صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

- se widows, was a proselyte, and as Grotius truly thinks, a proselyte of righteousness; and so, as he must have been baptized according to this notion, when he became a proselyte, he must have been re-baptized when he became a member of the christian-church at Jerusalem, of which he most certainly was, being chosen out of it, and appointed to an office in it, Acts vi. 1, 5.

Twelfth, It may be observed, in a quotation before made, that if a proselytess big with child was baptized, or dipped, her child needed not baptism, or dipping, the mother's baptism, or dipping, was sufficient for it: but this is not attended to by Padobaptists; it seems, in the beginning of the fourth century, there were some of the same opinion with the Jews; but a canon in the council of Neocæsarea was made against it; which, as explained, declared that the child of such a person' needed baptism, when it came to be capable of choosing for itself"; which canon should not have been made, if this Jewish custom is to be regarded as a rule."

Last, As an argument ad hominem, it may be observed, that if this custom is to be considered as a rule of christian baptism, then sprinkling ought not to be used in it; for the baptism of Jewish proselytes, men, women, and children, was performed by dipping; as all the above quotations shew. To which may be added, that one of their rules respecting proselyte-baptism is, that a proselyte' must dip in such a place (or confluence of water) as a menstruous woman dips herself in, or which is sufficient for such an one; and that, as the Gloss is, was what held forty seahs of water; and to this agrees the account Maimonides gives of such a confluence of water, that it must be "sufficient for the dipping of the whole body of a man at once; and such the wise men reckon to be a cubit square, and three cubits in depth, and this measure holds forty seahs of water." And he further says, and wherever washing of the flesh, and washing of clothes from uncleanness, are mentioned in the law,' nothing else is meant but the dipping of the whole body in a confluence of' water-and that if he dips his whole body, except the top of his little finger, he is still in his uncleanness : and that all unclean persons, who are dipped in their clothes, their dipping is right, because the waters come into them, (or penetrate through them) and do not divide," or separate; that is, the clothes do not divide, or separate between the water and their bodies, so as to hinder its coming to them; so the menstruous woman dipped herself in her clothes; and in like manner the proselyte. Let such observe this, who ob-. ject to the baptism of persons with their clothes on.

Again, As an argument of the same kind, if baptism was common in all ages, foregoing the times of John, Christ, and his apostles, as is said, then it could not succeed circumcision, since it must be cotemporary with it. Upon

See Stennet agair at Russen, p. 1e3. 104. Mikvaot, c.4. §. 1. T. Bab, Eruvim. fol. 14 2. VOL. III.

8 P

T. Bab. Yekamot, fol. 47. 2.

7 M kvaot, c. 1. §. 2. 7.

A

* Hilchot

the whole, what Dr Lightfoot, and others after him, have urged in favour of infant-baptism from hence, is quiet impertinent; that "there was need of a plain and open prohibition, that infants and little children should not be baptized, if our Saviour would not have had them baptized; for since it was most common in all ages foregoing, that little children should be baptized, if Christ had been minded to have had that custom abolished, he would have openly forbidden it, therefore his silence, and the silence of the scripture in this matter, confirms Pædobaptism, and continues it unto all ages." But first, it does not appear that any such custom was ever practised before the times of John, Christ, and his apostles, as to admit into the Jewish church by baptism, proselytes, whether adult or minors, No testimony has been, and I believe none can be given of it. And, as some very learned men have truly observed, and as Dr. Owen affirms, there are not the least footsteps of any such usage among the Jews, until after the days of John the Baptist, in imitation of whom, he thinks, it was taken up by some AnteMishnical Rabbins; and, as he elsewhere says "The institution of the rite of baptism is no where mentioned in the Old Testament; no example is extant; nor during the Jewish church, was it ever used in the admission of prosclytes; no mention of it is to be met with in Philo, Josephus, nor in Jesus the the son of Syrach; nor in the evangelic history." What testimony has been given of this custom, falls greatly short of proving it; wherefore Christ could have no concern about abolishing a custom which had not obtained in his time; nor was there any room nor reason for it, since it had never been practised, for ought appears his silence about what never existed, can give no existence to it, nor to that which is founded on it, Pædobaptism; and which is neither warranted and confirmed by any such custom, nor by the word of God, in which there is an high silence about both. This custom of baptizing little children was so far from being common in all ages foregoing the times of John, Christ, and his apostles, that not a single instance can be given of any one that ever was baptized; if there can, let it be produced; if not, what comes of all this bluster and harangue? With much more propriety and strength of reasoning might it be retorted; that since it is plain the children of the Jews, both male and female, did eat of the pass-over, which was not an human custom and tra dition; but an ordinance of God, common in all ages foregoing the times of John, &c. and since, according to the hypothesis of the Pedobaptists, the Lord's supper came in the room of the pass-over; for which there is much more reason in analogy than for baptism coming in the room of cirumcision; it should seem, if our Saviour would not have had children eat of the Lord's supper, as they did of the pass-over, he would have openly forbidden it. A plain and open Hor. Heb in Matt. iii. 6. vol. II. p, 119. Proselytorum baptismum ante Jchannem exti tisse nullo testimonio certe constat, Fabricii Bibliograph. Antiqu.e 11. p.392. ita Deylingius in Ibid. p. 386. On Heb. vol. I. Exercitat. 19.p. 272. Theologoumen. 1. §. Digress. 1. P. 447°

[ocr errors]

Prohibition of this was more needful than a prohibition of the baptism of infants, if not his will, had there been such a custom before prevailing, as there was not; since that could only be a custom and tradition of men; and it was enough that Christ inveighed against those of the Jews in general, which obtained before, and in his time; and against their baptisms and dippings in par ticular. And after all, it is amazing that christian baptism should be founded upon a tradition, of which there is no evidence but from the Rabbins, and that very intricate, perplexed, and contradictory, and not as in being in the times referred to; upon a tradition of a set of men blinded and besotted, and enemies to christianity, its doctrines and ordinances; and who, at other times, reckoned by these very men, who so warmly urge this custom of theirs, the most stupid, sottish, and despicable, of all men upon the face of the earth! If this is the basis of infant-baptism, it is built upon the sand, and will, ere long, fall, and be

no more.

I conclude this Dissertation in the words of Dr. Owen, "That the opinion of some learned men concerning transferring the rite of Jewish baptism, by the Lord Jesus, which, indeed, did not then exist, for the use of his disciples, is destitute of all probability." And after all, perhaps, the Pædobaptists will find their account better in consulting the baptism of the ancient heathens, and its rites, than that of the Jews; said to be in use before the times of Moses, and in ages since, and that among all nations; and being more ancient than christian baptism, a learned writer referred to, says, it is as a sort of preamble to it. And from whom the Pædobaptists may be supplied with materials for their

purpose,

d Omni ideo probabilitate caret sententia ista doctorum quorundam virorum de translatione ritus baptismatis Judaici, qui revera eo tempore nullus erat, in usum discipulorum suorum per Dominum Jesum facienda, Theologoum. ibid. * Sperlingius de baptismo veterum Ethuicorum, p. 116, 117, 180, 129, 210,

e

INIS

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
« السابقةمتابعة »