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
unto it by allowance from God 4 According to a right rule from God and right Reason persons may have faith in the course of charity that have not the use of reason they in Abrahams time had grace and that was the grace of Faith if it seale up some may have it but that some children are thus fitted and faith is sealed unto them in circumcision if any will deny it they must deny the Text and that is impudency it selfe If so why not in Baptisme as well as Circumcision for Circumcision must have faith so must they in Baptisme 5 There is more required of some persons then there is of other in receving of the same sacrament in the alowance of God according to right Reason there is more required of men then there is of children Take a man that is to joyn in the covenant of the people he is bound to stoop to the Ordinance Esay 56.67 The strangers that were to joyne they must keep the Sabbath and embrace the Covenant c. This is to make a proselyte Matth. 23.15 they are made of the same profession Men of yeares must approve of the things of God and walk accordingly all this is required of men of yeares and then to offer themselves to the ordinances for they did never force them but in children this is not required if the Father had embraced the Faith So as you may see these things are plain wkich if they be observed it will make you cast away Anabaptisme The third Scripture is in Coloss 2.11 12. if the effects of the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new be the same then they are the same the effect done by the thing shewes the thing if the things wrought be the same then it is alike but the things done are the same The Apostle in the Text shewes it is the same in Circumcision as in Baptisme both seale up the death of Christ there was decaying both were for the mastering or lessening and decaying of sin so doth circumcision by cutting off the fore-skin in the same operation Now there are two objections to be answered from severall Texts it appeares they are the same with ours The first is that in 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping of the command of God The Apostle speaking to persons to keep in the same Calling God had called them he saith Circumcision is nothing c. The next is Galat 6.13 they make nothing of it Galat. 5.6 For in Christ Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith that worketh by love that is say they it is weake and can doe nothing Galat. 5.2 Christ shall profit them nothing if they be circumcised and the Apostle sayes Beware of Circumcision by way of Irony so as he accounts it as nothing All these places are of the same nature and may receive the same answer to them all God lookes upon all these Sacraments to be attended according to a double time and consideration First in the first institution they had an eye to and did seale up Christ to come in the flesh when they were first ordained by God 2ly God lookes at them as having attained their end and appointment which was Christ to come therefore when he was come they had an end Therefore now they were of no use being out of date and now they could not be used without sinne he appoints now therefore to abrogate them they were to cease because Christ was come though they were alike at the first now they were out of date now they were not to be used To this purpose are all these places of Scripture 1 Cor 7.19 If thou be called being uncircumcised be not circumcised if you were circumcised when it was in date then seek not to be uncircumcised if you be uncircumcised be not circumcised now it is out of date It cannot be taken the Apostle for bad circumcision when it was in date for then he had spoken against the command of God Gen. 17. He commanded them to be circumcised So Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision c. availeth any thing but a new creature For though they were given to the Jewes yet now they were gone out of the world and so now they availed not And besides to set them up now was to set up that which God had destroyed So that now nothing availed but faith and a new creature And Gal 5.4 He is fallen from Grace but now he doth not attend the first institution if he doe hee nullifies the nature of Christ because when Christ is come it is to deny Christ to be come in the flesh This is a heynous thing Christ shall doe him no good Christ will not save him In the last place he speakes this to false Apostles that would have men partly saved by Christ and partly by workes and so they nullifie Christ and the work of grace for he must have all or none you cannot joyne works and grace together Objection 2. From the witnesse of the word Coloss 2.17 Which were but a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And in Heb. 7.18 they are said to be weak And Heb. 9.10 13. called a carnall covenant And if it be so then they are not alike with ours in the new Testament they are of another nature the spirituall work of the soule For answer the Sacraments are apprehended in a double sense as included or as separate from the thing signified but the Apostle lookes at them as carnall now as Heb 7.18 19. he saith The Law was weake and made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope c. that is Christ he accomplâ—sheth all and brings in a better hope of the pardon of our sinnes So 1 Pet. 3.21 22. it is not the water but the thing signified by the water So the signe is weak but the thing signified is strong So the case is cleare 3 Conclusion The spirituall efficacy of the Sacraments in the old and new Testament proceed not from themselves immediatly used in the working of any good but as they are used by the holy Ghost The consideration whereof will help in the main point to shew the manner of the working of the Sacrament for it is a great secret and the want of the knowledge hereof is the cause persons get so little good by the Sacrament This proposition hath two parts First the spirituall influence the Sacraments put forth is not from themselves immediatly but as they are used by the Spirit For the better understanding of this first part consider it in some things 1 The Sacrament is not a principall but an instrumental cause in any spirituall work they doe not set themselves a work but they worke under the principall agent as a toole in the hand of a man so in the work of the Sacrament it is by the mediation of the Spirit and the meanes of faith Mark 10.16 Hee that beleeves and
