angel | 
 
 Lapides veto Mi, Domine, qui de pro/undo in fruclura-. 
 aptati funt, qui font } Dxem, inquit, qui in fundament & 
 tcllocati funt ,primum feculum esl i Sequent cs viginti quinqi 
 fecundum fecuium ejl jvftorum virorum. lili autem triginta. 
 quinq; Prophets Domini ac Mlniftri funt. Quadraginttz 
 njero, Apeftoli & D.Elores funt pnedicationis Fiiij Dei. 
 Quare, inquam, de pro/undo hi lapides afcenderunt, ?3 pofiti 
 funt in ftruciuram turns lujtif, cum jampridem portaverint 
 Spiritus juftos ? Neccjfe eft, inquit, ut per aquam habeant aft 
 cendcre, ut r:quiefcant : non pot er ant enim alittir in rcg~ 
 num D:i intrarc, quam ut deponerent mortalitatem prion's 
 vit.e. IB igitur defunc~li ftgillo Fiiij Dei ftgnati funt, cj in- 
 traverunt in rcgnum D:i. Ante quam enim accipiat hemo 
 nomen Filij D°i, morti deftinatus esl : at ubi accipit Mud. 
 figillum, liberatiir a morte c3 traditur vital . Thud autem 
 figillum aqua, eft, in qua-m defcenduht homines morti cbligati^ 
 afcendunt vero vitx afignati. Et Mis igitur prcedicatum eft 
 Mud figillum, & uftfunt eo tit intrarent in rcgnum De:\ 
 
 Et dixi ; Quare erg*, Damme, Mi quadrnginta lapides af 
 cendernni .cum Mis de profunda, jam babentei illud ftgillum ? 
 £5 dixit, Qucniam hi Apoftoli & Dcthres qui prxdicavenmt 
 women Fiiij Dei, cum b.ibentcs fidem ejus c? Poteftaten 
 fundi effentj pradicaveruht hk fat ante cbierunt : c 
 tis dedenwt, Mud fignum. Dcfcenderunt igitur in aquam 
 t Us. (5 iter um afcenderunt. Sed hi i/ifi, defcenderunt : 
 B % 
 
4 St. Her mas. Chap. L 
 
 tn the Ape at illi qui fiiertint ante defunHi mortnl quidem Aefcende- 
 les rime. runt, Jed vivi afcenderunt. Per hos igittir vitam rcceperunt 
 •A^ 6? cognoverunt Filium Del : idcotfo afcenderunt cum en, £? 
 convenerunt inftrutturam tunis. Nee circumcifi,fed inte- 
 gri cedificati funt , quoniam xquitate fleni cum fumma 
 cajiitate defunct i funt: fedtantummodo hocftgillum defuerat 
 ei r >. Habes horum Explanatie?icrn. 
 
 But, Sir, What are thofe Stones that were taken out 
 cf the deep and fitted into the Building ? 
 
 The Ten, faid he, which were laid in the Foundation ' 
 are the firft Age : the next 25, the fecond Age, of righ- 
 teous Men. The next 35 are the Prophets and Mini- 
 fters of the Lord : and the 40 are the Apoftles and Teach- 
 ers of the Preaching of the Son of God . Why did thefe 
 Stones come up out of the deep to be placed in the build- 
 ing of this Tower, fince they had the juft Spirits before ? 
 f viz. of Juft ice, Temperance, Chaftity, &c. vehicb he 
 had mentioned before. ~\ 
 
 It was neceffary, faid he, for them to come up by £ or 
 thro "^JipkteY, that they might be at reft ; for they could 
 not otherwife enter into the Kingdom of God, than by 
 putting off the Mortality of their former Life : They 
 therefore, after they were dead, were fcaled with the Seal 
 of the Son of God, and fo enter' d into the Kingdom of 
 God. For before any one receives the Name of the Son 
 of God, he is liable to Death : But when he receives that 
 .Sea!, he is deliver'd from Death, and is ailigned to Life. 
 Now that Seal is Water, into which Perfons go down 
 liable to Death, but come up out of it affigned to Life. 
 For which reafon to thefe alfo was this Seal preached j 
 and they made ufe of it that they might enter into the 
 Kingdom of God. 
 
 And I faid, Why then, Sir, did thofe 40 Stones which 
 had already that Seal, come up with 'em out of the 
 deep? 
 
 He anfwer'd, Becaufe thefe Apoftles and Teachers 
 that preached the Name of the Son of God, dying after 
 they had received his Faith and Power, preached to them 
 that were dead before , and gave to 'em this Seal. 
 For that reafon they went down into the Water with 
 em, and came \ip again. But thefe laft were alive be- 
 fore they went down : but they that died formerly, went 
 dewn dead, but came up again alive. So that it was by 
 the means erf" thefe, that they received Life, and knew the 
 Son of God': and accordingly they came up with them, 
 
 and 
 
Chap. I. St. Her mas. 5- 
 
 and fitted in the building of the Tower. And they were In the \ 
 not hewed, but put in whole, bcc.iulc they died in great flies tinier. 
 Purity, being full of Righteoufncls : Only this SeaFwas v/'"V"' s -' 
 wanting to 'em. So you have the Meaning of thefe 
 things. 
 
 §. 3. When he fays, that the Seal cf the Son of God 
 is necejfary for their entring into the Kjngdi m of. < 
 and that that Seal is Water, it is plainly an li- 
 ef that Sentence or Definition of our Saviour, which Si. 
 Jtbn did afterward put into writing in thefe Words, 
 (1) Except a Man (fo '-tis in the Evglijh, but the Original 
 is, idr (jtitUf except one, or except any Perfon) he hern of 5* 
 Water and cf the Spirit, he cannot enter into the J\l? 
 cf God. 
 
 I fay, afterward ; becaufe this Book was wi 
 fore St. John wrote his Gofpcl, as I fhall fhew. And the/ 
 Hernias here fpeakofthe Apcftles indefinitely, as be g 
 dead, it is to be underftood of the major part of 'em : for V 
 St. John was not dead. 
 
 §. 4. The Paffage it felf, which reprefents the P:- 
 triarchs and Prophets of the Old Teftament to ftand in 
 need of Baptifm, and cf the Ap&ft'cs preaching the Name 
 cfChrift to 'em after they were dead, could 
 
 be capable of entring the Kingdom of ideed 
 
 feem ftrange to us, and is die eddeft Paffage in all the 
 Book. But we muft ccr tis reprelentcd by w. 
 
 Vifion, where every thing is net to be taken in a proper 
 Senle: Yet Clemens Alexandrinus, who liv'd about ico 
 Year after this Book was written, (2.) cites ih ; s Paffege, (l)Srrom.& 
 and takes it for real matter of fact Andthofe Texts, 
 I Pet. 3. 19. & 4. 6. v k of the Gofpel being 
 
 preached to them that voere dea d, the' they be now by moit 
 Protcflants underftood is icr fenfe, were by moft of 
 
 the (1) Ancients underftood in a Senfe like to this. l3j Iren.l.J. 
 
 This faflage dees alfo lead cne to think anew of St. c '^ i ' 
 Paul's mentioning a Practice of feme Men in thofe times ^ effl# • < ev * 
 being (4} baptized for the dead. A thing that has never A r -' m ' ' 
 yet been agreed on in what fenfe it is to be underftood. r Jf 1 , * 
 Of the Ex-plications that arc, I give fome account (5; here- x ern ,] J c 
 
 afc £i"- . . r . . Aniirlc.7. 
 
 There is, if we compare this PafTage with thofe Sayings (4) r Cor. 
 
 of the Apcftles, fomediing Iike,and fomething unlike. St. 1 5. 29. 
 
 Peter .mentioning the Gcjpel preached to the dead, ( i£he(5)Ch. xxi. 
 
 be fo to be underftood) makes it to be done by Jcfus §. 3. 
 
 I himfelf in or by the Spirit .- which Henna* rei 
 
 B 3 
 
6 ft, Hernias, Chap. L 
 
 In the Ape- fents as done by the Apcft'es after thev were dead ; and 
 itles time ( 6 ) Clemens Alex, by both. St. Pda/ipeaks of feme Per- 
 ua^\~^^ f° ns baptized for the dead ; but Hernias in the way of 
 (6; loc. Vjfion represents the dead themfelves that died under 
 c ^yu • the old Teftament, to be baptized in the Name of Chrift. 
 t L ,a' AndM Or/'j'P^fpeaksmuchto the fame purpoicas Hernias. 
 
 •J-'JC 14- -r. i i \ C irr z ? i i a 
 
 But whether thele were tme Viiions, or only the Au- 
 thors Senfe given under iuch a Representation, ftill the 
 Scope of the place is to reprefent the Neceflity of Watcr- 
 Baptifm to Salvation, or to Entrance into the Kingdom 
 of God, in the Opinion of the then Chnftians, i. e. the 
 Chriftians of the Apcftles times. Since even they that 
 Were dead before the Inftitution of Baptifm in the Name 
 of Chrift, are in way of Virion reprefented as uncapable 
 of the Kingdom of God without it. 
 
 Her mas P aft or I. \.fim'4 : . 9. c. 29. 
 
 §. 5. He having there fpoken ofMartyrs,Confeflors,flnd 
 fome other degrees of Chriftians, comes to fpeak of a fort 
 of Harmlefs People, reprefented there by the white colour, 
 •who have always been as little Children : and adds thefe 
 Words. 
 
 Quicunq; ergo -per/nan ferint ficut infantes, non haberitcs 
 malitiam, honor atiores aunt omnibus iltis quo s jam dixi, 
 Omnes enim Infantes honorati funt apud Doininum (3 pri- 
 mi habentur. 
 
 Whomever therefore (hall continue as Infants, without 
 Malice, {hall be more honourable than all thofe of whem 
 I have yet fpoken. For all Infants are valued by the 
 Lord, and efteemed the firft of all. 
 
 This being to the fame efFed: as our Saviour's embra- 
 cing Infants, and laying, Of fuch is the Kfngdcm cf God, 
 is one of the Reafons ufed-to prove that they are fit to be 
 admitted into the Covenant of God's Grace and Love by 
 Baptifm. And whereas the Antipxdobaptifts expound 
 our Saviour's Words, not of Children themfelves, but of 
 Men that are of a-n innocent Temper, like Children : 
 not only that- is affirmed here, ibut it is moreover faid 
 of the Infants themfelves, that they are greaiiy valued 
 and efteemed of God. 
 
 §. 6. Thcfc Books of Clement and Hernias, v, hen after 
 they had in the ignorant Agelain hid and unminded, they 
 came again into the Hands of learned Men, were at firft 
 
 queftionedC 
 
Chap. I. St.Herm+is. 7 
 
 queftioned, whether they were the genuine Pieces cf thofe In the Apo- 
 Authors, and the fame that (b) Eujebius teftifiesto have ft. : es time 
 been reckon'd by many for Books of Holy Scripture, and y ~^~^ / ^ 
 to have been read in many Churches accordingly. But (8)Eccl. Hifr, 
 after that fo many Quotations of 'em, by the Ancients/* J- c * 3- & 
 have been examin'd, and found to be verbatim, the fame, l • 
 there is no longer doubt of that matter. They were ac- 
 cotuited divinely infpired by fome,but rejected from that 
 rank by others. They may therefore very well pais for 
 the two Apocryphal Bcokj cf the New Teflament, as Tobit, , . ., . 
 &c. are otthe Old : and fo they are reckon'd by (9) Eufe- |, > jf'c 
 bius, (10) Rufinus, &c. The greater Commendation is^^ ~ J ' m " 
 due to the Pains of Dr. Wake, for putting them and fomc 
 other of the moft ancient Pieces, into the Hands of the 
 Eng Ufh Reader : and the more prepofterous is the Hu- 
 mour of many, that prefer the reading of modern things 
 before 'em. 
 
 I faid that thefe Books were written before St. John 
 wro:e his Gofpel -, which may be made appear thus; 
 St. jobn lived to 68 Years after our Saviour's PaiTion, 
 vi%. to the Year of Chrirc i o i. as is attefted by St. Hierom, 
 who fays it in ( 1 1 ) two places, and in one cf 'em lays ; that ( [ - ) de fcript# 
 the Church Hiftories do moil plainly /hew it. And it isEccl. & !. i. 
 certain he cannot be miftaken confiderably, becaufe Ire- contra Joyi- 
 n.eus, who often recounts how greedily he had in his njan. 
 younger Years heard Polycarp diicourfe ofSt. John and his 
 Affairs, and of the Conferences he had had with him, fays 
 in da) feveral places, that Sf.Jchn continued to the times fi*)l 2.C.39. 
 cf Trajan : and the Year of Chrift 101. is but the yth & 1- 3.t-3« 
 Year of Trajan. And it is agreed by all, that he wrote 
 his Gofpel but a very little before his Death. 
 
 'Tistrue indeed, that St. John feems, chap. 5. 2. to fpeak 
 of jcrufalem as if it were then Handing. But many learn- 
 ed Men underftand thefc Words, There is at jerufaicm, 
 i^:. that is, in the place where Jerufa'cm was, or in the 
 Ruines, as if one had faid, during the Ruines of London , 
 there is in Cheapfide a Conduit. 
 
 The Current Tradition is, that he wrote it upon his 
 Return to Ephefm, after that violent Perlecurion of Chri- 
 ftians in the i^th Year of Demit ian. Anno Dom. 94, re- 
 membred by all Writers. In chat Persecution St. 
 was banilfe'd into the I flan d Patmos, (13) for the ii\/,d cf /^ p v . YiIi <>, 
 Cod, and for the Teflimony o/jefus Christ : where he had 
 thatVifionor Revelation which he has pubiuVJ, which 
 h'czheus (hews to have been in the latter end of Pcniitian's 
 
 B 4 Re . c 
 
8 Clement & Hennas. Chap. |. 
 
 In the Apo- Reign, in thefe Words, (14) We wilt not run the Hazard 
 
 itles time. of affirming any thing pofnively, concerning the Name of 
 
 *^~v**-^ Antkhrifi [fignified by the Number 666} for if it had been 
 
 (l4>''5- c -3 0< expedient to he pub l ijhed plainly at prefeht, it would have 
 
 been exprefl by him himfelf that faw the Vifwn ; fince it is 
 
 not very Ion? ago that it vat fcen; being but a little befors 
 
 our time, at the latter end of Domlthn s Rrign. 
 
 Domitian dving, anno 96. and Nsrva a mild Prince fuc- 
 
 ceeding, the Prifoners and banifhed Men were releafed : 
 
 1\ ■l* C ' *' an ^ St. 3 0bn 'returned to Ephefus, where, as (15) Irtnaas 
 (16J inbynop- and ^ ^ AthAna j; m teftifie> he wrote his Gofpel. And St. 
 
 ('-j\<\ r " ^ ^' ierom mentions the Occafion of it ; (17) He, latt of 'all 
 Ecrl dT an t ^ >eYe ^y wote his Grfpcl, being entreated Jo to do by the 
 * ^ ' Bijhops o/Afia, againfi Cennthns and other Heretickj, and 
 especially the the?i ncw-fprung- up Opinion of the Ebicnites, 
 who affirm, That Chritf had no being before Mary, for 
 which reafon he thought it needful to difcourfe concerning 
 his Divine Nativity alfo. And this is, as to the main,coH- 
 C I0 H 3«c. 1. fi rm ed out of Jrenaus himfelf, for he fays (18) that he 
 i, l 9X 3- c > II • v>rote it at Ephefus : and, that (1 9) he aim'd thereby to ex- 
 , tirpate the' Error which had been /owed in the Minds of 
 Men by Ccrinthus. ' Thefe things are reported by fuch 
 Men as had the Opportunity of eauly knowing the Truth 
 in fuch matters of Fact. ; • 
 
 Now for the Age of thefc Books of Clement and Her- 
 mas, one need only enquire for the time of Clement's 
 , ,. . .- Death: for Herman wrote his while Clement was living 
 [>©/|. I-.** 1 * 2 * and Bifhopof the Church ztRome, and (20) and men- 
 tions him therein as fuch. ■ And tho' the time of Clement's 
 Death benotfo exactly to be difcover'd from the Ancients, 
 but that they that havegeneaboutto fettle it have varied ; 
 andfome from others 2.0 Years: yet they that have plac'd it 
 the larefthavc placed it a^foon as St. "Johns Death is placed 
 by thofe that have placed that the fooneft, vi%. anno 101. 
 forin giving that date of St: Johns Death, I gave rheearli- 
 eft that is pitch'd upon. St. Chrypjlom and the Chronicon 
 tAlexandr. make him live fomeYears longer. •■ 
 
 The two that of late have made the moft exact Dif~ 
 
 quifition about the time of St. Clement, are Bp. Pear fan 
 
 hi) Psarfoni an( ^ ^ r ° & 9 d**& '' (n) Bp. Pcarfon having found by un- 
 
 L)e r3 .poftht- deniable Proofs that the times of Hyglmis Bp. of Rome 
 
 xnz Chrono- ale f et t0 ° l° w ^ the Chronological Tables by 1 5 or 
 
 Ic^Diflert.2, 2 °> or (asfome Writers place him ) 30 -Years, and tint 
 
 he muft have enteral upon his Office anno 1 22 at the lateft, 
 
 does proporrionably fct all the foregoing Bifhops higher': 
 
 ... and 
 
Chap. I. Clement & Herman <? 
 
 and fo he has ma"de St. Clement come into the Bimoprick In the Apo« 
 immediately after the Death of St . Peter and St. Paul, files time. ' 
 which he places, anno £8 : (35 Years after our Saviour's ^s^V***-* 
 Paflion ) and to continue alive till the Year 83. And 
 he fuppofei Linus and Anenclctus, who are commonly 
 placed before St. Clement, to have been no ctherwife Bi- 
 fhops there than as they a&ed under the faid Apoftles in 
 their Life time. 
 
 (21) Mr. Dodwell judges that afcer the faid Apoft : e's ^ajDiHerta- 
 Death, which he places, anno 64 Linus was Bifhcp, and ll ° iin P- oe 
 after him Anenclctus. But that they both dieel in a very Succeff Rom. 
 ■fliort time, about a Year, and that Clement fafceeed- ont " c * ir ? 
 ed anno 65, and continued to 81. By either of thefc 12 > &c ' 
 Accounts, Clement was dead a great while before St. John 
 had wrote any of his' Books. 
 
 But there is a PafTage in Irenreus ( whofe Authority e- 
 very one owns to be in this matter beyond compare ) 
 wherein the time of Clement's Succcflion, and thediftance 
 thereof from the time of thofe Apoftles is purpofeiv in- 
 fiftcd on : and that, tho* it mention net the Years- yet 
 as it fuppofes his Entry on that Office to be nichcr St. 
 Peter and St. Paul's time, than fome had placet! it 5 fo 
 it will by no means fuffer him to be p'aced fo earlj 
 to fucceed within a year or two after their Death. It>> 
 /. 3. c. 3. whefe he is confuting that Plea of the Vaicn- 
 tinians, ( Hereticks that held that there is another Gc6 } 
 iuperiourto him that created the World) whereby they 
 pretendod to have this Doctrine by Tradition from 
 the Apoftles ; who would not write it, not tell it to e\ ery 
 Body, but to fome more perfect DKciples, by whofc 
 Hands it came to them. The Words are thefe. 
 
 It is eafi? for any one that would he guided by Truth, to 
 kjiovo the Traditim of the Apojllru declared in all the iVorld. 
 And wc arc able to reckon up thofe that were placed Z>."- 
 /loops by the Apoftles in the fever al Cfjurches, and their Succcf- 
 fors to this time ; who never taught nor Imcw anyfuch tbittg 
 as thefc Men dream of. And the Ap'fflrs, if they had /; . 
 of any deep Myferics which they wuld communicate to th r jc 
 that were perfect privately and by themfehes ; they would 
 have taught 'em to thofe Men fooner than any to whom they 
 committed the -Churches : For they deft 'red that Rich (hetll l 
 be very perfect in every thing ,and wantingin nothing, vph tn 
 they left as their Succcffvrs, delivering to them their own 
 of Government. Since if thefe Men did well, t 
 
 - v '■ 4 
 
io Clement & Hernias. Chap. f. 
 
 In the Apo- would enfue great Advantage 5 but if they mifcarried, great 
 
 ftles time. Mifchief 
 
 V^V-**— ' But it being a long Buftneft in fuch a Book_ a this to rec- 
 kon up the SucceJJions £>/all the Churches : if we/hew the 
 Tradition left by the Apoftles, and the Faith taught the Chri- 
 fiians derived by Succeffions ofBiJhops to our time, in that 
 Church which is one of the greatest and moil ancient, and 
 known to every Body, founded and built by the two moil glori- 
 ctis Apoftles, Peter and Paul ; we Jhall fhame all thofe who 
 by Self conceit or Vain-glory, or by Ignorance, and mifta^en 
 Opinion, hold things that they ought not. For every Church, 
 I mean the Chriftians of all places round about, have necefl 
 fary Occafwns to come to this Church, by reafon that the Go~ 
 vernmcnt and Power is there : £ meaning the Seat of the 
 Empire] and Jo in this Church the Tradition of the Apo- 
 files is always preferved by means of thofe that fi om all places 
 ref&rt thither. 
 
 The blejfed Apoftles then having founded and built this 
 
 fit} T" Church, deliver d over to Linus the Office of the Bljhoprick^ 
 
 "\ 21 '^' ^' iS Li nus P au l mentions in his (zi) Epijlles to Timothy. 
 
 *' * The next to him is Anencletus. 
 
 After him, in the third place from the Apojlles, Clement 
 comes into the Bljkopricl^, who had bothfeen the blejfed 
 Apoftles and conferred with them, and had the Preaching, and 
 Tradition of the Apoftles as yet founding in his Ears ; and 
 that not he alone, for there were many then left alive who 
 had been perfonally taught by the Apoftles. It was under 
 this Clement that a great Diffenfion happening among the 
 Brethren that were at Corinth, the Church that was At 
 Rome fent a moil powerful Epijile to the Corinthians, per- 
 fwading 'em to Peace, ftirring up their Faith a-?iew, and de- 
 claring to them the Traditiotis which they had lately received 
 from the Apoftles : which teaches, that there is but one God 
 Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, Creator of Man, 
 
 Sec. And that the fame God is declared by the Churches 
 
 to be the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, whofo will may 
 fee, ex ipsa Scrnotura, by that Scripture [ot Writing] it 
 felf, and may underftand the Apoftolical Tradition of the 
 Church : For that Epiftle is older than they are that now 
 teach thefe falfe Doftrlnes, and invent another God above 
 the Creator and Maker of the things that arc feen. He pro- 
 ceeds to name th,e Bifhcps from Clement to Ekuthcrm, who 
 was then Bifhop, the lzth from the Apoftles: and to 
 appeal to the Church of Smyrna which had had Polycarp : 
 and to the Church g$ Ephefis which had had St, John fo 
 
 lately 
 
Chap. I. Clement & Hennas. 1 1 
 
 lately living among 'em- and that none of thefe had In the Apo* 
 taught or pretended to know of any of thofe iccret Tradi- *^!i^^ 
 tions that thefe Men fet up. - — ' 
 
 Now when it was for his purpofe to (hew how near 
 Clement and this Epiftle of his were to the times of St. 
 Peter and St. Paul, and he fays no more, but that Cle- 
 ment had feen and heard them, and that feveral others 
 were then alive befide him, that had done the like ; he 
 plainly fuppofes that they had been dead a confiderab'e 
 time. For we never fpeak fo of Men that have been 
 dead but a Year or two. When we fay. There are many 
 yet alive that can remember fuch a Man, and have conversed 
 with him, a Stander by will conclude, we fpeak of one 
 that has been dead a good while: it may be 15 or 20 (24)Chronic 
 Years. And yet even fo, if we reckon with (24) Eufebius it. Hut. 1. 2> 
 and other ancient Accounts, that Clement held the Seat c. 34. 
 but nine Years, he will yet die before St. Join, and 
 before the time when, by all Accounts, he wrote his 
 Gofpel. This alfo is considerable j that Clement, who 
 quotes many places out of other Books of the New-Te- 
 ftament, feems never to have feen any of St. Johns 
 Writings. 
 
 Therefore tho' Bp. Pcarfon has convine'd every b 
 that Hyginw is to be placed as he has placed him : 3 er, 
 it feems improbable that Clemen? ftiould have been Bi- 
 ftiop fo foon as he places him. Rather fome Years are 
 to be taken from the times of the Biihops that were be- 
 tween thofe two. 
 
 §. 9. For the fame reafon, I think it very improbable 
 that this Clement was the Clement mentioned, Phil. 4. 3. as 
 St. Paul's Fellow-Labourer, when he was at Rome the fifft (2<)H E.l 2 
 time, 6 Years before his Martyrdom : tho' (25) Eufebi- c . 1 2> 
 us, St. (z6) Jercm, and Epiphanius do guels him to be the (26^deScript. 
 fame. For would not Ircv.xus have mentien'd that in- Eccl. v. Cle- 
 ftead of faying what he does ? \i was much more to mens, 
 his purpofe, than to obferve the like of Linus, of v I 
 Authority he makes nofuchufe, (xi^Wom in 
 
 And more improbable it is, that this Hermas ftiould be R om . I( $/ 
 the fame whom St. Paul falutes as his Acquaintance 11 (28)1. 3. "c.3. 
 Years before he died, tyn. 16. 14. tho' (27) C-.' g is (29) de 
 it to be he ; and (28) Eufcbius and (29) St. Jdrom tell us Script. Ecck 
 that feveral thought fo. For this Hermas; as he was no Hermas. 
 young Man, becaufe Y30J he had Children then gui ty (3°)1« i«vif. 
 of Fornication ; fo he was no very old Man when he 2 - c - *• 
 wrote.- becaufc he mentions the C31J Woman that had (30 '« l« 
 ■ ~ ' been™' *• 
 
Juftin Martyr. Chap. If. 
 
 I - Apo- been brought up with Jum, as a Woman of fuch great 
 
 l .i«e. Beauty at that time, 
 
 A/ ^" srf I fhall have occafion in another (32) place to make the 
 
 (32) Vol I. like Observation of the Epijlle of Barnabas, and to ftiew 
 
 Chap. 9. §,6, that probably it is not of that Barnabas that is mentioned 
 in the Atl s of the Apoflles. To conclude Men to be the 
 fame, becaufe of the fame Name, as it is very obvious, 
 fo 'tis of little weight. 
 
 And if they be not judged to be the fame, nor to have 
 had any fuch Familiarity with the Apoftles.but only to have 
 feen or heard 'em, &c. then that Argument falls to the 
 Ground of thofe that fay, Thefe Books are either fpuri- 
 ous, and then why do we regard 'em ? or elfe, if they be 
 counted genuine, why are they not put into the Canon, as 
 well as the Writings of St. La^,and Sr. Mark,? St. Mari^ 
 and Sz.Luke were for ccrtainContemporaries,Companions , 
 and intimate Acquaintance with the Apoftles for a long 
 time of their Life : the fame is not certain, and I believe 
 not true, of the Authors of thefe Books ; tho' it be plain 
 that they liv'd in the Apoftles Age, and wrote before the 
 Death of St. John. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Quotations out oijuftin Martyr. 
 
 Dialog, cum Try phone, fag. 94. Ed. Steph. i$$i. 
 
 5Tearafter the §• l -Tf A ' *X * f °"^* et " T ^ y ™ $*rf i &™ <a y » w linx^l^ «* 
 
 Apoftles 40. IX '*** a w«&is"*e£c 'inrifitaflQr* oiJa.^1 twrot iXtXvQmttt 
 
 *±S~S/~**-' '&ii to» TroUftov, titirio *Ji to ^vvnBlinu twroy x, rdujaSwai ar 
 
 w<ft»c tbt»V i/Veft«V«», *xk vtif to y*v*t to -ray ivSjooVatv, c! )im 
 
 to 'AJfcfcji* v&o 3-*'»«Jov i£ 3-\a.'v«v <r»» to "Opiui *Vs:r7a>x«, ■*■*&, rh 
 
 iiiai cut'ixv t5t*'r» avriv 9roi»$iuaa/x'i)i>t. 
 
 And we kjiow that he did not 'go to Jordan, as having any 
 need of being baptised, or of the Sprits coming on him in 
 Shape of a Dove. As alfo, neither did hefubmit to be born 
 arid to be crucified, as being under any Ncccjfty of thofe 
 things. But he did this for Mankind, which by Adam was 
 fallen under Death, and under the Guile of the Serpent, be* 
 fide the particular Qaufc which each Man had of Sinning. 
 ""■ ~ I recite 
 
Chap; IF. Juftin Martyr. 
 
 I recite this only to fhew, that in thefe times fo very Year after the 
 near the Apoftles, they fpoke of original Sin affednng all Apbflles, 40, 
 Mankind descended of Adam : and underftood, that be- ^N^*^, 
 fides the adtual Sins of each particular Perfon, there is in 
 our Nature it felf, fince the Fall, fomething that needs 
 Redemption and Forgivenefs by the Merits of Chrift. m ~ 
 
 And that is ordinarily applied to every particular Perfoa ■ * m Jr /IjtJMb 
 
 k * 
 
 Dialog, cum Try phone, pag. 5*9. ejufdem Edi 
 
 §. 2. K*> r ft tit 01 JictTXTx 7tQf%m^a*i f Tic ftS Qui", S t«uitjJ» t»» 
 jc«t* ffotjHot ir<tgi\d fay-ii Jr*£<7o//i»», */*.« TriivfjttflmtiT, a v 'Eiti^iy 
 •1 0/j.oin iQtiKet$tu 5 rjJtiis efV Jix fixirrfo/xuTOS «uthv, iraS~*» 
 «7**jt»\o< iy*y vw^iy, rf>* to 'i\t»s to a-*eft to ©f* i\<L$ofM ty 
 itZcw i$irh ofAoiu! 'Ka.fA^dim. 
 
 We alfo who by him have hadAccef to God, have not re- 
 ceiv'd this Carnal Circumcifion, but the Jpiritual Circumcijion, 
 which Enoch, and thofe like him obferved. And we have 
 received it by Baptifm, by the Mercy of God, becaufe we 
 were Sinners : and it is enjoyned to all Perfons to receive it 
 by the fame way. 
 
 J Tis plain that this moil ancient Father does here fpeak 
 of Baptifm, being to Chriftians in the (lead of Circum- 
 cifion : and the Analogy between thefe two is one of the 
 Arguments ufed by the Paedobaptifts to prove that one 
 ought to be given to Infants, as well as the other was. Ic 
 is to the fame Senfe, as is that Saying of St. Paul, where 
 he calls Baptifm, with the putting oft the Body of the Sins 
 ©f the Flefli, which attends it, the Circumcifion of Chrift, 
 (or as it would be more intelligibly render'd//;e Chrijlian 
 Circumcifion) in thefe (3) Words; In whom alfo ye are cir- (3) Col, £^ 
 cumcifed with the Circumcifion made without Hands, input' 1 1, 11, 
 ting off the Body of the Sins of the Flefh, by the Circumci- 
 fion of Christ, buried with him by Baptifm. For by thofe 
 Words, the Circumcifion of Christ, muft be underftood ei- 
 ther that Adtion by which Chrift himfelf in his Infancy 
 was circumcifed : and it is no fenfe to fay, that the Co- 
 loffians were circumcifed with that : or elfe, that Circum* 
 cifion which Chrift has appointed, the Chriftian Circumci- 
 fion : and with that he fays they were circumcifed, being 
 buried with him by Baptifm. Only he, as well as 
 %uflin, refers both to the inward and outward' part of 
 Baptifm ;• whereof the inward part is done without 
 
 Hands; 
 
 v» 
 
14 Jaflin Martyr. Chap] II. 
 
 Year after the Hands : and accordingly the Ancients were wont to call 
 Apoftles 40 Baptifm, wie-tTo^uMKavwepa-oj^ar, the Circumcijion done with- 
 /^^^^ cut Hands; as will appear by iome following Quotati- 
 C«; See Chap ons# f a } So that it feems hard for the Antipaedobaptifts 
 xu. §. 5 . chap # to maintain, as fome of them do, that the Scripture and 
 Xiv. $. i. ancient Chriftians do not make any Refemblance be- 
 
 rP *■ ak * twcen thefe two Sacraments. 
 * ^ * ' The Paraphrafe given of this^Text,. of St. Paul in the 
 ..'j&ueft.ad Orthodox, afcribed to yhjlin Martyr 9, io. 2. is 
 this. The Queftion there is, Why, if Circumcijion were 
 * /l good thing, we do not ufe it as well as the Jews did ? The 
 Anlwer is, iVe are circumcifed by Baptijm with drift's 
 Circumcifion, &c. And he brings thrs Text for his Proof. 
 
 *,% ~ 'Juftm Apoloqid prima Cvul<io%da > ) ad Ant out* 
 
 \4) prope fi- J ^ *. *> r r>- r\ 
 
 99* < */• 
 
 §. 3. This holy Man and good Martyr otjefus Chrisl 
 does in this Apology prefented to the Emperor and Se- 
 riate, in behalf of the Chriftians, vindicate them from the 
 abfurd and abominable Slanders which the people rais'd 
 on 'em : as that they did in their AfTemblies eat young 
 Children, and commit promifcuous Fornication, fifc.' 
 And having fpoke of their Dodrine and Converlation, 
 and fhewn that they neither believed nor practifed any 
 fuch mifchievous things as were reported, he proceeds to 
 ipeak of the two moft folemn Rites that they ufed, m%, 
 cf initiating or entring the Converts that came to 'em by 
 Baptifm : and of confirming their Faith, by receiving the 
 lord's-Supper. And of Baptifm fays thus, A Ot t&™ & 
 
 «n9»>t«jui^ ietvlisnS Qico, xcUvoTromSSvles «ft* t% X& 1 '>'* »£»>>i*o/*f' 
 6*. Zttuc fti t«7o Tra&tXtirQfiiC eA>'|»//.^ «"«vHftu'«v ri w if »t;»yr>3M m 
 "Ojoi ec'v 7re-:&tisi yijTri'^.vuan ec'\n8»! raulti. Tt£ up r[x&v tftc/kjxoywjv^ 
 
 cutiiv otfWoVT«{ Tag* t« ©!« ta» wgy*[Aa.$\»[Ai\t»i ctpsatY iftJVtjx.sv- 
 tcu^ it/xwv avvtuyi/jiiVMi j£ ff t/ v h five, via v «jotgic. "Evult* a^ohtm 
 i>V rfxeev "t»9st o"/»j RJ, Kf T^irot «v«}tvVH<reo»c ov jy ii/Jieis auroi 
 aveHVYnSxfJjj, *ra^ivrt2»1*(. 'E^r' ovo/** 1 )©- -ft 7vn«7gpr Ta» oXat 
 *j AsaweTS Qix t }c, TV 2»1»i^C >?/<»» I»*« Ke«s-«, *? nn7'/««]@- 
 
 «>«'» T3 cv <nkf Euftrfl T0T« \xlyl ■TTOI'xyIcU. Kett «S> i5e*S"Jf H7TIV, 'A» 
 
 jus a'ru^tvi^S-jj.TS « /u« «<TiX.t3»lt «c t»v (in7i\ela.v tkv Bg$t»»v« ot« 
 «Ai ^ dcKv&loi tic TAt f/.i>T&it tb» «r«K*ff«¥ ts'c *Va^ ^no/^KC 
 
 ^{.at^, cjyiflcu, <t'i\a T(j7rov ftu'PcafltU Tit! tt^et^TiAf ot ttfActfliintv'lte 
 
 iL) ju.tla.vo"tii1iC t I.Xi^S-Ji i\ aTefj^ABfftt^*, JtaSot^/ "jiit&iy &c. j, 
 
 \<ti \6yr i/i «c toto ar«gji'r«»r''A3'o?8X«i» t/w*'flo^ <j5Tor,tT««ftt»TW 
 
 & ■ . 
 
Chap. II. Jnftin Martyr. if 
 
 aat&t *dV f/i|« t&* nSi 7*via»v x«tT a'tofo*?, x) w iQtirt Qtuikott xj Year after tht 
 wojwjcmc dvttr^paxt yyva/dfj, 3?r»j /«« «v«^x.iff t»kv<* /u»<T$ a.ytt>\<t$ Apoftles 4°« 
 
 irgHfA&ploffy Tw'^w/wSju « T^J t/JHri, iroro/jidfylcu tbJ tKe^en* *»«^»y- 
 fMfinrcu x) fxilxvthottvlt S5B toij >i/*«j>7>i/mo«c to to riaJgyf t<£v o\«ir >£ 
 A««r«T* ®«* ov§/*«, &G. Ket\WT«M Ji tvto to Xslgjr <pc$]ts pot . 
 
 I will now declare to you alfo after what manner we be- 
 ing made new by Chrisl £or baptized]] have dedicated cur 
 felves to God : least if IJhould leave cut that, I might feem 
 to deal unfairly infome fart of my Afology. They who arc 
 ferfwaded and do believe that thcfe things which are taught 
 by us are true, and do prcmife to live according to 'em, ate 
 direc~ltd first to fray and asl^ of God, with fafting, the For* 
 givencfi of their former Sins : and we alfo fray and fail to~ 
 gether with 'em. Then we bring 'em to fome place where' 
 there is Water $ and they are regenerated by the fame 
 •way of Regeneration by which we were regenerated : for 
 they are wafhed with Water in the Name of God the Father 
 and Lord of all things, and of our Saviour Jefus Chrift, and of (5 ) Tq^ .£ 
 the Holy Spirit. For Chrisl fays, (5) unlets you be rege- 35. 
 nerated, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven : 
 and every Body knows it is impoffible for thofe that are once 
 generated £ or born] to enter again into their Mother s 
 Womb. 
 
 It wds foretold by the Prophet (6) Ifaiah, as Ifaid,bywhat (6)Ifa. i.'l6f 
 means they who would re fent of their Sins might efcape 'em: 
 and wai written in thefe Words ; Wath you, make you 
 clean, put away the Evil, &c. 
 
 And we have been taught by the Afofiles this Word £or 
 this Reafon] for this thing .- becaufc we being ignorant of 
 our fir !i Birth were generated by Neceffuy f_or Courfe of . 
 Nature] of the humid Seed of our Parents mixing together, 
 and have been brought uf in all Cujloms and Converfation j 
 that wcfhauld not continue Children of that Neccffity and Ig- 
 norance, but of Will [or Choice ~\ and Kjiowledge, and 
 Jhould obtain Forgivenefi of the Sins in which we have lived, 
 by Water, for in the Water]. There is invoked, over him that' 
 has a Mind to be regenerated, the Name of God, the Father 
 and Lord of all things, &c,~ — And this wajhingis called 
 the enlightning, &c. 
 
 If I am ask'd to what purpofe I bring in this in a Dif- 
 cfourfe of Infant-Baftifm ; my Anfwer is, That I do not 
 ' produce it as making directly or immediately either for ,r r :* 
 
 «*r againft it. He being here to fliew that the Ceremony^ 
 
 of 
 
1 6 juft'm Martyr. Chap. IF. 
 
 Year after the of cntnng .£rofelytes that came to them from the Hca- 
 ApoftIes4a thcns, had no ill thing in it, had no Occafion to (peak of 
 v"^- the cafe of Infants. But I bring it, 
 
 i. Becaufe it is the moft ancient Account of the way 
 of baptizing, next the Scripture ; and (hews the plain and 
 Irmple manner of adminiftring it : having no mention of 
 Oyl,Chrifm, Honey, ($c. The Chriftians of thefe times 
 had lived, many of them at leaft,in*the Apoftles Days. 
 
 §.4. 2. Becaufe it (hews that the Chriftians of thefe 
 times ufed the Word Regeneration, for, being born again]' 
 forBaptifm: and that they were taught fo to do by the 
 Apoftles. And it will appear by the multitude of places 
 I (hall produce, that they us'd it as cuftomarily, and ap- 
 propriated it as much to fignifie Baptifm, as we do the 
 Word Chrijlning. They us'd alfo *»«x<«vw/*«or ««m»6- 
 *»«'*» Renewing^ and ?»Ti^of, Enlightnitig, for the fame 
 thing : as appears by thefirft andlaft Words of this Paf- 
 fage: 
 
 , And %dly, Becaufe we fee by it, that they underftood 
 that Rule of our Saviour, Except one be regenerated^oc 
 born a^ain ] of Water and the Spirit, be cannot enter into 
 tlx Kjngdom of God, of Water-Baptifm, and concluded 
 from it, that without fuch Baptifm, no Perfon could 
 come to heaven. And fo did all the Writers of thefe 40& 
 Years, not one Man excepted. 
 
 §. 5. This is of the more ufe to note, becaufe many 
 modern Writers ufe the Word Regeneration or New-Birth^, 
 for Repentance and Converfion, whether it be accompa- 
 nied with Baptifm at that time or not. But the Ancients 
 do not fo. The Scripture alfo ufes it for Baptifm : The 
 Wafhing of Regeneration, Tit, 3. 5. is the wafhing of 
 Baptifm. 
 
 And I (hewed before in the IntroducTtion,that thisPhrafe 
 was not firft ufed by our Saviour or his Apoftles : but 
 that it was a ufual Word of the Jews, to denote that Bap~ 
 tifm by which any Profeiyte was baptized unto Mojes. 
 
 Jujlin Martyr Apol. 1 Qvulgo %da) props at 
 initio. 
 
 0i*K TrM^mv ifAtthnu'dnSAv rtS X&?<? y dpQoyt ftaftinat. Seve- 
 ral Perfvns among us o/6q and 70 Tears oI4 ? of both Sexes T 
 
Chap. II. IeenAus. 17 
 
 who were difcipled [or made Difciples] to Chrijl in their Year a«ef tfw 
 Childlmd, do continueuncorrupted [[or Virgins.] - Apoftles 40. 
 
 St. Jifiin's Word, !/<«9>it»i/8iiw we're difcipled, or, made CjfyrSSH 
 Difciples, is the very fame Word that had been uied by 
 St. Matthew in expreiling our Saviour's Command, 
 fMafcnWnft, Difciple £ or, make Difciples] All the N.itions. 
 And it was done to thefe Perfons, Jufiin fays, in theif 
 Childhood. So that whereas the Antipaedobaptifb do 
 fay, that when our Saviour bids the Ap'oftles, DiJciplS the 
 "Nations, baptising «»j he cannor mean Infants % becaule 
 he mult be underftood to bid 'em baptize only fuch a- 
 mong the Nations as could be made Difciples • and In- 
 fants, they fa?, cannot be made Difciples. They may 
 perceive that in the Senfe in which Jufli/i underftood the 
 Word, they may be made Difciples. And Jufiin wrote 
 but ico Years after St. Mat hew. 
 
 chap, in; 
 
 Quotations out of St. Irenxus. 
 
 5. 1. J I ^His Father does in many places fpeak of original "fear after KW 
 I Sin, as arfe&ing ( 1 ) all Mankind, [i)alhitr Race, Apoftles 67. 
 purting'eminaStateof (3)^/^0^ foGW,7Vrf>?/- «-^*V Vs- ' 
 $reffors, arid Enemies to hirh,{^) under the Stroak^of the Scr- , n ^ C3 \ lxr ^ 
 pent, and addifted to Death. And that it is only in and thro' l ' c ' x „ 
 Chnft that they have (5) Reconciliation andH?^ ef ^P t ^ on -fi)ibid.c/iim 
 He alfo fo fpeaks of-Bapriirn, as of the Means' or Inftru- /^) ibido 16. 
 tnentby which' this Redemption is conveyed and applied ^ 1 4 c ^ 
 to any one, and calls it by the Name of (6)^ T f Ci " ,c & & 1. 5. r . iy. 
 dirt>\u'<r$moit Redemption, (j) 1,3- c. 20». 
 
 • But tho* this laid together do make an Argument for {£) j. j. c\i8. 
 the baptizing all Pert oris, Infants as well as others ; yet I 
 (hall pafi by this and other fuch places in this and other 
 Authors, that fpeak of original Sin, and the Neceffityof 
 Baptifm only in general : intending henceforward to re-* 
 cite fuch only as do more directly and immediately con- 
 tern Infants, and fpeak of their Baptifm, either for or a" 
 zainft it, 
 
 C ittn*Ms 
 
1 8 Iren&us. Chap. III. 
 
 fear after tfig 
 
 Apoftles 67. f 
 
 ^~v^ v - r Irex&us adv. H<zrefes^l. z.c. 39. Speaking 
 
 of Chrilt. 
 
 §. i. Magifter ergo cxiftens Magiftri quofchabebat xta- 
 tern, Non rcprobans nee fupergrediens hominem, 7ieq- 3 fol~ 
 vens fuam legem in fe humant generis : fid omnem cetatem 
 
 fanBificans per Mam quj> ad ipfum erat fimilitudinem^ 
 Omncs enimvenit per femet ipfum falvare : omnes, inquam, 
 qui per eum renafcuntur in Deurn ; infantes, (3 parvulos, & 
 
 puero;, & juvenes, & feniorcs. Ideo per omnem venit <eta- 
 tem : & infantibus infans faBus, fanBificans infantes : in 
 
 parvuh parvulus, fanBificans hanc ipfam habentes atatem; 
 
 finiul £? exemplum Mis pietatis ejfcBus, & jujlitix 
 
 fubjeBio?w : injuvenibus jwvenis, &c. 
 
 ' Therefore as he was a Mailer, he had alfo the Age of 
 
 * a Mafter. Not difdaining nor going in a way above hu- 
 ' ma^ie Nature ; nor breaking in his own Perfon the Law 
 4 which he had let for Mankind : but fan&ifying every fe- 
 ' veral Age by the Likenefs that it has to him. For he 
 
 * came to fave all Perfons by himfelf : All, I mean, who 
 
 * by him are regenerated [or baptised'} unto God ; Infants; 
 
 * and Little-ones, and Children, and Youths, and Elder 
 1 Perfons. Therefore he went thro' the feveral Ages : for 
 
 * Infants being made an Infant, fan&ifying [Infants : to 
 
 * Little-ones he was made a Little-one, fandtifying thole 
 
 * of that Age ; and alfo giving them an Example of Godli- 
 
 * nefs, Juftice and Dutifulnefs : to Youths he was a Youth, 
 
 This Testimony, which reckons Infants among thofe 
 that are regenerated, is plain and full ; provided the Rea- 
 der be one that is fatisfied that the Word Hcgeticratioi 
 does, in the ufual Phrafe of thofe times, fignify Baptifm .- 
 and this cannot be doubted by any that are at all acquaint- 
 . ed with the Books of thofe Ages. As for thofe tjiat are 
 
 (7)CH.2.§.4, not, I have already had Occafion to (7) refer em to 
 5* the ufe of the Jews before and in Chrift's time, and to 
 
 fome places of Scripture: and it may be worth the while 
 to turn back to the Palfage oijuftin Martyr laft quoted, 
 ( He lived, but 30 or 40 Years before this Man) and to 
 obferve how he ufes the Word. The Reader will alfo 
 fee in almoft all the Palfages that I lhall have occafion to 
 produce, the fame ufe of the Word conftantly obferved ; 
 irhat to fay regenerated is with them as much as to fay 
 baptised, A5 
 
Chap. Iir. Irendus, 19 
 
 At Prefent, take thefe three Evidences of it, r. Jrc-jcat after the 
 nxus himlelf ufes it fo in all other places of his Book Apoftks 6% 
 that I have ever obferved: as for Inftance, /. 3. c. 19. v-"*~V *-* 
 wllcre he is producing Teftimoriies of Scripture concern- 
 ing the Holy Spirit, he has this, Et iterum, ptejl.it em re- 
 generationis in Deum demandant difcipidis, dicebat eis, &cc, 
 And again, when he gave his Difciplesthe Commiflion ot 
 Regenerating unto God, he faid unto them, Go and teach 
 all Nations, baptising 'em in the Name of the Father, and of 
 the Son, and of the Holy Spirit : where the Commiffion of 
 regenerating plainly means the Commiffion of baptising. Jig a *u~pp<^V**-k^ 
 
 §. 4. a. There are feveral Sayings both of the Latin /, /fy JLjitt- 
 and Greeks Fathers, which do plainly (hew, that they not *& ' 
 only ufed that Word for Baptifm, but alfo that they fo 
 appropriated it to Baptifm, as to exclude any other Con- 
 yerfion or Repentance that is not accompanied with Bap- 
 rifm, from being Signified by it. As thefe that follow. 
 
 Greg. Na^ian^en, when he deters the baptized Perfon 
 from falling back into finful Courfes, tells him, (8) There (%) Orat. 4?, 
 is no: another Regeneration afterward to be had, tho' it be prope ab ini~ 
 fought with never Jo much Crying and Tears ; and yet grants tl °- ( * * '"™f 
 in the next Words, that there is Repentance after Bap- «M«e* f . *"*" 
 tifm : bur fhews a difference between that, and the free / 4 " HJ!af - 
 Forgivenefs given in Baptifm. 
 
 St. Aujlin being askt, whether a Parent carrying his 
 Child which had been baptized to the Heathen Sacrifi- 
 ces, do thereby obliterate the Benefit of his Baptifm, (9) Epifh 23. 
 (9; gives this Rule j An Infant doe; never loje the Gract adBo'nifacJ 
 of Chriji which he has once receiv'd, but by his own Jmful 
 Deeds, if when he grows up he proves fo wicked: V or then 
 he will begin to have Sins of his own, qux non regeneratione 
 auferantur , fed alia cur ationc fanentur . ' Which are not to 
 ' be done away by Regeneration, but by fome other way 
 ' of Cure. Thefe kind of Sayings do plainly contradiftin- 
 guiih Regeneration from Repentance, Conversion, gfc. 
 except in the cafe of Baptifm. 
 
 So St. Hierom difcourling in Praife of Virginity, has 
 this (1 o) among the reft, that Chriji was natus ex Virginc, (- c ) I t, con- 
 renatus perVirginem: born of a Virgin, and regenerated by £ra Jovin'iani 
 a Virgin .- meaning he was baptized by Jokii that wasun- wcattediifini 
 married. To fay that Chrift was regenerated, taking 
 the Word, as many modern Writers do, for Ccr-ver 
 Repentance, &c, would be an impious Speech, 
 
 St. Av.fiin calls the Perfonsby whole means infants ar? 
 baptized, rssjer quo; re£xfctinfjir;fh6& bj -*-bcm rhey afe 
 
 C i he- 
 
io Imhaus. Chap. III. 
 
 Year after the regenerated, which woulc^be a ftrange Speech in the Dia- 
 
 /fpoftles 67. led of fome late Englifh Writers, who ufe the Wordy for 
 
 / a *.' r ~Vy~' the Converfion of the Heart 
 
 §• 5* 3- When Jrenxus does here fpeak of Infants re- 
 generated ; 'tis plain enough of it felf, that they are not 
 capable of Regeneration in any other fenfe of the Word, 
 than as it (ignifies Bapttfm : I mean the outward A& of 
 Baptifm accompanied with that Grace or Mercy of 
 Cjod, whereby he admits 'em inro Covenant, tho' with- 
 out any Scnfe of theirs. 
 
 I {hall in the places that I muft cite henceforward 
 V'here we meet With the Word, regenerate, renatus, ££c/ 
 tranflate it regenerated, without any farther Explication : : 
 but the Reader will find that he muft underftand by it, 
 baptised ; or elfe that he will make no Senfe at all of the 
 place. 
 
 Since this is the firft exprefs Mention that we have 
 
 met with of Infants baptized, it is worth the while to 
 
 look back, and confider how near this Man was to the 
 
 Apoftles time. Mr. Dodvecl, who has with the greateft 
 
 (10) Diflert. Care and Skill commuted his Age, (10) makes him to be 
 
 ad Ircn*fflUi born in the Apoftolick Age, vi\. the Year after Chrift's 
 
 Birth 97, four Years before Si. John died; and that he 
 
 was chofen Bifhop of Lyons, Anno Dom. 167. which is 
 
 after the Apoftles 67. His Proofs are too long to repeat 
 
 here. So much is plain, that he wrote the Book I here 
 
 quote within 80 years after the Apoftles, and that he 
 
 was then a very old Man. For he wrote the two firft of 
 
 (r 1) videPro- his five Zfyc^j againft Her e fie s firft, and ( 1 1) publifh'd them ; 
 
 log. I. 3. in which thefe Words are : and he publifh'd. his third 
 
 ( . Book in the time of Eleuthems Bifhop of Rome, for he 
 
 t\: |p rf i (i 2 -) mentions him as then Bifhop. Eleutherus's time is 
 
 opera pofthu- *" cc W^B) Bifhop Pear fin from the Year of Chrift 170 
 
 ,* a to 185 : butby (14J Mr. Dodtvel from 161 to 177. Sothat 
 
 ( \ 4) D'fT rt. ^ ie Year of Chrift 1 80 is thelateft that the two firft Books 
 
 ling, cle Rom. can well be fuppos'd to have been written. Therefore 
 
 Pontif. Sue- whether we agree cr not with Mr. Dodwel, that he was 
 
 ceflione c. 14. born before St. Johns Death ; yet it could be but very 
 
 &iS- little after, by the Age he muft be of when he wrote. 
 
 C 1 5") 1. 5* And befides, he himfelf (1 5) fays, as I alfo recited before, 
 
 c 30. that the Revelation made to St. John in Patmos was but 
 
 a little before his time, and that. Revelation was 5 or 6 
 
 Years before St. John died. The learned Man that 
 
 lias given the laft Edition of his Works, though he differ 
 
 from Mr. Dedwcl yet makes him born but 6 ^ears after 
 
 St.' 
 
Chap. HI. Irenaus. %t 
 
 St. John's Death. Every Body that was at this time 80 Year after the 
 Year old, muft have been born in the Apoftles time. Apo-Ues 67. 
 Irenxus's Parents muft have been born then, if he were not *"** v ~ > *"^ 
 himfelf. 
 
 I (hall fay no more, but leave it to every Body to judge 
 whether it were poflible for the Church then to be igno- 
 rant what was done as to rhe baptizing of Infants in the 
 Apoftles time, when man- then living", and the Parents 
 or moft rhen living were thcmfclves Infants in that time. 
 Yet this I may add, that Ircnxw, tho' at this time he 
 liv'd in France, being Bifhop of Lyons, yet was broughr 
 up in Afia, (where St. John had died but a little before) 
 and probably born of Chriftian Parents. For he had in 
 his younger Years often heard Polycarp (who was St.Johns 
 Acquaintance, and was (i6)chofen by him Bifhop of 0°) ^ r ^» 
 Smyrna, and was probably that Angel [or Bifhop ] of the *■ 3. c. 3. 
 Church of Smyrna, that is fo much commended, [$cv. 1. 8.) 
 difcourfe of St. John and his teaching. This he relates 
 of himfelf in his (ij)RpiJfle toPkrinuf: and he fays, he re- (i7)ApndEor 
 members the thing as if it were but yefterday : for fays lclJ - "^^ '■ 5« 
 he, I remember the things that were Hone then, better than I c ' * 9* 
 do thofe of later times (which is the Property of old Men) 
 fo that I could defcribe the -place where he fate, and his going 
 cut and coming in, his manner of L ife, his Features, his 
 Difcourfe to the People concerning the Converfation he had 
 had with John, and others that had feen cur Lord, how he 
 rehears d their Difcourfes, and what he had heard them that 
 were Eye-witnejfes of the Ward of Life, fay of our Lord, and 
 of his Miracles and Doctrine '. all agreeable to the Scriptures. 
 
 In an Age fo nigh the Apoftles, and in a place where 
 one of 'em had fo lately liv'd, the Christians could not be 
 ignorant what had been done in their time in a Matter 
 \o publick and notorious as is the baptizing or not bap- 
 tizing of Infants. 
 
 It is to be noted, that this Teftimony of Trenatis, or 
 any other pf any of the Fathers, is not fo much to be re- 
 garded as it fpeaks their Opinion or Senfe, as it is for 
 that it gives us an Evidence of what was then beiiev'd, 
 taugHt, or "jpradtis'd by the Church. If he had only figi 
 nified that he thought fit that Infants fhould be regene- 
 
 rated, it had been but one Doctor's Opinion : but he /f 
 
 fpeaks of it as a thing generally known that they were JVllpMM** 
 
 then ufually regenerated, / / 
 
 fpeaks of it as a thing generally known that they were 
 
 C 3 c H A n 
 
%£ Tertullian. Chap. IV 
 
 CHAR IV. 
 
 Out of Tertullian. 
 
 '/ear after the $. i. f*Tl£rf.vfa and Origen being the two next that 
 ^pofHesuio J^ have faid any thing of this Matter, their Cha- 
 
 * i ~ / Tr* m * ra&er is fuch as requires fomething to be faid 
 
 of it. They were both of 'em very learned Men ; but 
 both inclin'd to be fingular in their Opinions, and accord- 
 ingly both fell into great and monftrous Errors in the 
 Faith. 
 
 The firft fell into the Herefie of the Montanifls, who 
 
 blafphemoufly held that one Montanus was that Paraclete 
 
 or Comforter' which our Saviour promifed to fend : and 
 
 that better and fuller Difcoveries of God's Will were 
 
 made to him than to the Apoftles, who prophefied only 
 
 in part, He commonly calls the Catholicks, Pfychicbo: 
 
 the carnal Men. And he afterward forfook the Mont a- 
 
 £0 Auguftin. nijis too, and fctup a new Sect of his own called (1) Ter- 
 
 <jj harrefibus. tullianijls : fome Remainders of which Seel: continued at 
 
 fc. 2,6. & 86. Carthage till St. Aujliris time, and he had the Happinefs 
 
 to convert the laft of 'em, and to get 'em to give up theif-- 
 
 Church or place of Worihipto the Catholicks. 
 
 The other being a great Platonisl, taught the Prarex- 
 
 iftence of Souls: that the Souls of all Men had a former 
 
 Being before the World, and had finned in that former 
 
 State, and were ferit hither into Bodies as a Punifhmcnt ; 
 
 (z) Aug. deandhe(z) derived original Sin from thence, which the 
 
 •Civic Dei, Scripture derives from the Fall of Adam. He had alfo 
 
 3. ti. c 13. other Errors about the Refurreclion and the future State, 
 
 fe) Ep- ad {5V. So that (3) St. Hierom giving Advice to Tranquili- 
 
 Tranquilinttm nUi f the Caution wherewith one muft read Origen s 
 
 y * Works, fays, My Opinion i$ that Origen is fometimes to be 
 
 read becaufe of bis Learning, but fo a( we read Tertullian, 
 
 Arnobiu.% Apolknaris, awtf/owe other Ecclefiajlical fVriters t 
 
 both Greek and Latin, taking care to cboofc the good that 
 
 X in *em and avoid the contrary. 
 
 As for the Occafion I have here to quote 'em, the Rule 
 \ mentiond before is chiefly to be minded ; that fo far 
 as they do, as Hiftorians, give us an Account of the Faith 
 IndFradtife of the Church in tfecir times,thcir Teftirhony 
 is considerable ; but where cither of 'em has any parti- 
 i - culaf 
 
Chap. IV. Tertullian. £3 
 
 cular Opinion of his own, it is not of any great Autho- Year after the 
 rjw Apoftles loo 
 
 Tertullian has ipoke fo in this Matter of Infant-Bap- ' 
 tifm, as that it is hard to reconcile the feveralPaflages 
 with one another. The Reader ihall have the Particu- 
 lars. 
 
 Tertullianm cle Baptifmo^ c. 10. 
 
 $. 2. Having fpoken of the Matter cf Baptifm, Water' 
 and the Form of it, In the Name of the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost, he adds, 
 
 Diximtts quantum mediocritati nofifx licuit de univerjis 
 qux baptifmi religionem ftruunt : nunc ad rcliquumjiatnm 
 ejus xque ut potero progrediar de quxfliuricuHs quihufflafh. 
 
 1 1 have according to my mean Ability diicovrs'd of all 
 ' things that make up the Religion [ or EJfcncc~\ of Rap- 
 ' tifm : Now I will proceed tofpeak of lome icilcr ^Vie- 
 ' ftions about the other State thereof. 
 
 Afterward c. 11, 13, 
 
 §• 3- Q^tim vero prxferibitur nemini fine h apt if mo com* 
 petere falutem, ex ilia maxime pronunciations Domini, qui 
 ait ; nifi natus ex aqua quis erit, non habet falutem : puuo- 
 riuntur fcrufuli, inb temerarii traHatus quorundam, quo- 
 modo ex ift* prxferiptione Apofiolis falus competat, quo* 
 tinflos non invenimus in Domino, prater Paulum: imp cum- 
 Paulusfolus ex il'is baptifmum Chrifti induerit,.-iut prxjud:c.:~ 
 turn effc de cxtcrorum periculo, qui care ant aquaChrifli, ut> 
 prxferiptio falvaflt : aut refcindi prxferiptionem, fi etiam 
 non tintlis falus fiatuta eft. Audivi (Domino Tcfle) \ 
 modi: ne cgiis me tarn perditum exiftimet, ut ultro cxag:-< 
 tem libidine Styli qux aliis fcrvpulum incutiant. Et nuvip 
 2 His, ut potero, refpondebo qui negant Apoftolos tintlos, Na?n 
 Jj humanum Johannis baptifmum inierant & Dominicurn 
 defiderabant (quatenus unum baptifmum defirricrat ipfs. 
 Dominus, dicens Petro perfundi volenti ; qui feme I iavit 
 non habet neceffe rurfum ; quod utiq- } non tintlo omnir.i non 
 dixiffet ) £3> bxc eft probatio exert a adverfus ilfos qui adi- 
 munt Apofiolis etiam fohannis baptifmum, utdcjlru.r.t aqux 
 
 facramentum. paulo pft — Hie ergo fceleftjjjimi 
 
 illi provocant quxf.iones: Adeodkunt, baptijmus neceffarius 
 C 4 ' non 
 
14 tertullian. Chap. IV. 
 
 Xear after the ncn eft, quibus fides fatls eft : nam (3 Abraham nullius 
 
 ApoiHes i.o©. aqua nifi fidei Sacramento Deo placuit. 
 
 Sed in omnibus fofteriora concludunt, & fequentia ante~ 
 cedentibus prevalent* Fuerit falus retro per fidem nudam 
 ante Domini pajjlonem,^ refurrcclionem : at ubi fides autla 
 eft crcdendi in nativitatem, pajfionem, refurreElionemq; ejus 
 addita est ampliatio facr anient o, obfignatio baptifmi, vefti- 
 mentum quodammodo fidei, qua retro erat nuda, nee poteft 
 jam \_effe~\ fine fiik lege. Lex enim tinguendi in\pofita eft 
 ($ forma prjfcripta ; Ite, inquit, docete nationes, tin- 
 guentes eat in nomen Patris £# Filij £$ Spirit its Sancii. 
 Huic legi collata definitio ilia, nifi quis renatus fuerit ex 
 aqua. & Spiritu, ncn intrabit in regnum ccslorum', obftrinxit 
 fidem ad baptifmi neceffitatem. ltaq- y omnes exinde cre- 
 dences tinguiba,ntur, &c, ...'•,. 
 
 'Whereas it is an acknowledged Ijlule, that none can 
 
 * be-jfaved without Baptifm : grounded efpecially on that 
 
 * Sentence of pur Lord ; Vnlefs one be born of Water, hs 
 ' has no Life : Some Scruples do arife, and even raih Dif- 
 i coiirfes offome Men , How according to that Rule the 
 t Apoftles could be faved, whom we do not find to have 
 .' been baptized with our Lord's Baptifm, except Paul. 
 •* And when Paul only of them had the Baptifm of Chrift, 
 
 * either the reft who wanted this Water ofChrift muft be 
 ' fuppos'd in a dangerous Condition, that fo the t\ule may 
 
 * ftand faft : "'or el(e thelfiile is broken if any Perfons not 
 
 * baptized can be faved. "I have heard fome Men ( God 
 
 * is my Witnefs) talk at this rate,and would have no Body 
 
 * think me fo lewd as by the' itch of. my Pen to raife Que- 
 
 * fticris purpofely,which may caufe Scruples in other Men. 
 . ' ■ I will here give an Anfwer, as well ; as I can; to thofe 
 
 * Men that deny the Apoftles to have been baptiz d. For 
 
 * if they received only the Baptifm of John as of a Man, 
 
 * and had net that of our Lord: Inafmuchas bur Lord 
 
 * himfelf appointed one Baptifm, faying to Peter when he 
 
 * defired to be wafhed - He that has been once wafked, has 
 
 * no need again: which he would not have faid to one that 
 
 * had not Seen wafh'dat all : even this is a plain proof a- 
 
 * gainft thofe who take away from the Apoftles even the 
 
 * Baptifm' of John, that they may abolifh as' needlefs the 
 
 * Sacrament of Water, — -— And a little after : Here 
 
 * again thefe impious Men raife Cavils, and fay ; Baptifm 
 
 * Knot necejfary for thofe that have Fkith, which is fufficicnt: 
 "'for Abraham without -'arty Sacrament oftf atcr 7 but rf Faith 
 \ srJyMeafed Gcd, . 
 V ' '" 'But 
 
Chap! IV. Tertulliati* fjf 
 
 1 But in all Matters the later Injunctions bind, and the Year after the 
 ' following Rules take place above thofe that were before, Apoftles 100. 
 ' Tho' there were Salvation formerly by bare Faith be- MJ2* " 
 ' fore our Lord's Paflion and RcfurrecfHon ; yet when the 
 '.Faith is enlarged to believp in his Nativity, Paflion and 
 ' RelurrecT:ion,there is an Enlargement of the Sacrament, 
 ' the fealing of Baptifm,as it were a Garment to our Faith; 
 
 * which formerly was bare, but cannot now be without its 
 ' Law, for the Law of baptizing is given, and the Form of 
 ' it appointed • Go, fays he, tench the Nation;, baptising 
 ' them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
 
 * Holy Spirit. And when to this Law that B^lc is added, 
 ' Except one be regenerated of Water and the Spirit, he fhalf 
 
 * not fee the Kingdom of Heaven, it has bound up Faith to 
 ' a NeceflityofBaptifm. And therefore all Believers from 
 
 * thence forward were baptized, &c. 
 
 And afterward c. 17. 
 
 §. 4. Having (aid that it is not abfolutcly unlawful 
 for Laymen to baptize, he adds, 
 
 Sea quanto magis laicis difciplina •verecundi* (3 mode- 
 fli& incumbit, cum ea majoribus competant, nefibi adfumant 
 dicatum epifcopis offcium epifcopatns ? JEmulatio fchifma- 
 turn mater eft. Omnia licere dixit fanciijjimus Apcftolus, 
 fed non omnia expedire. Sufficiat fcilicet in necefjitatibm 
 utaris, jicubi ant loci aut Temporh aut perfona conditio ccm- 
 peltit. Tunc enim conftanti^ fuccutrentj's excipitur cum 
 ur'get circurnftantia periclitant{s. Quoniam rem crit per- 
 4iti hcminis, ft fuperfederit pro: ft are quod, liber e potuit. 
 
 * But how much more neceflary for Laymen is it to 
 ' keep the Rules of Humility and Modefty,that fince thefe 
 
 * things belong to Men of higher Order,they do not arro- 
 ' gate to themfelves the Qffice of the Bilhcps that is rro- 
 ' per to them ? Emulation is the Mother of Schifm. The 
 ' moft bleffed A pottle fajd, that all things were. lawful, 
 ' but all things were not expedient. Let it huTice that thou 
 ' make ufe of this Power in Cafes of Necedity : when 
 ' the Circumftance either of the Piace, or of the Time, or 
 ' of the Perfon requires it. For then the adventuring to 
 'help is well taken, when the Condition of a Perfon in 
 ' Danger forces one to it : becaufe he that (hall negled at 
 ■ fuch a time to do what he lawfully may, will-be guilty 
 I oi the Perfons Perdition [or Damnation^} 
 
 Let 
 
z6 Tertulfatn. Ghap. IV. 
 
 Year after the 
 
 Apoftle^ °°' £ et t he Reader mind how all this Is to be reconcil'd with 
 what he fays afterward c. 1 8. 
 
 §. 5. Cxterv.m baptifmum non temere credendum ejfe 
 fciant quorum officium eft. Omni petenti te dato, fuum ha- 
 bet titulum,* provide ad eleemofynam pertinentem. Imt 
 illud potitis perfpiciendum ; nolite dare fanHum canibus, 
 & for cis projicere margarita veflra : &, manus ne facile 
 impofucris, ne participes aliena deli&a. - ■ ■■ Itaq, 
 
 pro cujufq; perfona conditione ac difpojitione, etiam xtatc, 
 cunBatio baptifmi atilior eft : prxcipue tamen circa parvu- 
 los. Quid enim neceffe eft £ ~\fponforcs 
 
 etiam periculo ingcri ? quia & ipjiper mortalitatem defii- 
 tuere promiffones fiias poffunt, £? proventu males iridolis 
 falli. Ait quidem Dominw, Nolite illos prohibere ad me ve- 
 nire. Veniant ergo dum adolefcunt, veniant dum difcunt, 
 dion quo veniant docentur : fiant Cbrijiiani quum Chrijium 
 oxoffe potuerint . Quidfeflinat innocens cetas ad remijfionem 
 peccatorum ? Cautius agetur infecularibus ; ut cut fubfian- 
 tia t err en a non creditur, Divina credatur. Norint petere 
 f-alutem, ut petenti dedijfe videaris. Non minori decaufk 
 rnnupti quoq; procraflinandi, in quibus tentatio prafs.rata 
 &ft ; tarn virginibus -per ma.turita.tem, quam viduis per va- 
 cationem, donee aut nubant aut continent'ne corroborentirr. 
 Si qui pondus intelligant baptifmi, rnagis timebunt confecu- 
 tionem quam dilationem. Fides ivtegra fecura eft defalute . 
 
 Diem baptifitiofolenniorem Pafcha prjflat ; cum & paf- 
 fio Domini hi quam tingimur , adimpleta eft, tkc. 
 
 * But they whofe Duty it is to adminifter Baptifm, arc 
 
 * to know, that it rauft not tje given rafhly. Give to every 
 
 * cne that askpth thee, has its proper Subject, and relates 
 
 * to Almfgiving : But that Command rather is here to be 
 '- confider'd ; Give not that which is holy to Dogs, neither caft 
 
 * your Pearls before Sxvine. And that, lay hands fuddenly on 
 
 * no Man, neither be Partaker of other Mens Faults. ■ 
 
 * Therefore according to every ones Condition and Dil- 
 
 * pofition, and alfo their Age, the delaying of Baptifm is 
 
 * more profitable, efpecially in the cafe of Little-Children. 
 i For what need is there [ 3 that the 
 'Godfathers fhould be brought into Danger? becaulc 
 1 they may either fail of their Promifes by Death, or they 
 
 * may be miftaken by a Child's proving of wicked Difpo- 
 ' fition. Our Lord fays indeed, Do not forbid' em to come 
 1 te me. Therefore let 'cm come when chey are grown ur> : 
 
Chap. IV. Tertutlian. -lj. 
 
 f let 'em come when they underftand : whenthey are inftru- Year after the 
 
 * cted whither it is that they come : let 'em be made Apo: ties i oo. 
 1 Chriftians when they can know Chrift. "What need their s ^ /r * 
 
 1 guiltkf Age make fuch haft to the Forgiveneis of Sins ? 
 ' Men will proceed more warily in worldly things : and he 
 
 * that Ihould not have earthly Goods committed to him, 
 ' ye: lhall have heavenly. Let them know, how to delire' 
 
 * this Salvation, that you may appear to have given to one 
 
 * that asketh. 
 
 ' For no lefs reafon unmarried Perfons ought to be 
 ' kept off, who arc likely to come into Tentation, as well 
 ' thofe that never were married, upon account of their 
 ' coming to Ripenefs, as thofe in "Widowhood, for the mifs 
 ' of their Partner ; until they either marry or be confirm'd 
 in Continence. They that underftand the weight of 
 
 * Baptifm will rather dread the receiving it than the de- 
 
 * laying of it. 
 
 ' The moft folemn time for Baptifm is E.ifier, arwhich 
 f time the Paffion of our Lord,into which we are bapdzed, 
 ' was fulfilled, &d 
 
 Let there be alfo ccmpar'd with this, what he fays in ; 
 another Book. 
 
 TeriuIIianus de Anima^ c. 39, 40. 
 
 §. 6. Adeonu!lafere\nntivitas mundaest, ut'ufc Bthm'jcortrni. 
 Hlnc enim & Apofiolui ex fnnciificnto alrerutro fexu , '. - i 
 frocrenri nit : tarn ex fetnims prarogntiva. qur.m ex ir::::. - 
 tionh difciplin'i: cceteium, inquit y hnmundi nafcer.enbun, 
 Qunfi dcfignntos tnmen fnnttitati, nc per bocctinmjduti inu. 
 teliigi volens fideliumfiiios : ut hujusjpci pignore ynntrlmo- 
 nijs queer etinenda cenfuernt pntrocinnretur. Aiioquin ?nc- 
 minemt Dominic.e definition!* ; nifi quis nnfeetur ex aqua 
 & Jpiritu, non ibit in regnum Dei, i. e, non eritfendm. l;e. 
 annus animn coufq\ in Adorn cenfetur, donee in Chrijio rc- 
 cenfentur & tamdiu immundn, quamdiu recenfentur : pfc-, 
 catrix nutern quid immundn. 
 
 So there is almoft no being born clean £ or free from 
 Sin~] that is of Heathens. For -hence the 'Apoftlc-- lavs, 
 that, of cither Pnrerit fnnc'iified the Children tha >i 
 
 ere holy: by reafon of the Prerogative of that So.?d and 
 alfo the InftrudVicn in their Education. Elfe, fay's he, 
 were- they unclean. But yet meaning to be underftcr.i 
 thus ; that the Children of the faithful are dfignsd for 
 
 IttolL 
 
z8 fertutlian, Ghapi IV. 
 
 Year after the ' Holinefs, and fo for Salvation : that by a Pledge of fuch 
 Agoftlesjoo. * Hope he might plead for thofe Marriages which he would 
 ' have to be continued. Otherwi(e\jr,ctsfor any other mean- 
 1 * n Z\ ne knew well enough what our Lord had deter- 
 
 * mined, Except one be born of Water and the Spirit, he 
 
 * (hall not enter into the KJngdom of God: that is, he /halt 
 ' not be holy. Thus every Soul is reckon'd as in Adam, fo 
 'long till it be a new enrolled in Chrift, and folongun- 
 , e clean, till it be fo enrolled, and finful, becaufe un- 
 ' clean, &c. 
 
 §.7.1 have cited thefe PafTages at large and all together, 
 that the Reader may try if he can pick any coherent 
 Senfe out of 'em. It is the Property of warm Men, when 
 they are fpeaking earneftly on one Subject and urging 
 that, to overlafh fo as that when they are fpeaking ori 
 another with like Earneftnefs, they fall into Contra- 
 diction of what they faid before. This Author in the 
 places here firft cited, treating of the Necejfity of Baptifm, 
 ipeaks of that Neceflity as abfolute ; and of thofe that 
 die unbaptized, as loft Men : and is enrag'd at thofe 
 that maintain that Faith without it is fufficient to Salva- 
 tion. Yet afterward, when he is difcourfing of the 
 Weight, as he calls it, ofBaptifm, he advifes feveral forts 
 of People to delay it ; and to encourage 'em, tells 'em 
 that if they ftiould by that Delay happen to mifs of it, 
 an entire Faith is fecure of Salvation. 
 ' The moft probable guefs that I can make of that which 
 was his fteady meaning (if he had any ) is, that thofe who 
 put off their Baptifm negligently, or as flighting it, do, 
 if they finally die without it, lofe their Life : but that in 
 thofe that put it off only that they may be fitter for it, 
 and in a more likely Condition to keep it unftaincd, if 
 by that means they happen to die without it, the Will 
 and Purpofe of being baptized fliall be accepted for the 
 Deed. f 
 
 And when he is difcourfing on the aforefaid Subject of 
 the Weight ofBaptifm, he finds fault with the Cuftom 
 of baptizing Infants, and would have them delay 'd til! 
 they are able to underftand and confider what rhey do : 
 and then farther, till they are married : and if they do 
 not marry, or if their Confort die, then farther till the 
 Danger of Luft is over, which is frequently hot till Old 
 Age. A ftrange Advice, and which no Man either of the 
 Ancients, or Moderns, either of the one or the other fide 
 in this Controverfie do approve of. And to urge his O- 
 i pinion 
 
Chap. IV. TertuSiatt. 2,9 
 
 pinion the morej he fpeaks of Infants as if they were Y«ar after the 
 innocent or finlefs, and lb had no need of the Forgivenefs Apoftles 1 oq. 
 of Sins granted in this Sacrament. «*-/ r v >w 2 ( 
 
 Yet in the lalt cited place, when he is on another 
 Theme, he plainly owns the Catholick Doctrine of ori- 
 ginal Sin in Infants, and that every Soul born of Adam 
 is unclean and fmful, and continues fo till it be enrolled 
 or ranked anew in Chrift : and cites, as pertinent to 
 their Cafe, the Prefcription, as he calls it, or the Stand- 
 ing I(ule, John 3. 5. Except any one be born of Water and 
 the Spirit, be cannot enter into God's Kingdom. 
 
 How to reconcile this Diverlity, I know not, unlefs hi^ 
 Meaning ( when he would have fpoke for good ) were, 
 That the Baptifm of Infants, and of thofe other forts of 
 Perfons, fhould be delay'd till the times he fpeaks of, in 
 Cafe there were no Danger of Death in the mean while : 
 but that in cafe of fuch Danger it thould be adminiftred 
 ptefently : in which cafe he fays it is fc> neceffary, that 
 any one that is prefenc ( whether in Orders or not, fo he * 
 
 determines it ) oughttoadminifterit, orelfe he is guilty 
 of the Perfons Ruine or Perdition. 
 
 §. 8. And I like this my Refolution of his Opinion the 
 better, becaufe I find it to be what feveral of each of the 
 difagreeing Parties do agree to have been his Senfe, For 
 as (4) Mr. Baxter makes his Acknowledgement ; yet a- v ^> ^ore 
 gain I will confcfi that the Words o/Tertullian and Nazi- ™ ot s F ^{- 
 anzen fhew that it was long before all were agreed of the very " ^' 
 Time, or of the Neccjjity of baptising Infants before any Vl\ ^ ^ n 
 u f e cfReafon, in cafe they were like to live to Maturity, So f wer t ^ \yijj # 
 Mr. (5) Danvers his Antagonift owns this ; Tertulliati that, p> n 
 as Dr. Barlow tells us, wasfo great an Oppofer of Infant- 
 Baptifm as irrational and unwarrantable, yet had this 
 Fancy of baptizing a dying Child to fave it. Some Body 
 or other had fo ftrangely impofed upon this Man, that he 
 thought the modern Pasdobapiifts were afham'd to own 
 this Doctrine, that a Child or other Perfon is to be bap- 
 tized that he may be faved. Alfo (6) Mr. Tf.^iv lavs, ( 6 ) Examen af 
 If he [Terrullian] did allow it, it was only in cafe Marfhal's Ser- 
 of Neceffity, asjmay appear by his Words in his Boo'^ de monpag ' IO * 
 Anima c 39. And to name one of the Church of Rome, 
 Vafque^ fays, that thofe places in the Beck, de Anima, and 
 thofe where he makes Baptifm neceffary to Salvation, do not , •. - 
 prove that he recanted his Opinion, {7) for he might yetft e-\ ^ ^-ru*. 
 nough affert that Baptifm is neceffary for all, ana yet thinly m^TowJz 
 that it was not to be given before adult Age in any other c ife ^ f -** - 
 ht only that of extreme NeccJJity, This '' 
 
30 TertuUian. Chap. IV. 
 
 Year after Hie This Explication of his Meaning is alfo confirmed 
 ApoiUes ioo. from the older Editions of this Book de Baftifmo, which 
 ^-^^V****-"' inftead of thofe "Words in Rjgaltius's Edition, Quid enim 
 necejfe cftJpoi/fores,Scc. what need is there that Godfathers, 
 ($c. earn* thus; Quid enim necejfe eft, Ji non tarn necejfe, 
 fporifores, &c. What Occafion is there, except in cafe of 
 NeceiTity , that the Godfathers, &c. So it is in the 
 Edition of Pameliw : and fo, as \Pamelitis affirms, Gai- 
 gneus the firft Editor of this Book de Baptifmo has it. But 
 I have followed the Edition which I had, which is Rjgal- 
 tius's ( only leaving a Blank at the place ) fuppofing he 
 had fome ground from the Manuscripts to leave out 
 • g\ r) na »fti - tna t Claufe. Yet it cannot be denied that he has (as Mr„ 
 nesHkronvm ^ e C ^ crc ( 8 ) °bferves ) fet fome Paflages falfe, that were 
 tL 9. c. 2 * true ^ n tne former Editions, nor that he has other wife 
 fhewnhimfelf partial for the Antipaedobaptifts, as I (hall 
 jfhew hereafter, Part II. Chap. XI. §. 5. And therefore 
 I incline now to the Opinion, that the old Editions are 
 the trueft, and that it ought to be read, except in cafe 
 cfnecejjity. And then the cafe is plain how his meaning was. 
 §. 9. But that which moft deferves the Readers Obfer- 
 vation is, that the Words of Tertuliian do not import that 
 the Cujiom of the Chriftians at that time was to leave 
 Infants unbaptized : but on the contrary, they plainly in- 
 timate that there was a Cuftom of baptizing 'em : only 
 he defcribes that that Cuftom ihould be generally ufed. 
 For when he lays, why does that innocent Age make fuck 
 haft, 8cc. His Words fhew the matter of Fad: to have 
 been fo, together with his Opinion againft it. But the 
 thing we now enquire of, is the Practice of the Church,' 
 and n®t one Doctor's Opinion, efpecially when it does 
 not appear that any Body was prevail'd on by him roj 
 alter that Practice • for there is no Appearance that either) 
 : . the Montanijis ( to whom he turn'd ) or the Tertullianijls 
 
 ,9) i. de har ( w hom he fet up) were againft it. On the contrary, 
 rcfibus c. 20. § z Auftin reciting the Opinions of both thefe Sects, does 
 not mention any fuch thing held by either of em, and fays 
 at other places, that he never read of any Sect that did! 
 deny it, as I (hew hereafter. 
 
 The fame Obfervation ought to be made concerning'! 
 the Sfonfors or Godfathers whom he fpcaks of as ufed 
 in the Baptilm of Infants that could not anfwer for them-i, 
 felves. Which (hews the great miftake of fome of thejj 
 more ignorant Perfons among the Antipx*dobaptifts, whe 
 
 derxvi 
 
Chap. IV. Tertullian. 31 
 
 derive the ufe of Godfathers from I know not what Year after the 
 Pope of Rome of lace years : whereas this was within a Apoftles 100 
 loo years of the Apoftles. ' 
 
 fj. 1 o. It is fomethiig a heedlefs Anfwer that he makes 
 to thofe Words of our Saviour ; Suffer little Children to 
 come to me, &c. when he fays, let 'em come when they (ire 
 grown up, when they underjland, &cc. For that feems to be 
 the very thing that the Difciples faid when they rebuked 
 thofe that brought 'em, for which Rebuke our Saviour 
 blamed the Difciples. It is fomethihg a better Anfwer 
 which the Antipsedobaptifts now a days give, wl£ that 
 our Saviour would indeed have Infants brought to him 
 then in their Infancy, and before they underftood, and 
 that he blefs'd 'em, &c. But we do not read that he bap- 
 tized 'em. To which the other reply, that he declar'd 
 the Love ofGodto'em, by his Welling and embracing, 
 and laying, Offuch is the Kjngdom of God. Which (hews 
 'em to be capable of the Covenant of Mercy : and thac 
 Infants are exprefly admitted to enter Covenant, Deut. 
 29. 10. you, your little ones, &c. and in the Old Tefta- 
 ment had the Seal of the Covenant. From whence ic 
 will follow that it is no Abfurdity by reafon of their 
 nonage, which is the only thing Tertullian argues from. 
 
 §. 11. In the fame Book of Baptifm, c. 5. he obferves 
 that the Heathen Nations alfo ufed Baptifm, as a religious 
 Rite, and particularly in the Myjleries of Apollo and Ceres 
 Perfons were baptised, idqi fc in regenerationem 2? impur 
 nitatem perjuriorum fuorum tiger e prafumunt. And they, 
 fay, they do this for their Regeneration and the Pardon of 
 their former Perjuries. And he fays, here we fee the aim 
 of the Devil imit at ingthe things of God. 
 
 §. i z. One thing more ought to be obferv'd out of the 
 Paflage I cited from Tertullians Book de Anima, vi^. 
 that he expounds that Text, i Cor. 7. 14. FJfe were your 
 Children unclean, but now they are holy, ranch alter the fame 
 rate as many modern Psedobaptifts do, of baptijmal Ho- 
 linefs : only he thinks the Apoftle fpeaks of it, not as 
 then given, but as defigned for them. He paraphrafes, 
 Sancli, Holy, by fanSi it at i defignati, defigned for Holinefs, 
 (vi^.when they come tobebaptized,as his following Words 
 in the faid Paflage fhew, if the Reader will turn back to 
 'em ). This Sence of a baprifmal Holinefs the Antipaedo- 
 baptifts (who underftand no more by it but that fuch 
 Children are not Baftards, ) would condemn as a new 
 Expofition, But I fhall fhew by more Instances that will 
 
 come 
 
3* Tertullian. t . Chap.' IV. 
 
 Year after the come in my way, and efpecially in CH.klX. §. 19. where 
 Apoftles^ioo. I compare together all the Expofitions of this Text given 
 S -S^f* m ' by the Ancients, that it was the moft general one. 
 
 $. 13. It is plain that St. Auftin and Pelagiw and fe T 
 
 veral others that manag'd the Pelagian Controverfie, hacl 
 
 fi^SceCH never ^ een Te rtulliaris Book of Baptifm. For when St. 
 
 XIX §« 17 ' -Aufiin (13) pleaded that no Chriftian, Catholick, or 
 
 ' Sectary, had ever taught to the contrary, but that one 
 
 (14) See CH. R ea f° n f° r die. baptizing of Infants was tor the Forgive- 
 XIX. §. 30. n ^fs of original Sin; Pelagiw granted (14) that there 
 
 was none that denied that they were to be baptized : 
 But when he, and Celejlius, and Julian do ranfack Anti- 
 quity for places to Ihew that they are baptized on other 
 Accounts, and not for Forgivenefs; how neatly would 
 that Saying of Tertullian have fitted 'em; What .need [ 
 their innocent \_ or finlefs] Age makefuch haft for the For- 
 givenefi of Sin? Or elfe we muft fay, they would not 
 quote it, becaufe ne contradicts himfelf in this £>oint.. 
 Or elfe they would not ufe his. Authority, which was in 
 no good Repute,' becaufe he revolted to Herefy : tho' Dr. 
 Mix concludes this Book to have been written before. 
 It was cuftomary in thofe times, if any one made ufe 
 «. of Tertullian s^ Authority in any controverted Matter, to 
 
 (15) adv.Hel. ftop his Mouth with that ( 1 5) Saying of St. Hierom, ilium 
 vidium, hominem ecclefix non fuiffe ; that Tertullian was not a 
 
 Man of the Church : and Pelagiw had a great Mind ( if 
 it had been poflible for him continuing in his Opinion of 
 denying original Sin ) to have continued a Member of 
 the Catholick Church. "• . ,. 
 
 Barehiw Hkewrfe oSferves, that when the Dhnatifls 
 maintain'd againft St. Auftin and the Catholicks, that 
 Baptifm given by Hereticksis null, and the Party muft. 
 be baptized again; if St. Auflih, could have ffiewn that 
 this Opinion was firft fet on foot by 'tertullian ( whofe 
 Name was in ill repute for his lingular Opinions ) that 
 that one thing would have ferved much to difcredit it. 
 And that he might have .done if he had ever feen this 
 Book of Baptifm, where that Opinion is aliened, c. 15. 
 which is the carlieft Mention we find of it. _ ■ < • 
 
 Yet St. Hierom had feen this Book either in Greek, or 
 Latin ( in both which Languages it was written ) For 
 he quotes fome PafTages out of it about the Story of St, 
 Paul and Tecla.bwz nothing about the Matter of Infants. 
 
 CttAt' 
 
Chap; V. Origem jj 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Quotations out oiOrigen. 
 
 Homilid 8. in Levit c. ii. 
 
 $, I. AVdi David dicent em; In iniquitatibuf, inquit, Year after th» 
 ■*■* concept us [urn, & in peccatis peperit me mater Apoftles u@ a 
 mea : oflendens quid quxcunq; anima in came nafcatur y 
 iniquitatis & peccati fords polluitur .- £? propterea diBum 
 cjfe illud quodjamfuperiiis memoravhnus ; quia nemo mun- 
 dut a fordc, nee ji unius diet faerie vita ejus. Addi his 
 ttiam illud potest, tit rcquiratur. quid caufie fit, cum b apt if- 
 ma ecclefix in rcmijjionem peccatorum detur, fecundum ec- 
 tlefw obfervantiam etiam parvulis baptifmum dart .- cum 
 utiq^fi nihil ejfet in parvulis quod ad remiffionem deberet 
 & indulgent iam pertinere gratia baptifmi fuperflua videre- 
 wftr. 
 
 ' Hear David fpeaking : I was, fays /^conceived in InU 
 
 * quity,and in Sin did my Mother bring me forth : Shewing 
 
 * that every Soul that is born in the Flejh is polluted with th& 
 
 * Tilth of Sin and Iniquity : And that therefore that was f aid 
 
 * whkh we mention d before % that none is clean from Pollu° 
 ' tion, tho his Life be but of the length of one Day. 
 
 * Befides all this, letit be confider'd, what is thereafon 
 
 * that whereas the Baprifm of the Church is given for 
 
 * Forgivenefs of Sins, Infants alfo are by the ufage of the 
 
 * Church baptized : when if there were nothing in Infants 
 ' that wantedForgivenefs and Mercy ,the Grace of Baptiira 
 ' would be heedlefs to them. 
 
 Homil. in Lucam 14, 
 
 §. 2. Qyod f 5 equenter inter fratresqu oritur, loci occafione 
 commota [7. commotus"] retrafto. Parvuli bapti^antur in 
 remiffionem peccatorum. Quorum peccatorum ? vel quo tem- 
 pore peccaverunt ? aut quoniodo pot eft ulla lavaai in parvu~ 
 Us ratio fubfiji ere, nifijuxta ilium f erf um de quo paulo ante 
 diximus ; nullui nmndus a forde, nee ji unius diei quidem 
 fuerit vita ejus fupcr terram ? Et quia per baptifmi fa^ 
 cramentum nativitaiis fcrdes deponuntur, propterea bapti^ 
 fyntHr(g parvitlii D JH&f 
 
34 Ortgen. Chap. V 
 
 1fear after the * Having occafion given by this place, I will mention 
 Apoftles i io, * a thing that caufes frequent Enquiries among the Bre- 
 *»'~V^-' * thren. Infants are baptiz'd for the Forgivenefs of Sins. 
 
 * Of what Sins ? Or when have they finned ? Or how can 
 
 * any Pveafon of the Laver in their Cafe hold good, but ac- 
 
 * cording to that Senfe that we mentioned even now : 
 ' Nonets free from Pollution, tho his Life be but of the length 
 
 * of one Day upon the Earth ? And it is for that Reaion 
 
 * becaufe by the Sacrament of Baptifm the Pollution of 
 I our Birth is taken away, that Infants are baptized. 
 
 Comment. in Epifl. ad Romanos^ lih. 5. 
 
 §. 3. Deniq;& in lege pro illo qui natus fuerit, jubetur 
 cffeni hcftid, par turturum aut duo pulii columbini : ex 
 ijuibus unus pro peccato, alius in holoc automat a. Pro quo 
 peccato ojfertur hie pullus unus? nunquid nuper editus par- 
 vulus peccare potuit ? Et tunc habet peccatum, pro quo heftia 
 jubetur offerri, a quo mundus negatur quis ejfe etji unius diet 
 fuerit vita ejus. De hoc ergo etiam David dixijfe credendm 
 esl illud quodjupra memoravimus 3 quia in peccato concepit 
 me mater mea : fecundum hifioriam enim nullum matris de- 
 claratur peccatum. Pro hoc & Ecclejia ab Apofiolis traditio 
 nem fufecpit etiam parvulis baptifmum dare. Sciebant 
 enim iili qui bus myfieriorum fecreta commijfa funt divino- 
 rum, quia ejfent in omnibus genuine for des peccati,quceper 
 aquam £? Spiritum ablui deberent : propter quas etiam cor- 
 pus ipfum corpus peccati nominatur. 
 
 * And alfo in the Law it is commanded that a Sacrifice 
 
 (1) Lev it. 12. ' be ofFer'd for every Child that is born ; apair (1) 
 
 % s * turtle Doves, or two young Pigeons : of which one is fox 
 
 ' a Sin-Offering, the other for a Burnt-Offering. For wha 
 
 * Sin is this one Pigeon ofFer'd ? Can the Child that is nevt 
 
 * born have committed any Sin ? It has even then Sin, foj 
 ' which the Sacrifice is commanded to be ofFer'd ; froir| 
 ' which even he whofe Life is but of one Day is denied t(i 
 ' be free. Of this Sin David is to be fuppofed to havi! 
 ' faid that which- we mention'd before ; In Sin did m\ 
 
 * Mother conceive me : for there is in theHiftoryno account 
 'of any particular Sin that his Mother had committed. , 
 
 ' For, this alfo it was, that the Church had from th: 
 
 * Apoftles a Tradition [or, Order] to give Baptifm even t<. 
 
 * Infants. For they, to whom the Divine Myfteries weri? 
 ' committed, knew that there is in all Perfons the namra : 
 
 'Pollu! 
 
Chap. V. Origeti. 3? 
 
 ' Pollution of Sin, which muft be done away by Water and Tear after tie 
 ' the Spirit : by reafon of which the Body it felf is alfo Apoftles n o, 
 ' called the Body of Sin. v^v^* 5 *^ 
 
 §. 4. The Plainnefs of thefe Teftimonies is fuch as 
 needs nothing to be laid of it, nor admits any thing to be 
 faid againft it. They do not only fuppofe the Practice 
 to be generally known and ufed, but alio mention its be- 
 ing order'd by the Apoftles. 
 
 But concerning the Authenticalnefs of 'em there does 
 need fomething to be faid. For the Greek. ( which is the 
 original ) of all Origen's Works being loft, except a very 
 few, there remains only the Latin Tranflations of 'em, 
 And when thefe Tranflations were collected together, 
 a great many ipurious ones were added and mixt with 
 'em, and went under Origen's Name. But upon the 
 renewal of Learning, the Criticks quickly fmelt 'em our, «, 
 and admitted none for his, but fuch as appear'd to have «° 
 been done into Latin either by St. Hiercm or elfe by Ru- °~ ! 
 finus : both which lived within the time limited for our 
 prefent Enquiry, vi%. thefirft 400 Years. 
 
 For which reafon I have rejected the Quotations 
 brought by fome for Infant-Baptifm out of Origen on Job,, 
 which is plainly a ipurious Piece written by fome Arian. 
 
 §. 5. Of theie which I have brought, the Homilies on 
 St. Lukg were tranflated by St. Hierom : but thofe on Le~ 
 viticus and the Comments en the Epiji. to the Romans, by 
 Bpfinui. St. Hierom added a Preface to his Tranflation, 
 which is printed with it ; a Patfage out of which is quo- 
 ted by RufiniK , (2) and alfo fome part of the Tranflation 
 . it ielf. And St. Hierom him felf mentions this Work in (2) Apolo^i 
 the Catalogue of his own (3,) Works. So that of this adv. Hiaro- 
 there is no doubt. Erafmus once doubted whether even nyra. 2da. 
 thefe Homilies were the genuine Works oiOrigen, as (3 deScnpto-- 
 Huetius obferves in thefe (4,) Words: Erafmus in his Epi- ribus Ecch 
 file to Francis Ciglianus, bad mitten that thefe Homilies (4- 1 Oriftenia- 
 did feem to be fome other Alan' s and not Origen's: but in nornm,l. 3-[* 
 his Cenfure affixed to the Bookj of Origen, he recanted his ?V*',„ t 
 Opinion, and ackjwvdcdged the true Author. Which I the (5/3 d Keview, 
 rather note, becaule Mr. Tombs ( 5) and Mr. Danvers (6) \f JJqi!* 
 do quote Erafmus on Luke 1.3. laying thus, For fo he CO g_ " 
 feems to thinly whoever he was whofe Commentaries are ex- " : ' 
 tant upon Luke, under tie Title of Adamantius, {ov, Ori- 
 gen]. From whence they conclude that EralmusfooJ^ 
 cm not to be Origen's, or at leaji doubted of iz. Which 
 . is not fair, if they knew that Era/mas had recanted his 
 
 D 2 Doubd 
 
$6 : Origen Chap. V 
 
 Vearafter tlie Doubt, as is to be feen in his Edition of Origens Works. 
 
 A pottles no. §,6, leather does any one raife any Queftion of the 
 
 y-s^v*** "r^afiflation of the other two, on Leviticus and the j^o- 
 
 mans, but that it was done by Hufinus. But thefe two 
 
 Men ufed feveral Methods in translating. For, Whereas 
 
 Origens Books contained in them feveral ExpreSfions 
 
 notconfiftent with the Faith infome Points. St. Hierom 
 
 (l) vide Eraf- (7) changed nothing, but exprefs'd every thing as it was 
 
 mum in cen- in the original, as he owns himfelf : but Rufinus alter'd 
 
 fura operum or left out any thing that he thought not Orthodox. And 
 
 Or.igenis. in the Homilies on Leviticus he himfelf fays, that he took 
 
 a greater Liberty than ordinary. 
 
 All the World Since have approved the Method of St. 
 Hierom, and blamed that ©f Rufinus i for it is fit for a 
 Translator to give a true Account of what his Author 
 fays, be it good or bad : whereas now in thefe Transla- 
 tions of Ryfinus, the Reader is uncertain ( as Er/tfmus 
 angrily fays ) whether he read Origen or Rufinus. 
 
 Some Antipaedobaptifts do for this reafon reject, the 
 Quotations here brought out of the Homilies on Leviticm 
 and the Romans : it being uncertain whether they are the 
 Words of the Author, or the Additions or Interpolations 
 of the Tranflator. This Plea muft needs give fome A- 
 batement to the Authority of thefe two Testimonies : 
 yet it is the lefs in this Matter, becaufe, 
 
 1. That on St. Luke translated by St. Hierom contains 
 the fame thing in effect : It is as full an Evidence of the 
 then Practice : only it does not mention the Tradition 
 from the Apoftles. 
 
 2. There is no kind of Probability that Rufinus ( what- 
 ever Interpolations he might make in other Matters ) 
 made any Alteration in this : Since this was none of the 
 Subjects on which Origens Opinion was question d by 
 the Church in fyifinus's time. Thofe things on which he 
 was Singular, are largely canvafs'd both by St. Hierom and 
 Hufinus themfelves in their Invectives and Apologies one 
 
 t 8) Epifl. ad againft another : and alfoby (8) Epiphanius,znd{c))Theo~ 
 Jcannem Hie-^Yj/j Bp. of Alexandria, who reckons 35 Singular Opi- 
 rofolyrmr n i ons tnat Origen held : and they are about the Refurre- 
 
 Paf -h?lS R°p ^ on °^ c ^ e me Body, the Eternity of Hell Torments, 
 torn^ 6 ' the PrseeKiftcnce of Souls, fome ExpreSTions about the 
 Trinity, &c. but not one Word about this Matter, And 
 there is no Pretence that Rufinus had any other occafion 
 to alter any thing, but only as being a great Lover of Ori- 
 gen t whatever was in his Comments exprefs'd in a doubt- 
 
 ~" fill 
 
Chap] V. Origen] 37 
 
 fill or heterodox Sence concerning any of the aforefaid Year after the 
 Points, he left it out, or elfe gave it a favourable turn in ApoiHes i io f 
 the Translation, or in fome Explication that he added. N -^ r Vv'*tf 
 Buc what is this to the Baptifm of Infants, concerning 
 which it is not pretended that Origen's Enemks challeng'd 
 him as holding any Angular Opinion ? 
 
 3. F{ufinus ( who confeffes that in the Tranftation of the 
 Comments on Leviticiis, he had ufed m®re freedom ) fays 
 only this of his Management in the Tranflation of the 
 Comments on the Ep. to the Romans, that he had (icj C*°) Perora- 
 floor tned this fVot\ by one half. He fpeaks of no addition tio in Epift. 
 to that : and it is in that that there is Mention of the Tra- ad Romanos. 
 dition from the Apoftles. 
 
 $. 7. Mr. Tombs (i i) fays, that if one read thefe Paf- (n) Examcn, 
 fages, and conjider how they are brought in, and hovp plain the pag. 7, 
 Expreffions are againsl the Pelagians, one/hall conceive that 
 they were put in after the Pelagian Herejie was confuted by 
 Hierom and Auftin, who often tells us, that the Fathers 
 /if ore that Controverfie arofe, did not fpeal^plainly againfl the 
 Pelagians. And of all others Origen is mosl taxed as Pela- 
 gianizing. 
 
 If the PafTages did fpeak of, or relate to any Conteft 
 about the Dodtrine of original Sin, or any Adverfaries 
 to it ; or did fet themfelves to prove it as a thing con- 
 troverted : this Exception would have fome weight. But 
 they fpeak. of it as a fuppofed and known thing from Scrip- 
 ture, and as of a thing denied by none* and in no other 
 Style than many Sayings of other Fathers do before Pelagi- 
 vs's time, fome^of which I cited (12) out of Irenaus. And f'2' CH JxF,' 
 the Opinion in which Origen Pelagiani^d, was not as Mr. §• i<? 
 Tombs would intimate, in denying that corrupt State in 
 which all are born into this World ( his afTertlng of that 
 in many other places is notorious, and he built his Opi- 
 nion of Prasexiftence on it ) buc in affirming that it is pof- 
 fible for a Man in this Life to arrive a,t fuch a perfect 
 Conqueft of the laid Corruption, that he may afterward 
 live without Sin : which was another of the falfe po-. 
 ftrines of Pelagius. This is plainly proved to have beet; 
 the Opinion of Origen from rhe few Words of St. Uieron\ 
 in the Prologue to hts Dialogues againsl the Pelagian: j 
 where ha\ing recited the Opinions of foine former Here t 
 tickj that vaunted themfelves to be without Sin, he acids, 
 Mud autem Origems proprium est , &c. 'But Origen 
 this peculiar Opinion f th.it it is impoffihle fox a hun -... . \ 
 ?f b? without Sin from it; Bjginjttng to in D'--- • . n * 
 
 £3 3 ■ 
 
38 Origen. Chap. V. 
 
 Vear after the the other fide, that it is pojfible, when a Man turns himfelf 
 
 Apoftles no to a good Life, to arrive to fuch Strength, that afterwards 
 
 ^t*CVT S! * - ' he /hall not Sin. It was on account of this Tenet that 
 
 St. Hierom calls Origen the Pelagians beloved. "Which he 
 
 does at the latter end of the laft of the Dialogues above- 
 
 mention'd. 
 
 §. 8. But this Argument of Mr. Tombs may be well retor- 
 ted againft thole that think thefe Paffages were put in by 
 Hufinus ( Mr. Tombs in one part of his Difcourle feems 
 to lay it on him, and yet in another, feems to think they 
 were put in by fome body afterward : or elfe he fpeaks 
 abfurdly when he makes it to be done after the Pelagian 
 times). For whoever had put in any thing of original 
 Sin, JRitfinus would not : he had been more likely to raze 
 it out, if he had not been afraid of Cenfure. For tho' he 
 feems to have conceal'dhis Opinion from the World, ex- 
 cept fome few confidents, it was proved after his Death, 
 that he was an Enemy to the Doctrine of original Sin, at 
 leaft as derived from our firft Parents. St. Hierom does 
 Ctj^) Ep. ad once or (13) twice reckon him by the Name of Grunnius 
 Ctefiphontem among the Precurfors, 'or thofe that had given Occalion, 
 it.Prafat. 1.4. t0 p e lagius. He himfelf tells how fome had accus'd him 
 w Jerenuam. t0 ^ na Jiafius Bi(hep of Ityme, as having unfound Opini- 
 ons about the Origin of the Soul : and he makes but a 
 lame Anfwer to it, in the Letter which he writes to him 
 for his Apology. But Celcfiius difcover'd all, when being 
 Upon his Trial at a Council of Carthage, ( in which he 
 ^ l r* was condemned for his Herefie ) there were thefe Exa- 
 
 minations and Anfwers, which St. Auflin has quoted 
 5 14) lib. de (14) out of the Atls of that Council, which was held Anno 
 peccato origi- Dom. 411. 
 Bali, c. 3, 4, The Bifhcp Aurelius faid, 
 
 ' Let the resl [[of the Articles charged on him 3 he read. 
 
 * And there was read, That the Sin of Adam hurt him- 
 *f elf only, and not Mankind. 
 
 Celejiius anfwer'd, 
 
 * I faid, that I was unrefolved concerning the Derivation 
 
 * of Sin {yet Jo as to fubmlt to any one to whom God has 
 
 * given the Grace of Knowledge ) becaufe I have heard diffe- 
 ' rent Opinions of this from thofe that have been Presbyters of 
 
 * the Catholicl^Church. 
 
 Paulinus the Deacon faid, Tell us their Names, 
 Celcflius faid, 
 
 * The holy Presbyter Rufinus, who dwelt at Rome with 
 
 * holy Pammachius, I have heard him fay, that there is no 
 \ Derivation of Sin* ' Paulinm 
 
Chap! V. Origen. 39 
 
 ' Paulinus the Deacon faid, Is there any more ? Year after tht 
 
 * Celefiius faid, J k'ive beard others alfofay the fame. Apoftles^i I o 
 
 * Paulinus the Deacon faid, Tell us their Names. 
 
 * Celejiius faid, Is not one Presbyter enough for you ? 
 
 And afterward, in another place [of the Acts] 
 
 ' Aurelius the Bifliop faid, Let the reji of the Charge be 
 read. 
 
 ' And there was read, That Infants when they are horn 
 are in the fame State that Adam was in before his Tranf- 
 greffion. 
 
 * Aurelius the Bifliop faid, Did you 'ever teach fo, Ce- 
 leftius, that Infants, &c. 
 
 * Celeftiusfaid, Let him explain how he means ; Before 
 his Tranfgreflion, &c. 
 
 * Aurelius the Bifliop faid, Whether the State of Infants 
 now to be baptised, befuch as Adam's was before his Tranf 
 grejjion : or, whether they do derive the Guilt of Tranjgref- 
 fion from the fame fin ful Origin from \rhence they are bo; a ? 
 
 Tim is what the Deacon Paulinus would bear fi am you. 
 ' Paulinus the Deacon faid, Whether he has taught that 
 or not, Let him deny. 
 
 ' Celejiius faid, I told you before concerning the Deriva- 
 tion of Sin, that I have heard fever al in the Catholic^ 
 Church deny it: and feme I have heard affirm it. It is a 
 matter of Quejlion [or Controvert! e] not of Hsrefie. As 
 for Infants, I always faid, that they ft and in need of Hep- 
 tifm, and that they ought to be baptised, tkc. 
 We fee that tho' Celejiius pretended he could have 
 named others, yet he named none but Riifimu, who was 
 dead, as holding this Tener. ftjtfinus therefore was not 
 likely to infert any thing into Origens Works about ori- 
 ginal Sin. 
 
 I know that Garner the Jefuite would have it, that the 
 Hufinus intended by CeUjiius was another of the -fame 
 Name, and not he whoie Works we fuive : ana that be- 
 caufe Mercator calls him a Syrian ; whereas this I^uf&m, 
 whofe Works we have, was of A<]ui!eia. Fat criers 
 with more reafon think, chat Mercator calls him a Syrif.n 
 only becaufe he lived 30 Year? jfl Syria and thou- E 
 Parts, and brought his Enws, and his Lo\ e 
 from thence. And the fytfixus meant b\ Celefiius ha< 
 ways been taken for the fame that is orai:.:. Lr '.ov. ;-. 
 by that Name, 
 
 i ! 1 
 
40 Qrigtn. Chap. V. 
 
 Year after the There would have been the lefs need of this long JDil- 
 Apoftlesno. quifition to prove that the forecited Paflages of Origen 
 S +S~ s r* m *' are genuine, if that Palfage of his which Mr. Kjng has 
 found out in the original Gm?^ofhis Commentaries on 
 (a) Inquiry S t> Matthew < f and produces (a) to this purpofe as an Evi- 
 jnto the Con- d ence f 0r Infant-Baptifm, were not a very ambiguous 
 
 ei Yme&' ^ ne ' If the Scntence had ended there where Mr - K*»g, 
 ft! e'p "' cuts * n °^» n ^ ad ^ een a P^ a * n ca ^ e tnat Orig en niuft have 
 
 tive Church' ^ een under ft° od t0 fp c ak t ^ iere °f I n f flnts i n Age." But 
 3 -_. Fome Words, which he has left out, do, when they 'are 
 
 read with the reft, very much puzzle the Caufe, and make 
 it doubtful whether Origen be to' be there underftood of 
 Infants in Age, or of fuch Chriftian Men as are indued 
 with the Innocence and Simplicity of Infants. The im- 
 partial Management which I have promis'd, obliges me 
 to fetdown the whole place, or elfe none of it. 
 
