the righteous but the way of the wicked shall perish In the first part of the said Verse there must be supposed to make the sense thereof full and perspicuous the contrary to that which is exprest in the latter part of the Ver. viz. the way of the wicked shall perish which is the way of the righteous shall be preserved for preservation is contrary to perishing Hence two axioms in the said part of the Verse one apparent the Lord owns the way of the righteous the other latent which is this the Lord saith therefore the Lord preserves the way of the righteous the reason is because the righteous and wicked are contraries and therefore if the way of the wicked shall perish therefore the way of the righteous shall be preserved and it 's for that the Lord owns the way of the righteous therefore his way shall be preserved In the latter part of the Verse is positively attested that the way of the wicked shall perish the reason is clear when the contrary to the first part of the Verse is added and expressed which is the Lord disowns the way of the wicked as he owns the way of the righteous upon the account that whether we are wicked or righteous therefore he disowns the way of the wicked The Proverbs of Solomon are full of such latent and tacit disposures of Scriptures but we shall give you but one instance of the very many so couched there as aforesaid which said instance is in Prov. 13.10 Only by pride or rashness rather cometh contention but with the well advised is wisdom There must be these axioms laid down in the first part of the Verse 1. Folly is the attendant of Pride or Rashness 2. Therefore by Pride or Rashness rather cometh contention In the latter part of the Verse these two axioms 1. Wisdom attends the well advised 2. Therefore with the well advised there is peace and quietness In the first part of the Verse is supplyed Folly the contrary to Wisdom specified in the latter part of the Verse And in the latter part is supplyed the contrary to Contention in the first part of the Verse Which contrary is Peace and Quietness and so the full sense and scope of the said Verse is laid down 〈◊〉 the demonstration of the cause of Rashness viz. Folly with Rashness is the cause of all contention In the latter part of the Verse is laid down the cause of well advisedness which is Wisdom and that being with the well advised it causeth and preserveth Peace and Quietness which is the contrary to Contention in the first part of the Verse Thus it appears how the Spirit of God doth in Holy Writ contract and wrap up many depending axioms which are requisitely to be supplyed to explicate the intended sense and scope in them for brevities sake And the ground and warrant of the contraction by latent and tacit disposures of them in the portions of Scriptures where they are is from the rule of contraries in Logick for that contraries are such opposites that uno affirmato alterum negatur and uno negato alterum affirmatur because they do ratione re inter se dissentire That is contraries are such opposites that one being affirmed the other must be denyed and one being denyed the other must be affirmed because such opposites both in Logical respect or respective reasonings and in also their respective natures beings oppose one another as the righteous and wicked do And therefore where such opposites are disposed together the intelligent can draw forth for the respective uses such latent and tacit axioms out of those that are mentioned and expressed in the said Scriptures As the Lord knows or owns the way of the righteous therefore he disowns the way of the wicked because the wicked is contrary in his way to the way of the righteous So the way of the wicked shall perish as it is expressed Therefore the way of the righteous shall be safe or preserved for that the wicked and righteous ones ways owned and disowned are contraries as in the first part of the Verse declared So in Prov. 13.10 By Pride or rashness cometh contention therefore with well advisedness or with the well advised is quietness and peace for that rashness and well advisedness are opposite contraries and therefore if by rashness cometh contention it must follow a contrariis contrariariorum consequentiis that is from the contrary consequentials of consequences from well advisedness comes peace and quietness So if Wisdom is the attendant of well advisedness as it 's exprest to be in the Verse with the well advised is wisdom for that is the cause of well advisedness and the guide of the well advised Therefore by the rule of contraries as aforesaid Folly is the attendant and cause of rashness for that is the opposite to Wisdom Now if all such portions of Scripture wherein such latent and tacit disposures of axioms are contained as are in Psalm 1.6 and Prov. 13.10 in which Book multitudes are contained were expresly vâ—â—â— uno intuitu laid forth that is opened at once and together how voluminous and big would they swell the Bible unto even too big for a Pocket reception and a Vade Mecum upon the account aforesaid Neither could the Bible be read over so soon and often with all the axioms relating to the said respective portions of Scriptures and explained as they must be to make the intent and scope of them appear to open view as they do being disposed as they now are by the supplies added out of each contrary as aforesaid Therefore the