brought in if not all yet as great considerable errors into Popery as any That a church is a foundation ordinance of the new covenant we all grant but sayes the Pope as that of the old Testament was rationall and but one in all the world the truthes of God being then confined to a narrower compasse so now since the Gospel is preacht to every creature under heaven by just consequence the Church of God should be universall and Catholike and as then though there were many subordinate Priests and Levites yet there was one high Priest who sate in power and place above all the rest so by just consequence there should be now a Summus Pontifex a high Priest a Bishop of bishops who should be the last object of appeales upon earth and the great moderator under Christ who both then was and still is the invisible head of the church And if you shall object now that the New Testament gives no such extension to the Church nor power to an universall Bishop that those things were typicall and proper to that Testament or covenant which is the same that is said by those who oppose the Baptisme of Infants they will not fayle as well as the patrons of Infant Baptisme to tell you that besides some little footesteps they finde in the new Testament this is par ratio a like reason a due consequence and good reason may be shewed that it is for the honour and safety of the Church that things should be so administred Hence comes the ornaments and vestures of Priests the holynes of Temples and for ought I know the baptizing of bells from the circumcision of trees or what ever else a bold and presumptuous heart may under the title of just consequence intrude into the worship of God I confesse there are some things of common equity the rule of life was the same then that now and the same Christ that now is was the salvation of the elect such things therefore as are of such a common nature may be illustrated and inferred from one Testament to another especially amongst those that doubt of the new Testament and the light of it as the Iewes did with whom our Saviour and the Apostles had to do But in instituted ordinances the reason of which lyes in nothing else but a particular will of the institutor it is bold and unsafe to institute above what is written in the new covenant at least in any essentiall thing concerning either the parts of the ordinance the manner of administration and the subject of them and it is further to imply an infaithfullnes and an unclearenes in the new Testament in things essentiall and necessary to the worship of it The summe is that it is unsafe arguing from one institution to another because the inferrences and consequences cannot be drawne from our reason as not falling under the judicature of common light or spirituall reason in the generall but of a particular distinct independant will in Christ from whence not from the reason of the thing they draw all their vertue and efficacy the reason that makes it good to us being onely the impression of his will upon it but especially this will take place in ordinances of differing covenaÌ„ts for the ordinances of oath covenant are fitted to the meridian of that covenant The rationallity of that church the typicallnes of that which was called holynes and uncleanes amongst them the generality of the subjects which were not onely men women children but beasts birds and trees their very garments their very land to what alone is called holynes and sin now with the subject of it shewes a great boldnes presumption to force institutions in the subject or any of the parts of them by a par ratio or consequence from this old worst first vanishing covenant as the Apostle styles it Hebr. 8. to this new better second covenant as hee styles that under which wee live in the same place Now that circumcision though of use before the law as Baptisme was also before Christ was the great ordinaÌ„ce of the Mosaicall law as I could bring many places if any doubt of it so I will content my self with one or two Acts 21.21 They are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Ievves vvhich are among the Gentils to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to vvalke after the customes where the prime instance of forsaking Moses was not to be circumcised that place more shall suffice Gal. 5.3 For I testify againe to every man that is circumcised that hee is a debtour to doe the vvhole lavv The yooke of circumcision they could beare not the debt to which it obliged them therefore that was the leading ordinance of another covenaÌ„t namely the law Now to make this mayne ordinance of the law institutive to us as touching a great essentiall in our Christian Baptisme namely the subject of it is to make not onely one ordinance institutive to another of which no good accouÌ„t can be given but infinite and visible inconveniencyes follow as wee have seene but to send us to schoole to the old covenant in that which was the leading maine distinguishing ordinance of it which no good Christian I hope will consideringly admit of especially since we are so assured of the sufficiency and saithfullnes of our Law-giver Christ Iesus by whom we have grace and truth and vvho is the vvay the truth and the life to us as well in the matter of his ordinances as in any other thing that concernes our duty as that we need not turne aside to other guides and teachers CHAP. XI Wherein is discussed the third particular in answer to the argument drawne fâ—om circumcision sâ—â— Hâ—w we are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what title wee are call'd Abrahams children A Third consideration is how wee are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what title we are called Abrahams children In the 4. Rom. 16. you have this affirmed that Abraham is the father of us all That place seemes to be understood of all beleevers and therefore when hee saith in the same verse the promise is of faith to the end that it might be sure to all the seede hee makes a distribution Not to that onely vvhich is of lavv but to that also vvhich is of the faith of Abraham as if hee should say this whole seede to whom the promise is sure is either the beleeving Iewes or the beleeving Gentiles which have no other pretence or clayme to the promise but by a like faith even as the Iewes also pretend to this fatherhood no other way but by their faith for so verse 12. And the father of circumcision to them vvho are not of the circumcision onely but also vvalke in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham vvhich he had yet being uncircumcised It is not enough to be of the Circumcision but they must walke in the steps of the
