they so their children the same sinne in their nature but they had an interest in the meanes to help them and God had ingaged himselfe to them in Church-promises I will cause them to walk in my wayes that is the Church should not grow wild because they had meanes and God had ingaged himselfe to them Hence they were free Burgesses and hence comes it that the posterity of the Jewes are called the Naturall Branches so as the child of a Jew though sinfull and have no beliefe by birth yet he was within the compasse of the Church and so God was ingaged to doe him good as he sees fit by nature and goneration because he came of Abraham he falls under God and God takes him in his naturall condition and so he comes under the means to be brought home to God Thus we see the Gentiles are wild because they were not under Gods tilling nor was he ingaged to doe them good and so he ran wild Now to the true Olive in way of opposition they were the Jewes not by way of sinne but because they were under the hand of God and so they had an interest in the meanes of grace Now the Jewes though they were wicked yet they were not wild but they were under Gods hand ordering them and hence they were preserved under his hand This is the meaning of the Prophets you may referre them to this Isai 5.1 2. The Lord had a Vineyard and he planted it and fenced it and made a wine-presse in it And in the seventh verse And what could I have done more for my Vineyard Here you may see what care and skill God did use towards them 1. He secures his Vineyard and therefore he hedges it and makes a wall about it and uses all the wayes of preservation he can 2. By way of prevention and therefore he removes those things that might anoy it by gathering out the stones and bryers out of it 3. He laies in provision he plants it with choice plants and built a Wine-presse in it and what could he have done more in outward means Now he did not thus to the Gentiles they grew wilde he did not take that pains with them so Jeremiah 2.21 Yea I planted thee a noble Vine whose plants were all naturall c. That is as a Vine planted on purpose by the gardiner it was not a wilde one in regard of God and his promises as he had made them a Church so all should before their good Rom. 11.24 They were ingrafted into the true Olive and originally planted by the dresser that as the wilde Olive grows in the wildernesse so the good Olives are planted by the Vine-dresser therefore you may see what he speaks further of the Vine Esay 5 7. Surely the Vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the men of Israel and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plants or as the word signifies the people of Gods imbracements that is to apply a mans self pleasingly to another with loving imbracements that is the word the Lord out of his good pleasure and tender pitty did take the people of the Jews into his imbracements he took them into the Arms of his imbracements of the covenants and into the arms of his compassion so he doth to every Congregation to this day in this regard they are planted into the true Olive Deut 7.7 The Lord did not choose you because you were more in number but because he loved you and Ezekiel 24.23 24.29 I will raise up for them a plant of renown c. See what affection he carried to them then what they are called thus shall they know that I am with them he will make them glorious the sum is when God is pleased out of his love to take a people to himself and ingage himself to them for their good that people is a true Olive and so of a person or children of such parents under them are said to be naturall branches so we may see their excellency above others 4. How holinesse is derived from the root to the branches the words themselves carry it privily if the one then other for the root hath a cause and means to carry holinesse to the branches now the grace of sanctification is not conveyed what sap is in the root the same is in the branches the things whence the comparison is taken is from the first fruits in the time of the Law Levit 23.17 It was unlawfull for them to take the fruits of the ground untill they had first brought the two loaves to offer them a Wave-Offering unto the Lord but when they had done that then the whole lump was sanctified he had a sanctified use of it and it did signifie peace and purity of Conscience that was the means by Gods Institution the root in nature is the cause of the sap that is conveyed to the branches the scope is one so that in that is signified Abraham was the root and first fruits if he were good and walked in fear and love and so became holy to the Lord so were his posterity by a covenant made with Abraham here let me vary with you Abraham is taken into covenant with God and so to be consecrated to God and therefore federally holy his children are in covenant as well as he so they in the same set apart they partake of the same thus the holinesse does not issue from hence as they are born the sons of Adam nor that they were born Jews no further then a bate Jew or the Propagation of a Jew if God had not taken them into covenant and engaged himself unto them no more then the Gentiles he engaged himself to them and they to him or else they had not been holy Hence it is because they renounce the promises of God they lost their federall holines Now mark hence is the ground of this holines it is federall God took him into covenant and his children and that of free-favour therefore he may choose and leave Hence they become holy the lump of them because of their father being in the covenant and he chose him because he loved him their parents did covenant Abraham entred into covenant and that he did because he chose them and he chose them because he loved them and he loved them because he would love them and therefore he did chose them and because he chose them therefore he did enter into covenant with them their parents were holy because he chose them and entred into a covenant with them and with their children by their fathers covenants now you see how it is communicated being boâ—â— of parents that are in covenant with God and God with them this is the pedigree of the text now you may see what is said to the contrary by Mr. Spilâ—bery First He sayes by first fruits and lumps the elect are to be considered in believing it set forth such as are in Christ according to which you may see 17. page 9 lines from
