dispensed to Abraham and his Family with respect to a visible-Church-Estate and by that Covenant so dispensed by God and received by them they became the Church of God 4. That the natural seed and Children of Abraham and the rest of the members of that Church in his House were externally and ecclesiastically within that Covenant of Grace I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17.7 which is meant not only of his Spiritual Seed but also of his Church-Seed in their Generations v. 9. 5. That Circumcision was then by God's appointment the ordinary Initiatory-Seal of that Covenant under that Ecclesiastical Dispensation 6. That the Male-Infants of those inchurched Parents were then signed and sealed with the Seal of Circumcision as well as their Fathers 7. That it is the same Covenant of Grace that was made with Abraham as to the substance of it that is now come upon us Gentiles 8. That there are Temporal Blessings included in the Covenant now as well as Spiritual 9. That now in these Gospel-days there is an External and Ecclesiastical Dispensation of this Covenant as well as there was heretofore to the Church in Abrahams Family whereby visible Gospel-Churches are constituted 10. That Children of an Inchurched-Parent are now within the External and Ecclesiastical-Dispensation of this Covenant mediate members by means of their Inchurched-Parents as well as heretofore the Church-Seed of Abraham 11. That Baptism is now by God's appointment the ordinary Initiatory Seal of the Covenant under that External and Ecclesiastical-Dispensation instead of Circumcision of old 12. That all the Legitimate-Infants of Inchurched-Parents being Disciples and mediate-Members ought to be baptized as well as Infants of Old were Circumcised God having now enlarged his Grace and given such a Seal as Females might partake of as well as Males and Infants as well as their Parents A friendly Answer to H. D. about Infant-Baptism CHAP. I. IN Page 105. of your Book you say we shall find both Example and Command for Women's receiving the Lords Supper and in Pag. 106. you say Let but as good Proof appear for Infants-Baptism and it shall suffice I shall now essay by the Lord's help to make as good Proof appear if not better that is clearer 1. The Example you bring is out of Act. 1.14 we read say you That Mary and other Women were gathered together and that these Women with the rest of the Disciples were alltogether in one Place and continued stedfastly in the Apostles-Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayers Acts 2.42 44. It being expresly said that all that Believed were together You take this to be an evident Example that Women received the Lords Supper therefore that there is ground in Scripture to admit them but that there is not the like Example of any Infants that have been Baptized In Answer to which I shall first premise four Things in general and then Answer more particularly 1. I am not against inchurched-Women's-receiving the Lords Supper any more than against inchurched-Men but do believe they have an equal right unto it whil's they continue in a right estate in the Church But 2. This Example that you bring and the Command also as afterwards I shall shew is not express nor so clear as you make it to be 3. That there is as much room for Objections against it as there is for Objections against the Baptizing of Infants as I hope I shall make appear and that there is as much evidence and clearness for the latter as you judge to be for the former 4. All the evidence that your Example and Command will afford you for Womens receiving the Lords Supper you must deduce by way of consequence and that very darkly too from what you bring And if so I hope you will use the same candour integrity and right Reason in allowing what will rationally follow from the Scriptures that shall be produced for the Baptizing of inchurched-Infants Veniam dabimus petimusque Vicissim Now more particularly to your Example 1. It is not here expresly-said that these Women were Believers Act. 1.14 but you must gather it by consequence from this and other Scriptures compared together 2. That this Assembly was not the same that is not mentioned Acts 2.42.44 For this was to constitute a new Apostle in the room of Judas and wâ—â— somewhat before as appears Acts. 2.1 The other is spoken of the multitude of Jews and Gentiles converted afterwards when the day of Pentecost was fully-come and the Spirit given in that miraculous gift of Tongues 3. Here is no express-mention that those Women were in and of that great Assembly Acts 2.42 44. who continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayers How do you know but that they might be dead or sick or upon some other occasion absent as Thomas was before John 20.24 As here is nothing exprest to the contrary so nor any thing expresly affirmed that they were present 4. Nor is there any express-mention of any other Women in that great Assembly Acts. 2.42 44. though afterwards there is Chap. 5.14 when the number was increased If it be objected that Sapphyra