Lord in great Wisdom disposed multitudes of Divine axioms in Holy Writ for brevities cause and ends and purposes aforesaid And may we not in like manner think that the Lord omitted his Command for Infant Baptism though he allow and own it upon the respective accounts aforesaid betwixt it and Infant Circumcision in reference to their respective Administrations for brevities cause and to avoid needless repetitions which if he had commanded it expresly yet it had not been nor could be upon any other account than that which he gave for Infant Circumcision for which it was to be done by way of office only and good document to others concerns at present not their own and therefore since Infant Baptism may be done by way of office also and to as good purpose as ever Infant Circumcision was it was needless with reverence be it spoken for the Lord to repeat a new Command for Infant Baptism also for that upon the account aforesaid it had been we believe but a tautology idem ad 〈◊〉 idem that is the same to which went before ex fine rei upon the matter if he had given another Command for Infant Baptism also Thus we have offered to consideration the several grounds and reasons why the Lord might omit upon rational grounds to give a Command for Infant Baptism and could give no
eyes and to turn them from darkness to light which was the first thing Ananias said to Paul Acts 9.17 18. Brother Saul receive thâ—y sight Then was brought forth Gen. 29.33 Simeon Hearing which is the next to Sight and then Levi ver 34. one adjoyned for after the Seeing and Hearing with the eyes and ears of their understandings which the Apostle prays for in the Ephesians behalf Chap. 1.18 then there is way made to be joyned in a further preparation with the Deity and Humanity And then is born Judah Confession in which God is owned according to that Psal 76.1 In Judah is God known or owned his Name is great in Israel that is his Being is great in the prevailer as the Angel interprets the name Gen. 32.28 These therefore are the Administrations that go before in reference to the preparation for the Deity and renewed Humanity to be joyned together even as our Saviour set forth several Administrations in reference to his own office to be done by him under the names in a Mysterie of his Disciples as first he assigns Simon it notes obedience Matt. 10.2 For that the Sinner is first called to obedience which is the obedience of Faith Rom. 1.5 6 26. And therefore is called Peter that is the Rock of Faith sounded on the obedience The next sent forth is Andrew which notes Virility or Strength which is next to Simon Peter the obedience of Faith which brings forth the strength as appears Hebr. 11. tot cap. And we are commanded to be strong in the Lord Ephes 6.10 c. hence called Simon Peter's brother in the Mysterie The next in his office is James the same with Jacob the subduer of the sin the next to Andrew the strength for then able to overcome by wrestling as Jacob did and he is the Son of Zebedee endowed or a good dowry as Jacob had when he wrestled and prevailed Gen. 22.28 Now because all this as Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.10 is through Grace I laboured more than you all yet not I but the grace of God in me Therefore John the Grace of God is next and is the Brother James sent to Preach in the wilderness of Judea Matt. 3.1 in that bewildred state after they come out of the house of Bondage of the confused thoughts in the repenting Sinner that leads him from one by-path to another Hence God in great Mercy and care to the repenting Humanity sends John the Baptist as the forerunner to the thorow washer the Christ of God Ephes 5.27 to wash away the remaining defilements of Sin first in the River of Judgment ver 6. and this John is the Son of Zacharias the remembrance of the Lord Luke 1.72 for the Lord remembred his oath ver 73. And his office was to prepare the way of the Lord by pulling down the high Mountains the high thoughts of carnal reason to make strait the crooked ways the subtle windings and turnings of the carnal reason as those subtile Jews had Luke 20.20 21. the rough ways smooth the boysterous and rugged thoughts in the carnal reason as were in Paul before his Conversion Acts 9.20 Acts 16. in the Jailor Then shall all flesh see the Salvation of God Luk 3.6 Isa 62.1 Hence we see how our Lord sent forth his own Administrations in and by way of office in reference to his own design And therefore it need not seem strange that the Lord should permit and order some things to be done in an extraordinary way by the Old Fathers Abraham Isaack Jacob David Solomon to take to themselves so many Wives Handmaids by whom they begat so many and divers Children even to figure forth in a Mysterie the breaking thereby the many Lusts by degrees in the yet unrenewed Humanity And therefore Abraham begat a Son of Hagar as aforesaid called Ishmael to figure forth the Servantiship under the Law which must be cast out when Sarah the Belief hath brought forth Isaack the true Joy Gal. 4.25 then must Ishmael be cast out for that he was the figure of the Servantship under the Law Gal. 4.30 So that it appears that Sarah her giving Hagar was by way of of office that 〈◊〉 the Seed of the Servantship under the Law was first to be begoâ—ten by Abrabam to figure forth it to be first brought forth before the freedomship