was a sign of holiness and not of Canaan and if it had been a sign of the Promise of the Land what need had they to Circumcise any more when they possessed the land thus let all men beware of these blind guides that heed not what they say to maintain their errors R. A. Again you say If by the everlasting Covenant be meant all the children of Believers are in the covenant of grace and so to be baptized you say it is false for whosoever is truly in the Covenant of Grace can never fall finally away from it Esay 54. 10. Jer. 31. 3. and 9. But say you the Children of Believers may and do prove wicked and be reprobates witnesse Ishmael Esau c. therefore it appears all the children of Believers are not in the Covenant of Grace and so none to be baptized till some declarative sign to know which are in the Covenant of Grace which will not be made manifest till they are grown up and able to make profession of Faith and then we have that we contend for Ans It is well known that we believe Election and I am glad you do not deny Election but secret things belong to God and revealed things to us and to our children Deut. 29. 29. but when the Lord made his Covenant with Abraham and his Seed he was commanded to administer the Seal of Faith to his children in infancy whether they would stand or fall he had no Rule to question nor you if you were guided by that Spirit that guided him and if he and the children of Israel should have been of your belief when Ishmael became a mocker and Esau a prophane person having both the outward Seal of Faith they would have circumcised no more lest they had not Faith because some do fall away had they done well think you but having no such Rule from God they would not follow their own spirits as you do like the false Prophets in Israel that had seen nothing Ezek. 13. 3. But the faithfull had learned to obey which is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of Rambs 1 Sam. 15. 22. and that which is highly esteemed among men is abominable in the sight of God Luk. 16. 15. And how highly esteem'd is this error among the people of your Judgment to deny the outward Seal of the Covenant of God to the Seed of the Faithfull without warrant from his Word Moreover If we should not baptize our Children because some may fall away and become as Ishmael and Esau by like grounds you should not baptize elder people because after they fall away as Symon Magus Demas the like so to follow your fantasy rather than Faith and neglect Gods Ordinance because we cannot enter into Gods Seat to know the heart Let all beware of this as Solomon saith There is a way that seemeth right unto man but the end thereof are the wayes of death Pro. 16. 25. Again If one by carnall reason should follow your steps to say that the Children of Believers have not Faith because the fruits of Faith doth not yet appear they might reason against you and say that there is none of your Judgment do yet believe because it is said These signs shall follow them that believe they shall cast out devils and speak with new Tongues They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly poyson it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall recover Mark 16. 17 18. Now consider because that these signs do not now attend believers since extraordinary Officers ceased do none believe therefore So though the Apostle saith That Circumcision was the Seal of Faith and it was no lying sign shall any say that Children have or had not Faith because we cannot see the signs of Faith Remember what the Wiseman saith Be not over just Now to conclude this point consider what God saith of the Children of his People Even the house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carried from the womb Even to old age c. Isa 46. 3 4. And again The Lord hath called me from the womb from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name Esa 49. 1. And in verse 5. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant And again I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth of the womb I sanctified thee Jer. 1. 5. And again The babe leaped in the womb for joy Luke 1. 44. Thus the children of Gods people are born unto the Lord as it written Thou hast taken my sons and my daughters whom thou hast born unto me And again Thou hast stain my children Ezek. 16. 20 21. Which children are a holy seed Ezra 9. 2. Isa 6. 13. Jer. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Mal. 2. 15. Which cannot be without Gods Spirit which sanctifieth all that have it 1 Thes 4. 7 8. 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. Which Spirit is the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. Therefore having the Spirit of Faith they are Christs Rom. 8. 9. Or else none of his now how clear a matter is this that Infants are the Lords and Christ and so have his spirit We shall conclude with the holy Spirit that the children of the faithfull have right to Baptism as it is written can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we Acts 10. 47. Now let none reason with Nicodemus How can these things be John 3. 9. But in sobriey say with Solomon As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all Eccle. 11. 5. Object If any further object and say that Abraham was commanded to command his children and his houshold supposing that a mans servants are his houshold Answ Abraham was a Prophet and at that time the Church of God was under his government so that as he was a Prophet and Over-seeâ— the Lord knew he would feed the Church of God as he was a Father he would teach his Children the nurture and admonition of the Lord Eph. 6. So that he and all true Pastors that was fit according to the rule must both rule his own children having them in subjection with all gravity for if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take carâ— of the Church of God 1 Tim. 3. 4. 5. And that a mans servants are not called his house or houshold but are distinguished by the holy Ghost called houshold-servants Acts 10. 7. As a mans goods are called houshold-stuffe Nehemiah 15. 8. Thus I suppose the Objection is fully answered And now my friend I shall endeavour according to that small understanding I have to