the signification they cannot take it in so far as to affect their hearts with the nature of it therfore all such power upon their actual apprehensions signification taking working of abilities of their own it is onely to men of yeares it is beyond the rank and order of infants and the means cannot worke in this regard beyond their order and rank to doe as to men of yeares they may And the same may be said of circumcision for there is the like difference between men of yeares and infants in that and yet this did not hinder Gods end in that ordinance nor did it prejudice the good God intended to bestow upon infants though the abilities of infants could not receive it from the Ordinance or the Ordinance receive help from them for this is extraordinary and beyond the parts of a child that is the meaning of it 2 Yet in regard of God it is his ordinary course and certainly he doth work faith in the hearts of all elected infants that dye in their infancy Doe not stumble that I use the phrases of Ordinary and Extraordinary in regard of the parties and meanes it is ordinary with God for we may see it so in other workes of God as in the work of vocation there is an infusion of a spirituall principle into the soule which is beyond all the abilities of the nature of any man to bring it into his own soule but if we look at the work of God then the way that God hath made known is ordinary and a continued course to infuse a principle of grace into the soule So it is Gods ordinary way to put faith into an infant that is elected and dies an infant As for instance there are many revelations of God every revelation is a revelation of the Spirit but it is according to the Word Now although it is extraordinary in regard of the work of the Spirit revealing yet it is ordinary with God Now this comes to the heart of the cause therefore in this give me leave to do three things 1 To open the meaning and state the question how God doth put faith into infants 2 That it should not seem hard nor men should not think it hard to say God works in this manner 3 We will give you the reasons of it 1 In the meaning of it the secresie of God does drive men to much trouble it is like an unbeaten way to the Seamen they must sound every part of it 1 Some think it is kept in his own secret will 2 Some think the Spirit does work it 3 Some think God puts in a seed of faith 4 Some think there is a habit of faith put into the Soule 5 Some think God does powre faith into the heart of infants that die in infancie that be elected that they shall be converted and put into Christ this is the main truth of the question God does powre it into the soule and so the soule is converted and planted into Christ as the head of the covenant This is the state of the controversie and this I shall labour to strengthen 2 Secondly it should not be strange nor need not to bee counted hard to any judicious Christian to assent to this The reason is because there is a work alike in a parity to that which is daily expressed in the course of Gods providence and is acknowledged by all judicious without doubt And if it be so why may he not doe the like in this That there is a like work and that it is acknowledged appeares thus It is a confessed truth that the Lord does infuse a soule into the body and the soule is pure and holy as it comes from him otherwise God must be the authour of sinne yet through the sinne and guilt of Adam the soule is turned from God and is possest with originall sinne and so sin and guilt is imputed and the curse justly inflicted And the soule being thus wholly turned from God it is wholly possest with originall corruption It is a delusion to say the soule is propagated Gen. 5.3 Adam beg at a sonne in his own image being wholly turned from God and turned to sin And John 3.6 That which is born of the flash is flesh all comes from the sin of Adam Now mark if this be so that the sin guilt of Adam is thus conveyed and the guilt curse this is done daily though we see not the manner how it is done then why may not Christ convey grace turne the heart of a child from sin to himself the party is the same as before and look to the cause and it is greater in the latter then in the former if we looke at Christ there is an advantage in reason to believe the latter rather then the former and why should it be thought a thing incredible seeing the first Adam can turn away the soule from God but that Christ by the power of his merits may convert Infants to himselfe and why then should it bee incredible Now one of these are done from day to day and none doubt of it I meane the first and the second we have more advantage to believe because the second Adam is above the first and why then should not the second Adam be as readily assented unto as the first but every man is forced to yeeld the first that is judicious let us not doubt the second One thing is to be noted in Mr Spilsbery's Booke in the 12th page 19 lines from the end where he saith The word condemnes none but for actuall sinne if he mean as he must needs doe no man is condemned but for the sinne of the party it selfe it is a grosse error Rom. 5.12 For as by one man sinne entredinto the world and death by sinne c. and so in the 8th verse If by the finne of one man judgement came upon all then for the sinne of Adam God may justly condemne all though they never commit actuall sin is the judgement of all that are judicious Death over spread all by Adams sinne and therefore wee see in infants that dye Adams sin was actuall and let him shift what he can the case is cleare and the word condemnes men for originall sinne The wages of sinne is death so originall sinne it is the rebelling against the law of out mind and therefore it must be sinne and to say the contrary is a grosse fulsome error Mark when such errors come from the pens of men it shewes there is more behind and he must say either originall sin is no sin or that infants have no originall sinne And if he say so then the sin of the heathen cannot hinder but that all their children that dye must be saved If you look in the forenamed place in his book you may finde it I speak it that men that have the books may find it And let no man think that these things be strange seeing the like is done that you may see with