is afterwards mentioned Acts. 5.1 2. I Answer neither doth that expresly and directly prove your Assertion For 1. It is not expresly said that she was a Member of the Church though by consequence we may gather she was 2. If she were It is not said that she received the Lords Supper for she might be dead before she received it 3. You cannot say she was one of those that are spoken of Act 2.42 44. for she might be one of those that were afterwards converted to the Christian Religion Cap. 3. and Cap. 4. when the number was much increased Chap. 4.4 to five thousand Men. 5. The words upon which you lay the stress of Womens receiving the Lords Supper here are in express-terms against you though you take them expresly for you your words to prove that those Women did receive the Lord's Supper Acts 1.14 with Acts 2.42.44 are these It being expresly said say you that all that believed that all that believed were together Let us now fairly-examine the Greek Phrase and we shall find it expresly of Men and not of Women I doubt not but you know the Gender of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth expresly limit it to men and not to Women As if he had said all the Men that believed were together continued in the Apostles Doctrine c. and in breaking of Bread And if you examine the rest of the Chapter Acts 2. You shall find it spoken expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of and to men and not women yea some of them the same men that are said to believe and to continue in the Apostles Doctrine and breaking of Bread In v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every Man heard them speak not woman In v. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
ye Abraham's Seed c. Men may be said to be Christ's and also to be Abraham's seed 1. Spiritually and Invisibly 2. Ecclesiastically and visibly only 1. Spiritually and Invisibly as to Men In foro Dei before God alone who is the only knower and searcher of the heart and Tryer of the Reins And so none are Abraham's seed but such as do truly and savingly-believe as Abraham did This is the Faith of God's Elect and peculiar to such as shall be saved 2. Ecclesiastically and visibly In foro Ecclesiae before Men only to the visible-Church And in this sence all such as make a rational and credible profession of Faith in Christ to the judgment of Rational-Charity in a Church-way they are Christ's and Abraham's Seed And then it amounts to this to wit If ye be Christ's spiritually then are ye Abraham's Seed spiritually and shall be Eternally-blessed with faithful Abraham And if ye be Christs Ecclesiastically-only and in the judgment of Men of the Church-only then are ye also Abraham's Seed Ecclesiastically only and in the judgment of Men only and may expect only an External and Temporal blessing and so we have the Exposition also of Gal. 3.9 And that this is the Apostles sence is plain in this chapter and in other places of this Epistle Ye are all saith he the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 Were they indeed all of them True Believers and so all of them Children of God spiritually and savingly Doth not the Apostle tell them He was afraid of them some of them at least that would be under the Law lest he had bestowed upon them labour in vain And that he travelled with them in Birth again till Christ was formed in them Gal. 4.11.19 They made a better shew once Chap. 3.1.3 4. and Chap. 4.15 but now he was in doubt of them yet these he calls the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus They were yet so Externally being yet a Church of God though at present troubled and seduced by false Teachers from whose errors he hoped and laboured to recover them Take another Text like unto this Gal. 3.2.7 As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And v. 28. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus Undoubtedly if they had put on Christ Spiritually and savingly they would never have put him off again And had they been once in Jesus Christ Spiritually and savingly they would never have gone out of him again It 's manifest therefore that some of them put him on and were in him Externally only and in outward profession only before Men. For such branches there are found in Christ the true Vine considered as head of the visible Church John 15.2.6 And our Brethren must experimentally acknowledge that it is so in their Congregations too often What you say pag. 37. That nothing short of the Spirits-Birth can orderly-admit to Water-Birth i. e. Baptism I suppose you mean and Spiritual Ordinances is fully answered to before as to the substance of it Persons making a credible profession of the Spirits birth to the judgment of Rational-Charity guided in judging by the Rules of of the Word may orderly be admitted to Water-Birth as you phrase it and spiritual-Ordinances as appears by Simon Magus and others who yet had but a shew of the Spirits-Birth not the truth and reality of it Acts 8.8 with v. 22.23 The reason is because Men who cannot see directly immediately and infallibly