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ in whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the Riches of his Grace Eph. 1. 3 7. by which it is evident that Christs spiritual blessing bestowed on those Infants brought to him was the pardon of their sins and that Christ had power on earth to forgive sins Matth. 9. 6. As for Temporal blessings Christ himself was ministred unto of their substance that followed him Luke 8. 2 3. and refused to divide temporal inheritances Luke 12. 13. 14. Secondly The necessity the Children brought to Christ had of this Blessing Because it is written through the offence or fall of one many are dead By the offence of one Judgment came upon all men to condemnation by one mâ—ns disobedience many were made sinners Rom. 5. 15 18 19. In Adam all dyed 1 Cor. 15. 22. So that by nature we were the children of wrath Ephes 2 1. 3. As it is written Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean no not one Job 14. 4 So that a Woman was unclean many dayes because of Child-bearing Levit. 12. both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin as it is written There is none Righteous no not one Rom. 3. 9 10 11 12. David likewise complaineth Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Psal 51. 8. Likewise the Prophet calleth Israel transgressors from the womb Isa 48. 8. Yea the wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray assoon as they be born speaking lyes Psal 58. 3. therefore I may by the testimony of these Scriptures conclude by like equality that if Levi in the loyns of Abraham before he was born payed Tythes when Abraham did Heb. 7. 9 10. we likewise in the loyns of our Father Adam before we were born broke Gods Law when Adam did Rom. 5. 12. for Adam was the root of all mankind Acts 17. 26. Therefore it doth appear That the children brought to Christ were very sinful and Christs blessing bestowed on them was the pardon or remission of sin and Baptism of water is the sign of remission or forgiveness of sins what man of any understanding can deny that those that Christ hath blessed with a spiritual blessing hath not right to Baptism of water Moreover it was foretold by the Prophet that Christ should set up his standard to the people and lift up his hand to the Gentiles and they shall bring thy sons in their * or bosom arms and thy daughters should be carried upon their shoulders Isa 49. 22. which Scripture was fulfilled by those that came and brought their little ones with them which the Lord Jesus himself saith were of his Kingdome Mark 10. 14. and being before proved they were so sinful they had great necessity of Christs blessing in having their sin pardoned for the children of Believers are the Lords Ezek. 16. 20 21. as well as their Parents therefore are called a chosen Generation and a holy Nation 1 Pet. 2. 9. If then they are equal with their Parents in acceptance of the pardon of their sin what reason can be given that they shall not be equal in having the sign of remission of sin even Baptisme of water seeing the Scripture saith that the promise is to you and your children Acts 2. 38 39. Thirdly The benefit those children held in Arms brought to Christ and all the Children of Believers have of Christs Spiritual blessing we have before proved the blessing even the pardon of sins which Christ bestowed on little Children Now it followeth to be manifested the happy estate the children of Believers have by Gods gift unto them by the benefit of Christs blessing First They are accepted with their Parents in holy Covenant with the Lord as it is written Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the men of Israel your little ones your wives and thy stranger that is in thy Camp from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water that thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day that he may establish thee to day for a people to himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this Oath but with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God and also with him that is not here with us this day Deut. 29 10 11 12 13 14 15. thus we see the little ones then present and those not then born when their Fathers entred Covenant the children entred Covenant with them which was no other than the Covenant God made with Abraham here renewed If children in infancy are with God accepted in holy Covenant and all their sins at that time were pardoned Ezek. 16. 5 6 7 8 9. Rom. 3. 23 24 25. and Baptism a sign of sin pardoned who can deny the children of the Covenant who have their sins pardoned the Ordinance of Baptisme any more than their Parents seeing they are equal in the Promise Acts 2. 38 39. Secondly Again the children of Believers are a part of the glory of Christs Kingdom as it is written And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house the Off-spring and the Issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of Cups even to all the Vessels of Flagons Isa 22. 24. and as every Vessel in the Temple of old figured the bodies of the Saints both great and small 2 Chron. 36. 18. Acts 9. 15. 1 Thes 4. 4. Therefore saith the Prophet both young men and maidens old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord Psal 148. 12 13. So that little children in the Temple cryed Hosanna to the son of David Matth. 21. 15. the benefit of Christs blessing upon the children of his Kingdom did here appear and as it was foretold by the Prophet for the comfort of Believers and their little ones saying I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine Off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as Willows by the Water-courses Isa 44. 3 4. which blessing is before proved to be the pardon of sin and Baptism the sign of remission of sin Acts 2. 39. who dare be so bold as to deny those little ones who are a part of the glory of Christs Kingdom as well as men of years 2 Cor. 8. 23. Isa 22. 24. the benefit of that Ordinance without rebellion against the Lord and hatred to the Infants of Christs Kingdom R. A's Objections Now I shall come to examine your Objection You say it seemeth to you that those