 Origen is there commenting on thofe Words of our Sa- 
 viour, M?M8» io. Take heed that ye defpife not one of thefe 
 Little-ones : for I fay unto you, that in Heaven their Angels 
 do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven. 
 He has along Difcourie, and fomething rambling: 
 {peaking fometimes of Infants in Age ( fuch as our Sa- 
 viour had one then before him mention'd, v. 1. ) and 
 fometimes of Men refembling Infants. After which he 
 puts this Queftion, 
 
 Comment, in Mat. torn, i $.pag. 331. Ed. Huetij, 
 Rhotomag. 1668. 
 
 JSoriigpc f*iy.g£v ol XtyfrffJot *vtu* "Ayyi\qt iryisu+Tiu • rrbrtgfV 
 
 «*»«5jaf f « iycXiMumtv, m'c a'fT<jm>iT<t /3gepn to Koytv-av kj 
 «Vb\ov yi,\cL tirivoB'iiiny ty fAYiv.'iTt ojrox.ei/^oi vovnfi lin JbvdfjLtt - 
 3 iva ysf'gsjof, ^ th to ®tw ir($y)ia<7iv j£ tov fr&t&spov d'uiv s 
 
 Sec. 
 
 Then again one may inquire ; When it is that the Angels 
 here fpoken of are fet over thofe little ones [hewed fjor figni- 
 fied] by our Saviour ? Whether they take the Care and Ma- 
 nagement of 'em from the time when they by the wafhing of 
 Regeneration, whereby they were newborn, do, as newborn 
 Babes defire the fincereMilk of the Word, and are no longer 
 fubjetl to any evil Power ? Of from tieir Birth, according to 
 Ah*, Fore'frtiovcledge of God and his fredcjlinating of Vw„> 
 
 »' ;'• .. ■' f J£ 
 
Chap. V. Origen. 41 
 
 \{ Origen meant to fay, that it is a Queftion whether Year after the 
 fuch a little Child as our Saviour then fet before the A- Apoftles no. 
 poftles, have his guardian Angel given him by God from v ->'~~V r ~* fcs * 
 his Birth, or from his Baptifm ; then 'tis a plain Suppofal 
 that fuch Infants were baptized. But his Mention of 
 their defiring of the Milk of the Word at the time of their 
 Baptifm, makes it doubtful whether he meant of fuch 
 who are Infants in a proper Sence, or whether he had in 
 his Mind at that place fuch Men as he had before called 
 Chrift's Little ones, i. e. Men, who when converted and 
 baptiz'd, do become humble in Spirit, ijc. And this 
 Doubt is encreafed by ebierving the Anfwer that he gives 
 %o this his own Queftion : for he fays, that for one fide of 
 it (vi%. that the Guardian Angel is given to every one 
 from his Birth ) thefe places of Scripture do make ; God - . 
 (b) who Separated me from my Mothers Womb. And (c) Be- Y' * IA ">' 
 fore thou earnest forth out of the H'omb, Ifanclified thee, &cc. ^ c) -* ' ' *** 
 But for the other fide (vi-(. that it is at Baptifm that the 
 good Angel is given ) this does make, that the time of 
 People's Unbelief is under the Angels of Satan : and then af- 
 ter their New-birth, he that has bought us with his own Blood, 
 delivers 'em to a good Angel. He has alfo another Fancy ; 
 that poffibly the evil Angel that prelides over a Man 
 during his Heathenifm, is at the Man's Converfion con- 
 verted alfo himfelf, and becomes a good Angel to him. 
 
 Moreover in the Text it felf ; tho' our Saviour had 
 begun his Difcourfe with taking a little Child, and telling 
 'em they muft humble themfelvcs as that little Child; yet 
 in the Procefs of it ( and before he came to fpeak the fore- 
 cited Words ) vi%. at v. 6. he ufes the Phraie of Litrle 
 ones which believe in him. 
 
 So that upon the whole, the Proof of Infant-Baptifra 
 from this place of Origen, does labour under c'ontiderable 
 Ambiguity : and it is better for the Pxdobaptifts not fjp 
 to rely upon it for a Proof of Origen s Senee, but that 
 they do adhere likewife to thofe P.affages of his which I 
 recited before ; which tho' they are but Tranflations of 
 fuch Books of his, the Original whereof is not now ex- 
 tant, yet they are, as I have (hewn, Tranflations well 
 attefted. 
 
 I will add to this, one PafTage more, in which Q/igen 
 brings in this Text of §cripture, which is. 
 
 Hi 
 
 %cm. 
 
42* ' Origen. Chap. V; 
 
 Year after the 
 
 Apoftles 1 1 o. 
 
 Horn. 9. in fyfuavn. 
 
 He is fpeaking of that Text, Jof 8. 33. how Jofhua. 
 wrote a Copy of the Law oiMofes on the Stones of the 
 Altar : and that he did it in the Prefence of the Children of 
 Ifrael. And in Allufion to this ; fpeaking of our Saviour's 
 writing his Law, not on Stones, but in the Hearts of his 
 Difciples, he finds this way to prove that this alfo is done 
 in the Prefence of the Children of Ifrael. He fays that the 
 Word Ifrael fignifies a Mind that fees God : and that that 
 Definition fits well to Angels : and that the Angels are 
 to be thought to be prefent at the giving of the Holy Sa- 
 craments. And then he adds, 
 
 Secundum Domini fententiam dicentis de infantibm 
 ( quod £=? tu fuifii infans in baptifmo ) quia Angeli eorum 
 femper vident faciem patris mei qui in ccclis esl. Coram 
 illis igitur filijs Ifrael, qui aderant illo tempore cum tibifidei 
 Sacrament a traderentnr, videntibus] faciem Dei, Jefus in 
 corde tuo Deuteronomiumfcripfit. 
 
 ' According to that Saying of our Lord concerning In- 
 f fants ( and thou waft an Infant when thou waft baptiz'd) 
 c Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father 
 
 * which is in Heaven. So then Jefus wrote his L aw in thy 
 
 * Heart in the Prefence of thole Children of Ifrael, Be- 
 
 * holders of God's Face, at the time when the Sacrament of 
 
 * Faith Wdi given thee. 
 
 All that is doubtful in this place too, is, whether when 
 he fays, Thou waft an Infant when thou waft baptiz'd, he 
 mean an Infant in Age, or only an Infant in the forefaid 
 fpiritual Sence. Erafmus takes it in the former Serice : 
 for in his Edition of Origens Works, he fets in the Mar- 
 gin of that place, the Word, Padobaptifmus. 
 
 Tho* this part of Origens Works be not extant in 
 Greel^, yet we may the more depend upon it, becaufe I{u- 
 finw allures us that in the Translation of thefe Homilies, 
 and thole on Judges he has neither added nor omitted any 
 thing, but truly rendred what he found in the Greel^ 
 Books. Per or at. in Horn, ad Pgmanos. 
 
 $. 1 o. There is one Circumftance that makes Origen 
 a more competent Witnefs to give Evidence whether the 
 baptizing of Infants had been in ufe timeout of Mind, 
 or not, than molt other Authors that we have left to us 
 of that Age: becaufe he was himfelf of a Family that 
 
 had 
 
Chap. V. Origen. 43, 
 
 bad been Chriftian for a long time. Tertullian and all Year after the 
 the reft that we have mention'd, excep: Irenaus, muft Apoftles no. 
 have been themfelves baptized in adult Age ; becauie *- / v^** - *, 
 they were of Heathen Parents, and were the firft of their 
 Family that turned Chriftians : but Origeris Father was 
 a Martyr for Chrift in the Perfecution under Severn, the , .„ ^r 
 Year after the Apoftles 102. And Eufcbius (15) allures j j'^ ^ * * 
 us that his Forefathers had been Chriftians for icveral ' 
 Generations ; *<f ** ft &&*>***' t* liif x*t* xg*s^ v A<ft*tfx*>J« 
 IxiryysuyituZ'iru, The Chriftian Doflrine was conveyed to (16)1.6.0.14. 
 him from bis forefathers, or, as ^ufinus (16) tranflar.es it, 
 ab avis atq', atavis, ' From his Grandfathers and Great- 
 * Grand-fathers. 
 
 That which gave occafion to Eufebius to inquire into 
 his Pedigree, was the Slander of Porphyrius .- for he en- 
 deavouring to fhew that the Chriftian Religion had no- 
 thing in it of Learning or Science, and had none but illi- 
 terate Followers ; and not being able to deny or conceal 
 the great Repute of Origen for his Skill in humane Lite- 
 rature, had feigned that he was at firft a Heathen, and 
 having learned their Philofophy, and then turning Chri- 
 ftian, had endeavoured to transfer and apply it to trim 
 up the Chriftian Fables. In Confutation of this Lye Eu- 
 febius, as I faid,fets forth his Chriftian Defcent. 
 
 Now fince Origen was born Anno 185, that is, the 
 Year after the Apoftles, 85. ( for he was 17 Year old 
 when his Father fuffer'd ) his Grandfather, or at leaft 
 his Great-Gtandfather, muft have lived in the Apoftles 
 time. And as he could not be ignorant whether he was 
 himfelf baptiz'd in Infancy, fo-he had no farther than his 
 own Family to go for Enquiry how it was pradrisSd in 
 the times of the Apoftles. 
 
 Belides that he was, as I faid, a very learned Man, 
 and could not be ignorant of the ufe of the Churches, in 
 moft of which he had alfo travelled : for as he was born (i7)H.E.1.6. 
 and bred at Alexandria, fo it appears out of Eufebius 
 (17) that he had lived in Greece, and at E(omc, and in Cap- 
 padocia, and Arabia, and fpent the main parr of his Lwe^^f w^-f^^^/iic 
 in Syria and Paleftinc> 
 
 C H A ?, 
 
44J Cyprian: Chap; VI, 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Quotations out of St. Cyprian. 
 
 Cypriani EpiH. 64. (Parnelij Edit. 5-9.) 
 ad Fidum. 
 
 1 
 
 year after the $• '• QJT. Cyprian was Bifhop of Carth/tge: and it was 
 Apoftles 150. ^3 C ^ e ^ft° m in tnat as i n au otner great and me- 
 
 'w'-V^-' tropolitical Cities, for the neighbouring Bifhops 
 
 to meet there at certain times to confult of and deter- 
 mine any emergent Affairs of the Church. 
 
 At this time, Anno Dom. 253. there were 66 of 'em 
 in Council. And one Fidus, a Country Bifhop, had fent 
 f 5& a Letter with two Cafes, in which he defired their Re- 
 
 folution ; which they give in this Epiftle to him. 
 
 One being about one ViBor a Presbyter that after a 
 Crime committed, had, by the Rafhncfs of a certain Bi- 
 fhop, been admitted too foon to Abfolution, is nothing to 
 our Concern. 
 
 The other Queftion being, whether an Infant, before 
 it was 8 Days old, might be baptized, if need required: 
 I fhall recite fo much of the Letter as concerns that, 
 
 "***■ ^ ... Cyprianus & cater i Co//eg£, qui in Concilio af» 
 fuerunt, numero 66. Fido fratr't falutem. 
 
 Legimw literdi tudf, f rater carifjlme, quibw fignificafe 
 
 de ViBore quodam fresbytero, Sec. 
 
 Quantum verb ad caujam infantium pertinet, quos dixifti 
 
 V intra fecundum vel tertium diem, quo nati funt, conftitutos 
 , bapti^ari non oportere : & confnierandam effe legem cir- 
 cumcifionn antique ; ut intra cB avian diem, cum qui natus 
 <$l baj>ti^andum& fanBificandum non put ares, longc aliud 
 in Concilio noftro omnibm vifum est. In hoc enitn quod tu 
 •putabas effe faciendum nemo confenfit : fed univerfi tiotiks 
 judicavimus nulli heminum nato mifcricordiafn Dei & gra- 
 tiam denegandam. Nam ckm Dominus in Evangclio fuo 
 dicat j Filius homing no:i venit animas hominwn perdere, 
 
 M 
 
Chap. VI. Cyprian] 45 
 
 fed falvare ; quantum in nobis eft, fi fieri poteft, nulla ani* Year after the 
 ma perdenda eft. Quid enim ei deeft, qui femel in utero Dei Apoftles 159. 
 manibus formatus eft ? Nobis enim atq; oculis noftris fecun- s ^^ 
 dum dierum fecularium curfum accipere qui natifunt, incre- 
 mentum videntur. Ceteriim quacunq ; aDeo fiunt, Deifaftc-rk 
 majeftate & opere perfect a funt, EJfedeniq: apudomnesfivs 
 infantes Jive majores natu,unam Divini muneris aqualitatem 
 declarat nobit Divine Scripture fides. Heliqeus fuper inf (in- 
 tern Sunamitidis viduxfilium qui mortaus jacebat, it a fe 
 Deum deprecans foperftravit, utcapiti caput & faciei fades 
 appliearetur, £? fuperfuji Heli^ei membra Jingulis parvuli 
 membris , ££ pedes pedibus jungerentur. Qua resji fecundum 
 nativitatis noftra & corporis qualitatem cogitetur, adulto & 
 provefto infans nonpojfet aquari, net coharere & fufjicer? 
 poffent membra parv a majoritms. Sedillic aqualitas divintt 
 & Jpiritualis exprimitur , quid pares atq; aquales fint homi- 
 nes quando a Deo femel fatli junt, & fojfit xttd noftra in 
 incrementis corporum fecundum feculum % non fecundum Deum 
 habere difcrimen. Nifi fi {£ gratia ipfa qua b.ipti^atis 
 datur, pro atate accipientium vel minor vel major tribuitur 
 cumfpiritus fanBus non de msnfurx, fedde pietate atq; in- 
 dulgenti&paterna aqualis omnibus prabeatur. Nam Deus 
 ttt Perfonam non accipit,fic nee at at em ; cumfe omnibus ad 
 caleftis gratia confecutionem aqualitate librata prabeat par 
 irem. Nam £? quod vejiigium infantis in primis partus fui 
 diebus conflituti mundum non effe dixijli, quod unusquifq^ 
 noftnim horrent exofculari : nee hocputamus ad coelejlem gra- 
 tiam dandam impediment effe oportere. Scriptum eft enim, 
 omnia munda Junt mundis : nee aliquis noftrum id debet 
 horrere, quod Deus dignatus eft facer e: Nam etfi adhuc in- 
 fans a phrtu novus eft, non it a eft tamen, ut quisquam ilium 
 in gratiA danda atq; in pacefaciendk horrere debeat ofculari- 
 quando in ofculo infantis unusquisq; noftrumprofua religions 
 ipfas adhuc recentes Dei manus debeat cogitare ; quas in ho- 
 mine modo for mato &rec ens nato quodammodo excfculamur, 
 quando id quod Deus fecit ampleBimur. Nam quod in ju- 
 daic* circumcifione carnali oclavus dies obfervabatur, Sa- 
 cramentum eft in umbra eitq- f imagine ante pramiffum, fed, 
 <veniente Chrifto veritate completum : nam quia oczavus dies- 
 i. e. pofi fabbatum primus, dies futurus erat, quo Dominui. 
 rtfurgeret,& nos vivificaret, (3 circumzifionem\nebis fpiri- 
 tualem daret : Hie dies otlavusi.e, poft fabbatum primus 
 & Dominicus pracejfit in imagine, qua imago ceffavit fuper~ 
 veniente poftmodum veritate, & data nobis Jpiritua'i civ 
 lumtijiont* Propter quod neminem putamus a gratia con- 
 
 fsquerida 
 
46 St. Cyprian. Chap. VI. 
 
 Year- after the fequenda impediendum'effe ei lege quxjamftatuta eft, nee 
 Apoitles 250 Jpiritunlem circumcifwnem impediri carnali circumcifione 
 debere : fed omnem omnino admittendum ejfe ad gratiam 
 Chrijii : quando & Petrus in AHis Apoftolorum loquatur & 
 dicat ; Dominus mihi dixit neminem hominum communem 
 dicendum & immundum. Ceterumji homines impedire ali- 
 quid ad gratis confecutionem pojfet ; magis adultos & pro- 
 vetlos & majores natu poffent impedire peccata graviora. 
 Vorro autemfi etiam gravijjimis deliiloribus, & in Deum 
 multkm ante peccantibus, cum poftea crediderint, remiffa 
 teccatorum datur, & a baptifmo atq- y a gratia nemo prohi- 
 betur : quant magis prohiberi non debet infans, qui recens 
 natus nihil peccavit, niji qubd fecundum Adam carnaliter 
 natus contagium mortis antique primk nativitatecontraxit? 
 qui ad remijfam peccatorum accipiendam hoc ipfi facilius 
 Accedit, quodilli remittuntur non propria fed aliena peccata. 
 Et idcirco, frater carijjime, hcecfuit in Concilia noftra fen- 
 tent i a, a baptifmo atq; a gratia. Dei, qui omnibus & mifc~ 
 ricors G? benignus & pius eft, neminem per nos debere prohi- 
 beri. Quod cum circa univerfos obfervandumfit atq; retinen- 
 dum ; magis circa, infantes ipfbs & recens natos obfervan- 
 dum putamus, qui hoc ipfo de ope noftrk ac de DivinU mife- 
 ricordi £ plus mercntur, quod in primo flatim nativitatis fuce 
 crtu plor antes ac flentes, nihil aliud faciunt quam depre~ 
 cantur. Optamus te, frater carijjime, femper bene valere. 
 
 Cyprian and the refl of the Bifhops who were 
 prefent at the Council, Sixty Six in number y 
 To Fid us our Brother , Greeting. 
 
 * We read your Letter, moft dear Brother, in which 
 
 you write cf one Vitlor a Prieft, £fc. But as 
 
 to the cafe of Infants : Whereas you judge that they 
 muft not be baptised within 2 or 3 Days after they are born 
 and that the rule of Circumcifion is to be obferved, fo that 
 none (hoidd be baptised and fantiified before the eighth Day 
 after he is born : We were all in our Aflembly of the 
 contrary Opinion. For as for what you thought fitting 
 to be done, there was not one that was of your Mind, 
 but all of us on the contrary, judged that the Grace and 
 Mercy of God is to be denied to no Perfon that is born 
 For whereas our Lord in his Gofpel fays, The Son of 
 Man came not to dcflroy Mens Souls [cv, Lives] but to 
 five 'em: As far as lies in .us, no Soul, ifpofiible, is to 
 be loft. ' For 
 
Chap. VI, St. Cyprian. 47 
 
 * For what is there deficient in him who has been once Year after the 
 
 * formed in the Womb by the Hands of God ? They ap- Apoftles 150. 
 
 * pear to us and in our Eyes to attain Perfection [[or, en- *+S~ s /~^~~' 
 1 creafe 3 in the Courfe of the Days of the World : bur 
 
 •all things that are made by God, are perfect by the 
 ' Work and Power of God their Maker. The Scripture 
 ' gives us to underftand the Equality of the Divine Gift 
 E on all, whether Infants or grown Perfons. Eli/ha in his 
 ' Prayer to God ftretched himfelf on the Infant Son of 
 
 * the Shunamite Woman that lay dead, in fuch manner 
 ' that his Head, and Face, and Limbs, and Feet were 
 ' applied to the Head, Face, Limbs, and Feet of the 
 3 Child : which, if it be underftood according to the 
 
 * Quality of our Body and Nature, the Infant could not 
 ' hold meafure with the grown Man, nor its little Limbs 
 1 fit and reach to his great ones. But in that place a fpi- 
 
 * ritual Equality, and fuch as is in the Efteem of God, is 
 1 intimated to us ; by which Perfons that are once made 
 
 * by God arealike and equal : and our growth of Body by 
 
 * Age makes a difference in the Sence of the World, but 
 ' not of God : unlefs you will think that the Grace it felf, 
 ' which is given to baptized Perfons, is greater or lefs, ac- 
 ' cording to the Age of thofe that receive it : whereas 
 ' the holy Spirit is given not by different Meafures, but 
 ' with a fatherly Affection and Kindnefs equal to all. For 
 ' God, as he accepts no ones Perfon, fo not his Age ; but 
 
 * with an exact Equality (hews himfelf a Father to all for 
 .' their obtaining the heavenly Grace. 
 
 ' And whereas you fay, that an Infant in the first Dap 
 
 * after its Birth is unclean, fo that any of us abhorrs to kjfi 
 
 * it. We think not this neither to be any reafon to hinder 
 I the giving to it the heavenly Grace. For it is written ; 
 ' To the clean all things are clean: nor ought any of us to 
 ' abhor that which God has vouchsafed to make. Tho* 
 
 * an Infant come frefh from the Womb, no one ought to 
 ' abhor to kifs it at the giving of the Grace and the own- 
 
 * ing of the Peace £or, Brotherhood] when as in killing 
 ' the Infant, every one of us ought, out of Devotion, 
 ' to think of the frefh Handy-work of God : for we do in 
 f fome fence kifs his Hands in the Perfon newly formed 
 ' and but new born, when we embrace that which is of 
 ' his making. 
 
 1 That the eighth Day was obferved in the Jewifk 
 . Circumcifion, was a Type going before in a Shadow 
 » and Refemblance^ but on Chrifi's coming was fulfilled 
 
 * in 
 
48 Cyprian. Chap. VU 
 
 Year after the ' in the Subftance, for becaufe the eighth Day, that is, 
 Apoftlesj5©. * the next to the Sabbath-Day, was to be the Day on 
 ' which the Lord was to rife from the dead, andquicken 
 
 * us, and give us the fpiritual Circumcifion ; this eighth 
 ' Day, that is the next Day to the Sabbath, or Lord's- 
 
 * Day, was flgnifled in the Type before, which Type 
 
 * ceaied when the Subftance came, and the fpiritual Cir- 
 ' cumcifion was given to us. 
 
 So that we judge that no Perfon is to be hindred from 
 
 * obtaining the Grace, by the Law that is now appointed : 
 ' and that the fpiritual Circumcifion ought not to be re- 
 
 * ftrained by the Circumcifion that was according to the 
 ' Flefh : but that all are to be admitted to the Grace of 
 ' Chrift j fince Peter fpeaking in the Ails of the Apofiles, 
 ' fays, Thd Lord has (loeven me that no Perfon is to be called 
 
 * common or unclean. 
 1 If any thing could be an Obftacle to Perfons againft 
 
 * their obtaining the Grace ; the adult and grown and 
 ' elder Men would be rather hindred by their more 
 
 * grievous Sins. If then the greateft Offenders, and they 
 
 * that have grievoufly finn'd againft God before, have 
 
 * when they afterward come to believe, Forgivenefs of 
 
 * their Sins ; and no Perfon is kept offfrem Baptifm ancf 
 ' the Grace : how much lefs reafon is there to refufe ari 
 
 * Infant, who being newly born has no Sin, fave that be- 
 
 * ing defcended from Adam according to the Flefh he 
 4 has from his very Birth contracted the Contagion of 
 ' the Death anciently threatned ? Who comes for this 
 
 * reafon more eafily to receive Forgivenefs of Sins, becaufe 
 
 * they are not his own but others Sins that are forgiven 
 'him. 
 
 This therefore, deaf Brother, was our Opinion in the 
 
 * AfTembly, that it is not for us to hinder any Perfon from 
 
 * Baptifm and the Grace of God, who is merciful and 
 
 * kind and affectionate to all. Which Rule, as it holds 
 
 * for all, fo we think it more efpecially to be obferv'd in 
 
 * reference to Infants and Perfons newly born: to whom 
 ' our help and the Divine Mercy is rather to be granted, 
 
 * becaufe by their weeping and wailing at their firft En- 
 ' trance into the World, they do intimate nothing fo much 
 ' as that they implore Companion. 
 
 ' Dear Brother, we wifh you always good Health. 
 
 It is not denied by any but that this is a plain Proof of 
 Infants Baptifm being taken for granted at that time : 
 
 £ncf 
 
 S 
 
Chap. VL St. Cyprian. 4$ 
 
 fincc both Fidus who puts the Queftion, and the Council Year after the 
 that refblve it, do (hew by their Words their Senfe to Apoftles J 50 
 be that they are to be baptiz'd in Infancy j only Fidus ■/°^ v ^ 
 thought, not before the eighth day. 
 
 Mr. Tombs, who makes fome Exceptions againft the 
 foregoing Teftimonies, as not being plain declarations of 
 the Author's Mind, or nor, certainly genuine, (but yet no 
 other exceptions than what I have mention'd) grants 
 this to be plain, and to (1) fay enough, and more than (1) Examej^ 
 enough, except it bad fpoke more to the pirpofe, and would p. Jo, 11. 
 have it pafs for the firing-head of Infant Baptifm. 
 
 §. 1. But there is one Antipxdobaptift Writer! a Man 
 of more boldriefs in his Aflertiotfe than the reft, that 
 would reprefent this as. a forged or fuppqfititious piece. 
 \l) We would rather believe this, faies he, t hat the fe things (2) DtMvtri 
 were foi/led into his Writings by that yiHjtiious curjed Gene- I reatile of 
 ration, that 'Jo horribly abusd the Writings of mott of th'r. Eaptifm, Par? 
 Ancient's. 2 * c "» ^* 
 
 But as Mr. Tombs Was more wary and learned thari to 
 object any fuch thing; fo there could not have been any 
 thing more unluckily pleaded. For fo it Happens, that in 
 all Antiquity there is not any one piece that can more cer- 
 tainly be prov'd to be genuine than this : becaufe it is lo 
 aften quoted by St. Hierom, St. Aiiftin^ and others thai 
 liv'd a while after j not in any queftion of Infant Bap- 
 :itm, but of Original Sin, which the Pelagians denied, 
 :ho' they, as I (hall (hew hereafter, granted and practised 
 fnfant Baptifm. I (hall have occafion in the following 
 Chapters to cite fome of the Paifages of the forefaid Fa- 
 :hers where they mention this Epiftle of St. Cyprian, and 
 at prefent (hall refer the Reader to fuch places of St. Aid 
 flin, where hetranferibes large paffages verbatim out of i% 
 as to recite it by parcels almoft all. 
 
 In his Ep. 28. ad Hieronym. He, Tpeaking of fome thai 
 aught that the Body only, and not the Soul 5 rauft fuffer, 
 or Original Sin, faies among other things this j BleJfeA 
 Cyprian, not making any new Decree, but exprejjing thk 
 Wpn Faith of the Church, in refuting thofe that thought 4 
 %ild mult not be baptised before the eighth day, Jaid (nof 
 hat no rlejh, but ) that ho Soul muft be loft. 
 
 And /, 4. contra dual Epiji. PelagianorUm, c. %', He re^ 
 ites three large paffages out of it. , 
 
 Ahd/. $; de pecc-hbriiht 'meritisi$ remljfione^c.^. having 
 iientioft'd thif, Epiiftlc, he tells Marcs'iinus, the Nobkrria&J 
 c %kbs& He incites s 10S ifitnif ?^ plekp. ruk tbe£pijiit 
 
 * & 
 
$o §£. Cyprian. Chap. VI. 
 
 tear after the itfclfef the J aid Martyr about tix Bap tiding of Infants : 
 Apoftles 150. f r there is no doubt but it is to be had at Carthage. How- 
 i^^V^V^j ever I have thought fit to tranf crib e fome part of it, as much 
 /is isnccejfdry for our prejent Qucflion, £ which was about 
 original Sin.] So he begins where I began ; But as to the 
 cafe tf Infants : whereas you fudge they mufl not be baptised 
 ■within 2 or 3 Days, &c. and goes on to repeat two large 
 Paragraphs verbatim out of it. 
 (3) Serin. 14, Alio having o'ecafion to (3 ) preach at Carthage a- 
 de verbis A- gainft Pclagian'ftn, he towards the end of his Sermon, re- 
 port, ekes to the People fome part of this Epiftle, telling 'em 
 that they are the Words of Cyprian an ancient Bijkop of 
 that See. Holy Cyprian, fays he, was asked whether an 
 Infant might be baptised before the eighth Day, becaufe in 
 the eld Law it was not lawful to circiimcife but on the eighth 
 Day. The Qucflion was of the Day of baptising, for of ori- 
 ginal Sitrthere was no Qucflion : and therefore from a thing 
 of which there was no Qucflion, the Qucflion that was flarted 
 was refohed. St. Cyprian J aid among other things j So that 
 we judge that no Perfon is to be hindred from obtaining 
 the Grace, &c. [proceeding to thofe Words'} becaufe 
 they are not his own but others Sins that are forgiven him. 
 See how he making no doubt of this Matter [Viz. of origina. 
 Sir\\fo!ves that of which there was doubt -. he tool^thts from 
 the Foundation of the Church to flrcngthen a Stone that wat 
 loofe. 
 
 Sr. Hierotn alfo quotes a good part of it verbatim I. 3 
 Dialog, adv. Pelag. 
 
 §. 3. Since then it is plain that it was at that time, anc 
 in. thofe places where St. Cyprian had liv'd, cemmonb 
 known for his, and frequent in the Hands of learncc 
 Men 1 there is the lefs need of confidering thofe Obje- 
 ctions which are brought as probable againft its beinj 
 genuine. 
 
 The forefaid Author fays, We meet with nofuch Councu 
 r.either can it appear where it was held. 
 
 But this is to make himfelf more ignorant than he is, a 
 if he did not know that the Date of this is before thof 
 times in which the Acts of Councils ufed to be re 
 giftred and collected into Volumes : fo that this ha( 
 been loft, if it had not been preferv'd among the Epiftle 
 of this Father. A id befides, that they never us'd to pu 
 into the Volumes Councils the Acts of thofe ordinar 
 AiTembiies in vfrhicB the neighbouring Bifhops met ever 
 half Year at the principal City (whereof this was one 
 
Chap. Vf. Stbjptidv. $i 
 
 %i%. St.- Cyprians neighbouring Collegues aflenibled at Year after the 
 Cart barge) but only thofe in which fome extraordinary A poltles 150. 
 Matter was handled. *-''""V ** 
 
 (/. 4. Yet this is proper to obferve here, that whereas 
 (4) Grotius would prove that Infant-Baptifm was not uni- t * 2 
 •verfr.lly held to be neccflary, becaufe in the Councils one **■ ,l 
 
 finds no earlier Mention of it than in the Council of Car- 
 thage, meaning that in the Year 418. We fee here that . . ^^ 
 tho' that were true ( which I (hall by and by (5) fhew to ( 5 ' "" xv *< 
 be falfe) that there were no earlier Mention of it in thofe 
 Councils that are in the ordinary Collections : yet there 
 is mention of it in this, that was earlier than any of 'em 5 
 and tho' met on ordinary Occasions, more numerous than 
 feveral of 'em. 
 
 §. 5. It is objected likewifej that whereas St. Aufihi * 
 feme where (6) lays down this as a Pvule, that what the ^°> " e ™Pt"" 
 whole Church thro all the World does practice, and yet it 'Uo.^traDo- 
 hits not been i).'ftituted in Councils, but has'been always in natl " as ' 4° 
 ufc, is with very good ' reafon fuppofed to have been fettled C * ** 
 by Authority of the Ap files, and applys that Rule to 
 Infant-Baptifm ; he confequently takes 'it not to have 
 been inftituted by any Council; and therefore that he 
 contradicts himfelf when he believes there was fuch a 
 Council as this Letter mentions., 
 
 But there needs nothing but for a Man to ope'n his 
 Eyes to fee that this Council does nor. infiitute the Bap- 
 tifm of Infants, or enact that they lhould be baptized 5 
 but takes that for granted, or as a thing known and fup- 
 pofed by both Parties, that they are to be baptized, and 
 determines only that Queftion, whether they may be bap- 
 tiz'd before the eighth Day. Which very thing St. Aufiin 
 notes in the Words I juft now cited Ep. 2.3. Cyprian not 
 making any new Decree, &c 
 
 §. 6. Another Exception that is made* has I think., 
 fome Truth in it, vi%. That fomc of the Reafofts ufed in 
 this Council and exprefs'd in this Letter, do appear 
 
 ifomething frivolous and (hailcw„ But I do not fee how 
 
 i it is at all to the purpofe. 
 
 I 1. Becaufe thefe Reafons are not de'(igh'd to prove 
 Infant-Baptifm, but to take off the Objections concern- 
 ing the eighth Day. 
 
 [I ii If they had been us'd by thefc Bifhcps as Grounds 
 
 jof Infant-Baptifm 5 . yet fince our Enquiry is what the 
 :h then practisd,, and not how able §£ Cyprian and 
 I 2, -hey 
 
**< St. Cjprian. Chap. VI. 
 
 Tear after the they were to argue, their Evidence is the fame, how 
 ^P^ e j45°. weak foever their Reafonings are. But, 
 
 3. This alfo may be faid in Apology for their Abili- 
 ties, that to a frivolous and foolilh Queftionor Objection 
 'tis almoft impoflible to give any Anfwer that will not 
 feem frivolous to thofe that confider not the Occafion of 
 it. On this Account Irenxus, and many of,the Fathers 
 fuffer in our Judgment : they are fore'd to write a great 
 deal in Confutation of fuch idle and enthufiaftical Stuff 
 as feems to us not to deferve three Words : but it was 
 necefTary then to difentangle the Souls of ignorant 
 Chriftians. So an} Bcok written now in anfwer t 'he 
 Reafonings of the Quakers, &c. will in the next Age 
 feem to be the Work of a Man that had little to do. 
 "iThis Fidm thought that the natural Uncleannefs of an 
 Infant in the firft Days after his Birth, was a Reafon a-, 
 gainft baptizing it then, which, as i{igdtiui obferves* 
 was a Relique of heathenifh Superftition. He alfo 
 feems to have made fome Queftion whether fo young 
 an Infant be a perfect humane Creature: as if eight 
 Days made any great difference in that Matter: The 
 Anfwers to fuch Arguments will feem of little Weight. 
 All that he objected of Sence, was the Rule of Circum 
 cifion on the eighth Day. To which St. Cyprian anfwers, 
 as other Fathers do, that the Circumftancc of the Day 
 was typical, and fo not now obliging. 
 
 §. 7. If we look back from this time to the fpace that 
 had palfed from the Apoftles time, which was but 1 50 
 Years, we muft conclude that it was eafie then to know 
 the Practice of Chriftians in the Apoftles Days. Foi 
 fome of thele 66 Bifhops muft be thought to be at thi: 
 time 7001- 80 Years old themfelves, which reaches to hall 
 the fpace : and at that time when they were Infants 
 there muft have been feveral alive that were born withir 
 the Apoftles Age. And fuch could not be ignoram 
 whether Infants were baptiz'd in that Age, when they 
 themfelves were fome of thofe Infants. 
 
 It is plain likewife that there was no difpute or diffe- 
 rence of Opinion (as there muft have been among ft 
 many, if any Innovation had been made ). For 'tis hef< 
 faid, there was not one of FidusV Mind that Infant-Bap 
 rifm muft be delayed till the eighth Day. Much lef 
 then was there any of Opinion that it was not to be us' 
 at all, 
 
{Chap. VI St. Cyprian. tf 
 
 \ In a DoHrinal Point, as Mr. Baxter well obferves, a Year after the 
 |M//?if^? k eafier, or in a bare Narration of fome one FaH : Apoftles 1 50, 
 uBut in a matter of Fact of fo publicly Notice, and which fo v^*"V""N.«' 
 I many thoufands were Partakers in, as Baptifm vpas, hovp 
 \;ould they be ignorant ? Suppofe it were a Quefticn now 
 ihmong us, Whether Perfons were bapriz'd at Age only, 
 tor in Infancy alfo, 70 or 80 Years before we were born, 
 :t.vere it not eafieto know the Truth, what by Tradition^ 
 ifcnd what by Records ? 
 
 i §. 8. I (hall conclude what I have to note on this Te- 
 stimony with obferving thefe things. 
 J 1. That it was the Cuftom of thofe times and places to 
 ■give the new baptiz'd Perfon, whether Infant or Adult, , 
 Ihe KJji of Peace,ov as it is called by (7) St. Paul and (8) St. ( " x Cor - l6 » 
 JPcter, the Holy Kjfi, or the Kjfi of Charity, in token of *?' p , 
 Iheir owning him for a Chriftian Brother: for Fid us ' ' l e ' 5? 
 makes that a part of his Objection, that that woul,d be *" 
 indecent or loathfome in the cafe of a new born Infant, 
 Jbefore it be a Week old. 
 
 1 §. 9. 2. That thefe Bilhops held, that to fuffer the In- 
 ant to die unbaptiz'd, was to endanger its Salvation. 
 This appears in their Rcafonings. 
 
 §. 10. 3. The third is a various reading or fpclling 
 )f one Word in this Epiftle, from whence fome Difputes 
 lave arifen. Mr, Dai/le in a Book written on pufpofe 
 :o publilh the N.m and Errors which he could find in the , . r . 
 Fathers Works, (9) reckons St. Cyprian one of the firft (9j ,2 * *- 
 )f thofe from whofe Words one may prove tjiere was a • ' ° '** 
 Cuftom of giving the Holy Communion to Infants. And 
 le proves it firft and chiefly from this Epiftle, in which, 
 is 'tis here written, there is never a Word about it. But; 
 .vhere we read in the firft Clauie of it, b.ipti^andum G? 
 "anclificandum, Jkoidd be bapti{d and fanftified, (which 
 atter Word is commonly ufed as another Word for Bap - 
 ifm ) he auotes it, bapti^andum & facrijicandum, by 
 .vhich he uriderftands }j /2w#/i be baptiz'd and partake of the 
 Eucharift. Some Editions, it feerm, have it fo. But, I 
 |e uppofe, very few.- and thofe miftaken ones. For (10) (io)$"xQ>£- 
 f( Dr. Hammond, (11) Marfloal, and the MagAeburgenfes 9 Ti&> in£ bap;-, 
 1 md Mr. Walker, and all that I have feen, do : quote it §• Be- 
 rn Anclificandum, as rt is alfo in the laft Edition, vi^. Oxcn.i 1 Aga^f« 
 ej 1682,. in which are the various Lections' of ieveral Ma- Tombs p. 30 
 j lufcriptsthit had been collated : bunio Variety in reading 
 bfthis WoiU, And the mauer is out of doubt 5 fince 
 
5*4 St. Cyprian. Chap. VI 
 
 Year after the St. Aujlin, tranfcribing that part of the Epiftle ( 1 3) writes 
 ApofMcs 1 50. xt fanHificandum, And indeed facrificandum in that fence 
 
 ■^}' \ con ~ From this ufe of the Word SanBification for Baptifm. 
 
 tra iduasEpift. and. fanclified or made holy for k/*/^ ( which I (hall 
 
 ^e agianornm j^ ew ^^ hereafter to have been very common and 
 
 ufual ) the Fathers do give Hght to the Explication of 
 
 (14) CH. XL that Text of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 7. 14. As I (hall more fully 
 §. 9. (hew at a fitter place. 
 
 ( 1 5) CH« II. 4. We fee alio here confirm'd, what I faid (1 5 ) before, 
 5 ^0 that they reckoned Baptifm to be to us in the room of 
 
 Circumcifion. For it was upon that account, that Fidta 
 thought it«muft keep the times of the old Circumcifion : 
 and the ,Bifhcps of the Council, tho' denying that, do 
 call it the Spiritual [] or Chriftian3 Circifmcijion. 
 
 Another Paflige out of St. Cyprian, is 
 
 Libra tie fapfis, circa Medium. 
 
 f . 11. There had been at Carthage a great Perfecution 
 of the Ch.riftians, in which many had fallen, and had de- 
 nied their Religion, ^nd had joined in the idolatrous Sa- 
 crifices: fome of which afterward, when the Perfecution 
 was over, went about to crowd themfelves into the 
 Church, without giving firft any fufficient Proofs of their 
 Repentance for fo horrid a Crime,or expe&ingtheConfent 
 of the Church for their Re-admiflion. St. Cyprian thought 
 it neceffary for thefe Men to be firft made ienfible of the 
 Guilt they had contracted : for which p-urpofe he writes 
 this Book - 3 and has among others, this Paffage, in which 
 he mentions their Infants ; and tho" there be no exprefs 
 Mention of their Baptifm, yet you will fee it is in other 
 Words plainly defcribed. ; 
 
 *. Nonne quando ad Capitoliumjponte ventum eft, quando 
 ultra ad obfequium diri facinoris acceffum eft, labavit gref- 
 Jus, cr.Ugayit afpeBus, tremucrunt vijecra, bracbia concide- 
 jfunp ? Nonne jenfus cbftupuit, lingua hxjit, fermo defecit ? 
 Stare illic potirii Dei fervus, & loqui & renunciare Chriflo, 
 ' qui jam Diabolo rcnuyciarat & fecu.lo? Nonne arc ilia, quo, 
 iKoriturus acccjfcrat, fegtti illi fuit ? Nonne Diaboli alt arc £ 
 quodfatorc tetrpfumare ac redolerc conjpexerat, velut f units 
 f?l bujlum vit.-c fux,.]m 7 ere acfugc, e debebat? Quid boftiam 
 fepum, mifer t quid viclimaynfu, a imponh ? ipfe ad 
 
Chap. VI. - St. Cyprian. $$ 
 
 aras bcjiia, viBima ipfc venijij. hnmclafi illic filutem Year after the 
 
 tur.m ; Jpem tuam, fidem tuam funefis Mk igrubus concre- ApofHes ijo ? 
 
 rnajli. Ac multis proprius intentus fat is non fuit ; horta- •--^V"* ,> ?* 
 
 mentis mutuis in exitium fuum populus impulfus est : mors 
 
 invicem lethali poculo propiuata eft. Ac tie quid deejfet ad 
 
 crimin'.s cumulum, infantes quoq\ parentum manibus vel 
 
 impofiri. vel attracli, i&miferunt parvuli quod in prim-. 
 
 tim nctivitatis exordiofucrant confec'uti. Nonne illi, cum 
 
 judici) dies venerit, dicent ; nos nihil fscimus, nee dcre- 
 
 licio c'bo r.c pocido Domini ad prof ana. contagia Jponte pro- 
 
 peravvnus : perdidit nos aliena f>erfidia y parentesfenfimu$ 
 
 farricAas. Illi nobis ecclejiam mct'.rm, illi patron Dao.'. 
 
 ncgavrunt : ut dum parvi :S - U~& tanfii fdcmh'h 
 
 ignar per alios ad confortium criminiimjungimi'.r, aliena. 
 
 fraucs cr.peremur ? 
 
 ' Vhen you came to the Capitol, \_the Idol Temple^ 
 ' whei you went with a ready Compliance to the com- 
 ' mitthg of that horrible Crime, Did not your Legs 
 f treimle, your Sight wax dim, your Bowels turn, and 
 'your Arms flag? Did not your Mind grow amazed, 
 ' your Tongue falter, and your Speech fail you ? Could* 
 ' one tiat was God's Servant ftand there and fpeak out, 
 'and -enounce Chrift, v. ho had before renounced the 
 
 * Devi, and the World ? Was nor the Altar of Incenfe a 
 ' funerd Pile to him, fince he came thither to take his, 
 ' [Jpiri^uaf] Death ? Had he not reafon to abhor and fly 
 
 * from the Altar of Sacrifice to the Devil, which he faw 
 c fmoak and ftink with a nafty Smell, as from the fune- 
 1 ral Fhe which fignified the Forfeiture of his Life ? 
 
 What need hadft thou, poor Wretch, to bring thy Of- • 
 fering or Sacrifice thither with thee ? Thou cameft thy 
 1 felf a Sicrifice and a Burnt-Offering to the Altar. Thou 
 a didft. there facrifice thy Salvation ; thou didft burn up 
 j all thy Hope and Faith in thofc deadly Fires. 
 
 ' There were alfo a great many that thoneht it not e» 
 
 nough to procure their own Damnation. *The multi- 
 
 c tude encouraged one another to their Deftruclion : they 
 
 | drank Death to one. another, and pleug'd each other in 
 
 ' that poyfonous Cup. 
 
 • And that nothing might be wantirig to the Meafjix-:. 
 1 of their Wickednels, their little Infants alfc being I.eti 
 ' or brought in their Parents .Arm?, loft ;ha: whi h d 
 1 had obtaind prefently after they were born. Will nqc 
 c they at the Day of Ju.dgrr$fnt fw, ;f l- 
 ■' r did v?c for faking t> " • 
 
 • 
 
^6 Si. Cyprian. Chap. VI, 
 
 Year after tfye run of our oven accord to the partaking of thoje prophane Df- 
 ^ppftles 150, filements. 'Txvas the Apofiacy of others that ruin 'd us: we 
 ^OjTV?/ bad our Parents for our Murderers* 'Twas they that re- 
 nounced for us the Church from being our Mother, and God 
 from being our Father. When we, beingyoung and hconfi- 
 derate, and not fenfible of the Greatnefl of the Crimt,were 
 made Partakers of the Wickgdnefi, we were entrapped by 
 the Treachery of others. 
 
 §. 12. When he fays, the Infants losl [or forfeited] 
 that [[Gift or Grace] which they had obtained prefendy af- 
 ter they were born : 'tis plain that he means their Baptifm 
 or the Benefits thereof. St. Auftin had occafion to re- 
 cite thefe "Words of St. Cyprian and to give his Corrment 
 on them. The occafion was this ; one Boniface hac put 
 to him this Queftion ; Whether Parents do their Chidren 
 that are baptised any hurt when they carry 3 cm to the Hea- 
 then Sacrifices to be curd of any Illnefs : And, if they here- 
 by do 'em no hurt, then how it comes to pafi that theFaith 
 cf the Parents ftands 'em in fiead when they are bafi^d : 
 and yet their Apojiacy afterward jhsiuld not be able p hurt 
 "em ? 
 T161 Ep.te-S. ^ r ' dvflin (16) anfwers, thattbe Force of that Saaament 
 4q ISonifacium isfuch, that he that is once regenerated by it, cannot after- 
 wards be entangl'd in the Guilt of another Perfon s tin, to 
 which he does not cenfent. He gives the Reafon of the 
 Difference to this purpofe $ that the Guilt of original 
 Sin defcends from the Parent to the Child, becaufe the 
 Child is not as yet a feparate living Perfon, anirtafepa* 
 ratim vitvens, from his Parent. But when a Chili is be- 
 come in Jeipfo alter ab eo qui genuit, in himfelfa feparate 
 Perfon from him that begot him, he is not guilty of his 
 Parents Sin done without his Confent, He derived his 
 Guilt, becaufe he was one. with him and in him from 
 whom he derived, at the time when it was derived to him 3 
 ibut one does not derive from another, when each has his 
 Own proper Life 3 fo as it may be faid, the Soul that Jin- 
 neth, it fhaM die. , That the Faith and godly Will of the 
 parent in bringing his Child to Baptifm, is available, be- 
 caufe the fame Spirit that fanctifies and regenerates the 
 Child, moves the Parent to offer him to Baptifm. The, 
 regenerating Spirit, fays he, is one and the fame in the Pa- 
 rents that bring him, and in the Infant that is brought 
 
 And regenerated^ '—- And the Guilt is not fo com-, 
 
 miinicated by another Perfon s H r itt, as the Grace is commit 
 iticaied by theVnity £ or identity! of the Spirit* 
 
 t4 
 
Chap. VI. St. Cyprian. <;*; 
 
 Tet ( as he obferves afterward ) the Parents or other Year after the 
 Guardians that endeavour thus to entangle their Children or ApoftleMS©, 
 other Infants in this Saerilege of the Devil, are defervedly 
 called fpiritual Murderers. For they do not, 'tis true, effehl 
 any Murder upon 'cm, but yet as far as lies in them they are 
 Murderers : and we do with re a fin fay to 'em, Don't mur- 
 der your Infants. For the Ap.ftle fays, Quench not £or 
 extinguilh not] the Spirit : not that he can he extinguifhed ; 
 but yet they are fitly called extinguifoers of him as much as 
 in them lies, that would have him extinguifhed. 
 
 Then it is that he takes notice 01 this Paflage of St. 
 Cyprian, and fays, In this fenfe may that be rightly under- 
 ftood which St. Cyprian wrote in his Epiftle concerning the 
 J-apfi, when reproving thofe that had in the time ofPerfecu- 
 tion facrificed to Idols, he fays, * And that nothing might 
 * be wanting to the Meafure of their Wickednels, their 
 ' little Infants alfo being led or brought in their Parents 
 ' Arms, loft that which they had obtained prefently after 
 ' they were born, &c. They loft it, he means t as far as 
 concerns the PVickediief of thofe by whom they were brought 
 to lofe it, in the Will and Purpofe of thofe that committed fa 
 foul a Wickednef upon 'em. For if they had loft it indeed 
 as to themfilvcs, they would have continued as Perfons to be 
 condemned by the Sentence of God without any Excufe : which 
 if St. Cyprian had thought to befo, he would not prefently 
 have fub joined their Excufe, faying, l Will not they at the 
 * Day of Judgment fay ? &c. 
 
 §. 13. There is one place more in St. Cyprian, where 
 he fpeaks of all Perfons in general, yetbecaufe he names 
 not Infants particularly, I (hall but juft mention it. 
 It is 
 
 Lihro 3, Teftimoniorum a J Qmr'inum^ c. 2,5". 
 
 This is a Commop-place-Book of the Heads of Chri- 
 ftian Doctrine, collected by this Father, and proper Texts 
 of Scripture added for the Proof of each of 'em. 
 
 The Doctrine or Proportion for this Chapter is this. 
 
 Ad rcgnum Dei niji baptist us & renatus auis fuerit, 
 pervenire non pojfe. * If any one be not baptiz'd and re • 
 generate, he cannot come to the Kingdom of God. 
 
 Tte 
 
c% St. Cypriax. Chap. VI, 
 
 Yev ifter the 
 
 Ar : l«s '-5°. The Texts of Scripture are among other, thefe 
 
 In Evangelio cata Joannem. Nift qui; renatus fuerif 
 ex aquh &Jpiritu, non pot eft introire inregnum Dei : quod 
 enim natum eft de came, caro eft- 3 & quod nntum eft de 
 Jpiritu, Spiritus eft. In the Gojpcl according to St. John. 
 ' Except any one be regenerate of Water and of the Spi- 
 
 * rit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God : for that 
 
 * which is born of the Flefli/is Flefh: and that which is 
 
 * born of the Spirit, is Spirit. 
 
 We have in our Englifk Language a way of fpeaking 
 whereby inftead of the Word QPerfon] in a Sentence; 
 we generally ufe the Word [[Man] tho' the Senfe be fuch 
 as requires to be underftood of any human Creature ; 
 Man, Woman, or Child: And fo in the Text of St. John 
 here cited, John 3. 5. tho' the original be Ur /*» vis, &c. 
 and all Latin Books and Writers translate it, as Cyprian 
 here does, nlfi quis, &c. which fignifies, except one [[or 
 except any one, or, except a Perfon] be born, &c. Yet the 
 Englijh Tranflators have rendred ir, Except a Man be bom, 
 Sec. And fome EngHftj Antipasdobaprifts ( learned ones 
 you'll fay) have taken the Advantage of the Word [[Man} 
 to prove that it is of a grown Perfon in Exclufion of 
 Children, that our Saviour fpeaks. But the more wary 
 of 'em finding that this Argument will from the original 
 turn ftrongly againft 'em, are willing to compound, and 
 leave this Text quite out of the Difpute, and fay that 
 our Saviour does not there fpeak of Baptifm at all. 
 
 There is not any one Chriftian Writer of any Anti- 
 quity in any Language, but what underftands ir of Bap- 
 tifm. And if it be not fo underftood, it is difficult to 
 give an account how a Perfon is born of JVater, any 
 
 t . _ more than born of Wood. 
 
 y;7) v ar . ' I fhail have occafi on to fpeak more (17) particularly 
 #s * ' of the Senfe of the Ancients concerning this Text. In 
 the mean time, we fee here plainly that St. Cyprian un- 
 derftands it of Baptifm : and alfo we fee by reading 
 the foregoing Epiftle to Fidut, that he and his Fellow - 
 Bifhops underftood the Cafe of Infants particularly to be 
 included in it. 
 
 There is another Paflage in Sr. Cyprian, from which is 
 plainly inferr'd the Baptifm of Infants, becaufe it ftiewsj 
 (hat in his Church rhe Cuftom was to give the Commu- 
 
 i''lOV. 
 
Chap. VII. Council of EWbcr'is. 59 
 
 nion to them at the Age of 4 or 5 Years, But fince it Year after the 
 mentions not their Baptifm exprefly, I (hall referve it to Apofirlcs i 50 
 the (18) Chapter where I fpeak of the Cuftom that was ^""v^"*-* 
 in fome Churches of their communicating. OS) Part 2. 
 
 • CH.IX.§.is, 
 16, 17. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Quotations out of the Council of 
 
 Eliberis. 
 
 ConciL Eliber'ttanum. Can, 22.. 
 
 §. 1. QSj quis dc Catholic* Ecclcfa ad hxrcp.m tranfitimt Vear after the 
 
 ^b fecerit , rurfufq; ad ' ecclcjiam rccunerit : flackit 'Apoftles 205, 
 huic pocnitcntiam non ejfe doicgandayn, co quo. I ^s^S^^ 
 cognovcrit ■peccatum fuion : qui etiam decern annis ngat 
 ■pocnithntiam ; cui prjl decern anrios prxftafi cornimtnlo debet. 
 Si vero infantes fuerint tranfdutti ; qahd non fuo vitio Pcc- 
 caverint, incunfinnter recip debent. 
 
 1 If any one go over from the Catholick Church to any 
 ' Herefie [or Seel] and do return again to the Church : 
 ' It is relolved that Penance be not denied to fuch an 
 
 * one ; becaufe he acknowledges his Fault. Let hint 
 
 * be in the State of Penance for ten Years, and after ten 
 
 * Years, he ought to be admitted to Communion. 
 "'But if they were Infants when they were carried 
 
 ' over ; inafmuch as it was not by their own Fault that 
 
 * they finned, they ought to be admitted prciently. 
 
 Here is indeed no exprefs Mention of theic Infants 
 having been baptized in the Catholick Church before 
 they were carried over to the Sc6h But inafmuch as 
 they are (aid to be tranfducli, carried over from the Ca- 
 tholick Church, it is, I think, plainly implied. For the 
 Phrafe of all Antiquity is not to call any one of the Church', 
 till he be baptized. Be he Infarft or Adult chat is defigned 
 to be aChrtitian, till he be'bnpnz'J, they calj him Cate* 
 cbumenus: and a Catechumen is not yet of the Church. 
 "We perceive by St.Aufiin intrany (1) places, that it was r } v: erm> ,j 
 a common thing for the Neighbours or any Vilitant, to He verbis A- 
 ask concerning a Christian's Infant? Child ; Is he fi delis ti : .h & alibi. 
 catcchnraenus ? i, e. is he yet bnrnz'd or not ? So that 
 iu ■. ; an 
 
60 Council of ILXibms, Chap. VII. 
 
 year after the an Infant or adult Perfon was not reckon'd fidelis or of 
 Apoftles 20$. the Church till his Baptifm. And therefore to fpeak of 
 Infants conveyed over from the Catholkk Church to any 
 Sect, is to fuppofe them firft baptiz'd in the Catholkk 
 Church, and afterward by their Parents or others carried 
 to the Congregations of the Sectaries, and educated in 
 that way. The Council decrees that fuch upon their 
 Return to the Catholkk Church fhall be received t with- 
 out any Penance. 
 
 Concerning the time of this Council, I ftiaU not enter 
 into any of the nice Inquiries. Almoft all Chronologers 
 place it as I here do, vi%. Anno Dom. 305. Batumi us 
 will have it to be 1 o or 1 5 Year later. A main Excep- 
 tion againft moving the Date of it any lower, is, that a 
 great many of the Canons of it do enact what Penance 
 §s neceflary in the feveral Cafes of fuch as thro' Fear do 
 deny the Chriftian Religion, or comply to facrifke to 
 the Idol Gods. This is a Sign that Perfecution reigned 
 at that time, at leaft in Spain : but every Body knows 
 that a little after this time Perfecution for the Chriftian 
 Religion ceafed in all the World. 
 
 §. 2. That which will make a Reader, that is not ac- 
 quainted with Antiquity, wonder, is, that thefe ancient 
 Fathers do inflict fo fevere a Penance on thofe that had 
 run into any Sect. They ordain that fuch muft be kept 
 in a State of Penance ( *. e . of Humiliation and asking 
 Pardon of God and the Church ) for ten Years time 
 before they be admitted to full Communion: except 
 they were Infants when they were carried over. 
 
 The Commonnefs of a Sin does in moft Men wonder- 
 fully abafre the Senfij of the Guilt of it. Now a days if Men 
 have run into Schifm, and do afterwards think fit to return 
 to the Church, they are fo far from being fenfible of any 
 Guilt that they have incurred, that they think their very 
 Return does lay a great Obligation on the Churck. In 
 ftiort, many Chriftians, that take the Word of God, not 
 as it lies, but as their Prejudices have reprefented, do 
 think that Adultery indeed is a Sin, and Drunkennefs 
 is a Sin, but that Schifm is none. 
 
 But all the Ancient Chriftians do exprefs the fame 
 Sentiment of the Guilt of Schifm as St. Paul does, who 
 (i) Gal* 5. i 1 ) reckons thofe that make Divijions, Seditions, and 
 x9,2o. Herefies in the Church, among the moft capital Offen- 
 
 ders., which fhcd not inherit the Kingdom cf God : fuch as 
 
 Murderer: , 
 
Chap. VIII. Council of Neocsefarm 61 
 
 Murderers, Adulterers, &c. And commands that they Year after the 
 be excommunicated, or (i) avoided by all good Chri- Apofrles2o5. 
 flians. Nor has God ever pafTed any Act of Indulgence <*' r V > *~' 
 or Toleration in Abatement of that Law. i"i) Rom. 1 6* 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 A Quotation out of the Council 
 or Neoc<efarea. 
 
 }. i. 9 ■ iH O' this Council mentions nothing at all a- y e a r after the 
 bout Infants or their Baptifm, yet Grotius A^oftles 114. 
 (1) feems to himfelf to have found a Proof w^V'"**^* 
 out of it that many in that Age judged that they are not (1) Annot- in 
 to be baptized. Bp. Taylor (2) from him, and from them Mat. 19. 14, 
 others, profecute the Argument. (2) Liberty 
 
 So much is plain, that fome about that time and place °f Prophecy- 
 had put this Quefiion ; Whether a Woman with Child, m S' 
 that had a Mind to become a Chriftian and be baptiz'd, 
 might conveniently receive Baptifm during her going 
 with Child, or rauft ftay till fhe was deliver'd. And 'tis 
 agreed likewife that the Reafon of the Doubt was, be- 
 caufe when fhe was immers'd into the Water, the Child 
 in her Womb did feem to fome to be baptized with her * 
 and confequently they were apt to argue that that Child 
 muft not be baptiz'd, or would not need to be baptiz'd 
 afterward for it felf This any one will conclude from 
 the Words of the Council, which are thefe ; 
 
 Concili) Neoc*farienfis, Canon 6. 
 
 xoiVttreT » T»XT«ff« 7J towo/uiim : <ft* T9 **«'$■» ifixv till irgfttieu 
 *»V f «» it t» 6/4o\tyi<t, Aixiv 3j, 
 
 A Woman with Child may be bapti^d when /he pleafe:i 
 For the Mother in this matter communicates nothing to the 
 Child : becaufe in the ProfcJJlon every ones oven fj or pecu- 
 liar] .%/(j/#/70>? is declared, fjor, becaufe every ones Re- 
 folution at the Profeflion i$ declar'd to be peculiar 1% 
 MmfelQ ... ... . .... v 
 
 it* 
 
6% Council of Neocarfarea. Chap. VIII. 
 
 Year after the §. 1. The Argument: of the Anr.ipaedobapt.ifts from this 
 Apot tics 214. PalTage, is, thar both thole that raifed the Doubt, and 
 the Council that refolved it, ranft have been of Opinion 
 that it is unlawful to baptize an Infant. 
 
 For, fay they, thofe Men that fcrupi'd the baptizing of 
 a Woman with Child, fcrupled it for this reafon, becaufc 
 they thought that in fo doing they baptiz'd the Child too 5 
 which to do had been no Ablurdity fuppoling the Bap- 
 tifm of an Infant to be lawful : it would have been only 
 she doing of both under one. 
 
 And alio the Fathers of the Council, fay they, do feem 
 to grant that the baptizing of the Child would be unlaw- 
 ful : for they give that Reafon why they allow the bap- 
 tizing of the Woman, becaufe her Baptifm communicates 
 nothing to the Child. . . , 
 
 And belides, the Fathers (as thefe Men conftruc their 
 Words) do determine that in the baptifmal Profellion e- 
 very Perfon rnuft declare his own Choice or Refolution : 
 which it is impofliblefor the Infant in the Womb, or any 
 ether Infant to do. 
 
 §. 3. The Psedobaptifts fa}%that this is a wide Miftake 
 of the meaning of thofe that raised the Doubt, and of 
 the Council in relblving it.. For that it was ho more 
 than this. 
 
 They that fcrupled the baptizing of fuch a Woman^ 
 fcrupled it for this reafon, becaufe it would be a difputa- 
 ble Cafe whether the Child in her Womb were to be 
 accounted as baptiz'd by its Mother's Baptifm or not : 
 and lb when that Child was born, they (hould be in 
 great Perplexity whether they muft baptize it or not, 
 For if they did, there would be Danger that it would be 
 baptized twice : and if they did nor, 'twas quefhonable 
 whether it had any Baptifm at all. And that therefore it 
 tvas better the Woman (hould fray till (he were deliver'd 
 and then (he might be baptiz'd for her felf and the Child 
 for irs (elf. 
 
 But the Bilhops in Council (considering, as 'lIs likely, 
 the Danger of the Woman's Death in the mean while) 
 determined otherwiie ; that (lie might be bartiz'd if (he 
 would : and that there Was no ground for the fofefaid 
 Scruple or Perplexity about the Child's Baptifm ; for 
 that it was a plain Cafe that the Child is not to be ac- 
 counted as baptiz'd by its Mother's Baptifm, For that 
 fuch a Woman's Baptifm reaches no farther than her felf, 
 and is not communicated to the Child in he? Womb; 
 
Chap. VIII. Council of Neocrcfarea. 6$ 
 
 and gives this Reafon, becaufe the Frofcffion that any one Year after the 
 makes at Baptifm, declares M'*» ffg^jsm, a I{cfolution Apoftles 2T4. 
 for Defire to be baptiz'd] that is peculiar to themfches: 
 and io the "Woman in this Cafe does not defire or de- 
 mand the Baptifm at that time for her Child, but for her 
 felf only. 
 
 §. 4. If the Reader will pleafe to turn back and read 
 the Words once again with any Attention;, he will fee that 
 they arc, as to the main of the Determination, applicable 
 to either of thefe' Senfes. If the Bilhops had thought 
 baptizing of Infants unlawful, they would have deter- 
 mined this Cafe much as they do : but it is no kind of 
 Proof that they didt hink fo; becaufe if they meant only 
 to take away the Perplexity about baptizing the Child, 
 when bern, they muft alfo determine it as they do. 
 
 But the learned Reader will likewife obferve that 
 there is fomething in the Propriety of Phrafe in thu 
 laft Claufe that does incline it to this latter Senfe ; . and 
 that is the Notation of the Word, C <<ftoJ ] which prc- 
 perry fignifics any thing peculiar to ones felf ; and the re- 
 petition of the Article, ™ before the Words •» 7? «>o\e- 
 
 If the Bifhops had meant to determine that the Child 
 could not be fuppos'd to be baptiz'd with its Mother for 
 this Reafon, becaufe in ba'ptifmal Profeffion every one 
 muft declare his own Choice ; and lb an Infant could 
 not be baptiz'd .- they woul ha ■ '.xprcis'd that la:ter 
 
 Claufe thus, ^'* to e*«s?» 6 m \mjto t»» ar^oijioiv it t» «,uo\o- 
 
 y\i Jli/.yutw } becaufe every one mujt nia\e his ow?i Choice at 
 the Prof ejjion. But when the yfay &* to lx*s-s *«»«» •:«? 
 3-g««fiaiv tat ^ V n ofAnXoyid. J«x?v3r they do ( as any Cri- 
 tick will obfer; e) exprefs this Sence ; becaufe the choice 
 which is made at the FJbaptifmal^ Profejfon, is declard 
 by every one -peculiar to himfelf. And fo it is only a Rea- 
 fon of what they had faid laft ; that the Mother communi- 
 cates nothing to the Child: and not any Reafon againft 
 the baptizing of an Infant. 
 
 §. 5. Before I go farther, I efteem it very material to 
 obferve by the bye this Emphafis of the Word V/Ja^ for 
 apprehending the force of a Text of St. Paul againft the 
 Polygamijls. Thefe Men prefume to fay, that there is 
 no Prohibition : n the Ncvv-Teftamcnt of the Plurality 
 of Wives to or.- Man. St, Paul, 1 Cor. 7. 1, 2. pcr- 
 fwades people, if they can be Co content, to an abfolute 
 (Continence 3 but if they cannot, he allows Marriage : 
 
 bus 
 
6.| Council of Neocaefarea. Chap. VIII. 
 
 Year after the bur with this Limitation, !**<pt nh \<tw& y.iww l^*™ 
 Apoftles 214. ■*, iv-iTH tor »cfto? ttnTe? »'x»t». The trjue Transition of 
 ^^ r \ r ™^ - * which Words is, L<?f every Man have his own Wife, and 
 let every Woman have a Husband, peculiar to her. 
 
 For as when Ariflotle lays, «<ft'»v tSto ts"; d\9fu'truc: ir 
 were a very imperfect rendring to tranflate it > Men 
 have this of their own : which ought to be, This is proper, 
 or peculiar, to Men. And where he fays, <fi (Z&t&xoc 
 «v/«» %x*i *V y'K&iom : to fay, Frogs maks their own Noife, 
 would not reach the Sence : which is, that Frogs make a 
 ~Noifc peculiar to themfelves. So it is an imperfect Tran- 
 slation of the forefaid Words of the Apoftle, which our 
 Englifh gives, Let every Woman have her own Husband. 
 The Word fignifies, one peculiar to her. 
 
 $. 6. But to return to our Buflnefs, Grotius among the 
 Arguments with which he endeatours to uphold the; 
 Caufe of the Antipaedobaptifts, produces two Commen- 
 tators on this Canon, Balfamon and fynaras, who ( as he 
 would reprefent their Meaning) interpret it as if the 
 Council had undcrftood Infant-Baptifm to be unlawful. 
 / 1 Annot. in ^ rot ' usS Words are thefe, (3) How much foeyer the Com- 
 Mat. ig,'iA. ment ^ t:ors draw it to another Sence, it is plain thr.t the 
 Doubt concerning the baptising Women great with Child, 
 was for that Rgafon, becaufe the Child might feem to be 
 bapti^d together with its Mother j and a Child was not 
 wont to be bapti^'d but upon its own Will and PrcfeJJion. 
 And f'o Balfamon explains it, Compencl. Canon Tit. 4. 
 ' That cannot be inlightned [or baptiz'd] becaufc it is 
 ' not yet come into the Light, nor lias any choice of the 
 ' Divine Baptifm. And aifo Zonaras, * The Child that 
 
 * is now in the Womb has need of Baptifm then when it 
 
 * fhall be able to choofe. 
 
 Any one that reads this, would conclude that Balfa- 
 mon and fynaras at leaft, ( if not the Neocafarean Fa- 
 thers,) were Antipasdobaptifts : if he be one that does not 
 underftand that there are rhoft full and evident Records 
 of the time in which thefe two Men lived ( which was 
 the nth Century ) and that there was then no fuch 
 thing as Antipasdobaptifm in the GreeJ^ Church, irt which 
 Balfamon was patriarch of Antioch. 
 
 §. 7. trivet, Mnrfoal, &c. do accufe Grotius of far- 
 iiality and foul Dealing in general in his pleading thfe 
 Caufe of the Antipasdobaptifts, and particularly in this 
 place, And tho' the Opinion of Balfamon and %onatdi 
 he not of that Moment h to make it worth the while" t6 
 "" ~ " ' fcjb'ta$ 
 
Chap. Vflf. C<?/^/7<?/Neoc£farea. 6> 
 
 repeat their Words { ln.ee they had at that diftance Year after th* 
 no bctcer Opportunity of knowing the Mind of the ApolHes 2H« 
 Council than we now have) yet I will let them down ^■ /, "" ,N;,, »^ ^ 
 
 fomethihg at large, that the Reader may fee if he can ac- 
 quit that great Man of the Crime of Prevarication. 
 
 Bafjamon's Comment on that Canon is this ; Some had 
 /kid i That Women which come over from the Heathens to 
 
 * the Church great with Chi Id ought not to he baptised, but 
 
 * to flay till they were deliver 'd; leaft when the Mother is 
 
 * baptised, the Child in her Wombdofcem to be baptised too^ 
 ' ai being altogether united to her: and Jo when it is born 
 
 * it will either be left unbapti^ed ; or if it he bapti^d it 
 
 * may be accounted to be twice bapti^d. The Fathers there* 
 fore not allowing this Contradiction, appointed that fucb 
 Women may be bapti^dwithout any Scruple when they pleafe't 
 for that the Woman has nothing comm:n with the Ci iid in 
 her Womb in the concern of Baptifin: ejpcci ally, fay they, 
 when as to every one in Baptifln his own Promifing is necef- 
 fary. But the.Embrye [ Ss*s»/*»y«» Jldiatme ] having not the 
 Qualification £or Dilpcfition, or Aifedticn "} cannot make- 
 the Profeffon at Baptifin. And that Claufe^ when they 
 pleafe, was added to the Cancn becaufe of feme that fay , 
 
 Before the Embryo be formed into a Humane Creature^ 
 
 1 the Woman may be baptized without Scruple, but not 
 
 ' conveniently afterward ; becaufe the Child in her 
 
 ' Womb then is in . the fame caie as Infants newly born^ 
 
 I' which niay not [lege may] promife. Tie Fathers there; 
 
 mfore faidfthat it is at the Woman s Pleafare to be baptif'd 
 
 ■when Die will ; becauf: in what State the Embryo is nt>ne 
 
 can tell, nor be Sppnfbr for it: but Infants do promife by 
 
 their Sponfors, and being ac.iur.Hy bapti^d have the heavenly 
 
 Illumination granted to 'em. 
 
 And in his Glories upen Photius's Notnocanon, Tit; 4J 
 io. hk fays, There was a Qucfiion made, whether a Wo- 
 man tilth Child might be baptised : for fo?ne faid,.* Be-; 
 ' caufe the Child in the Womb is united to the Mother 
 
 * as a part of her, a: t be inlightned [or baptized} 
 " with the Mother, becautc it is not yet come into the 
 
 Light, nor has any Gh_\ ; I e Profe-'fion oftheDf- 
 ' vine Baptifui ; therefore the Mother ought not to be 
 ' baptiz'd, but to ftay till the Child be bom: leaft one 
 ' part of her be inlightned, and the other remain uninlight- 
 
 * ned. Arid if the Child be bartiz'd with the Mother's 
 
 * BaptifrriJ r tHen, if it be baptiz'd after it. is born.; it will 
 - . ■•;hic,h is abr.U'd. T-.cefore 
 
 F 
 
66 Council of Neocadarea. Chap. VIII. 
 
 Year after the the Synod of Neccsefarea refolve the Doubt in their Sixth 
 ApofHes 214. Canon, &c. 
 
 V ""^V~~ N "" fynaras's Words are thefe in his Comment on the faid 
 Canon. It determines that VVomen with Child may be bap- 
 tiz'd when they pi cafe. And whereas fome affirmed * that the 
 ' Foetus is baptiz'd together with the Mother, and that 
 ' therefore the Infant when born muft not be baptiz'd, 
 leaf! it (hould have a double Baptifm : therefore were 
 thofe Words added, ' For the Mother in this Matter com- 
 * municatcs nothing to the Child, i. e. For the Mother only 
 and not the Child is made Partaker of holy Baptifm. For, fays 
 it, every ones own choice is requijite that they do prof eft them- 
 f elves Followers of Christ, and it appears by that Baptifm 
 which they receive with a willing Mind. And becaufe in 
 the Foetus that is inch fed in the Mother s VVomb there is 
 no choice, it is not to be accounted to have received Baptifm ; 
 and therefore it has need of Baptifm again when it fhall be 
 able to choofe. 
 
 Thefe two Commentators do indeed underftand the 
 laft Claufe of the Canon in that Sence which I (hewed 
 even now not to be the true Sence, nor according to the 
 Rules of Criticks. But yet it was not fair in Grctius to 
 reprefent them as being themfelves, or fuppofing the 
 Council to be, againft Infant-Baptifm : fince as it ap- 
 pears that they fuppofe every ones Choice to be necefTa- 
 f y at Baptiim, fo it likewife appears that an Infant's Choice 
 and Promife made by its Sponfors or Godfathers is the 
 Choice and Promife they fpeak of. Betides that he quo- 
 ting Scraps of Sentences, produces as Balfamon's own 
 Words that which Balfamon had brought in as pleaded by 
 others; and alfo fomething alter'd, as the Reader will 
 fee by comparing. 
 
 §. 8. The lime of the Difpute is ; the Council fay in 
 fhis Matter, what any one, whether Pasdobaprift or An- 
 tipa?dobaptift would fay ; and therefore the Proof that 
 they were of one or of the other Opinion muft be taken 
 from fome other Evidence : for thele Words make nei- 
 ther for the one nor the other. And fince we are now 
 come fo lovy as within 60 Years of the time of St. Aujlin, 
 f4)CH.XIX. Pelagius, Sec. and they, as I (hall (hew (4) prefently, do 
 §. 17. & 2<?> declare that they never read or heard of any Chriftims 
 30. &C.2CI40. that were againft Infant-Baptifm ; it were a ftrange thing 
 to fuppofe that there (hould have been a Council fo late 
 as under the Reign of Conft -antine, as this Council was,- 
 and they never to have read or heard of it. No Mart 
 
 eanf 
 
Chap. V/n. Council of Neoccefarea. 67 
 
 can think but they had heard of this Council, which was Year after the 
 but a little before the time of their Birth. 'Tis plain Apoftles 214* 
 therefore that they took the meaning of it not to have v -^^v r,,, * , -^ 
 been againft Infant-Baptifm. 
 
 • St. Aujliyi fometimes fpeaks of this Cafe of a Woman 
 baptiz'd while great with Child : and he does not only 
 determine it as thefe Bifliops do, but he fpeaks of it as a 
 clear Cafe ; perhaps becaufe he knew it had been de- 
 termined in this Council. He takes occafion to mention 
 it, /. 6. contra Julianum, c, 5. where he is (hewing the 
 Weaknefs of that Argument of the Pelagians, who faid, 
 that if original Sin be the caufe why Infants are bap- 
 tiz'd, then the Child that was born of Chriftian and bap- 
 tized Parents would not need to be baptized, as being 
 born of thofe that were e'eanfed of chat Sin, and of a Mo- 
 ther whofe Body was the Temple of the Holy Spirit. 
 He fays among other things, this ; 
 
 That the Mother s Bodyjhould be the Temple of God, is the 
 Benefit of Grace not of Nature : which Grace is conveyed not 
 by Birth, but by Regeneration. For if that which is con- 
 ceived in thcMother s Body did belong to it fo as to be account- 
 ed a fart of it, then an Infant whofe Mother was upon fonts: 
 Danger of Death, baptised while (he was great with h'im t 
 would not need to be baptiz'd. But now when fuch an In- 
 fant is baptiz'd, he will not be accounted twice bapti^d* 
 Therefore when he was in the Womb of his Mother, he did 
 not appertain to it : and yet he was formed hi a Temple of 
 God, but fo as not to be himfclf the Temple of God, And 
 he has the lame Inftance over again, c. 6, 
 
 §. 9. Some learned Men have given their Con jectures 
 of the Occafion of this Doubt, vi\. what (hould make 
 fome people of this Country take up an Opinion j that 
 if a Woman with Child were baptiz'd, her Child when 
 born would have no need of Baptilm : and they give a very _' 
 (5) probable Account of it, Several Jews were difpers d C5)H«noidiin 
 
 ■ Queries, 
 
 needs not Baptifm when it is born ; as I [hewed in the In- u e |,' r ^ \ 
 trodu&ion, 
 
 £ i CHiP 
 
68 Oft am. Chap. IX. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 A Quotation out of Optatus MileYita* 
 nus. 
 
 Year after the $. i .F"T^ HIS Bifhop living in Africa had occafion to 
 Apoftles 260. write fevcral Books againft the Schifm of the 
 
 v *^"^ v ~^ Donatifis. Some part of the Controverfie 
 
 between them and the Catholicks was about Baptifm : 
 but not about Infant-Baptifm, as a certain Writer of 
 fmall Reading has miftaken the Matter. It was whether 
 Baptifm given by an ill Minifter were valid, or muft be 
 renewed ? and whether the Catholicks were fo corrupt 
 a Church as that all baptiz'd by them, whether in In- 
 fancy or at Age, muft be] baptiz'd afrefh by feme fuch 
 pure Men as the Den at if s were ? 
 
 Othenvife the Doctrine and Practice of Baptifm was 
 
 the fame with both the Parties. 
 
 (0 1- 3. de This appears plainly by what this Author (i) fays in 
 
 SchifmateDo way of perfwading them to break off their Schifm ; The 
 
 natifl. prope Ecclefiafiical Management is one and the fame with us and 
 
 hnem. y 0Um Tho' Mens Minds arc at Variance, the Sacraments are 
 
 at none. And we may fay, we believe alike,and are fealed with 
 
 one and the fame Seal : no otherwiie baptiz'd than you, 
 
 nor othervoife ordain d than you are. V, % read t,:e Scrifture 
 
 W '0- i*^ ; We fray to the fame Gcd. The Lord's-Prayer is the 
 
 Theodorum f am * ™ th U i ™"3 nu > &c - The ^ ame thin ? is W affirmed 
 
 P t"ft ^Y ^ t ' Au f^ n - ^ c owns their Baptifm, Ordination, &c. 
 
 to be rightly perform'd: He blames nothing in them 
 
 (j) apud An ^ UC ***** :,c P arat i° n - And by Crefconius tbe Donatift, 
 
 guftimmi 1. 1. V ' ! ' !0 h ' ls thdc W Words to the Catholicks ; There is "be- 
 
 contra Cre- txveen Us and you one Religion, the fame Sacraments, no- 
 
 fconinm. c. 3. T ^- in ^f n tfy Chriftian Ceremonies different. It is a Schifm 
 
 that is between us, ret a Hercfie. 
 
 §. 2. But that which I mean to quote, and is all that he 
 occafion to fay about Infant-Baptifm is this. 
 
 Lib. 
 
Chap. X. St. Gregory Naz. 69 
 
 Year after the 
 
 Apoftles 260. 
 
 Lil. quint de Schifmate Donatiftarum prope v 
 flnem. 
 
 He had been there comparing a Chriftian's purring 
 on Chrift in Baptifm, to the purring on of a Garment, 
 and had called Chrift fo pur on, Tunic am nat. intern in 
 aquis, ' a Garment fwimmirg in the Water. And then 
 fays, 
 
 Sed ne quis dicat, temere a me Filium Dei vefbtm cjfe 
 dictum : legat Apoftolum diccntcm ; Quotqnct in nomine 
 Chrifti b.ipti^ati eft;s,Chriftum induiflis. O tunicafemper. 
 una, £j> innumerabilis, qax decenter neftiat & omnes xta- 
 tes&fcrmas: nee in infantibu: rugatur ? nec in juvenibus 
 tenditur, nee infeminis mutatur. 
 
 1 But left any one ft.ould fay, I fpeak irreverently, in 
 ' calling Chrift a Garment : let him read what the Apo- 
 
 * ftle feys, As mrny of you as have been baptised in the 
 ' Name of Chrift, have put on Chrift, Oh what a Gar- 
 
 * ment is this, that is always one and never renewed, 
 ' that decently fits all Ages and all Shapes ! It is neither 
 
 * too big for Infants, nor rco little for Men, and without 
 ' any Alteration tits Women. He goes on to fliew how 
 it may be alfo compared to the Wedding-Garment, iSc 
 This needs no note. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 A Quotation out of St. Gregory Nazian- 
 zen, conccrninz St. Bafii's Saptifm m 
 his Infancy. 
 
 §. l.*"~j ~~^HIS Quotation might have been pke'd 33 
 or 40 Years fooner, 'at which rime St, 
 -A, Ba/ii. mult have been born ) becaufe it re^ 
 cires a of matter Fact cone then.. But 1 fet it at this Year, 
 becaufe this Author that mentions it, began at this time 
 W) be a Man of now in the Church. ( a Eres^te^ ?.rwt 
 
 F 3 Wri: -. 
 
70 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. X. 
 
 Year after the Writer of Books, £?o) tho' he preach'd the Sermon that 
 
 Apnftks 260. 1 {hall cite about 20 Years after. 
 
 % ~f~ y S~**~' Some that have gone about to draw up a Catalogue 
 of Perfons not baptiz'd in Infancy, tho' born of Chriftian 
 Parents, have reckon' d St. Bafii among 'em : but the Evi- 
 dence they bring, is cut of fpurious and forged Authors, 
 
 f Part 2. as I {hall (hew in its place (1). And in the mean time I 
 
 €H. in.§. 5. {hall produce the Authority of a piece that all acknow- 
 ledge to be genuine, which, I think, (hews that he was 
 baptiz'd in Infancy. 
 
 St. Gregory Naqian^en was contemporary with St. Bajil, 
 and fo well acquainted with him, as that 'tis impollible 
 any one (hould have been more : and tho' he feems to 
 have been fomething the older Man, yet he liv'd to 
 preach a Sermon in Commendation of him, in the nature 
 of a Funeral Sermon, tho' it was fome time after his 
 Death. 
 
 In that Sermon he recites feveral PafTagesof his Paren- 
 tage, Birth, Life, and Death : And among them the Paf- 
 fage, which I take to relate to his Baptilm, is penn'd in 
 fuch a rhetorical and figurative Periphrafis, that taking it 
 by its felf, one is not lure whether he means Baptifm by 
 it or fomething elfe. But iince the firft reading of it, 
 I have obferv'd in another Dilcourfe of his, the very 
 fame Defcription applied plainly and purpofely to Bap- 
 riim : which, together with the Probability that it carries 
 in it felf, convinces me ( and I fuppofe will the Reader 
 when he compares 'em ) that it is lo to be applied in than 
 Sermon concerning St. Bafil. 
 
 I (hall firft give the Words by which he defcribes Bap- 
 tifm, in his 
 
 (2) prope ab 0ratl ° ' m f a »8.» m haptifma ; Or. 40. CO 
 
 Tg£<r<J>i» yiin? npfi oicftv o Kays, thv i* ewfAeiTM, t»v «* jBaff"- 
 
 x) «Tt:/vl), y. S/JtlTctQis . *l Si /IjUi^VM, x) iMl/flsgJCj Xj \l/TIXJJ 5T«9<»r, 
 
 tyttV a-yaozt. » Ji eoySsjooTigpt, kj av>To//u>Ti£pe, rriv to TrKiifxtt eui~ 
 
 ' Religion teaches us that there are three forts of Birth or 
 ~Frm:.tion. That of our Bodies; that of Baptifm ; and 
 that of the F{fjuncclicn. The fijt of thefe is of the Night, 
 and ufcrvilc, and tainted with Lust. The fecond is, of the 
 Dii), and h free ? and powerful against Lust, and takes a- 
 
 vpay 
 
Chap. X. St. Gregory Naz. 7* 
 
 way all that Veil [orDarkncfs] contracted at our Birth, Year sfcer the 
 and renews us to the fupernal Life. The I a ft is more dread- ApotHes 2<$o, 
 ful, andfudden, bringing together in a Moment all the Crca- «-* /r ""V^ >> "^ 
 tion, to befet before their Creator. 
 
 And a little after, among other Titles that he gives to 
 Baptifm, he calls it vx*3(j>.*T<>t iirnvLgianv, the atnmewd- 
 ment \j r rectifying "} of our Formation. 
 
 All that I produce this here for, is to obferve the 
 Phrafc, or Defcription that he gives to Baptilm. He calls 
 our natural Birth, nocturnal, or of the Night ; but the 
 baptifmal Birth, diurnal, or of the Day. And Nicer a> there 
 obferves, that the Name is taken from thofe Words of 
 David, Pial. 139. 16. where the Trarflation of the 
 Septuagint ( which was in ufc with them, reads,) much 
 different from our Englifl?) '^n to fiifihioi <7«b-*'its; >e*?«- 
 jo»T*« v(x'i&.t ?r\ct&ico>'rtu' They Jba'il all be written in thy 
 Bock,., they /hall be formed by Day. 
 
 Now fee what he fays of St. Bajil, Or at. in laudem Ba- 
 filij. Orat. 2.0. 
 
 He hadfpokc of his Progenitors, many of whom were 
 Martyrs for Chrift, and of the Piety of his Father Bafil, 
 who, it feems was a Man in holy Orders: and of his 
 Mother Emmelia : and making an end of that Prefatory 
 Difcourfe, he fays, 
 
 (fife Tst jtar *utov 6soij>mow^. T* $1 Jyi v^Hr* 1>jc rhiy.'tite 
 0V0 T&f /uiytXtt Tralty, ov x.»ivov 7rduJi.ur»y otytTns rioVToc t»ii« 
 Havre. 7r(yufi<i ».iTO, OTraL^yt.y'ht'ruu x} tfi-tTKa'-nsTOt 7rha.cnv 1«v a'g,;- 
 yn> is kj xa8aj»TsiT>iv> Sv VfttyitiiV ©hoc A^iJ 1 y-xKaic -yo^*'- 
 £«, k, -rnf »t/)tT«2^v»ic «vt»9s7o»' 
 
 Now let us contemplate the Affairs that relate to him him- 
 felf. In the Beginning then of his Age he was by his excellent 
 Father, who wai at that time a publicly Teacher ef Vh tar in 
 the Country of Pontus. fwadd'ted, as I may all it, and for- 
 med with that heft and most pure Formation^ which. Divine 
 David rightly names ot the Day, and which is eppofed to 
 that of the Night. 
 
 Bilius in his note on the fe Words lays, He means the 
 Formation of Baptifm, or rather of Maimers : which Da- 
 vid calls, of the Day, faying they (lull be formed by Day : 
 fcrfo it is to be read. Winch excellent Formation is oppoftte 
 
 to that of the Nigh:, which is by Copulation, and is fordid., 
 
 and a Workjf Darkiiefi. 
 
 But I believe Bilius had not animadverted (what \ 
 
 here obferve^, that it is the very fame Phrale which nc 
 
 ufes in the oner Sermon, for ..Baptifm. I alio at the firRj 
 
y% St. Gregory friz. Chap. X. 
 
 Year after the reading thought it uncertain which he meant, Baptifm, or 
 A pottles 260. good Education in Manners : But the Likenefs of a 
 Phrafe fo lingular fccms to determine it. They of that 
 time feem to have underftood that Verfe of the Pfalm, 
 as fpeaking before of the Chriftian Baptifm. 
 
 This Formation appears to have been given in Infancy, 
 both by the Words t* &$<*?* l?jc jixtxia?, in the Beginning 
 cf bis Age; and alfo by the Emphalis of the Word o-jraju 
 ytvUreu, which lignifies the binding or firil falhioning of the 
 Body of an Infant in fwaddling Cloths, and alfo by the or- 
 derly Method in which he proceeds: for he mentions in 
 the next Paragraph to this, his Childhocd, in which he was 
 educated at home, and by the Infirhtt ion's that arefift in 
 order and -proper for a Child, fitted for the Perfection he was 
 to arrive at afterward, ( therefore the foregoing Paragraph 
 muft have referr'd to his Infancy ) Then he proceeds to 
 tell, that when he was a Boy big enough, he was fent to 
 School to defarea, then to Byzantium, and then to the 
 Univerfity pf Athens : where it was that Gregory, who 
 knew him before (ztCxfarca I fuppofe) enter'd, as he 
 fays, into that ftrid: League of Friend ihip with him which 
 lafted during their joint Lives * and in which they fcemed, 
 as he expreffes ir, to have both but one Soul informing two 
 Bodies. After this he relates how he Went into Orders, 
 and came, in procefs of time, to be Bilhcp of Gxfkrea, 
 and fo famous a Man as he was. 
 
 From this methodical enumerating all the material Paf- 
 fages and Actions of his Life, anfes another Proof that he 
 muft have been baptiz'd in Infancy ; and that the Paflage 
 which I mention'd muft be meant of that : becaufe in 
 all the Paflages of his Life afterward, he never mentions 
 any thing ot his Baptifm, which it had been impoflible 
 to omit if he had received it after any eonfiderable time 
 of his Life had palfed. 
 
 Alfo I do not fee what elfe he can mean than St. Bajii's 
 Baptifm in Infancy, by another Expreilion which he has 
 in the fame Oration. He is comparing Bafil to each of 
 the Patriarchs and holy Men of the O.d-Teftament, A- 
 braham, Mofcs, &c. and he lhews hew he had fomething 
 in rjs Temper, and in the Railages of his Life, like to. 
 fomething m every one of theirs. Among the reft he 
 compares him to Samuel, and fa) s, 
 
 Act 7V xjQxTor. Qurgr Ji Ik Iv, &?it*t Y.aAtt$qAp&*'fcn ^uargjee, 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 73 
 
 $ fxiT* t/>* iti7rUtf'&' , £fo<A</Vty3-' t» /3 'i/**7« ; j£ /3\jt«» t* iVa- Year after the 
 
 gjtvi*, 19 Ke«s"=£ Kve/*, »9 K£tS-iiCT»» Tt\i«/»/«^ia» &/. vm-j y.oCiQ'. Apo ties z6o> 
 
 Samuel among them that call upon his Name was both *■ 
 given [ or promifed ] before he was born, and prefentty af- 
 ter his Birth was covfecrated, and he became an Anointcr of 
 Kjngs and Priejls cut of a Hern. And was not this Man 
 ( Baiil ) covfecrated to God in his Infancy from the tf 7 omb, 
 and carried to the Steps [or Font] in a Ctat ? Did he n r t be- 
 come a Seer of heavenly things, and an anointed rf the 
 Lord, and an Anointcr of fuch as were initiated by the 
 Spirit ? 
 
 The Word bV* properly fignifies Steps. It is ordinari- 
 ly taken for a Pulpit, to which one goes up by Steps : 
 and it may fignify a Font or Baptiftery, to w hich they 
 did go down by Steps. But the Coat in which he fays 
 Bafil was orFer'd to God (alluding to the Child's Coat 
 which was made for Samuel by his Mother) cannot well 
 be luppofed to have been any thing but the Albes ufed at 
 Baptitm. And this, he fays, was in his Infancy. 
 
 The Inftance of Samuel dedicated in Infancy, is one 
 which this Father does at other places make ufe of for 
 a Companion or Example of a Chriftian's Child ba; - 
 tiz'd in Infancy : as will be feen in the next Chapter ; 
 where fpeaking to fome tender Mothers that were a 
 it feems, of putting their Infants into the Water at Bap- 
 tifm, he fays, Thou art afraid as a faint-hearted Mother, 
 Sec. But Hannah before Samuel was bom, devoted him to 
 God; and when he was born, prefently confecrated him, and 
 brought him up in a priejily Coat. The very thing that 
 he lays here of St. Bafits Parents. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Other Quotations out of St. Gregory Na- 
 zianzen, concerning the Vocirine of 
 Infant-Baptifm. 
 
 §. i. f | - ~ 1 HIS Father was not himfe'fbaptiz'J in In- 
 fancy : and if it be true that he was born 
 JL. after the time that his Father was a Chri- 
 ftian and in holy Orders (of which the Ancirxdobaprifts 
 do give probable Evidence ) he had the molt Realon of 
 
 any 
 
74 St. Gregory tfaz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Yearafter the any one in thofe times to be prejudiced againft the Do- 
 
 Apoftks 260. ctrine of the Neceflity of Infant-Baptifm : which he could 
 
 v^""V"* ,< -' not urge himfelf, nor hear urged by others, without fome 
 
 Reproach thereby caft on the Conduct of his Father, for 
 
 whom he always exprefs'd a great Reverence ; tho' o- 
 
 ther Writers give him but a mean Character, and fhew 
 
 ( i) Greg, that the ( 1 ) Son's Prudence aud Skill was found necefTa- 
 
 Presbyter in ry to retrieve the Father's Credit and the Efteem of the 
 
 vita Naz. Peopie, and to preferve him from being over-witted by 
 
 the Avians, or frighted by their Power. 
 
 So much is certain, that of all the Inftances brought by 
 the Antipaedobaptifts of Men who being baptiz'd Chri- 
 ftians themfelves, yet did not baptize their Children in 
 Infancy, there is a better Appearance of Proof in this 
 , v p Man's Father's Cafe than in any other. Of which In- 
 
 CH III ' ft anc€S I mu ft treat niore largely in a (i) Chapter on 
 purpofe : and at prefent give Account of what this Au- 
 thor himfelf fpeaks of the Doctrine of Infant-Baptifm. 
 
 §. 2. All that I have to produce is taken out of his 
 Sermon that I mention a before, vi%. his 
 
 Oratio de Baptifmo. Or, 40. 
 
 In which he both perfwades chofe of his Hearers, who 
 had not yet fo throughly embrac'd Chriftianity as to be 
 baptiz'd into it, that they would without Delay be Par- 
 takers of it, and alio fpeaks fomething concerning the 
 Keceiiicy of it to Infants. 
 
 Of this Oration I will give a fhort Abftract, fetting 
 down the Original of fuch PafTages only, as do, fome 
 way, affect the Qyeftion in hand. 
 
 After fome Commendations of Baptifm, he proceeds 
 to mention the Names or Titles by which it is called : 
 which are thefe - y The Gift, the Grace, Baptifm or iVafl:- 
 ing, the anointing, the Laver of Regeneration, the amending 
 cf our Make, or Formation, the Seal : and explains the 
 Reafon of thefe feveral Appellations. 
 
 Then having Ipoken of Man's natural and original 
 Corruption, he. fays, God has not left his Creature without 
 a Remedy • but as he first made us,fo he renews us by this 
 divittcihrmaticn : *i to»c $> a^o/moJc P,i ap&c,yit, volt <ri\«o- 
 "ii$<)it T»y >>\ix<«r *J ^atgjff/xa, *) ri: frtfbmt itx-ito: eftd.'-™* x*-. 
 jt««y »T*v6s9«n^ which as it K a Seal for fuch Perfons as new- 
 
Chap. XT. St. Gregory Naz. y$ 
 
 ly enter into Life ; fo to thofe that are adult it w a Grace, Year a fcer the 
 and the rcjloring of the Image which they bad lost. ApolHes26o # 
 
 Then he fays, the Force and Effect of Baptifm is, 
 A Covenant with God of a new mid holy Life : anJ argues 
 from thence how careful we ought to be CO keep it intire, 
 and that, fays he, Sx. »<mj JWtgjc: ditrptinsiue, bcc.iufe there 
 is no Regeneration to 'be had afterward. Yen he grants 
 there is Repentance afterward, but that leaves a Scar, 
 and requires a long time, and many Tears ; which we 
 Kno .v not whether God will give us a fpace for. ( They, 
 as I obferv'd before, gave the Name of Regeneration to 
 no other but the bapnfma! renewing). 
 
 Then he warns 'em of the Tenrations that they muft 
 expect after their Baptifm, and how they muft oppofe 
 and overcome 'em. 
 
 §. 3. Againft the Delay of Baptifm, he minds 'em of 
 the Dinger of miffing it by fudden Death : and how 
 much more creditable and comfortable it is to receive in 
 voluntarily in the time of Health and Strength, than in 
 time of Neceffity on a Sick-bed, when the Tongue fa 'ters % 
 and can hardly utter the Words cf the holy Initiation ; and 
 the PVafhing is more like the wafhing of a Corps than reli- 
 gious Baptifm. That a generous Mind will deli re not; 
 only the Forgivenefs of Sins, but alio the Reward pro- 
 mifed to virtuous Actions, for which there muft fomc 
 time be allowed between Baptifm and Death. Tint 
 there are three forts of Perfons very different, tho' all of 
 'em may befaved ; the Slave, the Mercena-y. and the Sou a 
 The firft minds no more than the eicaring of Punifhmcnt : 
 the fecond regards nothing but the Pay : the Son's Mind; 
 is fuil of Duty and Love to his Father. That all other 
 good things we defire to enjoy as loon as may be : and 
 lb we ought to do this Freedom from Sin. 
 
 That the Devil would indeed entice us to give him 
 the prefent, and God the Remainder; him the Flower 
 of our Age, and God the Dregs. But that we muft con-- 
 lidcr the many Hazzards we are fubject to : the Chance 
 cf V/ar, an Earthquake, the Sea, a wild Bsa'il, a Dl 
 a C'\.inb cf Bread, a Surfeit, a Precipice, a Horfc, a Medi- 
 cine, a Tyrant, 8cc. 
 
 Then he an f\ vers the Pretences which the half Chri- 
 ftians of thofe times made for their Delay. As, I am 
 afraid I fhall not keep the Grace of Baptifm unfiained, and 
 fo vcii'l not take my Cleanfing yet, ca Laving none to take af- 
 terward. Qh crafty Impcjlure, fays he, cf the evil 
 
 Spirit 1 
 
7& St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI 
 
 Year after the Spirit ! He is indeed Darlyiefl, yet he counterfeits Light. 
 
 Apofrles 260. When he dees not prevail by open War, he lays his Snares. 
 
 *-^"V\^J When he cannot bring thee to dejpife Baptifm, he would 
 cheat thee of it by overmuch Caution, &C. - - Hefts 
 on all Ages, and mull be refijled in all. Art thou a Touth ? 
 fight againfi Plcnfures and Pajfwns with this Auxiliary 
 
 Strength: lift thy felfin God'sArmy, &C. Art thou 
 
 eld? let thy gray Hairs haflen thee : Jlrengthen thy old yj^e 
 with Baptifm. &c. — — Nhtjov Gb <n\ • /** \«#n» x«i- 
 
 juctlt. 2» <MJW«? lit epgpyi<fit <h& t» ^Jsn»; «<&tttr, at jUixg;- 
 'luyjiS >i iay>t»$ K) i\ijPTifS?. 1 "Ana </V ^ srgjv « ymnllwtu rs^a/msiX 
 x.*9uirt3x*TQ rtS @«». ^^*vr»9sVT« <«j>e»» lt/9w'f a*o«H, 19 tvT is££Tix.iT 
 
 Halt thou an Infant-Child ? Let not Wiekgdnefl have the 
 Advantage of time : Let him be fanflifiedfrom his Infancy .- 
 Let him be dedicated from his Cradle to [or, by 3 the Spirit. 
 Thou, df a faint-hearted Mother and of little Faith, art a- 
 fraid cf giving him tie Seal becaufe cf the Weakiief of 'Na- 
 ture. Hannah before Samuel was born, devoted him to God, 
 and affoon as he was lorn, confecrated him, and brought him 
 up from the firft in a prieftly Garment, not fearing for hu- 
 mane Infirmities, but trujling in God. Thcu halt 'no need 
 of Amulets or Charms ; together with which the Devil flidet 
 into the Minds of Jloallow Per fins, drawing to him felt the 
 Veneration that is due to God. Asr tui-uJ tJv *&*<&/,, to pi- 
 yt, x) v.mKov ?«/XaotT»etov. Give to him the Trinity, that great 
 and excellent Prefervative. 
 
 He proceeds to ftir up all Perfons in all Eftates and 
 Employments to receive Baptitm : only he would advife 
 thole that had places at Court, to refign and fly from So- 
 dom, if conveniently they could, when they were bap- 
 tized: ( It is to be noted that Valens a wicked and Arian 
 Empercur reigned at that time.; If they could not conve- 
 niently, yet to be baptlz'd, and preferve the Purity there- 
 of as wcl! as they could in fo ill a Station : that God in 
 judging of our Lives makes Allowance for the Circum- 
 stances that we are in : that for a Man that is fetter 'd to 
 get forward a little, is as great Praife as for another to run j 
 for one that travels in a dirty I{cad to be but a little bejpat- 
 rer'd. is mere remarkable than for another to be clean. 
 
 6. s. He next fcts upon thofe Men that put offtheir 
 Bnptifm to Death or Old-Age for the love of their finful 
 Pleafures which they were unwilling as yet to p/irt 
 with : who laid, where is the Advantage of taking Bap* 
 
 tifn\ 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Kaz. 77 
 
 tijm fo foon, and thereby cutting ones f elf off f rem nil the Year after th« 
 worldly Plirfurcs and Delights ? Wuer:as one may enjoy Apo(Hes26o. 
 thefe P leaf tires in the mean while, and then be bapti^d at '•^v^Zj 
 lasl. Tor they th.it went the earlie/l to labour in the Vine- 
 yard Jped no better than they that came in the latest. 
 
 He anfwers ; Ten have faved me a great deal cfTrculh 
 by your malting this Plea : for you have at last with much a- 
 do difcover d the very Secret cf this Delay. And tko' I diflike 
 your wicked purpofe,yet I commend you for one thing, that 
 you own it without Difguife. 
 
 Come on then, and give the Serife of this Parable: ani 
 be not ignorant.'y fcandali^'d f_or drawn into Sin] by this 
 flace of Scripture. 
 
 Fir si, This is not meant of Baptifm, but of thofe who 
 tome, fomefooner, fume later, to the Faith [or the Know- 
 ledge of Chriftian Religion] and enter the Vineyard, the 
 Church : for every one mujl labour from that Day and Hour 
 on which he comes to the Faith, Sec. 
 
 Bcfides, fuppofing by entring the Vineyard Baptifm 
 be meant: the Parable fhews that thofe that do at all enter 
 the Vineyard and labour, fhall have a Reward. But you 
 are in Danger to mifl of doing that, if you were fure that 
 notwithji anding this wicked Contrivance to avoid labouring, 
 youjhould at last obtain Baptifm, ycu might be pardon d in 
 this fordid Cunning '. But fine: there is Danger, that while 
 you take this Advantage, you will quite miji •/" the Vine- 
 yard, See. take my Counfel, lay afide thefe Subtiities, and 
 come with an honeit Mind to Baptifm ; lest you be taken 
 out of this Life before you attain your Purpcfe, and be found 
 to have devis'd thefe Fallacies to your own Dejhu&ion. 
 
 But you will fay, ' Is not God merciful enough to take 
 * in inch a Cafe the Defire cf Baptifm for Baptifm ? 
 
 §. 6. Tou would have us believe a monfhrcus thing, if you 
 thinly that God, becaufe he is merciful, will count him in- 
 lightned that is not, and takj him into tie Kfngdcm if 
 Heaven that wifhes for it, but does not pc form the things 
 that make the way to it. I will tell you w,at is my Opinion 
 of this Matter, in which, I believe, confidering Men will 
 agree with me. 
 
 As there are fever al forts cf thofe who do obtain the Gift 
 of Baptifm fome were before extremely wicked, &c. Others, 
 
 &c. So it is likewife in thefe who mifl of Bcp- 
 
 tifm, For fome of em live like Bcafls, and regard not Bap- 
 tifm, &c. Some have a value for Baptifm, but d?hy the 
 receiving of it, either out of Negligence, or A *'»x*ai«r out 
 
78 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XL 
 
 Year after the of Greedinefi longer to enjoy their Lufls : 'Oi JiiJi aah cr 
 
 Apoftles 26o, t/ly*f*M t» JV£st<3j , a eftst VHVtbrniJoi Tt^ov, » TlV« Tf\*»? ii>CB<7ia» 
 
 t**lw. But J me otoe 1 shave it not in their own Power 
 to receive it, either becaufe of their Infancy perhaps', or 
 by reafon cf fome Accident utterly involuntary, fo that tho* 
 they defire it, they have no Opportunity to obtain the Gift. 
 As therefore we found much difference among thofe £that do 
 obtain Baptiim ~\ fo there is among thofe J^that mifs of it/J 
 
 They that wholly [corn it, are worfe than the negligent or 
 thofe that crave longer time. But thefe are worfe than 
 thofe who fail of the Gift 'J% eiyvoi&s » tu^tini^by Ignorance 
 or Conflraint : IvgwU ?& *» *w^67i « «x«oj©^ Am/** ft*, for 
 Conjiraint k no other thing than to mifi againsi ones Will. 
 
 And I thinly of the firfi fort, that they (hall be funijtid 
 as for their other Wickfdnefi, fo for their flighting of Bap- 
 tifm. And that the fecondfoall bepunifh'd, but in a left 
 degree, becaufe they are guilty of their own miffing it, but 
 rather thro' Folly than MrJice. Tit fi /iwrl «ft>£*<3>»<re£s /t*»7« xo- 
 
 «'m* T*6ovT«f /u&Mor t«» £»fAi&r « fgyumxias : but that the lafi 
 fort will neither be glorified nor punifhed by the jufl Judge ; 
 di being without the Seal, but not thro' their own Wickednefi- 
 and as having fuffer'd the lofi rather than occafioned it. 
 
 For he that is not worthy of Punifhment, is not therefore 
 prcfently worthy of Honour ; as he that is not worthy of Ho- 
 now, does not therefore deferve Punifoment. 
 
 And I think, thus alfo, If you would condemn for Murder, 
 a Ma?i that has not murdered, merely becaufe he had a Mind 
 fo to do ; then let him go with you for a baptised Per/on, 
 who had a Mind to it but had it not. But if that be ab- 
 fwd,I don't fee how this can be reafonable. 
 
 Or if you plcafe, take it thus i If to obtain the Effect of 
 Baptifm you think.it fufficient that you defire d B apt if in, and 
 thocupon claim the Glory of Heaven ; let the Defire of that 
 Gtery fiijfcc you inflcad of the Glory it felf ': for what mat- 
 ter is it if you go without it, fo long as you have the Defire of 
 
 He nQxt blames thole that pretended they would flay 
 till Epiphany or Eafier, or Whitfuntide, and then be bap- . 
 tii'd. What will come of this ? fays he, the end cf your 
 Life will come on a fudden, in a Day and Hour that you 
 thin knot of, &x. . 
 
 Thofe that would ftay for the Prefence of their Friends 
 dud Relations, or till they had got ready an Offering for 
 
 the ■ 
 
Chap. XT. Si. Gregory Maz. 79 
 
 the Church, or a Prefent for the Baptiier, or a handfome Year after the 
 
 White-Garment, or Provificn for a Treat, he chides in Apoftles_26°« 
 
 thefe Words ; Tbeje things I -warrant you are mighty 
 
 necejfary -' and the Grace of Baptifm will be ere the left for 
 
 want of thefe. In things of great Confluence dont flanci 
 
 upon trifling Matters. This Sacrament m of higher Concern, 
 
 &c. For an Offering, give your felf. Put on Christ. 
 
 Treat me with your commendable Life. God values nothing 
 
 but thofe things which the Poor have to give as well as the 
 
 Rjch, &c. 
 
 'Tis in like manner that he reproves {uch as flood 
 on heighth and punctilio's, that would have a Bifhop or a 
 Metropolitan, or the Biihcp of Jerufalem, or ( if it were 
 aPrieft) one that lead an unmarried Life, for their Bap- 
 tizer: or that fcornd to be baptiz'd together with a poor 
 Man : or counted the length of the Service too tedious. 
 
 He tells 'em the moft acceptable Pofture or Prepara- 
 tion to receive it, is a Heart inflamed with the Defire of 
 it : that God takes that for a Kindnefs, if we be earneft- 
 ly delirous of his Kindneffes: he takes more Pleafure in 
 giving than others in receiving, (§c. 
 