into the heart are to judge of them The same answer will serve to that of Christ to Nicodemus and to that which is cited out of Dr. Owen And as to that of Dr. Taylor it is suitable to his boldness and design gratis dictum and there may rest till he give us some Scripture-proof CHAP. VI. YOur assertion and proofs in your sixth Chapter have respect only to immediate and grown-Members who alone we acknowledge are capable of the Directions and priviledges you mention Children of such are but Mediate-Members as hath been shewn and are such as to whom those things do not belong The Apostle therefore mentions the duties priviledges of Immediate Adult-Members only I do not hold that a Gospel-Church is constituted of Infants but of grown-Persons professing visible Saints and to such the Apostle speaks yet the Infants of such are also Members though of another kind The Church may be a Church though there be at present never an Infant in it but I question whether it be so if there be no men grown-persons in it I would ask whether Women were capable of all those directions given by the Apostle to those Churches you may as well say they were not Members of the Church because they were not subjects capacitated for those directions Women were not capable of Church-judging and some other church-Church-Acts therefore are not members of the Church I suppose you will not like such arguing If Infants are not Members because they are not capable of the Apostles directions to the Churches then Women must not be Members because they also are uncapable of them If it were granted to be true that those first inventers of Infant-Baptism as you stile them did so miserably miss it in the Subjects applying the Spiritual Ordinance to ignorant Babes yet Childishly ridiculous is too slight an expression for so miserable a mistake But you have not yet proved that there were such Inventers of Infant-Baptism The Scripture gives us ground to conclude that it was on foot long before those Inventers you intimate and that God in Christ was the Inventer of it The ground of which we have shewed in Christ's Commission already As for some that hold Paedo-Baptism let them maintain their own Principles and Practices if they can I think some can never justify them by Gospel-Rules and I believe it hath been an occasion to many Beza in 1 Cor. 7.14 to turn against Paedo-Baptism for my own part I am of Beza's mind that they are to be confuted that admit all Infants to Baptism a thing saith he unheard of in all the Ancient Church Yea I shall add nor any but such one of whose Parents at least is of a Gospel-Church and so the Child a Mediate-Member thereof who afterwards must not be admitted as an Immediate-Member and partake of all Church-Ordinances without his own credible profession of Faith and Repentance and entring into Covenant in his own Person This would remove many scruples and objections which they cannot well free themselves from that practise otherwise CHAP. VII To your seventh Chapter Testimonies of Councils and learned Men. YOu say you produce not humane Authorities for any proof but by way of Illustration c. To make manifest that not only Scripture-Authority but even Antiquity it self is altogether for Believers and not for Infant's-Baptism In Answer to which I shall at present return these things that follow 1. That we build not Infants-Baptism on humane Authority
raise Objections against any Truth of God nor yet would I lose any grain of Truth that will flow from a Scripture nor would I have done this but to shew that there is as much if not more shew of Objections against Womens receiving the Lord's Supper from the Proofs you have brought than is against Baptism of inchurched Infants But I have done it in Answer to what you have said Page 106. Let but as good Proof appear for Infants-Baptism and it shall suffice I shall now by the Lord's help shew as clear if a not clearer Command for the Baptizing of the Infants of Inchurched Parents than hath been given us for Womens receiving of the Lords Supper And do hope that others may receive some Scripture-Light thereby even from that Text from which you infer the contrary The Text is Mat. 28.19 Christ's Commission to his Apostles rendred in English Go ye and teach all Nations Baptizing them c. The word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple all Nations not only the Nation of the Jews but the Gentiles also That is 1. Go and Preach the Gospel to them for their Conversion 2. Put them into a Church-Estate when converted 3. Then Baptize them when Inchurched This was the ordinary way 4. Then teach them to observe all other things which are after to be learned in the Church or School of Christ That the word Disciple them doth imply not only preaching the Gospel to them for their Conversion but also constituting them into a Church-Estate and is more than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word used for teaching v. 20. will thus appear 1. Christ undoubtedly gave his Apostles Commission to constitute Gospel-Churches to put converted