Reformed Covenanter
Cancelled Commissioner
... I believe Isaac, Jacob, Judah, being infants and all that were of the seed of Abraham, and also those infants whose parents in the primitive church at the preaching of the apostles turned unto Christ to be of this church. For Isaac & other of the old fathers, except they had been of the church, they had not received the badge and cognisance thereof.
Sith they were then of the church being infants, then as well thereof must our infants & little ones be of the church to. Wherefore I believe and know, that thy infants co-signed with the sacrament of baptism be of the church. For the infant {is} acknowledge it by the mouths of their godfathers and own fathers to in that they be offered of their parents unto the church, yea rather the promise, which is no less made unto our infants but more largely & oftener than to the infants of the old fathers offer them unto the church.
These are the principal grounds & foundations as touching the infants to be baptised & commended unto the church, against the which all the dotes & engines of the Catabaptists, that is to say of them that will have us christened again, may nothing prevail. For they are not only to be baptised that believe, but they that are of the church by the reason of the promise of God’s word. For else should none of the apostles have baptised any man, when none of the apostles were sure of the faith of him that outwardly acknowledged and obeyed their preaching {is}. For Simon the juggler & charmer, Ananias & Judas to, and many more were baptized when they obeyed and took the name of Christian men, and yet had they not faith. ...
For more, see Ulrich Zwingli on infant baptism and the covenant.
Sith they were then of the church being infants, then as well thereof must our infants & little ones be of the church to. Wherefore I believe and know, that thy infants co-signed with the sacrament of baptism be of the church. For the infant {is} acknowledge it by the mouths of their godfathers and own fathers to in that they be offered of their parents unto the church, yea rather the promise, which is no less made unto our infants but more largely & oftener than to the infants of the old fathers offer them unto the church.
These are the principal grounds & foundations as touching the infants to be baptised & commended unto the church, against the which all the dotes & engines of the Catabaptists, that is to say of them that will have us christened again, may nothing prevail. For they are not only to be baptised that believe, but they that are of the church by the reason of the promise of God’s word. For else should none of the apostles have baptised any man, when none of the apostles were sure of the faith of him that outwardly acknowledged and obeyed their preaching {is}. For Simon the juggler & charmer, Ananias & Judas to, and many more were baptized when they obeyed and took the name of Christian men, and yet had they not faith. ...
For more, see Ulrich Zwingli on infant baptism and the covenant.