infants into the congregation they bring them under the meanes and God ingages himselfe unto them The reason the Gentiles grew wild they wanted meanes Pagans of Pagans God takes no care of them And besides will any say circumcision of infants was the cause to make gracelesse members our baptisme is the same 4 Because it is a ground of ignorance and error to hold people in blindnesse and make people thinke Baptisme is necessary to salvation The Argument is this That which is the cause of ignorance and error and to hold the people in blindnesse that is unlawfull But the baptizing of infants is the cause of all this and therefore it is unlawfull A thing may be said to be a cause of a thing two wayes 1 When out of its own nature or out of the action from it intending or as corrupt counsell to lead them to evill are the cause of sinne thus to doe out of intendment to give bad counsell is the cause of sinne 2 Though of themselves they be good and the intendment be good yet meeting with a corrupt heart it makes him doe contrary this is beyond the scope of the thing it causes evill without a cause the Gospel is the cause of contention thus as Luke 12.51 I came not to send peace but rather debate c. It is a cause of conversion to one but meeting with a corrupt heart it causes contention but that is beyond the scope of the Gospel And so Rom. 7.15 For I allow not of what I do for what I would do I do not but what I would not do that I doe c. And therefore as I have said formerly a wicked servant will be worse in the best family for it inrages corruption because it meets with a corrupt heart so the baptizing of infants may be a cause of stumbling to some because they do not see and so it may be a cause of evill to such 2 Because it is a cause of error and keeps men in blindnee These are meer words if men by ignorance or carelesnes cannot or will not see if the Pastor be carelesse and there be thousands doe not know it the fault is their blindnesse For looke at the nature of this Ordinance where it is taught they shall not be kept in blindnesse that appeares thus The laying forth of the extent of this ordinance is not to keep men from the understanding of it or to keep them in blindnesse but to inform them by this being taught it layes forth the nature of baptisme it containes all that men of years have taught them and no more what they teach men of yeares that are to be baptized they say all that and more then that they teach according to God I may appeale whether the opening of the nature of this Ordinance have not let in light to this ordinance 2 That it keeps them in error and makes them simply perswaded of the necessity of baptisme to salvation it is their own fault if it be so and not in the ordinance that leads them to it Circumcision in the old Law was to be on the eighth day can any body say there lay a necessity of salvation upon circumcision God did enjoyn them to circumcise them then the parents shall see it and the nature of the thing and therefore we should keep from such conceits It is a seale and does suppose the party is in covenant they not having or having does not make it that it cannot be deceived Lastly I know no judicious Divine that teaches of Baptisme but will teach Baptisme is not necessary to salvation if any wilfully mistake his blood be upon his own head 5 It lifts up the state of Antichrist by granting him this so chief a Corner-stone and makes the Church of Rome a true Church for where true Baptisme is there is a true Church This is the substance of the Argument That practice that upholds the state of Antichrist is sinfull But the baptising of infants upholds the state of Antichrist and makes the church of Rome a true church therefore the baptizing of infants is sinfull I answer in the generall this reaches not the cause in hand For our question is not whether baptisme in the church of Rome be true or not but whether it belawfull in a church that is gathered and well ordered according to Christ and therefore that he speakes here reaches not the cause If hee condemn baptizing of Infants upon that ground he must condemne men of yeares also For doe but turn the Tables that practice does uphold Antichrist by the baptizing of men of yeares in Rome for where true baptisme is there is a true church that does confirme Antichrist as well as this for it is equall the one as well as the other if the baptizing of men of yeares then infants one is as well to be looked at as the other and one makes a true Church as well as the other So as if that be an Argument there must be no baptizing at all neither of the one nor the other and so there come in many absurdities 3. The argument prevailes not at all neither for the baptising of men of years nor children for to prove Rome to be a true Church for Rome being a true Church does not depend on this cause but this conclusion is because baptisme in Rome is true whether it be of men of years or Infants for where true baptisme is there is a true Church take it as they use it but whether it be according to God that they should be baptised or not then it does not make that a true Church there is no man can inferre it from that if it be lawfull to baptize Infants in Rome is it therefore a true Church Baptisme may be true in a true Church but it may be so abused that it may not be lawfull after that manner the fault is not that they are baptized but it is done by an heretick or a man not approved Thus imagine a Priest in Rome or Germany should baptize one I the name of the Father and not the Son or Holy Ghost that baptisme is unlawfull And now suppose that it were lawful for any to baptize then it is lawfull for a Midwife to baptize but it is not lawfull for her to baptize although she baptize right for the matter In the name of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost because she hath no true call to it she is not in Office so to do but the question is whether it be lawfull to be done in a lawfull manner 4. Many have held one of these opinions and have denyed the other children men of years may be baptized so it be not in an hereticall Church but if it be it is unlawfull say some so says Cyprian and some others were of this opinion that baptisme was lawfull for men of years if it were not done by a Heretick if this be granted that Cyprian faith that it is unlawfull for an Heretick