which is in the Belief Gal. 4.1 2. The like is to be said of the rest as aforesaid Hence they are to be looked upon as Spiritual Wivâ—s Handmaids Concubines in Gods design though they were also creaturely Wives whom they laid with their Husbands to bring forth Children in a Mysterie by them and not to satisfy their Lust thereby as the carnal men of the world think and thereby practice it and justify themselves in so doing upon the Old Fathers having many Wives as aforesaid But this cannot be owned in reason that the Lord should wink at this in such Holy Men as the Old Fathers were nor that the Lord did connive at it to replenish the World thereby the sooner For that God had rather begin the World anew as he did after the Flood which was destroyed meerly for that cause Gen. 6 4 5 6 c. And it 's said that the Lord sought a Godly Seed Mal. 2.15 Therefore there could be no such connivence from the Lord upon any such account aforesaid neither would the Lord have suffered his Holy Prophets to have stuffed his Holy Scriptures with such stories to the giving a liberty to the Flesh and so to the corrupting of good manners and bringing in an ungodly Seed This cannot by sober Men be yielded unto for that the Scriptures are Spiritual and have for their scope Spiritual things and designs for that God is a Spirit and will be worshippâ—d in Spirit and Truth John 4.23 Therefore if we look upon their Wives as creatural Wives only in Gods design and aim we erre and mistake not knowing the Scriptures what they mean in their Mysterie nor yet the Holiness of God who is said Hab. 1.13 to be of purer eyes than to behold Iniquity Besides these Husbands had more Concubines which figured forth also by way of office Ministring Spirits which move to and fro and are also Feminine by whom the Husbands especially were served in the divided times for they were no longer to continue but until the lawful Wife became pregnant by her lawful Husband and then the Handmaids with the Concubines have performed Spiritually and in their Mystery their Service to a Divine fruitfulness as Handmaids Mary the Mother of our Lord who calls her self a Handmaid Luke 1.38 was the last Handmaid because she brought forth the Christ of God the Saviour who is the end of the Law and Prophets and of the Types and Figures Therefore when he comes and is born in us out of Mary that pure Virgin Doctrine God saith Cast out the bondmaid with her Son Gal. 4.27 as it was said when Sarah the lawful Wife
reason is for that an identity and sameness in things must necessarily be owned alike to all intents and purposes in whomsoever or wheresoever it is found respectively which is the aim and scope of the rule aforesaid à quatenus ipsum c. in the sense and latitude thereof And it 's observable which is expressed Rom. 4. ver 23 24. that it was not written for his sake alone but for us also who believe And the reason must be from and upon the account of the said rule that quatenus ipsum ad de omni c. and may we not say therefore à pari that Infant Circumcision was not written for Israelites Infants alone in abstracto but for Christians Infants also in concreto Upon the like account to warrant thereby Infant Baptism from Infant Circumcision though that be only commanded expressly and not Infant Baptism in like manner expressly for that à quatenus ipsum ad de omni efficax est illatio Now Infant Circumcision was commanded only as Israelites Infants were in Infancy such and such so and so Therefore there is no more reason to disallow of Infant Baptism than of Infant Circumcision in themselves respectively to be considered in their respective Infancies and as for the command of Infant Circumcision only that doth not hinder but confirm the allowance of Infant Baptism upon the account aforesaid especially since no prohibition in any case is given against Infant Baptism So that Infant Baptism may be practised by way of office and as a good document be as useful to grown Christians upon the acccount aforesaid as Infant Circumcision ever was ordained by way of office likewise and not otherwise as aforesaid Hence it 's more consentaneous and agreeable to reason for Christians to Baptise their Infants in order to the coming again to the Child-like innocent life which is the sole end both of Circumcisions and Baptisms Ordination respectively as aforesaid for that Infant Baptism is the more lively and perspicuous exemplar of the two of the attainment unto the Child-like innocent life because Christians Infants are as innocent as Israelites Infants could be and Baptism being a thorow washing after Circumcisions work in its Mysterie is performed from all remaining defilements of Flesh and Spirit Hence upon the aforesaid account Infant Baptism is a more significant and useful document and instruction in order to the Child-like innocent life and state than Circumcision therefore it cannot in reason and equity be denyed but that the Lord did intend its practice as well as Infant Circumcision but did not command it expressly because needless upon the account of the rules aforesaid generalia generaliter quatenus ipsum ad de omni And therefore we cannot in reason think that God gave grown Israelites such a good document and instruction in order to signify to them the first step unto the Child-like innocent life by commanding them to Circumcise their Infants by