 §. 7. He concludes that Paragraph with faying, We 
 must therefore make it our utmost Care that we do not mifl 
 of the cr mmon Grace : and then follow thefe "Words, "E$w 
 
 T«tuT* i fcitcr «fei tcsv 'fhtfy'Tii'ilm to @±irltsfxtt' rl f~' etrHjrotc «Sel 
 
 tut 'iTJ VHTT/wr, x) ft»TS VYlf fy/xiaf ifTtU^A\0(jSf»f, fxnti «r»tc X^C*" 
 
 1®* ; » ** t*ut« f&x7rricm$J • vaiwyi, efjrjj nrlt intiy* xUJhtQr'. 
 Kf&SSU* i&<ii<u&iTu; ayid&i/>tu,n IjtsXQmj dapgp.ym*, x) «'<r£X*S«,. 
 K) T«iT« \'oyQ* */*<* *> eji/rtn/^sf® - <eSwto/um, to;tjjcw tic «<tk sp^vytt, 
 % «Xo^»Sfl<c 'iri ir %<*srt'p $>* \ eit <ii >£ *! tmv «iKwy X6*"J ^'* T "? 
 
 «VCK<8>»T»V /pvKei-fixcZl Ta tTfaTOTttXat. n«£* cf£ TUV aL/s.wt <fla'M(Xt 
 
 yitt/nxt, t*v <r£/ts]Jst» ec>'a l utroi / ia< , >i ^Jxg^v wtoc tbts, » uaif tists 
 iiiix* ^ eix-titfeu t< /wu$*i>csy xj &nxg*M(3$ tfi»*/lau . « x) /km ctm»»7«t 
 ts\«uc, a>x' yv TfTnsffyia, st«j a j-<d.'£wn <^ 4"X* f ^ gw/«*7« >ni? ^tj~ 
 7aA<M/xvp!es<*Tr«7«x«»*e»f. wmi? may fay, ftppofe this to 
 hold in the Cafe of thofe that can defire Baptifm : Pf 'hat fay 
 you to thofe that are as yet Infants, and arc not in Capacity 
 to befenfible either of the Grace or the Mid of it ? Shall we 
 baptise them too? Tes, by all means, if any Danger ma kg 
 it reauifite. For it is better that they be fanctified wituout 
 thevrownfenfeofit, than that they (kould dy unlealed a--:n 
 uninitiated. And a ground of this to us is Circumciiion, 
 which was given on the eighth Day, and wa: a typical Sczl 
 £or Baptifafj and was prcclisd on thofe that, had 710 ufe of 
 Heafon : As alfo the anointing cf the Door-Polls, which pre- 
 {cried the First-born by things that pave no S/nfc. As for 
 
 ethers 
 
8o St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Tear after the others, I give my Opinion that they fhouldjiay three Tears 
 Apottkb 26o. or thereabouts, when they arecapablc to hear and anfwerfome 
 of tic holy Words ; and tho' they do not perfectly underjland 
 1 'em, yet- they form 'em : and that you then fanclifie 'em in 
 Soul and Body with the great Sacrament of Initiation. For 
 tho' they are not liable to give account of their Life before 
 their E(eajon be come to Maturity ( they hav'mg this Advan- 
 tage by their Age, that they are not forced to account for the 
 Faults they have committed in Ignorance ? liltix'^ <fi t&T 
 XWIf <» crori \'oyu \vinlt\igi0V <ft« Ixt 'J^i'ipvHf <nfJi.trtnlaoutvii»iv 
 v&sfiohdc Tt»v xJV(A)>»rj kj ^om9«'o? i%vgfl'iyit yet by rcctfbn of 
 thefejudden and unexpected Ajfau/ts of Dangers that are by 
 Ho Endeavour to be prevented, it is by all means advi fable 
 that they be fecur d by the Laver [of Baptifm]. 
 
 Then he anfwers the Objection or Pretence which 
 fbme made from our Saviour's being 30 Year old before 
 he was baptiz'd, (hewing the Difparity in a great many 
 Particulars : one is this,> that there was no Danger in his 
 delaying, who needed no Purgation: ana befides had 
 the rime of his Death ns well as of his Birth at his own 
 Difpofal. But to you, fays he, there is a great deal of 
 Danger, if you fiooidd depart this Life, having been begotten 
 in Corruption, and not being clothed with Incorru]>tion and 
 Immorta!.'?i\ 
 
 §. 8. The reft of the Sermon is fpenr, partly in reach- 
 ing 'cm how to prepare themfelves, vii^. by Falling, 
 Watching, Prayer, Aims-deeds, Reftkutiph of Goods ill 
 gotten in the time of their Heathenifm (for, he fays, tho* 
 in Bapnfm they are pardon'd all paft Sins, yet he that 
 keeps m his Hands, after Baptifm, any thing that is in 
 Jultice due to another, continues in the Sin : to keep it 
 is a prefent Sin, tho' the Act of Stealing it be a paft one. ) 
 And partly in charging on their Conferences the Necef- 
 fity of keeping their Baptifmal Vow, when they have 
 made it: in ihewing the wretched Eftate from which 
 they are deliver'd, the happy one into which they are go- 
 ing to be entcr'd, and the dreadful one into which they 
 will fall if they revolt. And partly, in explaining the 
 Creed and Faith into which they are baptized ; vt here 
 he efpedally infills on the Belief of the Holy Trinity ( for 
 thefe were times in which the Arian Herefie was rife ) of 
 ■which having fpeken largely, andanfwer'd the Charge 
 cfTrithcifm call on th.3 Catholicks, and other Objections 
 of the Ariaw, he dec'ares he will baptize none of 'em 
 that do not own this Faith. And if you dojlill halt, fay? 
 
Chap. XL St. Gregory Naz. 8i 
 
 he, and do not own the Divinity full and per/eel, feoffor Year after the 
 fome body e'.fc to baptise [ or dip"l you, or rather drown [or Apoftks 2.6oq 
 deftroy"] you : for I have no mind to divide the Deity, and W^V^*"^ 
 at the time cf your new Birth to bring Death on you ; fb 
 that you will h.ive neither Baptifm, nor the hope of the 
 Grace, your Salvation being quictyy jhipwreefc. For if you 
 deny Divinity to any of thefe three, you overthrow the whole. 
 [Trinity]] and make your Baptifm of no force [or benefit] 
 to you. 
 
 He concludes with giving the Meaning cf fome Cere- « 
 
 monies then ufed at Baptifm : particularly of the Lamp 
 they lighted nnd held in their Hands, denoting thofe of 
 the wile Virgins that were prepared to meet their Lord : 
 cf which Parable he makes a godly Application to 'em, 
 
 §. 9. Among the things that we are to obferve from 
 this Oration, this ought to be one : 
 
 t. The foul Impofture that Grotius was guilty of* when 
 he went (3) about to difprove the ancient Practice of In- (3) Annot - "J 1 
 fam-Baptifm from this very Sermon, in which there is.nc- Ma tf J 9» '4. 
 thing more or otherwife laid of that matter than t have re- 
 cited. He takes a few "Words out of this Difcourfe, and 
 even out of one of the Piflagesherc (4) recited, where Gre- I- 
 
 gory lpeaks of tome, 01 *Si Imi w e/W/u« tv «Ai?«2j, <h£ nirtl- (4)uipra§. ®* 
 
 >t»r» ru^o*, J? tiv« Ti\s»f (t'xH0Toy zrse*;rs'rtt*v, who have not the. 
 receiving of Baptifm in their own Power, either for their 
 Infancy perhaps, or by reafon of fome accident utterly invo- 
 luntary, of whom 'tis faid a little after, that they lofe the 
 Kingdom of Heaven by -io dying unbaptized, but yet 
 efcape Punifhment, becanfe it was not their Fault. He 
 takes out of thefe Words, the Words Ji* »»TJoT()Ta: by 
 themfelvcs, and makes this ufe of em-; 'hn Gregory's 
 mentioning fome that are not bapti^d «ft* »h:ti6<Ht« by rea- 
 fon of their Infancy, imports that Infants were not wont to 
 be baptiz'd, 
 
 . A great S:ock of Learning does net always cure that 
 Narrownefs of Soul by which fome recple are inclin'd to! 
 do any mean and foul thing to favour a Side or fet up 
 a, Party. There is no mincing this Matter by fuppofing 
 it to have been a Miftake. The altering and total per- 
 verting of the Sence is fo plain, that no Man that had read 
 the Sermon, or even but that Paliage it felf, could mi- 
 ftake it, much lefs could be. 
 
 $. 1 o. i. It appears moft evidently by_ the Tenor of 
 this Sermon that Hi%ian%en held concerning Baptifm thefe 
 Tenets - 
 
 C, t\ Ti ■ 
 
8z St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after the i. That all who died unbaptized by their own Fault 
 ApolHes 260. or Negligence, were condemned. 
 
 *~ / ~\f~>-' 2# He thought that Infants dying unbaptiz'd, and adult 
 Pcrfons who mift of Baptifm by fome unavoidable 
 Impediment, and net by their own Fault, were in a 
 kind of middle State between Happinefs and Tor- 
 ment. But that baptized Infants were Partakers 
 of the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 3. Where there is no Danger of an Infants Death, he 
 has a particular Opinion ( which he accordingly ex- 
 (5j5upra§.7. prefles (5) thus, €&'«%*» yyeiplw, I give ?ny Opinion) 
 
 that his Baptifm ihould be delayed till he is three 
 Years old : which would pleafe neither the Paedo- 
 baptift nor Antipasdobaptift. 
 He fcems to have taken up this Opinion in fome de- 
 gree of Complyance with his Father's Practice, who pro- 
 bably had kept him unbaptiz'd fo long purpofely, and 
 then feeing no Danger of Death delay ea it farther from 
 time to time. 
 
 This Man and Tertullian are the only two that fpeak 
 of delaying it at all: one, till the Age of Reafon •> the o- 
 thcr, till three Years. Both one and the other, are to be 
 understood, where there is no Danger of Death in the 
 /^\§ _- mean while: which is plainly exrrefled (6) here, and in 
 Tertullian is collected from his other Speeches. 
 
 §. 11. 3. He ules three or four times in this Oration 
 ( as he does alfo frequently in his other Works) the Word 
 [tLyi&Sfiiax to befanftified, or made holy'] for Baptifm. And 
 (7) CH. VI. io did St. Cyprian in his Words before (7) cited, and other 
 §• ! * places: and fo do the Ancients generally. Mx.lValker 
 
 (0) Modefr (g) ] ias tz \ itn tne p a ins to produce Quotations out of al- 
 ii t J»« tnoft all the ancient Writers to fhewthat this was acom- 
 ap 1 aiuiap. nion p^fe w j tri them, to fay, an Infant or other Perfon 
 fanclified, when they mean baptized: and I do for Brevi- 
 ty's lake, refer the Reader to his Book. The Scripture 
 alfo ufesitfo, 1 Cor. 6. 11. Epb. 5. 26: 
 
 Which makes that Explication of 1 Cor.j. 14. Now are 
 „ your Children Holy, which is given by Tertullian, Si.Auftin, 
 (9)SeeCH. St. Hiercm, Paulinus, Pelagius, (9) and other Ancients; 
 ? 9 1S'0 aruifince by Dr. Hammond, (10) Mr. Walker, (11) &c. 
 [ o; ixv^u - niuc j 1 t j ie morc p ro bablc ; whereby they make the 
 / j Model: ^ or " s *>"* boy, and ryi*$ut has been fanciified, to refer 
 
 Plea. ' t0 ^ a P t i mi - 
 
 And their Explication is alfo the more probable, be- 
 
 c.uife there has no other Senfe of rhofe Words been yet 
 
 given 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 8 3 
 
 given by Expofitors bur what is liable to much Conteft : Year after tie 
 but efpecially that Senfe which fome Antipardobapnfb Apoftles 3.60, 
 have endcavour'd to affix to 'em (of legitimacy in Oppoliti- 
 on to Baftard; ) 'ccms the moft fere'd and far fetch' of all. 
 The Wordsare, H^««?wt^ o *>>)j iiwi^t u rf yjicuv.^ »£ 
 r ylncttt * *«»il n *V/^c cr <nJ i'x/ly' *«■« i^t* rix»A b/*mv «'*«- 
 
 •«jt* 4$, ru » <ft *j,i* ^2i». Xhe gra.r.m .acaiTranllation of 
 which Words is, For the unbelieving Husband £or an un- 
 believing Husband] has been fantlified by the Wife , and 
 
 the unbelieving Wife, [ or an unbelieving Wife] has been 
 fan&ified by the Husband. E'feycur Children would be un- 
 clean : but now they are holy. Our Tranflatorsalter'd the 
 Tenfe, and put [isfcnftified']intt:eadoflbaibecnfanclified'} 
 becaufe they thought, it feems, the Senfe required it : 
 But without any fuch Alteration, the Paraphrafe given by 
 many learned Men is to this purpofe ; 
 
 For it has ordinarily come to pafs, that an unbelieving 
 Husband has been brought to the Faith and foto Baptifm, 
 by his Wife : and Iikewife an unbelieving Wife by her 
 Husband. If it were not fo; and if the Wickcdnefs or 
 Infidelity cf the unbelieving Party did ufually prevail, the 
 Children otfuch would be generally kept unbaptized and 
 fo be unclean. But now we fee, by the Grace of God, 
 a contrary Effect, for they are generally baptiz'd, and fo 
 become holy, cr fanctified. 
 
 If the Reader will turn back to CH, IV. 5.12. and al- 
 fo compare the Quotations I ftiall produce in Ch. XV. 
 §.2. and CH. XVIII. §. 4. and CH.XIX. $. 19. of this 
 Bock, he will lee that St. Aufiirfsztid Pelagius'sComment 
 on thofe Words of the Apoftle is exactly to this purpofe : 
 and that lertulli.in differs from them only in this, that he 
 expounds the Holincfs that fuch Children have by the 
 Prerogative of their Birth, by thefe ytordi f Sdnc~}itdti de- 
 fignati, defigned for HoIineO;, becaufe he reckons and 
 proves from Scripture, that they cannot be actually holy 
 till they are actually baptiz'd : and that St. Hicrom and 
 Paulinin Ipeak to the fame Effect. 
 
 The Word "ify «" in the New-Teftamerft is translated 
 fometimes Saints, fometimes Hob Perfons, and was in 
 the fame ufc with them as the Word ChrijHans is with 
 us. 
 
 There are two things, befide what I have merition'd, 
 that do make this Senfe the moh natural to that place. 
 One is, that it appears by the Apoftles other Words in 
 the Context, that this was his Scope of arguing. War 
 
 <3 1 &htit 
 
8 4 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after the what knoweft thou, Wife ,fays he, whether thou [halt five 
 Apoitks26o. thy Husband? i. c. by bringing him over to the Faith : 
 w-/ >' v "" Or how hiowesl thou, O Man, whether thou (halt fave thy 
 Wife .- This is a very different Aim from what he would 
 have, if he meant only that an unbelieving Wife is fancti- 
 fied to a Believer for the ufe of the Bed, as unclean 
 jRdeats are to a faithful Eater. 
 
 Another is, that the Cuftom of the Jewifii Language 
 had made it ordinary before the Apoftles time to ule 
 the Word [tofanclifie~\ for baptizing or wafhing. Where 
 God commands Mofeszx. the giving of the Law, Exod. 
 19. 10. Sanclific them to day and to Morrow ; all the learn- 
 ed fews underftand it, that he bid him baptize, ;. e. wafh 
 'em. And they prove from this place that Ifrael enter'd 
 into Covenant byBaptifm as well as Circumcifion. Moft 
 of the Orders to the Priefts and Levitcs to fandtifie them- 
 ielves, are explain' d by wafhing themfclves. Where 'tis 
 faid, Levit. 6. 27. All that touches the Ficfo cf the Sin-Of- 
 fering,fhall be holy, the original Word \sfoall be fanclificd : 
 that is, (as'the following Verfes fhew ) (hall be wafhed. 
 In 2 Sam. 1 1. 4. 'tis faid. Bathficba was then purified (in 
 the original wasfatiUificd ) from herVncleanncf : and this 
 was done by wafhing. The divers Wafloings among -the 
 ^tpj, mention'd Heb. 9. 10. (where 'tis in the original, 
 divers Baptifms) are frequently ftyl'd by the Jews in their 
 Writings, SanBifications : as the Prieft's wafhing his 
 Hands and Feet ten times on the Day of Atonement, is 
 called by them the ten Santlifications. This is fo fully 
 cleared by Ainfworth, Lightfoot, Hammond, &c that 
 there need no more be faid of it. 
 (iz) Quxfr. St. Auflin in his Qucfliens on Leviticus has this (12) En- 
 84, quiry ; how it is meant that Mofes fhculd fanclify the 
 
 High-Priefi, Levit. 21. 8. when God fays, ver. 15. I the 
 Lord do fanclify him ? In anfwer to which he diftinguifhes 
 between the vifiblc Sanclification and the invifible : and 
 after fome Difcourfe that the invifible is the chief, but 
 yet that the other is not to be neglected, fays, Hence Cor- 
 nelius and they that were with him, when they appeared to 
 he already fanclificd iwvifibly by the Holy Ghcfi coming on 
 them, were for all that baptised : nor was the \\nh\e Sancli- 
 fication counted necdlcf becaufc the invifible was before. 
 
 St. Paul inferibes his Epiftles fent to the Chrijlians of 
 any places, thus, tom a'yioit to the holy Pc fins ; or thus, 
 «ro7c »>.i«tf/*ivoic to fuch as have beenfanclifiedaz fuch or fuch 
 a place. And fo the Infcription of his Letter to the CV 
 
 rinthian 
 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 8? 
 
 rinthian Christians in theic (13) Words, Vnto the Church Vear after rlic 
 of Godmhichis at Corinth, »><i*#/*sro«e i^f?I» J 5,x\»T):f A potties 26c, 
 Jylut : to tbofc that arefan&ified [ or have been fan&ified] ^V" 
 
 in Christ ]t{\xs,called to be Saints : 'tisbut a larger Periphra- ( l3 j l Cor . 
 fis of what one would have faid ; to all that are Christians j _ 2> 
 there. And St. Chryfoftotp in his Comment on thefe ven 
 "Words puts the Qjeftion, tj H *n» o * 5.1*^0; ; lVi:atis 
 the Sanciification hejpeakj of? and anfwers readily, ts \«- 
 T£?r, x»9*e*^:;, flbe Laver, their Baptifrn, f&«V dcanfing. 
 
 The ancient Church likewife that compil'd the A p " I 
 Creed, when they would declare it as an Article of Chri- 
 ftian Religion, that all Christians ought to hold Commu- 
 nion with one another, exprefs that Article thus, T/ . 
 Communion t»» iyimy cf Saints. 
 
 Therefore when St. Paul in this place ufes the ven 
 lame Word, and fays, e'fe your Children would be unclean 1 
 but now they are £yi% ( which Word is rend red in Englifh 
 Sometimes Saints, lometimes Holy, ) 'tis not at all alien to 
 his ordinary ufe of the Word to understand it, Elfe your 
 Children would be kept unbaptizeci, unfandfified, uij- 
 chriftian, unholy, or unclean : but now they are generally 
 Sanctified by Baptifrn, and become holy or Christians. If 
 wehad lived in the times of the Ancients, when the Word 
 fanclifiedwasvLs'd in common Speech for baptized, d . 
 would have feem'd a natural Interpretation. 
 
 This Exposition, as it avoids on one fide the Inconve- 
 niencv of that given by the Antipxdobaptifts, which 
 takes the Word {[holy] and [unclean] in a Senfe in wr 
 they arc never ufed in Scripture : io it is likewi'e f,-ec 
 from the Exceptions which lie againft that which limits 
 the Baptifrn of Children io abfolutely to that Condition 
 of their being born of believing Parents; that it leads the 
 Baptizerinto many perplexing Scruple^ whole Children 
 he may baptize, and vVhofenor, As the late Bill.cp of 
 Worceftcr has largely (14) (hewn. / r ,j tfnrea- 
 
 /^4. What St. Gregory here fays in the Lift place, that he fcnablenefs of 
 wilKbaptize no Arian, nor any that difowns the God- Reparation 
 head of Chrift and the Trinity, is according to the gc-p,; rt ni.§.3S, 
 i neral Senfe of the Catholicks of that, 1 and of the fore- 
 going times. They would not hold Communion with 
 the Aaans, and consequently would not by Baptit'm enter 
 fuch as Members into their Church, The grcateft Per- 
 iecutions that the Catholicks at any time iufter'd, were 
 on this Account. For the Arian Emperors felddffi went 
 \o far ai 10 force the Bishops to renounce the Catfrc 
 
86 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after the Faith and turn Asians : But they would banifh 'em, un- 
 
 ^polHes 260. lefs they would receive the Arians to Communion, or 
 
 **s~\f~*~+ j i n w i tn t hem. It was upon this Account that Atbana- 
 
 fins ( who flourilhed from the Beginning to almoft the end, 
 
 of the Avian Controverfie ) did fo often luffcr Exile 5 
 
 *4°< becaufe he would not admit ykius or his Followers to 
 
 Communion, when it was deiir'd by Covftantine ( who 
 
 fought herein the Quietnefs of his own Government) and 
 
 the other Emperors that were themfelves Arians. 
 
 Thefe Ancients reckon'd that Chriftians might and 
 ought to hold Communion notwithftanding difference of 
 Opinions in leffer Matters : but that this was a Funda- 
 mental one, as relating to that which is the direel Ob- 
 ject of our Worfhip. 
 
 The Arians for this reafon made a great many At- 
 tempts to exprefs their Faith in fuch ambiguous Terms 
 as might feem to agree with the Catholick fenfe. It is 
 iiiiffifo, 1 2 a bonder t0 ^ ce m ( l 5) Socrates and other Church Hifto- 
 ' Vv '""rians how many Creeds were fet forth for this purpofe 
 as Schemes of Agreement between the two Parties. Some 
 of thefe ferved in iome Churches to patch up for a while 
 an unfound Union j which was broken to pieces again as 
 foon as each Party exprefs'd their Meaning in other Words. 
 And it was found at laft by a long Trial that there was 
 no firm Agreement to be had but by owning the Terms 
 of the Nicene Creed. Mr. le Clerc obferves fomewhere 
 that the major part of the Councils in thofe times, and 
 of the Creeds drawn up in them, were on the Avian fide„ 
 No Body need envy 'cm this Advantage : for we are 
 net for a Number of Creeds. The Catholicks ad- 
 her'd to the Niccne, and were for having no more than 
 that : it was the Avian Party, which not agreeing among 
 themfelves, multiplied feveral Draughts of Faith. The 
 J<icene Creed was at laft found to be the only Tcft to 
 diftinguilh a Catholick from zx\ Avian. -'■■ 
 
 This I obferve on account of fome modern Arians : 
 
 or rather they are to be called Pbotiniar/s; for they have 
 
 much more difhonourable Opinions of our Saviour Chrift 
 
 than the Arians had, and are more in the Sentiments of 
 
 (1 6) Socrat. Photiuus, who was in the Avian times condemned ( 1 6) 
 
 lib, 2. c. 29. both by the Cat hoi kkj and the Annus. 
 
 There are of 'em both among the P:\rdobapufts and the 
 Antipa?dobaprifts. ' Whether the Antipredobaptifts, that 
 believe in the Trinity, do baptize and receive into Com- 
 munion any fuch., or nor, I am not lure. It is not 
 ." . likely 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 8 7 
 
 likely that they who do feparate fronn one another for Year after tfie 
 far leffcr Differences, will difpenfe with io great a one A £^^4^- 
 about ne Divinity of Chrift. . 
 
 But thole Antitrinitarians, that are Pxdobapnks, in 
 Ewlanl, have of late, on a fudden, declared tfcemfclves 
 to%e it Unity with the Catholick Church : yet the 
 Accourt which they give of their Converfion to a good 
 Opinion of the Catholick Faith, is the oddeft one that 
 was ever given in fo ferious a Matter. One aces no: 
 know whether they are in earneft, or whether they mock 
 in lpeiking of that awful Myftery. Aoout the \ear 
 1697 tiey publilhed a Paper which they called The Agree- 
 ment between the Unitarians and the Catholick Chavez . 
 drawn up by themfelves, and whether approved by any 
 other Iknow not. In a Book publiltid next Year, wbicfi 
 gives ai account of The Life of Thomas Fimun> Md of 
 his Helmon, they recite the faid Agreement, and difcourfe 
 fomething more on the fubjed matcer of it. In m Ac- 
 count of his Religion, after having obierv'd that Pcop.e had 
 once thought that the difference between the Vmtanans 
 and the Catholick Church was red, great, and even un- 
 reconcilnble, they M {n) (W P a §- $° 
 
 ' But the Vnitarians ( or Socinians) being Men of %vge- 
 
 * nuous and free Minds find Principles, and there] ore always 
 < ready to entertain farther Light ; after 3 or 9 Tears late 
 « Content in print with the principal Divines of this Kat ion, 
 
 * have been fo dextrous and happy, that Mtodtf J"™* 
 ' embrojling the Points in Queftion, which is the ujual E| cct 
 ' of the Paper War, they fee m to have accommodated whatjo- 
 
 * ever Differences between the Church and them. And a 
 
 little after. . _ ,. c . 
 
 Other SeBs by the Favour cf Princes, or the Quality of the 
 
 I Times, have obtained an Exemption from Mulch and Pe- 
 nalties, &c. — If Socinianifm had any were en; eyed txfe 
 Halcyon Days, it' s fudden irrefifliblc Progref would have 
 been as liyhtning, which ruOies out ol the Eaft and 
 dunes even to the Weft. Alas ! on canal grtmfid and with 
 equal Cbcumflances the Combat between MintelhgiMe My- 
 fiery and clear Rcafon ; between feeming Connadidim^ib- 
 furdities, and hnpojfbilitics, and a rational, obvious, ac- 
 countable Faith, would focn have been e>,hd. But tt :s bet- 
 ter ended : the Divine Providence and Gcodncf in Mercy 
 to both Parties, has mhted a Peace injtcaa of a V : 
 I: h* pleas d Cod to favour the fuffcring fide with an Un- 
 txfeftU tight : He h^fhewn'em {#W my fcpti iw r 
 
 O 4 
 
88 St. Gregory Naz. Chap; XI. 
 
 year after the dlblc) that their Opprfers think « they \_the Vnitariansl 
 Apoftlojoo.^, f fet ffor Difference is not in the Idea's or Xoticnt 
 ^-\T^ but only tn the Terms or Words. To manifest ths, Mr. 
 *inmn caufed the following Scheme of Agreement, &c. 
 And -to this purpofe in the other Treatifc of the faid 
 08Jpag. 18. P°°K *"K- *" the LifeofMr.Firmin, they fay, (iU 
 
 7 The Vmtarians never intended to oppefe any other Trinity, 
 hut a Trinity »f Minds or Sprits. Grant to 'el that 
 GOD is one infinite Spirit or Mind, not two or time, they 
 demand no more. They applied themfelves therefor* to cn~ 
 quire which of tbefe Trinities, a Trinity cf Spirit;, or of 
 Properties, is the Doflrine of the Catholic^ Church} They 
 could not mif f a ready Satisfaction: all Syflems\ Cate- 
 clnjms, Books oj. Controvert, Councils, Writers that have 
 
 bcenefieemedCatholick, - have defined God to 
 
 be me Infinite, AU-perfeSi Spirit: and the Divine Per Com 
 to be nothing elfe but the Divine Efface or Godhead, with 
 the three relative Properties, Vnbegotte.n , Begotten, Pro- 
 ceeding. 
 
 ■ 'Tisa Wonder then that thefc Men could never Areeive 
 
 this-before. Had they never look'd into any Wem, 
 Catcch:lm Council, & c . before the Year 1697/ they 
 fay themfelves that aflbon as they fct them'felve to en- 
 quire they could not mils of a ready Satisfaction. They 
 would feem .to infinuate that a late Book, which aliened 
 three infimtc Minds in the Deity,, had given 'cm that 
 Qftence which they conceived againft the Church : but 
 this is malicious and impartible to be true .- for, befides 
 
 S" uZT l n n ° Man ' s wa y of expreffing himfclf, 
 they had fee up a Party here, and broacht their" Opinions 
 a good while before that: and the writing of that Book 
 wasoccafiond by a juft Zeal againft their blalphemous 
 Motes on Athanafius s Creed publifned before. 
 
 But fince they do now make a PrcpoGil cf coming intp 
 the Communion of the Church ; it is not ib material to 
 enquire- what was the occafion of their Quarrel as it is 
 to know whether their Return to the Church be cordial, 
 and -wncther they are as y m ofiuch a Faith, as that, ac- 
 cor, .,ng co this R u . e of St. G cgory, they ought to be ad- 
 mitted- to Baptilm ( rhoie of them that are not vet papl 
 112 d) or to the Communion. ■ • . 
 . § : 13- |. And if tliey would he received as cordially 
 joining wich the Cathclick*, why do they fti|l ipeak of 
 .he Divinity of Chnft in l-o ambiguous Terms as becomes 
 f?t iueh as have Iain .under Cenfure tf faifc Dqtfrine ,n 
 • •• that 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 89 
 
 that point ? They (19) repeat out of their Scheme ; Wc Year after the 
 fay our Lord Christ is God and Man. He is Man in refpeit ApofHes l6o. 
 of his reafonabic Soul and humane Body ; God in rcfpeHl of ^~ S S~~~~~* 
 God in him : or more fcholajiically, in rcjpett of the Hypo- t 1 ?) Account 
 ftatical or Pcrional Vnion of the Humanity of Chrift with of firrain's 
 the Divinity, By which the Cat hoi icl^ Church means, ^??^ Religiou p. 
 iyc mean ; The Divinity was not only occafionally ^jj'fi'nig 
 to, but was, and is always in Chrift; illuminating, conduct- 
 ing, &c. And again (10) (20) Pa- 7-, 
 
 Nor do we reckon of the Lord Chrift as but a Creature. v b 
 
 I have f aid before, he is God and Man. The Divinity did 
 fo inhabit in the Humanity of Chrij}, doth fo exert in it 
 the most glorious EffcHs of Omnipotence and Omnifcicncc, 
 that if others have been called God becaufe they reprefented 
 Gcd, Chrift is to be fo called becaufe he exhibits God. 
 
 All this, except what they lay of the Perfonal Union, 
 is lame ftill. For another Man., as for Example Mofcs^ 
 or any Prophet that had the Spirit of God in him, illu- 
 minating, conducting, and enabling him to work miracles, 
 &c. might be faid to exhibit God in this Senfe ; only 
 not in fo high a degree, or not always. 
 
 What they fubfenbe to of the Hypcftatical or Perfonal 
 Union would indeed be firm, and for ever ftop their way 
 againft returning to Sccinianifm, if they had exprels'd it 
 fcholajiically as they- pretend to do. I mean, if they had 
 {aid this Union to be of the Humanity of Chrift with the 
 \by>c f or fscond of the three Pcrfons. But when they lay, 
 with the Divinity, they either do not understand the Im- 
 port of that Phrafe, of Hvpoftatical or Perfonal Union ; 
 or elfe they purpofely confound the Notion. They den'r 
 mean furc, that the Humanity of Chrift is perfonally uni- 
 ted to, or makes one Pcrfon with, the Father. 
 
 The very Doctrine for which both Paulm Samofatenus i<5o. 
 and Photinus were condemned by the Church, was that 244. 
 they made Chrift to be God only by the Inhabitation of 
 God in him: as Bp. St iliingflcct had (a i ) fully proved (21) VinJica- 
 to them. And yet if you mind thete Mens Phrafes, tion of Tri- 
 they own no More : and even the Hypcftntical 'Union they nity- c 4. 
 explain to mean no more, and do without any Modefty 
 fay, that the Church means no more by it. 
 
 6. 14. The Truth is, the Sodni.ms have very lately 
 made a great and monftrous Change in their Doctrine : 
 and yet hold their main Article ib'l; That Chrift has, pro- 
 perly fpeaking, no Nature but the humane: and thefe 
 E>i?lifh. Vnit.vicvjs do by their way of explaining them- 
 . ' fclves 
 
90 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after the felves give ground to fufpedr. that they are ftill in that 
 Apoftles 260. Sentiment. They were wont formerly to degrade that 
 Xojof of which St. John fpeaks, as much as they could j 
 making it to be nothing but the humane Nature of Jefus 
 Chrift, or fomething belonging to the humane Nature. 
 They did ufe to expound thus ; In the Beginning was the 
 Word, i. e. In the Beginning of the Gofpel, Jefus Chrift 
 and his preaching was. And the Word was with God: 
 i. e. He and his preaching were appointed in the Coun- 
 fel of God. And the Word was God : i. e. He was God's 
 Deputy toMen. All things were made by him: i. e. All Mat- 
 ters of the Gofpel Difpenfation were done by him, &c. 
 
 But now of late they put a Notion on the Term Xoy>?, 
 which carries the utmoft degree of Contrariety to their 
 former Interpretation. They make the \iy>s to be not 
 at all diftind: from God the Father, neither in Nature 
 nor in Perfon ; but to be his Attribute of Wifdom, Rea- 
 fon, &c. Thus a certain Writer over the Water, whofe 
 Works they greedily tranfhre into Evglifh > 
 
 In the Beginning was the Word : i. c. In the Beginning 
 was Reafon. 
 
 And the Word was with God .- i. c. And that Reafon 
 was with God. 
 
 And the Word was God : i. e. And God was that Reafon. 
 
 The fame was in the Beginning with God: i.e. There 
 was, I fay, Reafon in God before the World was created. 
 Are not thefe great Apophthegms for St. John to fay ? 
 
 And in the following Verfes wherever we read He or 
 Him, they tranflate it. All things were made by It : and 
 without It was not any thing, &c. And then ver. 14. And 
 the Word was made Flefh : i. e. And this Reafon, by the 
 Man in whom it was, was made confpicuous. 
 
 And where the Author to the Hebrews having expreily 
 named God's Son, whom he has appointed Heir of all things, 
 adds thefe Words ; by whom alfo he made the Worlds : 
 becaufe here is no poflible turning Him into It, the Para- 
 ph rafe is ; that is, having heretofore by that \'ay>e or Rgafo?i, 
 or eternal Wifdom which refidcd in Jefus, and was molt 
 nearly utiitcd to him, created all things. If by moil nearly 
 united be meant fo united as to become one Perfon, it is 
 Catholick. But the terms oircfiding in him, and of being 
 made confpicuous by him, exprefs a more lax fort of Union 
 than what the Words of Scripture do every where fet 
 forth. And at fuch a rate of interpreting it might be faid 
 of any meer Man, in whom the Spirit of God does re- 
 ■ ■ ; . * iiue, 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 91 
 
 fide, that the World was made by him: becaufc he has in Year after the 
 
 him chat Spirit by which it was made. But the Scrip- ApofUes 260. 
 
 ture is far from laying fo of any meer Man ; and of our ^^- / \^***^-' 
 
 Lord Jefiis Chnft it never fpeaks oihcrwife than lo : 
 
 (22) By Him were all things created: and He is before all (22) Col. 1. 
 
 things. (23) Of whom as concerning the Flcflo Christ came, 16, '7- 
 
 Who is over all, &C. With the Glory (24^ which I had with 1 2 3) Rom. 9. 
 
 thee before the World was. I (2 5) came forth from the Fa- j' 
 
 the-: Before Abraham was, I am [or was] z§c. Tis not ( 2 4; John 17. 
 
 faid, the Spirit or Wifdom which is in me, came forth ?'\t . 
 
 from the Father, or had Glory with thee: but I came 2 g n 
 
 forth, /had Glory, &c. And as far as the peitonal Word 
 
 I or He can denote the fame Pcrfon, it is here and every 
 
 where eKc denoted. 
 
 The Paulianifis and Vhotinians would fay, as thefe 
 Men do, that Chrift is God and Man : but if they were 
 ask'd whether he was God firft, or Man firft jthey would 
 fay, he was Man firft, and afterwards God, by God's 
 dwelling in him. And thefe Menfeem to mean no other. 
 But the Catholick Church believes that he was God firft, 
 and afterward became Man. As St. John tells firft what 
 he was originally : and then how he was made Fleih. 
 Cerinthus, who was St. Johns chief Adverfary,ar.d againft 
 whom he had a particular Eye, when he wrote his Gc- 
 fpel ( as both ( 26 J Irenxus and St. (27) Hierom do witnefsj (26) lib. 3. 
 taught that Jelus was the Son c/Jofeph and Mary in like c - ll \ 
 n\anner as all other Men : and that he was eminent for Ju. ( 2 7- aefcnpt. 
 Jiice, Prudence and Wifdom, above all others: and that af- ^ cc '- w°- n " 
 ter his Baptifm Chrift came dovp?i upon him from the fit- J- leS Q . ... 
 preme Power in the Shape cf a. Dove, &x. This was Cerin- ■* iJ ' 
 thus's, Dcdr.rine,as (28) Irenxus repeats ir,who lived lo nigh ' ** 
 thofe times that he may well be thought to be born in 
 the time of Cerinthus. And this is the fame for fubftance 
 with the latter of thofe two forts of Sccinianifm that I 
 mention 'd ; only it was by him blundringly exprefs'd * 
 that which they ftyle \iy>e he calls Christ, and he does not 
 allow him to be born of a Virgin. They vauft be dex- 
 trous and happy Men indeed, that can reconcile St. Jehus 
 Gofpel to that very Senfe againft which it was purpofely 
 written. 
 
 This Cerinthus and Ebion, both whofe Doctrine con- 
 cerning our Lord was (as Irenxus in the (29) next Chap- ( 2 S>) l.i-C.26. 
 ter certifies ) the fame, were the firft Socinians in die 
 World, except thofe mentioned John 6. 42. who laid, 
 Is not this Jefus the Son of Jofeph, whofe Path:: and Ma- 
 ther 
 
92, St. Gregory Njz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after th* ther we iytovp .- How is it then that he fays, I came down 
 Apoftles 260. from Heaven ? 
 
 §. 15. 1. But befides, what Hopes can we have of 
 any firm Union with thefe Men, who at the fame time 
 that they defire to be received into Communion with the 
 Catholick Church, do fet forth the Faith thereof in as 
 ill Colours as poffiWy they can ; calling it unintelligible 
 Mjftcry, and their own clear I{cafon ? That which we hold 
 they defcribe as feeming ImpoJJJbilities, Abfurditics, and 
 Contradictions : theirs is a rational, obvious, and accountable 
 faith. And they exprefs themfelves as Men that were 
 cock-fure, that if that Acl of Parliament, which they call 
 a Bill in Name and Pretext against Immorality and Blaf- 
 phemj, in truth and real Defign against the Unitarians, 
 were taken out of the way, we fhould all prefently turn 
 Socinians. ('Tis to be noted that this Act came out much 
 about the fame time that they were favour d with that un- 
 expected Light. ) 
 
 They ought not to be fo hafty : there is another Book 
 in the way, and that is the Scriptures. If they were abo- 
 lifhed, and other Records of the Church with them, we 
 freelv grant that we fhould not naturally have any Notion 
 of a Trinity, of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one God- 
 head 1 nor fhould we ever have thought of being bap- 
 tized in fuch a Name : nor have known of the Word 
 which was God, being made Flefo. Thefe Myfteries we 
 grant would have been unintelligible. 
 
 But then there would have been another Inconveniency 
 in that way of knowing God which they propofe, vi~. in 
 entertaining only fuch Notions of him as we can form by 
 natural Reafon and clear Idea's. For fome few Perfons 
 of more refined Intellectuals would conceive him to be 
 a Jpiritual Bei)2g far above the Properties and PaiTions of 
 Body and Matter. Others that could form no Notion cf 
 a Spirit, would fay, This is unintelligible Myftery .- we 
 muft have a God that has a Body, or elfe we fhall think 
 h;m to be nothing. Thefe latter would be fubdivided : 
 for fome would believe that he is made of a very fine, 
 fubtile, and etherial Matter, quite different from that 
 which may be feen, or has any Limbs c£c. But others, 
 and thefe the far greatcft part of Mankind, would con- 
 tend that a God that is fuppos'd to (cc, and hear, and judge 
 without any Ears or Eyes, is an Abfurdity, ImpojJlbiHiy.C v- 
 tradiclion, a thing of which we can form no clear Idea : fo 
 they would have a God with Eyes and Ears as good as any 
 Pointer could make. The 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 9} 
 
 The Experience of all Ages of the World, fhews that Year after the 
 what I fay is no Fancy bat Matter of fad:. This way ApoiUes 260. 
 therefore would not do, except they would join to it the *-^~V~^— ' 
 Policy of the Papifts, who do preferve the true Notion 
 of God, as he is let forth in Scripture, for the ufe of the 
 learned and fuch as they allow to read the Scripture ; 
 but keep at the fame time wooden Gods for the ufe of 
 the Mob. 
 
 God Almighty give us all the Modefty and. Humility 
 to think that his way of cxifting may well be fuch as we 
 cannot comprehend, any more than a Worm can compre- 
 hend what Reafon, or Speech, or a Soul is .- and quietly 
 to acquiefce in that Account which he has been pleas'd 
 to give of his own Nature , and of what we are to 
 believe concerning him : and to take it according to the 
 plain meaning of thofe whom he has inlpir'd to write 
 it : and to judge our fclves, as we are indeed, far unca- 
 pable of explaining the manner of it; and much more 
 uncapable of any Ability of trying and examining the 
 Truth of it by our natural Idea's of the things themfelvcs. 
 This laft is impudent in thofe who do own the Divine 
 Infpiraticn of the Writers. 
 
 §„ 1 6. The great Progrefs which they boaft they fhould 
 make, has no Example for their Encouragement in for- 
 mer Ages of the Church. Cerintbus and Ebion had feme 
 Followers : but that was before the Canon of Scripture, 
 and particularly St. Johns Gofpel was compleated and 
 divulg'd: and it was moftly in wild Countries, as (30) (3°)Eplphai 
 Arabia deferta, &c After the Writings of the Apoftles in Ha;I "- E^io- 
 were divulg'd, feveral fingle Perfons, Artemon, Theodotm, mra nim. 
 Paulus of Samofata,fkz. attempted to fet up fuch a Sect,but °' 
 never profelyu'd any Region or City : and Pbotinus, tho' °* 
 a very eloquent Man, and fctting up in the Avian times, 2 '^ 
 was prefently condemned by all Parties : So that Epipha- 
 niuif who wrote but 30 Years after that he began to 
 vent his Herefy, and before Pbotinus himfelf was dead, 
 as it fcems, tells him, (31) that his Herefie of all others was (31) Kit. 
 the cafiejl to be confuted, not only by skilful Men, but by any 71. 
 that bad any tolerable Zander/landing of the Senfs of Scrip, 
 ture. And a little after. 'The Herefie of this Imp-ftor is 
 dwindled away, having la/led but a vc r y little re bile ; and 
 Theodoret fays, (31) that in bis time it was quite forgot tw*' Haereri 
 and lo, he fays, were all the ether Herefics that had denied ' 2 " c « ulr « 
 
 Cbrift's Divinity, Cerintbians, Ebio?iites, Sabellians, &c, 
 Jo that the very U.-nnes of thofe SeBs veer; to many unknown. 
 
 * Ar.d 
 
94 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XL 
 
 Year after tlie And whereas one (33) Bonofus, about, of a little after the 
 Apoft1es,i6o. time of Photinw, went about to vent the fame Doctrine 
 *~s~^S *•* in Dacia j he was fo far from having any Number of 
 (33) Mercator Followers, that he himfelf or his Name is hardly known 
 Diflert. con- i n Hiftory : and Theodoret feems never to have heard of 
 tra Anathema- ^j m> 
 
 tjfmos Nefto- Mahomet the Impoftor arifing in the forelaid Arabia 
 f iJ ' \l? (of which place (34) Epiphanius fays, it was the chief 
 
 (34/ Ha?r '4°« jv^/f of the Ebionites and Nazarenes, as I have, fays he, 
 often already obferved ) was the only Man that after thefe 
 times ventur'd to broach the Doctrine againft Chrift s 
 Divinity : and he indeed with his SuccefTors have con- 
 verted a great part of the World with afudden irrefiftiblc 
 Progrrfs : but then they have accordingly laid afide the 
 Name of Chriftians, and difowncd the Scriptures, as be- 
 ing plainly againft 'em in this Matter, tho' they do be- 
 lieve Chrift to have been a great Prcphet. 
 
 Since that, in Poland, and fuch places bordering on the 
 Mahometans, this Opinion has been entertained by fome 
 few as a middle fort of Religion between the Chriftian 
 and Mahometan. And now of late it is come into Holland, 
 and from thence into England, ferving for the ufe of fuch 
 as being ftagger'd in thei Faith by the Arguments of the 
 Drifts, which are rife in th::e Countries, yet will not go fo 
 far with them as to renounce;^/?/* Chr island theScriptures, 
 but take a middle way, holding with the Catholicks that 
 he is a true Prophet, and the Meffiah promifed, and that 
 he died and rofe again, and will be our Judge ; but with 
 the Drifts denying his Divinity, and holding that he had 
 no Being before he was born or conceived in humane 
 Flefh. They with the Catholicks fay that the Scriptures 
 are (originally and as they came out of the Apoftlcs 
 Hands) God's Word and not feigned by Men ; but with 
 the Drifts, That what they fay of Chrift's Divinity, has 
 been interpolated, or muft be explain'd fo as to fit with 
 our natural Conceptions, which, they fay, cannot admit 
 the Notion of a Son of God that is properly one in EfTencc 
 with the Father ; nor of fuch a Son of God taking on 
 him the humane Nature, when the Father does not. To 
 believe fuch ftrangc things on the Credit of Revelation, 
 is, they fay, to give great Advantage to the Drifts who 
 deny it all. 
 
 This Opinion, I fay, never had any confiderable Num- 
 ber of Followers in the World. The Arian,\ grant, had . 
 but that does not nigh fo plainly contradict the Scriptures. 
 
 h- 17- 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. 9$ 
 
 §. 17. Now to return to that which gave the occasion of Year after the 
 this Digreflion : The Cathohcks,as we fee here by Gregory Apoltles 260. 
 Na%ia?i%cn, would not baptize or receive to their Church *«y""V~>wJ 
 an Arian, nor any one that did not profeft Belief in the 
 Holy Trinity and the Divinity of Chrift. The Catholick 
 Church is of the fame Mind ftill. Thefe Men do make 
 an Overture, and a Declaration of their purpofe of join- 
 ing themfelvesto the Church, and they do many of 'em 
 put it in Practice. If they are truly reconcil'd to the Ca- 
 tholick Faith, nothing were more defirable : but for that 
 there is need of a better Teft, and it is a Queftion whe- 
 ther the Church ought to receive 'em without better Sa- 
 tisfaction than this Scheme of Agreement. They own the 
 Apojlles Creed indeed, which our Church makes ufe of in 
 Baptifm : but by difowning the Niccne, they fhew that 
 they do not own the other in the fame Senfe that the 
 Church does, but repeat the fame Words in a very 
 aequi vocal Meaning. When we fay, I believe in Jefus 
 Christ his only Son, Sec. we do by the Phrafe of believing 
 in him, mean believing in him as in God properly fo cal- 
 led, and fo we underftand likewife the Form of Baptifm 
 in his Name, together with the Father and Holy Spirit. 
 And fo did the Ancients: this Gregory (35) fpeaking of (.3 5JOrat.de 
 the Holy Spirit, and how we are bapnz'd in his Name, ^P- Santto. 
 If he be a Creature, fays he, how Ho we believe in him ? For 
 it is one thing to believe in any one, and another to believe 
 fomething concerning him. For the one is peculiar to God : 
 the other common to any thing. If theie Men mean quite 
 another thing in both thefe, I cannot fee how we and 
 they have One Faith, ox One Baptifm; nor indeed how 
 we Worlhip the fame God : for the God whom we 
 worfhip, is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 
 
 A difference in underftanding the Meaning of fome 
 Articles oflefTer Moment, vi%. of Chrift 's Defcent into 
 Hell, is not of the fame Nature^ nor does make an In- 
 ftance for this purpofe. If any Man differ in Opinion 
 from the received Tenets of the Church in fmallcr Mat- 
 ters; and therefore cannot join in fome particular Col- 
 led:, Office, Prayer, or Claufe of a Prayer, wherein fome- 
 thing relating to thofe Tenets is exprefs'd ; we grant, 
 what thefe Men plead, that St. Paul's (36) Rule, If in any (36) Pliil. $.. 
 thing ye be otherwife minded, Godfhall reveal even this unto 15, > 6- 
 you. Ncverthelefl whereto we have attained, let us walk^ by 
 the fame Ritle, &c. teaches that fuch a Man fhould con- 
 tinue in Communion, and conform to all that he can, and 
 
 omit 
 
96 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XL 
 
 Year after the omit the faying Amen to that which he judges a Miftake. 
 Apoftles26o. Bp. StUlingficet has fully (37) proved this to" be the mean- 
 Sg 'TYr - — i"8 of that place againft the Diffenting Minifies who 
 2l dii Weie n0C w ^ in S that the Separation ihould finklo. And 
 ofSepar.PJI. wecan well enough allow of Mr. le dec's Explication of 
 *• 1 9- I{om, 14. r. Him that is xveal^inthc Faith,receivc you with- 
 
 out examining ins doubtful Opinions, and that the Church 
 ought to receive fuch an one. But all this is in diffe- 
 rences about fuch Matters as St. Paul there inftances in,- 
 Meats,'DrTnks, ^©r other things not of the Foundation; 
 Bur the Doctrine concerning the Perfon of Jefus Chrift, 
 and the Satisfaction for our Sins by him made, is, if any 
 thing be> of the Foundation. 
 
 I think the Church of England has at this time the 
 worft Luck in this relpect, that any Church ever had. 
 There are numerous Bodies ct her people who hold all 
 the fame Faith with her, that do againft her Will make 
 Schifms from her Communion on occaiion of Differences 
 inOp:nion,which are no juft Ground for Separation,which 
 Party foever be fuppoled to be in the right. Thefe (he 
 calls and invites to Communion in Prayers, and Sacra- 
 ments, in which they might join even on fuppofal that they 
 could not part with their particular Opinions : and they; 
 either out ot Peevifhnefs, or elfc being over perfvvaded 
 by their Leaders, who find their Account in continuing 
 feparate Bodies whereof they may be heads, do rcfule 
 to join even in thofe things wherein they agree in Opini- 
 on with us. On the other fide, thefe Men who give but 
 a poor account of their Agreement with us in Funda- 
 mentals, declare of their qwn Accord (whether it be to 
 ihe!ter themlelves from Penalties, or not, I know not) 
 that they will however join with us. 
 
 The leaft that can be laid, is, that it behoves every 
 Curate, who has good ground to believe concerning any 
 of thole that refort to his Communion, that they are Ene- 
 mies to the Doctrine of the Divinity of our Saviour, 
 (and there are up and down more pf them than one 
 would think ) to take Advice of the Bifhop how far fuch 
 are to be admitted to Communion. 
 
 §. 18. I mention'd the Satisfaction of our Saviour for 
 our Sins. It is known how derogatory an Explication 
 the Sccinians have given of that. They have fometimes 
 lo fpoke, as if the main or only Defignof his Death were 
 to give us a good Example of fuffering patiently : fearing 
 thatiftoo much Value were put on his Blood asa fufflcicnt 
 
 Rahfom 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Nuz. ft 
 
 Ranfom for the Sins of the World, ic muft be yielded to be Year after the 
 
 the Blood of one that was God in a proper fenfe as well as Apolles 260. 
 
 Man. But whereas the New-Tcftament docs almoft in v/ ^ v "" 
 
 every Chapter fpeak df the Redemption, Propitiation, 
 
 Sacrifice, Price, Ranfom, Purchafc, paid or wrought by 
 
 him, and does lay the ftrefs (38) of our Salvation upon (jg\ Rom. 3T 
 
 our Faith in Ins Blood as well as in his Dodlrine : they 24 25, 
 
 do ( after having explain'd away as much of this Article 
 
 aspofflbly they can) yield that he did fatisfie for us a 
 
 little, or redeem us a little. I have heard one of 'em in 
 
 Company and in a braving way explain it thus ; It k as if 
 
 a Man ow'd me 100©/. and not being ell Is to pay, a Friend 
 
 of his who had feme Interest in me, foould intercede with rri'e 
 
 to forgive hhn the Debt j and to move me the more, foould 
 
 offer to pay Twelve-pence in the Pound fr him, and I in 
 
 tondejcenflon io this Friend fhould accept it fr Payment in 
 
 full. 
 
 This is to count(39) the Blood of the Covenant wherewith , - » u 
 we arefanflified amuch more mean and ordinary thing than **/ d 
 the Scripture does every where reprefent it: And that '" 
 
 which brought this Pdflage of a Dilcourfe.ih company to 
 iny Memory, was, the Words which rhefe Men ufe (40) to 
 fhew the Soundnefs of their Faith in that Ma;ter ; Wk (40) Actoilht 
 believe that the Lord Chritc by what he did, and what he of Firmiris 
 fufferd was, by the gracious Acceptance of God, a true Religion';, 
 'and perfect Propitiation for Sinners, that repent. This is P»*9 
 what any Catholick, or any Socinian either may fay, and 
 yet. have a very different Faith about this Article. 
 
 The other Errors with which they are charg'd, and 
 do not by that Agreement revoke, are great % but not to 
 'be named the fame Day with thele. 
 
 §. 19. As for the Affcmblies which they talk of hold- 
 ing/or Divine H 7 orfhip dijlincl from the Affcmblies of any 
 -other Denominations of Clrriflians : but thef: to be not by way 
 of Schifth or Separation from the Church, but only as F rater- 
 •nities in the Church, who foould t.ihs a wbyl ffecia! Care cf 
 that Article £ vvi. of the Unity of the. Godhead]]' there 
 would be by God's Grace no need of'ern, The Catho- 
 lick Church does, and ever did. and ever will hold anc£ 
 >piiblifh that Doclrine iti. the ffrf? place and above alf rf 
 thcrs. The Athanafan Creed, againrr. which they rrVake 
 •their chief Exceptions, declares this in Words as ablbltxte 
 as any they can denre to be devifed, that tho' the Father 
 '- ' ">od, lord,, Almighty, i5c: and the Son arid" Holy Spi- 
 <m ! ; k»v;i{pj yet there? Src- nor three Gci:; Lords, AI-' 
 
9 8 St. Gregory Naz. Chap. XI. 
 
 Year after the mightics, £?c. but one God, one Lord* one Almighty : 
 Applies 260. and would by Parity of Reafon have faid ; To the Father 
 *°S~V~**~' is Spirit, the Son Spirit, and the Holy Ghoft Spirit : yec 
 not three Spirits, but one Spirit or Mind. 
 
 §. 20. They confefs themfelves that all Syftems, Ca- 
 
 techifms, Councils have defined this. But they add, 
 
 cjpeciallj fince the Lateran Council, &c. thereby leaving 
 
 (41) Mr. U open a Door for that Slander of a (41 ) Friend of theirs 
 
 €ttrc- Supple, to take place, who goes about to make the World believe 
 
 ment toHam- thdt anciently, in the times of the Nicehe Council, andfof 
 
 mad* it. Cri- f 01 |ne time afterward , the Chriftians held the Faith of the 
 
 tical Epiftks, Trinity fo as to make three Gods in it. 
 
 & e * This Slander of an out-landifh Author, our Sccininns 
 
 dp greedily embrace and confidently averr : which has, as 
 
 tcj moft of the Particulars by which they would prove it, 
 
 (42J Vindica- ]^ €n f u n y an f wer 'a by (42) Bp. Stillingfleet : and I have 
 
 t,0 'rH A ° l occa fi ona My> m another place (53) faid lomethmg to fome 
 
 V «p'. ,. of the reft en which they infift, and to that open Affront 
 
 CH V $ 8 £* ven ^y tne ^ a ^ Slanderer ro all the Churches that ufe 
 
 ' the Nicene Creed, which he fays they muft either expunge 
 
 out of their ConfefTions and Liturgies, or eife renounce 
 
 the Article of One God, pretending that the Faith held 
 
 forth in that Creed is Tritheifm. But it comes in my 
 
 way there by the By only. 
 
 All that I mention it here for, is tofhew what an Antipa- 
 thy this fort of Men have to that Creed, and how they ac- 
 cordingly endeavour to blacken it : which is, as I 
 (443 Vitt II fhew in (44) another place, the moft ancient X!opy 
 GH. IX. §. £, f a Chriftian Creed that is now extant in the Woridj 
 so»ii. &c. anc j tne mo {\ univerfally fubfenbed toby all Chrifti- 
 ans, and has been new for fo many Ages account* 
 ed the only firm Teft and Barrier of the Catholick 
 Church againft fuch as deny the Divinity of our Lord 
 Chrift : being of Opinion, that we can have no found 
 Communion with thofe that renounce it : and that it is 
 a. vain and ill advifed thing to hope in thefc late Ages of 
 the Church to pitch or agree on. any fitter Symbol or Teft 
 of a Catholick Chriftian. It fhculd be the mere unex- 
 ceptionable with them becaute it has not the Words,. 
 Trinity, Pcrfon, Sec. againft which their Objections chiefly 
 iie.-And yet thole of them among us that do put in practice 
 the forefaid Project of communicating with the Church, 
 do, as far as I can underftand , generally renounce ir, 
 and inftead of it they give here a £rcferfion of their Faith, 
 mi Words fubject to great Ambiguity. 
 
 The 
 
Chap. XI. St. Gregory Naz. - - . : , 99 
 
 The great Bp.StiHingfleet (45) having occafion to fpeak Year after the 
 of that Carton (46J of the ri It Council of Aries, wherein ApoiHes 160, 
 they decree, That if any that come over from a fort cf % - yr "V r> >'* 
 Hcrcfie there fpecified, did offer themfelves to com- 2r 4- 
 municate with the Catholicks, they floald be examln'd 145) Vindic. 
 /y r/)f Pr lefts, whether they had a right Faith of the Trinity, of Funny c. 
 &c. and li To, they were to be admitted with Impofition ?' , ~, 
 
 of Hands. JBwf *T being examln'd, they do not confefi ^ ' ' * 
 this Tririity, then they tnaA be baptised anew. He asks 
 this Qu eft ion, Want Trinity do they mean ? ofmeer Names 
 er Cyphers, or of one Gcd and two Creatures joined in the 
 fame form of Words, as our 'Unitarians wide, ft and it ? „ - 
 
 And to the fame purpofe StXyprlan arguing thatfuch ' 
 as had received Baptifm from fome HereticSs that had (47) Ep- 7? 
 monftrous Opinions about 1 he Deity, ought not to be ad- ad Jubianun*. 
 mitted to Communion without anew Baptifm, fays thus, 
 (47) If by that Baptifm of theirs the Mnn have obtained 
 Rgmiffion of Sins, thenk he far.Hlfled and become a Temple 
 cf Gcd. Nov? I asl{ °f 'what God ? If thcyfr.y, of God the 
 Creator, that could not be, Jince he did not believe In him. 
 If of Christ ; one that denys Chrift to be God cannot be 
 n Temple of him, If of the holy Spirit j vfflvereai thefe three 
 arc one, how can the Holy Spirit be pleas' d with him who 
 is.azainsl either the Father or. the Son ? 
 
 We may by the By take Notice, that it appears by this 
 and by another plainer (48) place of St. Cyprian, that that f.%\ y^ ^ 
 Te::t (49- of _ St. John, Th-fe three are one, either was Qftitate ecclc- 
 read then ( which was long before the time of Arias ) p l32> 
 with the fame Context that it is now, cr at leaft was '4c.l1 John 5? 
 underftood in the fame Sence. ■ 7, 
 
 If thefe ancient Christians would not admit fueh Men, 
 tho* recanting their Opinions, without anew Baptifm, 
 1 mean, if they had been baptized into any other Faith 
 than the true Faith of the Trinity ; much lefs would, 
 they have, entertain'd Communion with them holding 
 ftill their Opinions. 
 
 It is St. Gregorys mentioning in this Oration of Baptifm 
 a thing that is fo apply able to the cafe of the C.iurch a: 
 prefer.'-, that has drawn me fo far from my labreft. 
 
 H % C H A r 
 
 ■*>. vtgt* 
 
loo StBafi/i Chap. Xtt. 
 
 Year a'ter the 
 
 Apoftks 260. 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 Quotations out of St. Bafil. 
 
 §. 1 . (fT^T. Bafil alfo has an Oration or Sermon to the 
 ^^ Catechumens or new converted Chriftians, 
 to perfwade 'em to Baptifm \vithout fuch 
 Delays as many ufcd : but it has hot any Exprefs men- 
 tion of the cafe of Infants as to Baptifm : yet it has fome 
 things that are cited pro and contra to that purpofe. k 
 may not be amifs to give a ihort Abftra& of it, reciting, 
 as I did in the other, the original Words of fuch places 
 only as do by iome confequehce relate to this Queltiofio 
 
 ratio Exhort at on a ad Baptifmum. 
 
 He begins with obferving that Solomon mentioning a 
 time for every thing, fays, there is a time to be born, and. A 
 gme to die, placing the Birth firft : but that he being to 
 fpeak of the fpiritual Birth, mnft fpeak of our fpiritual 
 Death firft. Which having dene, and (hewn the loft Con- 
 dition we are in by Nature, and that Baptifm is the Re- 
 covery from it, he proceeds. 
 
 •fatty f&atmti Yeftoc Troxi/xti ty itftoc iigivut. K<ug?f Ji {Lxifris ptP.tt 
 £ndi h'vSt iiQftiirm /3«f< There is therefore ti fever a I Sea- 
 
 fon proper for Jevernl things y a time -peculiar for Sleep, and 
 one -peculiar fa Watching; a time for War, and a time for 
 Peace- But any time of ones Life is proper for Baptifm. 
 And afterward, Be it Day or Night, be it but an Hourcr a 
 Minute, yet the mojl proper time is Eafter : for that is the 
 Solemnity of the I^efurrcciion; and Baptifm is to lis a 
 ground of our i{efurretliort. 
 
 $. 3. Then having infifted on theAdvantage of Cfmft's Bap- 
 tifm above that of St. Johv's,and how all are invited to it: 
 
 he addrcflesrhusto Vm ; *£>*r«? x) (&*\iu* k, JV«/*(m«c ; c* 
 
 6u\w a«JW» »\8«? V($z rlw Wiyiaaiv ; ff«ejtsi}r «ft* ^jk, Y.cClaiatt-0. 
 woe p-iXC* y™2 a s « fr'ort yiiian ;^g<S"<«voc ; #6t< yitogjowirfp at me 
 
 i/jtinyv, 8cc. Do you do hi and loyter and put it off? 
 If^jcn yen have been from a Child catechi^d in the Word, 
 Are you not yet acquainted with the Truth? Havingbcen al- 
 ways 
 
Chap. XII. St. Bafil. io t 
 
 nays learning it, Are you net yet come to the Kjiovel edge cf it ■ Year after tho 
 A Seeker all your Life long : A Confderer till you are old: ApofHes 2<5o. 
 ll'iicn will you be made a C'orif.ian ? When foall vee fee you "^ \/"*~^ 
 become one of us ? Lasl Tear you voere for flaying till this 
 Year : and now you have a Mind to flay till next. Take 
 heed that by ftomijingyotir felf'n longer Life, you do net quite 
 mijl of your Hope. Tcu don't hivxv vch.it Change to rnofrovf 
 may bring, &c. 
 
 §. 4. When I firft copied cut this Paffige to put it into, 
 this Collection, I thoughc it to be the itrongeft Evidence 
 againft the general Practice of Infar.t-Baptifm in thofe 
 times of any that is to be found in all Antiquity (tho* 
 it has not, I think, been taken notice of by any of the 'An- 
 tipardobaptifts ) for it plainly fuppofes that a confiderable 
 part of St. Bafil's Auditory at this time were'fuch as had 
 been/low their Childhood inftrucled in the Chriftian Re> 
 ligion fand confequently in all Probability born of Chri : - 
 ftian Parents) and yet not baptiz'd. 
 
 But I have fincc, in Searching after other Piffages, 
 had qccafion more than enough to obferve, that there 
 were in thefe times abundance of Pecple that were well-* 
 Willers to Chriftianity, half Christians, who yet put off 
 their abfolute owning of it, or being baptiz'd into it for 
 a great many Years. Thefe Men had, during that their 
 unfettled Mind, feveral Children : and they could not 
 with any Face or Conscience defire of the Church Bap- 
 tifm for thefe their Infant-Children, unlefs they would 
 firft find in their Hearts to' accept it for themfelves, 
 And fo thefe Children came to be taught the Doctrine 
 of Chriftianity, and yet not baptiz'd into it, becaufe their 
 Parents, tho' liking of that Religion, yet were not at pre- 
 fent fully refolveS themfelves. But this is no Proof that 
 any Christians after they were once baptized themfelves, 
 did ever Suffer their I^fr.r.t-Cnikiren to go without Bap-. 
 turn. 
 
 This place it felf is a plain Proof that there were a 
 great many fuch Men as I have mention'd : for feveral 
 of the Men to whom S:. Bnfil'is here preaching, and whom 
 he blames for putting off Bartlfm fo long, mult be thought 
 ro have Children ; which Children mi 1 , ft be in the cafe 
 that I fpeak of. So that this place affords an Anfwer tp 
 the Objection drawn from it lelf, or from any other that: 
 fpeaks of Children inftructe,! io Religion ami yet not 
 baptised, 
 
 H 3 L f, 
 
102, St. Bafil. Chap. XII. 
 
 Year atter the $. 5. He goes on with his Sermon, and (hews the Ad- 
 
 Apoftks 260. vantages cf this Profeflion to which he invites 'em, and 
 
 the Lightnefs of the Yoke which he advifes 'em to put 
 
 on. Ard proceeds to tpeak of the NecefTity of B^ptifm 
 
 in thefe Words; 'O '!»£<&«{ tbu wigx-To/uki «* uirtfidtltu &£ 
 
 tit AirtiKh* or) irxor* -^X^ * T,t * ir*eflt*»&*s?i<** sr4 "jKtf* tf 
 iyjb* ' J|o\o9j«k9«jst£« o«, to X*«» awtjjc, ay <& fi* *x«£??rw*Tev, 
 
 TsXHis/uhxv, afJV 7V K^fiA* *XbcttC, A^uir, A/*»»,& w ^ Jew 
 
 Joe* >« f '^•4)' C*> curve; fion bee. ufc cf tjof threat-King that eve- 
 ry Spill that is not cifcuircrfed the eighth Day (hall be 
 cut eff from his People: And dost thou put off theCircum- 
 eifienmade without Hands in the putting off the Flefli, 
 which K performed in Baptifm,,wbcn thou hearefi our Lord, 
 timfelf fay, verily, 1 fay v.nto you, except one be 
 boi of Writer aid of the Sp.nt, he fhall not enter into . 
 the Kingdom of God ? If Ifrael had not faffed thro' the 
 Sett, J I cy had net got rid of P laraoh : and unlejl thou pajl 
 tbo' $he Water, thou wilt not be delivered from the cruel 
 Tyranny of "the Devil, &c. '. 
 
 If ycur Sins are many j be not frighted becaufe of their 
 Number : .where Sin has' abounded, there Grace will much 
 mere abound, tj fycu will receive it. , If they are fmall and 
 not very heinous, why ai e you afraid of the time to ccme,fince 
 
 you have order d ycur fa ft Life well, even when you were net 
 
 furniftidwi:ltheChr,ftian Law ? 
 
 fj. 6. Locl^upcn your S ul to be fhe'din a balance: the 
 Angels draw ycu one way, the Devils the other : To which wiH 
 
 you incline? Which [ball overcome, carnal Plcafure or Hoti- 
 neflrfLife ?'.'■'. 
 
 Don t you remember how in Eygpt the D r firoyer faffed 
 
 over the Hcufes that were ma k?d, when in thof'e that were. 
 not fo he flew ti.efi>fi bom ? '■, \"\ 
 1 If a Phyfician could undertake by any Art to make you 
 
 young again when you are old, you would carnefily long for 
 that Day in which your florid Touti- flo uld be reflored: and 
 
 yet now when 'tis to'.dyou that y:ur Soul, defii'd with aH 
 manner of Sin may be renewed and born again by Bajttifm, 
 
 you flight fo great a Benefit. 
 ' Areycu young ? guard your Youth with the Bridle of Bap. 
 
 iifm, Is the Flower of y ur Age faff? don't endanger the 
 
 Loft tf'yhw Viaticum; d'-n't m'ifl of your Prefervati've : 
 
 don't think of ycur eleventh Hour as if it were your firji. 
 J kyiow your reafon, tho* y u thinly to conceal it. 'Stay a 
 
 f 2i trie longer, fay you, I will make ufeofthe Flower o{ 
 
 1 m Y 
 
Chap. Xir. St. Baft/. 105 
 
 * my Age in Plcafurc, g$c. and then when I have enough Year after the 
 4 of that, Til give it over and be bnptiz'd. Thinl^you that Apoftles z£o< 
 God does not fee your Purpcfe, or that he will give his Gac« -**' v ^—' 
 to fo wicked a Heart ? If ydu leave of your Sins 
 
 for Old- Age, Thankj to your Inability ; fVe regard thofc tha f 
 Are fober by Choice not by Necejjii/. 
 
 Wioo hjf given you a Lcafe of your Life ? &C. Don 't you 
 fee Children of 'ten fnatch'd from the Breaft, and others die 
 in the Flower of their Age ? &c. 
 
 Do you fay for Baptifm till fame Fever force you to it, 
 when you mill neither be able to Jpeak, the holy Words, nor 
 perhaps to hear "em, the Difeafe being get into your Head} 
 
 The Devil crys, give ;ne to Day, and give the Morrow to 
 God. But God fays, To Day if you will hear my Voice. 
 The Devil gives us H'pe of to Afwrow, but when to Marrow 
 is commas a fraudulent Divider, he again asks that Day for 
 himfe/f ind yields the next to Marrow to Go J. 
 
 The SanftificatioTi of Baptifm you commend in Words, but 
 in your Deeds you folio v the things that your f elf condemn^ 
 Take h:-d you don't repent f this p:vpofe when it is too late, 
 tind will d< you no good. Learn Wifiam by the Example 
 of thefodifh Virgins, Sec. 
 
 Do not you, Brother, in like manner put off from Tear to 
 T'ar, frtm Month to Month, from Day to Day, till a Day 
 fei^e yuthat'you arc not aware rf, and the Opportunity of 
 Well-doing fail ly n u together with your Life, &C. 
 
 Then you'll lament at your vc,y Soul, but no body will pity 
 you : you'll utter dreadful Moans, but they will be taken for 
 a delirium. Wno will give yu Baptifm at fuch a time? &c, 
 and perhaps it will be Plight, jind no Body prcfent to help you 
 or bapti^eyou. 
 
 But you fay, God will then hear me. Tes, becaufeyou 
 hear him now. He will grant mc fome longer time, 
 Good %eafn,becaufe you make fo good life if what he does 
 grant you. Wretch, dont deceive your fe/f: let no body fe- 
 duce you with vain Words, fttdden Dfruclion will come upon 
 you, and ruine like a Sterm z &cc. The dreadful Angel will 
 fetch away your Soul, &c 
 
 Wtoat Thoughts willy u have then ? ' Fool that I was I 
 
 * Why did not I pat off this heavy load of S,in then when": 
 ' I might -eafiiy ? that I did" net wafti off thefe foul- 
 
 * Stains? &c. Oh woful Purpofe of mine! for the fhorc 
 
 ' PJeafure of Sin to fuffer eternal Torments. I might ■ 
 
 * now have been one of thofe that thine in Glory. Oh | 
 
 * juft judgment of God ! I was called and would not \ 
 
 * hear, &c, H 4 *$hef4 \ 
 
Jo<f St.Bafil. Chap. XII, 
 
 Vcar after the Theft and fitch like Complaints you will make then, if. 
 Apoftles 260. ycu depart hence before you be baptised, &c. 
 
 V~^-~ All. the reft is fuch like pathencai Exhortation tobreak 
 off Sin, and enter without Delay into the Chriftian Co- 
 venant : and were very proper to be us'd to thofe who 
 now a days put off Repentance to a Death-Bed. 
 (t) lib. 1" §.7, St. Baft I has atfo two other(i)PiecesabomBaptifm, 
 & 2 06 debap- written at the Defire of tome that put Queftionsto him, 
 tifq2°. f ome concerning Baptifm, and fome on other Subje&s 
 
 (being probably Perfons that were preparing themfelves 
 to be baptiz'd. j But all the Dilcourfe is ( as the Cccafion 
 was) of what is proper for Adult Eerfons to knew and 
 confider, when they come to be baptiz'd : and has nothing 
 that peculiarly concerns Infants. 
 
 He putsthefe Perfons in mind In ta ns*™ /«*9)tji/9»i><« 
 •pS xeg,ta, j£ toti x.ttTut;tm$)ri\eu iv «' y\* (&xir'r'n/xcLT&', rljit they 
 tnuji hefirfl, inftruclcd^andthen admittedto Baptijin.CThek 
 "Words taken by themfelves, fome cite as making againft 
 Infant-Baptifm ) that they muft refolve to forfate, not 
 fome Sins, but all. He fhews 'em the difference of three 
 forts of Baptifm. w£ that of Mcfes, that of John, and 
 that ofCbrift; The Baptifm ofM-fes made a difference 
 of Sins ; for all Sins were not forgiven by it; Itrequir'd 
 Sacrifices to be pined with it. » It flood ftricStly on out- 
 ward Cleanfing. It enjoin'd an unclean Perfon to con- 
 tinue ieparate for lome time : depended upon Days and 
 ■Hours, £fc. The Baptifm of John had none of thefe 
 Inconvcniencies : yet he fhews how that alfo is far furpaf- 
 fed by that of Chrift. 
 
 §. 8. Coming to a more particular Explication of cur 
 Saviour sWords,^^" 33, 5- of being born agtin, he fays, 
 I take that vocrd [[*»»9«» again] to fignifie the rectifying of 
 eur former birth,vobich was in the filth of Jin: as Job fays ; no 
 Perfon is clean from Sin,tho' his Life be but of one Day ; 
 {%) Job. 14. [[fothey read that (2) text of Job"] and as David laments 
 4- and fays, I was conceived in Iniquity, and in Sin did my 
 
 Mother bring me forth. 
 
 §. 9. Therein aPaffagein a Sermon of St.Bafu's (that i 
 which he, preach'd on a Fasl-diy, that was kept for the : 
 great Famine and Drought) of which I have not Skill e- , 
 . nough to judge whether it be aProof of Infants Baptifm | 
 then ufed or not. The Judgment of it depends on one s 
 knowingparticularlytowhatpartoftiiepublickDivineSer- 
 vice and Prayers People were wont to be admited before 
 the)- were Baptiz'd ; and to what not : for St. JB.ry?/fpcaks 
 
 here 
 
Chap. XII. St.Bafil. 10? 
 
 here of little Boys and young Children joining in the Pray- Year -fter the 
 crs. I know that fome have written accurately the Hiftfo- Ap- >.des 260, 
 ry of the Catechumens, and in what parts of the Litur- -^ v"**-'". 
 gy they did partake. Bat the P (Tage being thort, I can 
 looncr let it clown at adventure (that lb they that are skill'd 
 in that matter may judge whether it be to purnofe or net) 
 than I can at prefent ha\ e recourfe to thole Writings. 
 
 'Tis this. He is telling 'em that their Continuance in 
 their Sins hindred thej.r Prayers from being heard. But 
 betides, fays he, lVn.it fort of 'Pray:r is it that we make ? 
 The grown Men, all but a few, follow their Trades, &c. 
 a very few are left to joiti with me in the Prayers '• and tlrf; 
 la~y and vtwninz, and daring ib-ut, 8cr. oI</»' rkifttoifftt- 
 
 yg^lalsti b7si, 0/ T<tf Ji\TK( if toi; tTiif «*y.a\<o<c &TO9t/moi jg 
 ovpfiiaylt: ry.~u t»: ««»n)i//j».jv ^ Tipvfir to n^py/x* Miiigy/'i- 
 "* l &C. d-'vAitS 1 ^* Si x) ttfittjUTrl* fififn vpt T<n tthuokbyamf 
 ivilytlxi )£ «9$>oi{s7*i, »7g r»» dztg/jtil til hun-eilcn t"i tv ;v:«i9»c 
 Veyt'iuZttiil y\£'n<t n fo't*(*it %x*fl* ov [xti y*ft\9i ii; /^istf, &C» 
 
 And thefe little Boys that hive left their Bo;l{s at School, 
 and do maks the Rtfponfs together [or, Sirg together} 
 with us, do it as a piece of P leaf we. and the wnl^of a P. ay- 
 day, &c. And the Infants that have no Se>,fe, n/r any 
 Guilt, they a'fo are brought thick^andin C owds to $lx: Pu'j- 
 lick. ConfrJJion, who neither undcf.and the reef on ef the 
 Grief, nor a-e cap ible of praying accordingly. Com: y^ur 
 [elves to the Office, you that have the load rf Shis uponyou. 
 'Tis y>u that ought to prcftratc your felves, to mourn and 
 weep, &c. 'i<f « J$ T*p«?««u xaxHvo, (xvi *« T«vr»r, 3 /*;»«». 
 They \jhc lnfint s~\ ought to be prefent indeed, but to come 
 along with ym, and net alnne by themfches. 
 
 If the Catechumens did not ufe to be ftchtrirjed be- 
 fore the;r Baptifm tothofe parts of the Offic, that con- 
 fided in Pfalmody and making the Refpoftfts ; thenar 
 is a fign that thefe little Boys had been Baptized. But 
 if they did, it is only my Labour loft in reciting it here. 
 P. S. I am fmce certified -by a very Learned Alan, that 
 thefe Children muft have been Baptized. 
 
 §. re. But a more material Evidence than anv that can 22 „ 
 be found in St, BifFs Writings, , is taken from his Practice: 
 Of which there is an Authentical Record given by The- 
 doret and ether Hiftoriahs that lived but a little after 
 St. Br.fl, in reference to the Baptizing of a Child of Va- 
 lens the Emperor.*- This 1 Emperor being an Arian, and 
 laving been prevailed on by the Arians to take an (3) {^Theodor. 
 Qa:h\hat he would always maintain that Faith, and Hill. Eccl.1. 
 perfecute the contrary, vi\. that of the Catholicks, did 4. ;. 12. 
 
 accord 
 
106 St. Bafil. Chap. XII. 
 
 Yearafter the accordingly ; and raifed great Perfecution againft all 
 Apor.l«26o t the Catho-ick Bifhops in his Dominion, and particular- 
 s <r\r**~' Jy againft St. Bafil, who was Bifliop of Cxfarea in Cap- 
 padocia. But having great Afflictions in his Family at 
 the lame time, which looked like Judgments ; and a- 
 mong the reft, his only Child fick and at the point of 
 Death; he was wrought on partly by the Guilt of his 
 Confcience, and partly by his Wife's entreaty, to abate 
 of the rigour which he was then ufing againft St. Ba- 
 fil, who was by all iookt on as a Pious and Good Man. 
 And he alfo lent for him to come and pray for his 
 (4) Hift.Eccl. Cb\\c\.And then (as (^jTheod-ret proceeds to relate the mat- 
 It 4- c « *7» te r ) juiycr BanKtiQ" xa.7«\«C»» to! /3«Hri\«i*, k, r»t ri 0mm\itn 
 qit iret'f At/1ij* e»7*1)»r r^tulSt* 5-tmsfJ.i .^-, irgit rin £•»» rV»v 
 v'irorg*9t » oVt^tlo, ei t* wav*},!* 0nirli*/ut<*l<S^' ft* t»> ivgt- 
 f&tiflett a£»a»A«ii. j£ t*»t« h»ai» «£«\ii\t;9tv. O <Ai ro» of *«r x«t« »or 
 oroMTo? /u.tftvitfjiirfy' Hfccfxr , toic ct/mt*p1»j> *t/T» Jm Tiir «v/i* 
 po£ia.c Ajh's $owrTi<*»» Tfl Jraiefiov sr^JiTa^o. T/X £re<Jf Balil 
 
 coming into the Palace, and feeing th? Emperor s Son at the 
 point of Death, undertook that be vpculd recover if he had 
 Baptifm given him by the hands of the Godly [[meaning the 
 Catho.icks ;] and having faid this he xvcnt avoay. But he 
 £the E.rpercr] remembring, likefoolifh Herod, his Oath, 
 gave order to fome that were prefent of the Faction of Ali- 
 us to Baptise the Child, &c. 
 
 The uTue was ; the Chiid died, and Valens for the 
 prefent Repented both of his Oath and Cruelty, and 
 went to St. Baftl's Church, and made his Oblations : But 
 afterward he Revolted to his former Temper. 
 
 All that is doubtful in this Paflage, is, whether this 
 Child were fo young as that his Baptifm deferve to be 
 called Inf nt Baptifm, or whether he were of fuch Age. 
 as to be etpable to be Baptiz'd on his own Profeffion. 
 Theodorct, we lee, calls him **i/iov, which prcperly ligni- 
 tes a little Coild or Infant : And is the fame Word that 
 is ufed; t\lai\ 10. 13. (r#*«fifor irtul't*, They brought 
 young Children, and Matt. 2. ii.«»e«»To T*i/io.» They 
 found the- ytung Child wrapped in [waddling cloaths, 
 
 d) Orat. in Gregory Sa^ian^en (5) fa)S that he was there prefent 
 
 Bafilium. with St. Bafil at that time: And he compares the Em. 
 peror's Affli&ing himfclf for his Child to David'*, for 
 his in the like C'fe. but merrrns not the Age. Socrates 
 
 (O Hift. lib. (6) calls him »*«•» 4*» rtOviUrt®', the Infant Son of 
 
 4. c 26. Valens. 
 
 </ But 
 
Chap. XII. St. Bafil. 107 
 
 But there is among the Works of Epbram Syrus pub- Year after the 
 lifh'd in Latin, a Sermon on Sr. Bafil, in which he men- Apoftles 2^o, 
 tions this Story ; but [peaks fo of the Child, as if he had , - / ^V_^ 
 fome underftanding of Religion : For he makes Bafil Co- 
 venant with Valens ; If you will fo deliver him to me, that 
 I may bring him to the true Talth, and free him from the 
 impiety of the Arian D cirine, tkc. And again, They [the 
 Arians'] Baptised him with Water, but not with the Spirit x 
 for they taught him to reject the Son rf God, &c. But 
 the Works of this Father which we have, are of fuch 
 doubtful Credit (they muft firft have been Tranflatcd 
 out of Syrlac. For he understood no other Language, 
 and they abound with very frivolous Stories) that a Quo- 
 tation cut of 'em cannot come in Competition with the 
 received Hiftorians. 
 
 f. 1 1. Valefius (7) has gone about to find out by Chro- (7) Annot. in 
 nological Characters the Age of this Child when he di- Socrat 1.4. 
 ed : Not in any enquiry about Infant Baprifm, but to fet c. 10. it. *6, 
 fome PafTages right in Chronology. He makes him to 
 be fix > ears old. The Proofs of it are lbmething fore'd, 
 and are too nice and far from our purpofe to be repeat- 
 ed here. He judges that it was he that was Conful 
 Anno Dom. 369. with Victor, (tho' the name there be Va- 
 lehtinlan, and the Hiftorians call this Child's name Ga- 
 lates) and that Socrates miftook Valentlnlan the younger 
 for this Child: And that it was on him that Tbcmlfilus 
 made that Confuiir Oatitn (for the flattery of that time 
 was to make Emperor's Infant Children, Conjuls, and 
 fpeak Orations to 'em) where he fays, Even while yu 
 are carried in Peoples Anns, you make. War together with 
 your Father. 
 
 But fuppofe it were fo ; he muft yet be Baptiz'd with 
 the form of Infant Baptifm : For a Child of fix years 
 old is capable of no other. And if he were 10 old as fix 
 years, he muft be born before his Father was Bapti- 
 zed into the Chriftian Religion himfelf. For by this 
 account this Child was born to Valens before the Vi- 
 ctory over Prccopius the Ufurper, and fo Valefius owns. 
 Now that Victory was before the beginning of Valens his 
 War againlf. the Goths : And it was in that War that 
 he being minded to go to Battle in Perfon, (8) thought (*v Theodo- 
 not fit to go unprovided of the Divine Grace, but to guard rec "* * * 4* 
 himfelf with the Armour of Baptifm. And if the Child c * ll * lu 
 were Born before his Father was Baptized, that might be 
 tb.e reafon that he was not Baptiz'd quickly after his Birth. 
 
 CHAP 
 
io8 St. Ambrofe. Chap. XIIi: 
 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Quotations out of Sc. Ambrofe. 
 
 Ambrofius C eminent. I. \.in St. Luc a c. i. 
 
 A 
 
 Yearafter the \. i. "T TE is there Commenting on thofe Words, 
 Apo; ties 274. II Luke 1. 17. where the Angel, Propheciesof 
 
 S^^V^*^- X. JL John the Baptift, He (hall go before him in 
 
 the Spirit and Power of Elias. And after having (hewn in : 
 feveral particulars how John in his Office did refemble 
 Elias, and having mentioned that Miracle of Elias of di- 
 viding the River Jordan, he adds thefe Words, 
 
 Sed fortajfe hog fupra nos £> fup a Apoflolos vidcatur 
 expletum. Nam illefub EH&- divifo amne fluvial ium recur- 
 fus undarum in originem flumivts (Jicut dicit fcriftur/i; %cr- 
 danes converfus eji retrorfum) fignificavit falutaris lavacri 
 futura myfteria ; per qux in primordia nAtune fux qui 
 bapti^ati fuerint parvuli a Malitia reformantur. 
 
 1 But perhaps this may feem to be fulfilled in our time 
 
 * and in the Apoftle's time. For that returning of the 
 
 * River Waters backward toward the Spring head, which 
 
 * was caufed by Elias when the River was divided (as 
 
 * the Scripture fays, Jordan was driven back) fignified the 
 
 * Sacrament of the laver of Salvation, which was after- 
 
 * ward to be Inftituted ; by which thofe Infants that are 
 ' Baptized, are reformed back again from Wickednefs 
 
 * £or, a wicked State} to the Primitive State of their 
 'Nature. 
 
 He means, they are freed from the guilt of original 
 Sin, and in fotrie fenfe reduced back to the Primitive 
 State, in which Man was before that happened. He 
 plainly fpeaks here of Infants as Baptized in the Apo- 
 t 4 file's time, as well as in his own. 
 ^bLftJi^f*— This Paffage of St. Ambrofe is Quoted by St. Aujlin x 
 lib. 1. contra Julian, c.i. 
 
 Ambrofius 1. 1. de Abraham, pit riarchh. c. 1 1. 
 
 f>. 1, He is here fpeaking of that part of the Hiftory of A- 
 
 brahaw, 
 
 s 
 
Chap. XIII. St.Amhrofe. 109 
 
 braham, where he is commanded ro be Circumcifed, and Year after the 
 io Circumciie his Infancs, and of the feverity of the Pe- ApofUes274- 
 nalty on an Infant that is not Circumcifed : And has 
 theie "Words in Relation to Circumcifion, For a very 
 good rcafon does the Law command the Males to be Circum- 
 cifed in the beginning of Infancy, even the Bondflave born 
 in the Houfe : Becaufe as Circumcifion is from Infancy >, fit 
 is the Difeafi. No time ought to be void of the Remedy, be- 
 caufe none is void of Guilt, &c. And a little after, Neither 
 a Profelyte that is old, nor an Infant bom in the Houfe is ex- 
 cepted ; becaufe every Age is obnoxious to Sin, and there- 
 fore every Age is proper for the Sacrament. He alfo applies 
 this to fpiritual Circumcificn and Baptifm ; and fays, 
 The meaning of the mjfte-y is plain. Thcfe born in the 
 Houfe are thejews, thofe bought with Money are the Gentiles 
 that believed : For the Church is bought with the price of 
 Chrifl's Blood. Therefore both Jew and Gentile and all 
 that believe tnufl learn to Circumclfe themfelves frcm Sm, 
 that they may be favedi Both the Heme born and the Foreig- 
 ner, the Jujl and the Sinful, mufl be Circumcifed by the For- 
 givenefs of Sins, fo as not to prafiife Sin any more : For no 
 Perfon comes to the Kfngdcm of Heaven but by the Sacra- 
 ment of Baptifm : And at the end of that Paragraph cites 
 thefe "Words cf our Saviour, giving his Note on 'cm. 
 
 Nifi enitn quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & fpiritu fznftc, 
 non poteji introire in regnum D:i. ZJtique nullum excipit: 
 Noninfantem, non aliqui^rxventumneceffitate. Habcant 
 tamen illam opzrtam pxnarum immunitatem, nefcio an ha-» 
 bcant regni bonorcm. 
 
 ' For un'efs any rerfen be born again of Water, and 
 
 * of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom 
 
 * of God. Tou fee he excepts ?io Perfon, not an Infant, not 
 bne that is hindred by any unavoidable Accident. 
 
 But fuppofe that fuch have that f eedom from Punifhm:nt 
 which is not clear, yet I Qucflioy, whether they foali have thf 
 honour of the Kjjigdom. 
 
 This as to the need of Baptizing Infants is plain : 
 But I know riot what to make of the \Vord ^pertamj in 
 this Sentence, unlcfs it be to be rendei'd as I have rcn- 
 der'd it [which is not clear ': or, of which we have no certain 
 kjiowledgc7\ 
 
 Many Writers of the Greeks Church' do fpe'ak of a cer- 
 ' tain middle ftate in the life to ccme, in which Infants 
 that die unbaptized, and alio other Perfons that mifs of 
 Baptifm, rrot by their own fault, but by fome acciden- 
 tal 
 
no St. Amhrofe. Chap. XII t. 
 
 Year after the tal hindrance, (hall be placed; which place or Mate, 
 
 Apoftles 274- fr^l not, as they think, partake, or not much partake 
 
 «^X"V"VJ either of Happincfs or Torment. Gregory Na$la?i-{en's 
 
 (i) CH. XI. "Words to that purpofe are in the (i) t*a(Tages I cited of 
 
 §• 6. his, and 1 (hall have occafion hereafter (i) to mention more. 
 
 rw ui^r 2 ' ^ u: c ^ s Opinion of a middle State feems not to have ta- 
 
 "• VI. $. 4. j cen an y f 00t j n g [ n tne j^atin Church at this time ; tho* 
 
 it be lince embraced by the Papifts, under the name of 
 
 limbm puerorum. 
 
 Si*Ambrofe y who was Converfant in the Greeks Writers, 
 t jp p . and, as Sz.Hierom (3) obferves, borrow'd much out of their 
 
 lib Didvuiii ^ or ^ s » nac * met w * tn lz tnere > anc * ^ ere mentions it, but 
 calls it opertam, a thing not certainly revealed or known, 
 but bidden and uncertain. His meaning is, that flnce our 
 Saviour's Sentence of the neceflity of Baptifm for entring 
 the Kingdom of God, is general, and does not except 
 Infants. It is very Queftipnable, whether an Irifant un- 
 baptized can have the faid Kingdom ? And as for the 
 middle State between Heaven and Hell, which fome do 
 fuppofe, it is to us a thing hidden or unknown whether 
 there be any fuch State. 
 
 St. 'A,ifiin, a little after thefc times, does earneftly la- 
 bour, to (hew that there is no fuch State, tho' he had once 
 fo ffcoken as if he thought there might. I (hall have cc- 
 (4) CH. XV. fion to produce his Sayings on (4) one fide and the (5,) o- 
 Sed.3. f.i, a. ther. He is the more earned at this latter place agaihft 
 ( 5> CH. XIX- the middle State, be&fufe P'efh^i Us had ferv'd himlcifof 
 §. to. this Notion to evade the Argument which is taken from 
 
 the need that Infants have of Baptifm, to prove that they 
 have original Sin. . For Pelagius faid, they have no Sin; 
 and if they dye unbaptiz'd, they will not be punifh'dj but 
 be in that middle State. • 
 
 The Quotations out of the Book de Vocr.tionc Gentium, 
 and Epift. ad Demetriadcrh, I have not, as, many do, fee 
 down to St. Ambrvfc, becaufe they : are not his> but Profper's, 
 orpQpe La's; who yet lived both of them but a.iirple After 
 3 40# our Period. Every body has read how largely Proffer fhere 
 
 344* Difputes againft thofe that would maintain, chat all the 
 
 Grace of God depends upon our.ufe of Frec-willj ihew- 
 ir.g that they that ufe that Method of explaining the ■£- 
 vents that happen, can ne v er folve that Difficulty, Uoxo- 
 itcorrrs ti pfs th.xt fo great a multitude of Infants dy- 
 i..~ ihbdftl'ied £0-, a . he ftiles it, unreget. crate : :~\ do pe- 
 ri j! '. On which Argument he has a whole Chapter, pre# ; 
 
 ding 
 
Chap. XIV. St. Chryfojtoni. 1 1 1 
 
 rending to (hew that all muft be attributed to God's free 
 giving or refuting his Grace. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 Quotations out of St. John Chryfojlom. 
 
 $. 1. £"*1 T. Chryfojlom has had more of his Works pub- ^ ~ ^ 
 ^% iilhed than any of the foregoing, becaufe eve- a D0 (tles 2So„ 
 ^—«J ry thing that he Preach'd or Dictated was J^-\<->— * 
 thought fit to be publifh'd ; not that he had any greater 
 skill in Divinity than ordiriary, but becaufe of his Golden 
 Tongue, from which he had this name, and which made 
 the People that us'd to hear him fay, They had. rather the 
 Sunjhould not jbine y than that John Jhould not Preach, But 
 of the multitude that were publilh'd a great many a»e 
 loft ; and, to make up the defect, a great many fp.irious 
 ones have been fet out under his name. The In J vftry 
 and Skill of the latter Ages, and particularly of S tr H?n~ 
 ry Savile, has in a good degree fann'd and diihngiuh'd 
 the one from the other. 
 
 Therefore I (hall omit the Quotations about this fub- 
 ject, that are found in thofe Books that are either plain- 
 ly fpurious, or fufpected ; tho' they are probably very 
 Ancient, and of Men that lived at, or about the fame 
 time. Of the firft fort is the Homily concerning Adam 
 and Eve y in which is a Paffige mentioning Infant Bap- 
 tifm ; but it is plainly the Work of fome later Author. 
 Of the fecond is the Homily en Pfal. 1 4. in which is a 
 paffage of the fame Subject, which is Quoted in this Gon- 
 troverlie, by many Learned Men, CaJJahXer, &C. and e- 
 >er.byBp.(i)^;7//»^r. , ( t ) Unreafo- 
 
 As for the paifoges in his genuine Works, he has not nablenefs of 
 many on this Subject, for Orators love only fuch Sub- Sep. Psrt 3. 
 jects as may be adorn'd with flowers of Rhetoric, of which ch. 36, 
 lb plain a thing as the Baptizing of Infants is not fo ca- 
 pable ; and for thofe which he has, I am not very Con- 
 fident that I have all that are in fo many Voluminous 
 Books : But thofe' which I (hall produce do plainly (hew 
 h:s Ser.fe, and the Practice of the Churches where he 
 liv'd, which were Jtntioeh and Conftartinople. 
 
 Horn, 
 
\ 
 
 1 1 x St. Cbrjfcflow, Chap. XIV. 
 
 Year after the for the Words are the fame which 1 recited of St. Bafil's. 
 Apoftles 280. St. Aujlin is there proving that Chryfcfiom, as well as the 
 ^^'~V^~ V ""* other Catholick Debtors, owned original Sin, which Ju- 
 lian denied, tho' he owned Infant Bapiifm. 
 
 The fame, Holy John, even he as well as the Martyr -Cy- 
 prian, teaches that the Circumcifion of the Flefh was com- 
 manded in way of a Type of Baptifm. Then he recites 
 thefe Words, as from Chryfcfiom, A Jew does not delay 
 Circumcifon hecauf'e of the threatning, &c. and dofl thoii 
 delay the Chcunicifvm made without hands, &c. as they 
 (8) CH. XII. ftand recked (8j above. Then St. Aujlin adds, Toufee 
 §, 5, how this Man efiablifhd in the Ecclcfiaflical Doctrine cent- 
 
 fares Circumcijion to Circimicifion, and Threat to Threat*. 
 That which it is not to be Circumcifed on the 8th day; 
 that it is not to be Baptized in Chrift ; and what it is to 
 be cut off ftom his People ; that it is not to enter into 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. And yet you [Pelagians] fay 
 that in the Baptifm of Infants there is no putting off the 
 Fief), i.e. No Circumcijion made without hands, when you 
 affirm that they have nothing which needs to be put off : For 
 fa) Col.2.i3.^ ow do not confefs them to ve dead in the (9) uncircumcifi- 
 on of the Flefh, by which U meant Sin, efpccially that 
 Sin which is derivd originally : for by reafbn of this, our 
 (10) Rom. 6. Body is the Body (10) of Sin, which the Apoflle fays is 
 $• deftroyed by the Crofs cf Chrift. 
 
 §. 3. There is another paffage in a Homily of Sr, 
 Chryfoflom ad Bapti^atos, which is not now extant in 
 Greeks, but is cited by Julian in Latin, and by St. Au- 
 jlin in Gree^ which is full to this purpofe of Infant 
 Baptifm. The Citations are in St. Auflin'sL 1. contra 
 Julianum ; where Julian fays thus, 
 
 Holy John, Bifhop of Conftantinople, denies that thzre 
 is any original Sin in Infants ; for in that Homily which 
 he preacht concerning Baptized Perfons, he fays, 
 
 * Blefled be God, who only does Wonders, who has 
 
 * Created and Order'd all things : Loe / they do en- 
 ' joy the ferenity of Freedom, who but even now were 
 ' held in Captivity : They are become Citizens of the 
 ' Church, who were in the Vagabond ftate of Aliens 5 
 
 and they are enter'd into the Lot of the Righteous, who 
 
 * were under the Confufion of Sin. For they are not 
 
 * only Free, but Holy ; nor Holy only, but Juftified j 
 
 * and not only Juftified, but Sons ; and not only Sons, 
 i. but Heirs; not Heirs only, but Brothers of Chrift j 
 'not only Ms Brethren, but Coheirs 3 not Coheirs only, 
 
 'bur 
 
Chap. XIV. St. Chrjfoftom. . 115 
 
 bun Members of him ; not Members only, but his Year after the 
 ' Temple; and noc his Temple only, but Organs of his Apoftle? 5s8o, 
 ' Spirit. You fee how many are the Bench:: of Bap- v *'"V!l55 
 
 * turn. And yet fome think that the Heavenly Grace 
 
 * confirts only in forgivenefs of Sins ; but I have rec- 
 , kon'd up ten Advantages of it. For this caitfe we Bap- 
 ' ti^e Infants alfo, tho' they are not defiled with Sin ; that 
 ' there maybe fuperadded to them Hclinefs, Righteouf- 
 ■ nefs, Adoption, Inheritance, a Brotherhood with Chrift, 
 
 * and to be made Members of him. 
 
 §.4. This Sentence Julian brought to fhew that Chrjh 
 fofiom's Senfe was, that Infan:s are Baptiz'd, not for for- 
 givenefs of Sins, from which they are free, but only - 
 that they might have a right to Chrift's Kingdom % 
 Which was exactly what Julian and his party, who de- 
 nied original Sin, would have. 
 
 And indeed it was a ihrewd place ; and St. Aujlin has 
 much ado to bring off this Rhetorical Harangue clear 
 from Herefie ; he ufes three ways to do it* 
 
 1. He lhews how improbable in was that John, liv- 
 ing in mz Catholick Church, and being a renowned 
 Bilhop in it, fhouid really hold a Doctrine fo contrary 
 to that which he had ihewn by Initances to bs the 
 general Senfe. of all Catholick, Doctors. 
 
 2. He produces other paflages cut of his Writings^ 
 which do plainly own the Orthodox Doctrine of the 
 Guilt of original Sin, however incongruouily he may 
 feem to (peak in this place , 
 
 3. As to the place i.t felf, he fhev/s that Julian had 
 not Tranflated the Words exactly true, but had giv- 
 en the Expreffion a turn to his own Advantage ; for 
 whereas the Words are in the Gre;k, tho' tlycy have not 
 any Sins ; Julian had made uie cf a faulty Latin Tran- 
 slation, in which fome Copies read, not defiled with Sins, 
 others, with Sin, in the lingular Number, Of which lafc 
 Copy St. Aujlin fays, I doubt form of your Party have cho- 
 fen to exprefs it in the fingular Number, that it might be 
 
 taken for that one Sin, of which \ ' . Ap f fe fpfiUks : f 1 1) (* Re 1 
 Judgment came by one [[Sin] to Condemnation ; but : ^> 
 
 the free gift is .of many Offences tjnto Tu{tificar.'.on.= 
 
 Tou choofe to word it ; .not defiled with : Sin, that th*t 
 one Sin of tht firft Man onie into tin '- itder's 
 
 Mind, 
 
 j 
 
 I $ But 
 
H4 St. Chryjcflom. Chap. XIV 
 
 Year after the But not to go by fufpicions ; and fuppofing this to be the 
 ApofrleslSo, tniflakeof the Scribe, or the variety of the Interpreter .- I 
 ■willfet down the Greek Words themfelves which John fpoke, 
 Ai* "rifla xj t* irttit'ict, {&uifli£o/Ai\' xa«7oi «t^«fTM/x«T« /«» s^ovt*. 
 Which is, For this rcalon we Baptize Infants alfo, tho* 
 they have not any Sins. Ton fee, he did not fay that In- 
 fants (ire not defiled with Sin, or Sins ; but that they have 
 tiot Any Sins : Vnderfland it, of their own, and there 
 is no difpute. But you will fay, Why did he not fay, of 
 their own ? Why do you thinly, but for this reafon, becaufe 
 be, Difcourfing in the Catholicl^ Church, fuppos d that he 
 could be underjlood in no other Se?ice ? No Body was pu%- 
 *led about that Mitter. Ton [Tclagians] not having then 
 tnisdnny Controverfie, he fpoke with lef Caution. 
 
 Perhaps there might have been added to St. Auftiris 
 Anfwer this, that the Grecl^ Writers, tho' they own this 
 natural Corruption, yet do not generally by the Proper- 
 ty of their Language call it by the name of Sin ; but 
 they exprefs by the name ol natural Defilement, Polluti- 
 on, Difeafe and the like, that which the Latins call o- 
 riginal Sin. The word a7**f ti* and especially a>«'fTiifc« 
 do properly with them fignifie an AHual Sin orTranf- 
 grerlion. So Theodoret who liv'd a little after thele 
 times, and confequently ought to fpeak with more Cau- 
 tion, and was no favourer of Pelagianifm (for that was 
 d time when Pelagius and his Opinions having been 
 lately Condemned by Canons and Edicts in all parts 
 of the World, it was no time for a Bifhop of the Ca- 
 tholick Church to own them) yet fpeaks thus ; (12) 
 Baptifm is not {as the filly Meffalians fay) a ra^or only 
 to cut off Sins that arc pnft, which it does over and above. 
 For if it had no other effect but that what need we bap- 
 tise Infants, that have not tafled of Sin ? The Sacrament 
 promifes not this only, but greater and higher things ; for 
 it is a Pledge of future Bleffwgs, a Type of the RefurreHi- 
 cn, a Communication of Chrif's Paffion, 8cc. 
 
 And this is made more plain by the Phrafe ufed by 
 Ifidorus Pelufiota (who as well as Theodoret was a Difci- 
 ple of St. Chryfcfiom, and both of 'em followers of his 
 Doctrine, and Imitators, as far as they could, of his Ex- 
 preffion.) For he, at the fame place, ipeaks of Infants 
 (13) Lib. 3* as not having any Sin, and yet being defiled with the 
 Epift. 1 95« Corruption caufed by Adams Tranfgrefiion. His Words 
 
 320. 
 
 (ii) Here- 
 tic. Fabular. 
 1. 5. c. de 
 
 Baptifmo. 
 
 31*. 
 
 ad Herminum 
 GoNikem. 
 
 are, (13) 
 
 WhererJ 
 
Chap. XIV. St.ChryMom. n? 
 
 Whereas your Excellency wrote to me, dc firing to lyim Year after the 
 for what r en fin &&W *r<*««Y r " Ta ' ,7 ' < * fi*^' 1 ^™* Infants ApofHes 28o, 
 that have no Sin are Baptised. I have thought it need- ^^Y 
 ful to give you my An fiver. Some that fipcaf^ belov? the dig- 
 nity of the Suljeft, fay it is, that they may xo.ifh off that 
 Pollution, puVoy, which is tranfmitted on humane 'Nature 
 by the Tranfgrejfion of Adam. I alfio do believe that that 
 is done, but not that only (for that were not fio great it 
 Matter) but that a great many other Graces far tranfeen- 
 ding our Nature, are thereby given : And fo he goes on 
 to reckon up Redemption, Regeneration, Adoption, &e. 
 much to the fame purpofe as St. Chryjoftom docs. 
 
 This (hews that in their way of lpeaking, Infants (tho* 
 acknowledged to have a Pollution of Nature from A- 
 dam which needed wafhing off) yet w*ere faid not to 
 have <t/*ctjTi*c or *7*afT)i,u«T*,, Sins. And even thofe 
 Commendations of Baptifm, and the effects of it jn In- 
 fants, that it is Redemption, Regeneration, G5c. dofup- 
 pofe an evil State from which they are Redeemed, Re- 
 generated, &c. which ftate is the fame that the Latins 
 call original Sin. 
 
 But be that how it will ; St. Chryfificm fpeaks plain- 
 ly of the praHicc of Infant Baptilm. And our prefent 
 inquiry is to know the practice of the Churches, and not 
 whether he had a right apprehenScn cf all the grounds 
 of it. If any in thefe times uled it, and did not well 
 appehend the grounds of it ; it is the greater fign that 
 they were fatisfied that it had ever been done. 
 
 §. 5. Another paffige ot St. Ch jfjlom does not men- 
 ticn Baptifm by name ; but yet it plainly refers to the 
 Cuftom of making on the Infants Forehead the fign of 
 the Crofs at his Baptilm. It is this, 
 
 Horn, iz. in 1. Epifi. adCirhithios. (14) ^ Pro?ft 
 
 He is there blaming the Women for feveral fuperfti, 
 tious and heathenilh Rites, which they practis'd npon 
 their new-born Infants ; one was, a Cuitorn that they 
 had of rubbing the Forehead oi the Child with a fort 
 of Dirt, prepared with fonie lylagioil Tricks, which 
 was to preferve it from being bewitch "d. He tells 'em 
 that luch a practice, inftead of guarding arjd purifying 
 t;he Infant makes it abominable : The Wc ■!.; mi.-, 
 \. . ' 
 
 I \ '0 &g« 
 
1 1 6 St. Hlerom. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the 'O j5oj/36p» yj&w »»c *y) 4 $£i\uy.tlv *■"« *o na.il fa ; a-Jc }& 
 
 &poftleS,l8o. axrci irgetJdyet <xu~s %'5 J ' ™ tf S ietf ', ^ 7ri /* 9I » ^f «|*o7c *v) TV 
 •9-* to» j3cjj8opov iirifr&out. 
 
 He */?«/■ anoints an Infant Jo xolth that Dirt, how can 
 he think^but that he makes it abominable? Hoxv can he 
 bring it to the hands of the Priejl ? Tell me, how can 
 you thinly it fitting for the Minifier to make the Jign on 
 its Forehead, where you have bejmeard it with the dirt ? 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 Quotations out of St. Hiercm and St. 
 L Jujlin, before the rife of the (pela- 
 gian Controverfie. 
 
 Seft. i. cut of St. Hierorru Letter to Leta, 
 
 Year after the f fl ^Here was never nigh fo much occafion given to 
 Apoftles from mention the Bapnfm of Infants in Books and 
 
 ^78^0^310^ «A> Writings, before Peligius vented his Herefie 
 againft the Doctrine of original Sin, as there was after 
 that Herefie was ifiarted : For as the Difpntes about 
 that Matter fill'd all the World, fothe Arguments which 
 the Carholicks drew from the Baptifm of Infants foro- 
 riginal Sin, and the Pelagians Anfwer to 'em, made a 
 considerable part of thele Difputes. 
 
 Thefe two Fathers iiv'd to fee, and to bear a great 
 part in the faid Difputes ; but they had each of 'em 
 wrote feveral Books before that Controverfie began. 
 The Quotations 'out of their Tradh againft the Pelagi- 
 avs will be beft underftcod if put in a Chapter by 
 themfelves, together with fome others out of Pelagius 
 himfelf, and other Managers of the lame Party, and 
 yanked according to the order of time in which they 
 were Written ; for they were moftiy Written by w r ay of 
 •Impleading and anfwering one another. I have there- 
 fore in this Chapter felecied fome pafTages out of fuch 
 Writings of theirs as were before the faid Controver- 
 \. " ! fie, 
 
Chap. XV. St. Hie row. 1 17 
 
 fie, or did not an all relate to it : That the mixing of Year after the 
 them may not difturb the order of the other. Apo!Hes 278. 
 