faith of Abraham that is beleeve as hee did if they would pretend to the sonneship wee speake of so as in this 16. verse the opposition is onely betweene the faithfull under the Law the faithfull under the Gospel so as the law and faith are not opposed here simply but as circumcision was an adjunct or no adjunct to faith that is as true beleevers were either of the Iewes or Gentiles and so these words are not to be taken as the 14. vers If they vvhich are of the lavv be heires faith is made voide and the promise made of none effect Here you see one fatherhood Abraham is the father of all beleevers whether Iewes or Gentiles So in another consideration you have Sarah said to be the mother of all good obedient women who are called her children 1. Pet. 3.6 But besides this Abraham may be considered under the notion of another fatherhood of which the Iewes were apt enough to bragge namely a carnall generation that they had Abraham to their father as appeares by the reproofe that Iohn gave them Mat. 3.9 Thinke not to say vvithin your selves vvee have Abraham to our father Now in opposition to this fatherhood considered alone is that added verse 17. of 4. Rom. where the Apostle quoting the promise Gen. 17.5 I vvill make thee a father of many nations adds this before him vvhom hee beleeved even God vvho quickeneth the dead c. As if he should say Abraham is the father of us all not in respect of his carnall paternity but of his spirituall which is before God vvhom hee beleeved it is said to be before God because founded in faith by which wee are commended to God He adds also VVho quickneth the dead and calleth those things vvhich are not as though they vvere by which wee have all a patterne or glasse of our vocation by which is proposed a beginning or entry not into our first birth but into our hope of life to come to wit that when wee are called by God wee goe out of nothing as not having the least sparke or seede of good in us which may render us capable of the kingdome of God but on the contrary must dye to our selves that wee may be proper for Gods call whose call is so effectuall as a simple will of his or signe thereof produceth the greatest and highest existencies The like distinction of a double paternity sonneship to wit after the flesh and after the spirit that is by carnall generation by faith yee have Rom. 9.6.7.8 Not as though the vvord of God hath taken none effect for they are not all Israel vvhich are of Israel neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seede be called that is they vvhich are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Where the Apostles intention is to make it appeare that notwithstanding the great defectiō of the Iewes yet the truth of the divine promise is not diminished For they are not all Israel sayes hee vvhich are of Israel because they are not the children of the promise but of the flesh and can pretend title onely to Israel their father by a carnall generation vers 7. Neither because they are the seede of Abraham are they children that is the like may be said also of Abraham It is not their carnall generation of which they are apt to boast that gives them a true notion of sonneship in respect of the spirituall promises made to Abraham for so onely by faith they gave the title of Abrahams seede as before But in Isaac shall thy seede be called this he explaines vers 8. that is they vvhich are the children of the flesh those are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede The sence is That promise of God made to Abraham by which hee made so great a difference amongst his children that Ishmael laid aside and rejected onely the posterity of Isaac should be called his seed saying in Isaac shall thy seede be called teacheth us thus much that neither they all nor onely are to be reputed for the true seede of Abraham which according to the flesh are issued from Abraham but those which are the sonnes of the promise that is which are regenerated according to the spirit by faith according to that promise In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Here you have a distinction as it were of two Abrahams a begetting Abraham and a beleeving Abraham and also of two seedes the children of the flesh that is by carnall generation onely and the children of the promise This allegory hath its foundation in that which the Apostle saith Gal. 4.22.23 For it is vvritten Abraham had tvvo sonnes the one by a bond mayd the other by a free vvoman but hee vvho vvas of the bond-vvoman vvas borne after the flesh but he of the free vvoman vvas by promise where hee affirmes that Ishmael was borne according to the flesh but Isaac according to the spirit that is he onely by a naturall power of generation but Isaac not so much according to the flesh but miraculously as it were by the restoring of a generative vertue to Abraham for the making good of the promise Now saith hee those onely which according to that of which Isaac was a type are borne by promise those and those onely are counted for the seede Rom. 9.8 They vvhich are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seede According to which is that which is affirmed Gal. 3.7.9 Knovv yee therefore that they vvhich are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and vers 9. So then they vvhich be of faith are blessed vvith faithfull Abraham In the first of those verses out of the former reasonings he bids them conclude take it for granted that not those which are of workes which hold by that tenure but those which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham Againe hee perstringeth the Iewes who gloried in their carnall generation that they were Abrahams sonnes according to the flesh the 9. verse is a reason of the 8. where hee sayes that the Scripture that is the spirit that writ the Scripture foreseeing that God vvould justify the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all nations be blessed that is either in thy seede which is Christ who onely is apprehended made ours by faith or as many of the antients expound this place and Calvine is of the same judgement In thee that is according to the imitation and after the similitude of thee hee being as Calvin sayes in this the patterne rule of us all and therefore is called our father as being the primitive patterne made by God and this
in circumcision but in uncircumcision and he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith vvhich hee had yet being uncircumcised c. We come now to deduct Corollaries from these differēces From the first coroll 1 Then to the participation and use of the Sacraments the use of reason is necessary our reason must be most busy active whilst our sences are ingaged the hearing of the tone or sound of the word spoken doth no good therefore wee preach it not to children or fooles so the seeing of the coullors of things to feele the water cold or hot the touch or tast is not the thing but what the elements and ceremonyes about it teach us which must be discerned by the use of reason in comparing the thing signified according to the Scripture application the proportion it holds so as here is a knowledge of things already layd in and reason in the act required So the teaching by similitudes or resemblances doth not require lesse reason or lesse the use of reason but the advātage it brings is that by the mediation of severall senses it strykes our reason differently more strongly and God descends to that way of teaching that he might more forcibly worke upon our reason speake to it all manner of wayes From the second coroll 2 it is supposed the word should go before for that is the way of teaching by thinges of lesser representation to things of fuller when Iacob heard of Iosephs message he was mooved but when he saw the Chariots that affected him exceedingly that spoke a clearer language it was fit the message should goe before the chariots so the word before the Sacraments From the third coroll 3 see one prerogative the word hath men may be saved by hearing without the Sacraments to comfort those that want them but slight them not Secondly see the order first the word must be as first the writing for the Sacraments are but the appendix From the fourth coroll 4 Then the word hath much a larger compasse of motion then the Sacraments and as the word may be where the Sacraments are not so the Sacraments cannot be but where the word hath bene for the word supposeth nothing but comes at aventure to every creature under heaven but the Sacraments