way of office only as aforesaid to mind and admonish them upon all occasions thereof but we must with like if not with more reason think that the Lord doth allow of Infant Baptism to mind and admonish grown Christians upon all occasions duly to endeavour after the completing the Child-like innocent life as Baptism in its Mysterie doth set forth by a thorow washing from all remaining defilements of Sin after Circumcision in its Mysterie hath cut off the gross Sins and therefore the Lord to his Honour be it spoken cannot but allow of Infant Baptism to be administred also by way of office and as a good document and respectively to grown Christians by allowing them also to Baptise their Infants as the Israelites were commanded to Circumcise their Infants upon the like and no other account as aforesaid We cannot persuade our selves otherwise than as aforesaid unless we do charge the Righteous and Just Lord to be more neglective and injurious to grown Christians than he was to grown Israelites by not allowing grown Christians alike if not a more significant document and instruction than Infant Circumcision was by Baptising their Infants in order to the completing the said Child-like innocent life thereby We hope they will not impose upon us to believe for fear of unthought of evil consequences to follow thereupon that God did command Infant Circumcision and did intend to dâ—â—own Infant Baptism only upon his own meer authoritative will and pleasure without any further reason but his meer Will for the said commanding Infant Circumcision and disowning Infant Baptism which is as useful and significant to all intents and purposes as ever Circumcision was for no other reason but because he would this we cannot yield unto for that Gods Infinite Wisdom is previous and foregoing to all his Woâ—ks as it is expressed Psal 104.24 O Lord how manifold are thy Works in wisdom thou hast made them all Hence in great Wisdom and no otherwise did the Lord ordain Infant Circumcision And therefore he could not out of meer will and pleasure disown Infant Baptism for that if he do he doth disown that which is as rational and useful upon the account of all like respects betwixt Infant Circumcision and Infant Baptism as ever Circumcision was This they dare not stand unto and therefore ask them why the Lord should own Infant Circumcision and command it and yet disown Infant Baptism which Christians Infants are as capable of to all intents and purposes as Israelites Infants were of Infant Circumcision Ask them the reason aforesaid they answer for a shift as we have heard from some not knowing a better reason for it for want of searching into Divine Writ for a better That God say they did it to distinguish Israelites Infants from Heathens Children whereas indeed that reason for it is more frivolous than Infant Baptism is for that Heathens seldom see unless by accident Israelites Infants in that age to shew their Circumcision and we judge that the grown Israelites Circumcision was more advantagious for that purpose for that they could give the grown Heathens a particular account of their Circumcision Wherefore their God commanded them to be Circumcised but yet take their aforesaid reason for Infant Circumcision as it is and then retort it upon them and tell them that they confess thereby that God commanded Infant Circumcision by way of office only for that is no more by their Confession than a representative to Heathens for the end assigned as aforesaid and it 's all we aver and say but in a better sense that God did command Infant Circumcision by way of office only and to be a fit document and instruction to grown Israelites as hath been demonstrated upon the accounts and ends set forth as aforesaid And Infant Circumcision being so commanded we say it 's commanded upon no other grounds than upon what Infant Baptism may be practised that is by way of office and good document unto grown Christians as hath been often for memories cause expressed and urged Now
will be yielded unto or we shall at last intangle our selves as Pharaoh said the Israelites were intangled Exod. 14. in such ensuing evil consequences by our not yielding as will infer many unworthy we are afraid blasphemous reflections upon the Lord Jesus by his neither commanding nor forbidding Infant Baptism for that all the long violent contests among conscientious Christians have been thereupon because the Lord hath not forbidden nor commanded it Hence one party disowns it because it is not commanded the other party pleading for it and practising it as they may because it is not forbidden Now if the Lord had pleased to have commanded or forbidden Infant Baptism surely the sad and known contests about it had we are more than confident never been Hence we do ex fine rei and upon the matter make the Lord to be absit blâ—sphemia dicto the first author of them all for it 's a true maxim Quod est causae causae est causa causati in causis immediatè dependentibus inter se That is the cause of a cause immediatly depending on each other is the first cauâ—â— of the thing caused thereby Now since all the contests that have been about Infant Baptism for that the Lord hath neither commanded it nor forbidden it as he might â—aâ—ly have done either Hence we make him causam at least causam sine quânon of all contests about Infant Bapâ—â—sm There is a story