 Hieronywus Epift. ad Let am de In ft it at tone (<? 
 lia.Epifi. 7. 
 
 He is there adrnonifhing that Lady cf the charge 
 that la* on her Confcien.ee to take care of the Educa- 
 tion of her Child, and that God does require of Parents 
 an account of the Child's Mifcarrhge, if it happen by 
 their failt, and fays, 
 
 Eli ihe Priejl brought on hi mf elf the anger of God for the 
 faults cr his Children. He mufi not be a Bifoop that has 
 Children riotous or unruly. On the other fide it is {i) writ- f{\ l j; ul ^- 
 ten of a Woman, that (he (hall be faved in [or, by] the 15, 
 Procreiting of Children, if they lhall continue in Faith, 
 and Charity, and Holinefs with Modefty. If their a- 
 dult age when they are at their own difpofe, be imputed to 
 their P ' (rents, how much more the time of their Infancy and, 
 tender liars, which, as the Scripture fays, is not able to 
 diftingufy the right hand from the left, i. e. knows not 
 the diffuence of Good and Evil ? Then follows this Ob- 
 jection. 
 
 Et qwmodo, inquies, peccnta parentura filiis non red- 
 didit ur, necfiliorum parent ibm, Jed anima qu.e peccaverii; 
 if fa morv.tur ? 
 
 Hoc di his dicitur quipoffunt fapere, de quibiti in Evan~ 
 gelio fcripum eft ; JEtatem habet, Icquatur p o f. Qui aw 
 tern parvdus eft & fapit ut parvulus, donee ad annosfapi- 
 entice veniit, c3 Pythagorx litera Y eum perducat ad bi- 
 yium ; tan bona ejus qua?n main parentibus imputantur. 
 Niji forte ociftimas Chrlfticnorum filios, fi baptifma non 
 receperint, \pfos tantum recs effe peccr.ti ; & non etiam fce- 
 lus rcferrialcos qui dare nolurrint \ m'cxime eo tempore 
 quo contradiiere non poterant qui accepturi eranf. Sicut r 
 regione \_alia^ fie in region vitx\ falus irfantium majo° 
 rum lucrum ejt. 
 
 * And how then is it true, you'll fay, that the Shis of 
 l| *theFathers an not imputed to the Children, nor thofe of the 
 y| \ Children to tk Father.^ but the Soul thatfmneth, it'fhalt 
 ' die> 
 
 Id :Tim 
 
siS St. Hkrovn. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year afcerthe * This is faid of thofe that have Underftanding ; of 
 ^poftles 278* ' fuch as he was of whom it is Written in the Go- 
 ; *a^~V > *"' ' fpei, He is of Age, let him fpes\for bimfelf. But he 
 
 * that is a Child, and thinks as a Child ("rill fuch time 
 •as he comes to \ears of Discretion, and Pythagoras's 
 4 Letter T do bring him to the place where the road 
 4 parts into two,) his good Deeds, as well as his evil 
 
 * Deeds, are imputed to his Parents. U nleis y:>u will 
 4 think that the Children of Chriftians are thenfelves 
 4 only under the Guilt of the Sin, if they do lot re- 
 4 ceive Baptifm : And that the Wickednefs is rot im- 
 4 puted to thofe alfo who would not give it 'em; efpe- 
 4 daily at that time when they that were to receive 
 4 it could make no oppofitionagainft the receiving t. As 
 4 alfo on the other fide [or, as alfo in the Kingdom of 
 4 Life] the Salvation of Infants is the advantige of 
 4 their Parents. 
 
 §j$, Tho' St. Hlerom calls himfelf an old Man >n one 
 part of this Epiftle, yet it was Written a grea while 
 (30 years at leaft) before his Death, and confejuently 
 20 years before Pelagius vented his new opinio*. For 
 he {peaks here of Eujhcbium, who was this Ladz's Hus- 
 band's Sifter, as a young Girl ; and yet his Epifte to the 
 faid Euflochium, de virginitate fervandU, was Wiitten 30 
 years before his Epiftle to Demcti ins on the lane Sub- 
 ject, as he himfelf obferves in the latter. 
 
 His mentioning how great a Sin it would be in Chri- 
 ftian Parents to neglect the Baptizing of thel Infants, 
 renders that improbable (which yet fome Leaned Me» 
 of late have fuppofed to be true) that his own Parents 
 (who, as it feems, were Chriftians) had neglected the 
 Baptizing him in Infancy : And that he was not Bap-? 
 tized till' he came to Rome. Of which Opnion, and 
 the Miftake on which it is grounded, I mufcfay fome- 
 nt) Part. 2. thing, as alfo of fome other fuch Inftances s in i (2) Chap- 
 $i2iIII. ter on that Subject. ... 
 
 Sett. z. Out of St. AuR'ms Books le Sermons 
 
 Domini in Monte o 
 
 i%&* St. Auftin was a Man of Note in the Church, and 
 
 continued Writing of Books for 40 years and more. 
 There never was any one Man whole Pains were fo 
 fiiccefsful in healing ti>b Wounds of tie Church, cau- 
 
 fed 
 
Chap. XV. St. Aufiin. 1 1 9 
 
 fed by Schifms and Herefies. His moderate and popu- Year after the 
 lar way of arguing had a great effect Befide his wri- Apoftles 288. 
 ting againft the Manichees, of whom he had been one, ^-"''"V"**"^ 
 and fome Avians that were then yet left j he had a main 
 hand in reducing the Donatifts, and confuting the Pe- 
 lagians. Thefe later began but 20 years before he di- 
 ed, vi\. Anno Dom. 4 1 o. and he had Wrote feveral Books * 
 before they appeared. The Quotations that I (hall pro- 
 duce at prefent are out of thofe former Books. One is 
 that which I briefly mention'd (3) before, vi\. in his (3) CH. IV, 
 
 and XL 
 
 Lih. 1. de Sermone Domini in Monte y c. 27. 
 
 He being there to explain that part of our Saviour's Ser- 29 j. 
 mon which forbids Divorce, takes occafion to cite 
 that advice of St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 12. that a Chriftian 
 fhould not put away his Wife, tho' lhe as yet conti- 
 nued in Heathenifm or Unbelief, and repeats the words 
 that follow in the Text, and gives his Paraphrafe up- 
 on 'em, thus, 
 
 - SanElificatus eft enim , inquit, vir infidelis in uxore 
 fideli : Et Santiificata eft mulier infidelis hi fratre fi- 
 deli. 
 
 Credo jam prcvenerat ut nonnulLe fxmince per viros fide- 
 les, £3" viri per uxores fideles infidem venirent '. Etquam- 
 vis non dicens nomina, exemplis tamen exhortatus eft (id 
 confirmandum con/ilium fuurn. Deinde fcqu.it ur y 
 
 Alioquin filii vefiri immundi effent y nunc autem fantli 
 funt. 
 
 Jam enim erant parvuli Cbriftiani, qui five authore uno 
 ex parentibus, five utroque confentiente fanftificati erant z 
 Quod non fieret ft uno credente dijjbciaretur conjugium, & 
 non toleraretur infidelitas conjugum ufque ad opportunita- 
 tem credendi. 
 
 1 Fovfays he, (4) an unbelieving Husband has been fan- (4J 1 Cor. 7* 
 
 * dined by h]s believing Wife j , and an unbelieving 14. 
 
 * Wife by her believing Husban.4. 
 
 Ifuppofe it had then happen d that feveral Wives had 
 been brought to the Faith by their believing Husbands ; 
 and Husbands by their believing Wives. And tho' he does 
 not mention their names, yet he makes ufe of their Example 
 to confirm his advice, Then it follows f 
 
 Elfe 
 
no St. Auflm. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the Elfe were your Children unclean, but now are they 
 
 Apoftles288. Holy. 
 
 l/V\J For there were then Chrifkian Infants that were Sanctis 
 fied [or, made Holy, i. e. that were BaptizeaJ fame by 
 the Authority of one cf their Parents, feme by the Confent of 
 both : fVhich would not be, if as foon as one Party believed 
 the Marriage were diffolved, and the Infidelity of the Par- 
 ties were not born with till there were an opportunity cf 
 believing. 
 
 Here we fee St. Aufiitis Senfe of that Ex>reffion 
 of St. Paul, which has been of late the Subject of fo 
 much Debate. He judges St. Paul's Meaning to be this, 
 It is advifeable for a Chriftian Husband, whofe Wife 
 will not as yet own the Faith of Chrift, not to put 
 her away, becaufe it is probable that he may in time 
 gain her to the true Religion : Such Examples are by 
 God's Grace very frequent. You commonly fee the 
 Unbelieving Party Santlified, or brought to Faith and 
 Baptifm by the Believing one. Were it not fo that the 
 Faith of the one did generally prevail againft the Infi- 
 delity of the other, the Children of fuch would be ge- 
 nerally left in their unclean State, and be brought up 
 to Heathenifm ; whereas we fee now on the contrary 
 that thofe of you that live in a State of Marriage with 
 Unbelievers, do generally fo far prevail by God's Grace., 
 that your Children are made Holy, or Sanctified and Dedi- 
 cated to the true God by Baptifm. 
 
 If this Explication do feem remote to us now, it is 
 becaufe we do not fo frequently as they did, ufe the 
 word SanSlification and Santlified for Baptifm and Bap- 
 tized. I believe it is not fo little as a hundred times, 
 that St. Aufiin for one, when he is to fpeak of Infants 
 or other Peifcns, Baptized or to be Baptized, expref- 
 fes it SanB.ifi.ed, as we fee he does here. If the Reader 
 pleafes, he may turn back to CH. XL §. 9. where there 
 is more faid of that Matter. And by what I fhall 
 
 C5) CH.X1X, produce (5) hereafter, it will appear that moft of the An- 
 
 §. 1 9, cients underftood this Text as St. Aufiin does. 
 
 Sett, 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auftin. 1 1 % 
 
 Sed. 3 . out of St. Auftin s Books of 
 Free -will. 
 
 Auguflinus de lihero arhitrio lih. 3. c, %-$. 
 
 $. 1. ThisTreatife St. Aufiin wrote when he was a (6) Year afterthc 
 young Man, againft the Manichees who maintain, that Apoftles 288* 
 as there is one eternal Principle or God that made the *— / "V\ B ^ 
 Soul and all good Things, fo there is another that has (°J Aug. 
 Created the Body, and is the Author of all Wicked- RetracteM,.^ 
 nefs, and other Evils and Calamities; and that oneof "?* 
 thefe comes from a neceflary Principle as well as the 
 ether. 
 
 St. Aufiin (hews that God created Man with a Free- 
 will, and that all Sin comes from the ill ufe of that 
 Free-will : And that all other Evils are Punithments 
 for Sin, and that every one (hall be judged according 
 as he has either ufed that freedom of will to Good or 
 abufed it to Evil : And then adds, 
 
 Some ignorant People make afianderous Objection ngainjl 
 this DcElrine, en account of Infants dying, and of the bo- 
 dily Pains we often fee them fuffer : For they fay, ' To 
 * what purpofe was fuch a one born, (ince he died be- 
 ' fore he merited any thing ? Or what place (hall he 
 ' have in the future judgment, who can't be among 
 ' the Righteous becaufe he never did any Good, nor 
 f among the Wicked, (ince he never Sinned ? To which 
 we Anfwer, That in the Confiitution of the "Vniverfe, and 
 the fit Connexion of all the Creation in its Places and Times, 
 no humane Perfcn can have been Created without Rgafon, 
 where not fo much as the Leaf of a Tree is fupcrfluoufly 
 made. But that that is a fuperfluous Quefiion which they 
 put of the "Merits of one that never merited any thing : 
 For they need not fear that it Jhould fo happen, that 
 there can be a life in a middle fate between Good and 
 Bad, and not a Sentence of the Judge in a middle way be- 
 tween Reward and Punijhmevi. 
 
 Quo loco etiam illud per fecrutari homines folent,Sacr amen- 
 tum Baptifmi Chrifii quid parvulis profit • cum co accept 
 plerunquc moriuntur priufquam ex co quidquam cognofcere 
 potuerunt. Qua in re fatis pie rcfteque crcditur pro* 
 deffe parvulo eorum Hdem h r.ujbus ccvl'c:rand:r. offertur. 
 
 Et 
 
iiz St. 4 uft in. Chap. XV, 
 
 Year after the Et hoc Ecclefice commcndat filuberrima autoritas, utex eo 
 Apoitles 238. qui f que fentiat quid fib t profit fides fua, quandorin alio- 
 t ** / yf^-' r um quoque beneficium qui propriam nondum habent, pot eft 
 aliena commodari. Quid enim profuit filio vidux fides fua, 
 quam utique mortuus non habebatj Cui tamen profuit ma- 
 in's, ut refurgcret. 
 
 On which Head Men are wont to ask this Quefti- 
 pn alfo, ' "What good the Sacrament of Chrift's Baprifm 
 
 * does to Infants ? Whereas after they have received it, 
 
 * they often die before they are able to underftand any 
 
 * thing of it. As to which matter it is pioufly and rru- 
 
 * ly believed, that the Faith of thofe by whom the Child 
 'is ofFer'd to be Confecrated, profits the Child. And 
 ' this the moft found Authority of the Church does 
 ' commend, that hence every one may judge how prc- 
 ' finable his own Faith will be to himlelf, when even 
 ' another Perfon's Faith is ufeful for the advantage of 
 ' thofe that have as yet none of their own. For how 
 
 (7) Luke 7. ' could the Widows Son (7) be hoi pen by his own 
 42. 'Faith, whereof being dead he could have none? And 
 
 ' yet his Mothers Faith was ufeful for his being rais'd to 
 ' life again. 
 ^28. §- 2 - About 40 years after the Writing of this Book 
 
 (when Pelagianifm had in the mean time arifen and 
 funk again,) fome Semipelagians in France, who held 
 ftill that Opinion of Pelagius, that Infants dying un- 
 baptized fhall, tho' they mifs of the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven, yet live eternally without Punifhment, made ufe 
 of thefe Words of St. Atijtin to uphold their Tenet, as 
 if he had therein exprefs'd himfelf in favour of the O- 
 pinion of fuch a middle ftatc. 
 
 Of this, and of other their Objections, one Hilary 
 
 tM F 'ft 15 S^ ves mm notice by Letter. (8) They plead, fays he, 
 
 |./ *j . that the Cafe of Infants is not to be made an Example 
 
 deftinatione f or t ^ at °f & rown Perfons. And even as to the Cafe of In- 
 
 Sanclorum fAnts: They fay your Holinefs fofpoke of it as if youvoould 
 
 ursefixa. have it counted an uncertain thing whether there be a- 
 
 ny Punifhment for them : And the Negative to be more 
 
 probable. And you may remember that in your third Book 
 
 concerning Free-will your Words are fuch as might' give 
 
 them this occafion. 
 
 Co) T 'h He ^ Ut ^ t# ^fin in Anfwer, ( % 9)fhews that they miftook 
 
 bono perfeve- wnat ne fp°k e Hypothetically, and ad hominem againft 
 
 rantise c. 12. tne ^laiu'chccs, for a pofitive Speech. Suppofe, fays he, 
 
 that at that time, when I began my Books of Free-will, 
 
 beinm 
 
Chap. XV. St.Auftin. I2 , 3 
 
 being then but a Layman at Rome, or when I made an Year after the 
 end of 'em, being then but a Presbyter in Africa, I had Apoftles 288. 
 been unrefohed of that pint, that Infants not P^egenc- %^\^^ 
 rated are under Condemnation, and that thofe that' arc 
 Regenerated are thereby freed from it. I hope t her- , 
 Man fo unjujl tr envious as to be againfi my learning 
 better. & 
 
 But whereas the truth is, that I ought net then 
 to be thought to make any Qtiejlion of that Matter, be- 
 caufe I judgd it fit to confute thofe agadnft whom I dif- 
 fused, in fuch a manner, that whether there be any Pu- 
 nifhment for original Sin in Infants, as the truth is ; or 
 there be not, as fome miftaken People thinly .- Tet fill that 
 mixture of the natures of Good and Evil, which the Ma- 
 nichecs fondly maintain, would have no rcafon to be le- 
 lieved. God forbid that I fhould leave the matter of In- 
 fants fo, as to fay it is uncertain whether thefe that are 
 Regenerated in Chrift, if they die in Infancy, do came to 
 eternal Salvation ; and thofe who are not Regenerated do 
 fall into the fecond death. Whereas that which is writ- 
 te>i, By (10) one Man Sin enter'd into the World, and (10) Rom. «; 
 Death by Sin, arid fo it paft upon all Mankind, can no 12. 
 ctherwife be underflood. 
 
 This Anfwer which he gives to the Reflections which 
 the Semipelagians made upon thefe his firft Writings 
 may ferve now for an Anfwer to that which Groiius 
 has reflected on 'em in like manner: He fays, (1 ,) That (u) Ant** 
 at. Aultin before he was heated with the Pelagian difbutcs, in Mat. 19, ' 
 never Wrote any thing of the Condemnation of unhdptifd 14. 
 Mants, not even to thofe leffer Pains in the World to com : 
 Intimating that he was not of that Opinion before. But 
 fuppofing that were true that he did not in his former 
 Writings mention that Matter, yet if we may believe 
 him for his own Senfe, it was not but that he underftood 
 ithe thing to be fo at the time of Writing this Book : 
 But he had not the fame cccafion to fpeak of it that he 
 had afterward. 
 
 This he more p'ainly expreffes in a Letter (12) to (n) Epiffc 
 St. Hierom Written in the heat of the Pelatidn Contro- *8. 
 verfie, where having made mention of this Book and this 
 Place ; he fays, for in that Book I did make A>.fwer con- 
 cernmg the Baptifm of Infants, non fufficicnter, fed quan- 
 ; cum 1II1 open fatis videbatur ; not handling it fully, but 
 1 is far as was needful in that Wrl r , that it does 'profit 
 >ven thofe that are n v fenfible cf it, and have as yet no 
 
 Faifh 
 
I24 St. Ait/tin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the Faith of their own. But I thought it not needful at that 
 Apoftlesa88.t/»»r to fay any thing concerning the Condemnation of 
 ■>V^ thofe Infants that depart this Life without it : Quia non 
 
 quod nunc agitur agebatur : Becaufe there was none of 
 
 that difpute raifed then, which is now. 
 driSeft s But I (hall by and by (10) have occafion to fhew 
 i I thatTn other Pieces Written before the Pelagian times, 
 
 he fpeaks of their Condemnation. 
 
 Scft. 4. but of St. Jufiins Books againft 
 the Donatijls. 
 
 Auguflinus de Baptifmo contra Donatiftas. lit. 
 4. c. 15. 
 
 ■££ * i CT. Auftin Wrote this treatife, and many o- 
 
 ** k ' U S'rkerslgainft the Donatifis , party o ChnAians 
 
 in Africa, who had made a Schifm from the Church 
 fometime before he wasborn, on the account of one Cr- 
 a/^aBifhop, who, as they faid, had in times of Per- 
 fecution, under the Heathen Emperors, denied his Re- 
 ligion by giving up the Bible to be burnt, and yet at 
 terward was fuffer'd to continue and do the Office 
 of a Biftiop in the Church. s j I 
 
 ciL/deniedthe matter of Facl, and it could no 
 be plainly prov'd : But thefe Men were fo peremptory 
 aiifo fierce againft him, as not only ~ renounce him 
 but alfo to renounce the Communion of the Church 
 which fufiVd him to continue among them m his U 
 fice And it came; to fuch a heighth, that in St. Au 
 ftitts time their Party, which was very numerous, du k 
 , \o abhor the fettled Church, that if any one who ha, 
 been Baptized in the Church, came over to their 
 ' they told him, the Baptifm- which he had received 1 
 fo impure and defiled a Church, and from the hand A 
 of fuch Wicked Men, was null and void, and io me 
 Baptized him anew. The Church did not fo wit f 
 them 5 but if any that had been Baptized by them cam ft 
 oyer to the Church, he was received as one whole Bay « 
 nfm was valid, tho* given by Schifmaucks, 
 
Chap. XV. St.Aufti*. I1S 
 
 St. Auftin manages thus, He (hews the want of Proof Year after the 
 of the Accufation by producing the Acts of Court and Apoftlesa88. 
 Records by which Cccilinn had been acquitted. But v^V*^-* 
 befides, (hews that ihppofe it were true, one is 'not to 
 foriake a Church becauie of one or more wicked Men 
 that are luffer'd in it. And particularly in this Treatife 
 lets forth the impiety of their practice in re-baptizing 
 He fliews that Bapnfm once given in the right form d£ 
 in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is valid- 
 How Heretical or Impure foever the Church be in which 
 or how Wicked ioever the Man be, from whofe hands 
 he receives it ? [One may here note by the bye, that 
 this rule of St. Auftin does by the confent of moft An- 
 cients hold good, except in the Cafe of the PaulUnifls 
 who feem to have kept the Words of the form (tho S 
 jr. Auftin had been inform'd otherwile) and yet their 
 Opinion concerning Chrift was fo abhorrd by the Chri- 
 ltians that the Council of Nice order'd them to be re- 
 EEf '™ nu*l ^(H) hereafter]. He (hews that ( lA ) p art2 , 
 Baptifm is Chrift s, and not the Minifter's. And the CH V ' \7 
 validity thereof depends on God's Authority, not on § * * 
 
 rne Goodneis or Sincerity of the Perfon that Officiates 
 and coniequently that thole who had been Baptized by 
 CeciUan, or any other Wicked Bilhop, were ro be ac- 
 counted to have their Baptifm valid : And the Priefts 
 ordained by him, were capable of giving Baptifm ro 
 
 J. i. He goes onto (hew by the Example of Simon 
 Magus, that Baptifm received witn a wicked Heart and 
 Purpofe (which is a worfe Circumftance) is yet valid J 
 And that fuch a Man is to repent of his Wickedr^* 
 , but not to be Baptized again. And if a Man that is Bapl 
 ,tized in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit 
 ■nave at that time fome unfound Opinion concerning 
 the Trinity or any Perfon thereof; he is to reform 
 his Opinion, but not to renew his Baptifm 
 1 And he proves this by the Example of thofe who 
 lire Baptized young, when thev have but an uncouth 
 aiMe; or Infants, when they have no fenfe at all of 
 ijthe Articles of Faith, in thefe Words, 
 
 Vnde multi pft baptifmum proficient es, gj 8 maximk 
 
 pi tnfames vel pueri hapten funt, quanta maris in- 
 
 etledus eorum ferenatur & illuminatur, dum inferior ho- 
 
 Wrenovaturde die in diem, priores funs opinioncs «u<h 
 
 : te Dsa habebmt, cm fuis fhat&afmatlfas Mlfcdrentur) 
 
 irrh* 
 
lz6 StAuflh Chap. XV, 
 
 Year after the irrident, 6 detef antes at que confitentes abjiciunt. Nee 
 
 Affiles 288. tamen idea non accepijfe baptifmum exifttmantur, aut tn. 
 
 *y~V^ Urn accepijfe baptifmum qualis fuit error ipforum. _ Sed 
 
 in eis 8 Sacramenti integrity honoratur, & mentis va- 
 
 nitdi emendatur. , . ( 
 
 <So that many Perfons encreafing in knowledge af- 
 
 « ter their Baptifm, and efpecially thofe who have been 
 
 ' Baptized either when they were Infants, or when they 
 
 « were Youths ; as their Undemanding is cleared and 
 
 'enliehtned, and their inward Unn, renewed day by day, 
 
 < do themfelves deride, and with Abhorrence and Con- 
 
 « feflion renounce the former Opinions which they had 
 
 * of God, when they were impofed on by their own 
 « Imaginations. And yet they are not therefore account- 
 ed either not to have received Baptifm, or to have 
 « received a Baptifm of that nature that their error was 
 
 * But in their Cafe both the validity of the^Sacrament 
 Ms acknowledge and the vanity of their Tjnderftand- 
 
 ^T^nd^ little after, c. %V He having had occa- 
 fion to fpeak of the Penitent Thief, who obtained Sal- 
 vation .without Baptifm, Ihews that that is no more 
 an Argument againft the neceflity of Baptifm, where 
 it may be had* than the Example of baptized In- 
 fants obtaining Salvation without Faith, is an c Argu- 
 ment againft phe necefliryof Faith, where the Subject 
 is capable of it. But that it is an Argument that one 
 of thefe may be without the other ; and fo that rie- 
 reticks, who neither have nor do teach the right Faith, 
 yet may give true baptifm (if they give it in the right 
 form) which ought not to be reiterated when the Par- 
 ty comes to the true Faith. < ■ < ; . 
 
 For that was one thing- with, which the Donates 
 upbraided the Catholkks, that they received Hereticks 
 that came over to them, without giving em a new bap- 
 
 Uf He concludes this Fourth Book with thefe Words, 
 
 Sicutauteminlatrone, quia per neceffitatem-bapttfrnus 
 jefuit, terfetla falus eft ; quia Per pictatem frrifualiter 
 dffuit:Sic (3 cum iff* r4> rjl fipemcceffitaetn d.-. 
 iauod latroni affuif, perficitur Jaus. QW traditum te- 
 net* univer fit as ecclefi* dm parvuh infantes baj>n K antur j 
 quicertl nondum poffunt corde credere ad juflitiam Vote 
 confitcri adfalutem, quod Utro ptuit : Quinettam flen- * 
 && vagiendo cum in els Myjienum celebratur, bfit 
 
^y^V 
 
 Chap. XV. St riuflih. 129 
 
 myfilcis vccibtts cbfirepunt. Et tamcn nUUus Chriftiano- Year afrer tl e 
 ram dixerit ecs inaniter bapti^ari. Apolttes 2b^ 
 
 Et fi quifqur.min b&c re Divinam autoritatem qu.erat : 
 Quanquam quod univerfa tenet Ecclcfia, nee Conciliis infti- 
 tutwn fed Jenifer retcntum eft, von nlfi autoritate Afo- 
 fiolica.tr aditum recti jfime creditor': Tamen veraciter con~ 
 jicere poffumus quid valcat in parvulis baptifmi Sacra* 
 mentum ex Circumcijione carms qu.im prior populus acce- 
 fit, Qiinm priufquam acciperct juflificatui eft Abraham ^ 
 ficut Cornelius ctiam dono Jpiritus fknBi priufquam bap- 
 ii~aretilr ditatus ejl : Dicit tamcn Apftolus de ipfo A- 
 braham ; figmtm accepit Circumcifionis , fignaculum fidei 'ju- 
 Jiiti.e qua jam corde credidcrnt ($ deputatum ei erat ad 
 jufiitiam. Cur ergo ei prxceptum efi ut omnem deinceps 
 infant eyn mafculum octavo die circumcideret, qui nondurr, 
 pot erat corde credere ut ei deputaretur ad ji4Jlitiam, nijl 
 quia & ipfum per feipfum Sacrrtmentum multurn valebat ? 
 - Sicut ergo in Abraham prsceffit fidei ju~ 
 
 fiitia, & accjjit circumcifio fignaculuin jufiiti.e fidei : 
 Ita in Ccmclio prxceifit finclificatio fpiritalis in dor.6 
 fpiritits fancli, & accejfit facr amentum regeneration;! ifi 
 iavacro baptifmi. Etjicut in Ifaac qui octavo fu.e nativi- 
 tatis die circumcifus efi, fr.ecejjit fignaculum juftitite fidei i 
 Et (quoniam patru fidem imitatus efi) fecuta efi in crefcen- 
 te ipfa jujiitia cujus fignaculum in infante pracefferat. 
 Ita, & in bapti^atis ivfantibus prxced.it regeyierationr, 
 facramentUvi, & (fi Chrifiianam tcnuerint pie tat em) fequi' 
 tar in corde convcrfio, cujus myfterium pracejjit in corpora, 
 Et ficut in illo latroac quid ex baptifmi fecramento de* 
 fuerat complsvit Omni potent is benignitas, quia non fuper' 
 bia vel contemftu fed nccrjfitate defuerat : Sic in infan- 
 tibus qui bapti^ati moriuntur cadem gratia Omnipotentis 
 implere credenda ejl, quo i non ex impia. voluntate fed ex 
 atatis indigent i a ncc credere adjiftitiampojfunt nee ore con~ 
 fteri ad falutcm. Ideo cum alii pro eis refpondeant, ut 
 impteatur ergo, cos celebratio facramenti ; valet utique ad 
 mum confecrationcm : Q^ia ipfi refpondere non pojfunti 
 At fi pro eo qui refpondci s poteft alius respondeat, non itidem 
 
 valet. - Qyibus rebus omnibus oftenditur aliudcjfcfa* 
 
 Wamentum baftijmi, aliud convefionem cordis j fed fain* 
 tern hominis ex utroque ccmpleri : Nee (i unumkorum de- 
 fuerit, ideo put are debemiis confequens effeut alter umdefit % 
 qui & illudfine ifio poteft effs in ivfantibus, z£ bee fine 
 •dlo potuii ej]\> in I. it; one : Complcnte Deo five in iU 
 !e five in ifto quod non ex vtfluntate dsfasrat ; Curt vert 
 
 It ' H 
 
130 
 
 St. Auftin. 
 
 Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the ex voluntate alter um borum defuerit. rcatu beminem in- 
 Apoftles288. vo i vl - m 
 
 Et baptifmus quidem potcfl ineffe ubi converjjo cordis 
 defuerit .- Converjjo autem cordis potefl quidem ineffe non 
 percepto b apt if mo ; fed contempt o baptifmo ?io?i potcfl : 
 s\cque enim ullo inodo dicenda efl converfio cordis ad De- 
 Um, cum Dei Sacr amentum contemnitur. 
 
 Jufle igiturreprehendimus, anathematj\anws, detcflamur, 
 abominamur perverfitatem cordis hxreticorum : Sacramen- 
 tum tamen Evangelicum non ideo non habent, quia per 
 quod utile eft non habent. Quapropter cum ad fidem £? 
 veritatem veniunt, & agentes pecnitentiam rcmitti fibi 
 feccata depefcunt ; non eos decipimus, nequefallimus, ch?i 
 correclos a nobis ac rcformatos in eo quo depravati atque 
 perverfi funt, ad regnum ccclorum fie difciplinis Ccclejlibus 
 erudimus, ut quod in eis integrum efl nullo modo viole- 
 mus : Nee propter heminis vitium, fi quid in homine Dei 
 eft vel nullum vcl vitiofum effe dicamus. 
 
 * And as the Thief, who by neceflity went without 
 
 * baptifm, was faved ; becaufe by his Piety he had it 
 
 * fpiritually : So where baptifm is had, tho' the Party 
 by neceflity go without that [Faith] which the Thief 
 had, yet he is faved. 
 
 1 Which the whole body cf the Church holds, as deliver- 
 ed to 'em, in the Cafe of little Infants baptized : Who! 
 certainly camnot yet believe with the heart to Righ-j 
 teoufnefs, or confefs with the Mcuth to Salvation, asl ' 
 the Thief could ; nay, by their crying and noife while! ' 
 the Sacrament is adminiftring, they difturb the Holyl' 
 ■Myfteries : And yet no Chriflian Alan will fay they are 
 baptized to no purpofe. 
 
 * And if any one do ask for Divine Authority in rhi 
 Matter : Tho* that which the whole Church pradrifes 
 and which has not been inftituted by Councils, bin 
 was ever in ufe, is very reaionably believed to be n< 
 other than a thing deliver d [or order iQ by Authori 
 ty of the Apoftles .- Yet we may befides take a trui 
 eftimate, how much the Sacrament of baptifm does a 
 vail Infants, by the Circumcifion which God's forme 
 People received. 
 
 * For Abraham was juftified before he received that, a 
 Cornelius was endued with the holy Spirit before h 
 was baptiz'd, and yet the Apoftle fays of Abrahan, 
 That he received the fign of Circumcifion, afeal of th 
 J^ighteoufficf cf the Faith, by which he had in heai 
 
 * btlievec 
 
Chap. XV. St.AufiiH. t-Ji 
 
 believed, *W jV /W tae« counted to him for Rj.glteQufnefi. Year after the 
 Why then was he Commanded thenceforward co circum- Apoltles^88 a 
 cife all his male Infants on the eighth day, when they 
 could not yet believe with the heart that it might be 
 counted to them for Righteoufnefs, but for this reafon 
 becauie the Sacrament it felf is ofitfelfof great im- 
 port ? Therefore as in Abraham the Righteouf- 
 nefs of Faith went before, and Circumcifion the Seal 
 of the Righteoufnefs of Faith came after j fo in Cor- 
 nelius the fpiritual Sandifxation by the gift of the 
 holy Spirit went before, and the Sacrament of Regenera-? 
 tion by the laver of baptifm came after. And as in 
 Ifaac who was Circumciled the eighth day, the Seal 
 of the Righteoufnefs of Faith went before, and (as 
 he was a follower of his Father's Faith) the Righte- 
 oufnefs it felf, the Seal whereof had gone before in his 
 Infancy, came after : So in Infants baptized the Sacra- 
 ment of Regeneration goes before, and (if they put in 
 practice the Christian Religion) Cbnverfion of the 
 heart, the Myftery whereof went before in their body, 
 comes after. 
 
 ' And as in that Thief's Cafe, what was wanting of 
 the Sacrament cf baptifm the Mercy of the Almighty 
 made up; becaufe it was not out of Pride or Conte.-ppc 
 but of necefTity that it was wanting: So in Infants 
 that die after they are baptiz'd, it is to be belie- 'd that 
 the lame Grace of the Almighty does make up that de- 
 recl:, that by reafon, not of a wicked V/i 1, but of 
 want of Age, they can neither believe with the Heart 
 to Righteoufnefs, nor cenfefs with the mouth unco Sal- 
 vation. So that when others anfwer for them, that 
 they may have this Sacrament given 'em ; it is valid 
 for their Ccnfecration, becaufe they cannot anfwer for 
 themfelves r But if for one that is able to anfwer 
 himfelf, another (Tiould anfwer, it would not be 
 
 valid. By all which it appears that the Sacrament 
 
 of baptifm is one thing, and Conversion of the heart 
 another : But that the Salvation cf a Perfon is com- 
 pleated by both of 'em, And if one of thefe be want- 
 ing, we are not to think that it follows, that the other 
 is wanting ; fmcc one may be without the other in an 
 Infant, and the other was without that in the Th.ef : 
 God Almighty making up both in one and the other cafe 
 that which was nc t wilfully wanting. 
 
I? x St.Auflin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Ysar after the ' But when either of thefe is wilfully wanting, it in- 
 Apoftles238. ' volves the Perfon in Guilt. And baptifm indeed may 
 *L/^/~^-' * be had where Converfion of the Heart is wanting ; 
 
 * but Converfion of the Heart, tho' it may be where 
 'baptifm is not had, cannot be where it is con- 
 ' temned : For that is by no means to be called Con- 
 
 * verfion of the Heart to God, where the Sacrament of 
 
 * God is contemned. 
 
 ' "Well may we therefore reprehend, anathematize, 
 
 * deteft and abhor the perverlion of Heart that is in He- 
 ' reticks : But yet we muft not fay that they therefore 
 ' have not the Gofj> el-facrament, becaufe they have not 
 ' that which Ihould make it ufeful to 'em. 
 
 1 Therefore when they come to the true Faith, and 
 'being Penitent, do defire that their faults may be 
 4 pardoned ; we do not deceive or cheat 'em, when 
 
 * correcting and reforming in them that wherein they 
 
 * were depraved and perverted, we do inftruct 'em with 
 ' holy Discipline for the Kingdom of Heaven in fuch 
 4 a manner, as that we do by no means violate that in 
 4 them which is valid : Nor for the fault of the Man fay 
 ' that that which is of God in the Man is either null or 
 'faulty. 
 
 §. 4.' I have Tranfcribed this PafTage the larger, be- 
 caufe Mr. Danvcrs, who had fet up a pretence that the 
 Don/it ijis found fault with the Catholickj for baptizing 
 (85) Treatlfc Infants, would prove it from this Place. He had (15) 
 of Bapt- Pt.faid, That Auftin s third and fourth Bookj agahift the po- 
 2. CH. VII., natifts do demonftrate that they, denied Infants b apt i fin j 
 p, 113. Wherein he manages the Argument for Infants baptifm a- 
 
 gainjl them with great %eal, enforcing it by fever al Ar-- 
 guments, but effect ally from ApoftolicalTradition ; and cur 
 fing with great bitternefl they that would not embrace it. 
 And when his Anfwerers jog'd him, and told him, That 
 in the third Book there was never a word about it 3 he 
 faid the fourth Book did however (hew it. And yet 
 in the fourth Book there is nothing but what I here 
 produce. And any one that can give any tolerable guef: 
 at the Sence of what he reads, fees by this and th< 
 reft of the Book, that St. Auftin does not here argue a 
 gainft the Donatifts, as if they denied Infant baptifm 
 But proves that baptifm received from the hands of he 
 retical or depraved Priefts is valid, tho' they give th< 
 baptized Perion a wrong Account of the Faith, by thi 
 reafon, that Infants baptifm is valid, tho* they have a 
 
 y« 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auftin. 135 
 
 yet no Account of Faith at all. And I have already Year after the 
 (16) fhewn from Optatus, that the Catholicks and Do- Apofrles 28; \ 
 vatifts had no difference about the nature of baptifm, '<-/~* s S m **-* 
 or way of adminiftring it; but only about the Puri-C'^CH. 
 ty or Orthodoxy of the Perfons that gave it : And fhall ^^- §• u 
 by and by ( 17J have occafion to fhew particularly that (17) CH. 
 they baptized Infants as well as the Catholicks. XVI. §. r } z» 
 
 But what does he mean by faying, That St. Auftin 
 Curfi, &c. 
 
 The Donatifts reproach'd the Catholicks for receiv- 
 ing to their Communion fuch as had been baptized a- 
 mong Hereticks, as Arians, Appollinarifts, Sec. without 
 giving them, upon their coming to the Communion of 
 the Church, a new baptifm : As if they thereby owned 
 Communion with fuch Hereticks, or approved their Do- 
 ctrine. St. Auftin anfwers, as we fee, We do [as well as 
 you] reprehend, anathematize, Sec. the perverfion of heart* 
 £or, falfe DoctrineJ of the Hereticks : But yet we muft not 
 therefore fay, that they have not the Sacrament, Sec. This 
 is what this Man, who could find Antipxdobaptifm in 
 every Latin Book that he look'd into, calls, Cwfing they 
 that would not embrace Infant baptifm. 
 
 Mx.Baxter fays on this occafion, (i3) Either this Man (iS)Confuta- 
 badjeen and read thefe Books of St. Auftin, or he had not. tion of the 
 If not, does he ufte God's Church, and the Souls of poor igno- ftrzngc Farv 
 rant People with any tenderneft, &c ? If he under]} and net geries of Mr- 
 Latin, how unfit is he to give us the Hiftory of thefe Ami- W- D. beet. 2, 
 equities, Sec ? But if he have read 'em, then I can fcarce CH. IV. §„ 7. 
 match him among all thefalftfiers I kjiow in the World. I 
 dare not befo uncharitable to him as to thinly that he ever 
 read 'em. But to leave him, and gp en ; 
 
 Tho' St. Auftin fpeak of Infant baptifm in this place 
 but by the bye, his words are, we fee, a full evidence 
 that it was then univcrfil'y pradlis'd, and had been fo 
 beyond the Memory of any Man, or of any Record ; 
 That they took it to be a thing that had not been enatt- 
 >d by any Council, but had ever been in life from the. 
 eli jegmning of Chriftianity. And they had then but 300 
 fears to look back to the times of the Apoftles, where- 
 as we now have 1600. And the Writings and Re- 
 in 
 
 ords which are now loft, were then extant, and eafily 
 ;nown. 
 
 fcC 3 Moi2» 
 
134 St.Aufiin. Chap. XV, 
 
 S'earafttrth; Moreover, for the Sorts or Sects of Chriftians that 
 
 ApoitJes z88. were then ; he lays that nultus Chriftianorum, none of 
 
 ^-s^V^*^ }tU the Chriftians (and then certainly not the Donatifti 
 
 with whom he was taiking ) had any other Opinion but 
 
 that it was uleful or neceflary. 
 
 This is to be underftood with a limitation, which I 
 1 19) Part. 2. (hall fhew (19) that he expreifes elfeWhere, provided 
 Clio V. §. 1. they were fuch as made ufe of any baptifm at all : For 
 there were fome Sects that called thenifelves Chrifti- 
 ans, (but they were hardly allowed that name by any 
 others) who utterly refufed the ufe of any Baptifm at 
 all. Of whom I (hall give fome account at a place 
 (19) convenient. 
 
 Sea. 5. Out of St. Auflhh Letter to 
 'Boniface, 
 
 AuguJIins Eplftola ad Eonif actum Epifcopum £- 
 pift. 23. 
 
 |o8. §• i>T}Oniface, a Bifhop of St. Auftin.s Acquaintance, had 
 
 ■*-* wrote to him to defire his Explication of two 
 Matters that appeared to him difficult to relolve. They 
 do both relate to Infants baptifm. 
 
 One was, Wikther fuch Parents do their Infants that 
 are baptised any hurt, who carry 'em to the Heathen Tem- 
 ■pies and Sacrifices to be cured by.th.fc Impious I^ites of fome 
 infi: mity they have. And if they hereby do 'em no hurt, 
 then how it comes topajl y that the Faith f the Parents/lands 
 s eminjlead when they are baptised, and yet the Aprftacy of 
 their Barents does 'em no hurt. 
 
 The other was, hew that can be reconcil'd to Truth 
 which the God-father anfwers in ihe Child's name at bap- 
 tifm : vi%. That he does believe ; docs renounce; will o- 
 bey, &c. when he at prefent has no Scncc at all, anc 
 what he will have hereafter, nc .body knows. 
 
 A part ( f what St, Auftin anfwers to the firft of thefe 
 
 * „ have already recited in the (2.0) Chapter cf Sz.Cypri 
 
 f- x ~- ans fayings : Becaufe he does in this anfwer cite and ex 
 
 plain one of i\^ Puffages of Cyprian, which I had then 
 
 dtec 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auflin. 1 3 5 
 
 eted. And another part of it in CII. III. §. 4. becaufe it Year after the 
 g.vcs a full proof that the Ancients took the Word I(egc- Apoftles 2S8. 
 ion for Baptifmexclufively of all other Senfes. 
 The Subftance of the Anfwcr is, chat original Sin is 
 is ax firft derived from the Parents to the Child, becaufe 
 the Child is at firft a part of the Parents : That after 
 he isbecome a feparate living Perlon, the Faith of the 
 Parents, or others that bring him to Baptiim is availa- 
 ble to him, becaufe the Regenerating Spirit is one in the 
 grow* Per fans that bring the Child, and in the Child that is 
 vrougjt : But when the fame grown Perfbns commit that 
 fViclednefi on the Child, offering him, and endeavouring 
 to ergage him in the facrilcgiom bonds of Devils ; there 
 is not then one Soul in both of 'em, that the Crime Jkould 
 he Communicated. For Sin is not fo Communicated by the 
 will o c another which is dijlinci, di Grace is Communicated by 
 the holy Spirit which is one and the fame. Fcr the fame holy 
 Spirit may be in this and in that Pcfon, altho they mutually 
 /{>wvc> it not one of another, and Jo the Grace may be common : 
 But the Spirit of a human Perfon cannot be in this and in 
 that Perfon ; Jo that one finning and the other not finning 
 the guilt Jhculd be common. 
 
 Some remaining parts of the Anfwer relating 
 to fome particular things that Boniface had 
 faid do here follow. 
 
 Kec illud te nurveat, quit I quidem fion cH fide ad bap- 
 tifmum percipiendum parvu'os ferunt ut gratia fpirit alt tia, 
 vitam regenerentur xtcrn.im, Jed quod ecs put ant hoc re- 
 niello temper alem ret lucre vel recitere fanitatem. Nonc- 
 nlm propter e a iUi non regenerantur quia urn ab ifiis kac. 
 intent isne offeruntur. Cclclrrantur enitn per ees ne:ef].:ra 
 rninifteria, &C- Spiritus autcm ill: fancius qui habi- 
 
 tat in fan'dis, ex qui bus una ilia columba deargentatd Cha- 
 ritr.tis igne cenflatur, agit quod agit ctiam per fe y vitutcm 
 'fliquando nan f km fimplicitcr ignorantium, verh n efidm 
 damnabiliter indignorum. Offeruntur quippe parvuli ad 
 fercipiendam fpiritalem gratiam non tarn ab els quorum. 
 g-flantur minibus, quamvis & ab ip/is 
 fes funty quam ab univerffr fbcietate fdvftorum at que fidc~< 
 Hum. Ab omnibus namque ojferri rcce mttllignntar qui-, 
 quhi offer antur, & quorum fanftd atque {niivi- 
 K 4 du& 
 
136 St. Aiifiin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the dua charitate ad communicationem fancli fpiritus adjuvan- 
 Apoftles 288. tur. Tot a hoc ergo winter Ecclefia qua infanElis eft, facit; 
 quia tota omncs, totafngulos parit. Namfi Chriftiani bai- 
 t if mi facr amentum quod union at que idipfumeft, ctiam t- 
 pud hxreticos valet ad confecrationem, quamvK ad vit .ex- 
 terna participationein'non fufficiat : Qux confecratio reum 
 quidem facit hxreticum extra Domini gregem habcztem 
 Dominioum characierem ; corrigendum tamen admonet (ana 
 Dccirina, nan iterum fimi liter confecrandum : Quantotioti- 
 us in Catholic a Ecclejia etiam per ftipuie minijieriumfru- 
 menta purganda portantur, ut admajfxfocietatem mediante 
 area perducantur ■ 
 
 Illud autern nolo te fall at, ut exiftimes reaitis, vinculum 
 ex Adam traclum aliter non poffe dirumpi nifi parvus ad 
 percipiendam Chrifti gratiam a. pare ntibus offer ant ur. Sic 
 enim fcribens diets ; ut ficut parent es autores fuerunt ad 
 eorum pxnaxn, per fdem parent urn identidem juftificentur. 
 Cum vidcAs multos non efferri a parentibm, fed eiiam a 
 quibwlibet extranen : Sicut a dotnims fervuli aliquando of- 
 feruntm r ;& 'nonnunquam mortuu parcntibiisfuk parzuli bap- 
 ti^antur ab en oblati qui in illii hujufmodi mifericordiam prx- 
 bere piotuerunt. Aliquando ctiam quos crude! iter parent es expo- 
 fuerunt nutriendos a. quibuflibet nonnunquam afacrh virgini- 
 bus coUiguntur, £? ab eis offeruntur ad baptifmum qu.c certi 
 •proprios flics non habuerunt ullos nee habere difponunt. 
 
 §. 2. c .Let «v/ that difiurb you, that fome p.eople do not 
 6 bring their Infants to Baptifm with that Faith [ov pur- 
 
 * pofe[] that they may by fpiritual Grace be regenerated 
 ' to eternal Life, but becaufe they think they do procure 
 ' or preierve their bodily health by this remedy. For 
 ' the Children dor.ot therefore fail of being Regenerated 
 "becaufe they are not brought by the others with this 
 ■* intention. For the necefTary Offices are performed by 
 *■ them, £^f, And the holy Spirit that dwells in the 
 
 * Saints, out of whom that Giver Dove that is but one, 
 'is by the fire cf Charity compacted, does what he. 
 6 dees fometimcs by the means of Men not only fimply 
 15 ignorant, but alio damnably unworthy. For Infants arc 
 
 * offer'd fc+ me receiving of the fpiritual Grace, not fo 
 ' much by thofe in whole hands they are brought, (tho* 
 ' by thofe too if they be good faithful Chriftians) as by 
 ' the whole Congregation of Saints, and faithful Men, 
 ' Fcr they are rightly faid to be cfFer'd by all thofe whole 1 
 '- defire jj is that they fliould be offer'd, and by whofe holyi 
 
 <andj 
 
Chap. XV. St. Aufiin. j^ 7 
 
 r and united Charity they are aflifted towards the Com- Year after the 
 1 munication of the Holy Spirit. A pottles 288. 
 
 e So that the whole Church of the Saints does this Of- v 
 1 fice as a Mother. For the whole Church brings forth 
 ' all her Children, and the whole brings forth each parti- 
 ' cular. 
 
 ' For if the Sacrament of Chriftian baptjfm, which is 
 1 one and the fame, be available even ameng Hereticks 
 ' for the Confecration of a Perfon, tho' it be not fuffici- 
 
 * ent for his obtaining of eternal Life (which Confecrati- 
 1 on involves the Heretick in the guilt of Sin for ufing 
 ' the Lo d's Marl{_ without the compafs of tie Lord's Flocl^z 
 1 And yet the Orthodox Doctrine teaches that fuch a 
 1 Perfon is to be reformed, but not to be Confecrated 
 ' anew). How much more in the Catholick Church may 
 
 * the Corn that is to be cleaned, be brought in by the 
 1 means of theStraw, that by the help of the floor, it 
 1 may fee gathered to the reft of the heap ? 
 
 ' §.3. But I would not have you miftake fo as to think 
 
 * that the bond of Gui'.t deriv'd from Adam cannot be 
 I broken, unlets the Children be offer'd for receiving the 
 j Grace of Chrift by their own Parents. For fo youlpeak 
 
 * in your Letter, That m the Parents were Authors of their 
 1 Punifhment, fo they may alfo by the Faith of their Parents 
 
 * be jujlified. 
 
 ' Whereas you fee that a great many are offer'd not 
 
 * by their Parents, but by any other Perfons. As the In- 
 
 * fant Slaves are fometlmes offer'dby their Mafters: And 
 
 * fometimes when the Parents are dead, tl e Infants are 
 <baptiz'd, being offer'd by any that can afford to ihe-w 
 J this Companion on 'em. And fomct'mes Infants whom 
 4 their Parents have cruelly expos'd, to be brought up by 
 ' thofe that light on 'em, are now and then taken up by 
 
 * the holy Virgins,and offer'd to baptifm by them who have 
 ' no Children of their own, nor defign to have any. And 
 ' in all this there is nothing elfe done than what is Writ- 
 
 * ten in the Gofpel, when our Lord ask'd who wasNeigb- 
 ' bour to him that was wounded by Thieves, and left 
 'half dead in the Road ? And i; was a'nfwer'd, He that 
 * Jhew'd mercy on him. 
 
 Here we fee (befide the refolution pf the main Que- 
 ftion, both Boniface and St. Avfiin taking it for granted 
 that Infants are to be baptiz'd) that the ordinary nfe 
 then wa^ for the Parents to anfwer for their Children : 
 |JB \ vet that this was not counted fo necciTary as that 
 *• • • ^ ' * a Child 
 
1*8 St.Aufiin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the a Child could not bebaptiz'd without that Circumftance. 
 Apoftleszas. ^ n y one t h at was on an y C q iuta blc account owner of the 
 > Child might bring it to baptifm. 
 
 Neither did the baptifm depend on the Holinefs, or 
 right Faith, or intention of thole that brought the Child. 
 Jt was fuppos'd to be done by the order and at the de- 
 fire of the Church, and particularly of thofe that aflift- 
 ed withjtheir Prayers at the Office. 
 
 $. 4. He next proceeds to fpeak of the other quefti- 
 on put by Boniface. 
 
 Difficillimam fane quxflionem tibi propofuiffe vifus es 
 in extremo inquifitionis tux ; ea videlicet intentions qua 
 foles vehementer cavere mendacium. Si conftituam, inquis, 
 ante te parvulum, 0" interrogem tit) im cum creverit, fit- 
 turus Jit caflus, velfur non fitfuturus : Sine dubio refponde- 
 bk • nefcio. Et ut)um in eadem parvula xtate confli tu- 
 tus cogitet aliquid boni vel malt dices, Nefcio. Si itaque 
 de moribus ejus futurus nihil av.des ccrti promittere, £? de 
 prxfenti ejus cogitatione : Quid efl illud quod quando ad bap- 
 tijmumofferuntur, pro eis parent es t anquam fide di {lores re- 
 jpondent & dicunt illosfacere quod ilia xtas cogitare non po- 
 tefl ; &fi pot efl, occultum efl. Interogamus enim cos aqui- 
 bus offer untur, & dichnus ; Credit in Deum ? de ilia a- 
 tate qua utrumfit Deus ignorat. Refpondct, Credit : Et ad 
 extern fie refpondetur flngula qux geruntur. ZJnde miror 
 parentes in iftis rebus tarn fidenter pro parvulo refpondcre, 
 lit dicant eum tanta bona facere qux ad horam qua bapti- 
 %atur, bapti^ator interrogat : Tamen eh. Inn horh fi fubji- 
 ciam j erit cafius qui bapti^atur ? Aut, non erit fur ? Ne- 
 fcio utritm audet dicere aliquis, Aliquid horum erit, vel, 
 non erit • ficut mihifinc dubitatione refpondet quod Credat 
 in Deum, £? quodfe convert at ad Deum. 
 
 Deinde fcripta tun concludens adjungis & diets ; ad iftai 
 ergo quxfliones peto brcviter refpondcre digneris, itxutntn 
 tnihi de confuetudine prxfcribds, fed rationcm reddas. 
 
 His Uteris tin's lech's & relcclis, & quantum temporis 
 anguflix finebant confideratis, recordatus fum Ncbridium a- 
 rnicum meum : Qui cum effct return obfeurarum, ad doclri- 
 nam pietatis maxime pcrtincntium, diligentiffimis & acer- 
 rimus inquifitor, valde oderat de quxftionc mag>:^ refpo): r 
 floncm brcvem : Et quifque hoc popofcijfet, xgeni?ne fere- 
 bat : Eum que, fi ejus perfona patcrctur, vultu indignabun- 
 dus & voce cohibebat: Indignum deputans qui talia qux- 
 reret, cum de re tanta quam mult a dici pojfcnt deberct-tque 
 nefciret. Sod ego tibi non fimiliter utf debet Hlc,fuccen- 
 
 Jeo, 
 
Chap. XV. St.AHfti*. 139 
 
 fco. Es enim Eplfcopus raultis curis occupatus, ut ego : Vn~ Year after the 
 dc nee tibi facile vacat prulixum aliquid legerc ncc rriihi Apoftles 288. 
 fcriberc. Nam We tunc adolcfcens, qui talia brcviter no- V-^"Y"N-^ 
 lebat audire, £? mult a in noftra fermocinatione qu.erebat, 
 (3 ah ociofo quxrebat cciofw. T« vero ccgitans nunc quis & a 
 quo ifta flagites, breviter de re t tint a ref ponder c me jubes. 
 Egofncio quantum peffum : Dominm adjuvet, ut quodpo- 
 ftulas pojjim. 
 
 NonpeJ.cpe it a Uquimur, ut Pafcba propinquante dicamus 
 craftinam vel perendinam ejfe Domini Pafficnem ; cum Hie 
 ante tarn multos anno 5 paffusfit, ncc omnino nifi femel ifta 
 pajfio facia Jit. Nempe ipfo die Dvninico dicimus. Hodie 
 Dominus rcfurrexit : Cum ex quo refurrcxit tot anni tran- 
 fierint. Cur nemo tarn ineptus ejl ut nos ita loqucntcs ar- 
 guat ejfe mentitos, nifi quia ijlos dies fecundum illorum 'qui- 
 vus hxc gcjla funt firnilitudinem nuncupamm ? %Jt dicatur 
 ipfc dies qui non cjl ipfc, fed revolutione temporis Jimilis e- 
 jm : Et dicatur Wo die fieri propter facramenti cclebratio- 
 nem, qucdno.i Wo die fed j am olim factum ejl . Nonne femel 
 immofatui cjl Chrifilus in feipfo ? Et tamen in J her amenta 
 non Jo u*n per omncs Pafchx foiennitates, fed omni die popu- 
 tis immclatur. Nee utique mentitur qui interrogans cum 
 refpondcrit immolari. Si enim facr amenta quandam firni- 
 litudinem canon re. rum quarum facramenta funt ncn habe- 
 rent, omnino facramenta non ejfent. Ex lac autcmfimili- 
 tudine plerunque etiam ipfarum rcrum nomin/i accipiunt. 
 
 Sicut ergo fecundum quendam modum facr amentum corpo- 
 ris Chrifti corpus Chrifli eft, facramentum fanguims Chrijii 
 fanguis Chrifti eft ; ita facramentum fidci fides eft. Nihil 
 eft autemaliud credere quant fidem habere. Ac per hoc cum 
 rcfpo.detur parvulus credere, qui fidei nondum habct affect- 
 um ; rej pondetur fidem habere propter fidci facramentum, & 
 converter e fe ad Deum propter convcrjionis facramentum : 
 Quia G? ipfa rcfpwfio ad eelebrationem pcrtinct facramenti. 
 Sicut dc ipfo baptifmo Apoftolus ; Confepulti, inquit, fumus 
 Chrifto per baptifnum in mortem, Non nit ; fepulturatii 
 fignificamus : Sed prorfus ait; Conftpuiti fumus. Sacra- 
 mentum ergo panto? rci mn, nifi ejufdern rci vocabulo nun- 
 cupavit. 
 
 Itaque parvulum etfi nondum fides ilia qua in credenti- 
 
 um voluntatc confiftit,' j \im tamen ip/lus fidei facramentum 
 fidelcm facit. Nam fictit credere ref pondetur, Jic etiam fi- 
 
 delis vocatur, non [_ad~\ rem ipfiim Mcntc annuendo, fed ip- 
 ftus rei facramentum percipiende. Cum auicm homo fapere 
 
 caperity mn illud facramentum repctit, fed intclligit : e- 
 
 . . ■ MtH 
 
1 40 St. Auflin Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the jufque veritati confona etiam voluntate coaptabitur. Hoc 
 Apoftlcs288. quamdiu nonpoteft, valebit feicr amentum ad ejufdem tute- 
 lam adverfus contrariai poteftates : Et tantum valebit, ut 
 fi anterationis ufum ex hacvita. emigraverit, per ipfumfar 
 cr amentum, commendante ecclefi<s charitate, ab Mi condem- 
 natione qu.cper unum hominem intravit in mundum, Chri- 
 fiiano adjutorio liberetur. Hoc qui non credit, & fieri non 
 poffe arbitratur, profeclo infidelis efl, etft habeat fidei facra- 
 mentum: longeque melior eft Me parvulus qui etiamfi fidem 
 tiondum habeat in cogitatione, non ei tamen obicem contrar 
 rice cogitations opponit ; wide fact amentum ejus faluby iter 
 percipit. 
 
 J\efpondi ficut exiftimo qu.eftionibus tun quantum atti- 
 ffet ad minus capaces £? contentiofos non jatis, quantum 
 autem ad pacatos & inteUigentes plus forth quam fat eft. 
 sScc tibi ad excufationem meam objeci firmifjimam confue- 
 tudinem, fedfaluberrimx confuetudinis reddidi quam potui 
 rationem. 
 
 Tou reckon you have propos'd a very hard qucftion in the 
 latter part of your Letter, according to that temper of yours 
 by which you are wont to be exceeding cautious of any thing 
 that looks like a lie. Tou fay thus ; 
 
 'Suppofe I fet before you an Infant, and ask you 
 ' whether, when he grows up, he will be a Chaft Man, 
 ' or, whether he will be no Thief ? Your anfwer doubt- 
 
 * lefs will be, I cannot tell. And, whether he in that In- 
 "■ fant Age have any good or evil Thought .• You will 
 ' fay, I \now not. Since therefore you dare not fay any 
 ' thing either concerning his future Behaviour, or his pre- 
 
 * fent Thoughts : What is the meaning that when they 
 ' are brought to Baptifm, their Parents, as Sponfors for 
 
 * them, make anfwer and fay, That they do that which 
 1 that Age can have no thoughts of ; or if they have, no 
 
 * body knows what they are ? For we ask thofeby whom 
 ' they are brought, and fay, Does he believe in God? Con- 
 
 * cerning that Age which has no knowledge whether 
 
 * there be a God or not : They anfwer, He' does believe; 
 i And fo in like manner anfwer is made to all the reft. 
 ' So that I wonder how the Parents do in thofc Mat- ; 
 ' ters anfwer fo" confidently for the Child that he does this j 
 ' or that good thing, which the baptizer demands at the" j 
 
 * time of his Baptifm: And yet if at the fame time I ask, 
 ' Will this baptised Perfon prove Chafte, or, not prove a Thief? 
 i I queftion whether any one dare fo anfwer, He will, or, J 
 
 * will not be fuch orfucha one j as they anfwer without any 
 "■•■'. < h^efitarion 
 
Chap. XV. St. Aitflln. I4I 
 
 * hefitation that he docs believe in God : He does turn to Year after the 
 ' Goil - Apoflks 28S 
 
 And then you conclude your Letter with thefe I fords, s^V^-" ' 
 
 4 I entreat you to give me a Jhort anfwer to thefe \ucfti- 
 ons infuch a manner as that you do not wge to me the 
 Prefctiption of the Qufiomarir.efs of the thing, but give me 
 the rcafon of it. 
 
 1 When I had read your Lctrer over and over, and 
 had ccnfider'd it as far as my fhort time would allow; 
 it made me call to mind my Friend Nebridius, who be- 
 ing a very diligent and fagacious inquirer into Matters 
 that were oblcure, efpecially fuch as concern'd Religion, 
 could not endure a fhort anfwer to a weighty queftion* 
 and took it very ill if any one defir'd fuch a thing ; and' 
 would with an angry voice and look reprimand him, if 
 he were a Perfon that might be fo us'd, as counting 
 him unfit to ask iuch queftions; who did notconfider. 
 how much might and ought to be faid on fo great a 
 Matter. ° 
 
 * Bur, I do not pretend to be angry with you in fuch 
 manner as he was wont to be : For you are a Biftioo 
 that have a great many cares upon you, as well as I : So 
 that neither have you the leifure to read a long Dig- 
 courfe, nor I to write one. For he being then a young 
 Man that would not be anfwer'd in brief to fuch things 
 but (pent a great deal of talk with me, inquired as one 
 at leifure from one that was fo too. But you, confider- 
 ing now your own Circumftances that ask, and mine 
 that am asked, bid me anfwer briefly about fo great a 
 Matter. And that I here do as well as I can : I pray 
 God to affift me that I may be able to fatis'fie your 
 demand. 
 
 ' You know we often exprefs our felves fo, as that 
 when Good Friday is nigh, we lay, To morrow, 'or, next 
 day n our Lord's pajfwn : Tho' it be a great many years 
 ago that he iuffer'd, and his PafTion was never perfor- 
 med but once. So on the Lord's day we fay Tks day 
 wrLord arefe, tho' fmce he arofe it be fo many yearf. 
 Why is there no body fo filly as to fay we lie When vve 
 fpeakfo, but for this reafon,becaufe we give names to thofe 
 days, from the Reprefentation they make us of thofe on 
 which the things were indeed done? So asthatiscall'ddie 
 very day, which is not the very day, but anfwers to it in the 
 Revolution of time : And that which is not done on that 
 J day, but was dor e a long time ago,is fpoken of as done on 
 
 'that 
 
14* St. Auftin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the ' that day, becaufe the Sacrament of it is then celebrated. 
 
 Apoftles 288. ' Was not Chrift in his own Perfon offer'd up [or, facri- 
 
 v " / '~Vv^-' ' ficed] cnce for all? And yet in the Sacrament he is of* 
 
 1 fer'd in the Church [or, in, or, to, or among the peop!c~\i\oz 
 
 * only every Eaftcr, but every day ; nor does he lie, who 
 ' being ask'd, fays, He is offer d. For Sacraments would 
 
 * not be Sacraments, if they had not a refemblance of thofc 
 ' things whereof they arc the Sacraments : And from this 
 
 * refemblance they commonly have the names of the 
 
 * things themfclves. 
 
 * As therefore the Sacrament of Chrift's body is after 
 
 * a certain fafhion Chrift's body^ and the Sacrament of 
 
 * Chrift's blood is Chrift's blood : So the Sacrament of 
 ' Faith is Faith, and to believe is nothing elfe but to have 
 
 * Faith. . And fo when an Infant that has not yet the facul- 
 ' ty of Faith, is laid to believe ; he is faid to have Faith, 
 
 * becaufeof the Sacrament of Faith ; and to turn to God, 
 ' becaufe of the Sacrament of Converfion : Becaufe that 
 ' anfwer belongs to the Celebration of the Sacrament. So 
 
 (21) Rom. 6 * t ^ ie Apoftie on r hi s ^ ame Subjedl of Baptifm, fays, (1 1 ) 
 a ' ' We are burled together with Chrift by Baptifm unto Death : 
 
 * He does not fay, Wefigyilfc a burial, but he ufes the 
 g word it felf, l-Ve arc burled. So that he calls the Sa- 
 
 * crament of fo great a thing by the name of the thing 
 ' it felf. 
 
 ' And fo an Infant, tho' he be not yet Conftituted a Vir 
 ' del \_a faithful Chrift I an} by that Faith which confifts 
 
 * in the will of believers ; yet he is by the Sacrament of 
 
 * that Faith : For as he is faid to believe, fo he is called 
 1 a Fidel, not from his having the thing it felf in his 
 ; mind, but from his receiving the Sacrament of it. 
 
 ■' And when a Perion begins to have aSente of things 
 
 * he does not repeat that Sacramcr.r. but undcrftands 
 ' the force of it, and by confent of Will fquares himfelf 
 
 * to the true meaning of it. And till he can do this, the 
 ' Sacrament will avail to his prcfervaticn againft all 
 ' contrary powers : And fo far it will avail ; that if he 
 
 * depart this Life before the ufe of feafon, he will by 
 
 * this Chriftian remedy of the Sacrament it felf (the 
 
 i Charity of the Church recommending him) be. made 
 
 « free from that Condemnation (22) vpuich by one Man cn- 
 f 21) Rom. 5. , ter ' d int0 the mrldt 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auft'm. 1 43 
 
 I He that does not believe this, and thinks it cannot be Year after the 
 
 * done, is indeed an Infidel, tho' he have the Sacrament Apoftles 288. 
 ' of Faith. And that Infant is much better, who tho' he ^-^^V^** -r 
 
 * have not Faith in his Mind, yet puts no bar of a contra- 
 ' ry Mind againft it, and ib receives the Sacrament to 
 
 * his Souls health. 
 
 I I have given fuch an anfwer to your queftions, as I 
 
 * fuppofe is, to ignorant or contentious People not e- 
 ' nough, and to underftanding and quiet People perhaps 
 
 * more than enough. Neither have I, to fpare my Pains, 
 s urged to you the Cuftom's being lo firmly grounded : 
 ' But I have, as well as I could, explained to you the rea- 
 f fon of that wholefome Cuftom. 
 
 How skilful or judicious the Reader will judge rhi^ 
 Explication of the reafon of the Cuftom to be, I know 
 not ? Nor is it much material, fince we are not now in- 
 quiring how acute St. Auftin was, but what it was than 
 he and the reft knew to be true in point of Fadt. And 
 hereby we perceive plainly thefe Matters following. 
 
 §.5. 1. That that was the practice, for the Godfathers 
 (who were, as I faid, ufually the Parents) to make thefe 
 anfwers in the Child's name. The ufe of Godfathers ap- 
 peared before ^23) from the words of Tertullian ; but ("23) CH, IV* 
 here it is fet forth more particularly : And St. Auftin fays §, « 
 that thefe Anfwer s, do belong to [or, are a neceflTary apper- 
 tinence of ~] the Sacrament, and he had faid in the former 
 part of the Letter, (which I omitted becaufe of the 
 length) that they are verba Sacrament or urn, fine qui bus 
 parvulus cenfecrari non potefl : H 7 ords of the Sacrament, 
 without which an Infant cannot be baptised. Whether 
 he would not have excepted the cafe of neceility in 
 danger of fudden Death (as the Church of England does) 
 if there had been occafion of fpeaking of that, I know 
 not : But it is plain he would have been againft thofe 
 that either decry this practice, or count it a thing of 
 no moment. The Church of Chrift has always ta- 
 ken care that the Bieilings of God promifed in this 
 Sacrament may be understood as conveyed conditionally 
 or by way of Covenant ; which thefe queftions and an- 
 
 Ifwers do moft lively exprefs. 
 §. 6. 2. We fee that they then held as certain, that 
 Children which arc baptised, dying before they commit a- 
 tlu.il Sin, are undoubtedly Javed : For St. Auftin here fays in 
 :hefe laft Words that he that does net believe this is an !.>;- 
 irfr/: Winch he would not fav„ if it had been count- 
 ed 
 
144 St.Au/lm. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the ed at all doubtful. The fame thing might have been 
 
 Apoftles 188. obferv'd from what he fays above, ■• Setl. 3. §. z. God 
 
 *<Syr^~' forbid that I foould make any queftion whether Infants 
 
 regenerated and dying in Infamy do come to eternal Sal- 
 
 nation. 
 
 3. If thofe Learned Benediftines who have managed 
 the laft Edition of this Father's Works, to fet his 
 Books and Epiftles in their Chronological Order, have 
 placed this Epiftle right ; then we fee here another proof 
 (24) Annot. of thfe miftake of Grotius, who maintains, as I (24) laid, 
 in Matt. 19. Chat St. Aiijlin, before he was heated with the Pclagi- 
 14. an Controverfie, did never aflert rhe Condemnation of 
 
 (24J Seel:. 3. Infants dying unbaptized, no not to thole leffer or mild- 
 §» t. er fufferings in the World to come. For they place 
 
 this Epiftle, (which is in their Edition the 98th) Anno 
 Dom. 408. which was before Pelagius vented his Herefie : 
 And yet here St. Auflin in faying, They will, if they die 
 before the itfc of reafon, be freed by this Chrijlian reme- 
 dy of the Sacrament from that Condemnation which by one 
 Man enter d into the World, plainly fuppofes that they 
 would otherwife have been liable to it. 
 
 §.7. 4. There are two other things obfervable from 
 his Words here, which are well worth the noting, tho* 
 they do not relate to our Subjedt. One is, that he 1 
 fpeaks fo as that we may be fure he had no notion 
 of Tranfubftantiation. For to fay, that Sacraments have 
 alikenef £or refemblance] of thofe things whereof they 
 are the Sacraments ; and from this rcjemblance they common- 
 ly have the names rf the things thcmfclves ; and to exem- 
 plifie this by faying, The Sacrayncnt rfChrifi's body is Chrifi's 
 hody, and the Sacrament of his blood is his blood after a certain 
 manner \ox fafhiorf] and to fpeak of this as a thing fo 
 underftood by all, is proof enough that he neither be- % 
 lieved, nor had conceived or heard of any fuch dodrine Kit 
 as makes the body and blood of Chrift to be there in a id 
 proper fenfe. ier 
 
 §. 8. 5. Another is, that it was then the common Cuftom fe 
 for Chriftians in lome Churches, and probably in that where : ut 
 he lived, to receive the Communion of Chrift's body eve- 
 ry day. For fo he fays, Chrift in him felf [or, in his own 
 Perfen] was offer d fbr, facriticedl but once i but yet in 
 the Sacrament [or, in a Sacramental way]} he is offer d up 
 every day. 'Tis certain this was the Cuftom then of the 
 Chriftians at Rome : And that in many of the Eaflem 
 Churches, and fome of the Wcftcrn the Cuftom was riot U 
 
 ft 
 
 i 
 Is 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auflin. 145" 
 
 not to receive fo often. For St. Hierom and St. Auflin have Year after the 
 each of 'em written Letters on this Subject in anfwer to ^^^i^^^ 
 
 fome that had delir'd their opinion in relation to this dif- ■■ ' 
 
 ference, as Aug. Epifi. 1 18. adjanuarium. Hieronym. E- 
 fiji. 28. ad Lucinum Bxticum. See alfo Aug. de fermone 
 Domini in Monte, l.i. c.\l. and Genyiad. de Eccl.dogtn. 
 c. 63. Their Opinicn is, that in that and all fuch like 
 "Matters that arc not determined by Scripture, nor by the 
 Authority of the Vniverfal Church, one fhould follow the u- 
 fage of that Church in which one lives. And St. Auflin 
 there fays, that he had by long Experience found this 
 Rule (which had been given him by St. Ambrofe) to 
 be of unfpeakable ufe for the quieting Mens minds, and 
 for the Peace of the Church. 
 
 This they fay of receiving every day : But no Perfon 
 then would have fpoken with fuch indifferency of the 
 cuftom of any People (if there had then been any fueh) 
 that ufed to receive fo feldom as many among the Prc± 
 tcfiants how a-days do. For Gennadius loc. citat. fays^ 
 Thrfe that Communicate every dcy I do neither commend 
 nor blame : But I would advife and perfwade People to Com- 
 municate every Lord's day ; provided they have apurpofe of 
 
 ' forfakjng Sin. But this Ifpeal^ of thofe who have 
 
 iot any capital or mortal Crimes lying on their Confciences,tkc<, 
 
 Thofe he adviles to do penance firft. 
 
 ; $. 9. 6. He does both in this Letter, and alfo in the 
 
 1 ?aifage la ft before rehearfed, and in many other Places, 
 
 • "o fpeak as plainly to (hew that he did not think nor 
 
 . afetend that Infants that are Baptized have in any proper 
 
 senfe, Faith or Repentance, or Converfion of the 
 
 leart, &c. Kow much foever he is here prefs'd with 
 
 he difficulty of explaining the reafon why the Godfather 
 
 mfwers in the Child's name, He does believe : He does 
 
 iot for all that fly to the juftifying of fo great a Pa- 
 
 adox, as to fay that the Child does indeed in a pro= 
 
 *er ienfe underftahdj believe, or disbelieve any thing. 
 
 ie (hews the Words are true irt a Sacramental fenfe, 
 
 >ut does not maintain they are fo in a proper one, 
 
 »Jay he plainly yields they are not : He grants that In° 
 
 ants cannot at yet either believe 'with the heart f or confefi 
 
 pith the mouth. 
 
 And when at other places (25) he argues that Infants (2|) Dc pse* 
 fter they are Baptizd, are no longer to be counted eU c atorum me- 
 ler among the Inf.deles or Catechumeni) but among the r ' cis 1 *< c. 
 td^es or GridenM $ yet ftill he means and explains a 5^ 33>&t< 
 
 h himfeif 
 
14 6 St.Auftk* Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the himfclf, as he does here, That they are conjlituted Fidcles 
 Apoftles z88. not by that Faith which confijls in the will of believers, but 
 **S~yr**-' by the Sacrament of that Faith. 
 
 He does indeed hold that the holy Spirit does do Offi- 
 ces for the Infant, and is in the Infant : You fee here 
 his Words, The regenerating Spirit is one in thofe that 
 bring the Child, and in the Child that is brought. And 
 in that part of the Epiftie which I left out Decaufe of 
 the length, he fays, Aqua exhibens forinfecus facramen- 
 tum gratia, & fpiritus operans intrinfecus beneficium gra- 
 tis, folvens vinculum culpa, 8cc. ' The Water affording 
 ' outwardly the Sacrament of the Grace, and the Spirit 
 • operating inwardly the benefit of the Grace, loofing the 
 ' bond of Guilt, &c. do regenerate. But he fuppofes the 
 Infants to be merely paflive, and not to know, under- 
 stand, or co-operate any thing themfelves. 
 (16) Epilr. In his Epiftie to (z6) Dardanus he fays, It is a wo?i- 
 57» dcrful thing to confider hove God dwells infome that kpow 
 
 him not, and in feme that do know him he does not dwell. 
 For they who when they know God, glorifie him not as 
 God, nor are thankful, do not belong to his Temple : 
 And Infants fancli fie d by the Sacrament of Chrift, regene- 
 rated by the holy Spirit, do belong to his Temple ; who, 
 tho' they be regenerated, cannot yet by reafonof their Age 
 know God. And afterward, iVe affirm therefore that the 
 holy Spirit dwells in baptised Infants, tho' they know it net ; 
 for after the fame manner they kjiow him not, tho' he be 
 in 'em, as they kjiow not their own Soul : The reafon whereof 
 which they cannot yet make ufe of, is in them as a fparl{. 
 raked up, which will kindle as they grow in years. 
 (27) Chem- Some Modern Divines, efpecially of the Lutherans^ 
 nitii Examen. have gone farther, and do (27) maintain that Infants have 
 Part 2. de Faith, and do believe after a certain manner ; but not 
 baptjfmo,can 9 in the fame way or manner that adult People do/ whofe 
 •3« Faith comes by Hearing, Thought, Meditation, Under- 
 
 standing, £#c. for they grant that Infants have none of 
 (a 8) Ma!- thefe : And what fort of Faith is it that they have, can- 
 branch, not, as they confefs, be explained. 
 Search. Ulu- But a late Philofophical Divine of the Church of Upmc, 
 ftrations on nas out done all. He has (28) acquainted us with the Me- 
 Ch. 7. of the c hanifm by which original Sin is formed in the Brain of 
 1 ft. part of an j n f ant before he is Born, and alfohow at Baptifm is is 
 Book. re<aified : & is worth knowing. 
 
Chap. XV. Sr. Auftin. j?M 
 
 Tis thus; The Mother has a finful inclination and Year after the 
 love to the World, Pleafure, &c. There are tracks or Apoftles 2.88c 
 traces in .her Brain running all this way. The Child w^V^*^ 
 in her Womb has by Sympathy the fame traces bred 
 in his Brain ; fo he has, before be is born, corrupt incli- 
 nations and is a Sinner. The difficulty is, how this is 
 rectified at Baptifm. 
 
 For this, he fuppofes the Child to have at the time of 
 Baptifm one ftrong aUual motion cf love to God; and 
 lays, Onefingle infant is fufficient for the exercifc of that 
 Atl of love. And, Concupifcence is as it were mortified that 
 moment. And the ftrangeft thing that he fays, is, Itfhouli 
 not be thought ^ f range, that I fuppofc it pofible for Children 
 to love God voith a love of choice at the time of their Bap- 
 tifm. Forjince, &c. r 
 
 I think this Learned Author does fomewhere fcol/VeW » 1 
 obferve in his Book, that Men of Learning are moil fab. pint 2 Ch 
 J eft to error : And, that thofe who are mojl hot in the fearch a ' ' A 
 of truth are the Men that lead us into infinite errors. He 
 gives feveral reafons for this, why fuch Men do fome- 
 times fall into greater miftakes than vulgar Peowle. 
 One more may perhaps be added to them « Vulgar Peo- 
 ple having no afliftance from Learning or Fhilofophyv 
 have nothing but Common Senfc to truft to, fothey~ee= 
 nerally keep clofe to that : They feldom allow themfclves 
 jo maintain any Opinion that is very remote from it. 
 It was not thefe Men that adventur'd ftrft to teach 
 the World, that that is in a proper fenfe the Body of" 
 a Man, which we fee, when we have it in our hands 
 to be a piece of Bread, On the contrary, they can 
 hardly believe it, tho* the Learned have taught era J 
 
 to. Neither was it for one of them to have found 
 with all their fearch this truth, that an Infant at the' 
 time of Baptifm loves God with a love of choice. They 
 will hardly believe it of any Infant at any time : Much' 
 
 I lefs when they fee the Child faft afleep at the time of 
 Baptifm or (as St. Auftin obferyes (30) they often are) (->o) Erfifc 
 in a fit of crying and fretfulnefs all the while ; which 57 
 as he remarks, would be very fmfu!, tf they had any * 
 underftanding, * 
 
 f The forefaid Author fays indeed. We ought not pofi-. 
 
 i ttyely to affirm this, that Children are iufiified by formal 
 adscf their wil And he had rcafon, for the Council (iff skf fi 
 or Trent fuppofc the contrary, when they fay, (3 if) JFJfCan. deBap- 
 tiny one Jh*li fay that bliftigd Infants becaufe the? have «-'md &, 
 
148 St. Auftin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the not the atl of believing, are not to be accounted Fide- 
 ApofUes 288* les, &c. let him be anathema. I fuppofe that Church 
 ^-^"v^*— have at laft learnd not to hang any more Mill-ftones 
 on the rteck of their Religion. 
 
 He fays alfo, They that have treated of the effefl of 
 Baptifm in the Ages paft, have omitted the explaining the 
 regeneration of Infants by the aSlual motions of their heart 5 
 not that they were induced by Jirongreafons to judge it im- 
 foffible, for their works do not fhew they have ever Jo much 
 m examin'd it. But St. Auftin thought the evidence of 
 fenfe to be a ftrong reafon, when he fays in the fore- 
 (32) Epift, faid Epiftle (32) to Dardanus ; If we [hould go about to 
 57. prove by Difcourfe, that Infants, which as yet have no know- 
 
 ledge of humane things, have knowledge of divine things j 
 I am afraid wefhould Jeem to offer an affront to our fenjes j 
 when, let us fay what we will, the evidence of the truth 0- 
 ver-powers all the force of our talk. He was not fo hardy 
 as either in this or the other Sacrament, or in any other 
 point to tack any thing to our Faith that is contrary 
 to our Senfe. And he goes on there to obferve that 
 Infants, even then when they begin to talk, have fo lit- 
 tle fenle or underftanding, that if they (hould always 
 Keep to that pitch, they would be Ideots. 
 
 Moft of the paedobaptifts go no farther than St. Au- 
 ftin does ; they hold that God, by his Spirit, does at the 
 time of Baptifm, feal and apply to the Infant that is 
 there dedicated to him, the promifes of the Covenant 
 of which he is capable, vi%. Adoption, Pardon of Sin, 
 Tranflation from the ftate of Nature to that of Grace, C?c. 
 On which account the Infant is faid to be regenerated of 
 [or, by] the Spirit. Not that God does by any miracle 
 at that time illuminate or convert the mind of the Child. 
 And for original Sin, or the corruption of Nature, they 
 hold that God, by his Covenant, does abolilh the Guilt 
 of it, receives the Child to his mercy in Chrift, and con- 
 figns to him by promife fuch Grace as (hall afterward, 
 by the ufe of means, if he live, be fufficient to keep it 
 under, but not wholly to extirpate it in this life. It is 
 left as the lubje# of trial and of a continual Chriftian 
 (33) Contra warfare. And this is the Opinion of St. Auftin (33) and 
 Julianum. 1.6. f tne Ancients in general. 
 
 c " 5, o, 7, Th e j> e i a gi nns on tne other fide fet their B r airis to 
 
 work to find fome aftual Sin in an Infant. It was to 
 their purpofe, for (ince they took on 'em to deny origi- 
 nal Sin , and were f reft with that Argument moft of ail j 
 
 that 
 
is 
 
 Chap. XV. St. Aujlin. 149 
 
 that the reafon why Infants are Baptiz'd, is for forgive- Yearafter the 
 nefs of Sin : They, for an evafion, would fomctimes fay, Apolrks 288. 
 that their peevifhnefs and fretful crying as foon as they ^~~v"^-~ 
 are born, is a (24) Sin : And they may be Baptized for (^4) Augufi 
 the forgivenefs of that or fuch like Sins. St. Auftin ex- <J e peccato- 
 plodes that rather more than the other : As being a rum mentis. 
 thing that no bedy would ever fay but to ferve an Hy- L. 1. 
 pothefis : That if they mould calmly thinl^of it, they would 
 change their Opinion ; and if they will not, fays he, we 
 /hall not have Jo ill an Opinion of humane fenfe, as to fear 
 that any body will be perfvaded by 'em. He takes nothing 
 to be plainer than this, that a Child before the ufe of 
 reafon can have neither 2<fhial Sin nor actual Faith. 
 
 Sect. 6\ Out of St. Auftuis Books de 
 
 Genejt ad liter am, 
 
 De Gene ft ad liter am lib. 1 0. 
 
 ST. Auftin began and made a good Progrefs in thefe 
 Books on Genejis long before Pelagiw began to ftir; 
 but other work intervening he did not iinifh and publifh 
 'em till fome time after. I do not obferve any thing in 'em 
 that ieems to have any refped to the difpute with him. 
 In this tenth Book he handles the point of the origin of 
 the humane Soul; whether every Perfon's Soul be by 
 immediate Creation ; or whether, as the Body of a Man 
 is dcriv'd from the Body of his Parents, fo his Soul alfo 
 be derived from their Soul. He recites the Arguments 
 on both (ides. 
 
 He obferves (35) that the derivation of original Sin (3 5) Cap. is 
 from our firft Parents upon all their Pofterity is made 
 by many an Argumen: for the Propagation of Souls as 
 well as Bodies. They inftane'd in Infants, concerning 
 whom they argued thus, If we fay they be derived from 
 Adam, in refped of their Bodies only, and not in refped 
 }f their Souls, we muft have a care that we do not, ei- 
 :her make God to be"the Author of Sin, (if he put the 
 soul into a Body in which it muft needs Sin) or elfe 
 uffer it to be believ'd tljat there may be feme Sou}, 
 
 L 3 be (ids 
 
I^o St. Auflin. Chap. XV. 
 
 ^Tear after the befide our Saviour Chrift's, which has no need of the 
 .Apoftles 288, Chriftian Grace to free it from Sin. Which 1 aft is, fay 
 $s^*y* <am ' t ne y> fo contrary to the belief of the Church ; that Parents 
 run with their Infants and little Ones, to procure the Grace 
 of holy Baptifm. In whom if that bond of fin be loofed,, 
 which is of the Body only, and not that which is of the Soul 
 too, it may well be askt what hurt it would do 'em, if at 
 that age theyfhould die without Baptifm j for if this Sacra- 
 ment be for the good of their Body, and not of their Soul too, 
 they might be Baptised after they were dead. But when as 
 we fee that the Church universally obferves this, to run with 
 *em while they are alive, and to help 'em while they are alive, 
 left when they are dead there be nothing to be done that can 
 do' em any good ; we fee not what eljc can be made of it, but 
 that every Infant is of Adam both as to his Body and as to 
 his Soul. 
 \i&) Cap. 13, And afterward, (36) this Argument is carried on thus, 
 What has the Soul of an Infant defervd, that it fhould be 
 ruind in cafe it go cut of the Body without the Sacrament of 
 Chriftian Baptifm, if it has neither committed any Sin of its 
 own, nor be from that Soul which fii ft finned in Adam ? 
 (37) Capo 14. The anfwer to that is (37) attempted to this pur- 
 pofe. 
 
 God puts the Soul into an ill difpos'd Body, that by ru- 
 ling and keeping under the Concupifcence thereof by the 
 help of God's Grace, it may procure the advantage of 
 being together with the Body chang'd into a better ftate 
 ac the Refurrection than ever it could have had other- 
 wife, vi%. of living for ever with Chrift. And to com- 
 ply with the fteps which the Body makes by its gradual 
 growth, the Soul is at firft pofTefTed with a torpor, or in- 
 capacity of acting rationally ; which does not do it much 
 hurt, becaufeit wears off by degrees as the Body grows 
 to perfection, and the Soul recovers from it, and arrives 
 by God's helpat a good degree of fpiritual life. Now be- 
 fore the time-that it can live according to the Spirit it has 
 need of the Sacrament cf the Mediator, &c. For thepunifk- 
 ment of original Sin is taken away even in Infancy by his Sa- 
 cramcnt; and withoim his help even a grownMan will not keep 
 under the Concupifcence of the Flejh, &c.« And the In- 
 
 fant tnuft be Baptised while he is alive : Otherwife it will 
 prove a prejudice to his Scul that it was linked with ftn- 
 ful Flefh^ fcr the Scul cf an Infanfr having participated with 
 that, cannot be addicted to the things of the Spirit : For that 
 Affection doss weigh it ciuwn even after it is parted frcm 
 
 the 
 
Chap. XV. St. Aufi'm. i?i 
 
 the Body, unlefi while it i; in the Body it he expiated by the Year after the 
 one Sacrifice of the true Priejl. Apoftles 288, 
 
 Reply. (38) But how, fays one, if the Parents take no <-^^j^^-^- 
 care to have this done either thro infidelity or ncgli- 13?) Cap. 15. 
 gence ? 
 
 Anfwer. That may befaidas well of grown Perfons,for they 
 may die fuddenly, or they mayfallficl^in a place where no bo- 
 dy will help 'em to Baptifm, 
 
 Rep]}-. But they have Sins of their own that need forgive- 
 nefi - 9 and if they he not forgiven, a Man cannot truly fay 
 they are punifb'd undeservedly for the things they have (y 
 their own will committed in their life time. But why /halt 
 that Soul be depriv'd of eternal Life {in cafe no body help 
 the Infant toBaptifm) to which the Contagion it has received 
 from fitful Flefh cannot be imputed, if it be not propagated 
 from the firflfmful Soul ? For it was plac'din the Body, not by 
 any Sin, but by Nature that order d itfo, and by God that pla- 
 ced it there. And if we fay that the want of Baptifm will do 
 it no hurt, then what good does it do to one that is helped to 
 it, if there be no hurt to one that is not helped ? 
 
 Here, fays St. Auflin, I confefs that I never heard or read 
 what they can anfwer for their fide, who endeavour to main- r. 
 
 tain by Scripture (as being for their Opinion, or as not being 
 againft it) that new Souls, and net fuch as are derived from 
 the Parents, are put into Bodies. 
 
 Yet he attempts in the following Chapters another an- 
 fwer or two for thofe that held that Opinion of the new 
 Creation of Souls ffor himfelf, ir is plain that he indin'd 
 moft to the Opinion of the Propagation of 'em $ only he 
 was fo medeft as not to determine any thing) but they 
 are long, and, as he (hews, inefficient, 
 
 One is, that God does not, in his Providence, fuffer a- 
 ' ny Infant to die unbaptiz'd,but fuch as he forefaw would 
 ' have been Wicked and Impenitent, if they hadJiv'd.He 
 i (hews howabfurd it is to think, that God Condemns Per- 
 ' fons for Sins, which they never did, or thought of; on-? 
 I ly he forefees they would have done em if they had 
 ) Jived. 
 
 §.2. Atlaft he comes to this end of his difcourfecn 
 that SubjecV Having recited many Arguments and An= 
 fwers on each fide, he fays, (39) Having treated of this as (30^ Cap. 23. 
 largely as I could for the time, Ijhould judge the force of the 
 Reafons, and of the Authorities to be equal, or almoft equal 
 on both fides, were it not that the Opinion of thofe that 
 tbir\ the Souls to be deriv'd from the Parents has the 4ds 
 
 L 4 vantdgii 
 
 
I fi St. Juflin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Htvc after the vantage on the account of the Baptiftn of Infants : On which 
 ^poftles 288. -point what anfwer can be given them, I do not at prefent 
 ^^^N^*^^ conceive. If God fhall hereafter teach me any thing, and 
 fhall grant me an opportunity to write it, I fhall not grudge 
 it to thofe that are ftudioui of fuch t'hings. But I now de- 
 clare beforehand that the proof concerning Infants muft not 
 \>edifregarded,fo as that if the truth be on the other fide, that 
 fhould be fafi over without anfwering. Aut enim de hSc re 
 nihil queer endum eft, utfifficiatfidei neftnvfeire nos quo pic 
 vivendoventurifumus, etf, nefciamm unde venerimus- Aut ft 
 non impudent er ccfluat anima rationale etiam hoc nojfe iefeip- 
 fa,abfit pervicacia contendendi, affit diligentia requirendi,hu- 
 tnilitas petendi, per fever antiapulfandi : Vtfi nobis ho: expe- 
 dite novit qui melius quam nos quid nobis cxpediat utique 
 novit, det etiam hoc qui novit dare bona data filiis fuis: 
 Conjuetudo tamen matris cede fix in bapti^andis parvulis nc- 
 quaquam fpernenda eft, ncque ullo modo fuperf.ua deputanda, 
 nee omninl credenda nifi Apoftolica effe traditio. 'For ei- 
 ther nothing at all is to be enquir'd of this Matter 
 
 * [the origin of the Soul] and it muft fuffice our Faith 
 4 that we know whither we (hall go, if we live well, 
 4 without knowing whence we are fprung •> or if it be no 
 
 * imitiodeft Ambition for a rcaforiable Soul to defire to 
 
 * know this alfo concerning her felf • putting away all 
 
 * obftinacy of contending, we muft ufe diligence in in- 
 " quiring, humility in asking, perfeverance in knock- 
 ing, that if he who knows letter than we what 
 
 * is. fit for us do judge this expedient , he would 
 
 * grant this alfo, as he grants good gifts to his Chil- 
 
 * dren. But the cuftom of our Mother the Church 
 'in Baptizing Infants muft not be difregarded, nor be 
 ' accounted ncedlefs, nor believed to be other than a tra 
 
 * dition £or order] of the Apoftles. 
 
 (40) Vlndica- - . The late Bilhop of fVorccfter has reftor'd (40J the true 
 
 tion of Bp. reading of this place out of three ancient Manufcripts at 
 
 £««<J'sCon- Oxford: For in thofe laft Words, Apoftolica effe traditi,c 
 
 ference. Part tne ^ord effe was in the Printed Editions effct $ which 
 
 s.CH.IV. addition of one Letter had wonderfully perverted the 
 
 fenfe, for as it ftood ? fo it was to beTranflaifed, is not to be 
 
 difregarded, nor to be accounted necdlcf., nor to be believd at 
 
 iiU, if it were not a tradition of the Apftles. Which make; 
 
 St. Auftin go forward, and backward, and forward again 
 
 In the fame breath. But this Amendment makes it a co 
 
 Sierent Sentence, agreeable to the fcope of the place, and 
 
 confcnr^bV ro ivhai Si.Auftin fays in fevcral other places 
 
 Foi 
 
Chap. XV. St.Juftm. l5 - 3 
 
 For example, 'tis the fame Phrafe with that which I Year after the 
 recited, Sett. 4. §. 3. of this Chapter, Non nifi autcritate Aportles 288 
 Apoftoikl traditum rettiffime creditur, * is moft reasonably s~s~V~^-** 
 * believed to be no other than a thing deliver'd fjor or- 
 ' der'd] by the Authority of the Apoftles. ' So that tho' 
 it was not fitting to alter the reading without the Au- 
 thority of fome Manufcripts, yet as foon as the alte- 
 ration is propos'd, it presently appears to be the true 
 reading. 
 
 The Papifts made great ufe of this place as it flood 
 fo Printed, to fhew that fome points ot Faith (for they 
 make this difference about the time of Baptifm to con- 
 cern a point of Faith,) can be proved only by Tradi- 
 tion, and not by Scripture ; and confequently that the 
 Scripture is no compleat rule of Faith. Archbifhop Laud 
 managing the defence of the Proteftant Do&rine to 
 the contrary, fays, (41) "(it true, Bellarmine preffes 4(4i)Confe- 
 main place out of St. Auftin, and be urges it bad ■> mean-rence. §. 15* 
 ing this Place. But it might have been obferved, even N. 5. 
 before the true reading was difcovered, that the Words 
 fo put together are nonfenfe. For if St. Auflin had 
 faid, Tbe Doctrine of Infant Baptifm were not to be believ- 
 ed if it were not a tradition of tbe Apcfllcs, it had been 
 Senfe indeed, and fomething to their purpofe, tho' not 
 true. But to fay, Tbe Cuftom of tbe Church in bapti- 
 sing Infants were not to be believed unlefl it were a Tra- 
 dition of tbe Affiles, is not fenfe ; becaufe the cufiom 
 was feen and not believed. Which is another proof 
 that the Print was Erroneous, and that the forefaid A- 
 mendment is the true reading. 
 
 The Antipxdobaptifts on the contrary ferved them- 
 felvcs of this place to prove, as by St. Aufiins, Conf/ef^ 
 on, that the practice of Infant Baptifm depended on- 
 ly en Tradition ; From whence they concluded that 
 it was not to be received at all. But whofoever reads 
 thefe two pafTages of St. Auflin that I have been compa- 
 ring, will fee, that he does not by the Words Tradition 
 and Traditio, mean a Doc~h ine that had been taught by 
 Word of mouth only, and had no Foundation in the 
 written Word. He plainly cxprefTcs the contrary in 
 the former place-: For he f peaks to this purpofe, If 
 any one, befide the practice of the univerlal Church 
 do require Divine Authority in this Matter : Firlt, that 
 practice having not been order'd by any Council, but 
 having been ever in ufe in the Church, it is moft realbna- 
 
1*4 St. Auflin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the ble to believe that it muft have been order'd by the 
 Apoftles 288. Apoftles themfelves. And, Secondly, it may be prov'd 
 from Scripture alio, by the Analogy that Baptifm bears 
 to Circumcifion, &c. 
 
 And whereas the Latin Phrafe runs, Non nifi auto- 
 ritate Afoftolka traditutn ; that does not fignifie that 
 it was eftabliuYd no other veay than by a verbal Order, 
 but that it came not in by any leffer or later Authori- 
 ty than that of the Apoftles j not by any general Coun- 
 cil, £?c. 
 
 'Tis true, his arguing in that place does fuppofe, 
 that tho' it could not have been prov'd from Scrip- 
 ture, yet if it could be prov'd to have been order- 
 ed by the Apoftles by word in their life time, that 
 ought to have fatisfied any one. And fo no doubt it 
 ought, provided the proof were clear. But this does 
 not heip the Argument of the Papifts, who would have 
 the confent of the Church at frefent to be a fuffici- 
 ent proof of a Doctrine. For how hard or how ea- 
 lie foever it was at that time for the Church to 
 know certainly the practice of the Apoftles, by a Tra- 
 dition which needed to be traced back but for 300 
 years ; it is utterly impoflible now to trace back a Tra- 
 dition for 160© years, unlefs it be recorded in Scrip- 
 ture, or in thofe Ancient Writings nigh the time of 
 the Apoftles ; which, I am fure, the Pope's Supremacy 
 and Worfhip of Images, &c. are not, whatever this, that 
 I am Writing of, be. 
 
 Se& 
 
Chap. XV. $t.Aufti*. i$5 
 
 Year after the 
 ■ 9 ApoiHes 288, 
 
 Sed. 7. Out of St. Jufiin s Letter to ^w 
 St. Hierom. 
 
 Augujiini Epiji. 28. 
 
 §. 1. This Letter was written after the Pelagian Opini- 
 J» ons began to be talk'd of. He mentions 'em 
 there, For you are, fays he, none of thofe who novo begin 
 to frate new things, and fay, there is no guilt deriv'd from 
 Adam, which is by Baptifm forgiven in an Infant. There- 
 fore the Quotations out of it ought not to be placed in 
 this Chapter, were it not that here they may be dif- 
 patch'd more briefly ; as being exactly to the fame pur- 
 pofe as thofe I laft Quoted. 
 
 St. Auftin having, as we fee, in his Books on Gene- 
 fts fo treated of the origin of the Soul, as to leave it in 
 fufpenfe how it is that we came by our Souls • and be- 
 ing ftill thoughtful of that Matter, and coming to know 
 that St. Hierom had wrote fomething on this Sub- 
 Jed in his Epiftle to Marcellinus, and in a piece of 
 his againlt ^ufinus's Apology ; wherein he had fpoke 
 in favour of that opinion which makes new Souls 
 to be created every day by God for every new Infant, 
 calling that the opinion of the Church ; and of the other 
 opinion which luppofes the Soul to be propagated from 
 the Parent, had laid, That it was the opinion of Tertulli- 
 an and Apollinaris and of mcfi of the Weftern Chrifiians, 
 that as the Body is generated of the Body, fo the Soul is of 
 the Soul, and Sub/fls in a way much like to that of brute 
 Creatures : He had a mind to fee how St. Hierom could 
 free that opinion (which he feemed to embrace) of the 
 new Creation of Souls, from the Objection that lay a- 
 gainft it from the Propagation of original Sin from Fa- 
 ther to Son. And therefore he writes to him, tho' he 
 liv'd above a thouland mile off, to de(ire him to explain 
 that difficulty. '' 
 
 And for fear of provoking him (for he was a hafty 
 Man, and St. Auftin had felt the fharpnefs of his ftyle 
 in an angry fit before) he writes in a moft humble (train, 
 and with great deference to his Learning and Judgment, 
 and fo as few Bifhops now a-days will vouchfafe to 
 
 Write 
 
i$6 StAuJtm Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the Write to any Presbyter, intreating him to inftruct and 
 ApofHes288. fatisfy him in fuch things as he was ignorant of, that 
 he might be able to inftruct others. 
 
 He firft fets down fome things which he knew of him- 
 felf, that St. Hierom might have the lefs trouble in fa- 
 tisfying him of the other in which he was to feek. 
 The things that he took for certain concerning the na- 
 ture of Man's Soul, were, 
 
 i. That the Soul is immortal, and does not die when 
 it goes out of the Body. 
 
 a. That it is not a part of God. Some Philofophers 
 had taught that. But it was rejected by all Christians,, 
 except fome Prifcillianijls, and I know not who. 
 
 3. That the Soul is immaterial, he fays, is a thing 
 not eafily to be prov'd to fome People ; but for his 
 part he is fatisfied that it is. This, I fuppofe, he fays, 
 that he may not feem to come too near Tertullian, whom 
 St. Hierom had mention'd, and who had held that not 
 the Soul only, but God alfo has a Body. 
 
 4. That the Soul is fallen into Sin, not by any fault 
 of God, not by any neceflity either from God, or from 
 its own Primitive Nature, but by its own Will ; and that 
 it cannot recover it felf but by the Grace of Jcfus Chrift', 
 That there is in all Mankind no Soul but wants his Re- 
 demption. 
 
 5. That every Soul that de p arts the Body, at what Age fo- 
 ever, without the Grace of the Mediator, and the Sacra- 
 ment thereof, will be in Punifhment, and will at the lafl 
 'Judgment receive its Body to Punifhment: But if after 
 the humane Generation which is from Adam it be regencra- 
 ted in Chrift and belong to his Communion ; it will have 
 after the death of the Body, reji, and alfo will receive its Bo* 
 dy again to Glory. 
 
 Thefeare, fays he, things that Ijiedfaftly believe concern- 
 ing the Soul. Now I entreat you, hear the things that I 
 want to know ; and do not defpife me, left he defpife you, who 
 for our fakes vouchfafed to be defpifed. • 
 
 Qu.ero ubi contraxerit anima reatum quo trahitur in 
 condemnationem, etiam infantis morte prxventi, ft ei per 
 fact amentum quo etiam parvuli bapti^antur, Chrifti gratia 
 nonfubvenerit. * J. ask where the Soul contracted that 
 ' Guilt, by which it is brought to Condemnation (even 
 * the Soul of an Infant furprized with Death) if the 
 ' Grace of Chrift do not relieve it by the Sacrament, 
 j whereby Infants are baptiz'd, ? ' . 
 
 In 
 
 J 
 
Chap. XV. St. Auftin. i £7 
 
 In the procefs of the Letter he takes for gran- Year after the 
 ted, that St. Hier orris, Opinion is, that a Soul is new ApoQles z88, 
 Created for every Infant, and fays, J am very -willing s 
 
 to be of that opinion too, but I am not as yet of it. . 
 
 Therefore I entreat you, teach me what I foall teach and 
 hold, and tell me ; if particular Souls be made for every par- 
 ticular Infant born, when it is that they do Sin in the In- 
 fant fo as to need forgivencfi, Sec. Since we mufi 
 
 neither fay of God, that he either forces the Souls to be- 
 come finful, or f unifies them being innocent ; nor can deny 
 that thofe Souls even of Infants which depart the Body with- 
 out Chrift s Sacrament do go to any other than Condemna- 
 tion : I befeech you how can that opinion be defended which 
 holds that the Souls do not come all of 'em from that one 
 Soul of the firfi Man ; but that as he had one made for 
 him, fo there is a particular one made for each Infant ? 
 
 He then recites fome other Objections that fome Peo- 
 ple made againft this opinion : As, that God refted the 
 feventh day from making any new thing. And, that God, 
 when he faw an Infant begotten in "Whoredom, would 
 never create a Soul for that, £?c. And he fays, That 
 he himfelf could eafily anfwer ail thofe Objections j and 
 adds. 
 
 But when I come to the Pains fuffer'd by Infants, I am, 
 laffureyou, brought to great fir eights, and cannot find a- 
 ny thing at all to anfwer : I mean, not only thofe Paint 
 which after this Life do attend that Condetnnation to which 
 they mufi go if they die without the Sacrament of the Chri- 
 Jiian Grace, but thofe which in this Life we fee with our 
 Eyes, and it grieves us to fee ; which iflfhouldgo to count, 
 t fhould fooner want time than inflames. They languifo 
 with Siclyiejl, they are torturd with Pains, they are afflict- 
 ed with Hunger and Thirfi, maim'd in their Limbs, depriv'd 
 of their Senfes, tormented with unclean Spirits. He after- 
 wards asks, Whether we are to thinly that as the herd of 
 Swine was given to the Devils to do their Pleafure with 'em, 
 fo God hath left Infants to their Will without ajuft caufe r * 
 Afterward in trying every fide of this Argument, to 
 fee if there beany efcaping the force of it, he fpeaks of 
 the neceflity there was to believe that Infants cannot be 
 faved without Chrift, and that they have not the benefits 
 of Chrift configned to 'em but by Baptifm : And having 
 mention d that faying of the Apoftle, sis in Adam, all die t 
 fo in Chrifi /hall all be quicfyed, and fome other Texts, he 
 fays, 
 
 And 
 
158 St.Aufti*. Chap. XV. 
 
 Voir after the And therefore whofoever [hall tell us that any one can be 
 Apoftles 288. quiclyied in the I^efurreclicn of the dead except by Chrift, 
 v fc j/"y~'\ - y is to be abhorred as the bane of our common Faith. And 
 whofoever /ball fay that Infants fh all be qui cloned in Chrijl, 
 which die without partaking of his Sacrament, does both 
 contradict the Apoftle's Preaching, and alfo totam conderrr 
 nat Ecclefiam, condemns the whole Church, in which Men do 
 hafien and run with their Infants to be baptised, doubtleft for 
 that reafon becaufe they believe that otherwife they cannot 
 be quickned in Chrijl. And he that is not quickned in 
 Chrift, muft remain in that Condemnation of which the A- 
 poftle fpeakj, By one Man's offence Judgment came on all 
 to Condemnation. To which Condemnation that Infants 
 are bom liable, Et omnis credit Ecclefia, both all the 
 Church believes, and you, in your Books againft Jovinianj,- 
 end in your Exposition on the Prophet Jonah, have moft 
 Orthodoxly proved, as I faid before, and Ifuppofe in other 
 places of your Works, which I have not read, or do not at 
 prefent remember. 
 
 Now I would know what is the caufe of this Condemnati- 
 on. For if new Souls be made for every Infant, I can't fee 
 any Sin of the Souls at that Age, and I don't believe that 
 Cod will condemn any which he fees to have no Sin. 
 
 After another Paragraph in which he quotes a paf-. 
 fage out of the Letter of St. Cyprian, which I produced 
 (42) CH.VL above, (41) he fays, There muft be a reafon given why 
 §„ 1, Souls that are new created in all that are born are condemn- 
 
 ed ; for that they are condemned if they fo die both the holy 
 Scripture, and the holy Church is witneft. Therefore this 0- 
 pinion of the Creation of new Souls, if it do not oppofe thii 
 moft eftablifh'd Faith, /ball be mine j and if it do, don't let 
 it be yours. 
 
 Then he (hews the abfurdity of thofe who anfwer alf 
 this by faying that the Soul finned in fome former ftate" 
 before it came into the Body. 
 
 He concludes with protefting that he could wifh that 
 that opinion of St. Hierom might be (hewn to be true - 
 He lik'd it fo well in other refpe&s, were it not for this 
 Objection. He mentions his Prayers to God that the 
 doubt in which he was of this Matter, might, if it were 
 God's Will, be clear 'd to him by St. Hierom's means : Bur 
 owns he muft have patience if God refufe him this re- 
 queft. And of the (everal ways of clearing it, fays/ 
 
 Ante* 
 
Chap.XV. St. Auflin. 159 
 
 Antequam fciam quxnam ear urn pot ills eligcnda fit, hoc Year after the 
 me non temere fent ire profits or, earn qux vera eft non adver' Apoftles 288. 
 fari robuftiffimx ac fundatiffim.e fidei, qua. Cbrifti Ecclefia. ^^"W^^^ 
 ncc parvulos homines recentiffime natos k damnatione cre- 
 dit, nifi per gratiam nominis Cbrifti quam in fuis facra- 
 mentis commendavit, poffe liberari. 
 
 * Before I know which of 'em is to be chofen, this I 
 1 know, that that of 'em which is the true, does not op- 
 1 pofe that moft firm and eftablilh'd Faith, by which the 
 ' Church of Chrift believes that even the new Born little 
 i Ones of Mankind cannot be freed from Condemnation, 
 ' but by the Grace of the name of Chrift, which he has 
 * commended to us in his Sacraments. 
 