supposeth faith wrought already by the word to make this playner we must know that men are by nature children of wrath by the disobedience of Adam all vvere made sinners Rom. 5.19 And the Lord lookt dovvne from heaven and savv that all vvere gone out of the vvay vvee neither perceive nor knovv the thinges of God 1. Cor. 2.14 And though the light shine in darknes the darknes comprehends it not and our carnall mind is emnity against God our vvhole soule is filled vvith all unrighteousnes Rom. 8.7 and 1.29 Now while men are in their infancy they lye onely exposed to Gods inward and secret workes if they belong to the election of grace hee knowes how to deale with them and worke wonderfully in wayes wee know not nor can conceive of so long wee cannot cōmunicate our selves to their soules at all nor can reatch them any otherwayes then by our prayers for all things are here secret if there be a change wrought it is more then wee know or can conceive the manner of it But when they come to yeares of understanding and to be capable of ordinances the first thing wee doe to them is to bring them under the ordinance of the word and to leade them into a right knowledge of themselves to convince them of their naturall estate to preach to them conversion repentance faith in Iesus Christ that they may have life when wee find this operate and that by their profession and by their workes which is the onely way of evidencing their faith to others they make it appeare they beleeve then we gladly goe one and leade them into further ordinances give them the Sacraments to confirme them thus wee make things runne parralel as they must doe There is an outward preaching of the word there is a conversion and change of heart made visible by workes and so a faith evidenced and the visible and outward seales and markes are given them to seale them up to themselves and to others Thus you see a naturalnes a coherency and a comelines in things thus layd and stated by which also as by a right rule you may be help'd in discerning errours CHAP. VII In which is layd downe the relative and personall qualifications by which infants are usually intituled to Baptisme by our most considerable Protestant Divines BY what hath bene said wee have fully shewed the nature of Baptisme what is the proper and adequate subject of this ordinance namely a beleever one qualified by the use of faith and reason for the confirmation sealing up to him by this great ordinance his ingrafting into Christ and union with him by faith secondly as an immediate fruit thereof his justificatiō of which we largely spoke and also his adoption by being consecrated to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and baptized in their names Thirdly his sanctificatiō consisting in the death of sinne the life of holynes as a fruit of that and which cannot be separated from it his glorification Rom. 6.8 Novv if vvee be dead vvith Christ vvee beleeve vvee shall also live vvith him To which on the other side the party baptized puts his seale and makes his sponsion to be to God and Christ in all those relations But now because it hath for a long time and almost generally obtained that children should be baptized wee must consider how they can pretend to these qualifications what right they have or by what title they hold it The right which the world gives them to it is a right imputative a right derivative from Father to Sonne a right of succession a birthright this is that which they call a foederall holynes Nor doe children onely clayme by this derivative imputative title but also those who are adopted by Christian parents for as by adoption in Christ wee are rendred the children of God so by the adoption of Christian parents such are to be accounted for their children as some argue Ger. p. 582. Also those who by lawfull meanes as just warre bargaine gifte fall into the hands and governement of beleevers and whom Christians will answer for that they shall for the future be instructed in the Christian faith and this appeares by divine institution they say from the parallell of circumcision since not onely Abrahams children but his servants those bought with his money were circumcised Gen. 17.12 And hee that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your generations hee that is borne in the house or bought vvith money of any stranger vvhich is not of thy seede This also some illustrate apply more particularly from that place Acts 2.39 For the promise is
beleevers not infidels though outwardly they can manifest no faith or sanctification to us Ainsworth pag. 49.50 whom I quote as being by all acknowledged a learned man in this opinion wherein hee concurres as wee shall see with the streame of our Divines not to be suspected The like to this saith Walleus de Bapt. Infant p. 493. Infants are to be reckoned amongst beleevers because the seede or spirit of faith is in them vvhich some call a habit others an inclination from vvhence by degrees through the hearing of the vvord actuall faith is formed sometimes sooner sometimes later This in the next pag. 494. hee prooves Because else they vvould not be saved Rom. 8.9 If any have not the spirit of God he is none of his And Iohn 3.5 No uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but infants by nature are uncleane are purged by the blood of Christ the kingdome of heaven belongs to them they please God c. This is layd for a ground amongst the Calvinists concerning Baptisme That Baptisme is onely a signe and seale of regeneration already wrought Oecolamp de verb. Dom. cap. 3. Aqua mystica in Baptismo non regenerat nec efficit filios Dei sed declarat the mysticall vvater in Baptisme doth not regenerate nor make men sonnes of God but declares So Zwinglius Baptismus non aliter Ecclesiae Christi signum est quam exercitus aliquis signatur non quod signum hoc conjungit Ecclesiae sed qui jam conjunctus est publicam tesseram accipit Baptisme is the signe of the Church as the ensigne of an army it doth not joyne you to the Church but it declares you joyned So Beza Nihil obsignatur nisi quod jam habetur nothing is seald but vvhat is there already of this opinion is Calvin fully as it were easy to quote him saving that in answering the Anabaptists he sayth This objection is ansvvered in a vvord by saying that children are baptized into faith and repentance to come actuall he meanes for he addes according to the first opinion quoted of vvhich though vvee see not the appearance neverthelesse the seede is planted there by the secret operation of the holy Spirit so as hee would have faith and repentance there in the habit that God may not seale to a blanck nor give a lying signe The like saith Pemble a late and able Divine That vvhich is signified in our baptisme is our justification by the blood of Christ and our sanctification by the Spirit of Christ Baptisme is the seale of both unto us and infants may be partakers of both being vvasht from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ in vvhom they are reconciled to God and actually justified before him and also purified in part from the uncleannesse of sinne by the infusion of grace from the Holy Ghost vvhat then should hinder vvhy those infants should not be vvashed vvith the vvater of the Sacrament So also Davenant in his comment upon the 2. chapt of the Colossians to quote no more where conflicting with the Anabaptists he saith As for infants because they are not sinners by their ovvne act but by an hereditary habit they have the mortification of sinne and faith not putting forth it self but included in an