that they cannot oppose the spirit in working on them then stones are capable for God can raise of stones Children to Abraham but if this be the meaning they are as able to comply with the Spirit I deny it and to affirm that this is the way God uses to bring children to him I oppose it and it argues ignorance to say so To which I answer it is the truth of God and it is Gods way to work so and that Children are as capable as men of years if we eye the operation of the Spirit and the dispensation thereof they are as capable as men much more therefore then stones and that I will open and prove in foure things First The nature of man as it was made fit for grace before the fall so it is capable of grace after the fall of Adam when I say capable I say two things 1. The substance of the soule and body need not be changed from their being when they receive grace the nature of the soule and body being not changed but unfitted for any spirituall work As take a Clock that all the wheels are out of frame you need not make new Wheels but onely rectifie them if they be foule make them clean if they be wrong right them so by the fall of Adam all soule and body is out of frame and out of joynt the minde unfit to know God and the will unfit to close with God before the fall all were in frame but when it jarred against the Law then Originall sinne came upon all his seed and that makes them jarre against the law now when a sinner comes to be renewed there needes not new faculties but those he hath to be set in frame this is the meaning of the Spirit of God Jer. 4.4 Plow up your fallow ground c. so the minde is arrable ground although it be over grown with lusts that as there is no fruit of holines to God or righteousnes to men but the minde of man is over run with distempers and therefore as they say we must give it another tilling by plowing up the weeds and Rom. 6.19 As you have given your members weapons to unrighteousnes so now give your members as servants unto righteousnesse unto holinesse the meaning is as we have given our members in the same proportion as we have given them to sin so we should give them to be at the command of the spirit the same understanding will and affections whereas if God raise them out of stones as he can doe he must first give it to be a man and make it to have a body and a soule and then convert it but he need not doe so when he comes to men or children As if a man would have a crop of Corn upon a rock he must first make it ground and then plow them but if hee have ground although it have thorns and rubbish when he hath removed that he may plow it and expect a crop because ground is capable to bear Corn. Now the proof of the point is plain that the nature of man is capable it appears that which is capable of a privation is capable of the habit of the contrary grace of necessity the in beeing of a thing requires a capablens the eye cannot be said to be blind except it be capable of seeing it is not said a mans hand is blinde because it is not capable of seeing so the body may be said to be dead because it is capable of life so it is in the understanding it is full of blindenesse because it is capable of seeing and so the will is capable of holinesse Ephes 5.8 Once you were darknes now you are light in the Lord c. and 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the Image of the earthly so we must beare the image of the heavenly the body is sick and it may have help Secondly Our nature is not nextly fit for grace yet it is capable that is the roome may be made fit though it be not fit for the present as a Vessell that is full of ill liquor it is capable to hold good liquor but it is not fit before the filthy liquor be powred out so our nature is capable of grace we need not change our being but wee must bee made fit 2d Particular The spirit of God does in all men whether young or old first loose the soule of a sinner from sin and self by his Almighty power before he puts a principle of grace into the soule and before he leads the soule to God in Christ this must be done take a childe or a man God does work this it is the nature of Gods dispensation Acts 26.18 To open their eyes that they may turn from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God c. First they are taken from under him and then they are turned to God and John 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therfore the world hates you c. you were under the power of sin and I have called you out then I will cal you to my selfe Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son c. We must be cut off from the wilde Olive before we can be planted into the true Olive It was never known an Imp could grow on two stocks at once you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be in Hell Heaven together there cannot be two Gods in one heart it is not possible therefore see how John prepares the way for Christ Luke 3.5 6 7. The mountains must be laid low and the crooked things must be made strait and then they shall see the salvation of God so it is withall the sonnes of Adam nature and reason will constrain the same Thirdly In this double work of the spirit the spirit deposes sin and self and then powers in a principle of grace in both these all men that receive the worke of the spirit are meere patients when it deposes sin and self young and old and are meer patients all men children and infants thus it is in all on whom the great work of conversion is they are meerly patients we have already made it good I will give you two or three reasons of it 1. Aversion cannot bee a cause of salvation a frame to turn from God cannot help a man to turn to God no more then light can cause darknesse sin and self carry the soule from God and therefore it cannot carry the soule to God Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and those are contrary one to another Now that which destroyes the work of the spirit cannot bring it in Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing now that which hath no spirituall good can doe no spirituall good and so it cannot helpe to God 2. That which cannot be subject to