 Sz.Hierom in his anfwer (43) to this Letter did not think (a?) Epift' 
 fit to enter upon adifcuffion of thisqueftion of the origin «* 
 of the Soul j but anfwer'd in fhort, that it was better for 
 each to abound in his oven Senfe, than by their difputes of 
 this Matter, to give advantage to their common Enemies 
 the Pelagians, who faid there was no original Sin at all, 
 We, fays he, do indeed argue this Matter for inftruclions 
 fake ; but our Adverfaries, and efpecially the Hereticks, when 
 they fee us of different opinions, willftander us as if we did. 
 
 it out of Envy. Let us rather do our endeavour 
 
 that that moft pernicious Herefie may bs exftinguifh'd, which 
 always pretends Repentance, that it may have opportunity of 
 teaching in the Church, left if it fhould declare it felf 0- 
 penty, itjhould be expell'dfrom thence, andfo die. 
 
 And St. Auftin, tho' he reckon'd that in the other 
 way of explaining the origin of the Soul, which was 
 embraced in the PPeftern Church, vi%. That it as well 
 as the Body, is Begotten by the Parents, it was much 
 more eafie to account for the guilt of original Sin, yet 
 never was pofitive. Neither did he publifh this Letter, 
 as he (44) fays himfelf, fo long as St. Hierom liv'd : Be- (44) Retraft, 
 caufe if he had written any anfwer, they might be better U*« C 45* 
 publifh' d together. But when he was dead, I publiftSd it, 
 fays he, that he that reads it may take advice, either not to 
 make any inquiry at all how the Soul is given to thefe 
 that are born ; or elfe in fo very obfeure a Matter to admit 
 of Juch a folution of the quejlion as is not contrary to thofe 
 plain Points which the Catholick Faith owns concerning In- 
 fants, that they will doubtlefi be Ccndemrid if they be not 
 Regenerated in Chrift, 
 
i6o St.Auflin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the The opinion of St. Hiercm, that the Soul is by imme- 
 A port 1« 288- diate Creation, has fince prevailed to be almoft the 
 univerfal opinion in the Weft as well as the Enft. 
 
 §. l. But the Mechanick Philofophy that is lately 
 come in vogue, has fet fome Men upon ah attempt tO 
 frame an Hypothefis about the Nature of the Soul, 
 which I cannot fay is of St. Auftins fide, becaufe it 
 carries the matter a great deal farther than he would 
 have it. It makes the Soul not to be any thing really 
 diftinct from the Body: But only fuch a difpofition of 
 the parts of the Body, as makes it fit to live, move, re- 
 member, think, g?r. all which they think may be done 
 by a Syftem cf Matter, provided there be skill enough 
 in the Contriver $ and they refer us to the infinite Art 
 of God. So the old definition of Ariftotle is come in re- 
 queft again, that it is nothing but Atlus Corporis orga- 
 nic!. 
 
 One may explain their meaning beft by a thing that 
 is more obvioufly apprehended. The diipofition of the 
 Wheels in a Clock, fuch as will make it go, may, for 
 explication fake, be called the Soul of the Clock. And 
 when the Wheels are fo rufty or broken that it will 
 no longer go, the Soul of it is gone j and a skilful Ar- 
 tificer that can mend it, and make it go better than be- 
 fore, gives it a Refurre&ion. 
 
 But there is in this Senfe no notion of a Soul exift- 
 ing in a feparate Condition ; and accordingly thefe Men 
 believe no fuch thing. 
 
 The Antipsedobaptifts have been much inclih'd to an 
 opinion of Man's Soul, that it either dies with the Bo- 
 dy, and has no exiftence, or falls afleep, as fome term it, 
 and has no Senfe, till the refurreclion. It is an opinion 
 that took footing early among them in Germany. For 
 Calvin, in his Work called Pfychopannychia, written 1 534. 
 (4$) In pne- fays, (45) Some People in Arabia were the firft Authors of 
 fatione. this opinion, who f aid the Soul died with the Body, and rofe 
 
 again at the day of Judgment: And afterward John Bifhop 
 of Rome held it ; wfwm the School [or Academy] of Pa- 
 ris forced to recant. And after it had been laid to fleep 
 for fome Ages, it was lately revived by ft me of the Anabap- 
 {46) Art, 7. tift fort. And in his Inftruftio adverfus Anabaptiftas (46) 
 written 1544. he fays, They all commonly hold that Souls 
 feparate from the Body do fleep without any fenfe or under- 
 standing till the day of Judgment : Or, that the Soul of 
 
 a Man 
 
 
Chap. XV. St.Aufiht. 161 
 
 a Man is hi: Life, which ccafes when he dies, till he be Year after rfjp 
 ta.it d again. Apollles aSF 
 
 Some of the Antipxdobaptifts do ftill hold the fame w""V~-- -^ 
 opinion ; I know not \v hcther they do all. P. S. I am 
 fince farisfied that they do net all. 
 
 Tis a wonder how they, of all People, came to fall 
 into this opinion. For fince they do, moil of 'em, deny 
 original Sin, the other opinion, which the generality of 
 Chriftians do new embrace, [v$%. That the Soul of 
 each Infant is a fpirkual Subftance, anew created by 
 God, capable of exifting without a Body, but put by 
 him into the Bod}) is much fitter for their purpofe. For, 
 as St. Aufiin here (hews, the opinion of original Sin dc~ 
 riv'd to us all in our Infancy from Adr.m our firft Parent, 
 is much more eafie to conceive on a luppofal that we 
 have nothing in us but what is propagated from the Seed 
 of Adam, than it is upon a luppofal that God creates a 
 Soul out of nothing, which can fubfift of it felf, and 
 puts it into the Body for a time. For how comes that 
 Soul to have a guilt, deriv'd to it from the fin of Adam, 
 which has no fucceflicn at all from Adam, but is now 
 lately created by God ? It is indeed put into a Body de- 
 riv'd from Adam. But Sin is of the Soul, rather than of 
 the Body. And befides, it was not its own fault or choice 
 that it was put into a finful Body. 
 
 So that the P:edobaptifts and Antipardobaptifts holding 
 thele- opinions thus crofs wife, do make a Controverfie, 
 which in this particular locks fomething like a difpute 
 (47) mention' d by St. Chryfcjlcm, that was manag'd in (47) Tn. r.ad 
 his time between a Chrijlinn and a Greeks but io unskil- Corinth*, 
 fully, that he fays, The Greek [aid what the Chriftian Horn. 3. 
 Jhould have [aid, and the Chriftian faid what the Greek 
 Jheidd have [aid. 
 
 Itjs however a requifite propertv of Sincerity, to de- 
 clare and profefs in any point what we think trueft, 
 tho* the other fide do feem to fuit better with our other 
 Tenets. The contrary, is to ferve not the Truth, but 
 our Hypothefis. 
 
 I am afraid we muft all fit dow r n in our difquifiti- 
 on concerning the origin of our Souls, content with 
 the Comfort, with which St. Aufiin here fupports him- 
 felf, that we know, if we live well, whither we (hall go 
 after this State, without knowing how we came into it- 
 For the Explication that the Schools have fince added to 
 this Matter, with their oreando infupditur & iufundend- 
 
 ereatUY 
 
1 62 St. Aujlin. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the creatur has put fome new Words into our Mouths, but no 
 £poitks288. new Serife into our Heads. 
 
 **s~~\T^~' I fhail here io far trefpafs upon the propofed method 
 of quoting the PafT.iges wherein the Pelagians were con- 
 cern'd by themfelves, as to rehearle here what St. Aujlin 
 faid a great while after on this Subject. The Pelagians 
 in a Letter which 1 8 Bifhops of their Party wrote and 
 publifh'd by common confent, pick'd out feveral things 
 that feemed abfurd in the Doctrine of the Catholicks ; 
 and among the reft, this, that they prov'd the propa- 
 gation of Sin by the propagation of Souls, or held 'em 
 as points that would ftand or fall together. St. Auftin, 
 (48) L. 3. i n ms anfwer to that part of their Letter (48) fays, 
 contra dnas They add here, to cloud or confound the Matter, an un- 
 Epifr. Pchigi- 7icccjfary queftion cf the origin of Souls : To the end that 
 an. c. io. by dijlurbing things that are plain by the obfeurity of other 
 matters, they may fee \ an opportunity of lying hid. For they 
 fay that we maintain the propagation of Sin together with 
 (he propagation of Souls ; which, where or when they have 
 heard in the Speeches, or read in the Books of thofe that 
 defend the Catholic^ Faith, I l^iow net. For tho I do meet 
 wit I feme things written by Catholicks on this Subject, yet 
 that was before the defence of the truth was undertaken a- 
 gainjl thefe Men , and not in anfwer to any thing cf 
 theirs. 
 
 But this I fay, That original Sin is fo plain by the Scrip- 
 tures, and that it is forgiven to Infants in the laver of Re- 
 generation, isfo confirm d by the Antiquity and Authority of 
 the Catholicks Faith, fo notorious by the practice of the Church ; 
 that wkatfoever is difputed, inqv.ird or affirm'd of the 
 origin of the Soul, if it be contrary to this, cannot be 
 true. 
 
 This was his conftant Tenet, that tho' he inclin'd to 
 one fide of the queftion, concerning the origin of the 
 Soul, yet he would not have the Doclrine of original Sin 
 to depend upon that. 
 
 §. 3. There is one thing more obfervable from thefe 
 two laft pafTages of St. Aujlin, vi%. That there was no 
 fuch thing then us'd, as private Baptiim of Children in 
 Houfes, except in cafes of the greatelt extremity j and that 
 even Sick Children were carried to the Church, if ic 
 were poffible. For it is of fuch that he fays, Men do ha- 
 flen and run with 'cm to be Bapti^d while they are alive, 
 Icfl when they are dead there be nothing to be done, Sic. It 
 was to the Church that they ran, where there were large 
 
 Foms 
 
Chap. XV. $t.Auftin. 163 
 
 Fonts or Baptifteries, in which Infants or grown Perfons Year after the 
 might be put into the Water, And it has lince been de- Apoftles 283* 
 creed in a general Council in Trullo, Can. 59. That '-"""V"" 5 "** 
 Baptifms (hall not be in Private Chapels, but in the 59 x « 
 Publick Church. 
 
 This was fo generally obferved from the time that 
 Churches were built, till of late days, that we read of 
 many Kings Sons, and Kings themfelves, converted to 
 the Chriftian Faith, that received their Baptifm in the 
 Church. Whereas now a days Perfons of much lower 
 Rank take the ftate upon 'em to expect it to be brought 
 home to their Children, tho' they are well. And there 
 they put a great Contempt upon it, by making it a for- 
 mal Ceremony, fublervient to their Belly Chear, and 
 a Drinking Feaft ; little regard being given to the holy 
 Sacrament, or the Prayers ufed thereat. 
 
 In cafes of urgent extremity the Ancients did indeed 
 Baptize any where ; in the Houfe, in the Bed, £5c. ra- 
 ther than the Party fhould die without it. I mean to 
 give by and by (49) feveral proofs of that. But they ne- (49) Part 2„ 
 Ver did fo but in fuch cafes. CH. IX. §,i^ 
 
 The Church of England allows of Baptifm by a Mi- 
 nifter in Private Houfes in cales of neceifity ; but gives 
 pofitive order, that it be not ufed except in cafe of dan* 
 ger of the Child's death ; and that fuch a Child, if k 
 lived, be brought to the Church, and his Baptifm decla- 
 red there. And fome Bithops and Curates of the faid 
 Church do (hew a zeal to have this Order, which has of 
 late been much neglected, put again in due Execution. 
 But others of 'em feem more indifferent about it. And 
 in molt places it is found a difficult thing to overcome 
 that lazy and irreverent Cuftom, which took fuch deep 
 footing among the People in the late diforderly times. 
 
 There never was a more Capricious change made by 
 any fort of People in any matter of Religion than the 
 Englijh Presbyterians have made in this Point, No lon- 
 ger ago than Queen Elizabeth's time, they made it one of 
 their Objections againft the Engliflo Common Prayer Book^ 
 that it gave any allowance for this Private Baptifm at all, 
 They Pleaded, That it is not lawful either to Preach the 
 IVord, nor to Mi nifter the Sacraments in Priv ite corners : 
 That they ought not to be but where the Church is ; and thai 
 the Church ought not to affemhle {if it be not letted by Per- 
 fection) but in open Places i That John Baptised openly : 
 ft« 'tbwffj be voere of that Mind, that Children 
 M i 
 
! 64 St. Juftia. Chap. XV. 
 
 Year after the could not he fared without Baptifm, yet in the time of ne- 
 Apo'Ucs 238. ceffity (as it is called) he does not allow either of Baptifm in 
 v^~V^- *~* Private Houfes, or by Women ; but when there was danger , 
 the Women hajled to carry the Children unto the Church. 
 Thefe, ana more luch like Pleas, Cartwright us'd in 
 /_ n See his Deputation with Archbifhop Whit gift. (50J And fo 
 WhitvifthTyt' y° u f ee > ^ a y s ne > t ^°-f e xo ^ om y° u charge flanderoufly with 
 fence of An- Conventicles, are fain to gla\e up the Windows that you open 
 fwer to Ad- t0 Secret and Private Conventicles. And having mention- 
 monition. Tr. et -^ the orders that God has fct, that it fhould be done in the 
 9. ch. 3, 4 5. Congregation, and by the Minijier of the Gofpel. He adds 
 It. Tr. 2. c h« this Rigid and Presbyterian Expreflion, And 1 will far- 
 It div. 8. ther fay, That alt ho' that the Infants which die without Bap- 
 tising Jhould be affuredly damn'd (which is mofi falfe) yet 
 ought not the Orders which God has fit in his Church be bro- 
 ken after t hit fort. For as the Salvation of Men ought to be 
 dear unto US ; fo the glory of God, which confijleth in that 
 his Orders be kept, ought to be much more dear. 
 
 Wtfntgift, on the other fide, (hews that the Book 
 did not fay any thing of Baptifm by Women or by 
 Laymen ; he pleads for no more than this, That upon 
 extreme neccffity of Sickjief, peril cf Death, and fuch like, 
 the Curate may be fent for, of fome other Minijier that may 
 fooyier be come by, to do it in the Houfe. But he is 
 not allowed that. 
 
 And yet how ftrangely have thefe Men fince ran into 
 the other extreme ? When they came to have the order- 
 ing of Matters in the Church, they (tho' contrary to the 
 rnlesef their own Directory) gratified the humour of the 
 People in this Matter far more than ever the Church of 
 England had done. If their Religion had been Parlia- 
 mentary, as the Papifts flander all our Religion to be, 
 they could not have taken a more violent fwing from one 
 fide to the other. 
 
 At prefent they and their People make this Houfe- 
 Baptifm the meft ordinary way of adminiftring that Sa«? 
 crament, be the Child fick or well ; and in London, and 
 other P:aces where any of them are, a Clergyman of 
 the Church cf England, cannot if he would, bring his 
 People to the Obfervation of the forefaid order of the 
 Church ; becaufe if any humourfome Man or Woman 
 of his Parilh have a mind to have their Child, the' in 
 never fo good health, Baptized in the Houfe, and he 
 deny 'em, the next thing is, they, in a pet fend for one 
 #f thefe Men, who are always ready to do it. 
 
 There'' 
 
Chap. XVI. Councils of Carthage. 165- 
 
 There are no Orders of the Church that do come in Year after tii: 
 procefs of time to be more grofly and univerfally abms'd, ApollksibS. 
 than thofe that begin firft to be difpene'd with for the t/"Y\j 
 State and Character of the Perfons coneern'd in 'em. 
 This was firft granted as a Privilege of Kings, or Kings 
 Sons, as appears by the Decretals of Clement the Fifth, 
 and by the Council of Cologne ■, where it is ordain'd 
 that none but they (hould be Baptiz'd at home. Af- 
 terward it came, I fuppofe, to be allow 'd to Noble 
 Men, and fo to other Rich Men. And as every Bo- 
 dy effects the Name and State of Gentility, they 
 think themfelves hardly dealt with, if they be account- 
 ed in this Matter inferior to fuch, or fuch of their Neigh- 
 bours. 
 
 This, and many other inftances of iike nature than 
 might be given, inould teach the Clergy to take care 
 how they make any beginning of breaking that rule of 
 Scripture given by St. James (ji) againft any refped:(5i) Cl\ 2. 
 of Perfons to be (hewn in Church matters ; for if you V. 1,2, 3. 
 once begin, there is no ftop to be made afterward : 
 Therefore the Synod of Alx (52) determin'd. That no (52) Bochell. 
 Curate or other Pricjl floould, under fain cf Excommuni- Derrcr. Eccl. 
 cation, go to any Houfe, net even of a tfobleman, to ad- Gull, cle Bap- 
 minijlcr Baptifm, except in cafe cfneccffity land that no cafe tifino, e^p-77. 
 fhould be taken to be of neccffity, but when the Child's i 4^5- 
 Life is in danger. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Quotations out of feme Councils of Car- 
 thage, before the Pelagian Contro- 
 
 Verfie. 
 
 §• i. r I ^He meft Ancient Councils of Carthage, as Year after the 
 well as of other Churches, are not recorded Apo!tles_297 J 
 -A- in the Volumes of Council-. The Cuftom 
 of regiftring the A&s of Councils, and bringing them 
 into Volumes begun later. One of the firft of all the 
 Councils cf Carthage, and (except one or two) of the 
 Jtnoft Ancient in all Chriftendom, iince the tunes of the; 
 
 M 3 Ape ttesj 
 
1 66 Councils of Carthage. Chap. XVI. 
 
 Year after the Apoftles, of which we have any remains, was that of 
 
 £pofHes 297. £6 Biihops under St. Cyprian in the year after the Apoftles 
 150. which refolved the queftion whether Infant Baptifm 
 might be adminiftred on the firft or feccnd day after the 
 Birth, or muft be deferred till the eighth. But the ac- 
 count of that is given before at large in Chap, VI. Thofe 
 that I mean to recite here, are of fuch as are fet down 
 in the common Volumes, and were about the latter end of 
 the fourth Century. 
 1) Hifroljr. And of thefe Dr. Cave (1) and others have obferv'd 
 art. 2. pag, that there is great obfcurity and difficulty in affigning 
 
 232° the very year on which they were held, and fome con- 
 
 fufion by reafon of the carelefnefs or miftakes of the 
 Collectors, who have fometimes inferted into one Coun- 
 cil fome of the Canons that have been made in another- 
 I fhall not in thefe nice matters pretend to be wifer than 
 other Men. But the firft Canon that I {hall quote, car- 
 ries in it felf a plain and undoubted indication of the year 
 in which it was Enacted. 
 
 It is the 48th Canon of that Council of Carthage 
 which is generally call'd the Third. About the time 
 when this Council was held, the Schifm of the Donatijls 
 began to break apace, and thofc who had been brought 
 up in it came over in great numbers to the Communi- 
 
 (2)CHcIXc on of the Church. This Party of Men, aslfhew'dfa) 
 before, differ'd nothing from the Catholicks in any point 
 either of Doctrine, or of Ceremonies, or of Sacraments; 
 but only they accounted that Party in Africa which was 
 called the Catholick Church, -impure, by reafon of fome 
 111 Men that were among v em, or by reafon that fome of 
 the Minifters thereof deriv'd their Ordination from Bi- 
 fhcps that had, as was (aid, been guilty of Apoftacy in 
 the former times of Perfecuticn, and all that came over 
 to them from the Catholicks they had been wont to Bap- 
 tize an rw, as coming out of an impure Church. 
 
 Now the Bifhcps of this Council debated among 
 themfeives how far it was expedient to admit any that 
 return'd from this Schifm to the Church, into holy 
 Oder?. And as for thofe who ha- ig been once Bap- 
 tiz'd in the C .achelick Church, did, after they came 
 ro years, revolt to the Donatijls, and were Baptized 
 ?py them , the) agreed that fuch, lippfl their return to 
 Church, might be admitted to Lay-Communion, 
 but never to bear any Office in the Church. But the 
 cafe of ihoic tin: had been born among the Dcna- 
 
 tifts. 
 
Chap. XVI. Councils 'of Carthage. ^ l6 7 
 
 tifts, and hid been in their Infancy Baptized by them,^ car ;; ft '^ e 
 and after taey came to ) ears of Dilcrction difliked the 3^!^?,' 
 Schifm, anc came over to the Church, feem'd very v 
 d liferent. 
 
 Concernirg thefe they could not come to any Rclo- 
 lution at the prefent : And therefore they agreed that 
 the advice of two of the inoft noted Neighbouring 
 Churches fhruld be askt in that Matter ; and they made 
 a Canon in nefe Words, 
 
 Conilii Cart bag. tertii Can. 48. 
 
 De Donatijis, placuit ut con/ulamm fratres & covjaeer- 
 dotes noftros 'iridium £$ Simplicimum d? folk infantibm 
 qui bnpti^anur penes erfdem, ne {Jeg. ari~\ quedfuo nonfe* 
 cerunt judicio c*>n ad ccclejiam Dei falubri propofitofuerint 
 converji, paretum illos error impediat, ne provehantur fa- 
 cri altxm minjlri. 
 
 1 In referene to the Donr.tifls, i: is rcfolvcd that we 
 
 * do ask the dvice of our Brethren and fellow Biihops 
 ' Siricius anc Simpliciantts, concerning thofe or,!} v 
 
 ' are inlnfany Baptiz'd among them ; whether in that 
 ' which theyiave not done by their own Judgment, the 
 
 * error of thei Parents iha'.l hinder 'em, that when ; 
 
 ' by a wholtbme purpofc fhall be converted to the 
 1 Church of (cd, they may not be promoted to be Mi- 
 
 * nifters of theioly A tar. 
 
 The Collection that is called Concilium Af icanum, 
 has this fame iznen xapitulo 14. Siricius was at tli s time 
 Bifhopof ify>fl< and Simplicianvs of Milan. So than, as 
 I faid, this Caon gives us from it felf a clear proof of 
 the year whenk was made, vi%. Anno Dow. 397. for 2 ^j, 
 SimpHcinnus wanot made Biihop of Milan, ti I the be- 
 ginning of this ear, when he came into the room of 
 St. Ambroje, whdied then, and in the beginning of the 
 next year S/r/«aJBi(hop of i^?w;?died. 
 
 {. 1. The anfwr of thefe two Bifhops feems to have 
 been in favour of hofe, concerning whom their opinion 
 was asked ; for fo- years after the Council of Ca< r 
 determines the poi- abfolutely, that fuch Perfons may, ^° S '* 
 if there be occadoi be promoted to the rniiiiftcy. The 
 Canon, leaving out t; digreffions, is i 
 
 M 4 Code* 
 
i.68 Councils of Carthage. Chap. XVI. 
 
 Year after the 
 
 Codex Qanonum Ecclejt<£ Africans , Can. 57. 
 
 Aiirellus Biihop of Carthage fpeaks in the 
 .Council, and fays, . . 
 
 Superiors Concillo Statutum effe mecum rqognofcit una- 
 nimitas vcfira v.t hi qui apud Donatijias prvuli bapti- 
 %ati funt nendum fcire valentcs erroris eorun interitum, 
 £y pfeaquam ad xtatem rationis capacem perveneruni, 
 
 agnith veritate, &C rccepti funt. — - — - Sine du- 
 
 lin rid cjjicium clcricatus tales effe applicanlos, & maxi- 
 
 ml in tanta rerum neceffitate nullus eft 'pa rion con- 
 
 cedat. 
 
 ■' Quanquam nonnulli ejtifdem feBtc clerici cum plebibm 
 
 it que honoribus fids ad nos tranjire defiderat, &c. — — 
 
 Sed hoc majori fratrum Jupradiclorum confidcationi dimit- 
 
 tendum cenfeo. Tantum de his qui Infantes bapti- 
 
 \ati funt fat agimus, ut noftrx y fi placet ■, in ifdem ordinan- 
 dis confentient vcluntati, 8cc. 
 
 ' You remember that in a former Counil it was re- 
 
 * folved that they who were, in their Infanc; before they 
 ' were able to underftand the mifchief <f that error, 
 ** Baptized among the Donatifts y and wheithey came to 
 
 * age of Underftanding, acknowledging fie truth, &c. 
 
 * they were received by us. ^11 will grant 
 
 ' that fuch may undoubtedly be promotd to Church 
 
 * Offices, efpecially in times of fo great ned. 
 * Some that have been Teachers in tat Sect would 
 
 * come over with their Congregations^ if ley might have 
 ' the fame places among us, &c. — jiut this I leave 
 
 * to a farther consideration of our Brethrd, &c. _ 
 
 4 Only that they will confent to our denomination, that 
 
 * fuch as were Baptized by them in Infocy, may be ad- 
 " mitred to Orders. 
 
 This (hews plainly that the Donatiftps well as Catho- 
 lichj Baptized in Infancy : Only tholenathad been Bap- 
 tized by the Church Party, whethein Infancy, or at 
 full Age, they would not receive inotheir Scd: without 
 giving them a new Baptiim, becau* they judged Bap- 
 tiftn given in an impure Church \\£ void, tho' it were 
 riven in the right Form, and to a $bjec5t never Co ca- 
 pable j for which the Church ch/ged them with the 
 
 Crime 
 
 1 - ~ /s* 
 
Chap. XVI. Councils of Carthage. 169 
 
 Crime of Anabaptifm, or Rcbapiization. And they were Year after the 
 about this time reduced, and came over to the Church. Apoftles 300. 
 §.3. There are added in the old Copies of thefaid ^-^~V~* x-( • 
 Third Council of Carthage, Anno Dom. 397 fome Ca- 
 nons of which it is faid, It is not certain whether they be- 
 long properly to the firft, orfecond, or third Council. One 
 of 'em (i) is fcr abating to poor people the Fees that ( 3 ) Labbei 
 were ufually paid to the Minifter at the Baptizing of a Concil. Ir. 
 Child. But it being accounted by the moil Learned Cri- Carrar^a 
 ticks to be of a later date, and to have been crowded Minima Con- 
 in here by Mercator, I (hall omit the recital of it. cil. concil. 
 . §.4. The next of the Councils of Carthage, in which we Carthag.Ter- 
 find any mention of Infant Baptifm, is that which is tjum. it Gra- 
 vulgarly called the Fifth, and was celebrated three years tlar! • <!• lm 
 after, 'y/^. Anno Dcm. 400. In which there is a Canon that 
 makes Provifion for the cafe of fuch as had been carried 
 away Captive in their Infancy, into the Country of the 
 Barbarians, and when they were ranfom'd, there was 
 none of their Friends left alive that could certainly teil 
 whether they had been Baptiz'd before their carrying 
 away or not. Such Perfons, or their furviving Friends 
 For them, were in great perplexity and doubt, whether 
 it were fit that they fhould be Baptiz'd after their ran- 
 fom. For if they were Baptiz'd before their Captivity, 
 then this would be to Baptize 'em twice ; which was 
 look'd on by all Chriftians, except the Mafcionites, to be 
 a great profanation of the Sacrament. And if they were 
 not Baptiz'd before, then not to do it now, were to let 
 them die without any Baptifm at all. The Words of 
 the Canon are thefe, 
 
 Concilii Carthaginienfu Quint i Canon 6. 
 
 Placuit de infantibus quoties von inveniuntur certijjimi 
 tefles qui eos bapti^atns ejjefine dubitatione teflcntur, nc- 
 ijue ipfi funt per .eta tern idonei d.e traditis fibi facramen- 
 tis refpondere ; abfque ullo fcrupulo eos cjje bapti^andos : 
 Ne i/ia trepidatio eos faciat facr anient orum purgaticne pri- 
 vari. Hinc enim legati Maurorum fratres ncftri confu- 
 literunt, tkc. 
 
 1 It is refolved concerning Infants of whofe having 
 ' been Baptiz'd there are no pofitive WitnciTes that c\;\ 
 * give certain Evidence, and they themfelves are not ca- 
 ' pable to give any account of that Sacrament having 
 
 * been 
 
17° Councils of Carthage. Chap. XVI. 
 
 Year after the' been adminiftred to 'em, by reafon of their Age ; that 
 
 Apoftles 300. * fuch be without any fcruple Baptized ; left that fcrvple 
 
 ^s^/"^*-" * do caufe 'em to go without the cleanfing of the Sacra- 
 
 c ment. For our Brethren that come from the Maurita- 
 
 6 nians have asked our advice on this queftion, who do 
 
 ' ranfom many fuch from the "Barbarians, &c. 
 
 I fet this Council at Anno 400. that is the year after the 
 Apoftles 300. And fo do all late Writers that fpeak of it, 
 fet it then, or within a year or two of that time. Which 
 I note becaufe Binius and fome other old Copies give 
 it a date that is very abfurd and inconfiftent, worded 
 thus, Circa temfora Anaftafii Papx, pofl confutation Cafarii 
 €5" Attici,fexto KJilendas Juniihabitum, xra 438. ' Held 
 ' about the time of Pope Anaflafus, after the Conful- 
 1 fhip of Cxfarius and Atticus, fix days before the Ka- 
 4 lends of June, in the year 438. But the Ccnfullhip of 
 Cxfarius and Atticus was in the year 397. And Anaftafus 
 came into the See Anno 398. and liv'd but four years. 
 And Aurelius, whofe name is among the Bifhops that 
 fubfcribed this Council, could not live to 438. 
 
 So that Baronius, Spondanw, Dr. Cave, &c. place it 
 Anno 398. Jufellm and Cardinal Perron, Anno 401, 
 Schelfiratius this year 400. All in the time of Anafiafus. 
 And another thing which confirms its being on one of 
 thefe years, is the Matter of the laft Canon of it .- And yet 
 the different undcrftanding of fome words of that Ca- 
 non, caufe the difference in placing it of a year or two. 
 The Canon is this, Rxfolvcd, That a Petition be made 
 to the moft Renowned Emperors, that all Rgliques of Ido- 
 latry, not only in Images, but in all Places, whether Groves 
 or Trees, be altogether defrayed. 
 
 Now all agree, that on the year 399. was the moft 
 
 general overthrow of the Heathen Temples, in all the 
 
 Empire, but efpecially at Carthage-, and in all Africa. 
 
 {4) De civi- St. Aufin gives (4) the account of it, which is very re- 
 
 jtateDei. I.18. markable. 
 
 jc. 5 3, 54. The Heathens had had aTradition very rife among 'em, 
 that the Chriftian Religion fhould laft but 365 years i 
 to be rcckon'd from the beginning of it. They depended 
 upon an Oracle for this .- The Oracle had faid, that Pe- 
 ter the Apoftle being a skilful Magician, had, by killing 
 and cutting in pieces a Child of a year old, and burying 
 the Limbs of it with certain Magical Rites raifed fo 
 ftrong a Charm for the fuccefs of the Chriftian Reli- 
 gion, that kmuft now laft for fo many years as the Child 
 
 was 
 
Chap. XVI. Councils of Carthage. 17 1 
 
 was days old : But when chat time was expir'd, they Year after the 
 fhould fee it prefently come to an end. And one may ApofU«3oo 
 perceive by St Aufiin's words, that the Heathens at 
 that time expe&ed the extirpation of Chriftianity as 
 confidently as the Papifts do now the extirpation of the 
 Northern Herefie. 
 
 St. Aujiln allows them the lateft time they could fup- 
 pofe for the beginning of Chriftian Religion, vi%. the 
 Pentecofi that was next after Chrift's death. He (hews 
 that 365 years reckon'd from that Pentecofi, do end in the 
 Confulfliip of Honorim and Eutychianus, which is in our 
 way of reckoning, the year 398. Now, fays he, the next: 
 year to that, being the Confuljhif of Honorius and Man- 
 lius Theodoras, vphen, according to that Oracle of Devils, 
 or Figment of Men, there fhould have been no fuch thing as. 
 Chriftian Religion in the world, what was done in other 
 Countries I had not cccafion to inquire ; but this I kjiow, that 
 in Carthage, the meft noted and eminent City of all A- 
 frica, Gaudentius and Jovius, the Emperor HonoriusV 
 Lieutenants, did, on the 19th of March, pull down the 
 temples of the falfe Gods, and breaks in pieces their Idols, 
 From which time to this prefent, being almoft 30 years, 
 who does not Jee how much the VVarfhip of Chrift's name 
 has encreafed ? Efpecially fince many of thofe are become 
 Chriftinns, who were beftre kept back, from the Faith, by 
 that Prophecy, which, now the time is pa ft, they perceive 
 to have been a foolifh and idle eve. 
 
 Baronius thinks that this order of Honorius, for razing 
 the Heathen Temples, was given by him in compliance 
 with that Petition made by this Council of Carthage ; 
 and, if fo, the rasing being Anno 399, the Council 
 muft have been the year before. But others think that 
 the : ftyle of the Petition fuppofes the Temples and :h 
 publick places of Idolatry at Carthage to be deftroyed 
 already j and that the Bifhops defire the Emperor to 
 compleat that good work, by extirpating all the remains 
 of Idolatry praftis'd with Images plac'u in Groves, 
 Trees, &c. 
 
 This latter feems the more probable by the Words of the 
 Petition. So the Council may be fuppos'd to be the year al- 
 ter the Emperor's fii-ft Order, <pi%. Armo Chrifti 400. but 
 however, it appears to have been about this time. 
 
 §. 5. There had been, as it leems, in fome Council at 
 Hippo before that time, a Refolntion to the fame pur- "^ 
 pole, vfy That thofe who had no pertain proof of their 
 
 Bap dim 
 
^7 Z Council of Hippo. Chap.XVf. 
 
 Yearafter the Baptifm in Infancy fhould be, for certainty, Baptized 
 Apoftl&JJio. now. For there is in Labbcs Colle&ion, and in the 
 7\ r Magdeburgenfes (5) at the] year 397. fet down a Copy 
 
 H9 ^ °^ a ^nodical Letter dated Cafario and Attico Coff. where- 
 c. 9. de by- j n t | ie y complain, That thefe things which had been long 
 g££ ' P *' ago Enabled in the Council of Hippo had not been fo duly 
 put in Execution as they ought. They enjoin better Exe- 
 cution of them for the future, and to that purpofe give 
 aBreviate of 'em, being 41 in number: The 40th of which 
 is given thus, De his qui nullo tejlimoniofe bapti^atos nove- 
 runt, ut bapti^entur. l For thofe that are not fure by a- 
 ' ny Evidence that they have been Baptized : That they 
 ' be now Baptized. 
 340. §• 6> It was not long after thefe times that Leo the 
 
 Firft, Bifhop of fyme, had occafion to confider of the 
 fame cafe in a Synod at Rome ; and he has left an E- 
 piftle on that Subject : Which, tho' it be fomething la- 
 ter than the Period of time which I have propos'd to 
 fearch, Leo being made Bilhop of that See in the year 
 of Chrift 440, yet it being fo particularly relating to 
 this Matter, I fhail here tranferibe fo much of it as is to 
 this purpofe. It is directed to Neon, Bilhop of Ravenna, 
 and is the 37th among his Epiftles. 
 
 We have been given to underfiand by the relation of fome 
 Brethren, that fever al Captives, who were carried into Cap- 
 tivity at that age which has no firm knowledge of any thing, 
 do, now they are refior'd to their Liberty and their Home, 
 defire the remedy of Baptifm. But by reafon of the ignorance, 
 of their Infancy, they cannot remember whether or no they 
 have received the Sacrament of that Myflery before. And 
 that by reafon of this uncertain fiat e of remembrance, their 
 Souls are brought into danger 5 for that under pretence of Cau- 
 tion the Grace is denied them, Quae ideo non impenditur 
 quia puratur impenfa, being therefore not given them, be- 
 caufe it isfuppos'd that they have had it already. 
 
 WJien therefore the fcrupuloufnef of feme Brethren did, 
 not without caufc, make a doubt of adminijiring to fuch 
 Perfons the Sacrament of our Lord's Myflery, We did, as I 
 faid at a Synodical meeting take this fort of cafe into our Con- 
 fi 'deration, and fet our f elves to difcufi the point with a care- 
 ful diligence, according to the Opinion of every one : That by 
 the Judgment of many confidering the matter together, we 
 wight more certainly fix on the truth. And that which by 
 God's guidance came into my Mind, the numerous confent of 
 the Brethren confirmed. . • 
 
 We 
 
Chap. XVI. Leo the Fir ft. 173 
 
 TVe ought then, above all things, to beware that while Year after the 
 we (hew a fort of Caution, we do not fall into a failure of ApolnesjH^- 
 regenerating their Souls. For who would be fo addiBed to 
 his Sufpicions, as to define a thing to be true, which without 
 any full proof ', he by an uncertain Opinion furmifes to be fo ? 
 Therefore whenas neither he that dejircs the regeneration does 
 remember that he was ever Baptised, nor any one elfe can 
 teftifie of his Confecration [ov, San&ificatiorfj there is no 
 reafon to thinly there is any Sin in doing this, when neither 
 he that k Confecrated, nor he that Confecrates him, aBs any 
 thing againfi his Kjiowledge for, Confcience]. 
 
 I know indeed that it is an inexcufable fault, when^ ac- 
 cording to thefafoion of the Hereticks, which is condemn 'd 
 hy the holy Fathers, any one is compell'd to reiterate his Bap* 
 tijm, which is once for all given to thofe that arc to be rege- 
 nerated: The Apoftolic DoBrine being againfi fuch a PraBice, 
 and teaching us that there is but one Godhead in the Trini- 
 ty, one Confeflion in the Faith, andojie Sacrament o/Bap- 
 tifm; But there is nothing like that to be feared in this 
 cafe ; for that cannot be brought within comp.if rf the Crime 
 cf reiteration, of which we are not fure that it has been 
 done once. 
 
 And therefore when any fuch Cafe comes before you, firft 
 examine the Matter narrowly, and continue your fear ch for 
 A great while (unlefi the Party feems to be nigh his cnd)whe* 
 thcr there be no Body at all to be found that can help out the 
 ignorance of fuch a Perfon that knows not his own Con* 
 ait ion. And if it appear that he that wants, the Sacrament, 
 is kept off only by a vainfurmife, let him come without fear 
 to the obtaining of the Grace, of which he does not find any E* 
 vidence that he has had it before. And let us not be afraid 
 to open the gate of Salvation to him, who cannot be prov'd 
 /is yet to have entred into it. 
 
 But if it can beprovd that any fuch Perfon has been Bap* 
 ti^ed, tho' by the Fleretickj ; let the Sacrament cf regenera* 
 tion be by no means reiterated on him ; but let that only which 
 was wanting there be now added ; that he have the impo/i* 
 tion of Hands by the Bijhop, for the obtaining the Grace of 
 the holy Spirit. 
 
 Thefe things, dear Brother, I was willing floould come to 
 the knowledge of you all ; left while you allow too much to 
 your fcruples, the Mercy of God be denied to thofe that dejirc 
 to befaved. 
 
 Dated the ninth before the Kjilends of November, in the 
 Confulfloip of Martian the Emperor, 
 
 The 
 
1 74 Leo the Flrfl. Chap. XVI. 
 
 Year after the The fame queftion being put to him by Riifticw, Bi- 
 Apoftles 340. (hop of Narbon, he refolves it to the (6) fame efFe&; and 
 ^'yf^' fo does Gregory the Great, in the next Age ; (7) and fo 
 
 49°» does the Council in TruUo, Can. 84. Anno 69 1 . 
 
 . .. p.^ 1 ' The Hereticks that Leo talks of, as reiterating Baptifm, 
 
 L' ^ ' were either the Marcionites who gave to fome People a 
 
 / i\ ' fecond or third Baptifm, tho' they own'd the firft to have 
 
 igp " been true Baptifm; or elfe the Donatifts, who thinking no 
 
 Baptifm to be true, that was not given by fuch Holy and 
 
 Pure Men as themfelves, gave a new Baptifm to all that 
 
 came from any other Party to theirs. 
 
 The Church of Englan d is very careful, as not to let 
 any one go without Bafptifm, fo alfo not to Baptize a- 
 gain thofe that have been Baptiz'd already. And there-? 
 fore when any Perfon is brought to Baptilm, concerning 
 whom they cannot be fure whether he is already Bapti- 
 zed or not, they order him to be Baptiz'd with thefe 
 conditional Words preceding the form of Baptifm, If thou 
 art not already Baptiz'd, N. iBapti^e thee in the name, 8cc„ 
 1059. It had been umal to do fo for many hundred years (8) 
 (8) Vide Vof- before. But Luther found great fault with this Cuftom ; 
 fium de bap- and Vcjfius diflikes it, but gives no other reafon againft it 
 tifmo. Difp. than that there is no example of fuch conditional Bap- 
 35. Art. 11. t if m i n Scripture, nor in the Records of the firft Ages, 
 Which in a cafe that fo feldom happens, is no wonder ; 
 for in the Church of England, where it is appointed in a 
 certain cafe, yet that caie being rare, very few have ever 
 had occafion to practice iti But it is certain that all 
 that do Baptize in fuch a cafe, do underftand that con- 
 dition, tho' they do not exprefs it j for they do it on a 
 fuppofal that the Party is not Baptized already. 
 
 The next Council of Carthage that I know of, that 
 
 had any cccafion to mention Infant Baptifm, was that 
 
 3 U » Anno 4*1 1 or the beginning of 412, where Celcfiius was 
 
 Challeng'd for denying original Sin, and thought to e- 
 
 fcape the Brand of Herefie by declaring, that whatever 
 
 he thought of Sin in Infants, yet he own'd their Baptifm, 
 
 This Council is not in the Volumes, but St. Auftin has 
 
 , ^ ' preferv'd fome of the A<5ts of it, by quoting them in his 
 
 <k R Writings ; and I had occafion to recite out of him what 
 
 ( o) CH * s lr)atcr i a l to this purpofe in a Chapter (9) before. 
 
 XIX § "8 ^"^ the next to that was that Anno 4160 A Synodical 
 
 Et lib. 6. ' Letter whereof I {hall recite hereafter ( 1 o), 
 
 Capit. Can- 
 
 Magiii, 
 
Chap. XVII. Decretal E fifties . 1 7 ^ 
 
 Year after the 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 1&yrH 
 
 Out of the Decretal Epijlles of Siricius 
 and Innocentius, (Bifpops of Rome. 
 
 §. 1. f~ "^Here never was a greater cheat and ab- 
 ufe put upon the Church, and the Learn- 
 -^- ed World than that piece of Forgery of 
 the moft ancient Decretal Epijlles. The Papifts them- 
 felves are now alham'd to hear 'em mentioned, except 
 fome few, whofe want of all Shame makes amends for 
 their want of Learning. 
 
 The Hiftory of 'em in fhort is this, the ancient Bilhops 
 of Rome were frequently confulted with by the Coun- 
 try Bilhops, and the Bilhops of the neighbouring Churches 
 in cafes of Confcience, Faith, or Difcipline. They wrote 
 Letters in anfwer to fuch queftions as were put to 'em, 
 Toward the latter end of the fourth Century there be- 
 gan a cuftom of regiftring and preferving thefe Letters 
 in the Archives of that Church. This was in the following 
 times found to be of great ufe ; for thefe Letters ferved 
 the fucceeding Bilhops for precedents, when their Judg- 
 ment was deiired in the like Cafes. 
 
 After many Ages it came into the Mind of fome of 
 that Church, to think how great pity it was that that 
 cuftom of regiftring thofe Letters had not began fooner, 
 for there were none extant in the Regifters that were ear- 
 lier than about the time I mention'd. 
 
 The way that they took to make up that deficien- 
 cy was fuch, as that the mention thereof muft make a 
 Chriftian blufli, whenever the Credit of his Religion is 
 attacked by a Hearhen. Some among 'em that had no 
 regard to true or falfe, put in practice that foul Arti- 
 fice that is ufed by Faithlefs and Fabulous Hiftorians ; 
 who, when they would fet forth the Annquities of their 
 Nation, and find no Records nor race of Kings fo anci- 
 ent as they could wifh, do make out of their own Brain 
 Hiftories of Times, Names of King?, Accounts of Wars 
 and Succeffions, as far back as they pleafe to feign. Of 
 which we fee inftances in the Fabulous Hiftories of the 
 fymens, B* it ens. SW/j ,£>;;<.>;>• j, Ghinefe, $c. This 
 
 is 
 
1? 6 Decretal Epiflles. Chap. X VIL 
 
 Year after the * s fcandalous and hateful enough in Secular Hiftories : 
 ApofHes 284. But in the concerns of Religion, is the higheft pitch of 
 v-/"V"* > -' impiety and miichief, 
 
 Finding that their Bifhops of the firft Ages had none 
 of thefe Decretal Epiflles upon Record, as many of the 
 following ones had, they made fome for 'em, and put 'em 
 out under their Names. And as there was a very corrupt 
 State of that Church at the time when thefe A&s were 
 forged, the Authors of 'em fail'd not to make the ancient 
 Popes lay all that they had a mind they fhould have faid. 
 So that you lhali there frequently find fome Bifhop of 
 Rome of the Primitive times, who was, in reality, an 
 Humble, Poor and Perfecuted Bifhop, ftrutting and va- 
 pouring about the Supremacy of his See, and talking of 
 the Worfhip due to Holy Images, &c. 
 
 When any thing is difcover'd and made plain, we are 
 apt to wonder that it was not difcover'd fooner. It was a 
 time of great Ignorance and Barbarity, when thefe for- 
 ged Epiftles were put upon the World. And in the 
 beginning of the Reformation the Protectants were much 
 puzzled with 'em. They faw plain enough that the 
 corrupt Doctrines and Practices then receiv'd, had no 
 Foundation in the Scripture, nor in the Writings of the 
 ancient Chriftians for leveralAges; but they knew not 
 what to fay to thefe Epiftles, many of which were dated 
 in and nigh the times of the Apofties, and yet had in 
 'em rank Popery. Thofe firft Bifhops of all, Clement, 
 Anaclet, Evareft, Alexander, Xyftm, and the holy Mar- 
 tyr Telefphowi, &c. did there all lpeak the Language of 
 Gregory the VII. 
 
 'Tis true that here and there one of the beft learned 
 and moft Free Men among the Papifts themfelves, had 
 before that time declar'd their Objections againft fome of 
 thefe Epiftles. For Example, Cardinal Cufanus, after h6 
 had (hewn by plain proofs that the Charter of Conftan- 
 1334* tine's Donation was a Forgery, adds, fu) As perhaps are 
 (1 1) De Con- f or ne other of the large Writings attributed to St. Clement 
 cordia Catho- and Ana'clet. For the Letters them/elves examind by the 
 lica. 1, go c. 2. Circumjlances of the times of thofe Men do bewray them- 
 felves. But thefe Exceptions of one or two Men a- 
 vail'd nothing againft the general Vote ; they were uni- 
 verfally receiv'd, the Canonifts made conftant ule of era, 
 and the Canon Law of that time was in great meafure 
 made out of 'em, 
 
 hv,th;r 
 
Chap. X VIL Decretal Epiftles. I 77 
 
 Luther exclaim'd againft 'em after his way; and cau- Year after the 
 fed them and the whole Body of the Decretals to be pub- Apoftles 284,, 
 lickly burnt ; but he had not Learning enough to trace 
 and defcry the Forgery of 'em. But Bifhop Jewel being I 4 I 7« 
 to anfwer his Adverlary Harding, who had prels'd him *45& 
 with Authorities out of them, made u(e of his skill in Ec- 
 clefiaftical Hiftory to difclofe plain proofs of Forgery in 
 few t d of 'em. And the Criticks fince, both thofe of the 
 Romiih and Reformed Church, have, by a particular 
 Examination put it out of doubt, that all of 'em^ be- 
 yond the times I fpoke of, are fpurious. 
 
 They are never mentioned by any Writer of any Anti- 
 quity ;they areWritten, not in the Style that was in ufein 
 the time of the fyman Empire, but in that of the Barbae 
 rous Age. The dates of almoft all of 'em are inconfi- 
 ftent with Hiftory. The ignorant forger has made moft 
 of 'em fpeak of Men and Things, Cuftoms and Forms 
 that were not in being at that time. Bcfide, that each E- 
 p':ftle has in it felf fome particular proof of its being 
 forged. 
 
 §. 2. Now that which the Criticks and Learned Men 
 are agreed on, is, that the Epiftles of Pope Sirkius, who 
 was made Bifhop Anno 384, are the ririt of all the De~ 
 cretal Epiftles that are genuine, :". e. that were really 
 written by the Men whole name they bear. 'Tis true, that 
 there are Epiftles extant, one of Clement, out of which I 
 gave a Quotation, CH* 1. §. 1. and fome of Cornelius, 
 and one or two more, which are undoubted i and are 
 mention'd and valued by all the Ancients ; but the 
 Forger of the Decretals took no notice of them ; either 
 becaufe they were nothing for his turn, or perhaps he 
 was fo ignorant as .not to know of 'em. Thofe which 
 he has made are of more ufe to the defign of the Cours 
 of fyme, but othcrwife of no worth. 
 
 But indeed the Church of Rome affords in all but <i 
 very few Writers of any Antiquity. And if fhc be 
 the Mother, fhe was in thofe times outdone by many 
 of her Daughters, for number of Learned Men. Since 
 Clement and Hernias, who liv'd in the Apoftles time, and 
 Sr. Hierom, who had his Education in that Church, there 
 his been none that I have had cccafion to mention in 
 this Trad till {his Sir!:' in. 
 
178 Sirkius. Chap. XVII. 
 
 Year after the §.3. He has feveral Epiftles exrant that arc genuine, and 
 Apoftles^284. are mention'd by Writers fo Ancient and fo Learned as not 
 to be impos'd on by the foremenrion'd Forgery. And the 
 marks of Popifh Worlhip that are fo frequent in the el- 
 der forced Epiftles, are all vanifh'd again in thofe of 57- 
 ricius and Innocent, and of feveral Popes that fucceeded 
 them. That which I have occafion to quote is the firft 
 of 'em, which is written to Himerius, Biihop of Arr-agon 
 in Spain 
 
 He gives him feveral directions about Ecclefiaftical 
 Matters, and finds fault with many things that by his 
 Information he underftood to be manag'd diforderly in 
 that Church. It is divided into 15 Chapters or Para- 
 graphs ; whereof the fecond is this, 
 
 Siricii Epifcofi Decretalis lipiftola prima capi- 
 tulo fee undo. 
 
 Sequitur de dherfis bapti^andorum temporibus, prout w 
 nicuique libitum fuerit, improbabilis & emendanda confu- 
 fio y qu£ a ncftns con facer dot ibus {quod commoti dicimus) 
 non ratio?ie autoritatis alicujus, fed fola tcmeritate prx- 
 fumitur. Zst pcffim ac liber e natalities Chrijli, feu Appari- 
 tions nee non & Apofiolorum feu Martyrum feftivitatibus, 
 innumcrx {ut ajfcrn)plebes baptifmi myfterium cenfequantur- 
 Cum hoc'fibi frivilegium & apud nos & apud cmnesEcdefias 
 Dominicum fpecialiter cum Pentecoftefua Pafcha defendat. 
 Quibus fohs per amnim diebus adfidem confluentibus genera- 
 Ha baptifmatis tradiconvenit facramenta. His duntaxat 
 eletlts qui ante quadraginta vel eo ampliw dies nomen de~ 
 derint, & exorcifmis quotidianifque orationibus at que je- 
 juniis fuerint expiati , qu atoms Apofiolica ilia implcatur 
 praceptio, ut expurgato fcrmento veteri nova incipiat ejfe 
 confperfw. 
 
 Sicut ergo Pafchalem reverentiam in nullo dicimm ejfe 
 minuendam, ita infantibus qui necdum loqui potuerint per 
 atatem, vel his quibus in qualibet neceffitatc opus fuerit fi- 
 eri undh baptifmatis omni volumus celeritate fuccurri '. Ne 
 ad noftrarum perniciem tendat animarum, fi negato defide- 
 rantibus fonte falutari exiens unufquifque defeculo z3 reg- 
 numperdat & vitain. 
 
 Quicunque etiam difcrimen ?iaufragii, hcftilitatis in- 
 curfum, obfidionis ambiguum y vel cujujlibet corporalis ce- 
 gritudinis defperationcs inciderint, & fibi unico credulita- 
 
 w 
 
Chap. X VH. Sir/duS . iy 9 
 
 tis auxllio popojcerint fubveniri, eoAem quo pofcttnt mo- Year after the 
 memo tempons expetitx regenerations prxmia confcauc.n- Apoftles 2BJL, 
 tur. 
 
 ' There is alfo a blameable diforder which ought to 
 
 * be amended, in Baptising at various times as every one 
 ■ fanfies ; which our fellow Bifhops among you do ven- 
 ture to practice, as I am fomething vest to hear, not 
 
 ' by the rule of any Authority, b a: bymeer Raihnefs. So 
 
 * that great numbers of People do, as you fay, receive 
 
 * their Baptifm, fome at Chrlftm.ii, fome at the Epiphany , 
 
 * and lome on the holy days of the Apoftles and Martyrs. 
 ' Whereas net only in our Church, but in all Churches, 
 
 * our Lcrd's Pnffover [vi^. Eajlsr] together with its Pen- 
 
 * tecrft, dees peculiarly challenge this Privilege to it feif, 
 c On which days of the year alone i: is fitting that the 
 ' common Sacraments of Baptifm ll.ou'd be given to rhofe 
 
 * that come to the Faith. And that thofe only fhould be 
 
 * admitted who have given in their Names forty days 
 
 * or more before, and have been cleanfed by Exorcifms 
 1 tor Renunciations of the Devil and H^ickcdnejf] and day- 
 
 * ly Prayers and Fadings, to the end that that precept 
 ' of the Apcftle may be fulfilled of purging cut the eld 
 
 * leaven, that there may be a nevi In 
 
 1 As therefore I affirm that the refpect due to the Feaft 
 
 * of Enjler, ought by no means to be diminished ; fo my 
 . meaning is, that as for Infants, who by reafon of their 
 ' Age, are not yet able to fpeak, and others that are ir. 
 . any cate of neceffity, they ought to be reliev'd with all 
 ' fpeed podible, lelt it turn trj the Perdition of our own 
 1 Souls, if we deny the Water of Salvation to any one 
 ' that ftands in need, and they departing this Life, dd 
 s lofe their Kingdom and their Life. 
 
 1 Whoever alfo thai! be in danger of Shipwrack, or 
 ' of the AlTaults of Enemies, or of a Siege, or fhali be 
 
 * likely to Die of any bodily Sickneis, and (hall deflre to 
 ' be aififted with that which is the only armour of our 
 
 * Faith lor, I{?lig!ori~\ that they have the gift of Regene- 
 1 ration which thev defire, the fame moment that they 
 ' defire it. 
 
 I have fet down this the more at large, becaufe we \zz 
 by it, that at the fame time swbea they infill uponthofe 
 Preparations, and perfonal Qualifications of the adulr. 
 they do except the Cafe of Infants. Tis common for 
 fome Ahtipapdobaptlft Writers to quote fccb PaiTages a; 
 the forepart of this taken by ; ; felf, wou'a be, as Te- 
 
 K * 
 
x8o S/rkius. Chap. XVII. 
 
 Year after the flimonies, that fuch Authors allow'd no Baptifm of Iiv 
 Apoflles 284. fants, becaufe they require thole preparatory Exercifesof 
 *^*"V ' w ' all that are to be Baptized. This I have feen done a hun- 
 dred times, when the lame Author that is quoted d«es, 
 fcmetimes in the lame Treadle, as here j and fometimes 
 in other parts of his Works, (hew that Infants are to 
 be Baptiz'd, as being in a Cafe that is exempt from the 
 general rule that requires Faith, Prayer, Repentance, and 
 other perfonal Preparation. 'Tis no wonder that they do 
 thus with other Books, when they can hardly forbear 
 doing it with the Catechifm of the Church of England, 
 which requires Repentance and Faith of Perlcns to be 
 Baptiz'd, but (hews by the next Words, that the cafe 
 of Infants is an exempt cafe. This practice, tho' not 
 always fo palpable, yet is in erTecl always as unfair as 
 (s :) Appeal that with which Wills charges Danvers, (12) vi%. for quo- 
 to Baptifts .1- ting the Canon of a certain Council as Enacting, that 
 gainft 11. D. none fhould receive Baptifm •without rehearfing the Creed 
 Chap.- 1. and Lord's Prayer, and flopping there ; when the next 
 \Vords are, Except thefe who, by reafon of Age, cannot 
 yet Jpea!{. 
 
 That which Siricius here fays, that it was the cuftom 
 of the Church of Rome, and of all other Churches to 
 give Bapnlm only at Eafler and H^ntfontide, excepting 
 Infants, lick People, and other fuch extraordinary cafes, 
 may be prov'd from a great many other Authors. I (hall 
 mention no more but Tertullian, for his Antiquity. He 
 {13) Debap-f a y s > ( j b) The mcjl folemn tiyne for Baptifm is Eafter, at 
 tifmo c. 19. w/wc/> time the faffion of our Lord, into which we are Bap* 
 
 ti^ed, was performed . After that the Pentecoft 
 
 affords a large time for ordering the I avers. — - — - 
 
 But yet every day is the Lords. Any hour, any time what' 
 ever is capable to be made ufe of for Baptifm. Tho' there 
 be fome difference ai to the folemnity, there is none as to the 
 Grace given. 
 
 §. 4. 1 faid that this Epiftle appears to be genuine and not 
 forged, among the others of the foregoing Popes, by 
 the mention that is made of it, by Authrrs fo Ancient 
 and fo Learned, as not to be impos'd or. by that Forge- 
 ry. This very Paflage of it is quoted b) Hincmants Rjx- 
 73'5« menfis (14) Anno 835. and by the Council of Tribur (15) 
 (i4)Opurcu- Anno 895. And I fuppofe Other parrs of it may have 
 lo. 55.Capi- Deen quoted by earlier Writers, which I have n. t had 
 tuloruin, cap. occalion to oblerve. The pretended Jfidoi e, 1 r.r of - vhofe 
 V'\c i ^°P £ h c Forged Collection of Epiftlcs is fuppofed fLrft 
 
Chap. XVII. Sir km. iSr 
 
 to have come, liv'd about thefe times, and feems to have Year after tfce 
 
 been Contemporary with Hincmarus, bur fomething the Apotlles 2S4. 
 
 Elder: But as all forged Works do require iome time af- % -^~ > ^~^-^ 
 
 ter their firtt hatching, to be known, or at leaft to gain 
 
 any Authority ; there is no likelihood that fo Learned 
 
 Men (as Hincmarus efpccially was) (hould quote any 
 
 thing upon a dependance on fo frefh an Impofture. 
 
 Elpecially when neither he nor the Council do quote in 
 
 as from Ifidcre, but as an Epiftle generally known in the 
 
 World. And betides, the Learned Criticks, Qucfnellw, 
 
 Du Pin, £?c. that do queftion one of Siricius's Epiftlcs, 
 
 as being to be fufpeded of Forgery for rcaibns they 
 
 give, do make no queftion of this. 
 
 By the faid Quotations of Hlncm.trtti and Concil.Tri- 
 burienf. it alfo appears that the cuftom of limiting the 
 Baptiim of adult Perfons to Eajter^ and the times afore- 
 faid, continued in the Church till their time, and it did 
 continue fomething longer. But of later times we hear 
 no more of it. I fuppofe, becaufc the Baptifms of a- 
 dult Perfons grew to be very few ; the Heathen Nations 
 being now become Chriftian ; and hardly any but In- 
 fants being Baptiz'd, which were not contain'd in that 
 rule. For it was but about 300 years after this time that 
 Petrus Cluniaccnfis writing againft fome that at that time, I0 3°< 
 Anno Dom. 1130. fet up a Doctrine, that Baptiim given to 
 an Infant is no Baptiim, eppos'd to 'cm this among 0- 
 ther things, That if it were fo, then, whereai all Europe 
 has had never a Perfon novo for 300, or hardly any for 500 
 years., Baptiz'd othcrxvifc than in Infancy, it has had ne- 
 ver a Chriftian in it. The place I quote more large- 
 ly hereafter. (16) (i6JPt. 1, 
 §. 5. This order of the Ancient Church, that no adult CH. VII. §, 
 Perfon, except in cafe of neceflity, fhould be Baptiz'd 5, 
 but at thefe let and appointed times, was made for 
 a very good and weighty realon, vi%. becaufe there 
 was not fo much care likely to be taken of his Inftru- 
 ction and Examination if he were Baptiz'd at fome o- 
 ther time of the year alone by himfclf, as there was if 
 he were Baptized at Eafter, when the other Catcchume-> 
 ni were Baptiz'd. Becaufe for fome Weeks before Ea- 
 Jler, the Minifters of the Church made it their bufinefs 
 to Catechife, Examine and Prepare the Candidates for 
 Baptifm. They were to give in their aunts forty Days 
 berbre ; and they were to be able to repeat the 
 .Creed, c?V, and to give account of their Faith twenty* 
 
 N 3 Da\s 
 
i8x Sirkius. Chap. XVII. 
 
 Sf ear after the Days before (fomething more or lefs, according to the 
 
 Apoftlc? 284. Canons of thefeveral Churches) and the People came to- 
 
 V' r V s -' gether to hear thefe Examinations and Profeffions ; 
 
 and care was taken that they did fpend the time in 
 
 Prayers, Failings, and fuch other holy Exercifes as would 
 
 fit 'em for lo great a change of their State. And, be- 
 
 caufe there were at Eafter a great number of 'em, 
 
 and the fpiritual good of the Church did in great mea- 
 
 fure depend upon their doing well ; it was counted 
 
 an occafion weighty enough to require that the whole 
 
 Church fhould at that time pray and faft with them and 
 
 (i?3 CH II. for them, as I qucted out of Jujiin Martyr. (17) They 
 
 %' f" fire directed to fray, and asl^rfGod with Faffing the forgive- 
 
 neft of their former Sins, find we alfo pray and faft together 
 
 with them. 
 
 And this, I believe, was none of the leaft occafi- 
 ons of keeping the faft of Lent before Eafter. 
 
 And we lee alio to this day fome remains of the ca- 
 techizing uied then ; for tho' the Church of England do 
 now appoint catechizing all the year long, yet moft of 
 the Curates therein omit it all the year, except the time of 
 Lent, but at that time that Office is by old cuilom kept 
 on Foot. It was to prepare the Candidates for Bap- 
 tifm at Eafter, that the Lent catechizing was ufed. 
 
 Alfo in the Liturgy of the lame Church, and in that 
 of the Church of Bgmc the Collect for the third Sunday 
 after Eafter, remains in that Form which feems to have 
 been compos'dat firif with a pa"ticmarrefpectto the new- 
 baptiz'd Pd-fons. Almighty God, who ftocweft to them that 
 be in error the light of thy truth, to the intent that they 
 may return into the .way cf J^ghtcoufn ft ; grant unto 
 nil them that are admitted into the feilowfhipof Chrift's 
 Religion, that they may cfchew thefe things th it arc contra- 
 ry to their Profrjjicn, and fell w all fuch things as fire a- 
 greeable to the fame, thro' cur Lord Jcfm Chrift. This is 
 a good Prayer aj all Times* and for all Perions ; -but I 
 believe jifche firft curipciir.g it for thai; 'Sunday, was in 
 regard tc the Ne phytes. The Collects for Eafter, and 
 the two SU'it'cys following, referring to the Relurre<5ti- 
 on, the next was for ihern'. 
 
 §. 6. T;.e 9th Chapter or Canon of the fame Ep : ftle of 
 Siriciw, is. tc blame the People of Spain for ending into 
 the Muuftry fome fuch as had been but lately converted 
 to the Chriitian Kelig.on j and he gives 'em this Di- 
 icocion* 
 
 Quiciinque 
 
Chap. XVII. Innocentius the Firft. 183 
 
 Quicunque igitur fc Ecclefix vovit [7. vovet~\ obfequiii, Year after th? 
 a[ua.inf.intia. ante tuber tatis annos Bapti~ari& Leclorum Apoltles 284* 
 debet minificrio fociari. v-/^/"""^ 8 -'* 
 
 ' He chat devotes himfelf co the Service of the Church, 
 ' ought to be Baptized [t. e. ought to be one that was B.ip- 
 ' th£<tl in his Infancy, before ripenefs of Age, and im- 
 * ploy'd in the Office of the Readers. 
 
 This rule was a little after repeated to the People of 
 Spain, by Innoccntiw, in Words juft to the fame pur r 
 pole, only a little plainer, which I fhall recite pre- 
 fenry. 
 
 §. 7. After Siricius, Anrftafms fate but about 3 or 4 
 years, and was fucceeded by Innocentius the Firft. He 
 rauft have been a Man of note in the Church before the 
 year 400, for it was in the year 401 that he was made 
 Bi(hop of Upme. He alfo has fome Decretal Epiftles (be-r 
 fides thofe to the Council of Carthage, which I ihall cite 
 hereafter) that mention Infant Baptifm, and are by all ac- 
 knowledged to be genuine. 
 
 His firft is written to Decentim, Biftiop of Eugubium, 
 giving him his Refolution in feveral things, wherein he 
 had demanded it : "Whereof the third is, that tho' the Pres- 
 byters might Baptize Infants, yet only Bifhops might 
 give them the Chrifm, or anointing on the Forehead, 
 which was in thofe times given after Baptilm : It is as 
 follows, 
 
 EpifloU Decretalis hmcentii ad Decent'ium, 
 Can. 3. 
 
 De ccnfignandis vera infantilis, manifcflum eft non ab 
 alio quam Epifcopo fieri licerc. Narri'grxsbytbn, licet fint grafter the 
 facerdotes, pontificates tamen apicem ribii habent. H.cc "^%>^^^ 
 autem pontificibus folis d?bcri, ut vcl conflgnent vel para- 
 cletum fpiritum tradant, non folum cnfuetu.i •■ l.'i'fuftica. 
 demonftrat, vcrun cf? ilia lectio Acluum Apftolcrum, qucC 
 ajferit Pctrum & Joannem ejfe dire ft- s qui jam bapti- 
 ^atis trader ent fpiritum fanclum. Nam prcsbytens feu cx~ 
 tra Epifcopum feu prxfentc Epijcopo cit n bapti%arit t Chrif- 
 mate bapti^atcs ungere licet, fed quod ab Epifcopo fucr it 
 conjecratum ; non tamen frpntem ex eodem 0U0 jign.irc, 
 quod folis debctur Epifcopis, &C. 
 
 N 4 . 'A* 
 
184 Innocentius the Firfl. Chap. XVIJ, 
 
 Year after the * As for the anointing of Infants on the Foreheac, 
 ^pottles 300/ with the Chrifm, it is plain that that ought to be 
 S^yr^^ ' done by none but the Bifhop. For Presbyter;, 
 1 tho' they be as Priefts, yet they have not the Pre- 
 ' eminence of the chief Priefts. And that it is Lawful 
 ' for the chief Priefts only, either to anoint on the 
 ' Forehead, or give the Holy Spirit, appears not only by 
 ' the cuftom of the Church, but alio by that Place in 
 
 (18) Afts8. * the A8s of the Affiles, which tells (18) us, that Peter 
 ?4« * and John were lent to give the Holy Spirit to fuch 
 
 ' as were already Baptiz'd. For when Presbyters do 
 ' give Baptifm either in the prefence of the Bifhop, or 
 4 out of his prefence, they may anoint the Baptized Per- 
 'fons with Chrifm, provided it be fuch as has been 
 ' Confecrated by the Bifhop ; but they muft not anoint 
 ' the Forehead with the fame - 3 for that is peculiar to 
 1 the Bifhops, (3c 
 
 Tho' this place do not mention the Baptifm of thefe 
 Infants, yet it plainly fuppofes it. The Chrifm was 
 never given to any till they were Baptized. 
 
 The rule ' that he fets here that none but the Bifhop 
 muft give the Chrifm on the Forehead, was' the ordi- 
 nary and general rule of that Church ; but yet difpene'd 
 with in the cafe of want of Bifhops, or their default of 
 
 (19) Pr. 2. doing their Office, as I fhew hereafter (19). 
 
 CH. IX. §. ^ 2. The other paffage of Jnnoccntius, which is to the 
 ^ * fame effecl: with that which I recited from Siricius, is in 
 
 his 24th Epfile, which was written to a Synod then met 
 at Toledo ; whereof the 5th Chapter is a rule given for 
 the Qualifications cf fuch as were to be admitted to 
 the Miniftry. He had determin'd in the foregoing Ca- 
 nons, that no Lawyer, Soldier, or Officer of the Tem- 
 poral Court, fhould be received to holy Orders, and then 
 gives the Qualifications following, . ' . 
 
 EpiJioU Innocent ii frimi ad Synodum Toleta- 
 nam Can. quint us. 
 
 Qunlcs ye) eligenai font in ' or dine clericorum evidenr 
 forma dectnrnt, i. e. qui ab iveunte xtate bnfti^ati fuerint, 
 & LtZlorum officio foci ati,vel fi met] ores font cum fuerint 
 Dei vratittrh confecuti, ftaijtn fc Ecclefinflicis ordinibw 
 V)'vcitnverint. Et fi uxcrci hnbucriut , quxrendurn fi uxc- 
 rem vbginem heibupint : Quid fcriptum ejl in yeteri T<?~ 
 
 finmento $ 
 
Chap. XVII. Innoccntius the F/rfl. 185- 
 
 finmento j uxor cm virginem accipiat facer dos : Et alibi, Year after the 
 facer dotes rnei feme! Hub ant. Nequc qui duas uxor a habue- Apoftles 3,o°« 
 Yit : Qi'ia Paulus Apiflolus ait ; ZJviut uxoyis virum. V-/'~V ! >-' - 
 
 4 And as to the Qualifications of fuch as are to be chofen 
 
 * into the Miniftry, there is a certain rule, yfa. That they 
 
 * be fuch as have been Baptiz'd from then- Infancy, and 
 ' have been Educated in the Office of Readers.- Or, if 
 ' they were older before they obtain'd the Grace of God, 
 1 then that they be fuch as did prelently upon it addict 
 ' themfelves to Offices of the Church. And if they have 
 1 had Wives, it inuft be inquir'd, whether thev Married 
 
 ' Virgins ? For it is Written in the Old (20) T.itament, C-°) Leviti 
 1 He foall ttik? <* Wife in her Virginity. And at another 2,1-13. 
 
 * place, Let my Priefs Marry but or.ee. Not oue that has 
 
 * had two Wives -: For St. Paul fays, (2,1) The Husband of ( Zl ) , j; m ; 
 
 * one Wife. 3. 2, i2.TitJ 
 
 It has been often enough faid already, That there 1. 6. 
 were in thole times, befides thofe that were Baptiz'd 
 in Infancy, feveral thatturn'd from Henthenifm to Chri- 
 ftianity at their ripe Age; fuch the Canon would not 
 have to be put into Holy Orders ; but only fuch as 
 were Baptized in Infancy, unlefs thofe fo converted 
 have, from their fir it coming to the Faith, addicted 
 themfelves to the fervice of the Church, in the lower 
 Offices : To prevent the inconvenience mention'd by St. 
 Paul, in preferring Novices, (22) or Neophytes, ;'. e. Per- ^ x T ^ 
 fonsbut lately Baptiz'd or made Chriftians. 3,6. 
 
 §. 9. The latter part of this Canon takes St. Paul's 
 rule given 1 Tim. 3. 2, 12. andT/V. 1. 6. for the Quali- 
 fication of a Bifhop or Deacon, vi\. That he Ihcu'd be 
 the Husband of one Wife, in that fenfe in which all An- 
 tiquity dees generally take it, that no Man that has been 
 twice Married fhould be admitted to Holy Orders. 
 
 CHAR 
 
1 8 6 Tadinus. Chap. X VIII. 
 
 Year after the 
 A potties 293 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Out of Paulinus Bijhop of Nola, and 
 another Paulinus, Deacon of the Church 
 of Milan. 
 
 §. 1. ~| A iulinus, Bilhop of Nola, had been a Heathen 
 \~ Man, during which time he had addicted his 
 -A- Mind to Poetry and Oratory • after he became 
 a Chriftian, he made ule of thcfe Faculties on Religi- 
 ous Subjects. And Sulptius Scverus, who had bui!t a 
 Church, dcfired him to compofe fome proper godly 
 Sentences to be written in feveral places of the Church, 
 and particularly at the Font, or place of Baptizing. Pr.u- 
 linus fends him a Letter in Aniwcr, containing feveral 
 fuch Sentences : It is, 
 
 Epift. 32. qu£ efi dv.odeciwa ex iis qua> funt 
 ad Severum. 
 
 And" in one of 'em compos'd in Verfe for the Font* 
 there is this Diftich, 
 
 Inde parens [aero ducit defontefacerdos 
 Infantes niveos corf ore, corde, habitu. 
 
 * The Prieft from th' holy Font do's th s Infants 
 
 (bring, 
 ' In Body, in Soul, in Garments white and 
 
 (clean. 
 
 As he refers to the cleannefs of the Body, by wafhir.g 
 in the Font, and of the Sou!, on account of the forgive- 
 nefs of Sins granted in that holy Sacrament ; fo what he 
 fpeaks of the whitenefs of their Garments, is according 
 to the cuftom then us'd all over the Church, of clo- 
 thing the new Baptiz'd Perfcns, whether Infants or 
 grown People, in Albes, or, white Garments. 
 
 §.2. 
 
Chap. XVIII. Taullnm. 187 
 
 §.2. If there were not Teftimonies enough of the Year after the 
 cuitom of Baptizing Infants in this Age, this alone Apoftles 2930 
 would not be iufficicnt to prove it. For there being ^^f"**-* 
 nothing but the word Infants fingly mention'd, with- 
 out any ether Circumftances letting forth their Age ; 
 and there being a euftom about theie times of calling by 
 a Metaphorical Speech, all the new Bapnz'd Perfons, 
 Infants, whether they were Young cr Old : It is a que- 
 ftion whether Paulinus did by that word intend to re- 
 ftrain the Senfe to Infants in Age, or whether he meant 
 only to defcribe the Proceffion of the Prieft leading 
 from the Font a number of new Baptiz'd Perfons in ge^^^ 
 neral, in their Albes. 
 
 That there was fuch a cuftom of calling new Bapti- 
 zed Perfons, by the name of Infants, about this time, 
 appears by feveral Inftances. Gaudentius, who was Bi- 
 fhop of Brefcia, about this time, has an Oration, or Ser- 
 mon, (1) in which he thus befpeaks the Novices, or new (') Orat. 8. 
 Baptized Perfons, You are put in mind by the name qfadNeophytosi 
 Infants, by which you arc called, that you are by your Bap- 
 iifm regenerated and born a-new ; and therefore if any of 
 you that are Married, &c. Alio St. Aufiin has a Sermon 
 or Difcourfe intid'd, Ad Infantes, To the Infants, i. e. 
 to a Congregation of Perlons then newh Baptized. 
 
 This does not at all invalidate the Teftimonies 
 which have been given for Infant Baptilm ; for in all 
 that I have quoted, except this and one or two more, 
 there is, befide the word Infant, lome Circumftance true 
 does (hew the Speech to be about Infants in Age. It 
 rather confirms the thing, and is it lelf a Teft'unony ; for 
 one reafen cf the Name was, that the number of Chri- 
 ftians being now much encreafed, and the Baptiim of 
 Chriftian Infants being more frequent than of Eider 
 Perfons new converted, thefe latter had the name of 
 Infants in ailuiion to the former, 
 
 Faulinus de obitu Celfi pueri. On the Death 
 of Celfis, a Child. 
 
 / 
 
 This Ce'fus was a Child very der.r to his Pirents, 
 that died at leven year old, or when he was newiy cn- 
 ter'd into hie Sch, as appears by fome pafTages of the 
 Difcourfe. - 
 
 His 
 
* 88 Paulinas. Chap. XVIIJ. 
 
 Year after the His Parents were fo overmuch concern'd at his death, 
 ■Apoftles 293. tnac Paulinus found it neceflary to write to them a 
 Confolatory advice ; it is written in Verfe, and after the 
 firft Diftich follow thefe two, 
 
 Quern Dominus tanto cumulavit munere Cbriftus, 
 ZJt rudis ilie annis, & novus iret aauis : 
 
 Ataue bis infantem, fpatio aevi, & fonte lavacri, 
 Congeminata Deo gratia perveheret. 
 
 * So great a Favour Chrift did to him fhow, 
 ' That he, efcaping all the fnares below, 
 ' Should hence fo Young, and frefti from B 
 
 (tifm go 
 
 * Two Graces do his Infant Soul commend, 
 1 So little fullied, and lo lately clean'd. 
 
 a P .r 
 
 jo : 1 
 
 This Quotation is not fully to the purpofe either of 
 the Pa?dobaptifts or Antipaedobapdfts ; for the one will 
 inquire why this Child's Baptifm was delay 'd fo long 
 as till he was almoft feven years old j and the other, 
 why he was Baptiz'd fo foon. And there is not any 
 fuch account of the Ccndition of his Parents, as to fa- 
 tisfie either of 'em. They might perhaps be, as Pauli- 
 nus himfelf was, lately converted, or it might be defer- 
 red by Negligence and Procraftination. St. Auftin, 
 fomewhere, but I have forgot where, fpeaks of fourteen 
 years as the fooneft that People were ordinarily Baptiz'd 
 on their own Profeffion ; yet at another place, where 
 his Adverfary would prove that unbaptized' Children 
 might go to Heaven, by the inftance of D'mocratcs, a 
 Boy' born of Heathen Parents, and dying ac feven year 
 old, whofe Soul was faid in a certain Story-book, to 
 have been feen in Heaven in a Vifion, by his Sifter in 
 her Prayers ; he fays, It is not impojjible but that at that 
 Age he might have been B.ipti^'d at his own choice, which 
 place I have occasion to recite hereafter (1). 
 
 It is plain enough by what has been laid, that the 
 
 (2) CH. XX. ordinary time of Baptizing Infants was within a little 
 
 $.3. time after their Birth. And the Antipajdobaptifts, I fup- 
 
 pofe, do not think a Child of feven year old, any fitter 
 
 than a mere Infant, 
 
 The 
 
Chap. XVIII. Paulinus and St. Hierom. 1 89 
 
 The cuftcm that I mcntion'd of calling hew Baptlz'd Year after the 
 Pertbns by the name of Infants, is alluded to here : Apoftles 293. 
 For Pauli?ius calls this Child, bis infant cm, in two re- v- '""V"*-" 
 fpe&s an Infant, vi^. [patio <evi & fonte lavacri, an In- 
 fant in Age, and an Intant as newly Baptized. 
 
 Paulinus has fome Letters and Traces attributed to . 
 him, that are fpurious ; but this is recited among his 9 
 "Works, by Gennadius, in thefe (3) words ; Paulinus, B.- (3) Catalog, 
 (hop cf Kola, in Campania wrote many things in way of virorum illu- 
 floort Poems; and a Confolatory Trail to Celfus, inform ftrium. 
 cf an Epitaph, on the death of his Chrijiian and Baptis- 
 ed Infant, full of Chrijiian hope, &c, 
 
 Paulini Rpiflola ad Hieronymum de dualus Qua- 
 fiionilus apud Hieronym.Ep. 1 53. 
 
 §.4. Paulinus in this Letter dehYd St. Hierom s Opi- 
 nion of the meaning of two fayings which the Scripture 
 ufes. 
 
 One was, what is faid, Exod. 9. 12. He asks, Why 
 for in what fenfe3 PharaohV heart was hardned by God ? 
 And alfo, how that which the Apoftle fays, (4) is to be (4) Rom. 9<s 
 underftood, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that 16. 
 runneth, but of God that Jheweth Mercy j which feems to 
 take away Free-will. 
 
 The other was concerning that Text, 1 Cor. 7. 14. 
 FJfe were your Children unclean, but now are they holy. 
 On which Paulinus asks this queftion, 
 
 Quomodo fanEii fint qui de fidelibus, id eft, de bapti- 
 ■%atis nafcuntur ; cum fine dono gratia; poftea accepts & 
 cujioditx falvi effe non pcjjunt ? 
 
 ' How thofe Children that are born of Fidel, that 
 
 * is, of Baptized Parents, are Holy ; whenas, without 
 ' the gift cf Grace \jf Battifm] afterward [vi%. after 
 
 * their Birth"] received and preferred, they cannot be 
 
 * faved ? 
 
 He feems at this place to have taken the obvious 
 fenfe of St. Paul's Words to be, that the Infants of Chri- 
 ftian Parents are holy from their Birth, and defires to 
 know what Holincfs this is that St. Paul afcribes to 'em 
 from their Birth, fince tho' the Parents be Baptized 
 Chriftians, yet unlefs the Children alfo be themfelves 
 Baptized, they cannot be faved. 
 
 This 
 
190 Faulinw and St. Hierom. Chap. XVlIf. 
 
 Year after the This is the molt material of the Evidences we have 
 Apoftles293. from him on this Subject, for if it be concluded, as he 
 V - / ^V^** - ' does here conclude, that Infants cannot be faved with- 
 out Baptifm, it will undoubtedly follow in any one's 
 fenfe, that they ought to be Baptiz'd without delay. 
 
 §. 5. This Letter ot Paulinus is not extant, that I know 
 of, and perhaps was never publifhed. But St. Hierom, in 
 his Anfwer to it, which is his Epifi. 153. ad Paulinum, 
 recites out of it what I have here fet down. 
 
 He makes his Anfwer very fhort, and that for two 
 reaions which he gives : One was, that by every Ship 
 that failed for the Weft, he had lb many Letters of 
 this nature to fend, that he could not beftow pains on a- 
 ny one, but was fore'd to write whatever came Ex- 
 tempore into his Mind. The other was, that tofo great 
 a. Critick as Paulinus, he did not dare write a long 
 Letter, in which the more faults would be found. 
 
 It (hews us by the way, how diligent People were 
 at that time in feeking to have the true fenfe of Scrip- 
 ture, and of how great repute St. Hiererris Learning was; 
 when Paulinus, and fo many ethers, fent Letters a thou- 
 fand mile to him to defire his opinion. 
 
 St. Hierom refers him for an anfwer to his firft cjue- 
 ftion to Origcn sBook iri(i &?X® y i wn i cn ne na( ^ tnen 
 ^ewly Tranllated into Latin, and whereof he might 
 have a Copy in Pammachius's hands, to whom he, had 
 dedicated and fent it. And for the fecend his anfwer 
 is this, 
 
 Of your fecond qucflion Tertullian has difioursd in hii 
 Book_ de Monogamist [leg. de Anima] holding that the 
 Children of Chrijlians are fly led Holy, as being Candidates 
 [or, Expectants] of the Faith, and not polluted with any I- 
 dolatroiu filth or trumpery. 
 
 Alfo you may mind that xoe read of the veffels of the 
 Tabernacle being called Holy, and many other Vtenfils of 
 the Ceremonies ; whereas nothing can be properly Holy, 
 but what has Senfc, and fears God. It is therefore a phrafe 
 of Scripture, fometimes to call thrfe Holy that arc Clean 
 and Purified, or expiated from Vnclc.inncf, as Bathfheba 
 £ faid to be Sanctified [or, made Holy] front her Un- 
 cle anncfi. 
 
 I intreat you not to impute to me either trifling, or 
 vorong Interpret atim ; for God is witnefi to my Confidence, 
 that the hurry I have mention d to you, kdi hindred me from 
 Co much as fating on± or attempting the Interpretation- 
 
Chap. XVIII. Paulinus and St. Hkrom. 1 9 I 
 
 of the place. And you know notbin? is done to any purpofe Year after die 
 'in a hurry. & " *" Apoftl^. 
 
 Sr. Hicrom had fome reafon to make an Apology for v *^>'^ 
 fo flight and perfunctory an Explication ; yet as it is, 
 it (hews that he, as well as Paulinus, thought that fuch 
 Children could not be call'd Holy in any fuch ienfe as 
 fhould intit'.e 'em to Salvation, unlets they were Bapti- 
 zed. If he had thought they could, the ready way to 
 take off Paulinus's doubt, had. been to anfwer lo ; the 
 doubt being this, How they are Holy from their Birth, 
 fince without Baprifm they cannot be fav'd ? But he 
 anfwers, 
 
 i. By referring him to Tertullians account of this place 
 in his Book de Anima, which I recited before, (5) where (5) CH, IV. 
 he Paraphrafes the Text in this Senfe, They are Ho!y,?'°* 
 that is, they are dcjigrid for Holinejl ; for, as for any other 
 meaning, our Lord has determhi 'd, that without Baptifm 
 none jb all enter into the Kingdom of God, (6) which # (6) John 3. 5. 
 as much as to fay, None Jloall be Holy. 
 
 2. By giving fome inftances where the word Holy is 
 applied to fome things that are not capable of Salva- 
 tion, or of moral Good or Evil. 
 
 Calvin, and many that have followed him, have bold- 
 ly ventur'd en that Explication which Paulinus durft not 
 embrace, nor St. Hierom advife, and which Tertullian dis- 
 proves. They have determin'd, that a Believer's Child 
 is Holy, /. e. is born to Salvation, whether it be Bap- 
 tiz'd or not j that Baptifm is to be given it in- 
 deed, but only as a leal of that Holinefs, which it has 
 by Covenant before it be Baptized. And to this pur- 
 pofe, they expound that Text, John 3. 5. cf any 
 thing rather than of Baptifm : And many of 'em have 
 determin'd that the Authority of Baptizing Infants is 
 grounded only on that Birth Privilege which they have 
 before ; and that no other Infants than fuch as are 1 j 
 Holy by their Birth, may, or ought to be Baptized ; 
 which Dodlrine involves the Baptizer in end'els Scru- 
 ples, which Infants he ma/ Baptize and "Which nor, 
 as Bifhop Stillingfieet has largely fhewn in the Book to 
 which I refei'u before (7). (7) CH- XI, 
 
 He that has read the foregoing Chapters, is by this §■ tt. 
 time fatisfied, that all the Ancients underilood our Sa- 
 viour's Words, John 3. 5. of Baptifm, or will be, by 
 what I (hall produce; (%) and that they never refus'd (8) SeePt. 2. 
 to Baptize a Child on account of their Paren:s Wicked- CH, Vie §. 1^ 
 
 ncfe, 
 
19^ Paulinus. Chap.XVflL 
 
 Year after the nefs, or even Heathenifm or Infidelity, if the Child 
 
 Apoftles293. were offer'd to Baptifm by iuch as were the then own- 
 
 J^jOC ' ers of the Child (9). 
 
 rw vi k 2 Much lefs do the Explications given by the Anci- 
 *• §• ents, of the Holinefs here fpoken of, fit or fquare to 
 that jejune one given by fome Antipaidobaptifts, that 
 St. Paul fhould mean no more but that the Children of 
 Believers, tho' one of the Parents do continue in un- 
 belief, are Legitimate and not Baftards ; which looks as 
 made merely to (erve a turn. 
 
 On the contrary, the general vein of ancient Interpre- 
 tations, is, to underftand by this Holinefs, baptilmal 
 Holinefs, either as given, or defign'd to be given : As 
 
 (10) CH iv nas a PP ear 'd partly by this Quotation, and by fome o- 
 §.12 CH " tners given before (10) and will more fully hereafter, 
 Xl.§."u. ' where I mean to confer together all the Ancient Ex- 
 CH.XV.§ 2. portions of this Text that I know of (1 1). 
 (u)CH. 
 
 XIX. §. 19. F animus in vith Amhroju. 
 
 Year after the h- 6- The other Patdinus was a Deacon of the Church 
 
 Apoftles 297. of Milan, that miniftred to St. Ambrofc in his life time, 
 
 v-x^v^*-^ and after he was dead, wrote the Hiftory of his Life, 
 
 which is commonly Printed with his Works. Eraf- 
 
 (11) Cenfura tnits takes this Piece for a Forgery (12) of later years, 
 operibus Am- becaufe manv nf the P.ifTages he relates, look fo like 
 brofii praefbuL the Fabulous Stories of the Monks ; and I am almoft 
 
 of h Opirion, partly for his reafon, and partly for a- 
 (»3) Pt. 2. nother that I mermen hereafter. (13) It muft cither be 
 CH. III. §. 9. fo, or elfe rhis PaulinUs muft have been a very vain 
 and credulous Man. Neither would I fet down the 
 PafTage here following, which feems as fabulous and idle 
 as any of 'en;, were it not that meft of the Criticks 
 and Learned Men have an Opinion of the Authentical- 
 nefs of the Tract, and do commonly cjuote it. 
 
 He relate* a great many different occafions, ori which 
 St. Ambrofes Ghcft or Shape appeared to feveral Per- 
 sons, after he was dead ; and, among the reft, how he 
 297. having departed this Life on EaflerEve, his Body was 
 carried and la d in he great Church. 
 
 file eJdcm fuit node nuc.m vigilr.mus in Pafcha~. 
 Quern f.urimi ivf "antes bdptiJAti, quuni a fontc venirent, 
 viderurtf. : Ira ut alii} i fidsntcni in Cathedra, tribunali 
 diccrcnt j alii vero afcendinieWfiiiifarentibtti digito ofien- 
 
 dcrcnt, 
 
Chap. X VIII. Paulinus. 193 
 
 derent. Sed Mi videntes videre non pot er ant, quia mun- Year after the 
 d.itos oculos non habcbant. Apofties 297. 
 
 * And there it was that night which we fpend in ^^"^^^ 
 ' watching at Eafter {_thu wai the night before Eafter 
 ' day, on which, in the Primitive timet, the whole body of 
 
 * the People did always fit up all night i?i the Church at 
 
 * their Prayers.'} And a great many of the Infants than 
 
 * were Baptized [on Eafter day\ faw him as they came 
 1 hack from the Font, fome of 'em faying, There he fits 
 ' in the Bift:op's Chair : Others of 'em Ihew'd him to their 
 ' Parents, pointing with their hands, that he was going 
 
 * there up the fieps'. But the Parents looking, could not '■ •■■'■-' 
 ' fee him, becaufe they had not their Eyes cleanfed [V 
 
 ' enlightned!} 
 
 There you have the Story, fuch as it is, grounded 
 probably on the fuperftitious Conceits of Women and 
 Boys : but yet it (hews that there were Children among 
 thofe that were Baptiz'd on that day. He calls 'em Infants, 
 but fome of 'em could not be abfolute Infants, for he 
 mentions their fpeaking : They feem to have been lit- 
 tle Boys carried in their Parents Arms, or lead in their 
 Hands. 
 
 Thefe Infants, according to this Story, being by their 
 Baptifm, juft then received, clear from all Sin, had their 
 Eyes enlightned to fee this Miracle ; but their Parents 
 having been fince their Baptifm ftained with many Sins, 
 were not capable of it. They called Baptifm, both in 
 the Scripture times, as appears from Heb. 6. 4. and alio 
 in thefe times7"?aT/ff^C8?, the Illumination, or Inlightning 
 of a Perfon, 
 
 
 O QHAR 
 
1 94 Pelagian Cont rover fie. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the 
 Apoftles 3 1 o. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 Out of St. Hierom and St. Auftin, af- 
 ter the rife of the Pelagian ControVer- 
 (te 5 as alfo out of Pelagius, Celefti- 
 us, Innocent the Firft, Zofimus, 
 Julianus, Theodorus Mopfueften- 
 fis, &c. And out of the Councils of 
 Carthage, Diofpolis, Milevis, <src. 
 
 '§. i. \ New Herefie happening in the Church at 
 A\ this time, gave more occafion to fpeak of 
 +- ^ Infant Baptifm than ever had been before. 
 Not that any of the Parties difapproved it ; but one of 
 'em held that there is no original Sin in Infants, and 
 that brought in much difcourle about their Baptifm. 
 
 Pelagius, a Monk, living at I{cme, was the Author 
 of this Herefie ; at leaft the firft Promoter of it in the 
 Weft. And one Celeftius, another Monk, was his chief 
 Abetter; and afterward, Julianus a Bilhop, and Ania- 
 nus a Deacon. It was not ftarted till the year of Chrift 
 410. But meft of the Managers on each fide were Men 
 of Note before the year 400. 
 
 The Men that I named were the only Writers of 
 the Pelagian fide, but a considerable number of the 
 People was brought over to incline to their Opi- 
 nions. They argued, that the Doctrine of original 
 Sin and natural Corruption, by which Peribns are fup- 
 pofed to be born under a neceflity of finning, did caft 
 a reflection on the Honour and Juftice of God, who 
 gives OS our Being j and this Argument was plaufible a- 
 mong the vulgar. 
 
 Confequently to this, they faid that Baptifm of In- 
 fants was not for any Sin they had, but to gain them 
 admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven : For they 
 faid that Children, tho' they were not baptiz'd, lhould 
 have an Eternal and Happy Life ; not in the Kingdom of 
 
 jieaven 
 
Chap. XIX. Pelagian Contr over fie. 195 
 
 Heaven indeed, becaule our Saviour, John 3. 5. had Yearafter the 
 determin'd the contrary, but fomewhere, they knew not Apoftles 310^ 
 where. Sm/I V - "**"^ 
 
 This, with the reft of their Opinions, is briefly fee 
 forth bv St. Aujiin lib. de bxrefibus c. 88. 
 
 (j. 2. For better apprehending the fenfe of the Quotations, 
 which we fhall produce, a fhort Hiftory of the fteps and 
 progrefs of this Sect would be ufeful, which is alio the 
 more neceftary, becaufe a late Author has wrote the Hi- 
 ftory of it very partially for thofe Hereticks ; pretending 
 to givefi) an abftrad of what Bilhop Vflier had Col- C 1 ) BibliotheH 
 lected (2) of this Hiftory, he has pick'd out of it for <l ue Uniyerfel* 
 the molt part only fuch Circumftances and fuch Sayings * • °- 
 ofPelagius, as taken by themfelves, found raoft favoura- (2) Britannia 
 biy for him, and fuch of St. Aujiin and St. Hierom as Ecdefiarum 
 are meft liable to Exception. AntiquitateSj 
 
 It is great pity that among all the learned and true quibus incerta 
 Hiflories of Pelananifm, only that (hould have the luck eft pefHferse 
 to be Tranfiated into Englijh : But the World knows adv. Dei gra- 
 now by whofe means that and the Lives of form Fa- t,am a Pela- 
 tkers, Written by the fame Author, and in the fame vain, §'° Bntanno 
 have been tack'd together, and put into the hands of '"""fte ha;re~ 
 our vulgar Readers. feos Hiftona. 
 
 It feems that tho' it be a great fault to write the 
 Lives of the Catholick Fathers Encomiajlically, yet it is 
 none to write the Lives of the old Hereticks fo. And 
 one that in reading the Books of the Ancient Chnfti- 
 ans, pafTes by the beft, and picks out for a Specimen 
 of their Works, what maybe cenfured in 'em, is a good 
 Author, tho* he that pafTes by their Nscvi, and takes 
 moft notice of what is moft material, does fo great a 
 mifchief: Or elfe it is, that the Bookfellers of Amjler- 
 dam will give more Money for the Copy of a Book of 
 the firft than of the latter fort, not regarding which does 
 moft good or hurt to the caufe of Chriftianity ; bar 
 which Men will have the moft Curiofity to fee and 
 to buy. As 'tis faid of B'eau, that he proem'd a Scci~ 
 nian Book which he> had Printed, to be burnt by the 
 Hangman, that the Edition might fell the better (3). (3) La Ksis- 
 
 This Author notes, (4) that we have no account of ?' o;1 des W<&- 
 Ccleftius's Doctrine, but from his Adverfaries, tho' St . landois, p. 83,- 
 Aujiin quotes largely the Acts of the Council where (4) Pag. 18 2,* 
 he fpoke, and his owri Books; and, that poffibly the Ed. 1688, 
 feyings objected to him in the Council, were but con*- 
 fequences drawn from what he had faid, tho' his 
 
 O \ " Book.. 
 
196 YehgOLnControverfie. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Vcar after the Book and the Chapters of it be quoted in the Coun- 
 ApotUes 310. cil, and concludes that St. Auftin and Pelagius did not 
 v-/*\v > ^ underftand one anothers terms and meaning, and that 
 in many parts of this difpute, they were like two Men 
 of different Languages, that ihould fcold as loud as 
 they could, without underftanding what each other 
 faid ; and reciting the Emperor's Edict againft the Pela- 
 gians, fays, Sufpicious Perfons will thinly this Edict ex- 
 prefs'd in fo pathetic}^ terms pomes from the Pen of feme 
 Ecclcft.iftical T^ealot. One may know who he means. 
 And endeavouring to (hew that St. Auftin and St. Hie- 
 rom, the chief Oppofers of the Pelagian Doctrine, do 
 contradict one another about a main point of it, vi%_ % 
 the pofiibility of keeping the Commandments ; he, by 
 {5) Pag. 219. a grofs miftakc, quotes (5) Pelagius's Words againft Hie- 
 rom, as if they were St. Auftin % (as I fhall by and by 
 
 (6) §. 29. ftew, having occafion to rccite(o') thofe Words) at which 
 Notes on Pe- rate ne maY wc ^ prove that St. Auftin contradicts St. 
 Ugius's Hierom. 
 
 Creed. Note I call this miftake grofs, becaufe Bifhop Vftier, in the 
 6. Treatilc which the Man is here Epitomizing, (hews 
 
 that the 191. Serm. dc Tempore, among the Works of St, 
 Auftin, (from whence theie Words are taken) is not his, 
 but is long ago known to be Pelagius's Confeffion of 
 Faith to Pope Innocent. And, which makes it the more 
 
 (7) Pag- J 8o. unpardonable, he himfelf had a little before (7) follow- 
 
 ed Vfhcr in obferving that that Piece, which, among 
 the Works of St. Hierom, is called Symboii Explanatio ad 
 D.wir.fum, is really Pelcgius's faid Confeffion ; and if he 
 looked into this 191 Serm. dc Tempore, which he here 
 quote>, he would have lecn that and the faid Symbcli 
 Explanation be both one. And Bifhop Vf\:er, where 
 he obferves the one, obferves the other. The Man that 
 is capable of fuch palpable Miftakcs in the main mat- 
 ters which he is arguing, ought, for fhame, give over 
 Criticizing with fo cenforious a Contempt as he does, 
 on the Works of Men of known and folid Learning, 
 where the matter that he rematks is for the mdft par: 
 only fome trifling nicety. 
 
 §. 3. Pelagius was a Briton born, the only Man of 
 that Ancient Church that ever made a figure in the 
 jRoman World. He is fuppefed to have been called 
 here in his own Country, Morgan, becaule that name 
 in the Britifh Language fignihes the fame that Pelagi- 
 us 
 
Chap. XIX. Pelagius. i97 
 
 us docs in Latin and Greel^, viz. belonging to the Sen. Year after the 1. 
 He Iiv'ei a good while at fyyne, in great credit and ^P°i£J"3f*: 
 efteem for Piety, Parts and Learning, refpe&ed and .'""V^^**^ if* 
 
 loved by the moft accompliih'd Men of that time, fuch 
 as St. Aujlin, Paulinus, I{ufinus, &c. Even they that 
 condemn'd his Opinion own'd his Ingenuity. Moft 
 Nations that have had any very Learned or Ingenious 
 Man in the moft Ancient times, keep his Works as a 
 Monument of remembrance. Pelagius's Works were 
 moft of 'em, not all, tindhir'd with his Herefie ; and the 
 chief of em are loft. Thofe that remain, tho' they are 
 by nigh two hundred years the Ancienteft of any ex- 
 tant written by a Native of this Land, yet have not 
 had the favour to be done into Engliflo. I have oc- 
 caiion to give by and by his ConfeJJion of Faith at large, 
 which is fo handfomely drawn up that it has pafs'd, as 
 was obferv'd before, fometimes for St. Aufiins, lome- 
 times for St. Hierom s. 
 
 A late Scotch Writer among us, fays, He was a Seen- 
 tilh Monk; I wonder'd at firft where he had this piece 
 of Learning ; but I find that Garner the Jefuit has late- 
 iy let up that Opinion, by running into a miftake of 
 the fenfe of a place in St. Hierom, which miftake Bi- 
 foovVfocr had reclined long before (8). All that is in (8)Brit.EccL > 
 it is this, Celejiius was an hifh Man, and they at that Antiq. c. 8. 
 time were called Scoti, and their Country Scotia ; and pag. 109. Ed. 
 therefore of him indeed St. Hierom fays, (9) He is by 0- 1639. 
 riginof the Scotch Nation : And again, Scot icis pultibus (9) ProaOT. 
 fragra-oatut, 'having his Belly fill'd, and his Head be- * nnt) ' l \&. 
 ■ ' dull'd with Scotch porridge. And Dempfter the Scot took P roam « in ] ' lb ' 
 on him to maintain, that not only he, but a great ma- ?* Comment. 
 ny others that in old Writings are called Scoti, were m " ieromp 
 of. that Scotland which now goes by that name, whom 
 Bifhop V[her does handfomely expofe for that Miftake, 
 And yet it is followed by Mr. Le Clerc, as to Celc~ 
 fiius. But if that were true, it would not concern Pc~ 
 hgiuft whom St. Hierom does at that place diftinguifo 
 from Celeftius, as Pluto from Cerberus. 
 
 Ail Ancient Writers ftyle him a Briton, and Demp* .j 
 
 fler himfelf (uiing the word improperly) calls him Enge 
 lifh. As for the prefent Scotland, Gamer and they that 
 take this from him, ought, if they compare the time 
 in which Pelagius liv'd, to remember that at that time that ~" '", 
 
 Country was as fruitful of Authors, as Lapland or Green* 
 Lxnd is now, 
 
 Q 3 M> 
 
198 Pelagms. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the §. 4. Pelagius had written fome Learned Works, as 
 Apoftles3io, t y ee Books cf the Trinity, &c. before (\o) he fell into 
 SS^V*^* thofe new Opinions againft original Sin, and againft 
 |io)Gennad. theneceflity of God's Grace for our doing Good Works; 
 de Scnpton- w hich were the two chief of the Heterodox Tenets 
 pus, c. 42. held by him. And when he had in his own Bread 
 entertain'd 'em, he at firfr. expreft 'em flily in difcourfe 
 (11) Auguft. among the People, or wrote 'em as the (1 Objections 
 depeccatoo- of other Men (much after the rate as Bifhop Taylor of 
 rig. c. 2 1. late days wrote his Arguments for AntipaedobaptifmJ 
 as if it were only for Difputation fake. Thefe his 
 Difcourfes were remembred and more minded after- 
 wards. 
 
 So for example, before he declar'd himfelf he wrote 
 q. fhort Expofition on St. Paul's Epiftles ; and in that to 
 the Romans en CH. V. v. 12. he wrote thus, as St. Auftin 
 (ii) de pec-" quotes his Words, (n) 
 
 fetor, mentis. They that are againft the derivation of Sin [or, origi- 
 
 1. 3, c. 2 3. nal Sin] endeavour to difprcve it thus, * If Adam's Sin, 
 
 * 'fay they* hurts thofe that do not Sin thcmfelves, then 
 
 ' Chrift's Righteoufnefs may profit thofe that do not be- 
 
 f Iieve 1 for, he fays they are as much, nay more, faved 
 
 1 by one, than they were before dead by one. 
 
 And then fay they, ' If Baptifmdoes cleanfe that old of- 
 ' fence [or, take away original Sin] then they that are 
 f born of Parents both Baptized, muft be without this 
 ' Sin, for the Parents could not tranfmit that which they 
 t had not. 
 
 * TThisalfo, fay they, may be added, If the Soul be not 
 ? by 'propagation, but the flefh only, then that only has 
 ? original Sin, and that only deferves Punifliment : For it 
 
 * is un juft,/^ ihey, that a Soul created but to day, and 
 6 that not out of the Mafs of Adam, (hould bear the 
 ' burden of another Perfon's Sin committed fo long 
 -ago. 
 
 They fay alfo, * That it ought by no means to be 
 
 * granted, that God, who forgives us our own Sins, fhould 
 5 impute to us other Peoples. 
 
 Then St. Auflin adds, You fee Pelagius put all this into 
 his Wii tings, net in his own Name, but in the Name of O- 
 thers ; bang fo fatisfied that this was a Noyelry, which 
 but now Vegan to make a noife againft the old and fettled 
 ppinicn of the Church, that he was ajham'd or afraid to 
 own it himfelf A,nd perhaps he is not of that Opinion 
 b'mff, that a Berfon is bom without Sin 3 to whom he 
 
 confejjes 
 
Chap. XIX. Pelagius and Celeftius. 199 
 
 confejfes Baptifm (in which remiffion of Sins is granted) to Year after th« 
 be neccffary. And a little after having fhewn how con- Apoftles3io. 
 trary this Opinion is to Scripture, he fays, J believe a v-x-V^^ 
 Man that is fo excellent a Cbrijtian, does not at all hold 
 thefe and the other ab fur di ties that are fo ferverfc and con- 
 trary to Chrijlian truth. 
 
 This St. Auflin fays in a Book "Written Anno Dominion: • , 
 4.12, feveral years after Pelagius had wrote his Expofition 
 on the Epifiles. So that he had not even then abfolutely 
 declar'd himfelf, at leaft St. Auflin did not know that he 
 had : But afterward, as St. Auflin fays in a later Book, 
 
 (13) being become a Hereticl^ he maintained thefe fame (13) R«tra« 
 things with a mofi rcfolute obflinacy. ttatA. l.Ciji 
 
 §. 5.' Anno Dom. 410 Romp was taken and fack'd by the 3IO 
 XZotbs. Then, or quickly after, Pelagius and Celeflius, 
 who during their living there had privately fowed the feeds 
 of this Herefie, departed from thence. They are found 
 to have been both in Africa in the year 411. Pelagius went 3 n] T^! 
 
 (14) quickly from thence into the Eaft Countries. Ce- ( lA \ a u j € 
 lefiius ft aid there, and attempted to take Priefts Orders Geftis Palx 
 in the Church of Carthage ; but fome of the Clergy of ftj n# Ct 22t * j 
 that Church having heard fomething of his Tenets, infi- 
 
 fted, that he fhould be firft examined about them. So at 
 
 an Aflfembly or Council held there Anno 412, he was 3i£* I 
 
 challeng'd by Paulinus, a Deacon of that Church, as 
 
 having maintained feveral falfe Doctrines j and among 
 
 the reft, thefe four, 
 
 1. that Adam was created mortal, and that whether 
 he hadfinn'd or not, he would have died. 
 
 2. That the Sin of Adam hurt himfelf only , and not Man- 
 kind. 
 
 3. That Infants new born are in the fame flute that A- 
 dam was before his Fall. 
 
 4. That a Man may be without Sin f and keep the Com\ 
 mandments of God eafily, if he will. 
 
 I had occafion to fet down the Acls of the Coum° 
 cil, which contain the Accufations and his Anfwers tp 
 them, above in CH. 5. §. 8. If the Reader turn back 
 thither, he will fee the Subftance of 'em to be, thac 
 he would not own original Sin, though he -did not 
 then abfolutely deny it ; but Infant Baptifm he con- i 
 fefifes to be neceflary, and that he had never held 0= 
 therwtfe, 
 
 O4 ** 
 
 - — » - ■■ e&$ _ 
 
ioo Celeftius. Chap. XIX, 
 
 Year after the He alfo then put in his Plea in Writing (a Libcllus, 
 Apoftles^io. St. Auftin calls it, or Confeflion of his Belief) in which 
 ^ ^V/"^, j he confeffed, Th.it Infants have Redemption by the Bap- 
 316. tifm of Chrift (as the Bifhopsin a Council, that was held 
 
 (15) Epift. there five years after, do mention in their Letter (15) 
 Synodic. Con- 10 Imiocent.) From which Conceflicn St. Auftin, (who 
 cilii Cartbag. was not at tnac Council) afterward argued, (16) By that 
 ad Innocent. wor d, Redemption, he has ft opt up his way [for any far- 
 apud Au- t | ier c3enin.l of original Sin,3 For from what are they re- 
 guftin. Up. fa em >d t but from "the power cf Satan ? &c. 
 