habituall principle of grace Novv that the Spirit of Christ can and doth ordinarily vvorke in them an habituall principle of grace no vvise man vvill deny From all those testimonies wee may observe that the cleare reason of the thing inforces men to allow as necessary to Baptisme in generall the qualification of regeneration faith c. how this now will fit infants Baptisme wee shall consider hereafter for the present wee joyne issue with them in these three things First that a personall holynes not derivative or imputed onely must be the ground of Sacraments 2 That this holynes must be regeneration 3 That the habits of faith and repentance are to be esteemed such I proove not these things because they are cleare in themselves and taken for graunted by those already quoted onely in these things wee joyne with them and so farre agree together CHAP. VIII In which are contained severall queries and considerations raised from the premisses declaring what little ground there will appeare from their owne principles and concessions to conclude for Infant Baptisme THese things thus supposed I make these doubts about the baptizing of the infants of beleevers First I would aske whether all infants of beleevers have necessarily and assuredly those habits which must of necessity be concluded since it is their personall qualificatiō for Baptisme and therefore you must have good grounds to judge that they have it one as well as another First of all Peter Martyr sayes that I vvill be the God of thee and of thy seede is not an universall promise but hath place onely in the predestinate and therefore upon 1. Cor. 7.14 else vvere your children uncleane but novv are they holy he saith Promissio non est generalis de omni semine sed tantum de illo in quo rectè consentit electio alioquin posteritas Israelis Esau fuerunt ex Abraham And therefore affirmes that the children of the saints are borne holy vvhen they are predestinate and this agreeth with reason for if you make that holynes as before the infusion of gratious habits yee must suppose election without which such gratious habits are never infused unlesse to make good this opinion you will allow falling from grace which I am sure our selves and those we desire to satisfy will not do This being said I would aske upon what ground the Saints can suppose all their children to be elected or why they should deny any infants baptisme since experience tells us that the children of many unbeleevers if we will judge by the fruites and effects which is the surest judgement are elected and many children of beleevers reprobated especially now since the sluce is taken up the Gospel preached to every creature under heaven Againe consider how cold a ground this is for infants baptisme your children are holy by being borne of you that is regenerated and so qualified for ordinances if at least they be elected and I seale to them their holynes the kingdome of heaven if they be elected as if a King should say I confirme this towne to you and yours if at least it hath pleased me or shall please me to give it you But if you say wee have reason to hope well of them according to that else vvere your children unholy but novv are they holy for so saith Peter Martyr upon that place Bene sperantes quod ut sunt secundum carnem semen sanctorum ita etiam sunt electionis divinae participes Spiritum Sanctum gratiam Christi habeant Hoping vvell that as they are according to the flesh the seed of the Saints so they are also partakers of Divine election and have the Holy Spirit and the grace
what hee doth and what he receives that that ordinance which ought to be administred but once and is of so great an use and influence may be received to his best advantage whilst in the interim hee is in the hands of God fit and exposed to receive the preservation of his spirituall being in the same way in which it was wrought and by those unalterable bonds of election conversion safe enough till he shal be capable of setting his seale and receiving Gods visibly to that which in a secret and unknowne way was wrought in him CHAP. IX In which entrance is made into the consideration of the great argument for Infant Baptisme drawne from the circumcision of Infants by way of answer whereunto five particulars are handled the first whereof is treated on in this Chapter namely what circumcision was to the Iewes and whether the qualification requisite to it was regeneration or the infusion of gratious habits HAving thus layd downe the state of Baptisme and cōsidered severall things about it sufficient for my owne satisfaction and clearely also design'd the right subject of that ordinance I come now in order to a more full discharge of my self to this controversy for a more generall satisfactiō to consider the particular reasons by which the patrons of Infant Baptisme would inforce it The first whereof which seemes to be a great one is that the seede of Abraham with whom and whose seede God was in covenant received ordinances and particularly circumcision by vertue of their birth and that wee being ingrafted into that stock have power to derive a capacity of ordinances to our children else the priviledges of Christians the New Testament would be lesse then those of the Iewes of the old Testament which is not to be imagined I take this to be the summe of that argument which seemes to carry the greatest weight to speake lowdest for Infant Baptisme of any other Here divers things by way of answer are to be considered first what circumcision was to the Iewes whether the qualification required to it was regeneration or the infusion of gratious habits for if not then there will be found to be this great and essentiall difference namely the qualification of the subject Secondly what ever that should proove how far the ordinances of the old Testament should regulate determine by way of rule and institution those of the New if not then the parallel of circumcision is not fit to beare the weight of an institution Thirdly how we are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what tittle wee are called Abrahams children for we are not to clayme the same things by different tenures Fourthly how far the Iewes by vertue of their being Abrahams seede could pretend to New Testament ordinances and if they by their birthright could not then neither can we by any such birthright or carnall generation Fifthly whether though Infant Baptisme should not be the priviledges of Christians their churches might justly be said to be as great or greater then the priviledges of the Iewes and their Churches and state For the first I must professe I am not Iew enough to understand the full drift of that ordinance and although men are bold in commenting and interpreting all types and ceremonies of the old covenant after their owne apprehensions yet it is safe to be sober and to advance no further then the Scripture guides This I am persuaded of that as they were formed particularly to that state of the Iewish church so they had meanes to understand them for their comfort edification to better advantage then we have but it would not be hard to tell you what some have thought and perhaps to as much purpose as those who are of a different opinion for this notion received that the parallel of circumcision must be the pillar of infant Baptisme hath I am afraid to much determined streightned the interpretation of that ordinance the places which speake concerning it Ambrose upon the 4. of the Rom. saith Circumcisio aliquid habet dignitatis sed signum est tantum quod signum ideo accipiebant filij