to himselfe although he had no right nor reason so to doe So that if they be left to them selves they would prophane them 2 There will be a confusion on the holy things of God and therefore it is that God hath given them lawes and hath committed these to a community of men and hath left it to them according to the rule of rationall charity to judge whom they will admit and to those they do admit to become subject to those Lawes and Rules and live accordingly so as it is committed to them for that purpose to whom and when they please Thus it was in the time of the Law and thus it is in the times of the Gospel and so it shall be to the comming of Christ 1. Thus it was in the time of the Law they must be in covenant the people of the Jewes were taken in from the world and hee gave them lawes he hath not dealt so with any Nation Psalm 147.20 The treasury of his Lawes were committed to them And Romanes 3.1 all the spirituall priviledges were committed to the Jewes What is the priviledge of the Jewes Much every way c. And Jer. 13.11 For as the girdle cleaves to the loynes of a man so have I â—ied to me the whole House of Israel c. But they would not hear that they might be people to God and then have that honour This is the reason in Nehem. 9.38 he speak thus Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levitse and our Priests seale unto it Hence it is that all the choyce priviledges are the Legacies of the Jewes And Exodus 12.43 No stranger shall cat thereof And therefore they must be in the compasse of a visible Church Circumcision is the proper name and livery of Gods people Ephes 2.11 You were Gentiles and called uncircumcision of them that were called Circumcision c. and that were the Jewes and they were the people of God to whom it was left to judge of them that were fit to be made parâ—akers of these priviledges 2 It is thus also in the time of the Gospel they must be ingaged in the covenant and the Seales and Officers and Ordinances of the Church are their propriety As for the Officers Christ when he asconded he gave gifts unto men and ordained some to be Apostles and some Prophers c. Hee spake of some part for the whole therefore in an ordinary way it must be a visible Church the invisible do not meet to chuse but the officers are by the choyce of such a people in such a particular Church and God does set them in a particular Church and the Officers are to dispense the things of God to that Church and therefore a Minister without a people is as a husband without a wife And therefore all the sâ—alâ—s must be dispensed by the Officers of the Church and by none else as appointed by God so to do And therefore the treasury of the Church must be dispensed by faithfull men chosen by the Church Acts 6.3 Chuse you men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost c. If they must be so that must order the treasure of the Church much more the seales which are the speciall treasures of the Church they must be men that have gifts chosen the Sacraments are the seales of the Covenant one with another we are all one bread 1 Corinth 10.17 For we that are many are but one bread And if there be no Officers but in the Church and they that be Officers are to administer onely to the Church they must needs be a company gathered in a Church How a man must be fitted to come into a Church belongs not to me now 3 This must continue till the comming of Christ Rom. 11.17 And though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive tree wert grafted in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the Olive tree Where hâ— speakes of unchurching of the Jews and Churching of the Gentiles If the branches be cut off and thou art grafted in and made partakers of the fatnesse of this Olive tree So as the Gentiles are made partakers of the fatnesse of the Olive the Olive tree is the Church and the fatnesse of the Olive tree is the priviledges that appertain thereunto so as alwayes they must be ingrafted into the Church before they can have the priviledges belonging thereunto and this shall be to the end of the world When the Jews are converted they shal come into a Church of God this is the first they shall enter into a Church and then the fatnesse followes to the branches in the Olive Secondly they covenant for their children as well as for themselves Deut. 29.10 You stand this day every one of you before the Lord your God your Children your wives c. which shewes they may receive the covenant When he speaks of the covenant in the breadth of it then he takes in their little ones and therefore parents covenant as well for their litle ones they undertake for all that shall be born of them they are in their parents loynes all of them are under their power and they have authority to impose the law of God upon them So in Genes 17. 10 11. Let every man child be circumcised and this shall be a token between me and you of my covenant every male shall be circumcised This is the cause why Joshua when he was to depart the world said to the people Chuse you whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord. Every believer hath power to bring his children into this covenant it was a speciall prerogative to Abraham Mr Spilsbery saith If this be to every believing Parent as to Abraham then every beleever must be the father of the faithfull as Abraham was But I deny the consequence for it will not follow if we looke at Abraham as a pattern of believers hence the priviledges and covenant are entailed upon Abraham to all the nations of the world visibly to be dispensed to all the nations of the world and they shall know and imitate him and God will save them He is the Father of the faithfull by imitation the covenant is made after Gen. 12. he is called and the root is stated upon him Although there was a covenant with Noah and Shem yet it was stated upon Abraham and not upon them so as the consequence fails But if we look to his personall faith he hath power to his children onely But No Spilsbery in the 14th page 13th 14th lines if it be meant to all his children he conceives he had many children by Keturah Genes 25. c. which he conceives was not within the covenant for they were not partakers of the seales This will follow for Keturah was not worse then Hagar for she was a Concubine as well as Keturah yet Abraham did circumcise