 6) V So ^e ^ UC °*" r ^ e Council was, Celeftius was refus'd, 
 ad Hilariiim anc * a '* at ^ e '^ ^ uc ^ Opinions Condemn'd. And he 
 went from Carthage, faying, that he would refer him- 
 felf to Innocent, Bifhop of Rome j which he never found 
 it for his purpefe to do. 
 312. $. 6. About this time, Anno 412. St. Auftin wrote his 
 firft Treatife againft thofe that held thefe Opinions (who 
 were afterward called Pelagians ; as yet Pelagius himfelf, 
 . rho' he had let 'em on foot, did not declare himfelf: 
 And when St. Auftin mentions him in this Book, 'tis with 
 reipeel, and hoping he would not maintain em.) They 
 were much talk'd of at Carthage, where Pelagius and Ce- 
 leftius had been ; and Maicellinus a Nobleman living at 
 that City, fent to St. Auftin to defire his Refolution of 
 the difficulties rais'd about 'em. It was in anfwer to 
 that defire that he wrote two Books, and a little after 
 a third Book (orEpiftle) encituled, Of the guilt and for- 
 givenefl of Sins, and of the Baptifm of Infants. The fcope 
 of 'cm is to prove the Doctrine of Original Sin to be 
 true, and that chiefly from the Baptifm of Infants ; and 
 to afiert the neccility of God's Grace, an4 to Anfwer the 
 Objections. 
 
 Jn the firft, he difcouifes of the ftate of Adam before 
 and after his Fall, ftiews that his feed do derive Sin from 
 lum, not by imitation only (as thefe Men cxrlain'd the 
 Scripture fayings) but by prorogation « that this propa- 
 gated Corruption is in all Perlons, even in Infants that 
 have no actual Sin. 
 
 He proves this, firft by Texts of Scripture, then by 
 ether At guments ; and, among the reft, by this, that In- 
 fants are by all Chriftians acknowledged to (land in need 
 of Baptilm, which muf): be in them for original Sin, fince 
 they have no other. He mentions and replies to lbme 
 anfwers which the deniers of original Sin gave to this 
 Jaft Argument, which preft them very hard. 
 
 1. Some 
 
Chap. XIX. Celeflius. 201 
 
 1. Some faid, (17) That Infants have adhial Sin, mean- Year after the 
 ing their peevifhnefs, &c. and that they may have need ApofHes 310. 
 to be Baptiz'd for that. Thefe Men he judges unvvor- «-/""V v ^-' 
 thy of 3ny anfwer here, as arguing againit plain Senfe ; (17) Cap.17. 
 yet at the end of the Book he fpends fome time in anfwer- 
 ing 'cm. 
 
 <). 7. i. Some faid (18) They arc Baptiz'd, not for for- ^3) Q ap# x % 
 glvcncfl of Sin, but that they may be made Heirs of the 
 Kjngdom of Heaven. It is to be noted, the Pelagians held 
 a middle ftate between Heaven and Hell. Thefe Men, 
 fays St. Auftin, if they be asl^d whether Infants, not Bap- 
 tised, and not made Heirs of the Kjngdom, have yet the 
 benefit of eternal Salvation at the Refurreflicyi of the dead, 
 laborant vehementer, nee exitum inveniunt, are at a 
 great plunge, and can find no way out of it ? Quis c- 
 nim Cbrijiianorum ferat, cum dicitur ad xtemam falutem 
 poffe quenquam -pervenire, fi non renafcatur in Chrifto, 
 quod per b apt ifmuyyi fieri voluit ? &C: ' For what Chri- 
 ' ftian Man can endure to hear it faid, That any Perfon 
 
 * may come to eternal Salvation, that is not regenera- 
 1 ted in Chrift, which he has order'd to be done by Bap- 
 
 * tifm ? ejc. 
 
 And whereas thefe Men diftinguifh'd between Salva- 
 tion and the Kingdom of Heaven, and faid, Children 
 might be faved without Baptifm, tho' not come to the 
 Kjngdom of Heaven: He brings in that Text, Tit. 3.5. 
 He faved us by the wafloing of Regeneration, 8cc. As he does 
 in a following Chapter, that or St. Peter, 1. Et>. 3. 21. 
 Baptifm doth fave us: He proceeds, iVho dares to affirm 
 that Infants may be faved without that Regeneration, as if 
 Chrift had not died for them ? For Chrift died for Si?mers f 
 and if thefe, who, 'tis plain, have committed no Sin in their 
 own life, arc not held captive under the original bond of 
 Sin neither ; How did Chrift, who died for Sinners, die 
 for them ? If they are not difeafed with any ftckjieft of 0- 
 riginal Sin, why are they carried to Chrift the Phyfician, to 
 cceive the Sacrament of their eternal Salvation, by the 
 vodly fear of pUetr^Friends that run with them to it? H-ly 
 is it jiot-faid to them in^thc Church, ' Carry back from 
 1 hence thefe innocent Creatures, the whole have no need 
 ' of a Phyfician, but they that are fick ; Chrift came not 
 ' to call the Righteous, but Sinners. 3 Nunquam di&um 
 eft, nunauam dicitur, nunquam omnino dicetur in Ecclefi} 
 Qhrifti tale commentum, * So odd a thing never was faid, 
 
 never 
 
2 o i St. Auftin and the Pelagian « ~Mr>. XIX. 
 
 Year after the ' never is faid, nor ever will be .•> j |i *,Jf ^urch of 
 
 Apoftles 310. ' Chrift. 
 
 k^^V""*— ' __ Concerning what was then faid, or wha. ;\ . ' ~;ver been 
 faid, St. Auftin was a proper Judge ; but we find now, 
 that for what would be faid in after times, he did not 
 guefs altogether right, if he meant that no Chriftians 
 would ever fay fo. 
 
 (19) Cap. 19. Then (19) he Anfwers the Objections of thofe who 
 faid, If Infants were Sinners it were needful for 
 them to repent, which fince they cannot do, it is a 
 fign that Baptifm is not in their cafe ufed for forgive- 
 nefs of Sin. His anfwer is, That in tike manner as they 
 frofefs Faith by the words of thofe that bring 'em, they do 
 alfogofor Penitents, when by the voords of the fame bear- 
 ers they do renounce the Devil and the World. 
 
 (lo)Cap.2i. Whereas they objected, (20) If all Infants are Sinful, 
 what Juftice is it that fome fhould happen to have Bap- 
 tifm, and fo be forgiven ; and others no more Sinful 
 than they, fhould mifs it, and fo be condemned? He 
 defires them to anfwer firft, If all Infants are Sinlefs, 
 what Juftice is it that feme fhould happen to have 
 Baptifm, and fo be admitted into the Kjngdom of Hea- 
 ven, and others as Sinlefs as they fhould mifs it, and 
 to be excluded ? He teaches that all fuch things are to 
 be referred to the unfearchable Wifdom of God. 
 
 (21) Cap. 22. $. 8. He refutes (21) thofe that knowing not what 
 elfe to fay, ventur'd upon the exploded opinion of Plato 
 and Origen, that the Souls of Infants] have lived before 
 in another State or World, and have finned there ; and 
 fo pleaded that pofftbly it is for thofe Sins that they 
 are here Baptized. He flops their mouths .with that 
 Scripture, I$pm. 9. 1 1 . The Children being not yet born, 
 having done neither good nor evil, Sec. and with feveral o- 
 ther Arguments, but that one is enough. 
 
 ($2) Cap. 25. Having occafionally faid, (12) that Infants, till they 
 are Baptiz'd, do abide in darktieft, he recites an Ob-. 
 jection of fome, that all that are born are inlightned, 
 
 (23)Johni»9. i^om that Text, (23) That was the true light that light- 
 eth every Man [or Perfon] that comes into the World j 
 whereupon he fays, If that be fo, it is a ftrange thing 
 that they being inlightned by the only Son, who was in the 
 beginning with God, God the fVord, fl:ou1d not be admit- 
 ted into the Kingdom of God, nor be Heirs of God, nor 
 joint Heirs with Chrift, For that this is not granted them 
 
 but 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin and the Pelagians. 2 03 
 
 but by Baptifm, even they that are of this Opinion do con- Year after the 
 f e a A potties 310. 
 
 §.9. He cites abundance of places (24J of Scripture *-^" >y ' 
 to (hew that all thatChrift cametofave, as Mediator, are ( 2 4) Cap. 26, 
 by the Scripture lupposM to have been in a loft Con- 2 7' 
 dition : He came, he took flelh, he fubmitted himfelf 
 to the form of a Servant, died, §j?c, that he might quick- 
 en thofe that were dead, fave thofe that were loft, free 
 thofe that were in flavery, redeem thofe that were in 
 captivity, inlighten thofe that were in darkneis, refcue 
 thofe that were under the power of Satan, &c. From 
 whence he fays it follows, That they do not belong to 
 this difpenfatiou of Chrifl, fulfilled by his humiliation, who 
 have no need of Life, Salvation, Deliverance, Redempti- 
 on, &c. And confequently Baptifm is not neceffary for 
 thofe who have no need of the Benefit of Forgivenefi and 
 Reconciliation by the Mediator. c Porro, quia parvulos 
 
 * baptizandos effe concedunt, qui contra autoritatem 
 ' univerfae Ecclefia?, proculdubio per Dominum & A- 
 
 * poftolos traditam, venire non poffunt, 6cc. Now then, 
 Jince they grant that Infants mufi be bapti^d, as not be- 
 ing able to oppofe the Authority of the whole Church, which 
 was doubtlefi deliver' d by our 'Lord and his Apofiles; they 
 mufi confequently grant, that theyfiand in need of the Be- 
 nefits of the Mediator ; that being offer d by the Sacrament 
 and by the Charity of the Faithful, and fo being incorpo- 
 rated into Chriji's Body, they may be reconciled to Goii 
 that in him they may be quietened, faved, delivered, re- 
 deemed, inlightned $ From what, but from death, wicked- 
 nefs, guilt, flavery, and darknefi of Sins ? Which fince they 
 have committed none in their own Life at that Age, 
 there remains [nothing that they can be guilty of butj 
 original Sin. 
 
 $. 10. He difputes largely (25) againft their Opinion (15) Cap. 2f, 
 of a middle State, proving, That there is no Salvation but 
 
 in the Kjngdcm of God, nor any middle Place 
 
 where any one can be, except with the Devil, who is not 
 with Chrifl. Hence our Lord himfelf, that he might ra^e 
 out of the Minds of miflaken Men any Opinion of I know 
 not what middle State, which feme Men go about to attri- *, 
 bute to unbapti^ed Infants, as that they (hall, being Sin- 
 iefs, be in eternal Life, but not being Bapti\d, fh all not 
 be with Chrifl in his Kjngdcm, gave this definitive Sen- 
 tence to flop their Mouths, He that is ncc with me is a- 
 gainft me, Give us therefore an Infant : If he bv with 
 
 Chrifl 
 
204 f£ Auftin and the Pelagians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the thrift already, what is he Baptised for ? But if, as 
 
 Apo01es3K>. the truth is, he be therefore Baptised, that he may be 
 ^"Ar"—' with Chrift, then it is fur e that before he is Baptised be 
 is not with Chriji. 
 
 The/ St. Auftin here in the heat of this difpute do 
 once ufe this ExprefTion, of unbaptized Infants being 
 with the Devil, fince by the Pelagians Confeflion they 
 are not with Chrift ; yet he means but a very moderate 
 degree of Condemnation or Mifery, not like that of 
 Wicked Men ; but fuch as may be preferable to no being 
 
 (z6) Pt 2 at a "' as * ftal * ^ ew herea ^ er - ( 2 
 
 CH.VIS s He goes on (27) to prove his point from the Name 
 
 (27) Cap. 30 01 * Title giten by our Saviour to Baptifm, John f. 5. 
 a, ^ # ' Except one be born again [or, regenerated]^. He fays; 
 
 Thefe Men, if they were tnov'd [[or, convinced] by this 
 Sentence, would determine that Infants are not to be bap' 
 ti^'d at all. And he argues, Why born again, but to be 
 renewed ? Renewed from what, but from the old nature, 
 a vetuftarc ? From what old nature, but that wherein our 
 
 (28) Rom. °'d nature is crucified with him that the (28) body of Sin 
 6. 6. might be deftroyed ? 
 
 He confirms the fame fenfe by the following parts 
 (29) John 3.6. of °ur Saviour's difcourfe with Nicodemus, (19) That 
 which is bom of the flejh is flefh, i. e. as St. Auftin takes 
 it, is corrupt or finful. And that which is born of thefpi- 
 rit, is fpirit, i. e. is renewed or fandtified. 
 (30) Cap. 34- $.n. He takes notice, (30) that thofe particular Men 
 at Carthage, of whom Marccllinus had wrote to him, did 
 grant, That in Baptifm there is forgivenefs of Sins given 
 Infants ; not that they have any original Sin, but they have 
 finned fince they were bom. He takes notice how much 
 thefe differ from the others, whom he had been hither- 
 to refuting, and one of whofc Books he had feen. The one, 
 fays he, minding the Scriptures and the Authority of the 
 whole Church, and the Form of the Sacrament it felf, fee 
 well that Baptifm in Infants is for remijfon of Sins ; but 
 cannot fee, or will not own, that it is original Sin, 
 
 T,)e other, ccnfi lering humane nature, See well, as 
 
 it is eajie to do, that that Age cannot in its own Life 
 have contracted any Sin ; but rather than confefi original 
 Sin, fay there is no Sin at all in Infants. He bids thefe 
 two Panics firft a^rce among themfelves ; for if each 
 grant to the other that which they urge of truth, they 
 will both hold the whole truth. 
 
 How* 
 
Chap. XIX. S/.Auftin agahfl the Pelagians. 205* 
 
 However, he does condclcend (31) for the fake of Year after the 
 thele latter, to fhew at large how impoffible it is for a A pottles 310. 
 new born Infant, that has no knowledge of Good or '"V*"**-"' 
 Evil, to be guilty of actual Sin. But it fecms a fiat and (3 1 ) Cap. 35* 
 needlcfs Difcourfe, becaufe, as he there obferves, A Man 
 is never more troubled to find what to fay, than when the 
 thing he would frovc is of it felf plainer than any thing he 
 can Jay. 
 
 What we can obferve out of thefe paffagesof the firft 
 Book (befides what has been obferv'd before) is the 
 Tenet of Pelagius and his Followers. They denied ori- 
 ginal Sin ; the Catholicks, among other Arguments a- 
 gninft them, urg'd this, That Infants have Sin, is prov'd. 
 from the need they have of Baptifm ; and other than 
 original Svn they cannot have. The Pelagians did not 
 pretend to deny the necefTity of Infant Baptifm, which 
 had been highly for their purpofe to do, if they had 
 thought they could have juftified fuch a denial. And 
 when St. Aujlin mentions it as a practice of the whole 
 Church from the Affiles time, they do not deny it, but 
 own it, as we fiiall fee hereafter : Only they faid, Bap- 
 tifm, in the cafe of an Infant, is not for forgivenefs of 
 Sin (tho* they were driven from this hold too after- 
 ward, as we (hall fee) but to procure the Child an en- 
 trance into the KJngdom of Heaven. For they held, that 
 an Infant dying unbaptized, ihall be rais'd again, and live 
 eternally in a certain middle ftate, without Puniftiment, 
 as having no Sin ; but not enjoying the Kingdom of 
 Heaven, as being not Baptized into Chrift. But that 
 a Baptized Infant fhall go into the Kingdom of Hea- 
 ven. 
 
 $. 11. As for that Plea, that Infants have actual Sin, 
 and are Baptized for that ; it was the Tenet only 
 of fome Ignorant Perfons among them, whom Marcel- 
 linus had mentioned. Pelagius and Celcjiius did not 
 ftand to that ; but they held for a while ftifF in their 
 refulal to own Baptifm of Infants to be for forgivenefs. 
 Celeflius had, as I faid before, ufed the word Redem- 
 ption as apply'd to Infants by their Baptifm. And the 
 
 * SS»"S^i» ^bferves here, (31) They grant Re- ( )c ; 
 l€fllpnv ^ b* ncccjjary for t,.em, as is contain d in a 
 very foort Baol^ of one of 'cm, who yet would not plainly ex- 
 prefl thert the forgivenefs of any Sin. And again, (33) (33) L. 2 4 
 Ti;o y they h>ive not been wHiinr in their Writing: plain" Cap. 36. 
 
 / b 
 
206 St. Auflin agalnjl the Pelagians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the Ay to own forgivenefs of Sins to be neceffary for Infants, 
 ApolHes -}\o.yet they have own'd Redemption to be needful for them. 
 v -*"V"* , »w §. 13. The fecond Book of this Work is on another 
 Subject, vi%. St. Auftins Refolution of this Queftion, 
 put to him by Marcellinus, whether there is, or ever wai, 
 or ever will be any Man without Sin, bcfide cur Saviour 
 thrift. 
 
 As the Pelagians denied the original Corruption of 
 our Nature, fo accordingly they magnified the prefent 
 Freedcm and Goodneis of it ; and tome at this time 
 
 (34) L.2.c 2. wenc f° f nr > or as St. Aufiin here exrrefTes it, (34) pre- 
 
 fuvidfo much on the freedom of Man's will, as to be of O- 1 
 pinion, that we have no need to be afjifted by God to a- 
 void Sin, after he has once granted to our nature the 
 power of Freewill. In confuting this Opinion of theirs 
 he has not much occaficn to fpeak of Infant Baptifiru 
 So I fhall pals it by, but the indignation to fee the Anci- 
 ent Fathers fo mifreprcfented as they are by fome Mo- 
 dern Writers (with what intent they do this God knows,) 
 forces me to give in lnort the fubftance of his anfwer 
 to this queftion ; that it may appear how falfly he and 
 St. Hierom are charged to contradict one another in the 
 fubftantial part of their anfwer. 
 
 (35) Cap. 6. St. Auflin divides this queftion into four: C35) 
 
 1. Whether the thing be poflible, viz. for a Man to 
 live without Sin ? 
 
 To this he anfwers, I fhall confef it to be poffiblc by 
 the Gra:e of God, and the free will of Man, explaining 
 himfeif fo, as that God can, if he pleafe, give fuch a 
 meafure of Grace, as that a Man fhould ever choofe and 
 do what is beft. 
 
 2. Whether this do ever come to pafs ? 
 
 (36) Cap. 7. Anfw. (36) I do not believe there is any fuch thing ; I 
 
 rather believe the Scripture, which fays, * Enter not into 
 
 * Judgment with thy Servant, for in thy light fhall no 
 
 * Man living be Juftificd. Here he produces many 
 Texts proving all Men to be Sinners. 
 
 3. If it be poffible fo to be, and yet never be fo $ 
 what is the reafon ? 
 
 (37) Cap. 17, Anfw. (37)1 might anfwer eafdy and truly t)f^ flecaufs 
 
 ' Men will ?iot. But if I am asl^d, why they will no^? There's 
 a great deal to be faid. Tct leaving room for a more di- 
 ligent enquiry, I f:all anfwer to this alfo in Jhort* Men 
 will not do what is good, either becaufe they are not con* 
 vinced that it is good, or becavfe it does not pleafe 'cm. 
 
 4. Wh*-' 
 
Chap. XIX. £/. Auftin and St. Hierom. 207 
 
 4. Whether there be, or ever can be, a Man that Year after the 
 has never had any Sin? Apoftles3io. 
 
 He anfwers, No. (33) becaufe, fuppofe any Man fhould w'"V^-» 
 by God's Grace arrive to that perfection as not to Sin (38) Cap. 20. 
 any more ; yet having been conceiv'd in Sin, it will 
 be true of him that he had Sins before he was convert- 
 ted to that newnefs of Life. 
 
 He proves thefe his anfwers largely, and anfwers 
 the objections raifed from 1 John 5. 18. He that is bom 
 of God finneth not ; and from what is faid of Job, and 
 of %acbarias and Elizabeth being blamelefs, upright, &c. 
 
 And whereas this fort of Men did ufe to catch and 
 baffle the People with fuch logical queries as thefe, Si 
 nolumus, non peccamus : * We do not Sin whether we will 
 ' or no. Ana, poffibilia Deus mandata dedit, aut impoffi- 
 bilia, £?c. (39) 'The things that God has fet us to (39) Hieronfc. 
 * do, are either poffible things, or impoflible. If pofli- 1. 1. contra 
 ' ble, we may perform 'em if we will ; if impoflible, Pelagianos» 
 'then we are in no Fault for not doing impoflible 
 ' things. From whence they concluded that it was cer- 
 tainly true, which they maintain'd, That a Man may be 
 without Sin r and keep God's Commandments eaftly, if he 
 will. 
 
 St. Auftin anfwers thus, They feem to thernfehes 
 witty when they fay {as if any of us did not know that) 
 that we do not Sin whether we will or no ; and, that 
 God would never command a Man that which is im- 
 poflible to humane will. But they do not fee, that tc 
 overcome fome things which are either corruptly dejired or 
 corruptly feared, there is occafionfor the ftrong, and fbme- 
 times the utmoft, effort of the will [or, refolution] which 
 he forefaw we fhould not perfeHly exert in all cafes, whs 
 would have it truly foretold by the Prophet, In thy fight 
 (hall no Man living be juftified. 
 
 §. 14. I recite this to fhew that the grounds on which 
 St. Auftin oppos'd this prefumptuous Doctrine, are not 
 different from thofe on which St. Hierom did ; as the 
 Author I fpake of before (41) would make us believe.For (41} « 2, 
 the anfwer given by St. Hierom to the fame Cavils, is this, 
 He had recited the Objection abouipcflible and impoflible, 
 he had fhew'd that fome Men that are commendable 
 for one quality, are faulty for another; and that none 
 is perfect in all. Then to the dilemma he anfwers, (42) r^) nM, r~ 
 They are poflible things which God Las command: J, I own 
 it 5 but even for thefe poffible wingt we c&nnot every one _ 
 
 of 
 
xo 8 St Auftin W 5/. Hierom. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the of us have all of 'em - y and this, net by reafon of the weak? 
 Apoitlcs3io, nefi for, inability] of nature, that you may not rail; but 
 % Syr*~~ becaufe of the wearinefs rf tht Mind, which cannot have 
 e.livertues together and keep 'cm always. And if you will re- 
 proach the Creator for that, becaufe he has made you fitch a 
 Creature as dees flag, or grow weary : I'll tell you again, it 
 will be a fmartcr rcprehojicn of him if you find fault with 
 hhn^that he has not made you a God. But yu will fay, 
 If I cann?-,-t-do hy I am in no Sin. Ton are in a Sin. 
 Why could not ym do that which another could do ? And 
 e.gain y he in Comparlfcn cf whom you are worfe, will be 
 a Sinner himfelf in Comparifcn of feme other f or of you in 
 fome other quality. 
 
 This is the laying of St. Hierom, which that Writer 
 C43) Biblio- inftanccs in (43,) as contrary to St. AuJHris Doctrine, 
 theque Uui- bat proves it no other way than by the wing that Pc- 
 verf. T. 8. lagius (whom he takes to be St. Auflin) rails againft it. 
 pag. 219. The anfwers of the one and of the other of thefe Fa- 
 thers arc for fubftancc the fame, vi^. That tho' it be, 
 logically fpeaking, true •> which the Pelagians urg'd, 
 That we may do all that we can do ('the denial of it 
 being a contradiction) yet there is no Man living but at 
 iometimes he is flothful or weary, or not fo watchful 
 againft Sin and Paflion, as he himferf^w411 confefs af- 
 terward he might have been. And this corners upon a 
 Man in fpite of the firmed refolution he can have fettled 
 beforehand. 
 
 The fame Author in the fame Treatilc rcprefents 
 the Tenets of Pelagius and St. Auflin very partially 5 
 and after fuch a manner as if St. Auflin had produ- 
 ced no other proof againft Pelagius of the need we 
 all ftand in of God's ailifting Grace in order to live 
 well, than what was fetch'd from the Doctrine of ab- 
 folute and particular prcdeftination. The difference then, 
 (44) Bibl. T. fays he, (44) between St. Auftin and Pelagius in this mat- 
 ^ P a ?" J 95- ter was this, that the fir jl believed that fincc the Sin of 
 Adam his Pofterity are fo corrupted, that they arc bom 
 with fuch dlfpofitions to evil, as do ncceffarily carry them 
 to Sin ; that if God will bring any one to good, he muft for 
 every good aHion give him a Grace, which fhall inevitably 
 make him will that which is good. And for the reft, thofc 
 to whom he does not give fuch a Grace, are damnd. God f 
 by iVifdom, which we undcrftand not, having a mind that 
 Mankind fhould be born under an inevitable neceffity of fin- 
 ning, and of bebw accordingly tormented with eternal Pu- 
 
 nijhment} 9 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftln and St.Hi&om. , £99 
 
 in foments, without delivering from this doleful neccffity any Year after the 
 more than a very [mall number of Pcrfons to whom be gives A pottles ££>©. 
 aninvincibleGrf.ee. , . ... 
 
 i Nowbefides that the Opinion of St._AuJi.in, concerning 
 Predeitination, . is here very invidioufly and difad- 
 vantageoufly represented, and that of Pelagius is as much, 
 fmoothedover ; What an unfair account is it of the Con- 
 troverfie between tliem, to make . it turfc upon that 
 Point, ? St. Auftin brought, many other proofs and rea- 
 sons in this Difpute, luch as are own'd to be valid, not 
 only by thofe that approve the Opinion he he'd about 
 Predestination, but by thofe -that, diflike it. God forbid 
 all Ihould'be Pelagians that have, not the Tame Concepti- 
 ons that. St. Auftin had about that other Matter •> Pelagic 
 nnifm has been accounted an Heretical Doctrine in all 
 Ages of the Church, and. in all particular jChurches, #» 
 ven in thofe in which the Dodtrine of Predeftination 
 has been varioufly explain d. 'Tis one thing thankful.- 
 ly to own the ailiftance of God's Spirit in all the good 
 purpofes and Spiritual ftrength, we have j and another 
 to determine that God limits this Grace and Afliftancs 
 to a certain number of particular Pcrfons, or gives, it in 
 an irrefiftible degree. Or, to fpeak plainly, there is a. 
 great difference between the Arnunian and the Pelagi r 
 en Tenets. Concerning the firft, moft Men are new 
 agreed to bear with one another in any difference about 
 'em ; but they that would obliterate the Doctrine of 
 original. Sin, and of the necefTuy of God's Grace, we 
 knovrnot whither .they would iead us, nor what par: 
 of our Religion they will leave us. f 
 . The Arminians, or B^monftrants . did at the Synod of 
 bort exhibit an account of their Tenetr in this Matter; 
 wherein they frankly confefs God's Grace to be heceffa- 
 ry, not only as it illuminates our. underftanding, but al~ 
 fo voluntati vire$ corfcrt ad .non peccandum, ' It gives 
 * ftrength to the Will to avoid Sin : And not only to teach 
 us what we ought to do, but a-fo ut quodfaciu opus ejr 
 facere diligamus & valeamus, ' That we may be able to 
 'do, andmay love to -do that which we ought ; which 
 was the thing required of Pelagius to confe(s 4 and on the 
 owning whereof he would have been acquitted. They. 
 do alfo ihew how far they differ from the Pelagians (and 
 even from j.he Semipelagitns) in ail thofe other, things 
 for which ,eifher of T he faid Parties were Condemned 
 oy the C ' ' Dftst time. This they do in the 
 
 f (45J 
 
2io Si. Auftm WPelagius. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the (45) Declaration of their Tenet en the third and fourth 
 Apoftles 310. of the five Articles. What then makes this Man (who 
 ^-^V^*^ profefles that way ) to talk of Pelagianijm as if it 
 (4 5 J Ada & werefo tack'd to Anninianifm, that St. Avftin could not 
 ^cripta . yno- ccn f ure E j, e one without confuting the other? And to 
 
 „ a b, reorefent St. Hicrem, who confuted Pelagius, without 
 cena Kcmon- 1 • r c a a ■ > r\ ■ ■ P n i n • 
 
 ftrantium &c n ' lvin ? rccourle t0 ^ r - Auftm s Opinion of Predefhnati* 
 Hordtrwici ' 0n > as a %*} Scmipd.ginn 
 
 1620. p. 23 9- J 5- whereas the chief Point on which Pelagius was 
 & c " Ccndemn'd, was his denial of any fuch thing as an in- 
 
 (46) Bibl.T. terna l Grace of God's Spirit moving and inclining the 
 fc.pag. 194. heart to Faith, Love, Obedience, &c. which we ought 
 
 to pray to God for : This Hiftorian, citing Petnvius for 
 it, reckons up fix forts of Grace which Pelagius owned. 
 1. God's Grace in giving us a Free Will : And, 2. In gi- 
 ving a Sinner pardon for Sins paft to encourage him ; 
 And, 3. In giving his Law .- And, 4. The Grace of Bap- 
 titin, wherein an adult Perfon that has finned, obtains re* 
 miffion of Sins, and the inheritance of God's Kingdom ; 
 an Infant has no remifiion of Sins, as having no Sin in 
 his Opinion, but yet is put into a better ftate, being 
 made an Heii of God's Kingdom : And, 5. In giving 
 the Kingdom of Heaven as a reward to encourage us. 
 Thefe five no body accus'd him of denying. But here 
 
 (47) Ibid. p. (47) he is faid to have owned another fort of Grace, 
 598. vi%- The internal illumination of our Sprit., which Pelagi- 
 us exfreffes in this wife. 
 
 * I confcls that Grace cenfifts not only in the Law> 
 ' but in God's AfTiftance ; for God aflifts us by his Do- 
 
 * ctrinc and his Revelation, in opening the eyes of our 
 
 * hearts ; in declaring to us the things that fhall be here- 
 ' after, that we may not be fix'd to the prefent things * 
 ' in difcovering to us the fnares of the Devil ; in in- 
 
 * lightning us by the manifold and unfpeakable gift of 
 ' his Heavenly Grace. Does he that fpeaks thus, think 
 ' you, deny the Grace of God ? Does he net confefs 
 ' at once both God's Grace and Man's Free-will ? 
 
 'Tis true, St. Auflin does quote thefe and other fuch 
 words out cfPelagius's third Bock of Free-Wilt. But he 
 
 (48) de grati^ fhews at the fame place (48) that they are ufed by him 
 ChriftiJ. 1. only for a blind, and that his other layings in the fame 
 c. 7. Book are fuch as will not fuffer thefe to be under- 
 
 ftccd in a CathcHck fenfe. Both St. Hiercm and St. Au- 
 fin give this account of him (which they prove by fevc- 
 ral inftances) that tho' he held thofe Angular Opinions, 
 
 and 
 
Chip. XIX. Sf. Aufi'm WPelagius. *i i 
 
 nnd propagated them privately in the minds of his Fol- Year after th c 
 lowers, yet he was very unwilling to be Convicted of Apotlcs gib* 
 fo doing j and therefore us d in his Writings a great v-^^v^*-^, 
 deal of Equivocation. He world fay fuch things as 
 look'd like an owning of internal Grace ; but ftill would 
 take care to place his Words fo as that he could, when 
 Occafion requ.r'd, explain 'em to mean only that Grace 
 or Mercy of God, by which he gives us good Rules, Do- 
 ctrines, Revelations, Promifes, &c. And lb here he limits 
 (as St.^Aufiin obferves) all that he fpeaks of, to Doctrine 
 and Revelation ; and he does not name it internal, as 
 Mr. Le Clerc docs. 
 
 St. Auflln (hews him to have ufed the fame Artifice 
 thro* ail his /oar Bocks of Free Will, which he wrote on 
 purpole to vindicate his Reputation ; and yet even .here 
 he hever fpoke home to the owning of God's Grace in 
 the Catholick Senfe, but often to the denying of it. He 
 fays there, in the fame Book out of which the forefaid 
 fpecious Words are quoted, (49) We diflinguifh between r.~\ f> e j ae jj£ 
 t he fe three things, nnd place 'em each in their Hue order ; ^ libero'ar-'' 
 in the firft place we rank, potfe, the power [of doing any h\r S \ j. o a . 
 thing ;] in thefecond velle, the will to do it ; in the third pnj Ayguffc, 
 cfle, the being of thc thing. We fay the power is in our de grjtia 
 nature ; the Will, in arbitrio, in our choice ; the being in Chritri, 1. i„ 
 the effect. The firfi, i. e. the power properly belongs to c. 4, 
 God, who hits given it to his Creature; but the other two, i. e. 
 the will and the being arc to be referr'd to thc Man, be- 
 caufe they come from the Fountain of Free Will. 
 
 And in another place, (50) he (ays by way of ObjeCti-(s°) Ibid* c; 
 on to his own AlTerticn, *°- 
 
 Obj. But how then forM that of the Apoftle ftand g:od, 
 (51) 'It is God that workeih in you both to will and '51) Flill. 3? 
 to do ? 12, 
 
 Anlw. He workcth in us to mil that which is good, to will 
 that which is Holy, inafmueh as by the greatnefs cf tl,e fu- 
 ture Glory, and his pi omife of Reward, he incourages us who 
 arc given to earthly defines, and do love only things before 
 our eyes as brute Beajls ; ins/much as he raifes our drewfie 
 Will by the Revelation cf his Wifdom ; inafmuch as he ad* 
 vifes us to every good thirg, &C. 
 
 All this S. Av.fiin thews to be far fhort of what was ne- 
 cefTary tor him to fay, it he would clear himfeif, be- 
 caufe it makes God to work upon our Wills only out- 
 wardly by Propofals, and fays, Let him once at lafl own 
 that Grr.ee, by which the greatnefs cf the future Glory is 
 
 V z m 
 
212 St. Auflin and Pelagius. Cliap.XlX. | 
 
 Year after the not only prom ifed td us, but believed and hoped for by us ; and 
 ^poftles 3 ic. by which his Wifdom is not only revealed to us, but loved by 
 *-/~V~ v w us j and by which non fuadctur folum omne quod bonum 
 eft, verum Sc perCuadetur^ we are not only advis'd to every 
 good thing, but prevail' 'd o?i to follow it. Then having 
 Commented Upon that Text, No Man can come to me, 
 except the Father who has fent me, draw him : He adds, 
 This fort of Grace Pelagius ought to own, if he have a 
 mind not only to be called, but to be, a Chrifiian. 
 
 But the Event proved, that he would never own that 
 fort of Grace, and that tire latent meaning of all his 
 coloured Speeches was no other than what St. Auftin, 
 and his other Opponents took it to be. For when fo 
 much offence was taken at him, that nothing was to 
 ,. be expected but Excommunication, Celejiius and he 
 being then in the Eaft, applied themfelves to the Church 
 of I{ome, to fee if the Apology they made for rhem- 
 felves would pafs there. Celejiius came in Perfon, and 
 deliver'd in a Confejfion of hvs Faith : Pelagius came not,' 
 but fent one, of which I (hall by and by give a Co- 
 py, and a Letter with it. There happen'd . to be then 
 a weak Bifhop of that Church, fyjimus, who was for 
 fhe prclent fo far impos'd en by their pretences, and 
 tvas fo incompetent a Judge of this Queftion, and of 
 the other about original Sin fas I (hew more particu- 
 (i 1 ) §• 33. larly (<yi) hereafter J that he took what they laid for 
 Orthodox, and blamed their Accufers as having flan- 
 der'd 'cm j tho' his Predeceflbr Innocent had declared 
 3 X 7* an ill Opinion of 'em. But the African Bilhops being 
 then in Council at Carthage, fent their Sy nodical E> 
 piftle to Z^ofimus, advertizing him of the Craft and E- 
 6;uivocation ufed by thofe Men, and (hewing by inftarA 
 ces, wherein his Examination of 'em was fhort of what 
 it ought to have been, and that Celejiius Ought parti- 
 cularly to recant the erroneous Pohtioris in his Cmfef- 
 fion. Upon the corning of this Letter, when Celejiius 
 (S3) Augufh W as fummoned to appear, (53J That by his direfi and 
 aontraduas plain anfwer either his Hypocrifie; or elfe by his Amcnd- 
 EpittolasPe- men p m ight be made ma?iifeji, and be no longer ambigw 
 lagianorum. ous . j je ^jf-jj^-gyp himfeif, and wduld not come to tlie hear~ 
 h 2. c^ 3. j n ^ £ Q f ar g t> jt u jn n > s >y orc l s are ; but Mo cater gives 
 <? 4J . Commo "chis farther Circumftance, (54) That be ran away from 
 mtonum.c,i. Rome , 
 
 Thit 
 
Chap. XIX. The African Ri flops againjl Pelagius. 2, 1 3 
 
 This paflagc of the Hiftory Mr. Le Clerc leaves our, Year after the 
 which none that pretended to write this Hiftory ever Apoftles3i'" 
 left out before ; for it is a plain proof that the Opinion w '~" v 
 againft the Grace of God, which the Cathoiicks charg- 
 ed the Pelagians with, was their real Opinion; and 
 not wrongfully affixt on 'ern by taking their words in a 
 worfc ienle than they meant 'cm, as he would have it 
 believed. 
 
 The iflue was, the Bifhops of Africa continued in 318, 
 their Refolution, and the next year lent a peremptoty 
 Letter to fyfnnus, (who had dene all he could to have 
 thefe Men acquitted) that they did determine, Conftitui- 
 *nus, cjje. (s«) That the Sentence pronouncd agait.fi Pela- (55) Profper 
 gius and Celeilius, by the Reverend P,iftjop hmoccm, from contra Cbllat, 
 the See of the blejfed Apoftle Peter, do ft and firm, fo long c. 20. 
 till they do by a plain Gonfejjion own that we are in eve- 
 ry a'clion afffted by the Grace of God thro" our Lord Jc- 
 Jus Chift, not only to under ft and, but alfo to practice riglr 
 teoufncfi ; in fuch wife as that without it we are not able ta 
 do, to fpeal^, to thinly, or to have any thing cf true and fin- 
 cete Piety. And T^ofvnus at laft complied with them, 
 and joii ed in giving the, lame Sentence : And fo, as Pjoficr 
 tells -:s, (5c' i did all the World". (56)ClironiCo 
 
 X) '.'V weie, as appears by St. Auftin's words, (57) Ei- adann. 418^ ' 
 th:r to do P[cnance [vi%. recant choir Heretical Opinions, (5 7J Depec- 
 wherce ■■' thi- of denying Goc's Grace, and the other caCo ori^ina- 
 of original Sin were the chief 3 or, if they rcfufed that, "» G 22> 
 tpft.md Condemn d for, Excommunicated. ] There were 
 alio Imperial Edicls agahift them. 
 
 §.16. All that we hear of afterwards, that tended to*- 
 ward Rccantacion,was this, Phiianus and Albina andMela- „^ 
 
 nia being then in the Erftl where Pelagius was, wrote to, ^ !9° 
 St. Au'ftin, that they had dealt with him (58) to condemn (58) Au^uft- 
 £or recant] under Us hand, all the things that were obj 'eft- j (1 <je gratia. 
 ed to him ; and that [as to God's Grace] he had f.iidin Chrifti. c. %, 
 their hearing, this, 'I do anathematize £or, renounce] 
 ■any one tiaat fays or thinks that the Grace of God, 
 'by which Chrift came ir.wr.he "World to fave Sinners., 
 * is not neceflary both every hour and moment, and' 
 ' alfo in every action ; and they that take away £or deny^ 
 6 this Grace, are to have [or, may 'they have] ectrnii ^u- 
 
 nilhment 
 
 1 ■ • 
 
214 St. Au (lin and Pelagius. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the But St. Aufiin in anfwer (59) (hews them, that thefe 
 ApoHles Bio.W.rds are capable of the fame Equivocation he was 
 v^'V""^-' wont to ufe ; that probably by the Grace of God by which 
 £59) Ibid.c 3. C/?>;y? came tofave Sinners, he meant nothing but the far- 
 don of Sins, or, the example of Chrift, the confideration 
 of which was always neceflary ; that he had before in 
 3*5« the Synod cf Diofpolis faid as much as this comes to : 
 For that being there accus'd of holding, That the Grace of 
 G v/ is not given in every aEtion, but does confifl in our Free 
 Will, or in the Law and D thine ; and, that the Grace of 
 God is given according to our dferts : And the proof 
 brought againft hirn being this, thzt Celefiius, who was 
 hisDacp e,. had written fuch things: Heanfwer'd, Whe- 
 ther thefe are CelcftiusV fayings or not, let them loo\_to 
 it that fay thy are his. I never held fo, and I do ana- 
 t hematite a< y tine that hold's fo. And yet that after that, 
 he had in his B rkj of Free-Will (hewn that he had really 
 no other Sentiments than fuch as he feemed then to con- 
 clemn. 
 
 So this did not avail firm. He knew well enough 
 what w T orcs to have exprefs'd , himfelf in, fo as to (a- 
 tisfie the Church ; but he would not ufe 'em. St. Au- 
 (6'o) Ibid. c» ftin told him { 6o) that imfynuch as the queflion about 
 4/0 reconciling M;n's Free-Will, rind God's Grace, is fo in? 
 
 tricatc, that while one, is afferted, the other may feem to 
 be drrried, if he would grant that God does not only give 
 /tus n p wer f .deivg well, but does a'fo ajfifl us in the willing 
 and dcifgof ii (which, by the way, is what I (hewed be- 
 fore that the ■F(jniOh fit 'rats do, or at' leaft did, freely 
 own) the Co.trovsrfie would be at an end. }-. 
 
 B>. t he would never Tay fo. He continued Excom- 
 n uricate, and feerhs to haveliv'd obfeurely all the reft 
 of h.s time. 
 
 A&er all, it is not material to us, whether he was 
 guilty, or whether his Accufers were miilaken in his 
 fenfe (it wei*e to be wiui'd he couid have been (hewn 
 to have been guiltlefs] were it not that fome now a- 
 days, that hi., e a mind to let up the fame Opinions 
 to a much worfe purpofe than ever Pelagius did, do 
 go about to retru '. e the credit of "em by dilcrediting 
 the ^itholic-k Church of that time. 
 
 That which St. Aufiin fays to Pelagius, on his account 
 of denying God's Grace, mav be applied to fome cf 
 them on account fnot only of that, but alfoj of an Ar- 
 ticle of a higher nature, which they are fuppofed like- 
 wife 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin WPeJagius. 2 1 $ 
 
 wife not to believe. (61) He has nit thought fit am where Year after the 
 to ow.i that -we, when roc pray, are ajjiftcd by G d's Grace A potties 310. 
 that wt may not Sin ; and if he does, notwithstanding in s-\r~**~* 
 his own mind believe this, he muft pardon tivfc thatfu-i^ 1 ) Align- 
 fpeel otoerwife : For he himfeif caufes this fufoicion, wjjo, ^' n - ( ' e n : iCU " 
 when he lies tinder fo much obloquy on that account, mll r ra ' &§ r 3Cia» 
 believe this, and yet will not confeft it. XVoai great mat- c ' 59* 
 tcr were it for him to fay this, especially where he under- 
 takes tc handle and explain that point, ckc ? W,y fhould 
 he there defend nature only, 8cc ? 
 
 §.17. I have recked what I mean to do of the dif- 
 pute concerning God's Grace altogether, that it may give 
 no interruption to what remains ro be laid of the o- 
 ther concerning original Sin, and the occafions thence 
 taken tD foeak of Infant Baptifm. 
 
 In thethi-dof thofe Books, Of the guilt and forgiveneji 
 of Sins, and Baptifm of Infants, St. Auftin having in the 
 foregoing Chapters recited feveral Interpretations, of 
 which mofe Texts, Rom. 5. 12, 13, 14, Cic. arecaxible, 
 concludes in the fifth Chapter, that which foeverofthen^ 
 be takca, the Words can have n 1 other fsnje but fuch an 
 one by which it. has com? to paft that the whole Church hdi 
 from of old conftantly held that Fid;! [or, baptized! In- 
 do obtain remlffion of original Sin by toe Biptifm of 
 CI: •//?. 
 
 Then he recites a large piece of :he Epiftle of St, 
 Cyprian to Fid us, which I gave a C pv of in CH.VI. 
 and obferves how he there takes the D )d:rine of origi- 
 nal Sin in Infants, for a kmwn and undoubted tiling ; 
 and by it proves (what was then by Fi ins queftion'd) that 
 an Infant may and muft be Baptized before the 8th day, 
 if need require. Then (6i) he idds, (62) Cip. 6. 
 
 And novo f»mc People by the bptdnefsof "I h^ww not what 
 difputing humour, go about to rep efent the as uncertain, 
 which our Ancrftors made ufe cf as a nnft certain thing 
 whereby to rcfolve fornz things that f'eme I uncertain. For-, 
 when this began fifi to be difputed, Ikjio.v not ; bw this I 
 kaow, that holy H.crom, wlnfc pains aridjam - for excellent, 
 Learning in Ecc'rfaftlcal Matters, is at this day. fo great y 
 does a'fo milft ufe of fhi's as a thing m fl certain, to rc- 
 folve fome q left ions in his B'o'ts, Sec. Tnen having quo- 
 ted fome paffages out St. Hierom on Jonah, he p.r ceeds, 
 If we could with convenience come to as!^ that m ft Learn- 
 ed Mm ; how many Writers of Chriftian Diffe tations and 
 Interpreters cf Holy Scripture in both Languages could he 
 
 jfc* 4 recogni 
 
1 1 5 St. Auflin againfi the Pelagians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after t!ie recount, who from the time that Chrijl's Church has been 
 Apoftlcs "i i'o- founded, have held no ciherwife, have received no other Do-i- 
 . < Lrf^V*" s - - ' chine fr^m their Prcdeccjfors, inor left any other to their 
 •^ Succcjfrrs } For my part {tho my reading is much left than 
 
 his) 1 do not remember that I ever heard any other thing 
 from any ChriJHatu that received the old and new Teflament f 
 .Non fcluin in Catholica. Ecclefia, verum etiam in qua- 
 libct haerefi vcl Schiimate'c'ohftitutis: Neither fromfuch as 
 were of the Catholic!^ Church, vbr fromfuch as belonged, to any 
 Seel or Schifm. Non inemiui me aliud[legifTe, &c. I dq 
 not remember that I ever read otherwife in any VVriter 
 that I could' ever find treating of thefe matters, that fol- 
 lowed the Canonical Scriptures, or. did mean or did pretend 
 to do f'c, F cm whence it is that this trouble is flirted up 
 Upon us I know net '; but a little while ago when 1 was 
 there at Carthage. 1 jufl curforily heard fome tranfent dif- 
 courfe cf fome People that were talking that Infants arc not 
 "Baptised for 'that rcafoh that they may receive remlffion of 
 Sins, but that they may be fancli fed iyiChrifi. Tho I was, 
 fcmrthirigjtartlcd at the Novelty, yet becaufe it was not fea- 
 finable then to enter into «ny Difcourfe againjl it, and.be- 
 cavfe they were' not Pa fens of any fitch rank, as to be mtich 
 taken notice of, itfaflover with trie as a thing forgotten, or 
 hot minded. And- lo, now it is a thing maintain d againfi,, 
 the Church with a- dent endeavours ; it is' eveji by Writing, 
 trar.fmitfcd to Mcnury - 3 it is ' ccme to that dijpeuity that 
 the Brethren are fain to°as\ cur Opinions cf the matter ; 
 and we find aneccffitycf difputir.gand Wilting againfl it. 
 
 This Tfcilimcny of St. Auftih 'muft needs be Iodk'd 
 on as a y'cry ccnfiderable evidence. He declares, he 
 never met wirh any Ch'iftian, either Churchman or 
 Secftsry ; nor with any Writer, that owned the Scrip- 
 ture, who taught any ether Doctrine, but that Infant's 
 are Bapriz'd fcr pa) don o[ Sin.. Much lefs then had he 
 known cr heard of any that denied that they, are to 
 be B^ptiz'd at all. ' And they had then, as I obferv'd be- 
 fore, but' 306 years to look back to the times of the 
 Apeftj'es; And St. ■ Auflin % tho' he fpeak modeftly of 
 himi'elf as to Learning, had ftudied the Church Hifto- 
 ry fo well, that in ' a few years after this he pubiifh'd 
 that his Hiflory if nil the Soils or Opinions that were, or 
 had been in Chriftendom j out of which I quote fome 
 things in another Chapter. (63) 
 (6VCH0XXL 
 13 ^ ' - ' ' '• • *'I* 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin agahjl the Pelagians. 11 7 
 
 $. 18. To that Obje&ion of Pclagius, If Baptifm do Year after the 
 take away original Sin, then .fuch Children ai are bom of Apoftles3l°. 
 parents both Bapti^'d muft be without that Sin. St. Au- V ~ / '"^ / ^^"l , 
 (lin anfwers to this purpofe, (64) That an error is of- (^4' Ca P* 8 * 
 an {lengthened by putting alien and intricate questi- 
 ons about the matter, which is an eafie thing in moft 
 matters to do. Tet, fays he, If I had this caufe te mar 
 nage againfifuch Men as did either deny that Infants are to 
 be B.ipti^d, or did fay that it is needlefl to Baptise 'em, 
 for that they being born of Fidel [or, Baptized]] Perfons % 
 were neccjfarily partakers of their Parents privilege ; 
 then I ought to t.<ke mere pains in confuting this Opinioni 
 Such Perions fas 'he (hews at large) would ha\e need 
 to be put in mind, that as a Circumciicd Parent begets 
 an Uncircumcifed Son, and ^heat that has been clean- 
 fed from the Ghaff does, if it be fowed, produce 
 AVheat with Chaff on it : So a Parent that has been, 
 fpiritually cleanfed begets a Son that refetnbles him not 
 according to that ftate that he is in by fpiritual Rege- 1 
 neration, but according to the ftate he was in by carnal 
 Generation.' 
 
 But now, fays he, (6 5 ) fince we have to do with fuch as f£$\ Cap. 9« 
 do confefi that the: Children of Baptised Perpns, are to be 
 Baptised, how much better is it to fay thus to 'em, You that 
 do affirm that of Parents cleanfed from the ftain of 
 Sin, fuch Children fh uld be born as are without 
 Sin, How ij, it that you do not mind that at the fame 
 rate you might fay, that of Chriftian Parents there fhould 
 be born Chriftian Children ? -And, then why do you de- 
 termine that they are to be Bapti^d? 
 
 §. 19. And having afterward (66) on this occafion (66) Cap. iii 
 mention'd that Text, 1 Cor.j. 14. Now are your Children 
 Holy, &c. he refers to the ExpofitLn of it which Pclagius 
 had given, and the like to which he himfe'f had gi'-'en 
 in a former Treaiife (67) which I recited before (68;) (67) De con- 
 and fays, that it muft be underftood fo, or c! r e in a- fenfu Evan- 
 nother fenfe which he there gives (relating to the for- geftih 
 bearan.ee of the ufe of the Marriage Bed during the Wo- (^) CH.XVc 
 man's U ncleannefs ,) or elfein fome other fenfe of which S e &« 2t 
 we may not be certain. And then adds, 
 
 Illud tamenfine dubitatiaic tenendum eft, qu.ccunque ilia 
 farittificatfo fit, non valere ad Chrifli inos faciendos atque ad 
 dhnittenda peccata, nifi Chrifli an a & Ecclefixftica infiitu- 
 tione & facramentis efficiantur fidelcs. Kam nee, &c. 
 
 'But 
 
ii8 the Ancient Expo fitions Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the 'But that is to be held without any doubt, that 
 
 Apofties 310. « whatever that Holinefs (V, SanEiification] be, it is not 
 
 *T/>T^ 'available to the making of em Chriftians, or to the par- 
 
 ' don of Sins, unlefs they be made Fidels by the infti- 
 
 'tuticn |V, order"} of Chrift and the Church, and by 
 
 ' the Sacraments. For neither are unbelieving Husbands 
 
 * or "Wives, how holy and juft partners foever they 
 
 * have, cleanfed from the iniquity which keeps 'em from 
 'the Kingdom of God, and brings 'em to Damnation 5 
 'nor are Infants, of how holy and juft Parents foever 
 ' they come, pardon'd the guilt of original Sin ; un- 
 - lefs they (i. e. the one and the other) be Baptrzed in 
 Chnft. 
 
 One may here in (hort confer together the feveral 
 Comments of the Ancients on this Text, The unbeliev- 
 ing Husband is fantlified f_or, an unbelieving Husband 
 has been fanctified] by his Wife, 8cc. Elfe were your Chil- 
 dren unclean ; but novo they are holy. They do, moft of 
 J em, and thofe the moft Ancient make that holinefs of 
 the Children relate to their Baptifm, as given, or to 
 be given before they are actually holy. 
 . . I ±96. 1. St. Attjtin in a former B^ok (69) interprets/;^ b?en 
 
 (69) De con- fanclified,- \. e. has been brought to the Fiith. KvA,N^w 
 fenfuEvang. are your ChV drcn holy , i. e. Now are (hey bkptfqed. And 
 lib. 2. he there gives the grounds of that Interprctati n ; as 
 
 may be teen by turning back to the place ".h tc I 
 (7o)CH.XV. recited it (70). And here he fays again, it muft be inter- 
 Se&. 2. preted fo, or elfe certainly in fome fuch fenfe as does not 
 
 make them holy fo as to inherit the Kingdom, unlefs 
 they be Baptized. 
 i99. 2. He alfo here recites the Explication that Pcligius 
 
 had given of this Text, and fays, Pe ngius, when he wrote 
 on this Epiftie, expounded it thus, " Rxempla jam prx'cef- 
 " ferant 8c virorum quos uxores & faeminarum quas 
 " mariti lucrifecerant Chrifto, 8c parvulorum ad quos fa- 
 "ciendos Chriftianos voluntas Chriftiana etiam unius 
 " parentis evicerat. ' There were, by this time exam- 
 
 * pies, both of Men whom their Wives, and of Women 
 f whom their Husbands had gained over to Chrift • and 
 ' of Infants, concerning whom the Chriftian defire even of 
 '■ one of their Parents had prevailed that they ftiould be 
 
 * made Chriftians. 
 
 He 
 
Chap. XIX. of that Text, i Cor. 7. 14. 2.19 
 
 He manifeftly Paraph: afes thefe Words \_novp arc they Year after the 
 ho!)'] thus, Now are they made Chriftians. And, the unbe- Apoftles 310. 
 licvins; party has been fanBified, i.e. hat been gained over *~ / ~*>f m ***, 
 to Chrift 
 
 The very fame Explication is, as they fay, ftill extant 
 at this Text, in thofe Commentaries on St. Paul'* Epijiles 
 that go under the name of St. Hierom, but are Pelagiys's. 
 only interpolated. 
 
 3. Tertullian fpeaking of the p r ivi!ege that Infants have 100, j 
 by being of Chriftian Parents, or of one Parent fuch, 
 
 fays, Now are they holy, i. e. defiguedfor holinefi ; for other- 
 
 wife, the Affile kjiew what our Lord had dcterrtnmd, 'Ex- 
 
 ' cept one be born of Water and the Spirit, he ihall not 
 
 ' enter into the Kingdom of God, that if, he fa;/! hot Ji ttt4 
 
 be holy. See the p^ace at large CH. IV. §. 6. ^ff 
 
 4. Paulimts writes to St. Hierom r b : s queftion, Hjw arc '"293. 
 they hoy, whenas without -' e gf-"f Gc° [:•/?. B&p- 
 tihr,] given them afterward, [after their Birtb^ 'and pre: -,-- 
 
 ved, they cannot be faved, ? (7 1) ; (71) See CH. 
 
 5. St. Hier-m for at.fwcr refers him ro the fore- xvm, 
 mentioned refutation of Tertul/ian, but withal men- 
 tions fome other Interpretation^ about legal cleannefs or 
 unclear.nefs. 
 
 And the fame Fa:her in his E;ift ! e to Leta, (72) a (7^)Epift.7, 
 Chriftian W^ man Daughter cf Acinus 1 Heathen, Pncft 
 of Jupiter, having mentioned this Text, la ; s, it hid. 
 been verified in her Family-, fcr that (he who had beeri 
 born de impari matrimonio of an unequal Marriage. \. e her 
 Father a Heathen, but her Mother being a Chriftian, 
 The fwectnefi <f the Fruit had recompenfed for the bltterncfi 
 of the I{oct ; and an ill Shrub had /went fort,} pi xious 
 Balfam, &c. iVe have born Forj waited^ to ?/odp:vpif'c. 
 A Hdy and Chriftian Family docs Sanclfi~ one "Unbeliever. 
 He \_Albinus himfe'.f ~\ is new a Candidate of the Frith, 
 fince he is inempafs'd with a multitude of his C ' ildrcn. 
 and Grandchildren that Believe. I fan Cue that Jupiter 
 himfe'f mig:,t have believed, if he had had fwh Hundred* 
 Since he makes this to be a fulfilling of this Text, and 
 the Sanctifying of an Unbeliever to be the Converting, 
 or probability of Converting him, 'tis plain he underftood 
 it as thofe foregoing. A ; l thefe bring the Baptifm of 
 Infants into the Explication of their HolineCs. 
 
 6l Su 
 
210 The Ancient Expofitions Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the $j. St. Chryfoftom fays (73J a great deal of clean and 
 
 Apoftles 31c. unclean, without coming to any particular Explicati- 
 
 K **^~ s S~^*f en of what he means by it. He fays, That the Woman 
 
 t ' wight n °t fear being made unclean by the Copulation, 
 
 (73) In loc the A p jn e teJ i s y eTf * j hc Unbelieving Husband is San- 
 
 * ctified by the Wife, &c. And then having fhewn why, 
 tho' Adultery is a reafonable caufe of Separation, yet 
 Idolatry or Heathenifm is not, he adds, Then there is 
 given a proof of this : For on fuppofition that thou being 
 Wickan didji firing forth a Child, and that Child be- 
 ing not f om thee alone, the Child would be clc t an, or but 
 half clean 5 and therefore he adds, ' ijlfe were your Chil- 
 ' dren Unclean, but now they are Holy, i. c. Not unclean. 
 * B.ut he ufes the Word Holy, by an over reaching Exprejfi* 
 
 •"V T w > that he might farther difpcl all Fear of any fuch fujpi- 
 
 • * cion, vi*{. of Uncleannefs. 
 
 This is fomething obfeure ; but he feems to make no 
 more out of this Text than the Ar.tivaedubapcifts do. 
 Yet it is plain that he could not mean that by this 
 cleanness the Children would obtain Salvation, with- 
 out Baptilm j be caufe he fo often and fo plainly af- 
 firms the contrary, as J have (hewed in CHAP. XIV. 
 §.2. 
 
 7. He that made the Commentaries afcribed to St. 
 
 (74) to loc. Ambrofc, talks yet more flighdy; he fays, (74 ) Tf the 
 
 believing party flay with the other, the Jlgn of the Crop 
 will be us 'd in the Houfe$ and that is aSantiificaticn of it*. 
 And that, if the believing Party go away, and lie with 0- 
 thers, it would be adultery ; and the Children fo begotten 
 would be unclean, becaufe they would be Bajlards. He makes 
 St. Paul's arguing to come ro no more than this, Let 
 the believing Woman ftay and fandrifie the Houfeand 
 Her unbelieving Husband with the fign of the Crofs; 
 for if (he go from him and lie' with others, the Children 
 fo begotten would be Baftards. Who doubts it ? 
 
 I know not at what year to place this Author, for 
 
 thefe Commentaries are pieced out of feveral Authors, 
 
 ~ 2 ^ fome elder,- fome later. This I believe was a later one. 
 
 (75) In loc. 8- Thecdoret (75) explains, The unbelieving party is 
 
 fanclified, that is, there is hopes of their Salvation. But, 
 fuppofe either the Man or the Woman do prrfifi in unbeliefs 
 yet the feed fhall be faved. Thefe laft Words he explainy 
 as Calvin has fince done* < 
 
 «, He 
 
Chap. XIX. of that Text, i Cor. 7.14. x x 1 
 
 9. He that wrote the Quxjliones ad Antiocbum, that Year after the 
 are among the Works of Athanafius, explains holy by Ap6frles3io. 
 fhall be faved. But he limits it exprefly to fuch as are ^• x >r^ 
 Baptized. I give his Words among the fpurkus pieces, 
 CH. XXIII 
 
 Thefe are all the Interpretations of this Text, that I 
 know of, given by the Ancients. 
 
 St. Aujiin in this Book (76) anfwers one more Ob- (76) Can.io. 
 ie&ion of Pelagius, which is this, If the Soul be not 
 deriv'd from the Parents, but the Body only ; how 
 comes the Soul to be involv'd in the guilt of original 
 Sin? 
 
 He anfwers, 1. That Pelagius had. fpoke like 1 a cir- 
 cumfpect Man when he put that with an if ; for that 
 it is an obfeure Matter, and not to be refolv'd from 
 Scripture, whether the Soul be deriv'd, or be imme- 
 diately created. And, 2. He bids him anfwer this que- 
 ftion firft, If the Soul be not deriv'd, what Jufiice is 
 it that a Soul newly created, and void of all Guilt, whol- 
 ly free from all Contagion of Sin, fhould in Infants fujfer 
 fever al ' pdffions and torturings of the Body, and which is 
 more dreadful, the outrage of evil Spirits ? He advifes, that 
 fince we fee this by Experience to be fo, and yet can- 
 not anfwer for the reafon or juftice of it, we (hould 
 in all fuch queftions remember that we are but Men. 
 « Having made fo large an abftract of what St. 
 AQftin lays ot this matter in thefe three Books, 
 which were his firft work againft the Pelagians, l 
 may have liberty to pafs by a great many flyings in 
 his following Books againft them. For it were endlefs 
 to recite all the paffages which we meet with in them 
 fpeaking of Infant Baptifm, and proving from it ori- 
 ginal Sin. I fhall therefore mention only here, and 
 there one, and that only in Engli/h for brevity. 
 
 §.20. The next year, Anno 4.13. St. Hierom wrote his 
 Epiftle to Ctefiphon (77) againft that Opinion of the Pc- (77) Epift. 
 iagians, which denies the need we have of God's Grace, 12,0. 
 wherein he mentions not Pelagius byname, but means 
 him when he fays, Speal^ out that which you hold: Declare 
 
 publicity what you t all-in private to your Difciples. 
 
 This it the only Herejie that is afeam'd tofpeal^ openly what it 
 teaches privately. Tbeforwardncfl of the Difciples publifhes 
 that which the Maflers keep in. Whet t hey . hear in the 
 Chambers, they proclaim on the Houfe top. He instances 
 in feme p'affages of a Book pubUfti'd by one of the Di- 
 fciples £ 
 
2.22, St. Hierom agahfl the Pelagians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the Triples ; which was probably Celeflius ; for Pelagius be- 
 4poftlts3io. ing of more refined Politicks, generally forbore to ap- 
 '^^v**'*' pear himfelf, and put this hifhman foremoft. They cal- 
 led the Book Syllogifms ; but St. Hierom fays it ought 
 to be called Solecifms. It had in it fuch fayings^aS 
 thefe, 
 
 Tis in vain that God has given me the power of Free 
 
 WW, if I cant put it in practice without his continual help, 
 
 I do either ufe the power once given me, Jo as that Free 
 
 Will is prefervd : Or elfe, if I fland in need of another's 
 
 help, the Freedom of will is dejhoyed in me. 
 
 If I have a mind to bend my finger, Jlir my hand> fit, 
 ft and, wall{_, run, fpit, blow my noje, eafe my felf, make 
 voater : What ! fhall the help of God be always neccffaryfor 
 me ? 
 
 This St. Hierom calls Blafphemy and Sacrilege, and 
 fays, 
 
 What venom of Hereticks docs not this furpafs ? They 
 maintain that by reafbn of the Freedom of their will they have 
 no farther need of God. 
 
 He has nothing hereof original Sin, and fo not of In- 
 fants. He promis'd a larger Work, in which he would 
 refute all their errors, which he performed two years 
 314. after. 
 
 The next year St. Auflin wrote a large and elaborate 
 
 Letter in anlwer to one he had received out of Sicily 
 
 from Hilarius. It is to be noted that Celeflius, afcer his 
 
 being CondemnM in Africa, or elfe in going from Ityme 
 
 to Africa, had made his abode for fome time in Sicily ; 
 
 and had, as it feems, lowed: the feeds of his Herefie 
 
 (78) Inter E- there. Pot. Hilarius defired St. Auftin's Judgment con- 
 
 piftolas Au- Cermt)°fcme new Do'cirincs, win 'ch, fays he, ( 7 8) j ome Cb.i- 
 
 gufrhii. Ep. jiians at Syracv.fe do publifh. 
 
 S8. j. That a Man may be without Sin, and keep God's Com- 
 
 mandments a fiiy, if he will. 
 
 2. That an unbavti^ed Infant furpri^cd with Death 
 cannot perifti dejerved'y, becaufe he is born without 
 Sin. 
 
 3. That a rich Man, if he keep his Wealth and do not 
 fell all that he has, cannot enter into the Kjngdom cf 
 God. And that it will not avail him that he uf'cs 
 his riches well [qv, according to the Command- 
 ments.]] 
 
 ' 4, That 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin. 22-3 
 
 4. That one mufi not fw ear tit all. Year after the 
 
 5. Whether the Church, of which it is written, not ha- ApofHes 3i°. 
 ving lpot or wrinkle, be that in which we now live, ^-'\' v ^ 
 or that which we hope for. For fome thinly it is this 
 
 Church which conftfts of prefent Perfons, &c, 
 
 To the fecondof thefe St. Auftin (79)anfwers, (79)Epift.89. 
 
 iVnereas they fay, An unbaptized Infant cannot perifh 
 becaufe he is born without Sin. The Apoftle dees not fay fo, 
 end Ifuppofe it is better to believe the Apoftle than them. 
 For that Teacher of the Gentiles, in whom Chrift f peaks, 
 fays, (80J By one Man Sin enter'd into the World, &c, (80) Rom. 5, 
 For Judgment was by one offence to Condemnation ; but 1 2, &c. 
 the Grace is of many offences to Juftification. Therefore 
 if they can find any Infant that is not fprting from the Concu- 
 fi fence of that one Man ; of fuch an one let 'em fay, that he 
 is not liable to that Condemnation, norneeds by the Grace of 
 Chrift to be deliver d from it. 
 
 tVliat mean's; By one offence to Condemnation, but, lj 
 that one offence in which Adam offended ? And what means t, 
 Of many Offences to Juftification, but, that the Grace if 
 Chrift docs take off not only that Offence with which In- 
 fants, fprung from that one Man, are held bound ; but alfo 
 the many offences which when they are grown Men, they add 
 to it by wicked prailices ? But ft ill that one, to which the car~ 
 rial off -fpriyig that derives from that firft Man is liable, is, he 
 fays, enough for their Condemnation. Therefore the Bap- 
 tifm of Infants is no more than what is necefpny that they, 
 who by their Generation are fubjeft to that Condemnation, 
 may by Regeneration be freed from it. And as there is not a 
 Peffcn in the World who is carnally generated but from Adam, 
 fo neither is any fpir it udly Regenerated but by Chrift. The 
 carnal Generation is liable to that one offence, and the Con- 
 detonation thereof, but the fpirltual 'Regeneration takes c- 
 way not only that one for which Infants are Baptised; but aU 
 fo theje many which Men by wicked living have added to 
 that in which they are venerated. 
 
 And there fere he goes on, and fays, 4 If by one Man's of- 
 ' f nee death reigned by one, much more they which re- 
 ' ceive the abundance of Grace fhall reign, £?r. There- 
 ' fore, as by the offence of one Judgment came on all Men. 
 
 * to Condemnation, fo by the Righteoufnefs of one the free 
 
 * \ :f: came on all Men to juftification of Life ; for as by 
 ' one Man's difobedience many were made Sinners, fo by 
 ' the obedience of one fhall many be made Righteous. 
 
 Wliat 
 
i2 4 St. Auftin. Chap. XIX 
 
 Tear after the ff^ at WJ -// ^ y^ f0 this ? o r ^ ; - ^ /;/( , ^ .^ 
 
 2j25^^«rt/2y, utilcj? they, will f lead that the Apojile is mijlakpn ? 
 That cbcfcn vejfel^ the Teacher of the Gentiles, that Trum- 
 pet of Chrift, proclaims, Judgment came by one to Con- 
 demnation j and thefe proclaim on the contrary, .and fay, 
 That Infants, who, as they confefi, derive from that one Ma?i 
 of whom hefpeakj, do not go into Condemnation tho' they be 
 notBapti^d. 
 
 Judgment, fays he f came by one to Condemnation. By 
 one, what does he mean, but by one offence ? Since it fol- 
 lows, but the Grace is or many offences to Juftifica- 
 tion. 
 
 . Then he anfwers to that Plea of theirs, by which 
 they laid that St. Paul by one offence meant both the Sin 
 of Adam, and alfo all the Sins which Men by imitating 
 that, do commit. 
 
 He (hews, that if St. Paul had; meant fo, he would 
 have faid in like manner of the Grace of Chrift, that 
 that was of one offence to Juftification; but he diftin-. 
 
 fuiflies, and. fays, Condemnation came by one ofYence^ 
 ut the Grace of Chrift juftifies from many offences. 
 • Afterwards he fays, If, as they pretend, the Apojile had 
 faid the fe things on this account, that we fhould underfiand 
 Sinners to belong to that firfi Man, not that we derive Sin 
 by being born of him, but by imitating him .- he would ra- 
 ther have named the Devil ; for he firmed firfi, and from 
 ffim Mankind do not derive their Pedigree, but only they i-'. 
 mitate him. -~> — And if it were., oh account of imi- 
 tation that the Apojile named thcfirjl Mafi ; lecaufe he was 
 the firfi Sinner among Men, and for that re of en, allfinfulMen 
 were faid to belong to him : Why did he not name Abel as the 
 
 fecond Mian, who was thefirfi i{igbtccus a.mong Men ■ 
 
 But he names Adam, and on the other part names none but 
 Chrift. Becaufe as the one, a Man, did by his Sin defile 
 his P fieri ty, fo the other, God and Man, did by his I{igh- 
 teoufnefi fave his inheritance ; the one by transferring [or, 
 convey ing]| the defilement of the flejlo, which the Devil, 
 tho wicked, could not ; the other by giving the Grace of hit 
 Spirit, which Abel, tho' righ/eous could not... ■■,._. 
 
 He at laft obfervesto Hilarivs, that Celefiius ha 3 been 
 Condcmn'd for this Doctrine at Carthage twp yeah be- 
 fore, and tells him that he Jjiimfelf ba^ pujblifii d fome 
 Books, and had preach'd oftentimes. a'gainfl: it, and had 
 recover'd fcveral : That there were.ftill fome. at Carthage 
 that held that Opinion, but privately ; that in mafiy^ 
 
 place/ 
 
Gfiap.XIX. Sk Auftiri. *i$ 
 
 places there were more of them than one would expect, Year after the 
 And where they are not refuted, they [educe others to their Apbflles^ioi 
 Sect find tire frown Jo numerous thr.t I know not what it <*^yr**^ 
 will come to. But we wijb rather th fit they fhould be he fil- 
 ed in the unity of the Church, than that they fhould be cut 
 off from the Body of it r.s i [n -cur able Member s ; provided ne- 
 ccjfity do not compel it. For there is fbmc fenr left more 
 limbs do putrifie, whilft the putrifird ones are [pared, &c. 
 
 j. 21. The third and fourth Petitions of the Pelfigifins, 
 about a rich Man, and about fwearing, are fuch as may 
 poflibly raife the Reader's Curiofity to know what was 
 faid to thofe queftions in thefe times. 
 
 To the third St. Auftln cbferves that Abraham, Iftiac 
 and Jficob were rich, and continued fo, and yet have a 
 place in the Kingdom, That the rich Man in the Para- 
 ble did not go into torment becaufe he died rich, but be- 
 caufe he was Luxurious, and Unmerciful to Lazarus j; 
 that Lazarus, when he died, was carried into the Bofom 
 of a rich Man, £>c. 
 
 Arid whereas the Pelagians pretended that the felling 
 of all is neceriary under the New Teftament, tho* noc 
 under the Old • he obferves that our Saviour, who fee 
 the rich young Man this condition of being perfeel ; Sell 
 that thou haft, See. yet did not let this as the condition 
 of entring into Life ; but that other (3i) Keep the Com- (Si) l\tit. iji 
 m.indmcnts. That the Apoftle teaching, rich Men how 17, H. 
 to lay hold (82) on eternal Life, bids them do^&dy-diftributr, (82.) 1 Tim- 
 communicate, Sec. but does not require 'cm to fell all. ^. 17? 1 ^ > l 9' 
 
 But to the Argument which they raifed from thefe 
 words of our Saviour, (83) A rich man [haft [hardly enter 0>3)Mat«j 9« 
 into the Kjngdom oftieaven, 8cz. St. Auftin makes no an- 2 3> &£• 
 fwer what but feems defective. How is it then, fays he, does 
 the Apoftle fpeak^con'.rary to the Lord? Or, do thefe Men not 
 undaftandwhat they tail^cf? He refers 'em to Chrift'sfol- 
 lbwing words, With Men this is impoffiblc ; but with God 
 all things are poffible. Thofe they explained thus, as he 
 tells us, ' Chrift knew that fcveral rich Men, upon hear- 
 ing the Gofpcl, would fell their Eftates and give 'em to 
 ' the Poor, &c. and fo that would be done which feemed 
 
 * fo difficult j not, that any of 'era continuing in their 
 
 * Wealth, would, by keeping thofe ru'.esof the Apoftle, 
 ' lay hold on eternal Life j but that ft 'ling all that they 
 'Had, they would fd fulfil iho!e rules of :he Apoftle, 
 
 Here 
 
zi 6 St. Auftin of the cafe of a rich Man, Ch.XIX. 
 
 Year after the Here S.Auflin obferves that according to this their own 
 Ape Itles 310. Interpretation, Our Lord does, contrary to their Tenet, fet 
 forth his own Grace j for he does not fay, ' That which feems 
 ' to you impoflible, is ealie for Men to do, if they will. 
 1 But he fays, ' That which is irripoffible with Men, is 
 ' eafie with God. And following on that point, he for- 
 gets to return and give any anfwer how he himfelf would 
 nave thofe words of our Saviour to be underftcod. On- 
 ly he oblerves that the Apoftle's words could not be fo 
 meant as they explain d 'em, vi%. of felling all they had, 
 becaufehe gives feveral rules how they lhould provide 
 for their Servants, Children, &c. which is not coniiftent 
 with felling all they had .- For, as he obferves, How can 
 this be done without a Houje, andfomething to keep it ? 
 
 Our Saviour feems in that faying, A rich Manfhali 
 hardly enter into the Kingdom of God, to have meant, as he 
 does in many other Places, by the Kingdom of Heaven, and, 
 the KJngdomof God, not the Kingdom of Glory ; but the 
 ftate of the profefTion of the Gofpel and of Faith in him, 
 is it was at that time, when both himfelf and all that 
 would be his DlfcipIeSj were fo perfecuted that they 
 could not think of keeping any eftate if they had it. And 
 as things fo flood, it was very hard to perfwade any 
 rich Man to enter into it •> fo « hard, that humanely 
 (peaking, it was impoilible. Only God by the power of 
 his Grace might overcome that love of their Wealth, 
 which hundred them from owning Chrift. Now that 
 neceffity is not at all times - y but only in times of per- 
 iecution. 
 
 If this be the fenfe, the Tranflation would be more 
 intelligible if it were faid, not fhall hardly, but will hardly 
 enter, Sec. 
 
 And if this be the fenfe, then what St. Auflin anfwers 
 is pertinent and full, vi\. that there are many rich Men, 
 who, tho' they do not actually fell all, and give to the 
 Poor, yet are ready to part with all, if occafron fhould 
 be, for the fake of Chrift and his truth ; and who in the 
 mean time do keep their Families in Chriftian Difcipline, 
 ufc Hofpitality and Beneficence to the Poor, receive a 
 righteous Man in the name of a righteous Man, &e. And 
 he takes notice that Pelagius himfelf was relieved in his 
 neceffities by fuch rich Men, and entertain'd by 'em (and 
 others fpeak of him as a great haunter of fuch Mens 
 Houfes) he fays, 
 
 Ihefe 
 
Chap. XIX. and of Smearing, &C. £££ 
 
 Thefe Men, if they expecl to be fuch as the 4pofile (%$) Year after the 
 f peaks cf, * That (hall judge Angels, ought to refolve before ApofHes 310, 
 hand to receive (85 ) into everlafting Habitations thole ■~^~\>'~**>** 
 that have made them their Friends with the Mammon of (^4) s Cor» 
 
 Unrighteoufnels. ~Tbofe Servants of God, who '^' 
 
 having fold alt ', do afterwards live upon the honcfi labour ^ " ' LuSe 
 0/ their oven hands, may with much lefi impudence condemn ^" 
 Men from whom they receive nothing, than thqfe that not 
 being able by reafon of fame infirmity to work\ with their 
 hands, do condemn the Men that mountain 'em. 
 
 I that write this, was greatly in love with that perfection 
 of which our Lord f poke, when he fa id to the rich Man, Go 
 and fell all, z$c. and I did Jo ; not by my own firength 9 
 but by his afffiing Grace. And tho' I was not rich, there 
 will never the lefi be imputed to me for that ; for the Apo-, 
 files themf elves, that did this fir fi, were no rich Men. But 
 he parts with all the World, that -parts with all that he has 
 
 or hopes to have. And I do my utm.fi endeavour 
 
 to perfwade others to this purpqfe, and I have in the name 
 cf God,fcveral partners, who have by my minifiery been 
 brought to it. But fiill fo as that the found Dotlrine is pre- 
 ferv d among us, and that we do not in. way of vain-glory cent* 
 furc thefe that do not takfi the fame courfc, and tell 'em tba? 
 it will not avail 'em to live chafily in Matrimony, 10 order 
 their Houfes and Families Chrifiian like, &C. 
 
 I think this to be a medeft and hand lbme rebuke of the 
 Pride or thofe two Monks, who valued themfelves fo 
 much upon their felling their Temporal Polfeffions ; 
 that they cenfur'd all that did not do the like, as ; u'rica~ 
 pable of God's Kingdom. St. Aufiin fhews that he and 
 leveral others had dene the fame with lefs Noife and lefi 
 fpiritual Pride and Cenfure. 
 
 To the fourth about Swearing, he fays thus, Avoid [wear- 
 ing as much as is pcjfble - y for it is better not to [wear e- 
 ven to the truth than by a cuflom of Sweais'ng to fall often 
 into Perjury, and always to come in danger cf it. But thefe 
 Men, as far as appears by what I have heard f'ome cf 'em tall^, 
 do not kjiow what is Swearing ;for they thinl\_t hey do not Swear 
 when they fay, God knows, or, G :d is witnefs, or, I call God 
 to witnefs, upon my Sou) ; bec'aufe it is not [aid, By God i 
 And becaufe fitch Phra/'es as the fore mention d are fdlind in 
 the Apofile Paul : But even that Phrafe which they confefi to - . 
 
 be Swearing is found in him, when be fays, (86) By your re- (86) ! CcTo 
 j'oycing which I have in Chrift Terns cur Lord. For in 15* 3*^ 
 (hi Gtkektfitr jjjfhinlj 'appears 'to be Swearing- So that cr-f 
 
 Q^% tfaWiii 
 
iz$ Sf.Auftin. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year a'ter the cannot take thofe words in the Latin, per veftram gloriam, 
 Apoftlesjio. By your rejoy ring -, ai thofe (87) per meum adventum ire- 
 **- x '~ , V rum ad vos, By my coming to you again ; and many fuck 
 
 (87) Phil. 1. Hfe w} )ere it iff aid, By any thing, and yet there is no Swear^ 
 J ^» ing, are to be taken. 
 
 Butbecaufe the Jpoftle,aMan mofiftrong in theTruthJwore 
 in htsEpiJlles,we mujl not therefore make afport of Swearing. 
 As for us, it is muchfafer, as Ifaid, never tofvear j but to 
 mafe ufe of Yes, Yes, and No, No, as cur Lord advifes ; 
 not that it is a fin tofvear truly, but it k a mofl dreadful fm 
 to fwear falfly, into which he naturally falls that accuftoms 
 himfelf to fwear. This is St. Auflin s ienfe. and where-* 
 as lome of the Ancienter Fathers are againft all Swear- 
 ing ; there was a particular reafon in their time, be- 
 cause all the Oaths then adminiftred in Courts were by 
 the Heathen Gods, or the Genii of the Emperors. 
 
 The inftance that he gives of St. Paul's Swearing is the 
 plaineft in the Scripture ; for whereas the Latin Lan- 
 guage ufesthe wordier, as the Englifh the word, by, to 
 many other purpofes, as well as Swearing ; the Greeks, as 
 St. Auflin obferves, has a peculiar word pjj, for by in the 
 cafe of Swearing by any thing, and which is never us'd 
 but in Swearing ; as pr) A/a, and vn rxi 0s*\ : And fb 
 i>a ?rii> vyciii^y K£v'xti*tv, is, without any more addi- 
 tion, I /wear [Tor which our Englifo have put Iprotefl~\ 
 by your glory [[or, re joy ring} which I have in Chriji Jefus 
 cur Lord, i. e. by that which is our common Chriftian 
 hope and joy. 
 
 §. zi. There came the fame year fome more queftions 
 out of Sicily for St. Auflin to rcfolve, from Eutrofius and 
 Paulus. They fent him a Paper, intitul'd, Definitiones, 
 ut dicitur, Celejiii, * Arguments given out, as is faid, by 
 Celeftius. 
 
 It contain'd 14 Arguments, Or rather one Argument 
 diverfified in Words 14 times, to prove that a Man may 
 be without Sin if he will. That Argument is no other 
 than this dilemma, God's Commands are either fofftble or 
 impcjfible, Sec. 
 
 It might be worth the while of a young Sopnifter to 
 read 'em for a pattern to fee how many ways that fallacy 
 may be varied ; as, Sin is either a thing that may be avoi- 
 ded, or that cannot be avoided, See. Sin is either a thing 
 (£9) Lib.de of07H, or cf Neccjfty, Sec. but they are not worth reci- 
 perfectione ting here. St. Auflin recites 'em, and gives particular 
 jaftitiae adEa- anfvvers to each of 'em (89) which muft needs be for' 
 tropium. fubftance 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin. 229 
 
 fubftance the lame as he and St. Hierom had given before Year after the 
 
 to the Dilemma aforefaid, vi%. That a Man may by Apoftles3i.c# 
 
 God's Grace have in general a will, delire, and aim to , ^-^ , V - * s *^ 
 
 avoid all Sin ; but by reafon of our frailty, no Man finds 
 
 rhat purpofe to hold out fo fteady in all particulars, but 
 
 that he often flips and fometimes falls. Neither does it 
 
 do us any good to prove how unblameable we Ihould be 
 
 on fuppofition that our will were fauk!efs ; fince our 
 
 greatelt blemiih is the corrupt inclination of our Will it 
 
 felf, which complies with the Tentations, in all Men at 
 
 fometimes and to fome degree ; but in Men deftituteof 
 
 God's Grace, fo far as to yield the Dominion to Sin. And 
 
 fince this i? too plain by Experience, what do Sophitmsto 
 
 the contrary avail us r Our bufinefs is to get Cure by 
 
 God's Grace for this Diftemper, not to difpute our felves 
 
 out of the fenfe of it. 
 
 About this time Peiagius wrote one of his moft Elabo- 3 '4* 
 rate Pieces, intitul'd, Of the Abilities of Nature ; to which 3^5- 
 St. Aufiin, next year, wrote an Anfwer, intitled, Of No* 
 ture and Grace. He owas ("90) that Peiagius had Ihewn ^°) ^ a l )- ®* 
 an example of a moftftrong and nimble wit, and had well 
 reproved thofe that excule their Wickednefs by laying all 
 the fault of it on the nature of Man ; but that he had 
 carried this zeal too far, in faying that Menthatare Wic- 
 ked might have been Sinlefs if they would ; and, That 
 if they were Sinners becaufe they could not be otherwifc, they 
 are not to be blamed. On which St. Auftin makes this 
 remark, (91) Mind what he fays, Now I fay that an In- faO.Cap. 7. 
 fant bom and fur priced with death in fitch a place where he 
 cannot be relicvd by the Baptifm of Chrift, is <ts he is (viz. 
 dies without the wafhing of Regeneration) becaufe he could 
 be no otlyervoife. Let him then abfolve fuch a one, andfcP 
 open the Kjngdom of Heaven to him in fpite of our Lord's 
 Declaration, &c. 
 
 Among leveral Arguments as good as the Gale would 
 bear, Peiagius there ufes one very filly logical Quirk. In 
 oppofition to what the Church held of our Nature in the 
 ftate in which it now is, vi$. That it is deprav'd and 
 weakned by Sin, he faid,(9a) What is Sin ? Is it any fub- (92) A pud 
 ftantial thing ; or a Name without any Subftancc, by which Aueufhn.de' 
 is meant not any real thing, not any Exiftence, not any bodily natura. & gra- 
 thing ; but the aclofftomething done ami ft ? And how can thai tia. cap. 19^ 
 which has no Subftance weaken or change humane nature i 
 
2 3Q Pelagius and St. Auftin. Chap. XIX 
 
 Year after the St. Auftin produces the inftance of fomc godly Man, 
 jftpoftlcs 3?o. crying out as it is, Pf. 41. 4. jLor^, be merciful to me, heal 
 *tS~^/~ > *~' my Soul, for J have finned againfi thee, &c. He bids P<r- 
 lagius ask fuch a Man, What he nils ? What it Sin, is it 
 nfubfiance, &c ? How can a thing that hits no fubflance de- 
 file thy Soul ? &c. And then adds, Would not the Men in 
 the bitternefi of his Soul bid him begone ? &c. Toil fee whi- 
 ther this Argument tends, and to what it would lead us ; to 
 thinly thofe words fpoken to no purppfe ; Thou fhalt call his 
 name Jeftis, for he (hall fave his People from their Sins. 
 JFbr howfhall he fave 'em if they have no ailing ? Sins, from 
 which the Gofpel fays Chrifi's People are to be fav'd, are no 
 fubflances, andfo cannot defile. Oh, Brother, it were a good 
 thing if you would remember that you are a Chriftian. 
 
 §. 23. Pelagius prov'd. that Men may be without Sin 
 {93) Ibid* by inftancing (93) in a great many Perfons who had been 
 ^P-^9 fo, as he pretended, Abel, Enoch, Mclchifedech, and 20 
 
 more, and in feme Women, Deborah, Anna,Judith, &C 
 and alfothe Mother of our Lord and Saviour ; concerning 
 whom he faid, That it is neccjfary for our Religion that 
 y»c do cohfefi her to be without Sin. 
 
 ■ Si. Auflin anfwers, Excepting the holy Virgin Mary, con- 
 cerning whom I am not willing, for the honour of our Lord, 
 to held any difpute at all when we are talking about Sin (Vnde 
 enim fcimus quod \J. quid"] ci plus gratia cotlatum fuerit 
 <ed vincendum cmni ex -parte peccatum, qua concipere & pa- 
 rere meruit eum quern conflat nullum habuiffe peccatum ? 
 H^c ergo except a virgine. * For how do we know that 
 
 * D^* what} more Grace was beftowed on her to over- 
 
 * come all Sin, who had the honour to conceive and 
 
 * bring forth him who certainly had no Sin ? (But this 
 9 Virgin excepted,) if we could have called together all 
 ' thole Holy Men and Women when they were alive. 
 
 * and have askt "em whether they were without Sin * 
 
 * What d6 you think they would have faid ? As this 
 *Marj fays, or as the Apoftle John fays, They 
 
 * would all have cried out with one voice, If we fay that 
 J we have no Sin, we deceive our felves, &c, 
 
 From what the Papifts now a-days fay and praclifc in 
 reference to the Bl'effed Virgin one would think that al| 
 Antiquity had believed her to be Sinlefs ; but by exa- 
 mining we fhall find that Pelagius here is the firft that 
 ever faid that (he was without Sin, St. Auftin indeed 
 makes a very modeffc anfwer, as thinking it decent for us, 
 in regard to the honour of our Saviour, not to hold any 
 
 talk 
 
Pe/agius affirm d the V. Mary to he Stnlefs. 2,3 1 
 
 talk about the Sins of his Mother ; but as one may guefs Year after the 
 by this place, and more plainly by fome other, he was Apo{rles3icv 
 far from affirming her to be Sinlefs. He often tpeaks po- *"-"">/■•*'—* 
 fimely of all Mankind as Sinful, excepting on!y our Sa- 
 viour Chrift. And for other Fathers, they make no fcru- 
 ple, when it comes in their way, to fpeak particularly 
 of Jier failings, as Cbryfoftom on John z. 3. And St. Hie- (9*5) Dialog, 
 row (9 5) having repeated her Qnnticum, bids Pelagius mark, 1. 
 tha: Jhe does not cell her felf BlefTcd/or any merit ofrwrtlTc 
 of btf oven, but by the mercy of God, who -couchfrfed to in- 
 habit in her. 
 
 Aquinas having produced, by way of Objection againft 
 hirnlelf, feveral Realbns and lomc Authorities, that (he ^5) ^ 
 had Sin, (96) anfwers 'cm all with that Text, Cant. 4.7. Simim. 4. 
 Hhoi art nil fair, my love, there is nofpot in thee ; and with Q. 27. Art* 
 thisPafifage of St. Auftin. Now this is not to his pnrpole 3, 4, 
 as it ftands here j but in Aquinas's Citation the words 
 are dtcr'd. He reads 'em thus, Inde cnim fimus quod 
 ei pits grntix collatum f iter it ad vincendum omni ex parte 
 peccatum, quad concipere, &c. ' For we know that more 
 
 * Grace was beftow'd en her to overcome all Sin, by this 
 
 * tha; (he had the honour to conceive [or, delerved to 
 
 * conceive] £?c. But the Jefuit, Vrfquex,, had fomething 
 more cf honefty ; for tho' he would have the words 
 read as Aquinas reads 'em ; yet he confefTes that he found 
 
 'cm in the Book as I have cranferibed 'cm. He quotes (97; In tert.- 
 (97) ZJnde enim, but adds as of his own, or rather, inde am Thorns-. 
 enim ; md he quotes, quidei plus gratis ; but lays, as of T. 2. Difp. 
 his own head, or rather, quod ci plus gratis. And the >I7 c « 3; 
 word que, he dees not pretend to alter into quod at all. 
 The Edition that Vcfquex, had was more unexceptiona- 
 ble and gives even lefs cccaflcn to the Popi'.h Alterations, 
 than that out of which I tranferibe, which is E>afmus\ 
 Printed at Venice, 155 1. (and his Editions are com- 
 monly the 'call tainted with their Corruptions of the 
 Text) for Vafque^ reads quid, which, together with tli? 
 fenfe cf the Difcourfc there, juftif.es my Alteration. If 
 there were not fome Eye kept over thefe Men, they 
 would both in the Fathers, and in the Scripture' toe, 
 alter the words, as fome of cm have done here, to lerve 
 their turn. 
 
 They had better take Pclagius's words, which fcrve 
 their purpole without any Alteration : It would not be 
 the firlt time they have borrowed from fome Heretical 
 Do-^rine which was never own'd in the Ancient Cattic- 
 
 a 4 im*i 
 
% 3 z Felagius ace us' J at Jerufalem. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Yearafter the lick Church. Pelagius does not only fay, fhc was Sinlefs, 
 
 ApQftlcs 310. but makes it a nccelfary point of Religion to believe fo; 
 
 V*"^"^"* which fits them to a Hair. 
 
 §. 24. Pelagius liv'd all this while axjferufalcm ; but what 
 he wrote was in Latin, fothat his Opinions were more 
 talk'd of in the Weft, where he had liv'd, and waere 
 that Language was underftcod and fpoken, than ir the 
 Enft where he now was, becaufe little but Greek, was read 
 jbr, fpoken there. 
 
 He could not have found a more convenient retreat 
 than at Jerufalem ; for John the Bifhop there, with wtom 
 he liv'd, was himfelf addicted to new Opinions. Both 
 Epiphanius and St. Hicrom had a good while before wrote 
 againft him for holding feveral cf the Condemn'd Opi- 
 nions ofQrigen, to which fomeof Pclagius's Tenets were 
 pretty near a-kin. 
 315. About this time there happen'd a meeting of Bifhops at 
 
 Jerufalem, and Orcftus,z young Man, who had been with 
 St. Auftin, and was now a; Bethlehem with St. Hhrom, 
 came to this meeting, and declar'd to 'em what a noife 
 there was in the Weft about fome Doclrines publifh'd by 
 Celeftius, and countenane'd by fome Writings of Ptlagi- 
 ys, and that St. Auftin had wrote againft 'em. And he 
 
 (98) Oroni caufed (98) to be read to 'em (as well as could be done 
 -cgetic. by an Interpreter) St. Auftin's Letter to Hilarius, men- 
 tion'd before in §. 10, 21. Pelagius being askM whe- 
 ther he had. taught thofe Doctrines againft which St. 
 Auftin there writes, anfwer'd, Who is that Auftin ? [or, 
 what is Auftin to me f\ Some in the Council anfwer- 
 ed, He that fpeahj againft that Bifhop by whofe means 
 God hai reft or a unity .to all Africa, deferves .to be turn d out 
 not only from this Ajfemb'y, but from the whole Clxoch. 
 
 They rtfer'd to the fervice St. Auftin had done in redu- 
 cing the Donntifts.. But Bifhop John, who prefided, inr 
 terpos'd for him ; and all that was urg'd againft him at 
 that time, leing this, that he had maintain'd that a, 
 Man might live without Sin ; John faid, If he had main- 
 tain'd this to be p'jfihle without God's help, it were a thing to 
 he Condemn d 1 butfin.ee he adds that, whnthivcyou to fay} 
 Do you deny God's help? So a fquabble ariiing, and Oroftus, 
 yiho could fpeaj: no Greeks as they no Latin, not being 
 flb'e to make them underftand the fallacy which Pe- 
 lagiys conceai'd under that word, God's help, the iffue 
 ^.yas, that the matter fhould be rcferr'd to Innocent, Bifhop 
 *$pwe s and that in the mean time Pelagius, fhould 
 
 keep. 
 
Chap. XIX. Pelagius recants at Diofpolis. 233 
 
 keepfilence; and fo nothing at this meeting wasfaid about Year after th e 
 original Sin. And John the Bifhop took occaficn quickly Apoftles *iq* 
 after to fall out with Orofius ; upon which he wrote his v ^"Vv , 
 Ayologetk, which is ftill extant, and out of which fome 
 Quotations to our pnrpofe about Infant Baptifm might 
 be taken ; but they have nothing different from what St. 
 Aujlin and St. Hierom and Pelagius himlelf, have j and 
 :herefore I (hall for Brevity omit 'em. 
 
 But about the latter end of tfeis year 415. there was 3i?« 
 another Aflembly of 14 Bi(hops in this Country, at the 
 Town which in Scripture is called Lydda, but was then 
 sailed Diofpolis, to which Pelngius was fummon'd - 3 and 
 there he could come off no other way but by denying 
 fe\eral of his Opinions, which he had promoted before, 
 and which, (as St. Aujlin makes appear) he for all this 
 denial continued to promote afterward, 
 
 The Articles objected to him were taken partly out 
 of ibme Books of his own, partly out of fome Books of 
 Celejlius, who was look'd on as his Scholar ; and partly 
 out of the Acts of a Council at Carthage, where Cclcfii- 
 us had been Condemn'dj and partly out of that Cata- 
 logue of new Opinions which Hilarius had fent to St. Au- 
 ftin out of Sicily, and which St. Aujlin refuted in the 
 forementioned Letter. 
 
 Of what was cited from his own Books, he denied 
 part, and faid the Book wasnOt writ by him, tho' it wenr 
 under his name. The reft he defended, and put as fair 
 a colour on as he could, which was eafie to do, becaufe 
 what he had wrote in Latin, (which thefe Bifhop did 
 not underftand) he explain'd {99) to them in Greek; / \ * -, 
 'for he did not fpeak to them by an Interpreter, as Mr. Q^a\ 5 p~i* n 
 Le Clerc miftakes the Matter) and becaufe his-Aocu- c - 
 fers were not there, being fkk, : but only their Libel was 
 read.. 
 
 But he himfelf had been wary in his Expreffion'?, for 
 what Celejlius had : Of the Articles taken from the Books 
 or Words of Celcflius he defended fome, as, The p fibili- 
 ty of avoiding all Sin, by God's help, Sec. but renounced the 
 reft, in theLe Words, (1) The other things, m they confejl (?) Augufto 
 thcmfelves, were not fpokenby me; andfo T bavo no reiJoA eodeill libro. 
 ts anfwerfor'cm. Yet, for the fatisfaclionof th.e holy Synod 
 I do renounce [anathematize] all- that do holdfo. So he cot 
 off with a whole Skin, but left feveral of his beloved O- 
 pinions behind him Condemn'd, as appears by minding 
 v/hich thofe wcrg that he renounced, 
 
 The 
 
234 Pelagius recants at DIofpolis. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the The account of the whole is long, efpecially of thofe 
 
 ApofrIes3iQ. Articles which bore adifpute in what fenfe he hadfpoke 
 
 ^-^"v*^ or underftood 'em. What is moft material to give us the 
 
 fenfe of the Church at that time, is to recite thofe which 
 
 the Council Ccndemn'd, and he was forc'd to Condemn : 
 
 "Which you have in the Words of St. Auflin in his Letter 
 
 (s)Epift,*e6. to Paulinus (i) exprefs'd much fhorter than in the Book 
 
 DeGeJlis PaUJi. (where the Acts of this Council are at 
 
 large recited ) but to the fame effect. He writes 
 
 thus, 
 
 For befide thofe Articles which he venturd to defend as 
 well as he could, fame things were objected to him, which un- 
 lefl he had renounced [^anathematized] he would have been 
 renounced himfelf. 
 
 For it was objected, that he /aid [pv held,] 
 
 I. That Adam, whether he had finned or not, would have 
 
 died. 
 1. That his Sin hurt himfelf only, and not mankind. 
 
 3. That Infants new born are in the fame fi ate that Adam 
 was before his fall. 
 
 4. That neither by the death orfallofAdam docs all man* 
 kind die, nor by the P^furreflion of Chrift does all man~ 
 kind arife. 
 
 (3) See above Thefe you fee, (3) arc the fame that had been object- 
 s' 5« ed to Celcjlius four years before. 
 
 5. That Infants, tho they be not Baptised, Ixivc eternal 
 Life. 
 
 6. That rich Men, unlefe [they part with all, See. cannot 
 have the Kjngdom of God. 
 
 (4) See §.20. Thefe two were taken (4) out of the [heads of new 
 • Doctrine broached at Syracufe. 
 
 7. That the Grace of God is not given in every aclion ; 
 but is in Free-Will ; or, in the haw and Dotlrine. 
 And feveral other Articles about Grace and Merit. 
 
 All thefe Pelagius did fo renounce [anathematizavif} 
 as the Acls of the Council do flew, that he did not produce 
 tiny thing in defence of 'em. From whence it follows, that 
 whofiever will own the Authority of that Epijcopal Judge- 
 ment, and the Confejfion of Pelagius himfelf, mujl lx>ld 
 thefe things {which the Catholicl^ Church has ever held) 
 viz. 
 
 That Adam, */ he had not finned^ would not have died. 
 
 Th*t 
 
Chap. XIX Pelagius recants at Diofpolis. 2.3 $ 
 
 That bis Sin hurt, net himfetf only, but Mankind. Year after the 
 
 Tb/it Infants new bom are not in the ji ate that Adam ApoftlesjiOa 
 was before his fall, Sec. w/ ^' N> ^. 
 
 That unbapthed Infants will mif, not only of the King- 
 dom of Heaven, but alfo of eternal Life, &c. 
 
 Tho' this muft needs have coft Pelagius a fore pang, 
 yet to it happen'd that the pews of his being acquitted 
 in this Council made more noife among the vulgar Peo- 
 ple to his advantage, than his being compell'd to re- 
 nounce thofe Opinions did againft his caulc, efpecially in 
 the Weft, v. here they heard he was acquitted and ap~ 
 proved, but did not hear upon what terms. He himfeli 
 alfo publifh'd accounts of the matter to his own advan- 
 tage (5), and triumph'd of his fuccefs. So that the Pe- (5 ) Aug, de 
 lagians were never more uppiih than they were for a Geftis Palae- 
 while after this Synod. ftin. c, 3©. 
 
 And yet, upon the whole Matter, tho' St. Aufiin does 
 often fpeak of thefe Bifhops, as having been impos'd on 
 by Pelagius in Matter of Fact, and do (hew how he dif~ 
 guifed and concealed his true meaning from 'em ; and 
 tho' he co, in a Letter, which he a little while afcer this 
 wrote to John Bifhop of Jerufalem, defiring him to fend 
 a Copy of the Acts of the Council, (6) fay thus, As for (6) Epift. 
 Pelagius, our Brother end your Son, whom I hear you love 2 52-» 
 very well j I advife you fo to manage you/ love to him, that 
 they that kjiow him, and have attentively heard him, mny 
 not judge your holinefl to be impos'd on by him, 8cc. For 
 when you hear him confefs the grace and help of God, you 
 thinly he means the fame that you do, who have a Catholic!^ 
 fen fe of it, bee a life you don't know what he has wrote in his 
 Bool^- y and for that rcafon I have fent you his Bocl^, and mine 
 written in mfwer to it. And tho' Sr. Hi 'cr rip do on this 
 account call this Synod, (j) The pitiful Synod of Diofpolis. (7) Hiero- 
 Yet, I fay, upon the whole matter, it appears bv the nym. Epift* 
 Acts of this Council, that thefe Bilhop?, tho' as St. Aufiin 19> 
 (ays, (8) They could not thoroughly examine the Man, yet (8) De Geftis 
 for the Herefic it fclf they gave it a deadly Wound. For V&c. 21. 
 by forcing Pclag i us to declare what he did, about the Sin 
 of Adam, the natural ftate of Infants, and the nccefllry 
 of God's Grace, and the renouncing of Merit/they ("hew- 
 ed that they were far enough from Pclagianifm : So 
 that St. Aufiin fays, (9) that when he read" the Acts of (9) Lib.de 
 this Council, and before hefaw Pe/agius's Books of Free- peccato ori- 
 m/f t wherein he return'd to his vomit again s he thought gin.c. 14. 
 
 That 
 
2, 3 6 Sy nod of Diofpolis. Chap. XIX 
 
 Year after the That this queflion had been at an end ; and that Pelagiu 
 Apoftles3io. had -plainly owned original Sin in Infants. 
 
 t^V""**-* §.25. This I note the rather becaufe fome among u< 
 now a-days, that fhew a good will to Pelagianifm, and 
 do ftrangely fhuffle with that 9th Article of the Church 
 of England, which is of Original Sin, expounding it all a- 
 way, do fhelter themfelves under the pretended Authority oi 
 the Greel^ Church, asif the Gree^Fathershad not owned that 
 Doctrine. Whereas not only this Council that acquitted 
 Pelagius,ytt Condemn'd the Opinions laid to his charge ; 
 but alfo the other Councils of the Eaftern Nations agreed 
 with the Latins in Condemning the faid Doctrines, and 
 the Men too when it appeared that they really held 
 fuch Doctrines. 
 fi For three years after this, Theodotus Bifhop of Anti. 
 % ' och, held a Synod at Jerufalem, to which Pelagius, was 
 cited, and there Condemned, as is recorded by Mariut 
 Mercator. Commonitor. c. 3. 
 
 And fometime after, Julian the Pelagian with 17 more 
 of his Party wrote to the Bifhop of Theffalonica, repre- 
 fenting their own Doctrine in the faireft colours, and that 
 of the Catholicks in the fVeft in the blackeft, hoping 
 
 (10) Aug. ad t0 make- a Party in the Greek. Church (10) ; but found; 
 
 Bonifac. I.I. nonCj or nar dly any, that they could bring over. 
 
 c ' 1 ' Celejiius, before his Condemnation at Rome, went to 
 
 Conftantinople, to try if any intereft could be made there. 
 But Atticus, the JSifhop there, would neither receive 
 
 (n) Afta him nor his Doctrine (n). St. Aujlin mentions this in 
 
 ConciI.Ephef. fhort, /. 3. contra Julian, c. 1. But Mercator more at 
 
 pt. i. c. 18. large, Commonitor. c. 1. Some years after he went to Con- 
 ftantinople in the time of 'Atticus of holy Memory, where be- 
 ing di [cover d to hold fuch Opinions, he was by the great care 
 of that holy Man, driven from that City, and Letters were 
 fent concerning him into Afia, to Tlieflalonica, and Car- 
 thage, to the Bifhops there ; of which I have Copies ready 
 to be produced. But the faid Celeftius being driven from i 
 hence alfo went to Rome, &c. 
 
 At Ephefus alfo they were rejected and difowned, ■ 
 not fuffcr'd to abide there, which is the word of Profper, 
 who relates this, lib. de ingratis y c. 2. But Mr. Le Clerc 
 exprefles it, ill treated. » 
 
 331. The only hopeful attempt they ever made in the 
 Greek Church was about 1 5 years after this time, when 
 a general Council being call'd to Ephefm on account of 
 Ncjforius (who had innovated in the Doctrine of the 
 ,. Incarnation] 
 
Chap. XIX. Council of Ephefus. 137 
 
 Incarnation) they joined their Party with his, as is ufual Year after the 
 
 for diicontcntcd Parties to do; and made in all, atfirft ApofHesgio, 
 
 43, but quickly dwindled to 30, as appears by the Ad- "-''"V^*"-' 
 
 drefs of the Council to the Emperor, where they fay, 
 
 It is an nbfurd thing that 30 Men only {fome of whom 
 
 have been a good while ago depos'd, fome arc of the falfs 
 
 opinion of Celeftius, &c.) fhould fet themfelves againfi a 
 
 Synod of 210 Bifhops, with whom all the Weftern Bifhops 
 
 [and fo the whole world) do confent. They made alio 
 
 Canons (12) that if any Clergyman did publicity or private- ( l2 \ Q n . 
 
 7 promote the Opinions of Neftorius, or Celeftius, they 
 
 fhould be deprived. 
 
 Thefe things, and more to the fame purpofe,are largely 
 ind particularly quoted out of the Adb of that Council, 
 ?y Bifhop Vfher, in the forementioned Treatife (13). So (13) Cap. XI. 
 hat it is hard to guefs what thefe Men get by appealing 
 o the Greeks Church. 
 
 And for the Greel^ Fathers before this time, Voffus has 
 argely fhewn in his Pelagian Hiflory, that they com- 
 nonly teach the Doctrine of original Sin. Only he 
 hinks Clemens Alexandrimts muft be excepted ; but 
 )r. Hammond fhews (14) that there is no reafon for (14) Annot^ 
 hat Exception. Voffus is of Opinion that there is no on Pf. 51. 
 lifference between St. Auftin, and the Ancient Greeks Fa- 
 hers about that other point of Predeftinacicn, but that 
 15) what the ancienter Fathers omitted concerning pre de- (15) I>e H{* 
 Mnation, he adds, But, allowing that to be a matter in ftoricis Lati- 
 vhich Men will always pafs various Judgments, and nis, 1. 2. c. 1, 
 fill find each their own Sentiments both in the Scrip- 
 Lire and the Fathers ; it cannot with any Modefty at all 
 e pretended that they do not own and complain of 
 riginal Sin* or natural Corruption. 'Tistrue, thatmoft 
 f 'em were of Opinion that this Corruption or Sin 
 lould in unbaptized Infants be punifh'd no otherwife 
 lan by the lofs of the Kingdom of Heaven. And in 
 lis indeed they differ'd from moft of the Latins. 
 
 Mr. Le Clercfoys(i6),*They that have not fo ill an epini- (i<$) gjb. I2„ 
 z p/Pelagius, as St. Auftin had, do fay, that if St. Auftin nirerf. T. S* 
 id been able to read the Greek Dotiors, he would have pag. 192* 
 und that they fpeal^ no otherwife than Pelagius docs ; as 
 my, fays he, be feen in a great many places in St. Chryfo- 
 om, and in Ilidore o/Pelufium, whom fome Modems have 
 icnly accus'd of Pelagianifm, 
 
 Bv 
 
^^$% Greek Church agahfi Pelagius. Chap. XIX 
 
 Year after the By fingling out St. Chryfcftom he follows the fteps of the 
 Apoftlesgio. ]d Pelagians, for it appears out of St. Auftin % Books a- 
 L^VX*Jgainft Julian the Pelagian, Jib. i. and///'. 3. that he and 
 Anianus do make their chief boaft of St. Cbryfoftom, 
 and do fetch more for their purpofe out of him thai} 
 out of any other Greek. Writer. They tranflatcd fome 
 of his Orations that were moft for their turn ; and St. 
 Auftin, tho* not very converfant indeed in the Greeks Lan- 
 guage, yet fhewed that he could read and tolerably 
 underftand it by giving inftances wherein they had 
 made them more for their purpofe than they were, by I 
 their Tranflation, as I recited before in CH. XIV. And 
 befides, he anfwered them by producing other places of 
 his, where he plainly owns original Sin ; which is the; 
 only way one has to fave the Credit of a Preacher that 
 gives fo much fcope to the vein of Oratory and Harangue, 
 that take what he fays at feveral times, and compare it,' 
 and you will hardly make it contiftent. 
 