Abraham ut scirentur ejus filij esse qui credens Deo hoc signum acciperet ut aemuli essent paternae fidei Circumcision hath something of dignity but it is a signe onely vvhich signe the children of Abraham did therefore receive that they might be knovvne to be his seede vvho beleeving in God received this signe that they might be emulators of their fathers faith Ierome upon the 3. of the Gal. saith Because Christ vvas to spring from the seede of Abraham and many ages vvere to passe from Abraham to Christ the vvise God least the seede of beloved Abraham should be mingled vvith other nations and should by degrees be joyned more familiarly distinguisht the flock of Israel by a certain marke or circumcision then for 40. yeares together in the vvildernesse none vvere circumcised because they vvere out of the daunger of such mixtures being alone but assoone as they vvere past the banks of Iordan circumcision prevented the error of mingling vvith others vvhereas it is vvritten that they vvere circumcised that second time by Ioshua it signifies that circumcision ceased in the vvildernesse vvhich vvas rationally used in Egypt The Apostle Rom. 4. doth not call circumcision a seale of the covenant or promise but of the righteousnes of faith which sayes Origen upon this place vvas to seale shut up the righteousnes of faith vvhich in its time vvas to be revealed that is under the figure and types of that carnall circumcision was secretly signified and vayled the circumcision of the heart which is the true justification that Christ was to bring or as Chrysostome Theophilact and others it vvas called a seale of the righteousnes of faith because it vvas given to Abraham as a seale and testimony of that righteousnes vvhich hee had acquired by faith Novv this seemes to be the priviledge of Abraham alone not to be transferd to others as if circumcision in vvhom ever it vvas vvere a testimony of divine righteousnes for as it vvas the priviledge of Abraham that hee should be the father of all the faithfull as vvell circumcised as uncircumcised and being already the father of all uncircumcised having faith in uncircumcision hee received first the signe of circumcision that hee might be the father of the circumcised novv because he had this priviledge in respect of the righteousnes vvhich he had acquired by faith therefore the signe of circumcision vvas to him a seale of the righteousnes of faith but to the rest of the Ievves it vvas a signe they vvere Abrahams seede but not a seale of the righteousnes of faith as all the Ievves also vvere not the fathers of many nations This appeares first because Paul joynes these two together he received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of faith that he might be the father of all that
interpretation the words of the 9. verse seeme to imply So then they vvhich be of faith are blessed vvith faithfull Abraham which is an illation or inference of the foregoing reason in this verse the principall Emphasis lyes in the word faithfull where the former mentioned distinction is againe intimated there is a begetting Abraham and a beleeving Abraham it is with the beleeving Abraham the faithfull Abraham that all nations are blessed by being as hee was of faith the word blessing however diversly taken in the Scripture yet here it is taken as Calvin expounds it for our adoption into the inheritance of life eternall Having therefore at large opened those places which give light to this cōsideration made good out of the Scripture that double fatherhood of Abraham the one carnall by his begetting the other spirituall by his beleeving there remayneth nothing to add but this in a word that we can pretend nothing of sonneship to Abraham by the first tenure scil of begetting by which tenure the Iewes partooke of circumcision but by the other of beleeving that is after the example and imitation of Abraham who for that he so antiently and so eminently beleeved in God carryes the title of the father of all beleevers who do the like as Sarah his wife doth of the mother of good women and this faith not carnall generation is that that intitles us to Christian ordinances And to make this last which is the summe of all a little plainer I shall add this that by vertue of the parallel of circumcision that onely qualifies for ordināces that is derivable from parents to their children by generatiō for neither was Isaac circumcised because hee was borne after the spirit nor Ishmael debard from it because as a type he was borne after the flesh but both the one and the other had it by vertue of their naturall and carnall generation by which they were made of the houshold and family of Abraham Now wee pretending to be Abrahams children by faith not by carnall generation cannot pretend to ordinances by carnall generation as the others did And secondly forasmuch as by carnall generation wee our selves cānot derive faith which is that which qualifies for our ordinances therefore no fatherhood of ours can derive a right for ordinances unles wee understand such a fatherhood as Paul pretended to when hee calls Onesimus his son saying Hee had begotten him in his bonds Phile. 10. Or when he tells the Corinthians 1. Corinth 4.15 Though yee have ten thousand instructors in Christ yet have yee not many fathers for in Iesus Christ I have begotten you through the Gospel and so we may be the father as well of other mens children as of our owne Now then if we cannot pretend to be Abrahams children and so consequently to partake of ordinances by the way which the Iewes did which was carnall generation but by a way quite of another kind namely a way of personall beleeving And secondly if wee cannot pretend to a fatherhood to others in deriving by carnall generation the qualification of ordinances which is faith it must then of necessity remaine that the Iewes partaking of circumcision by vertue of having Abraham to their father and deriving that title to their posterity by the same way of carnall generation is no president or patterne to us of either being Abrahams children so qualified for baptisme in such a way or of our deriving to our posterity any such qualification either for that or any other ordinance by the like way of carnall generation And indeed in the Gospell notion we all are children and there is no father but Abraham for to gayne the title of father there must be either a generative power which remaynes onely in the spirit of whom as Christians wee are borne Not of flesh nor of blood nor the vvill of man Or there must be the eminency of an example or coppy and so wee use to say the first in every kind is the rule of the rest Now it hath pleased God to give this honour to Abraham who for the eminency and antientnes of his faith is styled by God and will carry that title to the worlds end of the father of us all Let us be content therefore to be children and glory in that and let Abraham injoy his priviledge or if wee will needs be fathers also let us imitate Paul and be vve vvorkers vvith God and labour in Iesus Christ to beget men through the Gospel CHAP. XII Wherein is handled the fourth Question proposed to answer the argument drawne from Circumcision to wit How farre the Iewes by vertue of their being the sonnes of Abraham could pretend to new Testament Ordinances wherein also besides severall others that much agitated place is opened considered of Acts 2.38.39 FOurth Question How farre the Iewes by vertue of their being the sonnes of Abraham could pretend to new Testament ordinances and if they by any such birthright could not then nor wee by any such birthright or carnall generation First we will shew how farre they might pretend Secondly where the stop lay and where they went equall with others They had this great honour advantage that the Gospel was first offered to them the Iewes were brought neerer God then others and therefore the advantage of the Ievv and circumcision vvas much every vvay because to them vvere committed the oracles of God Rom. 3.1.2 And this kind of dispensation God pleased to continue in the promulgation of the Gospel therefore Christin his first mission charged the Apostles Not to goe into the vvay of the gentiles nor into any city of the Samaritanes which were as gentiles to them but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and preach the Gospel to them Matth. 