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
of incission that is my main scope The Lord Christ hath different seals he looks to the entertainment of his servants he suites his own end and then he provides for them that is the supper of the Lord Baptisme is the entrance into his family there is much more to be looked at to make a person capable of the supper of the Lord a man must be able to examine himself he must not onely have grace but growth of grace he must have so much perfection in grace as to search his own heart and he must be able to discern the Lords body or else he is guilty of the body and blood of Christ so as there is more required in this for there must be a growth But Baptisme is our entrance and the lowest degree of grace will serve here in the judgement of charity 1. I will shew how it must be dispensed to men of years what must be in them to make them capable and I shall be short here because the difficulty lies not here What makes them capable and how it is to be discerned we must consider it in three things according to the word I speak of men of years because if any black-Mores or of other nations should come and offer themselves they must be thus admitted First Those are worthy that be sensible of then sin and misery that attend upon them and be willing and ready to bewaile their sin and must be freely willing to know them and know the manner of the committing of them and confesse them after that manner that the intelligent hearer that is judiciously charitable may think they have true repentance that he may have good hope his heart is in such a frame of sorrow as all may passe sentence upon reasonable charity and then we may practice according to a rule and not be missed thus did John Matth. 3.6 Those that came to him were baptized of 〈◊〉 confessing their sins and in the 8th verse he 〈◊〉 them what they should doe bring forth fruits worthy c. as if he should have said you have professed repentance let your practices shew it your actions must cary weight for weight your conversation should hold correspondency with your profession you make a profession here make it reall by your conversation let it be as you professe Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their hearts c. so let your carriage be that we may have hope you are the same within that you professe outwardly Secondly They must not onely be sensible of their sin but they must be sensible of their insufficiency to help themselves and be willing to yeeld to Christ to help them Luke 30.9 10. where the story of Johns preaching is recorded wherein the spirit of God shews his great wisdom to use severall expressions from that in Matthew that we may read all the Evangelists that we may be acquainted with them there he calls them a generation of Vipers and forewarns them of wrath to come when this word came then they began to be troubled and beeing driven to a stand see how they speak the people they come and ask what shall we doe and the souldiers they ask what shall wee doe as if they should say we see our sins and here is guilt we are willing to heat what we shall doe they did not know how to deliver themselves and so Peter in the Acts 2. Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins that is see your need of a Saviour and look to him for help through baptisme that is your incision into Christ and having participation of the obedience of Christ baptism seals up this in men of years why should we come to Christ else both these last are required when Christ gave a commission to his Disciples Matth. 28.18 Go teach all nations c. teach is make them Disciples or Proselytes and then Baptise them the Apostles were sent among the heathen and they were men of years make them Disciples for me and then baptize them this was their commission Thirdly It is Gods method to look at people as they are in covenant with the Church it is a Church ordinance that is the reason now in these dayes that none but Officers of the Church can dispence them the seale makes good the communion Hence in the Old Testament it was to the Jews to Abraham and his seed if the Gentile be partaker of it they must first be made Proselites so it was to the Jews onely and those that joyned with the Jews the frame of the scriptures Iye that way Ephes 2.11 Circumcision was the proper name of a Jew and Vncircumcision was the proper name of a Gentile and Rom. 3.30 One God justifies Jew and Gentile that which is said of circumcision may be said of the other ordinances they are to them that are in a Church estate Hence it is observed Exod. 12.43.44 No stranger may eat thereof but those born in the house and bought with money might when they were circumcised so as it is in a Church way as we shall debate more afterward If a man come out of the East-Indies if he were fit to receive the seales wee cannot constrain him to receivâ—â—hem the Church hath no power to constrain him to be baptized But if he will submit to the covenant of the Church then the Church hath power but if he refuse to receive the Sacrament we have no power to constrain him Now the evidence and equity of the reason is plain If a Church have no power but in a Church-way then a person hath no rule to challenge it but in a Church-way If he say I will not be baptized but will deprive himselfe we have nopower to impose it upon him but if he submit we may Luke 7.29 30. The Publicans were baptized but the Scribes and Pharisees would not and he did not force them nor he could not force them but make Disciples and then baptize them bring them into the covenant and then baptize them Acts 2. They were joyned to the Church and then they continued with the Apostles Vse You see what God calls for of men of yeares It is a word of advice to those that be now men of yeares Understand what you should doe that you may have the benefit of the Ordinances according to Gods appointment doe not satisfie your selves in the judgement of the world but search your hearts if you be fitted for a Church estate how ever the world think of you labour tobe so really or else the seales will be uneffectuall to you circumcision is effectuall if you keep the Law or else it will be nothing you profesâ—e your selves Christians your Baptisme is good if you keep the Law and walk sutable thereunto otherwise you may deceive your selves Galat. 6.3 If hee thinke himselfe something c. therefore try your own hearts if you bee more in shew then in substance you have no cause to joy in the ordinance of God that you doe enjoy