the end in Christ they are proved subjects of the kingdom of Heaven what is meant by root Christ mysticall Christ conveys living grace to his living members of his body and the branches are those that are planted in Christ by faith and the spirit for faith he mysticall Christ is the Church for the Church are not a mixt company in the 20 23 24. lines I will answer in two things to clear the place 1. It is unfound and does not suite the Apostles meaning 2. If we grant it it will not help his cause to hinder from the baptising of Infants 1. It is unfound were Gods elect of a visible covenant if that onely were the first fruits then Abraham could not Adam Abell Noah and Shem were the elect of God and these were before Abraham therefore this will not hold out that he faith but as the covenant of grace was set upon Abraham so he is the first fruits 2. It hath been proved out of the text as holinesse to the lump so God intends it as a means not that elect people are able to convey saving grace to the lump of all the Jewes in any case 3. If the elect were onely the members he contradicts his own course for those that have a right to baptism are invested into all the priviledges but Gods elect people are not the onely subjects of baptisme for when Iohn Baptist did baptise all those that came to him in the judgement of Iohn they were approved subjects of Gods grace Yet I suppose no man will say though they were men of yeâ—res that were baptised that they were all the elect of God and that they were approved subjects and yet they did not onely apply the seale to themselves for their good but they did abuse the seals and yet they were approved of Iohn to be made partakers of it although some of them were Apostates and Reprobates in a word those that are in the covenant of Gods grace that are elected are really partakers of the work of the spirit inwardly but for the outward we see they are approved which is that of which we now speak not the elect onely but others in the federall holinesse and Abraham was the first fruits by way of covenant 2. That the root here is not Christ mistically conveying grace to his branches and sending nourishment from the head as it is the visible covenant against this I say 1. The Root here meant is that from whom the Branches ingrafted may be broken off that is the Jewes they were broken off from the Church and are at this day but no Branch that is ingrasted into Christ by faith can be broken off First we may see it in the Text Secondly we may see it in Reason he that is in Christ cannot be broken off For whom he called he justified and whom he justified he will glorifie And those that come to Christ he will not cast them away for it is the will of the Father to give them eternall life and no man can take them out of his hand so as the case is cleare 2. The Root is meant the body ingrafted as in the 15. verse If the casting away of the Iews shall be restored the body of the Gentiles 24. 25. verses all the body shall be saved but the body of the Gentiles are not ingrafted into Christ mystically to be belivers so the root is not here and this shews the unfoundnes 3. The reason Mr. Spilsbery uses is against his cause in his 17. page and the last and the beginning of the 18. they carry not the weight of a feather that Christ is the Olive and the Jews are cast out and the Gentiles are grafted in I desire no better reason against him for the Jews are not cast out of Christ mysticall out of this root because it is the Church of Christ where many hypocrites are because they may be cast out 1. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting the root bears thee and yet thou have no saving grace but a naked profession and expression in the 17. verse it is a false mistake out of that place boasting is not saving grace for it is a pang of pride God hath no people but have their weaknes of grace Josephs brethren they sold him and would see what would become of his dreams and the Corinthians they did boast one was of Paul another of Apollo but did all these want saving grace No but it is as a caveat given them to pull it down it is not to say they all want saving grace it is false 2. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting it is against the argument 3. Thus if the Gentiles be ingrafted in want of grace therefore Christ must be the head the consequence destroyes the conclusion the root is meant as he faith the ingrafted and the want of grace the body butso is no member that is in Christ mystically therfore the root is not meant Christ for the want of grace cannot be in Christ mystically so he destroyes his cause now we shew you the meaning of the text the scope is they should not list up themselves for the Jews were cut off he reasons thus It is groundlesse to boast against the Jew because they receive all from the Jew therefore they should sit down for if they have any right they have it from him for Abraham is the root how by covenant with him Abraham bare by a visible covenant therefore the Gentiles may thank Abraham for it and therefore they have no cause to boast for it was said to him in thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed so the truth is cleared the children are holy but not by a spirituall holinesse but a federall holinesse 4. If we grant him his interpretation it will be no help to his cause if the first fruits and lump be the elect the children are elect also if they be vessels of glory upon the same ground children are elected as well as they and let Christ be the head of those that be ingrafted then children and infants are the branches of this head and so to be judged in charity and if they shall be saved they are members Ephes 5.26 Children shall be saved by Christ they he his body he hath gotten nothing here but we have gained that children have federall holinesse against all opposition The 4th Proposition is Although the ground be not the same yet there is as sure a ground to evidence to judicious charity that children are in covenant as well as parents if they be believers the ground is â—t good to the one as it is to the other to a Rule of judicious charity it is alike to both There is not the same ground altogether because the parents are of yeares of discretion and so they are able to expresse the speciall or common good and therefore they can give a reason of the hope that is in them and ingâ—ge themselves to walk