10.5.6.7 This priority and advantage Paul mentions Rom. 2.10 Glory honour and peace to every man that vvorketh good to the Ievv first and also to the Gentile and after the ascension of Christ in Peters effectuall sermon which was crowned with the conversion of 3000 soules he keepes this method Acts 2.38.39 Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afarre of even as many as the Lord our God shall call In the way hee tooke to raise those which were cast downe hee bids them Repent and be baptized that was the thing to be done on their parts for their restoring and raising of which hee tells them the effects first the great and mayne one that they should receive remission of sinnes and as a consequence and earnest as it were of this proper for those first times they should also receive the gift of the holy Ghost that is whereas they were amazed and wondered to see this befall the Apostles why saith hee it is not to us
alone but to you also that the prophecy and promise of Ioel foremētioned ℣ 16.17.18 is to be accommodated yea to all who ever God shall call but with this difference by these degrees that it is first to you which are Iewes which are night then though you may wonder at it to the gentiles also which are afarre of and that you see in the event prooved a wonder for it is said Acts 10.45 that they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished as many as came vvith Peter because that on the Gentiles also vvere povvred out the giftes of the holy Ghost Now these gentiles are called afarre of suitable to the expression of Ephes 2.13 Yee that is the gentiles vvho sometimes vvere farre of are made night by the blood of Christ where the same expressions of nigh farre of are used that are here now hee makes mention particularly of their children under which also he intends the childrē of the gentiles when by calling they should be made nigh to accommodate to them more fully the mentioned place of Ioel as if he should say those are the last dayes when this promise vers 16.17.18 is to be fullfilled both to Iew and gentile as a consequence of their faith in the Messiah that they shall receive that eminent gift of the holy Ghost as a badge of their profession the glory of God by which they shall be able to doe such thinges as wee have done but with this difference that according to what is foretold the spirit will accommodate and vent it self proportionable to their states and capacity some things are proper to old mē they shall dreame dreames others to young men they shall see visions and according to the manner of their revelatiō shall their gift be and the venting of it by prophecy But all you and your childrē shall receive gifts of the holy Ghost and so be made partakers of that illustrious promise here therefore ye have that which might first and especially comfort them the remission of their sinnes so as no man can object against Peter for comforting them onely with giftes Secondly as a consequence of this and as Christ elsewhere saith a signe of them that beleeve they shall have the same gift of the holy Ghost both Iewes Gentiles in their order that the Apostles had this should be just accommodated according to the prophecy of Ioel to fathers and children to young men old according to their proportions and capacities for prophecy Now that by the gift of the holy Ghost and so consequently the promise of Ioel is meant abillity of speaking tongues prophecies as it is cleare by the context in it self so according to the judgement of Calvin who sayes clearly that this ought not to be understood of the grace of sanctification but of those primitive gifts vvhich though vve novv receive not yet vve have something analogicall and proportionable to them Now as the gift was not the grace of sanctification so neither the promise by which it is made ours for all gifts are ours by promise this is the generall judgement of expositers Protestant and others and is most cleare by Acts 10.45.46 where sayes hee they of the circumcision vvhich beleeved vvere astonished because that on the gentiles also vvas povvred out the gift of the holy Ghost for they heard them speake vvith tongues c. where the gift of the holy Ghost the same words used that is here is discribed by speaking with tongues Peter therefore calleth them that were pricked at their hearts were weary and heavy laden to repentance and Baptisme in the name of the Lord Iesus that they might receive and have sealed up to them the remission of sinnes which was the great thing they desired as a symbole and signe of which they should partake also of the effect of that illustrious promise made in Ioel and mentioned formerly that they should receive the gifts of the Holy Ghost so as nothing could be spoken more to the harts of distressed men then this nor nothing could more incourage them to repentance and Baptisme then the remission of sins sealed to them in that ordinance and yet more further signified and sealed by that famous promise of extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost which for that time Christ himself made a signe and effect of beleeving to them that were nigh and farre of that is both to Iewes and Gentiles and so you see the Iewes incouraged to repentance and Baptisme upon great and noble and most considerable grounds with this distinction difference that the offer of all those great things according to the way of God and the Gospel comes first to them and after to them which are afarre of that is to the gentiles who indeed were afarre of being aliens and in the estimation of Peter so farre that God was forced to give him a particular vision as you shall heare Acts 10. to persuade him to looke upon them as those nigh And thus wee have what the Iew as a naturall sonne of Abraham may pretend to Baptisme and new Testament ordinances to wit a priority in respect of the offer whereby the way wee have taken occasion to cleare that place that some have indeavored to bring to prove infant Baptisme by then which truely nothing seemes to be lesse properly raised out of it The next considerable thing is where the stop lyes where the Iewes goe equall with others Now for that wee will consider that place of Matt. 3. chap. ℣ s 7.8.9 VVhen hee savv many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptisme hee sayd unto them O generation of vipers vvho hath vvarned you to flee from the vvrath to come Bring forth therefore fruites meete for repentance And thinke not to say vvithin your selves vve have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham The Pharisees and Sadduces men especially the Pharisees strict in their religion come many of them to Iohns Baptisme upon this pretence and clayme that they were descended from Abraham and were his children that they come in this confidence and pretence was manifest by what Iohn said unto them Luke hath it Luk. 3.8 Begin not to say vvithin your selves that is doe not take this subterfuge to oppose to repentance change of heart which onely qualifies for Baptisme that you have Abraham to your father Matthew sayes thinke not to say vvithin your selves which notes a persuasion of a prerogative of carnall generation that you have Abraham to your father such carnall and birth prerogatives stand you in no steed in this covenant for of these stones God can raise up children to Abraham that as when Isaack was borne who was the sonne of promise Abrahams body and Saraas wombe were dead as a stone so those which are now to be accounted the sonnes of Abraham God can raise from nothing evē from stones from the