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
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
the Law of God cannot be a cause of the work of the spirit but sin and self cannot be subject and therefore they cannot be the cause of the working of the spirit nay the nature of man cannot be nay they cannot suffer the work upon them they are not able to bear it Rom. 8.7 It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 3. That which is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature that corrupt nature cannot bee the cause of but to put off sin and self is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature for nothing can work beyond the power of its own principle and of our selves we are not able to think a good thought So it must be given us so we have gained this that therefore we are all meer patients in the work of conversion both men and children 4. Here lies the life of the answer in these severall works where the hearts are sufferers the soules of Infants are as much fit as the soules of any man and not so much unfit as the soules of many men to receive grace and they have as great a capability as men have and in some measure a greater capabilitic then some men have here is two things to be considered 1. That they are as fit as any but not so unfit as many and therefore all are meet sufferers in the work of the spirit to have sin and self subdued the soules of children are as fit and have as great a capability in the world 1. You must remember heretofore we have made it good that all the sonnes of Adam are tainted with Originall sin equally no man have lesse of Adams sin nor lesse of Originall sin one then another but all men and children are equall here and men of years have contracted many actuall sins nay whatever they doe before they are converted is sin all their thoughts words and deeds so as they grow more proud and more witty to commit sin and to doe wickedly because of actuall transgression some grow more sturdy in their sinfull courses which is drawn and contracted by actuall sin and infants are free from those now those that have acted them are more fit to commit them nay many are habituated in commiting of sin so as they have gotten a habit of drunkennes and a habit of uncleanes c. so as it is plain children are as fit as any and not so unfit as many are for if children have as little opposition as any and lesse then some then it must needes be true For where lesse opposition against a thing is there is lesse trouble to receive it for they are contrary for where lesse opposition is there is a greater disposition to receive it but that children doe as little oppose grace as any man of years all opposition comes from the sinne of Adam and Originall sin came from that and here wee see all are equall in men of years and children and this is the first kinde of opposition 2d Sort of opposition arise from sinfull habits and this comes by actuall sin and by this we come to bee more self-confident and all these infants are free of a man that hath lived many years in sin is come to be habituated in sin as a man that dotes upon the world gets a habit of covetousnes and a man gets a habit of frowardnes these infants are freed from Acts 7.28 Wilt thou kill me c and Acts 18.6 And when they resisted and blasphemed c. Children are dead in sin but some men are twice dead as Jude speaks at the 12th verse Twice dead and plucked up by the roots and as Christ sayd of the Pharisees they made men twofold more the childe of Hell take the most men living and there is Sin and Selfe to be subdued and in regard of Adam sin and originall sin they are all alike But by actuall sin men are full of carnall confidence and therfore the Spirit must have much to do here because men do harden their own hearts and so make themselves twenty times more the child of hell so they are twice dead and pulled up by the root so that they are lesse fit then some naturall men in the world and many men in the world that are but men of the world are more fit then they so that children are more capable then any man The place in Jude is spoken against false Prophets they were twice dead they were dead by originall sin actuall sin there is a sort that hath received a seeming light and get a little of the Word and that he is provoked that a man thinks he is a living man There is another sort that persecute the Word now these are dead again so they are twice dead he is provoked by the work of the Law and now he is more proud and is as athing pulled up by the roots so as nothing can recover him no possibility to come neere him so as it is so farre from being harder for the Spirit to work upon infants that there is an easinesse in this kind The 3d Proposition Beleeving Parents when they enter into a visible covenant to walk in Gods wayes they enter not for themselves alone but for all that come of them and God does ingage himselfe by their meanes to worke grace in their hearts as he sees fit hee counts them to have federall holinesse God accepts of both and he will doe good to them as he sees fit In this Proposition there are foure things to be considered 1 Believing Parents enter into a visible covenant for themselves and their posterity 2 God expects it at the hands of them both 3 God ingages himselfe to use them as instruments to doe good to them as he sees fit God wil give grace to his children he will use them to his own mind God will use them as instruments but he will doe them good as he sees fit not that parents can give grace or worke grace in their children and therefore speak not so for that is as if when God works upon the heart by the preaching of the word you should say the Minister gives grace 4 God accounts children as having federall holinesse 1 When believing Parents enter into a visible covenant they doe enter into it for themselves and children But they must enter into a visible covenant the reason of it is because communication of them that doe so enter into covenant doe in reason belong to them that be in a community of other according to rationall charity because God gives the priviledges of his holy things to a community of men and they must judge according to a rule of charity and passe sentence as things appeare according to that rule For if it be left to every privat man to judge that every man may judge himself fit and be his owne Judge to partake of the ordinances then these two evils will follow 1 An abusing and prophaning Gods holy things for he would carve all