 And for other Greeks Doctors, who were more to be 
 regarded (for St. Chryfcftom was no Ancienter than St, 
 Auftin hirnlelf ) he ihews the Doctrine of Ircnxus, St 
 Baft!, St. Gregory, &c. to have been clear and full in this 
 
 (17) Lib 1 matt:er > an d wjfi (17), tho' he had a Trar.il" tion of the 
 contra Julian Sermon of Sz.Baftl, which he quoted (18), yet be cbofe ra-> 
 
 (18) Sermo t ^ cr t0 Tranftxte it bimfelf word for word out of the Greek, 
 *Je jejunio. *^** lt wight be more exaEl. The like he dees in the 
 
 fame Book with two paffages of St. Chryfcftom, fetting 
 down the Greets words. So that the forelaid cenfure paft 
 on him has more in it of the afTuming humour of a 
 Critick, than, it has of truth or good manners. 
 
 And to expect of St. Auftin that he fhould have read 
 Iftdore to know the fenfe of the Greel^ Church, is (if one 
 confider the Age of each) a Jeft indeed. 
 
 I gave fome inftances above in CH. XIV. where both 
 St. Chryfcftom and this Iftdore, and alfo Tbeodoret (for they 
 all tun in one vein, and the two latter lhcw a great Ambiti- 
 on to imitate the former) have Exprcffions lomething likt 
 thole of Pelagius about Infant Baptilm, vi*. That In- 
 fants are Bapti^'d tho' they have no Sins ; where yet ii 
 appears by Circumftances that their meaning was only 
 r \ A n - an that they had no actual ones. 
 
 Epilt adE-' ^ n< ^ ^ or dvianuf, where he boafts of St. Chryfcftom 
 vangelum a- ^nd fays ("19), How agreeably does he every where fpcal^t, 
 
 pud Bedam ^ }e ^°'°^- s °f our ^ c "> ^ c ? ^ tixe ^ n -^ ance ne produce; 
 X. 6, is out of fome Orations of his in Praife of St. Paul 
 
 wher-i 
 
"hap. XIX. Greek Church againfl Pelagius. 239^ 
 
 vhere, as Animus will have ic, he has proved St. Paul to Tear after the 
 iave been without Sin, which the Pelagians maintain'd Apoftles 310. 
 o be a feazable thing. K*/~\f~* s ~' 
 
 Firjl, lays Anianus, by preferring him above all the Saints, 
 ind equalling him to Angels. 
 
 idly, By -proving from his vertues and pom his faying* 
 he goodnef of our nature, &c, 
 
 6thly, By an fevering all thofc places by which theTrddn- 
 :ian [this is a nickname he gives to St. Aufiin~\ docs 
 iefile Paul with the fiain of Faults [/. e. proves thai; 
 St. Paul had fome Sins] that he mxy inccurage his follow- 
 ers to Sin by the Example of an Apofilc. 
 
 'Jthly, By extolling his %eal y &c. that it may plainly ap- 
 pear that all neceffity cf finning is taken away ; which in. 
 oppofition to the Manichees [i. e. the Cathclicks] both the' 
 Doctrine and Life of the Apoftle does difprove. 
 
 Now it cannot be denied but St. Chryfcfiom in thefe 
 Orations does lafh out on thefe Subjects ; but yet one that 
 reads 'em will never conclude that he thought in ear- 
 ned that St. Paul was without Sin, any more than one 
 of us does think fo. But he was got on St. Paul's day 
 into a high flight of Oratory in his Commendation ; in 
 •which Cafes fuch Men often ufe Expreffions very Hyper- 
 bolical. And to conclude points of Doctrine from fuch 
 Rhetorical Harangues is the property only of fuch un- 
 skilful arguers as St. Hierom (20) reprefents this Anianus (go) Epift, 
 to be. It was much the like fort of ill ule made of 79, 
 fome over-reaching Expreffions ufed at the Funeral Ora- 
 tions of Holv Men that has lince given ground to the 
 worfhip and Prayers offer'd to them. 
 
 However it be, it makes one think over again of that 
 advice which is lately given us by a great Man amongft 
 pur felves, who of all the Fathers, recommends St. Chry- J 
 
 fojlom and Theodoret particularly to our reading. Cer- 
 tainly they were not inclined to PeLigianifm ; for if 
 they had, he would never have fingled out them in his 
 recommendation to us. 
 
 §.26. About the fame time that the Syncct of Diof- 31$, 
 polis was held, S. Hiercm publilVd his three Books a- 
 gainft the Opinions of Pelagius ("not naming him, but 
 lufficiently deciphering him J inform of Dialogues between 
 a Pelagian and a Catholick, under the feigned names of 
 Atticus and Critobulus ; Atticus reprefennng the Catlx>~ 
 licl^. and Critobulus the Pelamarit The far greatcft part 
 of 'em, Cwhich I muft omir) i;_ taken up in fetting forth 
 
 rhe 
 
*4° S/.Hierbm agahft Pelagitis. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the the pride and prelumptioh of that Tenet of Pelagiu's, thar 
 4Pgtks3^ > » a Man may in this Life be without Sin ; which had been 
 fo imartly done by Atticus, that toward the end of the 
 third Dialogue, Critobulus reckoning that he could main- 
 rain this to be true in the cafe of Infants at leaft, if not 
 of grown Perfons, fays thus, 
 
 CRIT. lean hold no longer ; all my -patience is overcome 
 by your provoking way of talk. I pray tell me wherein have 
 Infants finned ? Neither can the Confcience of any fault, 
 nor can their igtiorance be imputed to them, who according 
 to that of the Prophet Jonah, know not their right hand 
 from their left. They are in no cafe to commit Sin, and yet 
 tfiey are in a cafe to Perifh ; their Kjiees double wider 'em , 
 their tender Age can utter no words ; with a Mouth that 
 would fpeak.if it could, they give afmile; and the torment of 
 eternal Mifcry is prepared for the poor Babes. 
 
 ATT. Oh ! you are grown mighty Eloquent, &c. 
 
 But don't run upon me with your flowers of Rjictorick (tvhich 
 are none of your own neither) with which the ears of Boys 
 and fh allow Men are wont to be caught ; but tell me plain' 
 ly what you would fay of 'em. 
 
 CRIT. This I fay ; grant me but this, that they at leaji 
 who cannot Sin, are without Sin. 
 
 ATT. I {hall grant it, provided they be Baptised in 
 Chrijl • and yet you Jhall not bring me to yield to your Pro- 
 fofition, That a Perfon may be without Sin, if he will. 
 Thefe have neither power nor will, but they are free from 
 All Sin by the Grace of God, which they receive in Bap- 
 tifm. 
 
 CR.IT.7m/ will force me to come to that invidious queflion x 
 and to jay, What Sin had they ? That you may make the 
 People prcfently throw ftones at me ; and that when you cant 
 murder me by flrcngth, you may by a device. 
 
 ATT. He murders a Hercticli thatfuffcrs him to ton- 
 iinue fuch, &c. 
 
 CRIT. Tell me, Ibcfcechyou, and free me from all doubt ; 
 for what reafon are Infants Bapti^'d ? 
 
 ATT. That in Baptifm their Sins may be forgiven. 
 
 CRIT. Wrfiat Sin have they incur/ d ? Is any one loofed 
 that never was bound ? 
 
 ATT. Do you ask. me ? That Trumpet of the Gcfpel, that 
 Teacher of the Gentiles, that golden Vcjfcl flowing thro' all 
 the World, jhall an fwer you. 'Death reigned from Adam to 
 * Mcfcs even over thofe who had not finnfd after the Si- 
 militude 
 
Chap. XTX. St. Hierom W Pelagius, 241 
 
 miiitude of Adani's Tranfgrefllon, which is the figure of Year after tli£ 
 him that was to come, &c. [he goes on to recite the Apoftlesj; i •% 
 fifth Chapter to the Rcmans.~\ And if you obj eft that it 
 is J aid, that there were fmc that had not fmned ; under* 
 Band it, that they finned not that Sin which Adam com- 
 mitted in Paradife, by breakjng God's command. But a!! 
 Perfons are held obnoxious cither by their own, or by their 
 Forefather Adam'/ Sin* He that is an Infant if in Bap- 
 tifm ho fed from the bond of his Forefather-, he that % of 
 Age to under ft and, is by the Blood of Chrift freed both from 
 his oven bend, and alfo from that which is derived from 
 another. 
 
 And that you may not thinlr that I underjland this in an 
 Heretical [or, Heterodox^ fenfe ; the bieffed Martyr 
 Cyprian (whom you pretend to have imitated in collctt- 
 ing into order forne places of Scripture; in the Epiftle which 
 he writes to Bijhop Fidus, about the Baptising of Infants., 
 fays thw, 
 
 * If then the greateft Offenders, and they that have 
 ' grievoufly finned againft God before, have, when they 
 ' afterwards come to believe, forgivtnefs of their Sins • 
 
 * and no Perfon is kept orf from Baptifin zrA the Grace , 
 
 * How much lefs reafen is there to refafe an Infant, 
 1 who being newly born has ho Sinj fave that being 
 ' descended from Adam, according to the fiefn, he has 
 
 * from his very Birth contracted the Contagion of the 
 ' death anciently threatned, &c ? 
 
 He goes on to recite verbatim all the reft of the E- 
 piftle to the end ; which I recited before in CH. VI. •), t , 
 and then proceeds j 
 
 That holy and acccmplifto'd Perfon, Bifoop Auftin^ wrote 
 fome time ago to Marcellinus (who was afterward, tho 
 innocent, put to death by the Heretichj, on pretence that he 
 had a hand in Heraclius'j Vfurpaiion) two Boofrj concern? 
 ingthe Baptifm of Infants, againft your Hercfie, by which 
 you would maintain that Infant} arc Bapti\d, not for for- 
 givencfof Sins ; but for the Kjngdcm of Heaven, accord-* 
 ing to that which is written in the Gcfpel, Except a Perfon 
 be born again of Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 
 into the Kingdom of Heaven. And a third BooJ{ to the 
 faid Marcellinus, againft thefe that fay [what you fay), that 
 a Man may, without the Grace of God, be without Sin, if 
 be will, And a fourth to Hilarius, agxinft your Doctrine 
 
 R thai 
 
i^z St. Hierom of the reafon of Infant Baptifm. C.i 9. 
 
 Year after the thnt brings up fo many odd things. And, they fay, he is 
 Apoftles 310. fetting out fome more Bookj particularly relating to you ; 
 %*/~\T m *~' which are not yet come to my hands. So that I thinly it 
 proper for me to [pare my pains on this fubjecl, left that 
 of Horace he [aid to me. Never carry Timber into the 
 "Woods. For either I muft fuperfiuoufty fay the fame that 
 he has faid, or elfe, if I would fay any new things, his ex- 
 cellent Wit basforeftalPd all the heft, 
 
 This one thing I will fay, that this Difcourfe may at laft 
 have an end-, either you muft fet forth anew Creed, and af- 
 ter the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft, Baptise In- 
 fants unto the Kingdom of Heaven ; Or elfe, if you acknow- 
 ledge One Baptifm for Infants, and for grown Perfons, you 
 muft own that Infants are to be Baptiz'd for Forgivenefs 
 of Sins , Sins after the Similitude of Adam's Tranfgref- 
 fion. 
 
 And if the forgivenefs of Sins, which are the Sins of ano- 
 ther, dofeem to you unjuft, or fuch as he that could com- 
 mit no Sin himfelf has no need of ; then march over to 
 lil) Origen. your Beloved (xi), who holds that in Baptifm are for*> 
 given thofe old Sins which have been committed in a former 
 Jlate in the Celeftial Regions j and fo as you are influenced by 
 his Authority in your other points, fartake with his error 
 in this too. 
 
 Tho' St. Hierom, after having in thefe Dialogues largely 
 confuted the other errors of Pelagius, do infift but briefly 
 on this proof of original Sin from the Baptifm of Infants* 
 as being a matter which had been fully handled by 
 St. Auftin in the Books he here mentions, and of which 
 (22) §» 6. 7, I gave fome account before (12), yet this little feems to 
 &o ad 32. have nettled and puzzled Pelagius more than all that 
 was faid by St. Auftin. The Pelagians confefTed that a- 
 dult Perfons were Baptiz'd for forgivencft of Sins ; but 
 Infants having no Sins were Baptiz'd only for the King- 
 dom of Heaven. This was to eftabliih two forts of 
 Baptifm, which was contrary to that Article of :he Con- 
 ftantinopolitan Creed, then received in all the "World ; 1 
 acknowledge one Baptifm for the remijjion of Sins. Pela- 
 gius could never get clear from this Argument. And 
 it appears by his anfwer, which we (hall fee prefently, 
 that he yielded more to the force of it ? than of any 
 other. 
 
 Buc 
 
Pelaglus'j Equivocation concerning original Sin. £43 
 
 But in the mean time, and quickly after the Synod of Year after the 
 Diofpolis, he publifhed four Books pro liber o arbitrio, In Apoftks 310. 
 defence of Free-will, in which, bcfidc what he has about *^-^\T\»-/ 
 the point of God's Grace, he does, as St.Auflin cxprefTes 
 it (23), not by any fly intimation [[as formerly] but in a (23) De pec- 
 tneft open manner, maintain by all the force of Argument caro original^ 
 he can, that humane Nature in Infants is in no manner Cap»2i. 
 polluted by derivation f_or, birth]. St. Auflin gives there 
 (24 ) an ir.ftr.nce of one of his layings, in the firft of the (24) Cap, 1 3, 
 faid four Books. 
 
 All the good or evil for which we are to be praifed, or 
 blamed, docs not come into the World with us, but is acied 
 h **, for we arc bom capable of cither of thefe ; not full 
 Lor, pofTefs'd] of either cf 'em. And as we are atfiflfrm'd 
 without any virtue, fo likewife without any vice. And 
 there is in a Perfon, before the aclings of his own will, no~ 
 thing but what God has created, [or, put into him]. 
 
 When People wondcr'd how he could reconcile this 
 with what he had faid in the faid Syncd, where he had, 
 as was fhew'd before (25), anathematiz'd all that held a- (25) §. 14^ 
 hy of thefe Opinions : 1 . That Adam's Sin hurt himfelf 
 only, and not Mankind. 2. That Infants new born are in 
 the fame fate that Adam was before his fall. 3 . That 
 Infants, tho' not baptised, have eternal Life. He invent- 
 ted thefe falvoes, which St. Auflin mentions in a Book 
 written fome time after (26), and which (hews that he had (16) De pecc. 
 a faculty of Juggling and Equivocation enough for a origin, c, 15, 
 Jefuit. 
 
 1. That it might be faid truly enough, that Adams 
 Sin did hurt Mankind as well, as himfelf. But how ? 
 Not by derivation, but by the ill example it gave. The 
 Socinians may thank him for this Explication ; for it 
 helps them to much fuch another about Chrift's death 
 doing pood to Mankind. 
 
 2. That Infants new born are not in the fame ftate 
 that Adam was before his fail, is rue enough. But 
 for a reafon very different from what thofc Bifhops whom 
 he banter'd, could imagine, vi%. Bec.iufe he was a Man 
 and they arc but Children. 
 
 3. All the reafon he could give for his condemning 
 thofe that faid, Vnbapti^ed Infants [hall have eternal 
 Life, was a faying which he often had in his mouth, 
 
 (27) As for Infants that die without Baptifm, I kjicw wbi~ (17) Auf. ibl 
 thcr they do not go ; but whither they do go, I k>-ow not, j, e. c. Zj. 
 
 R 2 I kjiow 
 
244 Council of Carthage. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the I kjiow they do not go to the Kjngdcm of Heaven - y but what 
 Apoilles 3i°. becomes of 'em I kiww not. 
 
 V - / "V "* 'Tis plain enough from many places in St. Auflin 
 that his Followers held, that they fhould have a cer- 
 tain eternal Life, but not in the Kingdom of Heaven, 
 But he himielf, it feems, at leaft at this time, to falve 
 what he had (aid in the Synod, renounce! thofe thai 
 determin'd fo, and kept himfelf in referve concerning 
 their future ftate. 
 
 (28) Ibid. c. Sr. Aujlirii, note on all this, is, (28) Does he think, 
 j6 % that when thefe Propofuions were fet him to condemn in 
 
 one fenfe, he does, vy expounding 'em in another fenfe. 
 make i't out, that he did not deceive his Judges ? Sofa) 
 from that, that he deceiv'd 'em fo much the more flily 
 as he now explains himfelf the ?.iore craftily. 
 .316. §.28. The next year two Councils were held in A- 
 frica, both about the fame time ; one at Carthage o: 
 68 Bilhops, the other at Milevis, for the Province of Nu- 
 ynidia, of 61 Bifhops. They had not then feen Pciagi 
 us's laft four Books, and had but an imperfedt account 01 
 what had pafs'd at Diofpolis. But they found it ne'-< 
 ceftary to condemn the Pelagian Opinions ; which hac; 
 taken fome footing in thofe Countries, but much moni 
 at Rome ; and therefore they both of 'em did by Synoi 
 dical Epiftles written to Innocent Bifhop of Rome, del 
 lire the concurrence of that Church ; not that they 
 thought their own Decrees invalid without a Confirm 
 Riation from Rome, but becaufe Rome was mod infedt 
 ed. With which delire Innocent did very cordially 
 comply in his Anfwcrs ; which anfwers, tho* writtei 
 the year after, I fhall recite here, leaving out both it 
 the Epiftles and Anfwers the greateft part, whicl 
 is about Grace, but inferring what they lay about In- 
 fants. 
 
 3 16- The Synodical Epiftle of the Council of Carthag) 
 £&&£ » Innocent (.»{». 
 
 Epift. 90. 
 
 They take notice of the report that Pelagius ha 
 been acquitted at the Council of Diofpolis, by d« 
 nying moft of the Tenets objected to him - 3 and the 
 &y ? 
 
Chap. XIX. Council of Carthage. M? 
 
 If Pelagius do feem to your Reverence alfo juftly ac- Year after tie 
 quitted by tbofe Epifcopal Acls which are /aid to have Apoftles 3i6-> 
 faffed in the Eaft, yet the error it felf and the im- ^-S** 
 piety which has fo many Abettors in fever al places, ought 
 to be Condemn d by the Authority of the Apcftolicl^ See. 
 Let your Holinefl then confider, and have a fellow-feeling 
 with us in your Paftoral Bowels, how mifchievous and de- 
 firuElive a thing that is to the Sheep of Chrifi, which fol- 
 lows from their facrilcgious Difputations ; That we need 
 nut pray than we enter not into Temptation, &c. 
 
 They proceed to fliew the necelfity of praying for 
 God's ..ilifting Grace, fromL«V 22. 32. Efh. 3. i^&c. 
 And then conclude their Letter th.'.s, 
 
 They fay alfo, * That Infants are not to be Baptiz'd 
 1 for that Salvation which is given by Chriti: as a Sa- 
 ' viour ; and fo they kill 'an eternally by their pernicious 
 Dottrine. They maintain that, ' Tho' they fhonld not 
 \ be Baptiz'd, yet they would have an eternal Life ; 
 
 * and that they are not of thofe of whom our Lord 
 ' fays, The Sen of Man came to feel^ and tofavethat which 
 ' was lift ; for thefe, fay they, were not loft, neither is there 
 
 * any thing in them that needs faving or redeeming ac 
 ' fo great a Price. For there is nothing in them that 
 
 * is corrupted, nothing that is held captive under the 
 " * power of the Devil ; nor was the Blcod which was 
 
 ' fhed for forgivenefs of Sins, fhed for them. Tho' Ce- 
 
 leftius has by his Boo!{_, formerly (30) given in to the Church fee) Five 
 
 %f Carthage, owned that Infants have Redemption by the ,- eil - 5 before, 
 
 Baptifm of Chrift. But a great many mho are faid to be, 
 
 or to lave been, their Difip'cs, do not ccafe with all their 
 
 might to uphold thefe Evils, by which they endeavour to 
 
 overthrow the Chriftir.n Faith. 
 
 So that fuppcfe Pebgius and Celeftius be reformed, or 
 do fay that they never held thefe things, and do deny that a- 
 ny of the Writings produced agairft them are theirs, and 
 the contrary cannot be proved ; yet in the general, whoever 
 maintains thefcTenets, and dees affirm, That human Na» 
 ture can be fuffieient of it felf to overcome Sin, and 
 keep God's Commandments, andfo is an Adverfary to 
 the Grace of God which is plainly prov d from the Prayers (f 
 Holy Men : And, Quicunque negat parvu'os per baptil- 
 mum Chrifti a, pcrditicne liberari, & faiutem percipere 
 fempiternam ; Hljoever denies that Infants are by Chriftian 
 Baptifm deliver d ftm Perdition, and brought to eterrai 
 Solvation 5 let him be ar.athma 
 
 ' ■ And 
 
%^6 Councils cf Carthage WMilevis. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the And for the other things that are objeBed to them, we 
 Apoftlcs 3i<5. doubt not but ynur Reverence will, when you fhali have 
 *~Jr\r^-~' j-- een t j )e j?pj~ cc p n i Aft s which are [aid to have faffed in the 
 
 Eaft, judge fo as to give occafion to us all to rejoyce in the 
 
 mercy of God. 
 
 31 $. The Synod kql Epiftle of the Milevitan Council 
 (31) Apud to Innocent (31). 
 
 Auguftinum, 
 
 They reprefent to him that there was a new Here- 
 fiefprung up cf Men that were Enemies to the Grace of 
 Chriji, who went about to deprive People cf the benefit of the 
 Lord's Prayer, tkc, And after many things faid on that 
 Subject, they add, 
 
 Alfo they do by a wicked prefumption contend that little 
 Infants fhall have an eternal Life, tho' they be not renewed 
 by the Sacraments of the Chrifiian Grace ; makingthat of no 
 effect, which the Apcfllc fays, By one Man Sin enter'd into 
 the World, &c. 
 
 Therefore to omit many other things which they dip- 
 courfc againfi the holy Scriptures, theje two things, which 
 do f up port the Hearts of the faithful, and in which they go 
 about to fubvert all our Chrifiian it y, vi\. That Gcd is not 
 to be prayed to, to be our helper againft the evil of Sin, 
 and for working Righteoufnefs ; and, that the Sacrament' 
 of the Chriftian Grace is not helpful to Infants for ob- 
 taining eternal Life ; Tbefc when we have fignified to your 
 , , _ Apoftclical breafi, we have not need to fay much, &c. 
 
 *? -n. f C1 a There was another Letter (22) written to Innocent 
 
 Epiftjlas All- , r - 1 v r - r'.-xi.- c 
 
 sufi-in' Ed' ft at lame time, and on the lame iuLvject in a more ra- 
 ce, """ '* miliar ftyje, by five Bifhops, who, I fnppofe, had fome 
 perfonal Acquaintance with him, vte. Aurelius, who had 
 made one at the Council of Carthage • Alipiin, St. Aujlin 9 
 and Pcffidius, who had been in the other Council, and 
 Euodius, whofe name is to neither of 'em. They give 
 liim to underftand that they hear there are fcveral at 
 Rome, who do favour Pelagius • fome who are brought 
 over to his Opinion ; others, that will not believe he 
 is of that Opinion. That in all probability Fc hi gins had 
 iirpos'd uron the Bifhops at Dicfpdis, who, when they 
 heard him own the Grace of God, could think no other 
 but thai: he meant that Grace by which we are made 
 good Christians, and not that only by which we arc made 
 faticnal Men - 3 whereas he, in his Books, (which the Bi- 
 fhops 
 
C. rp. The African Bijhops and Pope Innocent. M7 
 
 io\>s of Diojpolis had not feenj fays to God in effect, Year after the 
 ~J)ou haft made us Men, but we have made our fclves good Apoftles 310, 
 If en. Therefore they advife him to fend for Pelagi- v - / v^""" a ' 
 a to Ityme, or to deal with him by Letters j that if he 
 vill explain himfelf in a Catholick fenlc, he may be ac- 
 aiitted indeed, 
 
 To that purpofe St. Auftln fends to Innocent a Letter 
 thi he had written to Pelagius, defiring him to fend it to 
 hh ; For th:n, fays he, he will the rather vouchfafe to read 
 it. regarding more him that fent it than him that wrote 
 it. 
 
 They fent him withal a Book of Pelagius' s ; I fuppofe, 
 tht deviribus Nature, fpoken of in §. 22. 
 
 Innocent returned three Letters in aniwer to thefe three. 31^ 
 Tiey are the 91, 93, and 96, that are Printed among the 
 Lttersof St. Aujlin. He agrees perfectly with them in 
 th points of Doctrine, and in the Proofs that they had 
 bnught for 'em. And for the cafe of Infants particular- 
 ly he fays (33), That which Pelagius and C cleft i us do (33) Epifl. 
 te.ch, vi%. that they may have eternal Life without Bap- 93, 
 ti'n, is pafatuum, very abfurd. He fays, they would by 
 ths means make their B apt ifm of no ufc. That if it did 
 'en no hurt that they are not regenerated, then the fame 
 A?w muji hold that the Waters of P\Cgencration do 'em no 
 god. It feetns probable by thete words, that this Pope 
 dd not understand how Pelagius diftinguilh'd between e- 
 tcnal Life and the Kingdom of Hexvcn, In fine, he 
 gves his Sentence, that they are to be accounted Ex- 
 cimmunicate, till they do repent and recant. 
 
 And to what St. Auftin and the other four had defi- 
 rel, that he would fend for Pelagius, or write to him, 
 heanfwers (34), (34) Epift, 
 
 ■ic ought rather to come himfelf that he may be avjolvcd, 06. 
 for f he be fiill of the fame opinion, when will he ever com- 
 mit himfelf to our Judgment, how many Letters foevsr be 
 fent him, when he knows he mufi be Condemn' d ? And if 
 he xere to be fent fir, it might be better done by them that 
 are tearer him, and not feparated by fo great a [pace of 
 Lanl But yet, if he will give any roomf or Medicine, our 
 care 'jo all not be wanting ; for he may condemn the Opi- 
 nions he has been of, and fend his Letters, and ask, p.a- 
 don fcr his error, as becomes one that returns to us. 
 
 %i 
 
 Ftf 
 
2,48 Innocent /. agalnft Pelagius. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Vear after the For his Boo\ vohich-you fent, I have read it, in which . 
 
 Apoilks 3 i 6, find a greet many blafp;;emous things, &c. 
 
 W^/""*^ §-2-9- Thefe Letters of Innocent are dated in Janu* 
 
 3*7. r/417, and he died the March following. Andwhethc 
 
 he had before his Death wrote to Pelagius, or whethe 
 
 Pelagius had heard of what pafled, he did write to Inn* 
 
 cent an Apologetlck Letter, and fent withal LibelUn 
 
 fidei, a written account of his Faith. ' In which he enda- 
 
 vours both to ftiew his own Faith to be blameless, 
 
 and alfo to be even with St. Hitrcm for his Dialogm ; 
 
 faOApud fo that ?«//<*» calls it (3 5J an anfwer to them. But rr 
 
 Auguftin. 0- K0Cent being dead before they came, they were delivr- 
 
 peris hnper- e< ^ t0 ^ffimus, who had been chofen Bifhop in his fted. 
 
 fecti lib. 4, Celefiius alfo came thither himfelf, and publifhed ad 
 
 c. 87. gave into the hands of %ofimus his Libellus, or Draupt 
 
 of Faith likewife. 
 (46)F. Gamer Some Learned Men (36) make Celefiius to have po- 
 and Dr. Cave n ^ ec ^ tw0 Treatifes at Rome, at this time ; one caM 
 Hid. literar. Confejjio fidei Z^ofimo Papx cblata, and the other, Ad',o- 
 in Pelagio & fimum Papc.m libellus. And that the ConfeJJio fidei wis 
 Celeftio. in a manner the fame with Pelagius's Libellus in Senten- 
 ces and Words. And that Pelagius's Libellus is ttat 
 which goes under the name of St. Hiercm's Explanaio 
 Symbcli ad Damafum. And Celefiius's Confeffio fidei, is br 
 the greateft part the fame with that which goes for It. 
 Aujiins Sermo 1 9 1 de Tempore. 
 
 But Celefiius published but one, which maybecalld, 
 
 C 071 fejjlo fidei, or, Libellus fidei ; S. Aujiin always calls it >y 
 
 the latter name. And that did ccnfiderably differ from le- 
 
 (37) De pec- A*£J«/s Libellus, beirg (as St. Aufiin obferve?, (37J aid 
 
 cato Orig. we (hall fee) much wore franl\_ and open in the denial of 
 
 £ap t 2. original Sin. 
 
 And whereas they make one to be like the Etfla- 
 ■natio Symboli in St. Hiercrn, and the other to be n a 
 manner the fame with the Sermo 191. in St. Aujin's 
 works, thefe two are no 1 : only in a manner the Ume, 
 but are the very fame, (being Pclagiuss Libellus ;tore- 
 faid) faving a few various Leclions, and laving tha that 
 in St. Auftiris WorLsh'as an impertinent Preface affixt 
 to the beginning, and a bit cut off j from" the end by 
 iome idle Monk, to make it ferve for a Sermoi. 
 
 I (hall recite it here at iarce (tho* a fmall pa"t of it 
 <pn!y do relate to our purpofe) and add a f<w fhorr 
 rotes on v.". And this I do for two reafons. 
 
 \: For 
 
Chap. XIX. PelagiusV Creed. 249 
 
 1. For the credit of Pelagius, and of our Country ;Year after the 
 St. Auflin alwftys lpeaks of him as a Alan of extraor- Apqftjes 317* 
 dinary Capacity and Acccmplifhments, and one whom " 
 he lhould much admire and love, were it not fcr his 
 Heterodox Opinions. And the Works of his that are 
 left, do (hew him a Man of very good parts. There are 
 none left indre but this, and a Letter of his to Deme- 
 trius. Beth that Letter is as Polite and (as Orcfius ex- 
 prefles it) elaix>rate a piece as any that Age afforded; 
 and alfo this Confeffion of his Faith is as hand Comely 
 and learnedly Benn'd as any of the Creeds drawn up 
 by private Men of that time, whereof there were ma- 
 ny ; lave that he dees not fpeak home to the clearing 
 of that point on which he was queftion'd. And yet 
 tho' thefe are by much the mod ancient Pieces extant 
 that ever were written by one born in cur Coun- * *' 
 try, they have never yet been published in our Lan- 
 guage. 
 
 2/y. I do it that I may put our Soclnians out of love 
 with him 1 They do much hug feme notions of h;s, 
 which being firft drefs'd up and reprefenred plaulible 
 for their turn in French, the) have tranflated and pub- 
 lilhed in Englifh. But they lhall fee that how well fo- 
 ever he plcate'em infome of their leffer errors, yet as to 
 their main Article he is their mortal Enemy, and counts 
 'em worthy of an Anathema ; bcii g as Decretory a- 
 gainft 'cm as Arhnnnfius, or Auftin, or any of the Anci- 
 ent Catholic Chriftians were whole n;mes they hate. 
 
 His Creed is this, fent with a Letter to Pope Innocent, 
 but finding him dead, as I laid. 
 
 1 XT^E believe in God the Father Almighty, maker 
 ' v * of all things vifible and invifible. We believe 
 ' alfo in the Lord Jefus Chrijf, by whom all things were 
 ' created, very Gcd, the only begotten, the true Son of 
 
 * God, not made or adopted one, but begotten : • Of 
 
 * one fubftance with the Father, which the GreeiU ex- 
 
 * preCsby ouowiov: and in fuch a manner equal in ail things 
 
 * with the Father that he cannot be [accounted] infe- 
 4 rior either in time, or degree, or power, And we ac- 
 
 ' knowLcige him that is begotten to be cf the fame 
 'greatnjfs as he is thic begot him, 
 
 'And 
 
 A. 
 
2, $o Pelagius'x Creed. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the 'And whereas we fay, the Son is begotten of the 
 
 Apoftles 3 17. < Father, we do not afcribe any time to that Divine 
 
 +-* m V > '** ' and Ineffable Generation ; but do mean, that neither 
 
 ' the Father nor the Son had any beginning. For we 
 
 ' cannot otherwife confefs the Father to be Eternal, un- 
 
 ' lefs we do alfo confefs the Sen to be Co-eternal ; for 
 
 ' he is called the Father, as having a Son, and he who 
 
 ' ever was a Father, ever had a Son. 
 
 bl * We believe alfo in the Holy Spirit, very God, 
 
 * proceeding from the Father, equal in all things with 
 ? the Father and the Son, in Power, in Will, in Eterni- 
 
 * ty, in Subftance. Neither is there any degree \jor, 
 
 * graduation^ in the Trinity ; nothing that can be cal- 
 
 * led fuperior or inferior, but the whole Deity is equal 
 
 * in its perfection : So that except the words that fignifie 
 'the propriety of the Perfons, whatfoeveris faidofone 
 ' Perlon, may very well be underftood of all three. 
 
 * And as in Confutation of Arius, we fay that the fub- 
 
 * (Vance of the Trinity is one and the fame, and do own 
 \ one God in three Perfons ; fo avoiding the impiety of 
 
 * Sabellius, we diftingmih three Perfons expreffed by their 
 'Property ; not faying that the Father is aFathertohimfelf, 
 
 * nor the Son a Son to himfelf. nor the Holy Spirit the Spi- 
 ' rit of himfelf ; but that there is one Perfon of the Fa- 
 rther, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 
 ' For we acknowledge not only [f'everat] Names, but 
 
 €. * alfo properties of the Names, that is, Perfons ; or, as 
 
 ' the Greeks exprefs them, Hypcftafes. Nor does the Fa- 
 'ther at anv time exclude the Perfon of the Son, or 
 
 * of the Holy Spirit ; nor again does the Son, or Holy 
 ' Spirit, receive the Name or Perfon of the Father ; 
 ' but the Father is always Father, the Son always Son, 
 ' and the Holy Spirit always Holy Spirit .- So that they 
 ' are in fubftance one Thing, but are diftinguilh'd by Per- 
 ' fons and by Names. ; 
 
 ' And we fay, that this Son of God, who, with the 
 ' Father and the Holy Spirit, inherited Eternity with- 
 ' out any beginning, did, in the end of the World take 
 'upon him, of Mary, who was always a Virgin, per- 
 ' feci: Man of our Nature ; and the IVO.RJ) was made 
 ' Fief}?, by taking Manhood to him, not by altering his 
 ' Deity, 
 ■j 'And we do not fay that the Holy Spirit was in- 
 
 ' ftead of Seed, as a certain Perfon does moft impiouf- 
 'ly hold ; [cr, as forne very impious People hold~\ but 
 " • • 'thac 
 
'Chap. XIX. Pelagius'j CreeJ. 25*1 
 
 * that he operated by the power and influence of the Year after the 
 
 * Creator. ApofltlesjJI7« 
 
 * And we do in fuch a manner hold that there is in 
 
 * Chrift one Perfon of the Son, as that we fay there 
 
 * are in him two perfect and intire Subftances [or, Na- 
 1 titres], vi^. of the Godhead, and of the Manhood which 
 I confifts of Body and Soul. 
 
 * And as we do condemn Photinus, who confeffes in 
 
 * Chrift only a mere Man ; fo we do Anathematize A- 
 
 * pollinaris, and all of that fort who fay that the Son of 
 
 * God did take on him any thing lefs than the whole 
 
 * human Nature, and that the Man [or, Manhood'] 
 f which was affumed, was either in Body, or in Soul, 
 
 * or in Mind, unlike to thofe fcr whole lake it was 
 f affumed ; whom we do hold to have been like unto 
 f us, faving only the ftain of Sin, which is not natural 
 
 ' to us. 
 ' "We do alfo abhor in like manner the Blafphemy 
 
 * of thofe who go about by a new Interpretation to 
 ' maintain, that iince the time cf his taking Flefh, all 
 ' things pertaining to the Divine Nature, did pafs intQ 
 
 * the Man lor, Manhood] and fo alfo that all things be- 
 ' longing to the Humane Nature, were transferred into 
 ' God \_or, the Divine Nature]. From whence would foi- 
 
 * low (a thing that no Herefie ever offerd to affirm) 
 
 * that both Subftances [or, Natures] vi%. Of the Divi- 
 ' nity and the Humanity, would by this Confufion 
 e feem to be extinguifh'd, and to lofe their proper 
 
 * ftate, and be chang'd into another thing. So that 
 ' they who own in the Son an imperfect God, and an im- 
 ' perfecT: Man, are to be accounted not to hold truly ei- 
 
 * thcr God or Man. 
 
 1 But we do hold that our Nature capable of fuf- 
 
 * fering was fo affumed by the Son of God, as that the 
 ' Divinity did remain incapable of iurTering. For the 
 
 * Son of God (uffered (not in appearance only, but reai- 
 
 * lv) all thofe things which the Scripture fpcaks of, i. e. 
 
 * Hunger, Thirft, Wearinefs, Pain, Death, and the like ; 
 'but he fuffcr'd in that Nature which was capable of 
 ' fuffcring, i. e. not in that Nature which did affame, but 
 
 * in that which was affumed. For the Son of Gcd is in 
 i refpect of his Godhead incapable of fuffering, as the Fa- 
 
 * ther; incomprehensible, as the Father ; invifible, as the 
 
 * Father. And tho' the proper Perfon of the Sen, that is, 
 4 the V/ORD of God., did take on him Humanity car 
 
 1 pable 
 
%^i Pelaglus'j Creed. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Y^ar after the ' pable of fuffering ; yet the Godhead of theWORD 
 4poftlesjJi7. * in its own Nature did not fufFcr any thing by the inhabi- 
 ' ting of the Humanity ; as did not the whole Trinity, 
 ' which we muft of neccirity confefs to be incapable 
 ' of fuiFering. The Son of God therefore died accord- 
 
 * ;ng to the Scriptures, in refpeft of that which was ca- 
 ' pable of dying. 
 
 * The third day he rofe again. He afcended into Hea- 
 ' ven. He fits on the right hand of God the Father ; 
 
 * the fame Nature of Flefh ftill remaining in which he 
 ' was born, and fuffered, in which alfo he rofe again. 
 ' For the Nature of his Humanity is not extinguifh'd, 
 ' but is glorified, being to continue for ever with the 
 ' Divinity. 
 
 ' Having therefore received of the Father the power 
 ' of all things in Heaven and Earth, he will come to 
 
 * judge the living and the dead j that he may reward 
 ' the Juft, and punifh the Sinners. 
 
 * We do alfo believe the Refurre£tion of the Flefh, in 
 ' fuch a manner as to fay that we (hall be reftored a- 
 
 £• ' gain in the fame truth of our Limbs, in which we are 
 
 ' now • and that we fhall for ever remain fuch as we 
 
 * (hall be once made after the Refurreclion. 
 ' That there is one Life for the Saints, but reward sdif- 
 
 * ferent according to their Labour : As on the other fide 
 ' the punifhments of wicked Men (hall be according to 
 
 * the meafure of their Sins. 
 fj Baptifma unum ten emus, quod iifdem facramcnti ver- 
 
 kit in infc.ntibus quibus etlnm in majoribus njfcrimus ejje 
 ceiebrnndum. 
 
 1 We hold one Baptifm, which we fay ought to be ad- 
 
 * miniftred with the fame Sacramental words to Infants 
 
 * as it is to elder Perfons. 
 \ t i If after Baptifm a Man do fall, we believe he may 
 
 ' be recovered fey repentance [or, penance."} 
 i, * We receive the Old and New Teitamcnt in the fame 
 
 1 number of Books as the Authority of the Holy Catho- 
 
 * lie Church doth deliver. 
 J. ' We berreve that our Souls are given by God, and 
 rn< ' we hold that they are made by him ; Anathematizing 
 
 ' thofe who fay, that Souls are, as it were, a part of the 
 n. ' Subftance of God. We do alfo condemn rhofc who fay, 
 ' that the Souls have finned in a former ftate, or that they 
 ' have lived in the Celeftial Regions, before they were 
 ' lent into Bodies, 
 
 « We 
 
Chap. XIX. Pelagius'j Creed. 2,?$ 
 
 * We do alfo abhor the Blafphemy of thofe who fay Year after the 
 ■ that ariy impoflible thing is commanded to Man by God; Apoftles 317. 
 
 * or, that the Commandments of God cannot be per- s **s~ s f*°~*^ 
 
 * formed by any one Man, but that by all Men taken o« 
 ' together they may. Or, that do condemn firft Mar- 
 
 P riages in compliance with Manichxus, or fecond Mar- 
 
 * riages in compliance with the Mor.tanifts. 
 
 * Alfo we do Anathemati2e thofe who fay that the Son p, 
 ' of God did tell lyes by neceffity of the Flefh ; and that 
 *becaufe of the Humane Nature which he had taken 
 
 ' on him, he could not && all things that he would. 
 
 4 We do alfo condemn theHerefie ofjovinian, who fays 
 ' that in the Life to come there will be no difference of 
 ' merits fV, rewards'] and that we (hall have there Ver- 
 ' cues [or^ Graces] which we took no care to have q] 
 
 * here. 
 
 1 Free-will we do fo own as to fay, that we always r. 
 ' ftand in need of God's help ; and that as well they are in 
 ' an error, who fay with Manichxus, that a Man can- 
 ' not avoid Sin, as they who affirm with Jovinian, that 
 
 * a Man cannot Sin. For both of thefe take away the 
 
 * freedom of the Will. But we fay, that a Man always 
 ' is in a ftate that he may Sin, or may not Sm - 3 fo as to 
 
 * own our felves always to be of a Free-will. 
 
 1 This is, moft blefTed Pope, our Faith, which we have 
 
 * learn'd in the Catholic Church, and have always held. 
 
 * In which if there be any thing that is perhaps unwa- 
 
 * rily or unskilfully exprefs'd ; we defire it may be a- 
 
 * mended by you, who do hold both the Faith and the 
 ' See of Peter. And if our ConfefTion be approved by 
 ' the Judgment of your Apoftlelhip, then whoever fhal! 
 
 * have a mind to find fault with me, will (hew, not me 
 
 * to be a Heretic, but himfelf unskilful or fpiteful, or 
 ' even no Catholic. 
 
 This Creed for fo ancient a one ('for it is much and- - 
 
 enter than that which goes under the name of Atbana- 
 fius, and within thirty fix years of the Confiantinopli' 
 tan) is very exprefs and particular in reference to the ho- 
 ly Trinity : And St. Aufiin finds no fault with it as to that 
 matter ; he only fays (38), After he has ended a Difcourfe (38) De grs- 
 as long as he f leafed, from the 'Unity of the Trinity to the t j£ Chrifti, 
 J{efurrcc~iion of the Flefo, which no body demanded of him, c , 32, 
 hefayt, &c. 
 
 It 
 
254 Brief Notes onVchgiuss Creed. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the . It is to be noted that he had, before he fell into any 
 Apoftles3i7. Herefie, written three Bookj concerning the Faith of the 
 *-/"VX^ Trinity ; which Gennadius in the Catalogue he gives (39) 
 (39)De Scrip. f Pelagius\ Books commends as tifeful ones. And 
 EccI, c. 42. fi nce t h ev are i fl^ t i-j^ s Creed may ferve for an Abridg- 
 ment of 'em . 
 
 And here I will make a remark on the Title of ano- 
 ther Book of his, which Gennadius there mentions, which 
 is loft, except a few fragments. For why (hould 
 not I, as well as others, take a little pride in the men- 
 ding the writing of an ancient Book ? Pelagius ga- 
 thered together, and publifh'd fome feled: places of Scrips 
 ture relating to moral Duties and. the practical part of 
 Religion. Gennadius recites the Title of this Book. It 
 is in the ordinary Editions, Pro aSiuali converfatione Eulo- 
 giarum cfr Divinis Serif turis liber unus, capitulorum indi- 
 ciis in modumXypriani Martyris pr,cf\gnatus. Eulogiaruni 
 there is no fenfe. So fome have put inftead of it the 
 Greek. ivXoytav ' <z and others have made other guefles. 
 Bur I have a very old Edition of fome of St. Hierotn's 
 Works, Ven. 1476. in which this pafTage of Gennadius h 
 recited at two feveral places ; in one it is Eulogarum, 
 in the other it is ALglogarum : So that I make no doubt 
 but the true writing was Eclogarttm ; and fo the Title of 
 the BoOk was plainly this, Collections cf the Texts of ho- 
 ly Scripture, concerning a Mans a&ual Converfation. This 
 is that Book of his, to which §t. Hierom refers when he, 
 (40) §„ 26. in the paflage even now (40) recited, fpcaking to Pelagi- 
 us, fays, The hlejfed Martyr Cyprian, whom you pretend to 
 have imitated in collcSling into order fome places of holy 
 Scripture, &c. 
 
 The fame Edition that I mentioned would help to cor- 
 rect feveral places in the Text of St. Hierom himfelf, 
 which are deprav'd, and fome of 'em, I doubt, on pur- 
 pofe. 
 t-. Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father.'} No Creed at 
 
 this time had any more. His proceflion from the Son 
 alfo, has been fince put into the Conjlantinopolitan by 
 the Latins. So alfo afterward, he fays nothing of 
 Chrift's defcent into Hades, or Hell : Which was not as 
 yet put into any Creed of the Catholics, except that of 
 A^uileia. 
 
 Exclude 
 
hap. XIX. Brief Notes on Pelagiiis'j Creed. 155 
 
 Exclude the Per/on of the Son.} In all the Editions both c. 
 
 lof St. Hierom's and St. Aufiins Works, which I could Year after the 
 lee, it is Excludit. But I guefs it is falfe Printed for in- Apoftles 317. 
 :Iudit, induit, accipit, cr lomc fuch Word. **fV^* - ' 
 
 Holy Spirit infiead of Seed."] I do not remember any 
 Seel that held this. Tertullian had, in anallufive way of "• 
 fpeaking, faid, (41) Being the Son ofGodfromtbeSecd,(4*}J> ec:irj £ 
 that is, the Sprit of God his Father, Fief: without the Seed c/ Chnftl > c - l8i 
 Man was to betaken by him that he might be the Son of Man, 
 For the Seed of any Man was not proper for him who had 
 the Seed of God. And St. Hilary (42) in the fame way , if^-.Ji 
 of fpeaking had called it, The Seminative power cftbcSp-S$?) ■*' 
 tit coming on her. But Pclagius feems to aim at fome Per- 
 fon or Perfons then living. In one of my Copies it is, Vt 
 
 ?uidam feeler atiffimi opinantur. But in that elder one that 
 mention'd, it is, Vt auidam feeler atiffime opinatur. I 
 am afraid St. Hierom might have fomewhere faid fome 
 fuch thing by way of allufion, for Pelagius's chief fpite 
 was at him. But I do not remember it. 
 
 Or, in Sottl, or in Mind!} The words are, Vel in ani- * 
 
 ma, vel in fenfu. But they rauft be intended for the 
 Translation of 4- v X*> and vvt, for Apollinaris faid, that 
 Chrift's Humane Nature had \vyx\v but not v*v. 
 
 Sin, which is not natural to us."] He takes fome ad van- e ; 
 
 tage of this for his Opinion againft original Sin. But 
 that which was not natural to Man, as God made 
 him, is become, in fome fence, natural, fince his de- 
 pravation. 
 
 All things belonging to the Divine Nature, pafi into the f, 
 
 Man, and fe contra.] He is large againft this Impiety ^ 
 which was held by the Arians and the Apollinarifts. The 
 Arians had this aim in teaching it, that by owning the 
 Divine Nature of Chrift tohavefuffcr'd, rhe Christians 
 might fall into their Opinion, that his Divine Nature 
 was not the fame with that of God theJFather. Pbceba-^. 
 diut had a little before this written a Tract againft the 
 Form of Faith drawn up at Sirmiv.m, wherein he 
 mentions (43) an Epiftle of Pctamius the Arian, that had , \ p - ■ 
 dilfeminated this Doctrine, that the Divinity of Chrift '4^ a * > *'* 
 had fuffer'd. This you do, fays he, that People ficuld 
 not believe him born of him who is undoubtedly incapable if 
 fuffering. And Efipbiiniui fays the fame thing of the 
 Arians , Har. 69. 
 
 The 
 
^?6 Brief Notes on Pelagius 'j Creed. Chap.XlX 
 
 Year after the The Eutychians alfo ran far into this Notion of thi 
 Apoilles 317. Communication of Properties, but that was a good whili 
 ^•^yr*^ after Pelagius's time. 
 
 34»» As 'tis hard for eager Spirits to keep the mean, it vvai 
 
 but ten years after this that Nefiorius made a very il 
 
 ufe of this fame Notion of the Properties of each Nature 
 
 being incommunicable^ to eftabiilh an impiety in the o 
 
 ther extreme, vis*, that the hoy©- and the Man Chrift, 
 
 are two Perlons ; under pretence of inveighing againfl 
 
 one error he runs into the other. For, fpeaking of his 
 
 (44) Ad Ce- Adverfaries, he fays (44), They make ufe of the Vnion 
 
 IettinumFa- of God and Man to eftablifh a confufed mixture, 8cc, 
 
 para Epiflr. 1. They /peak cf God the WORD, who isconfubjl ant ial 'with the 
 
 Father, as if he had taken the beginning of his origin from 
 
 the Virgin Met her cf Chrijl ; as if he had been built togc 
 
 ther with his Temple, and buried with his Flcfh. They fay, 
 
 that the fame Flcfh did yiot remain after his B^efurrehion, 
 
 but didpcjl into the nature of the Godhead, Sec. But then 
 
 he adds, The Virgin, whom many have ventur'd to call the 
 
 Mother of Chnit, they are not afraid to call the Mother 
 
 of God. 
 
 There wanted only the accuracy of fpeaking, which 
 Pelagius had here ufed, to clear and iettle that difpute 
 between the Kcftorians and Eutychians. He grants here 
 that the Son of God was born, lufFered, died, (fc. /. e. 
 the fame Perfon who is the Son of God ; but not in; 
 that nature by which he is God, or the Son of God.! 
 However, when that feud broke out, the Pelagian par- 
 ty join'd their jntereft with the Neflorian, as I fhew'd 
 C45)§. 25. before r 45 ). 
 
 g. In the fame truth of our Limbs.^ In e&dcm veritnte mem' 
 
 brorum in qua. nuncfumus. St. Hiercm had inveighed a-J 
 gainft £(ufinus t and the Origemftsfor denying this, ancL 
 faying that it wouid be an ./Ethereal Body, not of fuch 
 Limbs as we now have .- and he had reflected upon thej 
 Pelagians, as leaning toward them in many things. Butf 
 I$iifi?ius had renounced any fuch Opinion ; and (q does! 
 Pelagius here. 
 
 In the laft claufe of this Article [for e-;er remain fuel J\\ 
 he reflects not only on Origen, who believed a great 
 many changes in the future ftatc ; but en Sz. Hicrom 
 who had fpoke of Hell torments, as if there were hope 
 :hat they would not be Asternal. 
 
 With 
 
Chap. XIX, Notes on Pelagius'j Creed. 257 
 
 ll'lth the fame Sacramental words to Infants.'] St. JJ;V- Year after the 
 rom had faid, as I repeated before, (46) that they muft Apo:lles 3 1 7, 
 eifl or own, that Infants are Baptized for forgive- ^-^*~V~^— 
 Wc-f} of SVwj, or clfe make, two Bapnfms. Pelagius was h. 
 
 therefore forced to fay, as he does hcrei And Ceiejiius in (4^) §• 2 ^« 
 his Draught of his Fahh, which I fhall recite prefently 
 (47J, gives this realon why he grants that Infants are/.-) * _-i 
 Baptized for forgivenefs of Sins, That we may notfeem to 
 make two forts cf Baptifm. 
 
 St. Aujlin quotes this faying of Pelagius, and fome 
 others verbatim C48J as out of his Libcllus fider, arid (48) De gra* 
 make? fome Animadversions en 'em. Which makes it tia Chi ifti, 
 fo plain that it is Pelagius's, that no Critic, great, or c - 3 2 » 
 lmall, has of late years taken it to be St. Aujlin's own, 
 except the great Mafter of that Art, mentioned at §• 
 2. 
 
 t\eJlorcd by Qefentance.] This is againft the Novatians. 
 In the Copy that is in St, Aujlin's Works it is laid, Pri- H 
 mo per reconciliationem, deinde per poenite>,ti.im, ' firSt 
 'by Reconciliation [or, Abfoluiinn'^ and then by Repen- 
 ' tance [or, penance]. That Infertion locks like a Monks 
 hand. But the old Edition is as 1 have tranflated 
 
 it- 
 
 Same number of Bookj.'] ftufinus had then lately pub- k.> 
 
 lifted an Expofition on the Apple's Creed, in which he 
 had given a Catalogue of the Books of the Old and 
 New Teftament, which the Catholics owned in opposi- 
 tion to the Heraicks, exactly agreeing with that of the 
 Proteftants, and faid, Thefe are thefe which the Fathers 
 have ranked within the Carton ; and on which they would 
 have our Dotlrines of Faith to depend. But it is to be 
 fyiown that there are fome other Bookj which have been caU 
 4 Ud by the Ancients [not Canonical,, but] EcclejiaJlicaL 
 1 i Where he reckons, iVifdetn, Ecclcfaflicus, Tobit, Judith, 
 t\Macchabees, Hermas and Judicium Petri* Which, he 
 inlays, the ancient Christians would have to be read in the 
 t ! Churches ; and for other Bookj, they would trot have them 
 
 read in Churches at all. 1 \ 
 
 ]!• Souls made by God."] This is aim'd againft Sr„ Au~ v 
 
 i jlin, -yJ&o inclin'd to the other Opinion that the .Soul 
 j I is by Propagation 5 but never positively alterted either 
 ' fide, 
 
 s ^fe 
 
25S Notes on PelagiusV Creed. Chap. XIX 
 
 Year after the The Soul not a fart cf the Subjlance of God.'] Againft 
 
 Apoltles 31 7' the Manichccs and Prifclllianijls. 
 
 **^ r ~ > */~ s *-*' Souls finnedin a former flat e.~} He clears himfelf from 
 
 m. the lufpicioh of Origenifm as to that particular: But 
 
 f* yet fome of his party embraced it, that they might the 
 
 better account for the Baptifm of Infants without owning 
 
 original Sin. 
 
 Commands of God not performed by one Man, but by alt 
 taken together.'] This is the Sentence which Mr. LeCierc 
 cites as if it were St. Auflin's, to (hew that he contra- 
 dicts St. Hierom ; as I mentioned §. 2. And indeed it does 
 not only contradict him, but is levell'd at him as a Blaf- 
 
 (49} Dial u P nemer J f° r St. Hierom writing (49) againft that Opini- 
 on of Pelagius, that a Man may live without Sin, had 
 ufed a long difcourfc to fhew that thofe Men that are 
 free from fome fort of faults, are fubjedt to other forts, 
 and that rio one Man can have all Vermes ; and, among 
 the reft, had ufed that Sentence which I recited §. 14. 
 Pelagius is here in hopes to make Herefie and Blafphemy 
 out of that. 
 
 Alfo, the other Claufe of this Paragraph about condem- 
 ning Marriage, is meant againft St. Hierom, who, in many 
 of his Works, and particularly in thofe againft Jovinianj 
 had fo exceflively commended Virginity, that fome of 
 his Expreflions were reproachful to the ftate of Marriage, 
 efpecially of fecond Marriages; and he had been for- 
 ced to write an Apology to explain his meaning. 
 p* Did tell lies by neccffity of the Flefo, and that becaufe of 
 
 theHumane Nature which he had affumed, he could not do ah 
 things that he would.'} This is a ievere Animadverfion on 
 St. Hierom, who, in the fecond of the Dialogues which he 
 wrote againft Pelagius, being eager in (hewing the pre- 
 fumption of thatTenet of his, That 'tis pcflible for a Man 
 to avoid all Sin if he will, had argued thus, I cannot, fays 
 Chrift, do any thing ofmyfelf, Sec. The Arians here raift^ 
 a Cavil ; but the Church anfwer, that this is ffeken in re- 
 Jjpetl cf the Humane Nature which he had affumed-, youl 
 on the contrary fay, I can be without Sin, if I will. He\ 
 can do nothing of himfelf, that he may fhew the ttuth cf HuA 
 mane Nature. You can avoid all Sin > that ycu may, even\ 
 while you are in the Fndy, Jet your J elf forth as a God. 
 
 He told his Brethren and Kjndrcd that he would not go\ 
 to the Feafi of Tabernacles ; and yet it is written afterward,] 
 But when his Brethren were gone up, then he alfo went' 
 mptothefeaft. He f aid he would not go; and yet aftcr-\ 
 
 wardi 
 
Chap. XIX. Note s on fcelagius'j Creed, ZS9 
 
 wards did wh.it he denied he would do. Porphyry fnr.rh Year after tli.e, 
 at this, and accufes him of inconjlancy and change ; not ApoiHes iv7° 
 (onfidcring th.it all things that give offence, arc to be re- ^"V*^* 
 fer'd to the Flefo for, imputed to the Humane Na- 
 ture.] 
 
 St. Hicrom docs not however call this a Lye, as Pela- 
 gius would represent his Words ; but an alteration of 
 purpofe incident to Humane Nature. ; ' •; 
 
 And at another place in the lame Dialogue, having 
 quoted that laying of our Saviour, Father, if it bepcjji- 
 Me, remove this Cup from me. He adds, Why, I fray you, 
 'does he ufe the Words of one that were in doubt ? He had [aid 
 in another place, The things that are lmpoffiblc with Men, 
 are poifiblc with God. But being a Man, and to fujfer, 
 he fpeakj in the Language of a, Man. He fays, If it be 
 poilible, let one hour pals from rne. Yvufay, 'dspoifible 
 to avoid Sin all one's Life. 
 
 Not only Pelagius was of Opinion that thefe fayings 
 were irreverent, and did impute Sin to our Saviour as 
 a Man ; but Theodortts alfo Biihop of Mipfueflia, who 
 was a Pelagian likewife, wrote a Treatife, Againjl. thofe 
 that fay Men Sin by Nature, and not by their Will. He 
 calls the Adverfary, whom he there exprefles by a feign- 
 ed name, AP^AM ; but he means St. Hicrom. Piwtius r, \ Rftjifrtft, 
 gives an abftracl of the Book (50). And therein Theodi- co ,j I7 y a 
 rtts imputes to his Adverfary this laying, That even ChriJ} 
 having ajjumedthe Humane Nature, which is infected with 
 Sin, was not free from Wlckednefi. But this is to put a 
 very malicious Interpretation upon St. Hicrom s words, 
 which were indeed not very warily fpoken. 
 
 The Writer of the firft of thofe two Letters of the 
 Pilagians, againft which St. Auftln wrote his four Bookj t» 
 Pope Boniface, .made afterward the fame lpitcful reflecti- 
 on, faying of hisjAdverlaries (;'. c. the Catholics) in ge- 
 neral, that they he'd famong a great many horrid things 
 which he thefe heaps up) Tbr,t Chriji was not clear from 
 Sin ; but that he told lyes by the necejji'.y of the-Flcfh, and 
 was flainedwith other Sins. To which St. Auflin there (5 1) Lib. i| 
 jf 5 i ) anlwcrs, Let them locl^to it whom he has heard fry af l Bonifac. $ 
 fuch things, or in whofe Books he has read fomething per- 5*« 
 haps which he did net undcrftand, and has turrid to this 
 flandcrons Senfe by a dzecitfid ?halice. Sz. Auflin fpeaks 
 io, as that one may guels lie knew where they hid thi?, 1 
 bur was not willing to enter into a clifpuce to vindicate 
 Si. Hi;rom> % VQr&s. 
 
 S 3 The 
 
z6o Notes on PclagiusV Creed. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Ydr after the The 1 8 Pelagian Bifriops had this over again in their 
 
 ^po!l:!es3i7« Letter to the Bilhopof Thejfalonica, as we may fee by 
 
 4iy"VVJ St. Auftiih fecond Book to Boniface, c. 6. And Julian a- 
 
 gain, as appears by St. Aujliris anfwer to him, L. 3. 
 
 C.6. 
 
 St. Hiercm at many other places owns in plain words, 
 that our Saviour had no Sin ; and therefore this fpitcful 
 advantage ought not to be taken of his words in this 
 one place. Even in thefe very Dialogues, Dial. 1. ha- 
 ying (hcw'd that all that are mere Menhavefome failings, 
 he add s^ To have all things, and to be -wanting in nothing, 
 it peculiar to the Vcrtue of him, who did no Sin, neither 
 was any guile found in his Mouth. 
 
 St. Hieromhzd moreover in the third of thefe Dialogues 
 cited a place in the Go/pel of the Na^arenes, where Chrift 
 is brought in fpeaking chus, What Sin have I committed 
 that I Jhould go and be Bapti^d of John, unlefl this that I 
 bavefpoken be a Sin of ignorance ? But he does not pre- 
 tend there that this Book is Authentical, or to be credi- 
 ted. And yet the Pelagians afterward objected this to 
 him, as if he had by this Quotation gone about to efta- 
 blilh a fifth Gofpel, which taught that Chrift did Sin. 
 £ And that we foall there have Virtues which we tool^ no 
 
 tare to have here.'] St. Hiercm had not faid fo, but he had 
 faid fomething which Pelagius would draw to that fenfe. 
 
 (52) Dial. !• He had faid {"yZ), So long as we have this trenfure in earthen 
 
 •vejfels, and arc encompafTd with frail and mortal and con- 
 tempt ibleFlejh, we thinl^cur f elves happy if in fofne fmgle Ver- 
 tues, or parts of Vertue, we dofervice to God. But when this 
 corruptible /hall be clothed on with incorrupt ion, and Death 
 flail be [wallowed up in the Victory of Chrift, then God will be 
 all things' in all Men: So that Solomon will have not only 
 the Grace of Wifdom, David of Meeknefl, &c. and each 
 two or three V:: : tues ; but all will be in each, and the whole 
 number of S air's fhall triumph in the whole Chorus of Vir~ 
 tues. Tho' thefe words, give no fuffieient ground for this J 
 Calumny, yet the Pelagians ceafed not to inculcate their 
 Accufation of the Dodlrine of the Catholics upon occa* 
 Hon taken from them. Jtilian and the ij Bifhops harped 
 upon the fame firing. For we find St. Auftin anfwering 
 
 (53) Lib. sf. 'em thus (53) Who can bear it, when thy objetl to us as if 
 ad Bonifac. we did fay ^hat after the J{efurrecticn there will be fuch a 
 t, 7, proficiency, that Men fhall there begin to keep thofe Com- 
 mands of God, which they refufed to keep here ; And all 
 this bccaufewcfay that there will be there noSinat all, nor any 
 
 co)ifii& 
 
Chap. XIX. PelagiusV Letter to Innocent. 261 
 
 ccnfiiSl with the Concupifcence of Sin ? As if they thcmfelvcs Year after the 
 did dare to deny this. ApolHes^i^. 
 
 He do always ft and in need of God's help.] Sr. /?///?;« *-"^"V"*'* , »-' 
 quotes this Sentence (54 j, and then fays, Here again we r - 
 
 would kjiow what fort of help he owns us to ft and in need cf, \\^' . £. ra ~ 
 and Again we find him ambiguous ; for he may fay, that he ( -hnili J 
 means, the Law and Chriftian Dotlrine, by which our n.x- ' "* 
 tural power is helped, &c. 
 
 $. 30. Together with this Confeffion of his Faith, Pe- 
 lagius fent a Letter to Innocent, Apologizing for himfelf, 
 and endeavouring to (hew that he did not in all points 
 hold as his Adversaries gave out, and to juftifie what 
 he did hold. He was very defirous to continue in the 
 Catholic Church, and not be feparated from it. He ufed 
 great art in reciting the Articles objected againft him, 
 lb as that he could eafily anfwer 'em or deny 'em ; and in, 
 wording his own Opinion fo as he could eafily defend 
 'em. The Letter is loft, except fuch parrs of it as St. Au- 
 ftin has preferved, by quoting 'em as he had occafion to 
 write Animadverfions on 'em. I lhall recite only that 
 pailage of St. Aufun, where he quotes that pare of the 
 Letter which fpeaks of the Baptilm of Infants, which 
 is this, 
 
 Augujlin. de peccato original^ c. 17, 18, &'c. 
 
 Obferve how Pelagius attempted filly to deceive even thi 
 Epifcopal Judgment of the Apfiolic See in this very quefli- 
 on of the Baftifm of Infants. For in the Letter which he 
 fent to Rome to holy Pope Innocent cf bleffcd Memory, 
 which finding him nut in the Body, was deliver d to ho- 
 ly Pcpc ZoSmus, and by him tranfmittcd to us, hefays y 
 
 f CE ab hominibus iufamari quad ncget paivulis baptif- 
 
 * *-* mi ftzcr amentum, & abfque redemptio?ie Qbrifti all qui- 
 
 * bus regna ccclorum promittat. That Men do {lander 
 ' him as if he denied the Sacrament of Baptilm to In- 
 1 lants, and did promife the kingdom of Heaven to any 
 
 I * Perlons without the Redemption of Chrdt. 
 
 But thcfe\things are not fo objccled to them as he has fee 
 j 'cm down. For they do not deny the Sacrament of Baptijh- 
 \ to Infants, neither do they promife the Kjngdom of He 
 ' '0 any without the Redemption of Chrift. So th it the thing 
 
2.6 z Pelagius Letter ft> Innocent. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the he complains' he isfanderd in, he has fct down fo as that he 
 Apoftles 317. might eafily anfwer to the Crime objetled, and yet keep his 
 Opinion. But the thingthat is objeHed to them is this, that 
 they will not oven that unbapti^ed Infants arc liable to the 
 Condemnation of the firfi Man, and that there has pajfed 
 Upon 'em original Sin, which is to be cleanfed by Regenera- 
 tion ; but do contend that thry are to be baptised only for their 
 
 receiving t he Kjngdcm of Heaven, Sec. — And then 
 
 mark, how he anfwer s, and mind his lurking holes of Am- 
 biguity, Sec. For, having /aid, 
 
 * Nimquam fe vel impium aliquem hareticum audijfc, 
 
 * qui hoc quod propefuit de parvulis,diceret:\f£hzt he never 
 
 * heard, no not even any impious Heretic or, Sectary ,1 
 
 * who would fay that (which he had. mentioned) of In^ 
 'fants. 
 
 He then goes on, and fays, 
 
 * Quit enim it a Evangelicx leBionis ignarus eft, qui hoe 
 i non modo affrmare conetur, fed qui vel leviter dicer e aut c- 
 
 * tiam fentire'pojfit ? Dcviquc qun tarn impim, qui parvulos 
 
 * exortes regni calorum effc velit, dum eos bapti^ari & in 
 6 Chriflo renafci vetat ? For who is there fo ignorant cf 
 
 * that which is read in the Gofpel, as (I need not fay to 
 
 * affirm this, but) in any hcedlefs way to fay'fuch a 'thing, 
 
 * or even to havefuclra thought? In a word, who can be 
 
 * fo impious as to hinder Infants from being Bapt'iT-'d 
 
 * and Born again in Chrift, and fo make 'em mifs of the 
 
 * Kingdom of Heaven ?' ■ 
 All this tall^ is nothing to his ptppofe. He does not clear 
 
 bimfelf by this. That Infants without Baptifm cannot en- 
 ter into the KJt:gJom of Heaven, is a thing which they them- 
 felves never denied', But that' is not the que f ion. The que- 
 fticn is about the cleanfing of original Sin in Infants '. Let 
 him clear khnfelf on that point. He will not own that the 
 /aver of Regeneration has any thing which it need w.ifh off 
 in Infants j and let us fie what he fays next. After reciting 
 that Tejlimony of the Gofpel, that 
 
 * None can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that is 
 a not born again of Water and the Holy Spirit. 
 
 About which there is, as I J aid, no quejlion; he goes on\ 
 tind fays, 
 
 1 Who is there fo impious as to refufe to an Infant of 
 *• what Age foever the common Redemption of Man- 
 
 This 
 
Chap. XIX. Pekgius'j Letter to Innocent. ^6> 
 
 This too is ambiguous, what Redemption he means : whe- Year after the 
 thcrfroma bad eft ate to a good one ; or from a good one to Aru>j!lt£?i7» 
 /? better. For Celcftius did oven in his Bool^at Carthage, v> ^^ 
 the Redemption of Infants ; and yet xyould not own that Sin 
 did pr.fi from Adam on them. But mind his next words, 
 
 1 Aid to hinder him that is bom to an uncertain Life, 
 | froir being born again to an evcrlafting and certain. 
 J one • 
 
 S. Aujlin is fomcthing long in conjecturing what he 
 mean? by thefe laft words ; but he pitches on this, thac 
 as Pehgius would not own Children to be by nature in a 
 ftate )f Condemnation, and on the other iide granted 
 that t\cy were not born in a ftate to go to Heaven ; 
 fo he would not determine fo pofitively as fome of his 
 Abetors did, that they ihould have an eternal Life out 
 of tie Kingdom of Heaven ; but left it as an uncertain 
 thin; what ihould become of 'em ; and. therefore faid„ 
 that they were bom to an uncertain Life, but that if they 
 wer: Baptiz'd they would have an cverlafting Life, and 
 thzicertainly in Heaven. And he quotes on this occasi- 
 on hat faying of his which I mention' d before, For un- 
 bapi^d Infants, I know whither they do not go ; but whi- 
 therthey do go, I kiiovo not, And this Phrafe of his, Vi- 
 tam'neertam, is much the fame with that which I recited 
 of S. Ambrofe ( r ,5) pert am illam ptsnarum immunitatem, (55) CH, 
 ' Tht ftate of Freedom from Punithment, which is not XIII* §.2, 
 * cletr. 
 
 Tie chief thing I obferve in this Letter is the Confeffi- 
 on o Pclagius, that he had never heard, no not even any 
 Secfoy, deny the Sacrament of Baptifm to Infants. For 
 the Vords of the Letter, if we put together the Para- 
 graph which ftand disjoined in thisAnimadvcrfion of St. 
 Aufti. on 'em were thus, 
 
 Me ftander me as if I denied the Sacrament of Bap- 
 tifm t Infants, or did promife the KJngdom of Heaven to, 
 fome I-rfons without the Rgdcinption of drift ; which is a 
 thing hat I never heard, no not even any wicked Heretic, 
 fay. or who is there jo ignorant of that which is read in 
 the Gofjl, as {I need not fay to affirm this, but) in any heed- 
 left wajofayfuch a thing, or even have fuch a thought ? bt 
 a word who can be fo impious as to hinder Infants frem be- 
 ing Bafi^d and born again in Chrift, and fo make *em 
 mi ft of he KJngdom of Heaven ; fince our Saviour has [aid, 
 that no?, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that ii 
 vjt bonagain of lV.it cr md'the Holy Spirit }'W1jo k thac 
 
 Si - -. ■ ■ - A 
 
264 Celeftius 9 5 Creed. Chap. XIX 
 
 Yearafter the/o impious (is torefufe to an Infant of what Age fcever the. 
 Apoilles 317. common' Redemption of Mankind, and to hinder him that n 
 w^V^*-^ horn to an uncertain Lif~ from being horn again to an ever- 
 lofting and certain one ? 
 
 $.31. The Creed, or Beck of Faith, which Ctlrftius 
 presented, is no where extant. St. Auftin has ncited 
 ibme parts of it, which (hew plain enough that it dffer'd 
 from that of Peiagius. I will mention one pafftgc wvhich 
 ($6) Ds pec- he recites, (56) whicljistb our purpofe. 
 cato origina- Infantes autem deb'erc bapti^ari in remijfionem fxcato- 
 ii, C 5. rum fecundiimregulam univerfalis Ecclcfix, (3fecundimE- 
 
 'vangeliifententiam confitemur;quia Dominus ftatuit ngnum 
 ccelorum non nifi bapti^atis pojfe corfcrri ; quod quia vires 
 nature non habent, conferre necejfe eft pergrati.e Inert a- 
 tem. In remijfionem autem pecc-atorum bapti\anda in- 
 f antes non idcircq diximus' ut peccatum ex traduce fir- 
 mare videamur • cuod longs a Catholico fenfu alienim eft. 
 Quia peccatum non cum homine nafcitur, quod fcftmdum 
 cxercetur ah homine : Quia mm nature dclittum, fed vhin- 
 iatis effe demonftratur. Et illud ergo confiteri congrutm ; 
 Tie diverfa baptifmaiis genera facer e videamur: Ei hoc 
 praemunire neceffarium eft, neper myftcrii occajioneir, ad 
 Creatoris injuriam, malutn antequam fiat ah homine radi 
 dicatur homini per naturam. 
 
 * We own that Infants ought according to the Rjc of 
 
 * the Vniverfal Church, and according to the Sentere of 
 s the Gofpe!, to be Baptiz'd for forgiveneft of Si7is, becaufe 
 ' our Lord has determined that the Kingdom of Haven 
 : - cannot be conferred upon any but bapti^'d Perfons ; vhich 
 1 becaufe it is a thing that Nature cannot give, 'usieed- 
 
 * ful to give it by the liberty of Grace. But who we 
 4 fay that Infants are to be Baptizd/or forgivencft ctSins, 
 
 * we do not fay it with fuch intent as that we woul'feem 
 J to confirm the Opinion of Sin being by derivat'w [or, 
 1 propagation"} which is a thing far from the Caholick 
 ' aerife For Sin is not born with a Man, which i after- 
 
 * ward acted by Man - becaufe it is dcmonftraHe that 
 
 * Sin is a thing, net of Nature, but of Choice. There- 
 
 * fore it is both proper to own the former, that we pay net 
 t feem to make two forts of Baptifm j and alfo nceiTary 
 
 * to give a caution about the latter, left on occfion of 
 'the Sacrament it be, to the reproach of the Creat»r, faid, 
 \ that evil is by nature conveyed to a Man befce it be 
 \ a g'tcd by him. 
 
Chap. XIX. Celeftius'* CreeJ. 165 
 
 §. 31. The Argument he gives ngainft original Sin is as Year after the 
 good an one as could be given in fo few Words. But Apoftles 317^ 
 ro grant that Infants ought to be Bapti z'd for forgivencfi of ^-^V*""-' 
 S'nr, and vet to maintain that they had no Sin, was perfcift 
 Irijh. 
 
 Pelagius exprelVd himfelf more flily in his Creed : 
 He faid that Infants are to be Bapti z'd with the fame 
 •words as elder Per fins arc. St. Auflin excepts againft that 
 (57J 1 , and fays, Tis Things that vee regard and net Words (57) De gra- 
 only. But befide, Pelagius did not nigh fo plainly or o- cii Chrifti, 
 penly in his Creed to Innocent deny original Sin, tho' he c * 3 2 « 
 had in other Books. 
 
 But at laft Pelagius fwallowed this morfel too ; for Pi- 319. 
 nianm, Alhina and Melania, do certifie St. Aufiin that up- 
 on their importunity us'd with Pelagius to renounce the 
 Opinions for which he was cenfur'd, he had in their hear- 
 ing laid, Infantes in rcmijficnem peccatorum fere; fere 
 baptifmum : ' That Infants do receive Baptifm for rernif- 
 ' fion of Sins. St. Aufiin anfwers (58), That that is in-(*%) Ibidem, 
 deed mere than he had'] aid in his Libellus ; for novo he docs 
 not fay, with the Words of forgivenefs, hut confeffes that 
 they are Bapti^'d for forgivenefs it felf. Andyetifyoufioculd 
 asl^him what Sin he thinkj is forgiven 'em, he would main- 
 tain that they had none at all. Who could thinl^t-hat under 
 fo plain a Ccnfejfion a contrary Senfe could lie hid, if Celefti- 
 us had not bolted it out ? Sec. 
 
 They that would maintain a Difpute, or Theological 
 Wraftle, and would not take this for a fair Fail orB..ffle, 
 it could be no longer worth the while to contend with 
 'em. Pelagius had had at the Council of Dicfpolis fome 
 filly fayings objected to him out of a Book ; and «vhen 
 he denied the Book to be his, they ask'd him, Whether 
 fince he difown'd thofe fayings, he would anathematire 
 thofe that faid fuch things ? He anfwer'd, handfemefy 
 enough ; I anathematize 'cm for Fools, not for Heretics ; 
 for there is no Article of Faith fpoken of in 'em. But now 
 he himfelf, when he is driven to this plunge as to grant 
 that Infants are Baptiz'dfor pardon of Sins, and yet have 
 no Sin, will feem to all Readers to deferve the nxft of 
 thofe Anathematifms, if not the laft. 
 
 But the way by which his partners went about re make 
 fenfe of this odd faying, we have in a Letter of St. Au- 
 fiin to Si xtus {%<)), written a good while after thefe times. (5?) Epift. 
 There S. Aufiin having faid of the Pelagians, that they are io 5> 
 CoCircumfiipdti& Divinarum anmitatc feclionum, & An- 
 
 tiauitus 
 
i>66 The Evafions of the Pelagians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the tiquitus tradito £# rctento firmo Ecclefix ritu in baptifmate 
 Apoftlesj I7 parvulorum, * befct both with the Authority of God's 
 ' Word and with the ufage of the Church that was of 
 ' old delivcr'd to it, and has been fince kept by it, in the 
 ' baptizing of Children, That they dare not deny that 
 Infants are Baptiz'd for forghenefi of Sin j and, that it 
 muft not be fuppos'd that the Church does this fallaciter, 
 in any trickjfh or deceitful meaning ; but, ut fide agatur 
 quod agitur, uti 'que fit quod dicitur j 'Since what is acted, 
 
 * is acted ferioufly, that which isfpokenmuft be iuppofed 
 
 * to be really done. He adds, 
 That therefore which they have devisd to fay, when this 
 
 manifeft force of truth weigh' d 'em down, what Chrijiian is 
 there that will not laugh to hear, tho' he muft own it to be 
 very crafty? For they fay that ' Infants do indeed anfwer 
 
 * truly by the Mouths of thofe that bring 'era that they 
 
 * believe in the forgiveneft of Sins ; not that any Sins are 
 
 * forgiven to them ; but that they believe that in the 
 1 Church, or in Baptifm, Sins are forgiven to thofe that 
 c have any, not to thofe that have none. And fo they do 
 Hot yield that Infants are bapti^dfor forgiveneft of Sins in 
 fuch a Senfe as that any Sins are forgiven to them, who, they 
 Jay, have tione ; but that they, tho' they be without Sin, yet. 
 are baftiv(d with that baptifm by which is granted forgiven eft 
 of Sins to all that have any. 
 
 There will ever be this difference between a Man of 
 fenfe, and a thick skull'd Man, that the former, if he 
 find himfelf gravell'd, will at leaft have the Modefty to 
 give pver talking. Pelagius, after he was brought to 
 r. his Contradiction, kept filence ; and we hear no more 
 of him; 
 
 But Celeftius blunder'd thro' all this, and a great deal 
 more, when he was Excommunicated at one place, go- 
 ing to another. And he, after all this, continued to make 
 fuch a noife in the Eaftern parts, that the Herelie which 
 was call'd Pelagian in the Weft, was there call'd the 
 Celcftin Herefie. After feveral Excommunications in par- 
 ticular Churches, he was at laft pronoune'd a Heretic in 
 the General Council, or meeting of all the Eaftern and 
 33 ' Weftern Biftiops at Ephefus. 
 
 F. Gamer reckons up 24 Synods, in feveral parts of 
 the World, held againft this error, whereof this of £- 
 ■phefus was the laft, and the aid was at St. Albans in B>7- 
 ,,„ tain (the year of Chrift 419. as Bifhop Vfbcr, and Gar- 
 ner out of him do (hew) fo that if Pelagius lived rn 
 
 this- 
 
» Chap. XIX. Pope Zofimus fides with the Pelagians. %6y 
 
 Ithis time, he Iiv'd to fee himfclf Condemn'd by his own Year after the 
 l|Countrymen. Apoftlcs3i7. 
 
 I (hall take notice only of two more Artifices that ^^v"*-' 
 I thefe Men ufed to ftave off Excommunication ; and fo 
 ■difmifs'em. 
 
 §. 33. 1. \They fpoke with words of feeming fubmiflt- 
 
 I on to the Biihops to whom they appcal'd. You fee with 
 
 [(what a Complement Pclagius concludes the Confejfwn of 
 
 \\his Faith to Pope Innocent ; and Celeftius began his to 
 
 \afimus with one of the like nature: For in the Preface 
 
 jot it there were thefe Words (60), That if any miflake ,, » 
 / / ; 1 »j f • • /• ( 6o 7 Aug. de 
 
 Mve iyr chance happen a to me thro ignorance, as being ' • 
 
 M Afrf», iV w^y />/ ^o;/r S/^'# />e Corrected : And when ^ ^ °* 
 
 '^ofimus ask'd him if he would (61) renounce all thafc r^ { \ j^ 
 Tenets which had been cbjefted to him formerly by the Dea- C2 n 7, 
 'con Eaulinus, and would give his affent to the Letters of the 
 ..Apojiolic See, which had been written by his Prcdcceffor of 
 iholy memory ; he refufed to renounce the Articles objected by 
 I the Deacon, but he did not dare to oppofe the Letters of holy 
 [Pope Innocent. Nay, he promifed to rcnoimce all things 
 j which that See did renounce. This Sr. Aufiin repeats from 
 i the Acts of his Examination. 
 
 But what do thefe general words avail, when he, reci- 
 | ting the particulars of his Faith, did, as we fee, plainly 
 I renounce the Doctrine of original Sin ; in an abfolute 
 I contrariety to the Letters of Innocent, to which he pre- 
 I tended to fubmit. 
 
 Yet as all Men have a weak fide on which they re- 
 ceive Flatterers, this verbal compliance tookfo far with 
 %ofimus, that he undertook the Patronage of thefe Men 
 1 againfj; the African Bifhops ; and wrote feveral Letters 
 j in their behalf, and continued fo long co hold on their 3*8, 
 fide till at laft he found it too hot to hold any longer ; 
 and then when he faw they were Condemn'd by the Coun- 
 cil cf Carthage, and by the Emperor, and would be Con- 
 demn'd by the Chriftian World, whether he would or 
 no ; he himfelf wrote an Encyclical Epijllc, as zealous in 
 their Condemnation as he had been before in their De- 
 fence ; a part of which I (hall prefentiy recite. 
 
 This made Julian andthe other following Pelagians fay (fe) AugulV 
 (62), That Pope Zofimus and the refl of the Clergy of Rome a d J5onifac„ 
 were Turn-coats. Indeed he acted fo as to make it plainly lib. 2. c. 3, 
 appear, that the infallibility cf that See is a gift that has 
 been beftow'd upon 'em fincc that time: For, mind the 
 particulars, 
 
 I.Pope 
 
268 Tope Zofimus fides with the Pelagians. Chap.XlX. 
 
 Year after the I. Pope Innoct nt had by his Letters dated in January 
 Apoftfes3*7. 417- which I mentioned (63) before^ fully and plainly 
 Condemned the Doctrine that denies original Sin ; and 
 had Condemned Pelagius and Celejiius unlefs they did 
 recant. 
 
 2. Pope %ofimus fome time in the Summer of the 
 fame year, upon Celejiius's Application to him, fate on 
 
 a day of hearing in St. Clement's Church, &c. 
 
 MidcaufedCeleR.ms's Libellus which he bad given in [this 
 is the fame Libellus fidei, or Creed, of which I juft now 
 cited a part, denying original Sin] to be read ever. And 
 he writes a Letter to the African Biihops, that he had 
 done fo (which is his third Epiftle, extant Tew. 1. Conci- 
 liorum) wherein he blames them as having been too hafiy 
 in cenfuring Pelagius and Celejiius, and fends a Copy of 
 Celeftius's Libellus to them, and orders thus ; Either with- 
 in two Months let fome body come that may convifl him to 
 his Face, of holding other Opinions than he has fet down in 
 his Biokj and Confeffion ; or elfe after Juch plain and mani- 
 fejl Declarations made by him, let your Holincf l{now that 
 there is no doubt remaining, vi^. but that he is to be ac- 
 quitted. 
 317. 3. A little while after ,vi%» September 2 ill he writes ano- 
 
 (64) Zofimi ther Letter to them (64), that he now had received Pclagi- 
 Epift. quarta us's Letter and Libellus likewife ; and a Letter frcm Pray- 
 Tonii . Con- his, Bifhop of Jerufalem, in his behalf. That thefe had 
 ciliorum. been publicity read over ; and that the Contents of them 
 were all to the fame pur p r fe, fenfe and tenor with what Cc- 
 lcftius had produced before. Oh, Brethren ! that any of you 
 had bren prefe?it at the reading of 'em. What joy there was 
 
 of tlx Holy Men that were prefent ? Some could 
 
 fcarce forbear weeping, tales etiam [}. ram] abfoiuta: fidei 
 infamari potuiffe, that it fhould be poffblc for fuch Men of 
 fo unrebukable a. Faith to be /lander d. Then he in- 
 veighs againft their Acculers, and at laft fays, If the 
 Father rejoyced at the return of his Son that had been 
 dead, and was alive again, had been loft, and wasfouud,8<c. 
 How much greater rejoycing of our Faith is this, that thefe 
 Men, of whom falfe Stories were -reported, never were dead nor 
 loft ? I have fent therefore to your Charity Copies of theHni- 
 tings winch Pelagius fent, 8cc. 
 317. 4. Zofimus declar'd that Libellus of Celeftita (in which 
 he fays, as I rehearled before, that the Opinion of Sin be- 
 ihg ex traduce, by derivaticnor propagation, is far from the 
 
 Catholic 
 
Chap. .XIX. Zofimus changes fides. 269 
 
 Catholic Senfe) to be Catholic, or Orthodox. This will Year after the 
 appear by the next Quotation. Apoftles 317. 
 
 5. The African Biihops wrote (65) anfwer to fyfimus v ~^~v^* > — ' 
 
 the latter end of this year, wherein they plead, That 3^7* 
 Celeftius ought to clear himfelf at another rate than that of (^?) Angufr. 
 faying in general, that he would ajfent to the Letters of Pope a °' Bom fa* lib. 
 Innocent. That he ought to he compelled to recite and cc?:- Z ' ^P' 3»4* 
 demn thofe ill thing: which he had put in his Libelius, left 
 if he did not do that, a great many Perfons of weak. Judg- 
 ments might be more ready to think, that thofe DcElrincs, 
 poyfonous to our Faith, which were in his Lil ellus, we/e ap- 
 proved by the Apoftolic See, becaufe that See had faid that 
 that Libelius was Catholic ; than they would be to thinly 
 them Corrected by it, becaufe he faid he would ajfent to Pope 
 Innocent's Letter. And the next year the fame Bifhops 
 in a fuller meeting fend him another Letter to the fame 
 purpofe, but more peremptory ; wherein, without any 
 more ftaying for his confent, or joining with 'em, they 
 determine that Pclagius and Celeftius are to be accounted 
 Excommunicate, till they do recant, £?c.The Letter, iome 
 part of it, is recited out of Profper, above at§. 15. 
 
 6. Then at laft, when the Emperor a.fo had declar'd 
 
 to the fame purpofe, Zofimus himfelf iikewife Condemn- o t g # 
 ed thefe Men, and the Opinions they held againft ori- 
 ginal Sin, as well as the reft of the World did, and his 
 own PredecefTor had done ; and fent, as I faid, an Ency- 
 clical or Circular Letter about to the Churches, decla- 
 ring hisExcommunication of 'em. A part of it is recited 
 by St. Auftin, in {66) thefe words, OurLord is faithful in his 
 words, and his B apt ifm has the fame plenitude fjor, force]] (6£) Epift. 
 in deed that it has in words ; I mean, in its operation, in j 57. ad Op* 
 the awning the true forgiveneft cf Sins, in all Sexes, Ages, tatuin. 
 and Conditions cf Mankjnd. For none is made free, but 
 who was a fervant of Sin ; nor can any be faid to be redeem- 
 ed, but who was before truly a captive by Sin - 3 as it is writ" 
 ten, If the Son do make you free, you ihall be free in- 
 deed : For by him we are fpiritu ally regenerated, by him we 
 are Crucified to the World; by his death that bond, contract- 
 ed by propagation, of death brought upon us all by Adam, and 
 transmitted to every Soul, is cancel? d\ and there is not any 
 one of all that are born, but what is bound and liable to that 
 bond, until he be by Baptifm freed from it. Here he fir.gs 
 the fame tune with his Predeceflcrs, shanks to the African 
 Bifhops; 
 
 And 
 
2 7° Zo/imus changes* fides. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the And the Church officme from that time has been very 
 ^P^i^J* zcaious in the fame Doctrine, till now in this laft Age 
 they are grown great Latitudinarians in this matter. The 
 Jejuits have of late fet themfelves ftrongly to overthrow 
 St. Auftiris Doctrine of Praedeftination ; and, noc con- 
 tent with that, have pulh'd their Arguments fo far as to 
 Undermine the Doctrine of original Sin. And the Court 
 of Rome (hews fo much favour to their Endeavours, that 
 it is probable they would (if they could avoid the flur 
 that would thereby be brought on their Infallibility) once 
 more declare for Pelagius. 
 
 It feems that a Book of Cardinal Sfcndmta, which de- 
 nies the propagation of original Sin, and any punilhment 
 of unbaptized Infants, finds fo much favour, that tho' fe- 
 deral French Bifhops demanded Judgment of the Pope a- 
 gainft it, they could obtain none. On the contrary Inno- 
 cent XII. recommended the Printing of it ; and there 
 was lately Printed an Addrefs to the AfTembly of French 
 Bilhops, anno 1700. that they would Cenfure it ; but 
 without any fuccefs that I have heard of. The Title 
 whereof is Augufiiniana Ecclejicc Rgmanx doclrina,fkc.'Thc 
 Book I have not feen, but an Abilract of it in the com- 
 mon Prints from Holland. It (hews, it feems, that fuch a 
 Book & the aforeiaid, gives occafion to the Heretics to fay, 
 That Rome k turning Pelagian. 
 
 Zdfimm might have been fallible in the cafe of Pe- 
 lagius himfelf, and might have been excus'd, becaufe he 
 in great meafure cbnceal'd his Opinion in his Letter and 
 Libellus, fo the miftake might be only in matter of Fact. 
 But Celeftius's Libellus fpoke open enough, and yet he 
 declar'd it Catholic, and that not as a private Man, but 
 fitting in Judicature on a day of hearing in St. Clement's 
 (S7)Diflert. Church. And F. Garner grants, and even proves, (67) 
 de Synodis in by good reafons, that this was done in a Synod. , 
 causa Pclaew- §• 34* ^ r * Auflin endeavours to throw a Cloak over the 
 n £ # nakednefs of this Pope ; For when the Pelagians afterward 
 
 claimed him as theirs, and faid, he muft be fo, or cite 
 he muft be owned to have declar'd contrary to him- 
 felf. and urged the Letters aforefaid, St. Auflin pleads 
 (68) Ad Bo. ^ =.;'.;■ 
 
 riifac.lio.z. l That %cfmws did not in any of his Letters deny 
 r -> 3« original Sin. True, but he declar'd that Libellus of Ce- 
 
 Icjlius to be Catholic,. which did openly deny it to his Face, 
 
 2.' (69) 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auft in labours to excufe Zofimus. 271 
 
 2. {€<)) That \ofimus urged Celeftius to affent to the Year after the 
 Letters of Pope Innocent ; which Letters maintain'd the Apoftles 318, 
 true Doctrine. This indeed fhews that Zofimus did not *>^'V~ >, *'-» 
 perceive a plain Contradiction when it came in his (^9) Ibid. c « 
 way. 4« 
 
 3. He takes a charitable advantage of thofe words 
 in the Preface of Celejiius, That if any mi ft tike have hap- 
 pen* d tome, fkc. it may by your Skill be Corrected, and fays, 
 
 (70) Whereas Celeftius put this ^denial of original Sin] , . • , 
 into his Libellus, only among thofe things of which he ^ ' ' *** »* 
 
 owned himfelf as yet to doubt and to defire to be inftrutlcd; 
 it was the defire of inftruciion (in a Alan of good ll^it, 
 who if he had been reform d, might have done a great deal 
 of good) that was approved, and not his falfe Doctrine. 
 And in that fen ft his Libellus was pronounced Catholic; be- 
 caufe this is the part of a Catholic Mind, if it has any O- 
 
 pinions contrary to the truth, not to define them pofitive* 
 ly, but to renounce them when they appear to be fuch. 
 
 We muft commend Sr. Auftin s Charity both to Z^oft- 
 vms and Celeftius. But, as Voffius and Bithop Vjher ob- 
 ferve, he that reads %ojimuss Letters will fee that for a 
 longtime he defended Celeftius, not as one that was in an 
 error, and was willing to be taught better j but as one 
 that was in no error, but had approved himfelf to have 
 /ibfolutam fidem (as he in his third and fourth Epiftle calls 
 it) a Faith ablolved from all blame. So that, how fa- 
 vourable an account foever St. Auftin gives of this mat- f » r 
 ter, Facundus tells it thus, (71) Zofimus, contrary to the*' 1 ' ~* '** 
 Sentence of Innocent his Predecejfor, commended the Faith ^ 
 of Pelagius and of his Partner Celeftius, and blamed the 
 Bi/kops of Africa for counting him a Heretic. 
 
 One thing indeed St. Auftin there fays, which is a good 
 anfwer to the Pelagians, who accus'd the Church of I(cme 
 of changing fides and prevaricating in theirDoclrine when 
 %ofimus turn'd agamft them, vi^. that if Zofimus did e- 
 ver declare for them and their Dodtnne, that rather ought 
 to be accounted the prevarication ; For, (72) fays he, when (72) Ad Bcr 
 in HeverendYnnocznt's Letters, •which fay that Infants, /fnifac. 1, 2. c, 
 they be not baptised in Chrift, will remain in eternal deaths 4* 
 the ancient Catholic Faith is fet forth ; he certainly ought to 
 be accounted theTum-coat of the Roman Church, that (hould 
 have deviated from that Sentence : Which by Gcd's mercy 
 wat ?iot done* 
 
 35, 
 
zj% Pdagius and Celeftius do own Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the $.35. Another thing that Pelagius and Celefiius plead- 
 Apoftles 318. ed, was, that fuppofing they were miftaken in their 
 *~s~ST~ > *-' Opinion that there is no original Sin j yet this or.ght 
 riot to be accounted Herefie, nor to deferve Excommu- 
 nication. It was no Article of our Faith to hold one 
 way or the other; it was but one of the queftionsof lef- 
 / -\ Tk - . ^ er moment. % 
 
 22 2? 24°* For Celeftius > fa y s Sc * Au fi in > (73) fpoke in the Ecclefti- 
 
 9 ** ^' 'cal ABs at Carthage after this manner, * I told yon be- 
 
 ' fore concerning the derivation cf Sin, that I have heard 
 
 ' feveral in the Catholic Church deny it, and forne I 
 
 * have heard af&rm it. It is a matter of Coritroverfie, 
 
 * not of Herefic. As for Infants, I always faid that they 
 
 * Itand in need of Baptifm, and that they are to be 
 ' Baptiz'd. What would he have more ? He fpoke this 
 with an intent to fignific, that if he had denied that In- 
 fants ought to he bapti^d, then indeed it might have been 
 judged Herefie ; but ?iow that he confejfes that they are to 
 be Baptiz'd, tho he give riot the true reafon of their Itap- 
 tifm ; yet hefuppcfcs he does not err in a matter of Faith, 
 and therefore is not tc be accounted n Heretic. 
 
 Alfointhe Libellus which he gave in at Rome, when he 
 had fpoke as much as he pleas din declaring his Faith from 
 the Trinity of one Deity down to the Hejurreclion of rhe ! 
 dead, concerning which matters no Body ever demanded or oh- . 
 jcBed any thing to him, when he conies to the matter in hand, 
 k e f a y s > ' And if any queftions have arifeh which many 
 
 * People difpute about ; I have not determiri'd any thing 
 1 by a definitive Authority, as if I would be the Author 
 ' of any dogma {_ov, Article of Faith], But I offer thofe 
 ' tking? which I have Collected from the fountain of 
 
 * the Prophets and Apoftles to be tried by ihejudgv 
 
 * ment of your Apoftlefhip, &c You fee his purpofe of 
 this prefacing is, that if he be found in a miftake, he may] 
 feem not to miftake in the Faith, but in fame queftions 
 
 that are befide the Faith, ckc. But he is ?%uch out 
 
 of the way in thinking fo. Thefe queftions which he thinly 
 to be befide the Faith, are of a very different Nature frotri 
 thofe in which one may be ignorant, or miftake without hurt 
 to the Faith, as for example, if a queftion be put,\fheve the 
 Garden of 3?aradife is, &c. But in the concerns of thofe 
 two Men, by thefiijl of whom we are fold under Sin, and by 
 
 v the other redeemed from Sin 3 8cc. t he Chrijlian Faith doa 
 
 properly conftfh 
 
that th»y never heard of any Aniip&Johaptifls. 2, 7 3 
 
 And afterward: {74) Therefore whofoever does maintnin Year after the 
 that humane nature, in any Age whatever, docs not ft and ApofHes 318. 
 in need cf the fecund Adam/o/ - a Phyfician, as not being de- ^■^"V^**^ 
 filed in tbefift Adam : this Man's miflake is not in a que- (74) Ibid.C, 
 Jiion in which one may doubt or err voiti out hurt to the Faith, 2 9« 
 foit be is Convifted a» an enemy of God's Grace by the very 
 rule of Faith, by which we arcChriftians. 
 
 §. 36. The raoft material thing to our purpofe to be 
 obierv'd from theie paflages of the latter part of this 
 Hiftory, is this, how exceedingly the Pelagians were 
 prefs'd with this. Argument taken from the Baptifm o.f 
 Infants ; and to how many abfurdities they were driven 
 in anfwering of it. Sometimes they faid they were not 
 Baptiz'd for forgivenefs, but for foniething eife. Some- 
 times they owned they were Baptiz'd for forgivenefs, nor. 
 that they had any Sin, but that the uniformity of the 
 words might be kept ; or becaule they were Baptiz'd 
 into the Church, where forgivenefs was to be had for 
 thofe that wanted it ; or, becaufe they were Baptiz'd 
 with a Sacrament which had the means of forgivenefs for 
 any that had finned, or fnould fin. And fqme flew to 
 that, that Infants have Sin; tho' net by propagation from 
 a finful flock ; but either before they were born, in a for- 
 mer ftate, or fince they Were born, by peeyifhnefs, &c. 
 Since thele Men refolved not to own original Sin in 
 Infants, how much had it been for their turn to deny- 
 that they were to be Baptiz'd at all ? If they had known 
 of any Church or Society of Chriftians, then in being, 
 or, that ever had been, that had difowned Infant Bap- 
 tifm; their intereft would have led 'em to allcdge their 
 example, or to plead it in their own behalf. But far 
 from that, Celeftius does own that Infants are to be Bap- 
 tized according to the Rule cf the Vniverfal Church 5 
 and Pelagius moreover confefles (the fame thing in effedt, 
 that St. Auftin'm another place urges) that he never had 
 heard, no not even any impious. Heretic or Sectary, that 
 denied Infants Baptifm ; and that be thought there could nor 
 be any one fo ignorant as to imagine that Infants could enter 
 the Kingdom of Heaven without it. You have their 
 words before, §. 19, 30. 
 
 And if there had been any fuch Church of Antipaedo- 
 baptiftsin the World ; thefe two Men cculd not have mift 
 an opportunity of hearing of 'em, being fo greatTravellers 
 is they were : For they were born and bred, the one 
 fert in Britain, xhe other in Ireland. They iiv'd the 
 
 T prim« 
 
 / 
 
x 74 Books of St. AuftinV referred to. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the prime of their Age (diutijjime, a very long time, as St. 
 Apoftles 318. Aujlin (75) teftifies) at l^wze, a place to which all the 
 v-*""V~"* ,> - ' People of the World had then a refort. They were both 
 f 7 5) De pec- f or f ome tmie at Carthage in Africa. Then the one fet- 
 cato ongma- t \ cc [ ac ^ ertl f n i em> an d the other travell'd thro 5 all the 
 Ji, c. 21. noted Greek, and Eafiem Churches in Europe and /4/m. It 
 
 is impoflible there fhould have been any Church that had 
 any Angular practice in this matter, but they muft have 
 heard of 'em. So that one may fairly conclude that 
 there was not at this time, nor in the Memory of the 
 Men of this time, any Chriftian Society that denied 
 Baptifm to Infants. This cuts off at, onee all the pre- 
 tences which fome Antipaedobaptifts would raife from 
 certain probabilities, that the Novatians, or Donatijls, or 
 the Britijb Church of thofe times, or any other whom 
 Pelagius muft needs know, did deny it. I fhall however, 
 more particularly confider thofe probabilities at another 
 {76) Part. 2. place (76J. 
 
 CH.IV. ^ 27. Befides the pafTages I have here recited of this 
 
 Controverfie, St. Aufiin wrote a great many more, which 
 I muft omit, becaufe the reciting of 'em all would make 
 a large Volume of it felf. Several whole Books, and 
 many long Epiftles he wrote to feveral Men againft the 
 Doctrine of Pelagius, where he always makes ufe of the 
 Argument taken from the conftant ufe of the Church in 
 Baptizing Infants, to prove it to be the general fenfe that 
 they have original Sin. 
 
 1 will only give the names of fome of 'em, that they 
 that have a mind to read more of this matter, may have 
 recourfe to 'em, if they pleafe, 
 
 Au^uflini ad Valcrium de nuptiis & concupifcenti.r. "Two 
 Books. 
 
 Ad Bonifacium contra duas Epijlolas Pelagiano* 
 
 rum. Four Books. 
 Enchiridion. One Book. 
 De Gratis & Libero arbitrio. One Book. 
 De correptione & gratia. One Book. 
 De pnedejiinatione Sanclorutn. One Book. 
 De dono P er fever ant ice. One Book. 
 Contra Julianum Pelagianum. Six Books conv 
 
 pleat, and other Six left imperfedt. 
 De Geflis Palvfiinis. One Book. 
 De 080 Dulcitii qu<efiionibus. One Book. 
 
 Comment. 
 
Chap. XIX. Council of Carthage 418. 275- 
 
 Comment in Pfnhn 5 1 • l I was lliapen in Iniqui- Year after the 
 ty,&c. ApofHeS3i8. 
 
 Senno 10.it. 14. d? verbis Apojioli. it. in Sancli ^•^v"*"** 
 JohnnnK nativitatem. 
 
 Letters to Paulinus, to Optatus, to Sixtus, to CV- 
 leftinm, to Vitalis, to Valcntinui and feveral 
 othcr^ 
 
 All thefe I pafs over, faving that, as T have already 
 here and there fetch'd in fome paffages of 'cm, I lhall at 
 the end of this Chapter recite two or three that will 
 (hew how the ftatc of this Controverfie flood between 
 St. Auflin and Julianfomc years after Pelagius had been 
 Condemn'd and given over difpuring. 
 
 But firft, I nmft give ah account of a Canon of the j T 8 t 
 Council of Carthage held Anno 418. about this matter, 
 which is one of the eight that have formerly by a vulgar 
 error been attributed to the Council of Milevis, held Anno 
 416, whereasthe Council of Milevis did only write their 
 Sentence in a Synodical Letter to Innocent ; which Let- 
 ter, together with that of the Council of Carthage of the 
 fame year I recited before (77). That was in the year /--a\ * 2 g 
 416. And the next year 417 there was another meeting 
 of the Bifhops at Carthage, of which nothing is extant, 
 fave that it appears by fomc paflages of St. Auflin recited 
 before, 6. 33. and fome others recited §. 15. that they de- 
 clared that they could not acquiefce in that Judgment 
 which Pope Zofimtts had parted in favour of Celeftius, of 
 which they advertifed Zofimiti by their Letter. 
 
 But the next year after, vii. 418. there was a full Al- 
 Tembly at Carthage of the Bifhops of all the Provinces of 
 Africa, 114 in number. Then it was that they fent that 
 fercmpiory Letter to fyfinius, which I fpake of. And then 
 alfo they paffed eight Canons againft the Pelagian Te- 
 nets. 
 
 In the fecond they mention the Baptifm of Infants, 
 Condemning two errors about it : One of thofe who 
 thought that an Infant muft upon no account be Baptiz'd 
 before he be 8 days eld. I fhew'd before, (78) that one r^\ CK.VI, 
 Fidus, a'Bifhop near Carthagehzd held fo 1 5 e years before. §. lt 
 and itfeemstome People wereftill of that Opinion j the 
 other, of thofe that held that abfurd Opinion (which Pe- 
 lagius and Celeftius had made their haft refuge,) that Infants 
 are Baptized for forgivenefs of Sins, and yet have no 
 Sin- The Canon ; s :\ , 
 
 T 1 :-- nrlfti 
 
zy6 Council 0/ Carthage 418. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the 
 
 J^-^-IL' Concilii Carting, anno 418. Cancn fecundus. 
 
 ojg. Item placuit tit quicunquc parvulos rccentes r.b uteris 
 
 matrum baptixjindes ncgat ; aut dicit in rcmijjionem qui- 
 dem peccatorum ecs bapti^ari, fed nihil ex Adam trahere 
 originate peccati quod lavacro regenerations expietur [un- 
 dt "fit conjequens ut in e is for inn baptifmatis in remijfionem 
 peccatorum non vera fed falfa intelligaiur) Anathema fit. 
 QuonifM non aliter int etligendum eft quod ait Apcftolus, Per 
 umim hominem peccatum intravit in mundum 8c per 
 peccarum mors, & ita in omnes homines pertraniiit, 
 in quo omnes peccaverunt : Nifi quemadmodum Ecclcfia 
 Catholica ubique dijfufti fempcr intellexit. Propter hanc 
 enim regulamfidei, etiam parvuli qui nihil peccatorum in 
 feipfis adhuc committer e potueiuntr, ideo inpeccatoum remijfi- 
 onem veraciter bapti^antur, tit in eis regeneratione mun- 
 
 detur quod generatione traxerant. — . 
 
 ' Alfo we determine that wholoever does deny than 
 ' Infants may be Baptized when they come frelh from 
 
 * their Mothers Womb ; or does fay, that they are in- 
 
 * deed Baptized for forgivenefs of Sins, and yet that they 
 ' derive no original Sin from Adam (from whence it would 
 
 * follow that the form of B.tptifm for forgivenefi of Sins 
 1 is in them not true, but faife) let him be Anathe- 
 1 ma. For that faying of the Apoftle, By one Man Sin 
 
 * enter 'd into the World, and Death by Sin ; and fo Death 
 
 * pajfed upon all Men, for that \_or, in xvhcm~\ all have fin- 
 'ned-y is to be underftcod in no other fenle than as the 
 ' Catholic Church ipread over all the World, has always 
 
 * underflood it. For, by this rule of Fairh, even Infants, 
 ' who have not yet been capable of committing any Sins 
 
 * in their own Pcrfons, are in a true fenfe Baptized for 
 ' forgivenefs of Sins, that in them what was derived by 
 ' Generation may be cleanfed by Regeneration. ■ 
 
 Here this Canon ends in meft Copies, but in feme 
 there is a farther claufe againft fuch as allow an eternal 
 Life in happinefs to un baptized Infants, tho* not in the 
 Kingdom of Heaven : I (hall have occalion to recite that 
 Claufe, and my Opinion about it in the next Chapter. 
 
 The Reader will without any Admonition perceive 
 the miftake of thofe Men, who fpeak of this Canon as 
 if Infant Baptifm were cftablifii'd by it as a thing that: 
 had been queftioned, or was then newly brought into 
 
 ufej 
 
Chap. XIX. St. Auftin againfi Julian. 277 
 
 ufe. It appears with plainnefs more than enough, that Year after the 
 as well the makers of this Canon, as they againft whom Apoitles J18. 
 it was made, did both of 'em look, on the thing it felt *~ > v > ^' 
 as undoubted ; they differed, about iome of the realcn^ 
 or effects of it only. 
 
 But Grctius did very unkindly give an occaficn to vul- 
 gar ignorant Perple to run into this miftake by that fay- 
 ing ot his recited CH. VI. §. 4. That there is in theCoun- 
 cils no earlier mention of hi} "ant Baptifm than in the Coun- 
 cil of Carthage, meaning this, or that two years before. 
 Whereas he himfelf knew well enough, that befide the 
 ocher paffages in Authors, and befide the Councils I men- 
 tion'd in CH. XVL it is mention'd in one of the fir ft Coun- 
 cils of which we have any good account fince the Aro- 
 ftles time, as I (hewed in the forefaid VI. Chapter. 
 