assembling being more properly called the state for injoying of ordinances and the subject of all ordinances so as ordinarily a church will be an assembly of baptized Saints though the word Baptisme be no part of the definition nor doth Baptisme contribute more to the being of a church then other ordinances which for a time they may want So as yee see clearly where to fetch Baptisme namely where a companie of Saints are gathered together in Christs name that is in his power there is authority amongst them for all commissions for acts of church fellowship for the deputing and ordaining of officers and for the administration of all ordinances But here it may be parhaps objected to which I will speake a word that Baptisme not being the ordinance of admission into the Church nor parhaps necessarily to follow after but may be before it how appartaynes it to the Church Answ The rule will hold universally true that all instituted ordinances of which Baptisme is one will fall under the cognisance and power of an instituted body whether therefore Baptisme be administred after admittāce which in an ordinary way seemes better or whether it may precede it it will be all one in the issue since it is in order to church fellowship and a full church communion Now what ever is in order to it as well as that which follows it falls under church cognisance and power and therefore catechising taking account of faith yea and preaching the word by way of power in order to the conversion of others especially if they offer and submit themselves falls under Church power now no man is baptized with a priviledge to go about the world at large but to live in all the ordinances of Christ and to receive nourishment as well as birth and the seales of both from the church And therefore as before I like well for Baptisme the title of the ordinance of initiation as which in the order of ordinances is the first pretends to further Lastly this rightly stated considered it cannot reasonably be objected that hee that baptizeth should necessarily be himself a baptized person for though ordinarily it will be so yet it is not necessary to the ordinance no more then it is simply necessary to a church state that the members be baptized for not the personall Baptisme of him that administers but the due commission hee hath for baptizing is alone considerable to make him a true Minister of Baptisme And here that expression holds not one cannot give what hee hath not as a man cannot teach me that wants knowledge himself because no man gives his owne Baptisme but conveyes as a publike person that which is givē us by Christ A poore man that hath nothing of his owne may give me gold that is the money of another man by vertue of being sent for that purpose so if any man can shew his commission the writing seale of him that sent him it is enough here else what would become of the great Baptizer Iohn the Baptist who had a fayer commission to baptize but was not himself baptized that we read of or if hee should be which cannot be affirmed yet the first Baptizer who ever hee was must at the time of his first administration of that ordinance be unbaptized To conclude in this discourse of the Minister of Baptisme we have shewed especially these particulars 1 That the due administration of Baptisme hath bene alwayes and is an act of power and commission 2 That the Churches of Christ are now the onely subject of this power and are betrusted with dispēsing all commissions for the administrations of ordinances of which Baptisme is one whether it be administred after admission into Church fellowship which parhaps will be the usuall way or before but as other things in order to it 3 That Baptisme doth not enter the definitiō of a church as Saintship profest and manifested doth nor is it simply necessary to the Minister of Baptisme that he be himself baptized since his qualification for that worke ariseth from his commission not from his Baptisme FINIS The heads of the Chapters CHAP. I. Page 1. Wherein of the first and great end of that ordinance the sealing up of our union with Christ and more particularly of the most illustrious type of Baptismeall sealing in the Baptisme of Christ CHAP. II. Page 18. Wherein of the second great use and end of Baptisme assuring us of our Iustification in the remission of all our sinnes together with certain corollaries and inforcements CHAP. III. Page 38. Wherein of a third great use and end of Baptisme whereby is sealed our communion with Christ in his holynes to wit a death unto sinne and a rising to newnesse of life CHAP. IV. Page 48. Wherein is shewed the report which the ceremony of Baptisme hath to the forementioned ends and uses of that ordinance also some Corollaries CHAP. V. Page 58. In which the proper ceremony of Baptisme is vindicated by the force of the word Scripture practise the suffrage of learned men and the use of ancient times CHAP. VI. Page 101. Wherein is shewed the agreements and differences that the word preached hath with the Sacraments together with certain Corollaries giving light to the present controversy CHAP. VII Page 121. In which is layd downe the relative and personall qualifications by which infants are usually intituled to Baptisme by our most considerable Protestant Divines CHAP. VIII Page 143. In which are contained severall queries and considerations raised from the premisses declaring what little ground there will appeare from their owne principles and concessions to conclude for Infant Baptisme CHAP. IX Page 160. In which entrance is made into the consideration of the great argument for Infant Baptisme drawne from the circumcision of Infants by way of answer whereunto five particulars are handled the first whereof is treated on in this Chapter namely what circumcision was to the Jewes and whether the qualification requisite to it was regeneration or the infusion of gratious habits CHAP. X. Page 179. In which is handled the second particular proposed in answer to the argument drawne from Circumcision to wit how farre the ordinances of the old Testament should regulate and determine by way of rule and institution those of the New CHAP. XI Page 190. Wherein is discussed the third particular in answer to the argument drawne from circumcision scil How we are ingrafted into Abrahams covenant and by what title wee are call'd Abrahams children CHAP. XII Page 210. Wherein is handled the fourth Question proposed to answer the argument drawne from Circumcision to wit How farre the Iewes by vertue of their being the sonnes of Abraham could pretend to new Testament Ordinances wherein also besides severall others that much agitated place is opened considered of Acts 2.38.39 CHAP. XIII Page 237. Wherein is handled the fifth and last question in answer to the argument drawn from circumcision scil whether Infants not prooving the subject of Baptisme the priviledges of Christians and their state may not justly be said to be as great as the priviledges of the Jewes and their state CHAP. XIV Page 259. In which is considered that famous and much urged place of 1. Cor. 7.14 Else were your children uncleane but now are they holy CHAP. XV. Page 278. In which the authority of the Fathers and the practise of antiquity touching the subject of Baptisme is considered CHAP. XVI Page 333. In which is handled whether Baptisme be to be repeated but more especially whether such as were baptized in infancy should be accounted baptized or are to have that ordinance administred to them CHAP. XVII Page 368. In which is considered the time and ranke that Baptisme is to hold in the order of Ordinances CHAP. XVIII Page 380. Wherein by way of conclusion is treated of the Minister of Baptisme and shewed where that power rests which is to conveigh to us that blessed Ordinance which hath bene all this while the subject of our discourse