to baptise although he doe it in a right manner then this may bee something to prove the Church of Rome is not a true Church and although there be baptisme in Rome yet that doth not prove Rome a true Church I doe say that opinion is true that so many hold 5. I say the proposition is false if baptism be administred in a right manner by a faithfull Minister yet that makes not a true Church if an Elder in new England that is rightly called to Office should go among the Indians and baptise In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if the subject should not be baptised there were a sin although the ordinance were rightly administred but this would not follow that the Indians were a true Church although the minister were rightly called yet that does not make them a true Congregation for a true Church is when many believers doe enter into a Covenant to walk together in the fellowship of the Gospel that is a true Church 6. Argument It builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall so that they have nothing but the bare word of a man for it the frame of the argument is this That practice that builds faith in matters fundamentall upon humane testimony is unlawfull but the baptising of Infants does so and therefore it is unlawfull for he must bring in humane testimony and so the word of men must be in the place of the word of God Because they seem to place much here and the argument is somewhat unwonted therefore give me leave to inlarge Here I will doe two things 1. I will shew you the vanity of the argument 2. I will rip into the bowels of the argument that you may see the feeblenesse of such and how they will melt as dew before the Sun 1. The vanity of the reason and the weaknesse of it appears thus That practice that builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall no other wayes then God doth allow and the word warrants is not unlawfull but the baptizing of Infants does not build them no otherwise tâ—â—â— Gods word dos allow in the like case as in circumcision for that was a scale of the same covenant to them that this is to us it is clear that was a scale of the righâ—eousnesse of faith to them and so is this to us and is as fundamentall as baptisme to us a fundamentall of faith those that were circumcised in the law in their infancy as Infants must prove it by their parents it is plain and therefore if any man will charge God with want of wisdome or want of care how shall a childe satisle another but by bare testimony humane every man would condemn this as hellish blasphemy this is enough to dash the argument now we will search into the secrets of the argument and we will doe two things 1. By way of explicition of some passages in the reason 2. We will make application in the first you here of matters fundamentall in that we must know three things First Matters fundamentall touching faith that there is one God in three persons Eather Son and Holy Ghost and Christ the son of the Virgine Mary is the Saviour of the world and that God by his spirit does bring his children to know himself and bring them to his Son and that his Saints are justified by Faith these are fundamentall Secondly there are matters flow from these if God by his spirit make a sinner believe then there is not free-will and that we are justified by the active and passive obed once of Christ and if we have title to the covenant then we have title to the seals 3. Some matters annexed are circumstantiall as receiving the seals in this manner there is a matter of faith and matter of fact faith in matters to be believed or works of mercy matters to be believed or or done are contained to the Scriptures but for matter of fact that is to such a man by name is not contained in the Scriptures Faith comes by hearing and is contained in the scriptures but that such a a man did heare at Hurford the scriptures doe give no testimony that this man by name at this time and place is not contained in the scriptures 3. That a mans faith may be built upon the word and it rest upon the word or that is contained in the word the conclusion must be in the word but the other part in a mans selfe to build our faith on the word is enough if one proposition be in the word and the other hee may finde by experience carry these along with you and you will see the weâ—knes of the Argument we will shew you the Application in three things 1. Children when they doe survive may receive the benefit of baptisme by faith built upon the word of God and not upon humane reason they may receive the benefit of their faith built upon the word thus instanced whosoever doe or have received baptisme by the appointment of God to them God on his part hath sealed up the covenant to them but children have so received and therefore they have the covenant sealed on Gods part to them and therefore they may have the comfort of it that they have received it on Gods part every man that by Gods order hath the seale God seales to him then children by the order of the Gospel have received the seale of the Covenant so both are true but how doth it appear that a childe hath received it that is not to be required in the scriptures but in practice not in the Gospel nor is required in the cause for it is enough that the proposition or conclusion be in the scriptures that this is true I will give you severall instances Thus it is a truth That all children must honour their father and mother and therefore every childe must honour his Parents but how shall the childe know that this man is his Father or this woman his Mother the common testimony is enough to the childe for to give them obedience of faith although it be not set down in the scriptures that this or that man or woman is his parent and so in Leviticus The Unkle must not marry his Neece for that was a sin for all such marriages is unlawfull but how shall this woman know this was her Unkle The constant report of men is enough in this cause And remember you keep holy the Sabbath day this was the seventh day from the Creation to the Jews and the eighth day to us but how should they know which was the seventh day Abraham living so long after the beginning of the world and it was not written in the word which was the seventh day so that it must be by witnesse and so this is enough for the conclusion is of faith So for the benefit of baptizing of Infants the testimony of them that lived when I was baptized is enough to settle me 2. Men of years
