The next treats of fonts both natural and artificial, and shews that a confusion of names introduced a confusion of things, by which means the original practice of baptism became more corrupted. The baptism of infants, that is, of minors, so called in general, follows, and here it is observed that the equivocalness of words went to add to the corruption of baptism. The next chapter shews that the weak fondness of parents, and the enthusiasm of the monks helped yet more to corrupt baptism, by transferring to babes an institute proper only for men. The twenty-first chapter, and the two following, shew that Africa, the least enlightened part of the Christian world, cherished the baptism of babes; and that Augustine, a pretended saint, but an illiterate hypocrite of wicked dispositions, brought it to perfection there in the fifth century; but the novel practice had no extent or duration worth mentioning. The next chapter shews how the Easterns depraved the institute, and brought it down gradually to children. Chapter the twenty-fifth examines a pretended canon of some poor African monks, who, to supply their wants, imported African baptism into Spain, in the sixth century. The next chapter shews how the Emperor Charlemagne imposed on the Saxons a law for infant baptism, to serve the political purpose of enslaving them, and others of mankind; and how other despots copied his example, and turned the institute of Christ into an engine of state. The twenty-seventh chapter accounts for the extensive progress of infant baptism, by shewing how well it suited the interest of various classes of men, and the very corrupt manners of those ignorant, enslaved, and barbarous times. Next follows an account of several consequences of making baptism necessary to babes, and so brings on the last stage of the corruption of it, the practice of baptizing infants unborn, who could not be immersed, but might by art be wetted, and so the priests found themselves obliged to affirm that moistening a part was equal to bathing the whole. This vulgar, indecent, and barbarous farce is yet acted abroad, under the false pretence, that the wise and good Sovereign of the universe hath connected invisible and eternal benefits, not with knowledge and virtue, but with the exercises of a priest, how silly and sordid soever, both he and they may be. However, this whole system is consistent with itself, for if it be once admitted that baptism and eternal life are inseparably connected, the necessity, and even the charity of baptizing every living human animal, follow of course, and the doctrine is established that there is no salvation out of the church. Baptism had been practised many ages, in divers countries, by all sorts of men, and it had been connected with a great variety of other practices. These connections are treated of in the two following chapters, and they all imply that the institute had been made very free with to serve secular interests by men, who had not regulated religion by its only standard the holy scripture, and that even these abuses tell the original form. The thirty-third chapter traces the history of aspersion, and shews that the monks introduced from Pagan rites the practice of sprinkling holy water, which in the end was mistaken for Christian baptism. The next treats of the real practice of primitive baptism, which in some countries truly, and in others falsely is called Anabaptism, and the three following chapters_narrate the present state of baptism in various churches, Eastern and Western, Greek, Roman, Reformed, and Renovated, by the original pattern. Having narrated the several states of this divine institute, the subject closes with an attempt to shew the true ground on which religion in justice ought to rest; and as baptism is a positive institute, both commanded and exemplified, a list is given of all the first churches, in which there does not appear any sprinkling, or so much as one infant, whence the conclusion is, that infant baptism is not of divine appointment, and that Christianity is not in this institute openly or covertly inimical to the birth-rights of mankind; on the contrary, by requiring personal knowledge and virtue, it is the best friend of a good system of civil government, and deserves well of all mankind. It removes ignorance, the bare of virtue, and by educating the world, teaches mankind at once to be both rational and religious, fit members of civil society, and "meet to be partakers of an inheritance with the saints in light." Page Acta Sanctorum, 60 or 70 volumes Action, the true ground of, in religion Adult baptism, no connexion with the subject of government, 323 501 422 Enon. John's third baptismal station, fully described 26 Ablutions, or washings, were prevalent among all nations 49 Ambrosians, books so called 370 Ambrose, governor of Milan, chosen bishop, nominated by an infant 156 425 Anabaptist, is one who is rebaptized 411 Catherine III. of Russia was one 411 412 437 410-413 414 Different kinds of persons, so called, in general six sorts Anabaptism, Firmilian, Dionysius, the Acephali, Novatus, Novatian, Donatus, &c. all practise it All parties thought it necessary to the purity of their churches Antipedobaptists, a name given by Dr. Wall Alwin, Abbot of Canterbury, sent for, out of England by Charlemagne Amulet represents both the Trinity and baptism to be given to chil- dren ancient baptisms of a Greek Captain, defining baptism by motions. Note 294 517 Arnoldi, and Dr. H. Schyn, refute the charges against the Dutch Atto's canon against baptizing any who could not say by heart the creed and the Lord's prayer 280 Audofledis, sister to the king of France. dipped three times 375 Augustine of Africa, his history and character, and effort to bring in Austin, baptized more than ten thousand in the river Swale in England 119 194-206 the baptism of babes becomes bishop of Hippoo-his saying infant baptism the Manicheans deny his ever belonging to them Bagnios, publick and private while at Athens at school with Gregory knew but two streets, to school and church Basnage, James, his remarks Basket, to let down children into the water, ordered by the Empress of Russia Baptize, a dyer's word-signifies to dip so as to colour Bapto, its derivatives and compounds defined by Dr. Gale Baptism, Tertullian's account of the primitive mode is one of the most curious and complicated subjects of of abortives in Africa in the time of Tertullian Page 62 233 77 381 455 17 18 18 18 249 303 159 by immersion and superfusion described on a tomb near 111 not a temporary institute 55 of an infant of no more account than a deed of its signing would be 415 in the established Greek church 452 of believers connected with Uniformity, Persecution, and the at the Reformation in a state of extreme corruption in the Catholick Church, 470 the ceremony, of corporal investiture, 471 of infants in the Roman Catholick church, how conducted, administration of, by the English, Dutch, American, and German Baptists, 490 how administered by Christians of the middle ages of forty-eight, in a river at Whittlesford, "seven miles 490 497 by the Dutch Baptists 498 English-American Baptists. 499 Baptizing all nations, its meaning 52 Baptists, Dutch, publish sound creeds 437 blood all hold Anabaptistical errors Dutch, Swiss, and Moravian, bear no arms, shed no human British, in the 6th class of Anabaptists 423 420 416 dedicated to John Baptist 316 - Bay-bishop, described Baptistery, first artificial one, erected at Rome Baptismal Churches resemble Thermopyle, in Grecian history Baths, Eastern, described by Lady Montague Roman Mohammedan Bigotry of the Persians and Turks about washing hands Bill of fare, at the baptism of the son of the Earl of Haddington British Christians, twelve hundred murdered by Austin's means Bunyan, John, Tinker of Bedford Canon, the term defined, first ecclesiastical, in Europe for the baptism of babes Cachachouran, a festival of the Armenians 312 320 120, 268, 456 60 60 65 43 325 359 352 466 160 356 378 151 128 127 418 C 333 250 251 258 444 Catechumen, form of making one in the Greek church in Russia, as 291 Carthage, a tenth part reputed Christians 178 Catalogue of Anabaptists made out 417 Catholicks, not shocked at finding a ceremony neither ancient nor 371 Causes of the extensive progress of the baptism of babes 269-290 to a probable origin when applied to adults 296 465 Charlemagne obliges the Saxons on pain of death to be baptized, and under the penalty of severe fines to baptize their chil- 262 Christ's indulgence to his disciples' weakness 506 Christening of a child, a dead unanimating trifle 296 of royal children, magnificent preparations for them 123 362 Church Generalship 320 Christian Churches, made up of whole nations, its evil effects Cisterns of water in prison yards in the East. Note from Judson's ser- 537 Clinicks, or bed-ridden people-sprinkling invented for them in Africa 402 |