gentiles which you despise and for their hardnes and distance not in place but in the knowledge of God are as stones of such can God raise children to Abraham for the ordinances I pretend to are not bottomed upon carnall generation or priviledges but thinges of another nature namely true holynes which is seene and manifested by the fruit it brings forth Bring forth therefore fruit meete for repentance The next place considerable to this purpose is that Iohn where hee shewes that this excellēt person the sonne of God that came to bring life light was rejected by the world and after by his owne not onely the vvorld vvhich hee had made and in which he had shewed great sufficient evidences of himself knevv him not by which the miserable blindnes of corrupt nature appeares they can doe nothing spirituall but by a light of another kind then theirs is to wit spirituall and divine But vvhen he came to his ovvne they received him not The people of the Iewes were his peculiar hee vvas in the vvorld but hee came to them that is first hee presented himself to them they received him not that is though he were offered and shewed they tooke him not to them which shewes a great deale of mallice joyned to blindnesse by which they resisted the holy Spirit offering to inlighten them by words and miracles But least Christ should suffer as a person generally neglected and slighted he tells you Christ came not in vayne there were those that received him and made much of him As many as received him for now the hedge was pulled up the partition wall brokē down those he magnifies wonderfully they had this povver that is this dignity this priviledge as in the margent given them to become the sonnes of God that is though they were strangers and afarre of naturally yet the honour of adoption was given them to be made be the sonnes of God If you aske now but what was this receiving or how came this about Hee tells you this was effected by faith by beleeving in his name But now whereas the fashion of this world in adopting children is to respect either the greatnes of their birth or the excellency of their parts or some glory of their actions he tells you nothing of all this mooved God but his meere grace and will which provoked him to doe this great good to the vyldest and unworthiest for sayes hee those vvere borne not of bloods The Iewes pretended the dignity of their race that they were the seede of Abraham because they drew their originall from Abraham by a series of many successions so they were more noble by their antiquity therefore he sayes bloods this blood saith he did them no good and by consequence the carnall generation from godly and just parents will doe no good simply considered to intitle us to become the sonnes of God or consequently to the ordināces which seale up that sonneship therefore they vvere borne not of bloods nor of the vvill of flesh nor of man that is no free-will no resolutions no morall indeavours though they should ingage never so much can effect this birth Nor the vvill of man no heroïcall workes no excellency or dignity can effect this adoption this title but onely God this proceeds onely from the will of God Iames 1.18 Of his ovvne vvill bégate he us by the vvord of truth which by the way should cause us to love God who finding nothing in us hath so freely loved us Here you see in the second place that in respect of adoption and sonneship to God of which baptisme is especially in the first place a seale the birth of bloods the descending of such parents whether Iewes or gentiles saving for the order of the offer as before doth no good but wee all in that matter lye open exposed to the free will and grace of God so as whē a Iew comes to baptisme he must come even as wee and bring other characters with them then of having Abraham to his father if hee will pretend to this or any new Testament ordinance The equality in this respect will appeare by that place also of Acts 10.34.35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every nation hee that feareth him and vvorketh righteousnesse is accepted vvith him God seemed formerly to have bene a respecter of persons some men as some meates were borne cleane insomuch as circumcision other ordinances were their due as a birth-right those which were Iewes by nature were holy and those that were gentiles that is by birth were accounted sinners now this acception of persons was not a vice in God contrary to distributive justice because God was not obliged to dispense his ordinances as in any certain manner so nor to any certain men or to all in generall because no man had right to them or could merit them at his hands but hee is free as a rich man at a doale to give to whom he will or a King to his subjects so as the acceptance of persons in this sence was once just and according to the will and pleasure of God But now Peter was taught by God by the meanes of the vision hee had seene to admit men to ordinances upon other considerations then legall denominations of cleane or uncleane namely upon fearing of God and vvorking righteousnes and no other which is a thing not generated and conveighed by birth but by the new birth and the spirit of the living God Now this Peter expresses I perceive of a truth the word signifies to gather or collect by reasōs signes and conjectures as Calvin expounds it to wit the signes hee saw before viz. that of the vessell vers 11. Now then you see new qualifications to denominate a man accepted of God qualified for ordinances this in this covenant and way of worship was common to both without any difference for so you have it Acts 15.9 And put no difference betvveene us and them purifying their harts by faith the purity is not by birth as formerly Thus you see the Iewes come to Baptisme and be called the sonnes of God not by their pretention to Abraham for their father nor for the honour and advantage of their descent and blood And the Gentiles they were admitted without any consideration of persons or personall prerogatives in respect of their birth but upon their fearing God working righteousnes and having their hearts purified by faith therefore the old way advantage of birthright and in that respect of accepting of persons is ceased long agoe on both sides alike To conclude in a word all birth priviledge is by the title of Abrahams covenāt if therefore the naturall seede of Abraham could not at all pretend to new Testament ordinances a right by that title much lesse the adopted seede by any such way of naturall generation but if you speake of