souls into Gospel-Congregations that they might orderly enjoy all Gospel-Ordinances among themselves else it would have been a meer humane invention and not an Institution of Christ and so they would not have been owned and approved by him as without Controversie they were see 1 Cor. 1.1 2 Cor. 1.1 and sundry other places Every particular Gospel-Church being the House of God and of Christ who is the Builder of it Heb. 3.3 4.6 1 Tim. 3.15 2. If Christ gave them such Commission then 't is most likely to be here For 1. They were now to go about this great work and so needed Christ's Authority to bear them out and the presence and power of his Spirit to assist them in it 2. This was therefore the fittest time both in respect of the Apostles themselves and in respect of Christ who was now risen from the dead and actually invested with all power in Heaven and in Earth Now in those 40 days between his Resurrection and Ascension he gave Commandements to his Apostles whom he had chosen Act 1.2 speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God v. 3. which necessarily must respect and comprehend in it a visible Gospel-Church which is so called 3. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seem's clearly to imply a putting them into a Gospel-Church-Estate I find it used but in four places in all the New-Testament in every of which I conceive it hath reference to a Gospel-Congregation The first is in Math. 13.52 rendred in our English Every Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven Which I rather render according to the proper signification of the word which also well suits the sence of the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every Scribe Discipled into the Kingdom of Heaven brings forth out of his treasures things new and old which I shall thus expound 1. By Scribe is sometimes meant a Teacher Scribae denique dicti sunt Juris Divini periti inter ceteros quo nomine laudatur Ezra c. 7.11 quorum munus fuit cum in Synagogis cum in Templo legem docere Beza in Mat. 2.4 Et rurfus scribas illos dictos fuisse ex eo quod legi Scribendae interpretandae vacarent quasi sacrarum tabularum custodes constare potest ex Jerem. 8.8 Beza in eundem Loc. and so I take it here Such a one was Ezra Chap. 7.6.11 12. with Nehem. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9.13 2. By Kingdom of Heaven here and in some other places is meant a Gospel Church and Congregation see Mat. 13.24.47 Mat. 20.1 Mat. 25.1 3. By Discipled into the Kingdom of Heaven is meant that he being converted to Christianity was now made a Member of a Gospel-Church And he being a Teacher before and fitted to teach the people being now translated into a Gospel-State is called to be and so was made a Minister and Teacher of a Gospel-Church 4. He brings out of his Treasures things new and old Now he stirs up the gifts of God that are in him and teaches the people things New concerning Jesus Christ already come crucified risen from the dead ascended into the Heavens actually-invested with all power the great High-Priest in the Heavens actually invested with all power the great High-Priest in the Heavens making Intercession for his People who shall come at length to judge the World And things old to wit the Prophecies that went before concerning Christ to come the signification of the Ceremonial Law and the particulars thereof leading to Christ and now fulfilled and accomplished in him This sence of the Text seems fair and suitable to the Scripture and the practice of the Apostles see Acts 17.2 3 17 18. Acts 9.22 And this seems to be the scope of the whole Epistle to the Hebrews I must confess I have trodden an uncouth path in the Exposition of this Text without help from any Expositor but I leave it to the impartial and judicious Reader to judge The second Scripture where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used is Math. 27.57 concerning Joseph of Arimathea and I see no reason why it should be translated Intransitively in a Neutral-signification The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In English who also himself Discipled or made Disciples to Jesus And not as it is rendred ordinarily who also himself was Jesus Disciple My Reasons of this Exposition are these 1. This is the proper signification of the Greek word and why it should be changed here I see no reason 2. It is not here to be limited to that time when Joseph begg'd the body of Jesus but to that time when the Gospel according to Matthew was written which was some time after the death and ascension of Jesus Christ Some say nine years 3. That Joseph of Arimathea Si Eusebio Theophilacto creditur Matthens in Judaeâ p imus Evangelium Scripsit Anno tertio Caligulae qui erat post ascensum Domini nonus Nativitatis 41. Sic Pareus in praefat ad Matth. was not only himself Jesus Disciple but did also make Disciples to Jesus is commonly acknowledged especially here in England which had the benefit of his Labours as is believed humana fide his Tomb being reported to be at Glassenbury which the Papists