 %."i%.Pelagius2x\ACeleftius being thus Ccndemn'd,and the 
 Biihops that would net fublcnbe to their Condemnati^~^^ 
 on being depriv'd, which were 18 in number in all 
 the Weftern Empire ; they made Remcnftrances, and 
 fent about into the Eaft to feveral places, but found no 
 Countenance. Yet Julian, who had been Bithcp of 
 Eclanum in Italy, and was the belt Penman among 'em, 
 maintain'd the Dilpute with St. Auftin for fome years ; ~ 
 each cf 'em writing 12 Books one againft the other. 
 And St. Auftin died while he was writing the laft fix. 
 
 It they had taid any thing new in reference to our 
 Subject, it had been neceflary to relate it ; but there be- 
 ing nothing new, I fhall only recite two or three paffages 
 to (hew that they fpoke about Infant Baptifm in the 
 fame Tenor as before. 
 
 After the Condemnation one of the Pelagian party 
 fent a Letter to fome of the Clergy at Rome, hoping to 
 retrieve an intereft there. St. Auftin thought it was writ- 
 ten by Julian, and anfwcr'd it as his. Buijulian dis- 
 owned it, and St. Auftin was content they fhould afcribe 
 it to which of their Sect they pleas'd. In it they fay 
 many things to clear thcmfelves ; and, among tlie reft, 
 this, which is recited by St. Auftin (79), We do ackpow 3 2o « 
 ledge that the Grace of Chrift is neceffary for all, both grown (79) Lib. I. 
 Perfons and Infants ; and vee renounce all that fkould fay that ic! Bonirac. 
 one that is born of Parents both baptl^d ought not to be c * 22, 
 bapti\'d. And fo in the Letter which all the eighteen of (St) Apirl 
 'em fubferibed and fent to the Eaft, llemn Baptifm to AugUiT.1.2. 
 be neceffary for alt Ages (80 ■. ad Bomuc/c* 
 
 25. 
 
 T 3 Tj 
 
178 Julian' s rage again ft thofe that fair!, Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the To which St. Aujlin anfwers (81), Wbat does itfignifie 
 Apoftles 3^- that they do own Baptifm to be neccjfary for all Ages (which 
 v-^~\/ r "* v -^ the Manichees hold, is needled/or any Age) Jo long as they 
 
 (81) L. 4. adj~ u ppofe it has no effect in Infants for the iorgivenefs of 
 Bonifac. c 4. $ in 3 
 
 321. And fpeaking zojulian himfelf (82J, As to the quejlion of 
 
 (82) L. 3> Baptifm,abcut which you complain that there is a great odium 
 adverf-Julian,r/«V^ again ft you among ignorant People by cur Lyes, 'tis 
 f. 3. jirangehow neatly you come off 'j you clear your felf of this 0- 
 
 dium by owning that ' Infants are to be baptiz'd, becaufe, 
 ' you fay, the Grace of Baptifm is not to be alter'd for the 
 
 * Caufes [or, Subjects] of it ; fince it difpenfes its Gifts 
 ' according to the Capacity of thofe who come to it. And 
 
 * fo Chrift, who is the Redeemer of his own Workman? 
 ' (hip, does by a continued Bounty encreafe hif Benefits 
 ' toward his Image ; and thofe whom he had made good at 
 
 * firft, he makes better by renewing and adopting 'cm. 
 
 Is this all you have to fay why there fhould be no odium 
 rais'd on you about the Baptifm of Infants? As if any of us 
 had faid that you deny that Infants ought to be baptiz'd ? 
 Tou do not fay that they ought not to be baptiz'd j but accor- 
 ding to your great Wifdom you fay certain flrange things. 
 Tou fay, 'they arc baptiz'd in the Sacrament of the Savi- 
 
 * our ; but yet they are not faved from any thing. They are 
 
 * redeemed by it, you fay, and yet they are not deliver'd 
 ' from any thing by it. - 
 
 And at the end of the Chapter, They areflrange things 
 that you fay ; they are new things ihatyoufay; they are 
 falfe things that you fay ; as Ji range, we are ama^d at 'em j 
 as new, wearefloyof'em; as falfe, we confute' em. 
 
 And again, Cap. 5. having produced a great many 
 proofs that Infants have need of the Grace of Chrift for 
 acquitting them from the Guilt of a corrupted Nature, he 
 lays to Julian, 
 
 If you would come to be of tin mind, you would own the 
 Grace efChriJi toward Infants in its true and natural fenfe. 
 And you would not be put to thrfe foifts, to fay things impious 
 andabfurd ; cither that Infants are not to be baptiz'd, which 
 perhaps you will hereafter fny ■ or that fo great a Sacrament 
 is in their cafefuch a mockery, as that they are baptiz'd in a 
 Saviour, but not fav d from any thing ; that they arc waflod 
 in the I aver of Regeneration, but have nothing wafh'd off in 
 it, &c. And all this, becaufe you are afraid to fay, they 
 fhould not be baptiz'd - 3 lefl not only the Mmi floouldfpit in 
 
 yoi'T 
 
Chap. XIX. he denied Infant Baptifm. *79 
 
 your f tees, but the Women alfbfhou Id throw their fandals at Year after the 
 yourhcdl JJ Apdftte^ 
 
 In rne fixth Book, cap. 3. he puts Julian in mind of his 
 own Baptifm in Infancy, and how ungrateful a thing it 
 is for aim to difown the forgiveneis of Sin, that was 
 granted to him therein; Tour good Father, fays he, [Si. Au- z%£ m 
 fiin had been acquainted with his Father] ran with you, 
 little t] inking how ungrateful you would be for that mercy. 
 
 Tho' St. Auflin doesover and over again tell the Pelagi- 
 ans, thit noBody accus'd 'em of denying Baptilm to Infants; 
 yet iris probable 'twas him him felf they meant to have rai- 
 led that odium againft'em among the vulgar.For he (peaks 
 here and at other places, as if he thought they had a great 
 mind to deny it, if they could have had the face. He 
 had formerly in a Sermon (83), ('which he had pieach'd (S3) Serm. 
 againft'em, and which was publilh'dj after many things »°-de verbis 
 laid to prove that Infants have Sin, and that it is for that Apoftoli. 
 chat they are baptiz'd, added this, Nemo ergo vobis fit fur- 
 ret dr.Hrinas alienas. Hoc EccleJJa femper habuit, fetnper 
 tenuit : Hoc a majorum fide percepit ; hoc v.f'que in finem 
 perfeveranter cuflodit, quoniam not eft opus finis medi- 
 cus,8cc. * Therefore let no Body whifper {or, i>ifinuate~\ 
 
 * any ftrange Doctrines to you. This the Church has al- 
 
 * ways had, and ever held ; this it has receiv'd from the 
 
 * Faith of its Ancients, and this it keeps conftant'y ta 
 
 * the end, that the whole have no need of a Phyfici- 
 *an, £jV. What need then has an Infant, if he be not 
 1 Tick, &c. 
 
 But whoever it were that had rais'd this report, Juli- 
 an was fo enraged againft any chat insinuated that he or 
 his party denied, or ever meant to deny if, that he fticks 
 not to Anathematize all that deny it ; for (o are his words 
 (84J, fffl are fo far from denying it to be profitable to all ro,\ d nnr i 
 Ages, that we allot an eternal Anathema to thojb th.it fay it Auguftimim 
 is not neceffary even for Infants. _ Operis imper- 
 
 Yet Mar ius Me;cator would needs have it that their in- f e &j jib. 1, 
 ward lenfe was againft it, only to keep up their credit c. 51. 
 with Chriftians they in Words and Declarations own'd it. 
 This he goes about to prove by Ccnl'cqucnces from their 
 other Doctrines ("85), and then fa) S, Sothat 'tis plain you /g 5 j s^no- 
 tnufl think that they need not be baptised, only you imp fe titionatn in 
 Upon us in your words, but in your heart you hold the impi- faipta Julufl 
 ety of Jews and Heathens, This was hard, when they c. 8, 
 made iuch Proteftations to the contrary ; he had no ether " 
 rcalbn than that it would beft have fitted with their other 
 
 T 4 Doctrines, 
 
i8o Julian'* rage againft thofe thatfa/J, &c. C. 19: 
 
 Year after the Doctrines. But Mercatar wrote his Tract 1 o yeirs af- 
 Apoftles 321. ter this of Julian, fo that it could not be him that Julian 
 "^""V "*"" meant. 
 
 33i. §.39. Tbeodorus, who was at this time Bifhop o r Mop- 
 fueflia in Cilicia, was in this queftion of the mind of the 
 fVeJiem Pelagian:. And Julian, when he was deprived, 
 retir'd to him. Some will have it, that he was eder in 
 this Sentiment than Pclagius himfelf. It might be fo, for 
 a 9.T" he was Bifhop from the year 392 to 428. However 
 ' ' that be, he feems to have conceal'd this, as well as fome 
 other Heterodox Tenets he had, all his Life time; they 
 were difcover'd afterward by fome Writings he left. He 
 had fuch fingular Opinions, efpecially about the Authori- 
 ty of fome Books of Scripture, thac he was, after his 
 Death, Condemn'd in fome General Councils for a He- 
 retic in greater points than this. This Condemnation of 
 him fhevvs the weaknefs of the Argument of a Modern 
 
 (86) Mr,B<»P Writer (%6) who would prove that the Canon of Scrip- 
 xagt. mre was not Settled in the Church at this time, be- 
 
 caufe he rejected fome Books of it. He (hews that he 
 did that, forgetting to tell us that he was therefore Con- 
 demn'd as a Heretic. 
 
 As for the Book he wrote on the Pelagian fide, there is 
 a particular reafon toconclude that it did not come abroad 
 in the Wor!d till after St. Hierom and Sl Auftin were 
 dead, becaufe they never take any notice of it, iho' it be 
 aim'd chiefly ngainft them two without mentioning their 
 Names. 
 758. This Book is not now extant, but an abftraCt of it is 
 
 (87) Bibl. given by Photius (87). If it be lawful to take a Quota- 
 Cod. 177. t i on at fecond hand from any Author, Inter than our Pe- 
 riod, it is from Photius ; he was Patriarch of Conflant'mc- 
 pie, Anno 858, and the Collections of fo Learned and Ju- 
 dicious a Alan are valued almolt as much as if we had the 
 Originals. 
 
 The Title of the Bock war, Agaivfl them that fay 
 Men Sin ly Natw ft, and not by Will. There are particular 
 Reflections plain enough upon the two Fathers I mention- 
 ed.But one of the Opinions he there afcribes to his Adver- 
 faries as an abfurd one, is, That Infants, even when they 
 are new-lorn, are net without Sin, becaufe our Nature being 
 by Adam'j Fall become fvful, that fir.ful Nature » deriv'd to 
 all!:! Pofteritj. And one of the Arguments he makes them 
 life to prove it, is this, For what reafon arc tie Ho.y My 
 ftcricj liven to Infants ; H 7 <y a e they accounted wortlyof 
 
 Bap- 
 
Chap. XIX. Theodorus againft St. Auflin. 281 
 
 B.iptifm [or, proper to be baptiz'd"] but becaufc they are full Year after th c 
 of Sin, Sin bring implanted in their Nature? For it tsfor ApofUes33l. 
 forgivene\] that thefe things are done to them. v^^V^*— ' 
 
 The anlwer th.it he gives, is, asP/>of///Jobfcrves, the 
 pddeft that ever was given. He does not deny that they 
 are baptized for forgiveness. But he lay s there is one fore 
 of forgivenefs which is for Sins raft ; and another to pro- 
 cure a ftate for us in which we (hall no more Sin. And 
 that is given, partly in this Life, and pofeclly (as Photius 
 recites his words) in that Rejlauration which k to be af- 
 ter the Rgfuneelion ; for the obtaining of which both we, 
 and alfo newborn Infants ere baptised. He gave himlelf 
 agreatLatitv.de in the uleof Words, to call that far- 
 givencfl. 
 
 I mention this Man, only to (hew that he, as well as 
 the Pelagians of theff 7 c/?, took it for granted that Infants 
 are to be baptiz'd, tho' he thought they have no Sin. And 
 even as for that Opinion againft. Original Sin, ('whatever 
 he thought or kept in Writing by himj he found it ne- 
 cefTary for him to join with the Neighbouring Biihops, in 
 a Synod held there, to Condemn Julian and his Opini- 
 ons ; as we underftandby Mercator (88). (88) Pra-frr^ 
 
 §. 40. After this time, the Pel.igian Opinions being fo in Symbolum 
 univeriaily Ccndemn'd, none but feme very lew and ve- '1 heodori. 
 ry delperate Perlons did venture to declare for them, or 
 againft original Sin. But aconfiderable Number did fti.ll 
 oppofe another Opinion that St. Auftin held about parti- 
 cular Prxdcftinaticr. Thefe were called by their Adver- 
 farics Semipelagians, tho' they exprefly renouncV Pelan- 
 vs as a Heretic. And they cail'd their Adversaries P,\c- 
 dejlinarians. But as to the matter we are treating of 
 they all agreed, That there is original Sin in Infants : 
 That all baptiz'd Infants dying in Infancy ave laved ; and, 
 that no Infant dying without Baptiim goes to Heaven. 
 
 The difference between them, as to the cafe of Infants 
 that die in Infancy was this • St. Auftin and his Followers 
 held that God, by his mere gratuitous Pleafure, docs or- 
 dain that fuch or fuch Infants lha'l come to have B.iptifm, 
 and fo be laved, and others (hall mils of it; without any 
 regard had to the Qualifications, which the) would have 
 had if they had lived. 
 
 But the Semi pelagians {(o called) faid, that fuch Infants 
 ns God forelaw would have been faithful Chriftians if 
 they had liv'd, thofe he by his Providence procur'd to be 
 baptiz'd j and futferd others to raifs of it. 
 
 S3 
 
2,8 z SemipeJagians and Prsedeftinarians. Chap. XIX. 
 
 Year after the So both agreed that in both Cafes Salvation attends 
 Apoftles32i. Baptifm. 
 
 fc-^VX^J This appears at large in the works of Profper, Fulgen- 
 344* tius, Caflian and others of each Party, and in the latter 
 407. wr or k s of St. Auftin himfelf ; wherein he labours to ex - 
 3 2 4- pofe his Adversaries Opinion as abfurd, fince God, who 
 in Scripture is faid to judge every one according to what 
 they have done, is brought in by thefe Men as judging In- 
 fants by what they did not do, but would have done, if 
 they had lived. And they anfwer'd, that this is more rea- 
 fonable than to judge without any confideration at all. 
 He objects, that according to their Hypothefis it is to 
 (89) CH. IV.^ tc ^ e pu r P°fe which is faid in the Book_of PVifdotn (89), of 
 v. II. one that dies young, He was taken away, left mcl^ednefs 
 
 Jhould alter his under ftanding, &c. if God will judge him 
 according to what he would have done. To which they 
 anfwer, that that is not Canonical Scripture j and he does 
 not go about to maintain that it is. 
 
 I fhall have occafion to produce fome of their fayings 
 
 {90) Pt 2. hereafter (90), (where I give fome account of the Opini- 
 
 CH. VI §4 on of the Anciants, concerning the future ftate of Infants 
 
 * dying unbaptiz'd) and therefore omit them here. 
 
 2i 3 , In this difpute the Popes and Clergy of R$me were 
 
 332. generally zealous for the Pr,cdeftmarian fide, as Celeftin, 
 
 340. Sixtus, Leo, Hormifdas, &c. The other fide found moft 
 
 414. Abetters in France, efpecially about Marfeilles. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
Vincentius undertakes tofolve S. Auftin s Joult. 2. 8 3 
 
 Year after the 
 Aperies 519. 
 
 CHAP. XX. v -OV< 
 
 Quotations out of St. Auftin tf?jd Vin- 
 centius Victor. 
 
 THere were no need of quoting any more out of 
 St. Auftin, either of the Doctrine that he held, 
 or of the teftimony that he gives of the Churches 
 practice in his time or before, were it not that this Vin- 
 centius, faying fome new things about the Cafe of In-* 
 fants that had never been faid before, gave occafion to 
 St. Auftin alfo, who anfvver'd him, to infift on fome new 
 proofs and defences of the Catholic Doctrine. 
 
 Vincentius feems to have been fo inconliderable a Per- 
 fon, that his Name would not have been remembred tQ 
 the next Generation, if he had not ventur'd to write a-s 
 gainft St Auftin ; which now by the Books which that 
 Father vouchfafed to write in anfwer to him, which are 
 four Books, inritl'd, Of the Soul and its Origin, is likely 
 to be fpoken of as long as the World lafts. 
 
 He was a young Layman, remarkable for two things, 
 Malapertnefs in judging and determining of Controver- 
 lial Points ; and a certain Bombaft in his Style, which 
 St. Auftin (1), out of his wonted Civility and Conde-r w., j 
 fccnilcn, allows to be Eloquent ; and would make mm a n i,r,i & c ; lls 
 believe, he might, if he would ufe his Parts well, do God on y, ne c , 
 much (ervice. 2 3, 
 
 He was lately come off from the Schifm of the Dona- 
 tifts % which about this time mould er'd away ; but being 
 of a reftlefs Head, could fcarce keep clear of the Hc- 
 refie of the Pelagians, which had been far. the time when 
 St. Auftin wrote his rirft Book againft him) newly Con- 
 demn'd. For fo are St. Auftin s words (2), Juxta Pe-. / % \ ibid, c 
 lagianam hxr:fin, olim damnabilem, nuferrimeipte dam- ig 
 natam. * According to the Pelagian Herciie, which 
 * always deferv'd Condemnation, and is juft now Con- 
 6 demn'J. 
 
 I take 
 
^84 Vincentius'x attfoer Chap. XX. 
 
 Year after the I take notice of this laft Circumftance, to fet the 
 
 Aj>ofths3i9.time of this difpute right ; for inafmuch as the year 
 
 \~/*>f\~s 4 1 8 was (as Bifhop Vfher exprefTes it,) the fatal year for 
 
 the Pelagian Herefie (for it was in that year that the 
 
 Canons of the forementioned gieat Council of Carthage 
 
 were publifh'd on Miy the firft. And the Imperial Edidts 
 
 on April 30. And Pope Zofimus's Circular Letter a little 
 
 318. a f ter ^ this Book of St. Auftin s muft probably hare been 
 
 319* written the latter end of that year, or the beginning of 
 
 the next. 
 
 I thall by and by make fome ufe of this Obfervation a- 
 bout the year, in explaining a pafTage which will give 
 fome light to this Obfervation, and receive fome from 
 it. 
 
 §. 2. Vincentius wrote two Books, chiefly againft that 
 Opinion (to which St. Auftin inclined^ that the Soul is 
 / v j, . , by Propagation. He owned (j) original Sin, which 
 *'* was the moft material point in which he differ'd from 
 the Pelagians. The Soul, he faid, is a corporeal Sub- 
 (4) Ibid, c- 5. ftance (4) ; and fo is the Spirit (which he took to be dif- 
 ferent from the SoulJ : On which St. Aujlin obferves, 
 that according to him a Man confifts of three Bodies. 
 But he granted that God is of an incorporeal nature ; on 
 which St. Aujlin fays (5 J, I am glad that in that point hovo- 
 (5) Lib. 2. c.ever he keep free from the dotages o/Tertullian. It is to be 
 5* noted that Tertullian faid, that God alio is a Body, or elic 
 
 he would be nothing at all. 
 
 When he came to fpeak of that queftion, whether the 
 Soul be propagated from the Parent to the Child, or be 
 by immediate Creation ; he determine!, that it is imme- 
 diately Created, and withal, exprefs'd a great Contempt 
 of thedulnefs and ignorance of thole that did at all doubt 
 or demurr on that queftion. And he reflected on Sr, Au- 
 stin particularly and by name, as one that had confefs'd 
 his inability to refolve it, becaufe of that Objecti- 
 on ; How confift with God's Juftice to put a Soul 
 that is not deriv'd from Adam t but is created pure, 
 into the Body of an Infint, where it immediately con- 
 tracts guilt and defilement. 
 f 6\ PH XV We faw before (6) how much St. Auftin was puzzled 
 S ft. 6 1* & 7* w ^ tn z ^ ls Objection ; and how St. Hierom being defir'd 
 by him, had refus'd to meddle with the folutfon of it. 
 But now here Vincentiw undertakes ealily to anlwerit.But 
 &. Auftin (hews that unlcfs he could have brought a more 
 skilful anfwer, he were better have demurr 'd too y r.ni 
 
 were 
 
Chap. XX. concerning Infants baptized. 28 £ 
 
 were better have confefd his Ignorance than betray d his Year after the 
 
 Felly, Apoftles 3»9- 
 
 The anfvver he had given was this, ><^"^r^ 
 
 i.Firft, in refpev5t to fuch Infants as do by Gcd's Provi- (7) Aptid 
 der.ee ccmeto have Baytifm ; that (7) they being by God's Augufrin, lib. 
 frefcience pradejiinated to eternal Life, it docs 'em no hurt I c!e Animi 
 to continue a little while under the guilt cf another's Sin. & ejus origin.' 
 That as the Soul contrails a Difeafe by finful Flcflo, Jo San- c* 8. 
 t'tification [yi%. that of Baptifm] is likewifc convey d to it 
 by means of the Flcfh ; fo that as by it the Soul loft its me- 
 rit, [or, innocence] by it alfo it recovers itsjlate. (8) For (8) Lib. 3.C.7, 
 foall vce thinl^that becaufe it is the Body that is wafhed in 
 Baptifm, that ^benefit] which is believed to be given by 
 Baptifm, js not conveyed to the Soul or Spirit ? Fitly there- 
 fore it does by the Flefb recover its former difpofition which by 
 the Flefy it hadfeemed for a while to hav e loft ; that it may 
 begin to be regenerated by that by which it had been defiled : 
 So (9) that tho' the Soul, which could have no Sin of its , » tu c g 
 own, did deferve [or, had the fate] to be made finful, yet *"' 
 it did not continue in a ft ate cf Sin, &c. 
 
 Againft this anfvver S.Auftin objects, that if we examine 
 it ftridtly, it makes God mil cio an ill thing in bringing . 
 an innocent Soul into a Sinful Condition, and then make 
 amends for it a little after by the Grace of Baptifm .- A- 
 vertat (10) autem Deus, & omnihb cbfit, ut dicamus quan- (10) L. i.c.7, 
 do lavacro regeneration is Deus nnindat animas parvulorum, 
 tunc eurn mala fua ccrrigere, Sec. 'But God forbid, and 
 
 * far be it from us that we fhould fay, chat God, when he 
 ' cleanfes the Souls of Infants by the wafhing of Rege- 
 ' ration, does then make amends for his own Faults, &t. 
 However, he fays this is fomething - 3 and may, after a 
 
 fafhion, ferve for fuch Infants as do come to be Ba r tiz'd. R 
 
 De his (11) quidem parvulis inv:nit qualitercunque qucd^ 11 ' ° 
 
 diceret, &c. ' He has found fomething to anfvver after 
 
 * a fafhion for fuch Infants. 
 
 But the chief difficulty is about thofe that mifs of 
 Baptifm j of whom we are to fee in the next place what 
 Vincent ius faid. 
 
 2. In reference to fuch as are never baptiz'd, he, in Ins 
 firft Book (for he wrote two,as I faid) determin'd thus ( 1 2), ( f 2 ^ A P Ut ^ 
 Habendam dicimus dc infant i bus iftlufmcdi r'dtipnem, qui AogUft* irt , 
 pnedeftinati baptifmo vita prafcntis, antequam renafcantur ^ Anima >. 
 
 in Qhrifto, prxveniuntur occiduo, &c. Auftm dicer e ' °> 
 
 iftos pervenire poffe ad originalium tndulgcnti.im pcccito- 
 rum - 9 non tamen ut cxlefte indu:antu r in yegnum. Sicut 
 
 laircni 
 
^86 His anfwer Chap. XX. 
 
 Year after the latroni confeffo quidem f fed non baptitjito, Dominus non 
 tEr^/^1?' ccc ^ orum re g num tribuit fed paradijum ; cum utique jam 
 *^v^ s *-' m.inerety £30 
 
 " "We muft give fome account of thofe Infants which 
 ' being dcfigned to be baptiz'd in their lifetime, are, be- 
 
 * fore they be regenerated in Chrift, prevented with death. 
 
 * 1 m ay venture to fay that they may obtain for- 
 
 " givenefs of their original Sins ; and yet hot be admitted 
 
 * to the Kingdom of Heaven. As our Lord granted to 
 
 * the Thief, that owned him and was not baptiz'd, not 
 ' the Kingdom of Heaven but Paradifc ; that Sentence 
 
 * being in force ; He that is not born again of Water and 
 the Holy Spirit, JloaUnot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 EJpecially when our Lordfays, that his Father has many Man- 
 fions ; by which are meant the many and different merits 
 tor, rewards}*)/ thofe that [hall dwell in 'em. So that there 
 both the unbapti-^ed may be admitted to pardon, and the bap- 
 ti^d to the Crown which is procurd by the Grace. 
 
 For fuch Infants indeed I give my Opinion, that there be 
 ojferdfor them daily Oblations, and continual Sacrifices of 
 holy Priejls. This I prove to be fitting to be done, by the 
 
 (13) 2 Mac- example of the (13) Macchabees that fell in the bat- 
 
 chab.12. tie, &c. 
 
 On which determination of his, Sr. Auftin, in the next 
 words, makes this remark, Cemis homincm, paradifum 
 atque manfioncs qux funt apud Patron, a regno feD.vrare 
 caelorum ; ut etiam non bapti+atis abundent loca fempiter- 
 n<e f elicit atis, &c. ' You fee how the Man, that he may 
 ' find places of eternal Happinefs for fuch as are not bap- 
 ' tiz'd, is fain to feparate Paradife, and the Manfions in 
 
 * God's Houfe from the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 And a little after, How can he hope that he himfelfPor.il 
 enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, from which KjvgdoTK 
 he excludes the Houfe of the KJ rl g himfclf to what di fiance 
 he pleifes ? And in the third Book written to Vinccntius 
 
 (14) Cap. likhimfelf, heobferves(i4), Chrift does not fay, as you cite his 
 
 words, My Father has many Manfions ; and if he hadfiiid 
 Jo, they could not be underftood to be any where but in his Fa' 
 
 (1 5) John thers Houfe. But he fays exprefy (15), in my Father's 
 14. 3i Houfe are many Manfions. 
 
 And having, a little after, obferv'd alfo that our 
 
 £16) John 3. Lord does net fay (16), If any one be not bom again of 1 
 
 3, 5. Water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kjngdcm. 
 
 of Heaven. But, he cannot enter into the Kingdom cf God. 
 
 He then concludes, So Ifuppofeyou may by this time under- 
 
 jiand 
 
IChap. XX. concerning Infants unhaptizd. 2.87 
 
 \fiand how wide from truth it is to feparate any Manfwns in Year after the 
 \the Houie of God from the Kingdom of God. Apoltles 3 19. 
 
 To the inftance that Vinccntius gives of the Thief who •- / ^\^ v — 
 went to Paradifc, tho' not baptiz'd, as he fuppofed, St. 
 \Aufiin anfwers(i7), (hewing how extraordinary his cafe \ l T) Lib. «. 
 was. That he owning Chnft at that time when they c * 9«. 
 were putting both Chrift and him to death, may well go 
 Ifor a Martyr baptiz'd in his own Blcod ; that St. Cyprian 
 reckons him as luch ; that moreover we are not fure but 
 that he had been baptiz'd, &c. and concludes, Verum hece 
 \ut volet quifque accipiat, dumtamen dc baptifmo nonpra- 
 fcribatur Salvatoris prxcepto hujus latrcnis exemplo : Be 
 non bapti^atis parvulis nemo pr omit tat inter damnationem 
 regnumque calorum quictis vel felicitatis cujuflibet atqiw 
 ubilibet quafi medium locum. 
 
 * But of thefe let every one take which he pleafes, al- 
 
 * ways provided that the example of this Thief be not 
 ' made ufe cf for a prefcripticn againft our Saviour's 
 
 * rule concerning Baptifm, and that no Man do promife 
 [ to unbaptiz'd Infants, a place of reft and happinefs of 
 
 * any fort, or any where, as a kind of middle place be- 
 
 * tween Condemnation and the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 But Vincenthis in his fecond Book went farther : For 
 there, having reaffumed the inftance of the Thief, and 
 of one Dinocrates (a Boy that died at feven year old ; 
 and a Sifter of his that furvived and fufFer'd Martyrdom^ 
 named Perpetua, had, while Ihe lay in Prifon, a Dream 
 or Vifion, wherein fhe faw him in a place of darknefs 
 and mifery ; and afterward having pray'd for his Soul, 
 (he had another Vifion or Dream, wherein Ihe faw him 
 in a place of happinefs. This was recorded in a Hifto- 
 ry (18) that was then 200 year old, and is fti'l extant) he 100. 
 fays of the Thief, and of this Dinocrates (who he lup- (tSj Paffia 
 pofes died unbaptized,becaufe born of Heathen Parents, Sancta? Per- 
 as the Story (hews) that they, for all their want of Bap- petux & Feli- 
 tifm obtain'd Paradife ; and then adds (19), Or if any cicacif* 
 (me do contend that the Soul of the Thief, or of Dinocrates (19) Apwi ' 
 were placed in Paradife only for a time, and that they fhall Augult. lib. 
 have at the B^efurreclion the reward of the Kingdom of Hen- 1. de Animl, 
 ven ; altho that principal Sentence, He that is not born a- &c. c. 12. 
 gain of Water, fjc. be againft this, yet he fhall have my 
 willing ajfent, if this do more fct forth the effect of the Di- 
 vine mercy and prefcience, and our love of them ; fhewing 
 hereby as St. Auftin takes it. his Ooinion to be that 
 
 unbar- 
 
a88Vincentius thinks unbaptlzd Infants may goto Heaven, 
 
 Year after the Unbaptiz'd Infants alfo may, after (laying fome time in 
 •ApofHes^io. Paradife, attain at the Refurre&ion to the Kingdom of 
 *-^~V^^-' Heaven. , 
 
 On which St. Auflin fays, If itpojfiblefor any one to [hexv 
 greater boldncf, rafhnef, prcfumption cf error in this mat- 
 ter ? He 7 emcmbers our Lord's Sentence, he repeat's it, he 
 Jets it down in his Bool{ ; be fays, Although that prin- 
 cipal Sentente, i$c. be againft this ; and yet be dares 
 exalt the neck_ [or, pride~\ of bis oven Opinion ag.iinfl the 
 
 principal Sentence. "t4 m l intrcat you, Brother, confider, 
 
 whoever gives affent to any thing againjl the Authority 
 of the principal Sentence, what Sente?ice he deferves at the 
 (to) L. 3. c. hands of the Prince. And, at another place (lo) Y'ou 
 X3* don't ccnfider how much worfe you hold hi this matter than 
 
 Pelagius ; for he, /landing in awe of our Lord's Sentence, 
 by which unbapti^ed Perfons are not permitted to enter the 
 KJn^vm of Heaven, does not dare fend Infants fjviz. un* 
 baptised ones~\ thither, though be thinly them free from 
 all Sin. 
 
 But St. Auflin does here fomething ftretch Vinccn- 
 tiuf's Words : For he does not fpeak this exprefly of 
 Infants, but of the Thief and Dinocrates ; and of them 
 but doubtfully. 
 (2ilL.i c.io As to Dinocrates, St. Auflin anfwers (21}, 
 
 1. That the Book that tells this Story, is no Ca- 
 nonical Book. 
 
 2. That Perfetua, or wholoever wrote it, does not 
 fay that he died unbaptized. For that being leven years 
 old, he might have been baptiz'd by the procurement 
 of fome Body elle, or by his own choice, tho' his Father 
 were a Heathen. 
 
 And he might have anfwer'd farther fas Bifhop Fell 
 (22) Notis in does (22) to fome Papiftsthat build the belief of Purgato- 
 Pailionem ry, and the duty of praying Souls out of it on this Story) 
 PerpetiKe, &c that here is no other Evidence of Dinocrates being re- 
 Edit:. Oxon. mov'd from Torment to Happincfs, than a Dream of 
 16S0. Perpetua, who, as the Bifhop fhewsj by home Circum- 
 
 ftances, was probably a Montanijl ; and they were a 
 Seel: that attributed more to their Dreams and Rcvcla-f 
 tions than to the Scripture. Nor does any Author be- 
 fore Vincentius quote this Book but Tertullian, who' was] 
 himfelf a Montanijl, 
 
 St, Am 
 
Ch. 10 Vincentius ^/rf* 'not deny Infant Baptifm. 189 
 
 St. Auftin fhews alio that Vincc&tiiB is the firfl: that Vear after the 
 ever advis'd the Prayers of the Church to be us'd for Apoflles3i9» 
 any that had ciicd unbaptized, or for any but Church- ^~ y ^f~~*-' 
 Members. They had then, and fo they had in Tertul- 
 lian's (22) and Cyprians time, a cuftom of Commemo- ( 2l ) Tertull. 
 rating at the receiving of the Eucharilt, the names ot the e'eMonogam.. 
 Faithful deceafed, and of making fome general . Prayers P ro annua e- 
 for them, fuch as, God reft their Souls and grunt 'em *jP?9 l 3 l ?« tB : 
 happy Hcfurrc&ion ; but nothing like thofe Prayers which ^ 'g enum > 
 die Papifts make for Souls fuppofed to be in Purgato- c " 
 ry ; nor did they ufe 'em for any but Baptized and 
 Faithful Chriftians. Therefore whereas Vincentius ad- 
 \ifes thefe Prayers to be us'd as an after remedy for 
 fuch Infants as had died without being partakers of Bap- 
 tifm .- St. Auftin en this account lays (z%), Do not believe, ( 2 3) L° ?. fe 
 nor fay, nor tench, that the Sacrifice rf Chriftians is to be IZ ° 
 tfferd for fuch as die unbaptized, if you will be a Catho- 
 lic. For neither do you focw that that Sacrifice of the 
 Jews which .you mention out of the Bcoly of the Maccha- 
 bees was offer d for fuch as died uncircumcifed. In which 
 four Opinion fo new, andfet np againft the Authority of the - J 
 
 whole Church, ckc. 
 
 . $. 4. I have recited thefe pafftges the larger, and in 
 ifinccntiuss own words, becaufe there has been lately £ 
 hot difpute between Colonel Danvers an Antipacdobap- 
 lift, on one fide, and Mr. Baxter and Mr. Wills on the 
 other, whether this Vincentius denied Infant Baptifm. You 
 may judge by what I have rehearfed of Vincentius's own 
 Words, that the Colonel undertook a hard task. Yet 
 he maintain'd his Poft a great while , referring the 
 Reader for proof io Auftin and Tho. ff'aldenfis, jivlych' j» * ,3 
 
 latter lived but about 300 years ago. But his Antagonists 
 fearching and recitrng the places to which he had re- 
 ferr'd,made it plain, that neither of 'em had faid any other 
 thing of Vincentius's Opinions than what is to the fame 
 purpofe with that which. I have here recited from 
 himfelf. This had been, enough to. damp the .Courage 
 of an ordinary Man ; but he being thus home-char- 
 ged, and not ufed to yield, faid at 1 aft (24), He de^(ia) Seccnc. 
 vied it, as the denial if Infant Baptifm went in thefe Reply, p. ij* 
 days, vis. that Children might be faved without it.. The 
 fenfe of which words, if they have any, is this, Thar 
 no Body in thole clays denied infant Baptifm any o- 
 rhcruife than by faying that Ch/'dvcn might be iav'd. 
 
 U witftciit 
 
290 Cwwa/p/ Carthage, anno 419. Chap. XX. 
 
 Year after the without it- ; which is to yield the whole matter in 
 Apoftles3i9. difpute about the practice of thofe times, for fear of 
 S - /, ""V" > ^- - ' feeming to yield in one particular. 
 
 The truth of the matter is, that if we except Ter- 
 tuUian (whofe words I (hewed before to be ambigu- 
 ous and inconfiftent) this Vincentius is the nrft Man 
 upon Record that ever faid that Children might be 
 Javcd without Baptilm ; if by being faved we mean 
 going to Heaven, for that many before him thought 
 they would be in a ftatc without punilhment, I have 
 (hewed betore. 
 
 §. 5. Vincentius does not fpeak pofitively neither, and 
 that which he did fay, he, fometime after he had re- 
 ceived thefe Books of St. Aufiin wrote againft him, 
 recanted. This St. Aitjlin lets us know in the Review 
 . x tj etra . of his own "Works, written feven years afterthis time (2,5). 
 #at 1 2 c" ^ or tnere fpeaking of thefe Books which he had wrote 
 «*" * in anfwer to Vincentius, he adds, Which yoiing Man I 
 
 treated with all toe Mildnef pffible, di one that was not 
 haflily to be detefled, but to be as yet inftrutled ; and I 
 received from him Writings in anfwer, containing his re- 
 cantation. 
 
 $. 6. Here is a proper place to fay fomethir.g of that 
 
 fi6) CH. Claufe, which I faid even now (26) is found in fome 
 
 KIX. §. 37. Copies of the Canons of the Council of Carthage, an. 
 
 418. annexed as a part of the fecond Canon. It is 
 
 this, 
 
 Item flacuit, ut ft quis dicit ideo dixiffe Dominum, 
 In domo Patris mci manfiiones multae funt, ut intelli- 
 vatur, quia in regno ccclorum erit aliquis medius, aut 
 ullus aUcubi locus ubi beatg vivant parvuli qui fine baj>- 
 tifmo ex has vita migrarunt ; fine quo in regno \J. reg- 
 nurti] ccclorum, quod eft vita tcterna, intrare non poffunt, 
 Anathema fit. 
 
 * Alfo it has feemed good to us, that if any one 
 
 * affirm that our Lord did therefore fay, In my Fathers 
 
 * Houfe are many Manfions ; that it fhould be meant, 
 
 * that there will be in the Kingdom of Heaven any 
 
 * middle place, or any place any where, in which Infants 
 
 * may live in bleffednefs that have died without Bap- 
 
 * tifm ; without which they cannot enter into the King- 
 
 * dom of Heaven (which is all one as eternal Life) he 
 
 * fhould be Anathema. 
 
 Moft 
 
Chap. XX. Council cf Carthage, anno 419. 291 
 
 Moft pare of the Copies have nor, as I faid before, Year after the 
 this CJaufe. But it is found in feveral. Mr. du P/?j A pottles 319. 
 mentions an old MS. than has it, aud fays that Phcti- *~S~\/ *-*■ 
 us cites it; and that the Codex publilh'd by Qucfr.ellus 
 has it in. Cardinal Nona que tes it, but thinks i: fpu- 
 rious. And thefe Antipsedobapufts that examin'd Walls's 
 Appeal agair.ft Darners, lay thst they find it in the Ccl- 
 tcctio i\?gin.Te)?i. 4. fag. 559. The Critics have not, as 
 I know of, given any account cf this difference in the 
 Copies ; of which I will here give my Conjecture. 
 
 I believe the Canon, as it was firft enacted and pub- 
 lifh'd (which was as I fr.ewed before in the Council in 
 M.iy 4 iS) had not this Claufe. But F. Garnrr{i'j) and(27) Differ. 
 Biinop Vf:er before him (28], have plainly fliewn that dc Synods in 
 there was Injuns the next year, <sd%. 419, another Coun- causa Pelagi- 
 cil of the Bifhops of all the Provinces cf Africa, in which an ^« 
 the Canons of the former Council were read over and confirm- j^?/ Ecclct 
 tii andalfo as EifacpVJber has it) Scttx pxuit'ar Mat- Bnt ' kmi * 
 ter azainfi the Pclaeiah Tenets enacted. He docs not give c ' ro P ro P e 
 any guels what thai peculiar matter Ihould be : But he 
 proves that there was fome fuch thing, partly from PrcJ- 
 per> and partly from this following pafTage of St. Au- 
 ftin in his Letter to Valentintii (29). What xvas written to(2y) Epift. 
 Pope Zofimus/rw» the African Council; and his Letter to ^ti- 
 the Bifhops of all the World ; and what we did in the follow- 
 ing plenary Council of all Africa, ehaEl in feert againfi that 
 error. That plenary Council which he calls the following 
 one, and places after %pfirhtKS Letter, muft have been in 
 419. (ince I (hewed before that that Letter was after the 
 Council in 41S. 
 
 I alfo (hewed before, at 5. 1. that this new Fanfie of 
 Vincc-ntim was publilh'd and canvafs'd in the time that 
 palled between thole two Councils, vi%. in the latter end 
 of the year 418, or in the beginning cf the year 419. 
 And it was publilh'd Mauritania Cxfhrienjit, one of the 
 African Provinces : For there Vincentim liv'd, as St. An- 
 ftin tells us (30) ; and it had icmeFollpwers ; for he fpeaks <? j R eti - a . 
 of one Peter a Presbyter that among others embraced it. ftat.L 2, t s<S ; 
 
 I believe then that the Canon of 41 & had only fo much 
 as is in the ordinary Copies: but that iheBifnops meeting 
 in 419, and underftanding that this Opinion had been, 
 fincc their laft Meeting, vented in cne of their Provin- 
 ces, tofupport by a new Saho the Pelagian Hypothefis- 
 they then added to the fecond Canon, which Ipoke cf 
 ■ -■. :h ; ] CJaule. 
 
 M T 
 
291 Council 0/" Carthage, anno 419. Chap. XX. 
 
 \ ear after the My chief reafon is, becaufe this Addition recites the 
 Apoftles3*9. very words of Vincent tus, and dees condemn 'em in al- 
 ipoft the fame words which St. Aufkin had us'd in the Con- 
 ization of em, as will ar pear to any one that will turn 
 back to §. 2, 3. And the Fanfie was fo new and uncouth, 
 that no Council could have thought of it, but on fuch a 
 particular occaiion. 
 
 And I believe the reafon why moft Copies of that 
 Council do now want this Claufc, is, 
 
 I. Becaufc the Canon having been firft publifli'd with- 
 out it, many Copies went abroad before that Appendix 
 was added. And, 
 
 l. Becaufe the modern Church of Rome has fet up an 
 Hypothecs fo like this of Vincentius, and their limb us in- 
 fantum does fo nearly refemble his feigned P/iradife, be- 
 ing as that was, a kind of middle place ; that thofe of 
 that Church who had the tranferibing of Copies, did not 
 like well of an Anathema denoune'd againft fuch an Q- 
 pinion. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Chap. XXL The Sectaries owned Infant Baptifm. 293 
 
 Yearafter the 
 
 Apofrlesfrom 
 
 CHAP. XXL 6 Z^ 3 ^ 
 
 Jren<euS) Epipbanins y Thilaftrius, St. Au- 
 
 ft in and Tlieodoret who wrote each 
 
 of 'em Catalogues of all the Seels 
 
 and Sorts of Chriftians that they 
 
 knew or had ever heard of, do 
 
 none of 'em mention any that de- ' 
 
 nied Infant Baptifm, except thofe 
 
 who denied all Baptifm. 
 
 §. . r """| """^He Chriftians have always been of two Torts, 
 w£.Carholics,who, tho' they inhabited feveral 
 -A- Countries, yet did all own Communion one 
 with another, and io made one Catholic Body, or 
 Church ; and Sectaries or Heretics, who renounced the 
 Catholic Body aforefaid, and feparated into feveral Par- 
 ties on account of fome Tenets Opinions, or Practices 
 in Religion, which they held different from the Ca- 
 tholic Church ; orfometimes merely on account of lomc 
 quarrel with the Governors thereof. The Church of 
 Chrift never was, nor ever in this World will be fo hap- 
 py as to be without luch Seels and Divifions. But woe 
 be to the Men by whom they come. 
 
 The Quotations hitherto produced do concernthe pra- 
 ctice of rhe Catholics in this matter or Ihrant Baptifm, 
 laving that here and there by rhe bye there has been 
 mention made of the Tenets of fome of the Heretics 
 or Schifmatics. As of the Donntifts, CH. f X. §. i . CH. XV. 
 Sett. 4. §. 4, CH. XVI. §. i, a. And of the Anans, CH. XII. 
 §. 9, 10. And of the Pelagians, CH. XIX. p?r totum* 
 Of all whom it appears that they practised Infant Bap- 
 tifm, as the Catholics did, and that without any difference 
 of Opinion concerning the ufe or effacl: of it, five that 
 zhePelagians he'd that it was not for the Cure of o- 
 nginal Sin., bar for other purpofes. Alio we faw in* 
 " ■ U 3 the 
 
294 TheSeflarics owned Infant Baptifm. Chap.XXI. 
 
 Year after the the faid CH. XIX. thefevcral Declarations of St. Au- 
 Apoiiles from Jlin at §. 17. pleading, that he had never heard, and 
 67 to 330. of PeLigius at §.30. granting that he alfo had never 
 •**-S~V~*** heard of any Seel or Sort of Chriftians that denied In- 
 fant Baptifm. And that which they two do lay there 
 in general, I find to be agreeable to the account 
 that is given by all the reft that write Hiftories of 
 the icveral Seels in particular , vi%. that among all 
 that vaft number of Sects, and their feveral Opinions 
 which they recite, they mention none that denied Bap- 
 tifm to Infants. 
 
 They do indeed each of 'em mention fome Sects that 
 ufed no Baptifm at all, of which Seels I do give a Ca- 
 it) CH. V. talogue in the fecond part of this Work (1). St. Aujlm 
 obferves they were all of 'em fuch as difowned alfo the 
 Scripture, or a great part thereof. But my meaning is, 
 that of ali the Sects that own'd any Water Baptifm at 
 all, they mention none that denied it to Infants. 
 
 Now fince they do all of 'em make it their bufinefs to 
 rehearfe all the Tenets, Opinions and Ufages, which 
 thefe Men held different from the Catholic Party, and 
 yet do mention no difference in this particular ; one 
 may conclude that they all of 'em practis'd in this parti- 
 cular as the Catholics did. If the Catholics had not 
 baptiz'd Infants, and the Sectaries had ; it would have 
 been noted. And if the Catholics did baptize 'em, and 
 the Seels had not; that alio would have been noted. For 
 they recite all that each c ect had lingular. And they 
 mention differences of much Iefs moment than this would 
 have been. Now what Evidence there is of the practice 
 of the Catholics in this matter muft be left to be judged 
 by him that has read the foregoing' Chapters ; for the 
 Authors cited in them were all Members of the Catho- 
 lic Church, fave that Tertullian afterward revoked from 
 it, and Pclagius with his Followers were Excommunica- 
 ted out of it. 
 
 f. z. The fhft Treatife concerning SeBl or Here/i?s, that 
 is extant, was written by Ircnxus. He, about 20 years 
 *f- after St. -John's death, was a hearer of Polycarp (S. Johns 
 7* Difciple and Acquaintance) at Smyrna ; and about Forty 
 Stvcn years after that, was made Bifhcp of Lyons in 
 France; fo that having liv'd and convers'd in fuch diftant 
 Countries, and with fuch Men, he had an opportu- 
 nity of knowing what Se&s there were or had been. 
 He wro:e el lis Xract about the year after the Apoftles 
 
 death 
 
Chap.XXT. Ireno:us , y account of the firfl Setts. 295- 
 
 death 76 or 77, as I ihew'd before in CH. HI. §. 6. He Ycara r ter the 
 Hentions the Sects that arofe in the time or' the Apoftles, A pol ties from 
 aid thole that had fprung up in the 76 years that had 67 to 330. 
 p<lTed fince their death. w""v 
 
 They were all of 'cm but a few in Comparifon of the 
 number that arofe afterward j but a great many consider- 
 ing the time that had then palled. He takes mofc pain's 
 in refiling the Valentinians, who, it teems, were moft 
 numerals at that time and place. But he lays himlelf 
 that hii purpolc was to rehcarfc all than were, or had 
 been ; which was eafie to do for fo fhort a fpace. 
 
 Afte - much Difcourfe againft the Valentinians, he 
 goes to prove that they derived their Opinions, net 
 from Chnft or his Apoftles, but from the former Here- 
 tics wlich had in the Apoftle'stimefetthemlelvcs againft 
 the Apcftles. Thefe are his words (z), (2] Lib i.e. 
 
 • Since then that there is manifold Evidcr.ce againft all 19. 
 tl e Seel;, and that my purpefc is to confute each of 'em ac- 
 cording io their fever al Tenets, I think, it proper in the firfl 
 place to recount from what fountain and Original they 
 
 Then he declares how Simon, the Magician, mention- 
 ed by Sl Luke ("3), was the firft , who, after he was re-ffo) Afts?.9. 
 jeCted by the Apoftles, letup a Sect, and taught that this 
 World was made, not by the gcoi and fupremc God, 
 but by inferior and evil Powers ; and proceeds in the 
 following Chapters to fr.ew that this impious Tenet 
 made a main part in the Doctrine, not only of the 
 Valentinians, againft whom he was principally engag'd, 
 but alio of moft of thole Eder ones that had follow- 
 ed Simon's example in letting up Seels. For the lame 
 thing was taught by Mcnandsr, SaPurninw, Bifiiides,Car- 
 ■pocrates, Cerinthm, Cerdo and Marciou, as well as by Va- 
 lentir.us. And fo it was, after Irenxus's rime, by Manes 
 and the Manichees. 
 
 Of thefe Heretics mentioned by him, the two firft, Si- In t!i e Apo- 
 mon and Mcnander do fecm to have Ondeavour'd to obli- ft' cs iir > v -- 
 Iterate the Memory of Jcfus Chriji ; for each of them 
 pretended himfelf to be (4 J that great finer of God {vi%. (|) Jrenanis, 
 of the fupreme God]] that was to redeem Men from the 1- *• c ^°,2i. 
 Malice and Tyranny of that Angel, or inferior God that 
 made the World, and gave the Lav,'. 
 
 U 4 The 
 
ip 6 An account of the Jirfi Seels. Chap. XXI. 
 
 In the Apo- The two next, Saturmnm and Bafilides owned Jefu 
 
 files time. Chrijl that came in JueLea ; but they owned only hfe 
 
 * W ^V~^' - ' Divine Nature (5). Fcr they faid he was not really a 
 
 (5; Ibid. c. Man, nor did really die, but only in appearance. 
 
 22, 23. yfog rwo f5 Cxr? Carpocratcs and Cerinthtu, (6) owaed. 
 
 (6) Ibid. c. h™ t0 ^ e a ^ an anc * a Saviour ; but not to be God, nor 
 
 24, 25, to have had any being before his humane Birttj only, 
 
 they faid, a Divine Power from the Supreme Gcd came 
 
 down at a certain nine upon him, and dwelt n him, 
 
 which enabled him to do what' he did: This laft O- 
 
 pinion is now going to be reviv'd. 
 
 All thefe three branched of Herefie arofe wiile St. 
 $obn was alive, and (o did the Ebionites and Nialaitans, 
 (7)Iren. ] 1. wn ' cn he mentions (7) likewife. Thefe did not join in 
 c= 16 27, * trie forefaid Blafphemy againft the Creator of theWorld. 
 But had other abominable Tenets. The Niblaitarit 
 chiefly in reference to practice, allowing Fornicati- 
 on, &:. And the Ebionites in point of Faith, disbeliev- 
 ing the Divinity of oar Saviour, ("as the CerinthUns and 
 Carpocratians) and renouncing and railing at the Apo- 
 ftle Pr.nl, and all his Writings, which do now make 
 one half, and at that time made the much greater! part 
 of the Scriptures of the New Teftament, for St. Joki 
 had not written when they fee up their Seel:. This 
 would make one ftand amaz'd at the Impiety of thofe 
 iVien now a-days, that calling themfelvcs Chriftians, 
 would yet perfwade us that thefe Ebionitet were the 
 true Chriftians of thofe times, that they were the Or- 
 thodox, and thofe whom we call Catholics, were Er- 
 roneous. The tendency of fuch a Tenet is to perfwade 
 us, together with the Doctrine' of Chrift's 1 Divinity to 
 renounce alfo half the Bocks of the New Teftament. 
 As St. John liv'd to fee all thefe Herefies vented, fo one 
 may perceive that he at fcveral places of his Writings 
 eppoies himfelf to fuch Opinions. 
 
 Of Sects that had afifen after the death of the Apo- 
 ftles, he mentions (8) the Ericratites, the Cnians, the Sects 
 (8j Ibid. e. of Cerdd, of Mavcim, atodof Valcntinus. The four laft 
 ^8,2© ; 3o,35. f tne r e were an offspring of thofe firft mentioned ("who 
 were by a general name call'd Gnoftia) and did all agree 
 with them in the point aforemention'd, That the Maker 
 of Heaven and Earth is not the luprcme God ; brit 
 th : there is another far above him ; and that it was 
 d&t upper one that fent the Saviour. 
 
Chap. XXI. And of their ways of Baptijm. 297 
 
 It was fn oppofltion to this Tort of Heretics that the In the Apo- 
 Carholic Church found it neceffary to infert that Claufe, ftles time. 
 THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, into w^v^-* 
 the firft Article of the. Creed. For the mcfi Ancient 
 Creeds had no more in that Article than, I believe in 
 God the Father Almighty. The Eaflem Church, where 
 thofe Herefics were moft rife, inferred it firft j and the 
 Latins from them. The Lathis had it not in their 
 Creed at the year 400. Without that Claufe, the Ma- 
 nichees, Gnoflics, &c. would fay they bcliev'd in God 
 the Father Almighty ; but would mean a quire diffe- 
 rent God from him whom the Chriftians own'd, who 
 always meant the Creator of the World, and Author of 
 the Old Tcftament to be the fame with the Father of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 . It pleafed God by his Providence fo to order it, that 
 tho' fome Herefies were very Ancient, yet they are all 
 fo abfurd, that they can tempt no Man of ordinary fin- 
 cerity that reads the Scriptures. 
 
 The points concerning Baptifm in which Ircnxus 
 Notes any of the faid Sects to have held any thing fin- 
 gular, are thefe : 
 
 Mcnander promis'd (9) that all that would be Bap- fg\ j^y. c< 
 tad with his Baptifm [or, Baptipn in his name} fhould 2 i, 
 preienriy have a Refurredticn, and after chat (hould ne- 
 ver Die nor grow Old, but be Immortal. Whereupon 
 Tertullian, about 100 years after Menander's death, Chal- 
 lenges (re) that Sect to produce any of their Fellows (f o) De ani- 
 that had been Baptiz'd by Mcnander himfeif, that were ma, c. 50. 
 yet alive. 
 
 The Carpqcratians Ear-mark *d their Profclytcs ; and( IX ) [_. Im 
 that, as I underftand Iremcus (1 1 ), went for their Bartifm. c . 24, 
 They burned a hole in the binder p.trt cf the lap of the right 
 ear. Here let me add a few of the next words,tho' not to 
 thispurpofe. They call themj elves Gnbftks [i. e. The Men 
 of kiiove!cdgc~\ they ufe alfo certain Images, Come fainted, 
 and feme carved ; and Jay, they are Piduhs of Cbrijl drawn 
 fcjr^ilate, while Jcfm liv'd among Men: On thefe they put 
 Garlands, and fit 'cm up together with the Images cf the 
 Philefcphers of the World, a> Pythagoras, Plato and Ari- 
 ftotle, Sec And they ufe all fuch Ceremonies to 'em as the 
 Heathens do. Thefe Men, and fome People at Paneas 
 mentioned by Eufebiut (iz) to have had the like Heat be--, \ - T „ 
 nifrt Fancy, as. he calls it Srff V orsof tfce wor-;i iZ ' f ^ 
 
 Hup 
 
 E.J. 
 7.c. i?. 
 t' 
 
19$ The various Interpretations Chap. XXL 
 
 In the Apo- ihip of Chrift by an Image, that are any where men- 
 fries time. tioncd. 
 
 The Valcntinians had feveral under-Sects, of which 
 henxus fpcaks particularly j and for their Baptifm, he 
 fays ( 1 3) they had as many forts of it as there were 
 Teachers among 'em ; but all contrary to the true. 
 Some inftead of Baptifm drefs'd up a Marriage-bed, 
 and with certain Prophane words ailed a Marriage of 
 the Perfon to Chrift. Others put the Perfon into the 
 Water indeed, but inftead of the ChriftianFormof Bap- 
 tifm us'd a ftrange and uncouth one which I have oc- 
 (T4) Pt. 2. cafion to repeat at another place ( 14) and anointed the 
 CH. V. §. r. baptiz'd Perfon with Balfam. There are fome of 'em, 
 fays Irenaus, who thinly it needleji to bring the Perfon to the 
 PVatcr at all, hut mixing Oyl and Water together they four 
 it on his head [by which words of his, and by a thou- 
 land other inftances it appears that the Catholics did 
 ordinarily put the whole Body into the Water] and 
 they ufe certain words not much different from thofe I 
 mentioned before, and they will have this to be Redempti- 
 on [or, Baptifm] and thefe alfo ufe Balfam. Others of 
 'cm uled r.o Water at all, nor other external Ceremo- 
 ny ; but faid, fpiritual Baptifm which confifts in the 
 kjiowledge of the unfpeak/ib'e Majefcy is all in all. 
 
 §. 3. Some of 'em did pour Oyl and Water on the 
 heads of People newly dead, with fuch Words and Im- 
 precations as he had before mentioned ; and they told 
 the dead Man's Soul what it ftiould fay," if in its way 
 to the fupreme Heaven, i: (houifl meet with any of the 
 Principalities or Powers that belong to him that made 
 |his World. The Soul was to fay, that it was better than 
 the Power that made them. And a great deal more fuch 
 Blafphemous Stuff. 
 
 Irenaus excufes himfelf from defcending to more par- 
 ticularities : For that they inventing every day new 
 Ways and Opinions, it was cndlels to delcnbe 'em 
 all. 
 
 As to the Corinthians and Marcionites he is very 
 
 fhori, and fays nothing about their Baptifm. But Ejpi- 
 
 (i5)Ha;r.28. phanius (15J fpcaks of a Tradition that the Ccrinthians 
 
 did vie to Baptize fome living Perfon in the ftcad of 
 
 any Friend of theirs that had happen'd to die unbap- 
 
 tiz'd ; and that it was in relation to fuch a practice 
 
 (16) 1 Cor. tna - t he Apoftle fays [16), If there be no fafurretlion of 
 
 xy ar. 
 
Chap. XXI. of Baptifm for the dead, i Cor. 1 5. 29. 299 
 
 the dead, why are they then baptised for the dead ? And In the Apc- 
 Sr. Cbryfoflom in his Explication of that Text, lays, files time, 
 that the Marcionites did the fame. And Tertullian in '^^V^*-^ 
 his Fifth Book againft Marcion (17,), fpeaks of thatCu- ('7) C. 10. 
 ftom, and the Apoftles mentioning of it, but (hews thac 
 his mentioning it is no Evidence that he approved it. 
 The Comments afcribed to St. Ambrofc, do alio fo Inter- 
 pret the place. 
 
 There arc two Objections againft that Interpreta- 
 tion. 
 
 I. One is, that the Marcionites for certain, and pro- 
 bably the Ccrinthians were not in being when that A- 
 poftle wrote, Ccrinthus had a Party before St. John's 
 death; but this Epiftlc of St Paul was a long time be- 
 fore that. 
 
 Therefore Scaliger and others think that fome zea- 
 lous, but ignorant People, among the Catholics had up- 
 on a fenfe of the neceflity of Baptifm begun thisCuftom 
 in St. Paul's time, and that in the Catholic Church it 
 was quickly left off, but that it was continued afterward 
 among the Cerinthians and Marcionites. 
 
 z. The other is, that St. Paul would not probablv 
 draw an Argument for the RefurreClion of the dead 
 from fo weak a Topic as the practice either of abo- 
 minable Heretics or miftaken Chriftians. 
 
 Butthefe Men do not feem to have minded that S. Paul 
 doesfomctimestake in the fuffrages even of HeathenMen 
 in his arguings. He might reafonably enough propofe to 
 himfelf to fliame thofe among the Chriftians at Corinth 
 that did not believe the Refurrection, by inftancing in 
 the general aflent that was given to that Article a- 
 mong all Chriftians, and even among thole who 
 how much focver they might be miftaken in thinking 
 that that Vicarious Baptifm would avail the dead, yet 
 did plainly fhew that they fully believ'd the R.efurrecti- 
 on of the dead, when they practifed this fort of Bap- 
 tifm for them. / 1 on Vpr*«i 
 Inis Interpretation is certainly the molt oovious. jj an contra 
 And it is lomcthing confirmed by the ill fuccefs of thole Marcion. 1. ' 
 that have attempted any other. That bapti^dfor the deed 5. c. 10. 
 fhfimld ftand in Itead of baptised for their Bodies (18). Or (r^Chryfoft. 
 that for the dead fhould be Conftru'd for the flat c of in loo 
 the dead(i()) ; or, for their dead Adam (20) ; or, why are (20) Voflius 
 they bapti^d for the dead} i c Why arc perfons ready de baptifino, 
 
 t0 Difp 12. th.i 
 
300 Sects that I apt he d dead People. Chap. XX[ 
 
 In the Apo- to die defirous of Baptifm that it may be well with 'cm 
 ^L^i£^, after they are dead (21) ? Or, &at fab KKfSv fliouid be 
 
 (21) Epipb. Trnnflated, ever the dead, i. e. why do Peopic choofe to rc- 
 H^er. 28. ' ce * ve l ^ e ' 1T Bapiifm at theTombs of dead Martyrs ("22). Or 
 
 (22) Pruden. r ^ at baptist for the dead lhould mean nothing but wafti'd 
 hymn. 8. n f ter the touch of a dead Body (23}. Thefe are the Ef- 
 
 (23) Vafqtiez fays of Learned Men. But the more one obferves the 
 in tertiam Apoftle's Phrafe, the lets probable they appear. 
 
 Difp. 157. The lateft that has been given, is, I think, the worft ; 
 
 Why are they baptised for the dead ? That is, Wby are 
 new Chriftians bapti^d every day in the room of thofe thc.t 
 
 (24) Mr. Le die ? (24) For that rits neither the Phrafe nor the fcope 
 Ckrc. Aimot. f the place. 
 
 'TtIj tcov vtKfav for UTSf Ttiv Tuv viiCfav ivazcLftv 
 
 (25) Ham- (25) upon the Faith of the Hefurrcciion of the dead, would 
 inondinloc. fit the fenfe very well ; but it is a great ftretch of 
 
 the words. Baptised for dead, i. e. buried under water 
 
 (26) Sir Nor -for dead, or, as if they were dead (26), is a mere An- 
 tonKnatch- glicifm, that would never in Greel^ have been exprefs'd by 
 bull. fcrif vtK?ay, but «fSi ViK^ol. 
 
 (27) In Ioc. Sc> chryfiftoms Objedion (27) againft this fenfe of 
 
 the place, that St. Paul fliouid refer to fuch a Cuftom 
 among tome Chriftians, is this, If Paul meant fo, to what 
 purpof'e is the threat ning of God againft one that is not bap- 
 ti^d ? For if thujhift [yi^. of a living Perfon to be 
 baptiz'd for one that is dead] be admitted, none will e- 
 ver mijl of Baptifm ; or, if he do, ' 'twill be the fault of 
 thofe that furvive, and not of the dead Perfon. But St. 
 Chryfflom docs not feem to have confider'd, that fas 
 Tertullian faysj the Apoftle might mention this Cuftom 
 without approving it. Tho* a miftaken practice, yet 
 it (hewed ftill the Faith of the Rcfurreclion. 
 
 The M.ircionites had alfo feveral other ftngular O- 
 pinions about Baptifm. They would Baptize no mar- 
 ried Perfon till he did Divorce his Wife : For they 
 faid that Marriage and all the works thereof were 
 wicked things, and were ordcr'd by that evil God or 
 Angel that gave the Law* and made Mankind. Hence 
 (2a) Contra fertullian jeers 'em (28), faying, that they referved a 
 Marcionem, Man > s s a pnf,n till he was divorcd or dead. 
 .. 4. c. 11. What Irenxus here fays of one fort of the Valentiniavs 
 
 , . thatthev baptized fomc Perfons after they were dead, Ihi- 
 
 (29; Hi-.. ; t .fi,: us f a y S ZCj \ wasthecommonTenetofthe Montamfts, 
 Catapiiry- or > Cati Himorruos bmitm. Thefe -baptize Peo- 
 
 gUffi. f - ) ', 
 
Chap. XXI. Setts that baptized dead People. 1 10 
 
 pic after they are dead. There were alio here and In the Apo- 
 there ibme in the Catholic Church, who, thro' a mi- jS&jj^^y 
 ftaken Zeal and. Comraifion to Perfcns that died un- v-/ ^ v ^ 
 bapciz'd, would fometimes do the lame. For there is a 
 Canon in the third Council of Carthage againft that 
 practice. That Council allows, fick People to be bap- 
 ciz'd tho' they be fpcechlefs, if there be good Evider.ce 
 of their fitnefs and defire of it (30). Bu: yet they fay r » r 
 
 (3i\ Let not any Priejls ie Co ignorant as to think thai i'vF 30 "^!' 
 
 ) j < n 1 1 1 *• >j (3i;Cinono, 
 
 dead Perjons may he vapti^d. ^ ' 
 
 Inasmuch as Iren.eus, among all thefe Obfervations, 
 fays nothing pro or contra about baptizing Infants a- 
 mong the Heretics ; it may, as I faid, be concluded 
 that they had nothing Angular in that point, but pra- 
 ctis'd as die Catholics did. And for the Catholics, I 
 produced before (31) the faying of Ircn.eus himfelf, where .,'32) CH. IIL 
 he fpeaks of Infants Being, as well as grown Peribns, §. 2. 
 the ordinary Subject of Regeneration. And that by re- 
 generated, he and all the Ancients did understand bnp- 
 ti~~d, whatever Pains mieht be neceffary to (hew it 
 then in that Chapter, I fuppofe there is none needful 
 now ; becaule the Reader has fince that feen that ail 
 the Authors do fpeak in that Language. 
 
 §. 4. The other four, Epipbanim, Pbilaftriw, Auflin From 2650 
 and Theodoret were all living at one time ; only £/>/- to 3 5 ->, 
 wbnnius was the eldeft, and Theodoret the youngeft. I 
 (hall not with thei'e take the fame Pains as I did with 
 Irenxus , of letting down all the Cuftoms cr Te- 
 nets that they recount the fevcral Sects to have 
 held different from the Catholics, in the matter of Bap- 
 tifm : |It would be too Voluminous. 'Tis fufficientthac 
 they do none of 'em mention any thing concerning In- 
 fant Baptifm either as practls'd, or as not practis'd by 
 any of the Sectaries (a plain proof that they held no- 
 thing in that point different from the ordinary pra- 
 <5tice of the Church) fare that St. Aujiin notes of the 
 Peiigir.ns (which is in his account the 88th and laft He- 
 roine that had arifen) that tho' they agreed with the 
 Church that Infants are to be baptiz'd, yet they held 
 a different Opinion concerning the ground or reaicn 
 of their Baptifm ; his words are thefe ^33), Parvulos 0(33) Lib.& 
 tiam r.ezant (ecundu-n Ad.cm carnaliter nates cont r.ziurn bserefibos. t 
 moitu antiqu.e prima nativitate contrahere. Sic cnim kb, 
 '. .- fine ullo p c .;:r.ti originalis vinculo ajferunt nnfci, ut 
 
 frerfus 
 
3 O z iVriters that fa y nothing of Infant Baptifm. C. 2 r . 
 
 Year after the prorfus nan fit quod eis of or teat fecunda ?iativitate dimit- 
 Apolllesfrom ti ; fed eos propterea bapti^ari, ut regeneration adopt at I 
 265 to 3 50. admittantur adregnum Dei, &c. 
 Vw^-V^**-/ 1 They do alfo deny that Infants which are defcend- 
 
 * ed from Adam according to the Flefh, do, by their 
 
 * firft Birth, contract any Contagion of the anciently 
 ' threatncd death (for they affirm them to be born 
 
 * without any bond of original Sin) fo that there is no- 
 thing in them that needs to be forgiven by the fe- 
 cond Birth ; but that they are baptiz'd for that reafon 
 that being by this Regeneration adopted, they may 
 be admitted to God's Kingdom ; being by this re- 
 newal advanced from a good ftate to a better, but 
 not abfolved from any ill ftate of the old Obligati- 
 on. For, tho' they be not baptized, thefe Men do 
 promife 'em a certain eternal and happy Life -, not 
 in the Kingdom of God indeed, but of a peculiar 
 fort. 
 
 This was the only SecT: that he knew of, he fays 
 (34.) SeeCH (l^> t " iat; denied Infant Baptifm to be for original Sin. 
 XIX <i. ' "^ ^ or an y t ^ iat denied K abfolutely, he knew of none 
 at all. 
 
 Mr. Tombs being to anfwer Mr. Marfoal, who had pro- 
 duced a great many of the Fathers that fpeak of Infants 
 as baptiz'd, makes this Exception, That there are feve- 
 ral others of 'em that have nothing at all of that mat- 
 (35)Examen. ter - Jt JS wonder to me, fays he {35}, that if it were fo 
 pag. 9. manijefi a> you fpeal^, y 011 fhould find nothing in Eufebius for 
 
 it j nor in Ignatius, nor in Clemens Alexandrinus, nor in 
 Athanafius, nor in Epiphanius. 
 
 The Objection is but weak ; for there is no Age of 
 the Church in which one may not find many Bcoks 
 that fay nothing of that matter, becaufe they treat of 
 Subjects on which they have no cccafion to fpeak of 
 that. Ignatius wrote nothing but a few Letters to the 
 Neighbouring Churches to exhort 'em toconftancyin that 
 time of Perfecution. Athanafius was wholly taken up about 
 the Trinity. Clemens Alexandrinus with the Heathen 
 Philofophers. Eufebius writes the Chronicles of the 
 SuccefTion of Kings, Emperors, Biihops and the ftate 
 of the Church, either fiouriflung or perfecuted, under 
 each of them c 
 
 But 
 
C. 2 1 . A Seel that held that no Infant could he faued. 305 
 
 But I think Mr. Tombs could not well have faid a Year after the 
 more unlucky thing for his own caufe, than to inftance Apo'.tles from 
 in Efiiphaniusl For fince he wrote nothing to fpeak of, 2 ^5 to 350. 
 but a Catalogue of thofe Opinions which the feveral '-'v'^"' 
 Sectaries held contrary to the Church ; to plead, that 
 he fays nothing of Infants Baptifm, is in effect to ghc 
 an Argument that there never was any Seel: that in 
 that matter practis'd otherwife than the Church did in 
 Epipbdnius's time, who died after the year 400. And ^°°* 
 that the Church at that time ufed Infant Baptifm is fo 
 plain thai the Antipredcbaptifts do fe'dem deny k. 
 
 §.5. But Mr. Tombs gives an inftance of a cafe in" which 
 he thinks it would have been proper for Epiphanitis to 
 have mentioned Infant Baptifm, if it had then been in 
 univerfal ufe in the Church. For Epiph&nius gives an 
 account (36) of a Seel:, that had began about 100 years ,' 2 <<m * 7 
 before, called the Hierdcites ; who taught that no Infant 
 dying betore the ufe of reafon could come to the King- 
 dom of Heaven. Their reafon was, If any one ftrive 
 he is not crowned except he ftrive lawfully (37). How much 
 left can nn bif/int be crowned, who never firives at nil: (37) 2 Tis:« 
 They thought of the Kingdom of God in Heaven, ai 2t 5* 
 the Antipaedobaprifts do cf his Kingdom on Earth, that it 
 is no ftate for Babes. Now Mr. Tombs thinks that Et>i- 
 fhanius among the Arguments he brings that Infants 
 may be glorified, would have pleaded their Baptifm, if 
 the baptizing 'em had been ufualin the Church. 
 
 But he feems not to have confider'd, that Heretics 
 and Schifmatics don't ufe to be prevailed on by Argu- 
 ments drawn from the Practice or Doctrines' of "the 
 Church. And as for Arguments from Scripture, Epi- 
 phanius ufes thofe that do more exprcfly and immedi- 
 ately prove their admiffion into the Kingdom of God - 
 as that faying of our Saviour, Of fuch is the KJntdotn 
 cf God, &c. and is but fhort in all. 
 
 It might be objected again, that in all probability 
 thefe Heretics did not Baptize their own Children. If 
 they did, it could be only in profpect of fome bene^ 
 fit it might do 'em afterward, if they Ji\'d. Andifthev 
 did not baptize 'em, it had been proper for Epiphanuss to 
 mention that, as a thing wherein they differ'd from t he 
 Catholics, foppofing that the Catholics did baptize 
 theirs. 
 
 Put 
 
3°4 All the Setts reduced Chap. XXI, 
 
 *ear after die But upon a more careful reading : of their Opinions 
 Apofties 200. there rehears'd, it appears that they could haveijp Chil- 
 *- > ""V~' > - ' drcn. For one of their Tenets was, that all Marriage 
 and getting of Children is unlawful under the New 
 Teftament ; and that no married Perfon can inherit the 
 KJngdcm of Gcd. That the only end of Chrijts coming 
 was to fettle tin abfclute Continence. For what new thing 
 did he bring into the World elfe ? Againjl Malice, Covetouf- 
 neft, bijufiice, Fornication, &c. the Law had well enough 
 provided before. 
 
 Whether thefe Men would have Baptized their Chil- 
 dren, if they had had any, is uncertain. But thefirft 
 Body of Men we read of, that did deny Baptifm to In- 
 10 5°- fants, which were the Petrobrufians, Anno Dom. 1150. 
 
 did it upon a ground or reafon which they held com- 
 mon with thefe Men, vi%. that Infants, baptiz'd or not 
 baptiz'd, are incapable of the Kingdom of Heaven j as 
 I ihew in the fecond part of this work, CH. VII. §. 5. 
 
 ( «\'h 8 Epiphanius reckons in all 80 Hercfies, which he fays 
 13»; H*r.8o. ^ weye aU fhat be bnd henrd cj: in thc lVorUl He f?ys 
 
 nothing of their baptizing or not baptizing Infants. But 
 in the end cf his Work he recites the Faith held by the 
 Church, in Orpofition to all Hercfies. In fettling the 
 Article of his Faith he is large ; but he has alfo a 
 Few Words concerning the rites of the Church. He 
 mentions the Fafts and Feafts, &c. and he adds, As for 
 the other Ordinances concerning Baptifm and the internal 
 my ft cries ; as the Tradition of the G of pel and of the Apo- 
 Jtles is, fo they arc order d. And alter fomc mention of 
 the manner how the Catholic Church ufes the Pray- 
 ers, Pfalms, ways of relieving thc Poor, &c. He adds, 
 And for Baptifm, foe [/the Catholic Church] accounts 
 it to be in Chriji [or, to the Chriftians] inftead of the 
 old Circumcifion. The like he fays in his 8th. Chap- 
 ter, which is cf the Epicureans ; the Law had the Pat- 
 terns cf things in it ; but the Truth of 'em is in the Go- 
 fpcl. The Law had the Circumcifion in tie Fleflo, ferv- 
 ing for a time, till the great Circumcijin came, that is, 
 Baptifm; which Circumcifcs us from our Sins, andfealsus 
 unto the name cf God. 
 a ^ 3 « Philaftrius makes above 100 Hcrefies. He makes a 
 
 difference in Opinion about any trifling matter to be a 
 Herefie. He mentions no difpute about Infant Baptifm. 
 
 Thro- 
 
Chap. XXI. to four general Heads. 305 
 
 Theodoret has wrote in the beft Method about Herefies. Year after the 
 He has redue'd 'em to ibtne general Heads. He makes A pottles 
 four ; the firft, of thole before mentioned, and luch others ^^VX/ 
 as have denied that the World was made by God.33°> 
 The fecond, of thofc that have attributed to our Sa- 
 viour no other Nature than the Humane. The other 
 two, of other Sects. He lays, the firft fort had at that 
 time hardly any that adhered to them ; and the fecond 
 fort, none at all. He mentions fame Sects that ufed no 
 Baptifm at all, but it was only fomc of the molt abfurd 
 and impious. But of thole that uicd Baptifm, he has 
 none that renounced Infant Baptifm. After the four 
 Books of thefe four forts of Herefies, he adds a fifth, 
 which is, of the True and Orthodox Doctrines and Vfagcs 
 of the Church He mentions there the Baptifm of In- 
 fants, not as a thing difputed of, or denied by any Sect, 
 butoccafionally; fhewing the advantages of Baptifm, that 
 it conveys, not only Pardon for the Sins of Mens former 
 Life, but many other Graces ; he proves it by the Bar- 
 tifm of Infants, who have committed no Sin. The words 
 I had occafion to recite before (39O. There is another (39) ctf. " 
 Catalogue of Herefies at the end of Ten. de Prwfcript. XIV. §. 4. 
 But it hath nothing about Baptifm, fave that Menandcr 
 faid, none could be fav'd that were not baptiz'd in his 
 name, 
 
 CHAP, 
 
}06 References to Authors Chap. XXII. 
 
 Year after the 
 Apoftlesfrom 
 
 30010400. CHAP. XXII. 
 
 c^WJ 
 
 Containing references to the Books of 
 jome Authors of the next fucceeding 
 times. 
 
 §. i. r ~l "~^His is the beft account I can give of the 
 
 pafTages concerning Infant Baptifm that are 
 
 -A_ in the genuine Books of the Writers that 
 
 flourifhed from the Apoftles time to the year of Chrift 
 
 400. The reafon that I go no farther, is, becaufe for 
 
 the next 700 years the matter is clear. Yet of thofe 
 
 years and of the Waldenftes that arofe about the year 
 
 j&5©. n5°> I intend to difcourfe fomething in general in the 
 
 (40) Pt. 2. fecond part of this Work (40J. 
 
 CH. VII; And here, for the fake of thofe that have any mind 
 
 to trace the Quotations for about one hundred year 
 farther, I have let down fome references to the places 
 where they are to be found. To fet down the words 
 is too long, they being all to the fame efFed: with thofe 
 already rehearfed. 
 344; Pro/per, in almoft all his Works againft the PeLwian 
 
 and Semipelagian Tenets, makes ufe of the Arpurnenn 
 taken from the neceflity of the baptizing of Infants. 
 Particularly, 
 
 Epift. ad Auguftinum, prefixed to St. Auftins Book de 
 Prtdeftinatione SanBorum. 
 
 Epift. ad Dcmetriadem, among the Works of St. Am- 
 brose. 
 
 De vocatione Gentium, 1. 1. c. 16, 22. 1.2. c. 20 
 ill 1, 22, 23, G?c. I know it is queftion'd whether this 
 be Profper's, or Pope Leo's, or fome other Man's Work, 
 but 'tis much one to this purpofe, fince whoever he were, 
 he liv'd about this time. 
 
 Carmen dc Ingratis, cap, I, 6, 21, 30, 31, &; t 
 Contra Collator em, 
 
 Epift. 
 
Chap. XXII. of the next Century. 307 
 
 Epift. ad Rv.ftnum, circa medium. Year after the 
 
 Defenfio Auguftini. Apoftks 
 
 Or eft us Apologetic. 316. 
 
 Paulinus Diaconus, Libello ad Zofimum Papam. 320. 
 
 Hilarius Arclatenfis, Epift. ad Auguftinum. 33°» 
 
 MariusMercator. Commonitorii c. 1. 8c 4. 3I& 
 
 Pr.cfatione ad Subnotati'sncs. 
 Subnotat. c. 6. ir. 8. 
 C. cleft inus Papa, Epift. ad Maximian. apud Alia Co.l- 323, 
 cilii Ephefini. 
 
 Epift. ad G alios Epifcopos. 
 Epiftola Synodic a Concilii Ephefini ad C.clejlinum Papam, o, r 
 Autor Prtedeftinati, aSirmcndo editui, Par. 1643. 325, 
 
 PoJJidias in vita Auguftini. 330. 
 
 Autor Hypognofticov ', inter opera Auguftini, 1. 4, 5, & 33°t 
 pafFim. 
 
 Iftdorus Pelufiota, lib. 1. epift. 125. /. 3. epift. 195, &C 312J 
 Cajfianus, de incamatione Domini, lib. 5. c. 11. 324° 
 
 Cyrillus in Levi tic. 8. 312,. 
 
 Theodoretus in 1 Cor. 7. 14. 323. 
 
 Epitome Decret. Divin. lib. 5. 
 Leo magnus Papa, Epift. 37. <zd Neonem. 34 0< ? 
 
 E/>//?. 52. rfd Rufticum, cap. \6. 
 
 Epift. 86. ad Nicetam Ajuilcjicnfeyn. It. Epift. %%.ad 
 Epifcopos Germ. 
 All thefe were Contemporary with' St. Auftin, but 
 younger than he, and wrote before the year 450. And 
 in the next 50 or 60 years, thefe following. 
 
 Fauftm Reienfis. One of thofe then called Semipelagi* -_ 2 . 
 ans, de lib. Arbitrio, I. i.e. 1,2, 14. 
 
 Gennadius, One of the fame 3 de Eccleftajlicis Dogma* -a*, 
 tibus, c. 52. 
 
 And his Interpolator, a Roman, c. 31. 
 Fulgentim, a Roman, de 'veritate pradeftinationir, L t; 407* j 
 
 ^er totum. 
 
 De Incamatione & gratia Jefu Chrifti,c. 15, it,^ol 
 De Fide ad Petruni, c. 27, 30, c2?c. 
 De remijfionc peccatornm, I, 1. c. 14. 
 Epiftola Synodica Epijcoporum in Sardinia, exutum, B, 
 P. Col. 1618.T. 6. Depr.edeftinatione & gratia, c. 3. 
 
 Joannes Maxentiui. Catholica de Chrifto Profejfio, 
 frope ftnem. B, P, T. 6. 420J 
 
 The 
 
308 The Cafe of a Negro bapti£dwhcnfpeecblefs m 
 
 417. The Council of Gerunda, Can. 5. 
 
 424. The Council of Herds., Can. 13. 
 
 4 i 3« Vennndus £a Deacon of Carthage"] his Letter to Ful* 
 
 gentius about the Baptifm of a certain Negro. 
 
 4*3* Fulgent 1 us s Anfwer. 
 
 The Subftance of this laft mention'd Letter and the 
 anfwer to it, is this : A Gentleman of Carthage had 
 bought a Negro Slave, that had been brought out of 
 the inmoft and favage part of Africa, where Chriftia- 
 nity was not then, nor is yet, known. His Mafter had 
 caufed him to be inftrudted in the Faith : He was a 
 Catechumen for fome time, and at laft was admitted 
 Mmong the Competents for Baptifm. He had reheari- 
 ed in the Congregation the Creed, the Lord's Pray- 
 er, &c. and had made the ufual Renunciations of the 
 Devil, &c. as the Cuftom of that Church was for the 
 Competents to do fome days before their Baptifm ; and 
 at the time of Baptifm they ufed to do it, by way of 
 anfwer, again. But juft before the time in which he 
 was to be baptiz'd, he fell lick of fo ludden and vio- 
 lent a Fever, that at the time of Baptifm he was fpeech- 
 lefs, and without fenfe. They baptiz'd him however. 
 And we, fays F err andus, anfwer d in his name, as if it had 
 been for an Infant^ And he dying prefently after, never 
 underfiood, I believe, that he was baptiz'd. Now I intreat 
 your Opinion, whether hvs want of Speech will be no hin- 
 drance to his obtaining eternal Salvation* For I am much 
 afraid lefl our Lord, to whom all things are pojjible, did 
 therefore deny him the faculty of Speech, becaufe he thought 
 him unworthy of the benefit of the fecond Birth. For how 
 that Age of his that was capable of reafon, could be clean- 
 fed by another's Confcffion, I do not fee. For it is In* 
 fants only, who have no Sin but origiyial Sin, whom we be- 
 (ieve to be faved by the Faith of thofe that bring 'em, &c. 
 And if it be f aid, that the Confejfion he made before, when 
 he was well in his fenfe s, will avail for his forgivenefi I 
 don't fee how we can Ji and to that ; for then another will 
 conclude, that he would have been fav'd if he had had no 
 bodily Baptifm at all. And at that rate why might we not 
 baptise People after they are dead, if they be fuch whofe 
 * * ~ ...» devout a?id faithful purpofc was hjiown before ? I kjiow the 
 
 Cartha orciina V Canon (0 prefcribes that fick. Perfons that are 
 
 text" Cm 3d. not c t0 ma ^ e ^ 3C * n fver* Ma y be baptised ; provided 
 their Friends v>itt at their own peril teflifie that they had 
 
 fuck 
 
CXXH. The Sin of keeping Negroes wtbaptizd. 3 09 
 
 fuch a purpofe before their Sickyief. This indeed juftifies Yejr after th e 
 the Minifier in giving the Baptifm ; but I make fbme Apoftks 423. 
 tiueflion concerning the benefit that fuch a Perfon receives ""-^""V**—^ 
 by it. 
 
 The anfwer which the Bifhop Fulgentim gives ro this 
 fcruple, tends all toward the comforting Fcrranius con- 
 cerning his doubt of the Man's Salvation. He argues, 
 that all the Condition requir'd by our Saviour for adult 
 Perfons, being, that they Ihould believe and be baptiz'd; 
 this Man had both. That Faith and the profefhon of 
 it are the act of the Man : The baptizing him is the 
 ad: of the Minifter. And tho' this Man had not his 
 fenfes when the Mini(ter perform'd his aft, yet he 
 had when he himfelf petform'd his own. That God's 
 taking away his fenfes was not fo great a fign of his 
 rejecting him, as the continuance of his Lite till he 
 could be baptiz'd, was of his receiving him. 'Tistrue, 
 fays he, that we believe none but Infants Are five J by the 
 Faith if thofe that bring 'em, &x. and that in the Age 
 tf Reafon one's own Confeffion is requir'd, Sec. But this 
 Man had his fenfes when he profeffed, and he had yet Life 
 when he was baptiz'd. 
 
 He grants in the following difcourfe that if he had 
 died before he had been actually baptiz'd, he could not 
 have been faved ; which is very hard, and contrary to 
 the determination of St. Ambrofc and other Fathers in a 
 like Cafe, as I fhew in my fecond Part (z). (2) CH. III. 
 
 The reafon why I recite this at large, rather than §. 3. it. CH. 
 the other paflages to which I have given references, is VI. §. 3. 
 not that this fpeaks more plainly than the reft about 
 Infant Baptifm ; on the contrary, the reft lpeak more 
 directly to that Matter than this does. But I recite it, 
 that the earneft concern that this Maftcr, and Minifter, 
 and Bifhop do fhew for the Salvation of this poor Slave 
 may fly in the Face, and ftrike with fhame and terror 
 the Ccnfciences, of fuch prophane Traders of our Nati- 
 on, as having Plantations in the If'cf -Indies, do keep 
 hundreds of luch Negroes, and are fo far from any con- 
 cern for their Souls, that on the contrary they do all they 
 can to hinder em from Chriftian Faith and Baptifm „ 
 and difcourage thofe that would procure 'em means of it. 
 
 I do not conceive that all the Mafters there are of this 
 temper ; but for thofe that are, and are relolv'd to con- 
 :nue fo ; as I doubt rhey have but little belief of the 
 
 X 3 tmth 
 
310 The Sin of keeping Negroes unhaptizd. C.XXI1. 
 
 Year after the truth of the Scripture, fo it were fer their intereft that 
 Apoftles423, it were not true. For there is nothing plainer by theTe- 
 £ ^"V > *" -r nor of it than that fuch Mafters are in God's (enfe a 
 much worfe fort of Heathens than their Slaves, and 
 liable to a far greater Condemnation ; and that, befide 
 their own Perfonal Sins, the blood of thofe poor Crea- 
 tures will be requir'd at their hands. I would crave leave 
 %o recommend to thefe Gentlemen the reading of a little 
 Bock,publilh'd about 20 years ago, by a Clergyman that 
 had liv'd in Barbados, call'd, The Negroe's and Indian'* 
 Advocate. 
 
 That I may tell the Reader in fliort the Subftance of 
 the places to which I have referr'd him, they do all fpeak 
 of Infant Baptifm, as of a thing taken for granted ; 
 and thofe of 'em that do at all enlarge on the Matter, do 
 fpeak of it as abfolutely neceflary to the Infants obtain- 
 ing the Kingdom of Heaven. And this, whether they 
 be of the Prxdefiinarlan, or Sovifelagian Opinion. And 
 £o5°- I am confident there is no paflhge in any Author from 
 this time to the year of Chrift n 50, or thereabouts, 
 750. that fpeaks againft it 5 lave that Walafridus Strabo, a- 
 bout the year 850 ftho' he were for Infant Baptifm, and 
 thought it neceflary for their Salvation, yet) gave his 
 lingular Opinion, that it had not been praclis'd from the 
 beginning, but had come into ule firft in St. Aujliris 
 (3) Pt. 2. time j which, how palpable a Miftake it was, I fup- 
 CH. |L §8 1. pofe every 1 Reader is by this time facisficd. I give you 
 his Words hereafter (3), 
 
 CHAR 
 
Chap. XXIII. ClementV Confiitutions, 3 x x 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 Quotations out of fome Boom that are 
 fpuriom, i. e. were not written by tbofe 
 whofe Name they bear y but yet are pro- 
 ved to be Ancient. 
 
 Year after rh^ 
 ApofHes 300. 
 
 §. I'TT Et the firft of thefe be chat out of die Book 
 called Clement's Confiitutions ; they are called 
 ' J his, bccaule he is feigned to have been the 
 Compiler of em from the Mouths of the Ajwftles. The 
 Hiftory of which Book, as near as Learned Men have 
 traced it, is this, 
 
 There were in the very early times certain Tradi- 
 tionary Accounts handed about as the Preachings, Do- 
 ctrines, or Rules that had been oehver'd by (uch 
 or luch an Apoftle or Apoftolical Man ; fomethir.g 
 the Short-hand Notes of Sermons, which it was the 
 torn in England to take from the Mouths of 
 brated, Preacher.-, : One of which would be cal- 
 r Example &i£&yj) nerja, the Doctrine of Peter.- 
 i pother ^tS^cLCKAXia, Khnij.i.vj©-, the Preaching of Cle- 
 ment, Qfa And fevera; of thele being by fome ftudi- 
 ous Perfons Collected and put together, were lnrirl'd 
 Aietrdhii KtotoKcjv, The Ryles, or, Cjufitutions of the 
 Apoftles. 
 
 If thev had been all of 'em Judicious and Sincere Per- 
 fons that 'firft took thefe Notes of the Preaching; or Say- 
 ings of the Apoftles, and they that Collected 'em into 
 Volumes had been the like, there is no doubt but the 
 Collections would have been highly valuable • and as 
 they are, they do for the raoft parf confift of Pious Rules 
 and Exhortations. Bur according to the various Memo- 
 ries, or Judgment, or Honefty of the fivft Recorders, or 
 after-Compilers, thefe Compofirions w-ere in many things 
 various, uncertain, and by Men of different Inclinations 
 differently interpolated, and fo of no Authority. 
 
 X 4 is 
 
2 1 % Clement's Conftltutlons. Cha p. x 3 # 
 
 2-1 o. In Eufebius's time, ^«no 320, there was a Volume of 
 
 270. this Nature, called A//et^<*i 'ATes-oA^y, DoBrines of the 
 
 (0 H.E.I. Apoftles ; which he reckons (i) among the fpurious 
 3- c. 25. Books. Epiphs.niuf, 50 years after, cites a Bookcall'd, 
 300, Conflituticns of the Apoftles ; which he fays was of doubt- 
 
 ful Credit ; and it has alfo been alter'd fince his time. 
 About the year 400 it feems to have been licked and 
 brought into that form Of Eight Books, in which we 
 now have it, and to have been fee forth with that con- 
 fident Title, as if the whole had been put into form 
 by St. Clement. This is confirm'd by the Quotations of 
 it by the Author of the Opus imperfeft. in Mat. wholiv'd 
 about that time. 
 
 Hence it appears that for any particular Claufe or 
 Chapter of it, one does not know how long, or how lit- 
 tle while before the year 400 it has been interred. The 
 Claufe to the prefent purpofe, is this, 
 
 Conftitut, Apoftol'iQ. lib. 6. cap-. 1 £. 
 
 The Apoftles are there brought in fpeaking, and af- 
 ter they have difallowed of fueh as baptize twice, and 
 alio let forth the Wickednefs of thole that defpit'e all 
 Baptifm : They fay, 
 
 And he that fays, I will be baptiz'd when I am go- 
 ing to die, that I may not fin after it, and defile my 
 Baptifm j fuch a Man has no true lyioxvledge of God, and 
 «•> ignorant of his Nature. For, Delay net thou to turn, 
 to the Lord 5 for thou knoWeft not what to Morrow 
 will bring forth. \ • ' 
 
 And then they add, 
 
 Bd,TTj{tT£ •$ U[JLaV )C, T«t fixity }y WTf'tyZTi cLvrd U 
 
 And baptise your Infants, r.v.d bring them up in the 
 Nurture and Admonition of God ; for he fays, Surfer the 
 little Children to come to me, and forbid 'em not. 
 
 How little Atfurance foever there is from the Cre- 
 dit of this Book, thatthefe are the Apoftles Words ; yec 
 - y fhewrhar it was the received Do&rine at the time 
 ; ■ the} were put into the Po6k„ 
 
 5.2. 
 
C. 1 3 . The pretended Diony fins the Areopagite. 313 
 
 §. 2. The Quotation of the Book of The Ecclcfiaflical Yearafter the 
 Hierarchy is commonly thought worth the while by Apoftle$3oo. 
 thofe that write on this Subject. Ocherwife I for my ^""V""^-* 
 part fhould hardly think it worth the fctting down. 
 
 Partly becaufc of the Abhorrence one fhould have of 
 fo grofs and impudent a Forger, who having, about _ 
 the year 400, if not later, compos'd fomc Books re- 
 markable for nothing but affected highrflown Ex> 
 preffions, thought them fit to be Father' d upon Diony- 
 fius the Areopagite mention'd Ah~ls 17. 34. Unlefs wc 
 are to think that the Author himfelf was not guilty of 
 this Impcfture ; but that fome body clfe having got the 
 Copies of thefe Books into his hands, did thruft in here 
 and there a Sentence which fhould reprefent that Di- 
 eny/ius as the Author, which I have fometimes thought. 
 
 And partly becaufe what he fays on this Subject feems 
 to me fpoken with lets Judgment than ufual ; towring 
 in Words, but fhallow in Senfe. 
 
 I fhall forbear fetting down the original (Tor it is 
 not worth reciting twice) only give the Tranlladon of 
 his Bombaft Greeks in as plain Englifh as I can. 
 
 He in this Treatife gives an account of the feveral 
 Rites ufed at the Eucharift, at Ordinations, &t. and 
 among the reft at Baptifm (which he generally calls by 
 the name of the Divine Birth) and of the reafonsof 'em, 
 What he has of Baptifm docs moftly concern the Bap- 
 tifm of the adult, and their Profeffions. What he fays 
 of the Baptifm of Jnfants, is in Anfwcr to the Objecti- 
 ons the Heathens made againft it, and is as follows. 
 
 Ecclefiafiic. Hierarch. cap. y. in fine. 
 
 But that Children alfo, who cannot yet underftand the 
 Divine Myjleries, fhould he made partakers of the Divine 
 Birth, and of the moji f acred figns of Society with Gcd, 
 do fecm, as you fr.y, to Men that are prophane and ill- 
 affected to our Religion, a thing fit to be laugh t at : . 
 That the Bifhcps foould teach the holy things to thofe that 
 are incapable of 'cm, and Jhcuid he flow the things which 
 by Sacred. Tradition they have received, upon fuch as have 
 no fenfe of 'em. And, what is more ridiculous, that others 
 fhould pronounce the Renunciations and holy Profeffions for 
 them, in fuch afafhionai if they were doing it for thcmfelves, 
 
 Now 
 
514 The pretended Dionyftus. Chap. XXIII 
 
 Year after the Now your Epifcopal Wifdom ought not to be angry with 
 Apoftlesgoo. thofe that are in error, but to Anfwer their Obfetlions with 
 a Religious Mceknefs for their Injlruclion and Edificati- 
 on ; adding thit alfb as from our Holy fyligion, that our 
 knowledge is tiot able to comprehend all Divine things • 
 and that a great many things which xve cannot underjland 
 have really reafons that are worthy of God, unkjiown to us 
 but lyiown to the higher Beings ; and even thofe higher Na- 
 tures are ignorant of many things which are ' kjiown only 
 to the All-wife Deity , the Author of all Wifdom. 
 
 And yet, di to this particular matter, that we do fay 
 the fame things which our Divine Minifters of holy things 
 have deliver d down to us as they were taught 'em from 
 Ancient Tradition. For they fay, and it is true, that Chil- 
 dren, if they be brought up to holy Rules and lnflitutions y 
 will come to be of a good temper of Mind, free, and dife?i- 
 t angled from all error, and out cf the danger of an unclean 
 Life. Our Divine Inftruftors considering this, have thought fit 
 that Children fhould be admitted after this holy manner. 
 
 That the natural Parents of the Child which is brought 
 fhould deliver him to fame one that is himfelf bapti^'d, 
 as to a good InJiruElor in the things of God , and that 
 the Child foould afterward learn cf him, as of his Father 
 in God, and his Sponfor in things that are for Salvation. 
 And then of this Perfon who undertakes to inflruft the Child 
 in holinefi of Life the Bifhop does demand, as I may call it, 
 the Declaration of his Renouncing, and the other holy Profef- 
 fions. Not that he does [as they jeer ingly reprefent it) initi- 
 ate the one in the others jiead in the holy P^ites. For he 
 does not fay thus, * I do in the ftead of this Child re- 
 
 * nounce or promife, &c. But, this Child does renounce, 
 
 * profefs, &c. that is, I promife to perfwade this Child, 
 
 * when he (hall come of Age to underftand the holy 
 
 * Things, by my religious Inftructions, to renounce the 
 '. adverfe Powers, and keep clear from them, and to 
 
 * profefs and fulfill the Divine Propofals. 
 It is therefore, as far as I can fee, no abfurdity tfiat the 
 
 Child fhould be enter d into the Divine Life ; whenas he 
 has a Guide and Spnfor that will ihfiruH him in the know- 
 ledge of Divine things, and keep him fafe from the adverfe 
 Powers. And the Bifhop does make the Child partaker of 
 the holy Myfleries, that he may be educated according to 
 them, and may lead no other Life but fuch as has always 
 a regard to thofe Divine things, and an Agreement wi:h 
 ■ ' them. 
 
Chap. XXIII. Thefenfe of the Godfathers Frofeffion. 3 1 5- 
 
 them, and is in a holy manner habituated to 'em. And to Year after the 
 ' this he is led by Jus Divine Span for. Apoftles^oo, 
 
 His mentioning AncientTradition in this matter, would 
 make one think what I hinted before, that the Author 
 had no purpofc of putting on the vitor of Dionvjius the 
 Areopagite ; for to make him talk of Ancient Traditi- 
 on in any thing of Chriftianity which was all new in 
 his time, was to betray his own cheat. Befide, it is 
 not in this Book of the Ecclefiafiical Hierarchy, that there 
 are any Tokens of its being written by Dionyfius, but 
 Only in fome of 'die other Books of the fame Author. 
 
 The Interpretation he gives of the ProfefHons made 
 by the Godfathers is very lingular, he will not have it 
 that the Godfather does renounce, profefs, (jc. in the 
 Child's name or Head. But both the Ancients general- 
 ly and the Moderns, do fo underftand it as that he does. 
 But perhaps both of thefe may be reccncil'd. The God- 
 father does net profefs in the Child's ftead, fo as that the 
 Godfather's performance of thofe Profedions Ihould be 
 in ftead of the Child's performance of 'em ; and in this 
 fenfe this Author denies it. But the Godfather does pro- 
 fefs in the Child's ftead, fo as to declare the Obligation 
 of the Child to perform, and does in his name own 
 that obligation, and make the promife : And in' this 
 ferife the other Ancients affirm it. To the intent it may 
 more fully be declar'd that the benefits of Baptifm 
 are convey'd to the Child not abfolutely, but on Con- 
 dition that if he live, he do perform his part of the Co- 
 venant, the Godfather expreffes thofe things that are the 
 Child's part : As if a great Benefactor will fettle a large 
 Eitare of Inheritance on a Child, upon condition that 
 he pay a fmall quit-rent in acknowledgment ; this is fo 
 beneficial to the Child that there ought to, be no doubt 
 01 bis Acceptance ; the Contract is therefore .made in 
 the Child's name ; and becaufe he is not of Age, his 
 Guardian Seals it in his ftead. This the Church of Eng- 
 land does more plainly exprefs, who puts the words'thus, 
 Dofi thou in the name of tin's Child renounce, Cj?c? And 
 fo did the Ancients, who put 'em thus, Does this Child 
 (enounce, Sec ? . 
 
 As for the Age in which thefe Books were written, 
 it is beft gather 'd from Photius, who gives the Abftracl 
 of a Book written by Theodorus Presbyter wherein he pre- 
 tended to maintain that thefe Books arc the Genuine Work 
 
 of 
 
3 1 6 Tbefenfe of the Godfather s Profefwn. Chap, z 3 
 
 Year after the of Dionyfrus the Areopagite, againft fome that then op* 
 
 A^ntsjco^ pos'd t he Authcnticalncfs of 'em. The Man muft have 
 
 ^^yf*^ had a hard Task. But yet it is a proof that they were 
 
 known then, and for fome time before. This Theodo* 
 
 (2) Six Que- rm liv ' d ' as Dr - Hwnwdfoys, fc) ^"«o 41°, but other* 
 ries. Infant place him much later, in the 7th Century, 
 tfaptifui. $• 3 " There does not lie any fuch prejudice for any 
 
 defign of Forgery againft the Author of the Qu^Jiiones ad 
 Ortbodoxos which commonly go among the Works of 
 Jujiin Martyr ; only that piece going about, as it feems, 
 without the name of the Author, fome body in the 
 early times aferibed it to him. It cannot be his, be- 
 cause it makes menrion of Irentus, and of Qrigen, who 
 liv'd fomething after his time ; unlefs thofe paffages 
 that mention Irenaiis and Origen have been fince the 
 firft writing of the Book foifted into it. I fhall not pre- 
 tend to guefs at the time of the writing of it ; only it 
 is known to be Ancient. The paffage I would quote 
 is this, 
 
 Qu.ffl tones ad Orthodoxcs, ^uxfl. 56. 
 
 <fic »> fi*p»j* w th »»ar«3si rut u'tto a"M«» p.if fZairriSbiiraT 
 
 Wf nf-cttrmi j 
 
 AtJxji#ic 
 
 N 
 
 Aum iriv *i /l«P»f* tmi /3aTTi3>«VT«y jrjet * vi /ui /3**ti- 
 
 ofct>Ta, TV TUX"" /"*•* T * /3«a"Tl^>J»T«i TI»V /id.' .j^ fidLTTvi VjUtT^ 
 
 «j.*8«», t* <f« /uii /3aTT<<&ivT« /nil Tt/^Hr. 'A£nf» T ai cT« t«» <T<* 
 
 fkvrrt't /xmrt. 
 
 Question, 
 
 S/wcc Children that die in Infancy have no praife nor 
 »c blame from any thing that they have done, what dif- 
 ference will be made at the Hefurrection between fuch of 
 them as have been by the means of others battled but have 
 done nothing thcmfelves, and fuch at have not hen bapti^d 
 and have lil^cwifc done nothing '- 
 
 Anfw, 
 
Chap. 13. The cafe of Infants dying unhaptizd. 317 
 
 Year after the 
 Anfwer. Apoftks^oo. 
 
 This will be the difference between thofe that have been 
 bepti^'d, and thofe that h.ii'e not ; that the baptis- 
 ed velll be made partakers of the blejfwgs granted by Baf>- 
 tifm - y and the unbapti^d not. Andthefe Blejjings of Bap- — 
 
 tifm arc vouch fifed to 'em for the fake of the Faith of 
 thofe that bring *em to Baptlfm. 
 
 He fpeaks of the cafe of unbaptized Infants after the 
 rate that mod Greeks Writers do, vl*. That they will 
 lofe all Reward, without mentioning any pofitivePunilh- 
 ment. This was the general Opinion of the Chriitians 
 of the Greek Church, that Infants dying unbaptized would 
 mifs of Heaven, but not blunder any poiitive Punifhment, 
 as appears by the "Words oiGreg^a^lan-cn cited before, 
 (3) and as I (hall more fully (hew at another place (4J. (3) CH. XI. 
 
 There is a fpurious Book afcribed to Athanafms, §. 6. 
 call'd Quxftlones ad Antlochum, which gives their Opi- (4) Pt«i« CH. 
 nion in this matter very particularly. Some Quota- VI. §• 4. 
 tions out of that Book ought to have had a place here, 
 but that it feems to have been written after cur period, 
 and by ignorant Men crowded in among the Works of A- 
 tbanafius. But the following paffagc I recite becaufe of 
 its affinity to the foregoing. 
 
 Qu.?ft. ad Antlochum, qu. 1 14. 
 
 n» uwiytti vsl ti\iufuvr% yivia, • £1? noXaJiv, » tie fi*si\ 
 Xli*r ; *) s»« t* tmf iiri'rut viwix • k, t£ t*' tar irirei* a@cLT- 
 
 T«" Hl/g/« Xty**!®*. "Atiltla Trxifi'et, Jj^fi^a* trfsc ,ui, ~tt»i 
 yS> Ittilmi iVJ» >i &*at\ti'a1tii *'gjt V »F, k, TTAhivrS *Araro\s t*a— 
 Xc»1^*. l»l Si lot 7ix»« u'ptev ayta' lr«. YlflftiXov cli die x*- 
 -»i\« tif viral i/f'Jiv j&xg t\u'*i its{f%Mla.t n ntl*i7rtr<»\jiij2sL7rli3- 
 ftii* »»*ri#. trn^ Si a'/SaVIic* x) 7«' »9»oc* »7§ tie /?<ni\ti'uv *U 
 
 Quefticn,' 
 
3 * ° 72><? Cj/ff of Infants dying unlaptizd. Chap. 2 3 . 
 Year after the A ?. 
 
 Apo_ftl«3°o. ^ Qiieftion. 
 
 Whither do Infants go when they die, into Punifhment, 
 
 or into the Kjngdom ? And particularly whither go the Chil- 
 dren of Heathens ? And where are placed the Children of the 
 faithful thm die unbapti^ed} Are they placed with the Be- 
 lievers, or with the Vnbelicvcrs ? 
 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Jnafmuch as our Lord fays, Suffer little Children to 
 come to me, for of fuch is the Kingdom of Heaven $ 
 and again the Apofllefays,t^ow are your Children Holy [or 
 Saints,] it is plain that the Children of Believers do, if they 
 be baptised, go as fpotlefs and faithful into the kingdom. 
 But thefe of 'em that are not bapti^d, do not enter the King- 
 dom, as alfo neither do the Children of Vnbelicvcrs. Bui 
 yet neither en the other fide do they go into Torment ; for 
 they have committed no Sin. 
 
 They that would read any more of thofe fpurious 
 paffages that are later than the year 400, but al'cribed 
 to Authors before that time, and yet are not very fcan- 
 dalous, as being really within a Century of it, or there- 
 abouts, in which there happens to be mention of In- 
 fant Baptilm, may have fome of 'em in the faid Book. 
 
 Athanajii Qusflioncs ad Antiochum. quaft. i.it. qu. 66. 
 And alio, 
 
 Athanajii Dicla & interpret atio Paralolarum Script, qu. 
 94, And more in Books alcribed to St. Cbryfojlom,as Chry- 
 fofiom inpfal. 14. One brings a?i Infant to be>bapti^d ; pre- 
 fently the Pricjl requires a Covenant, &c. Idem, Homilia 
 de Adam £? Ev&. Let us confider the meaning of what the 
 Church all over the World prattifes in the baptising of In- 
 fants or adult Perfons, &c. 
 
 There is alfo commonly produe'd a paffage very An- 
 cient indeed, if one might rclie upon it, an Order of 
 1374. Hygi nus * Bifhop of I(pmc ; That in all Baptifms there, muft 
 be one £Patrinus] Godfather, and one Godmother. But as 
 this is of no Credit for Authenticalnefs, having no v'Oti- 
 (5) In vita cner c lder than Platina (5J ; fo alfo it does not necefla- 
 Hygini. r ^y relate to Infants ; for they had WitnefTes that arc 
 fometimes called Patrini, in the Cafe of adult Perfons. 
 
 This fort of Teftimonies is better omitted"; tor in any 
 cauie whatever, Evidences of no good Credit do more 
 hurt than good. 
 
 The End of the Firjl Part, 
 
 22. 
 

 V<u§* •** *<*\;r* x A 
 
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