whether true or feigned it matters not for ficta arguunt fidemque faciunt as that of the Trees Judges 9.8 that went forth to choose a King of a very strife lover Parent who when he looked to die made his last Will and Testament so dark and ambiguous for sense and meaning on purpose his Children should not know in express words his respective intentions towards them in reference to his last Will and Testament saying to himself it doth me good to think how my Children will contend and quarrel among themselves after my death concerning my words towards them in my last Will and Testament We forbear the application relatively to Christ's last Will and Testament But yet if the Lord Jesus did not intend that his command for Infant Circumcision should adjust the warrant for Infant Baptism without more ado We infer the Lord Jesus to deal ex fine rei upon the matter as darkly and ambiguously in his last Will and Tâ—stament in reference to Infant Baptism as the strife lover Parent did in his last Will and Testament as aforesaid As if the Lord Jesus were pleased by his neither commanding nor forbidding Infant Baptism with all the said contests and strifes that have risen among his Children and Disciples about it This must follow 〈◊〉 upon the Lords own testimony in another case à pari Prov. 8.36 where it 's said by the Spirit of God all that hate me love death that is the damnable death But who loves that for nemo vult sui destructionem said a Heathen Yet because he that hates God which consists in a separated life from God doth bring the said inevitable death upon himself as if he loved it And so we frequently use the expression of loving that misery and punishment we bring upon our selves knowingly and voluntarily which is annexed by assignment unto the same As when we say to a Thief taken in the fact that he longed to be hanged when he desires nothing less in his affections Hence à pari it must ex vi consequentiae follow if the Lord doth not command nor forbid Infant Baptism by reason whereof all the contests and strifes about it have risen that he is charged if the command for Infant Circumcision was not intended to warrant its practice to be at least the causa sine qua non that is the cause without which the contests about Infant Baptism had not been among conscientious and professing Christians Hence we do stick to it and affirm with more than confidence that God intended his command for Infant Circumcision upon the parallel respects betwixt Infant Circumcision and Infant Baptism as aforesaid should declare 〈◊〉 allowance of the practice of Infant Baptism about which there hath been such bitter opposition by reason the Lord hath neither commanded it nor forbidden it God hates especially among his conscientious Disciples all such contests and quarrels For first he is as he is truly stiled in a known place the Author of Peace and Lover of Concord and calls all his Disciples to peace And is the true Joseph who warns his Brethren not to fall out by the way Gen. 45.24 but endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of Peace Ephes 4.3 Hence surely the Lord Jesus would not have been so negligent careless unmindful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as neither to command or forbid Infant Baptism to have prevented the strifes aforesaid between two well meaning parties about it for that they are so contrary especially to break forth among his professing Disciples to his own inclination to Peace and Concord so much and in divers places declared in the Scriptures Upon all which aforesaid let us pensitate and weigh that good and wholsom express in Publick Baptism Doubt ye not but be well perswaded for the time to come oh ye contradicents of Infant Baptism that God allows and owns that charitable work of ours in bringing Infants to his Holy Baptism for that they are being Baptised as good a document of remembrance to grown Christians upon the account aforesaid as ever Infant Circumcision was though commanded but yet commanded upon no other account but by way of office as aforesaid respectively by which Christians Infants ought and no otherwise to be Baptised We shall not presume to trouble the contradicents to Infant Baptism further by multiplying more seeming arguments in specie for it which yet in re verâ will be but repetitions and idem per idem contrary to the maxime generalia generalitèr semel dicenda Therefore we desire them seriously to examine what we have here offered to consideration in reference to the Justification of Infant Baptism by our through Gods direction New Discovery of the way and means thereof as aforesaid Yet give us leave to say for a further illustration of the more than probable intention of the Lord to wrap up his allowance and owning Infant Baptism in his command for Infant Circumcision and especially not prohibiting it without a repetition of another command for Infant Baptism for that the Spirit of Wisdom doth frequently in Holy Writ fold up for many causes very much in little or in half that which is intended and must be explicated respectively to make the sense and scope of the portion of Scripture where it is full and compleat to the purpose that the said Scripture is appointed for And there are many instances thereof in Holy Writ but we will offer but two at present One is in Psal 1.6 where it 's said the Lord knows the way of