world It is the same Christ and Covenant that they must teach 3. What is meant by making of Disciples to train up people to follow Christ in the way and worship of Christ Disciple is called Christian Go make Disciples not to assent outwardly to the truth but also give probation to the truth for there be many that may be in Christ and seem to be informed that the way of the Gospel is holy but they dare not come in to hold it forth for when they come to hear Christ say The foxes have holes and the birds of the ayâ— have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head no more of them Joh 6.60 Many therefore of his Disciples when they heard this said this is hard saying who can hear it And when he came after to pinch them upon the narrow in the 66. verse it is said Many of his Disciples went away and walked no more with him 4. They must be qualified that must receive the seals he must be ingrafted in a covenant for him and his we should suffer them to come in if he be a Disciple so ingaged in Covenant or for them and therefore this is as the presse money to the souldier and here is the main it is the same covenant with the Jews Matth. 21.43 Therefore I say unto you the kingdome of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation that will bring forth the fruits thereof That is the covenant of the Gospel so as the kingdome of God is the same to Jew and Gentile Matth. 8.11 But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdome of heaven that is they shall have the ordinances into all the world so as it is the same covenant that was made with Abraham at the first the Jews shall be cast out and as the kingdom is the same so the Gentiles are incorporated upon the same terms as the Jews were Ephes 3.6 That the Gentiles should be inheriters also of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel so we see God did reveal the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body as the Jews had as the Jews had royall priviledges so the Gentiles should share in the same corporation into Christ Ephes 2.19 Now therefore you are no more forreigners but Citizens with the Saints and houshold of God so as you are fellow Citizens of the same house and corporation and have the same priviledges and they shall have all these in a visible covenant see all in the context as the Gentiles stood in opposition the partician wall being in uncircumcision and the Gentiles known to be Gentiles as he was made before he was in a visible Church now when one is in a vissible covenant that makes them differ for it cannot be meant of a spirituall work for all the work of circumcision was never thus for then it must have been upon all that were circumcised but we know it was not so for all of them had not Christ but it is meant a visible Covenant which the body of the Jews were made partakers of and so of the Gentiles if it were spirituall then the Jews were un-Christed but the cause is cleare As the Jews were in a visible covenant so it should be now in like manner unto all people Mark they covenant for themselves and children as the Jews did and he is a Disciple that is thus quallified now Baptisme is the presse-money so as we see what the meaning of Christ is Now he intends they should goe to all nations and teach them that is enlighten their judgements and as they had right to the covenant so had their children right to the covenant of their parents Why because they were made Disciples they were taught because Christ hath received all power and all power being given to him now we are able Those parents who are made Disciples they are incorporated for themselves and children as the Jews were into the covenant Now the Jews were incorporated for themselves and children and so bee those that are made Disciples Now the first of these is not denyed they that were made Disciples should be incorporated but all that are made disciples and are incorporate are as the Jews were and therefore as the children of the Jews were included and so had â—ight to the seals so have wee by Goe and teach those that be taught as before must be baptized First it must be published that so they may approve of it and then engage themselves and then all that belong to them as parents so as if it be demanded for whom they doe enter Covenant it is true Parents doe it actually but not for themselves onely but for all those that shall come of them as parents As take a parent he makes a bargain and draws a covenant and makes it sure to himself the childe hath not made this covenant shall he therefore have no benefit by it is any such a wiseaker to think when the father was alive and concluded it that he did it for himself but not for his children the same is here The father expresses the covenant but the children are included and in common sence the children may claim a right If any plead say it is not your right you were not born then he may say it was for me the covenant was made and it will hold in any court this is the dream of the Anabaptists against common sence but heare this yee that turn proselytes and take hold of the covenant and take up the same worship yee take it for children and all and they have good right to the possessing of it so it is here if we teach the same Christ and receive him as before and engage out selves in the covenant for our selves and ours then they may be baptized for he is in covenant and so are his children Wee gave in testimony to the Doctrine last day from the New Testament Matth. 28.18 19. Goe make Disciples Now we will give in Testimony from the Old and New Testament together for they give a joynt testimony together if you please we will proportion them one with another First In the Institution all is one Secondly In the Application of it we shall see the same spirit in both and are both of the same authority Gen. 17.10 This is my Covenant which yee shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee Let every man childe among you be circumcised Compare this with Acts 2.38 39. Then Peter said unto them Amend your lives and be baptized every one of you In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost For the promise is made to you and to you children and to all that are a farre off and to as many as the Lord our