broken off with them though ignorant of their Fathers Rebellion therefore seeing the condition both of Fathers and children was all one he said unto them Repent and be Baptised every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins for the Promise is to you and your children and now can any one believe but that the children upon the Fathers Repentance are as capable to believe in the belief of their Parents and so grafted in the true Olive Tree Christ with their Parents again as they were of unbelief and rebellion in their Parents unbelief and rebellion So then upon the Parents Repentance who can hinder the children of those Repenting Parents from the Ordinance of Baptism of Water with their Parents seeing they were cut off with them and the Ordinance a sign of the pardon of sins From whence may justly be concluded that if the Infants of Rebellions Jews were cut or broken off in their infancy with their Parents though ignorant of their Parents Rebellion Even so both Jews and Gentiles comming to the obedience of the Faith of Christ though their Children in infancy be ignorant of their Fathers obedience must of necessity be excepted with them And that we may the better understand the scope of the Apostles Doctrine the Doctrine being Repent and be Baptised every one of you for the remission of sins the reason is For the promise is to you and your children Take notice and observe whether the Precept of Scripture is not to reach so far as the Reasons thereunto doth extend as may be seen Deut. 7. 1. 4. Ezra 9. 2 11 12. 2 Chron. 21. 6. Now the Doctrine is Repent and be Baptised and the Reason is For the Promise is to you and your children so that mention being made of children in the Reason therefore the Precept of Baptising here spoken implieth the children also Otherwise how can you prove at the first celebration of the Lords Supper that women should be partakers thereof seeing neither there nor any other where in Christs Testament any mention of any Woman by name were present or partook thereof as concerning children you require us to shew a child by name that was Baptised yet seeing the Reasons that are annexed to the Precept do necessarily imply women as well as men and there is no Prohibition to the contrary and cannot be denyed them without great sin Matth. 26. 20 26 27 28. Luke 22. 14 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. Now then consider how in this Ordinance you will grant that women may partake thereof though no name of any Woman that did is expressed but that children may partake of the Ordinance of Baptism because there is no mention of any child by name that did though there is as good reason and true gathered consequence from the Scripture for the one as the other in this all men may see you are partial and wilfully blind Again the people of your Judgment seem more unreasonable to me in this point of denying Infants of Believers Baptism than the Sadduces which denyed the resurrection of the body whom Christ put to silence by consequence from Scripture without the litteral words of Scripture to say the body shall rise again as may be seen in Exod. 3. 6. compared with Matth. 22. 31 32. and as the Text saith they were put to silence ver 34. and the multitude were astonished at his Doctrine ver 33. Likewise there is the Doctrine of Baptism Heb. 6. 2. and any of understanding in Scripture know that Doctrine is the sense and intendment of Scripture for the natural man reads only the Letter as the Eunuch did when he read in Isa 53. 7. as it is written in Acts 8. 32. the place of Scripture which he read was this He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his shearers so opened he not his mouth see ver 33. and ver 34. the Eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or some other man ver 35. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and Preached unto him Jesus but had the Eunuch bin an Anabaptist in Judgment he would not have believed Philip to Preach Jesus from that 53 of Isa when the word Jesus was not expressed by name and though the Apostles did Baptise Believers and their housholds 1 Cor. 1. 16. Acts 16. yet you will not believe that he Baptised Children though the word Houshold are the children as shall in this Treatise most plainly appear as in Isa 53. Jesus was intended in the Text by the word Lamb so that I hope not only you unless you shut your eyes but others shall see by the Holy Ghosts own exposition according to his own counsel comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2. 13. knowing this first that no Prophesy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. but a publick interpretation is for one Scripture to unfold another as when Ezra and the people returned out of Captivity Neh. 8. 8. he read in the Book of the Law distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading so that I hope that if the Scripture do expound the houshold to be children seeing the Apostle did Baptise housholds you will believe he did Baptise Children and so repent of your error in denying the same and leave off deluding the people through your former ignorance Next then to observe that little children which do partake of Christs spiritual blessing have not only right to Baptism of Water but were also Baptised by the hands of the Apostles Though some will think this Argument cannot be proved because the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. observe the Lords Covenant of old made with the faithful and their seed in infancy and the words of the Covenant was To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17. 7. So that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and they that are of Faith the same are the children of Abraham Gal. 3. 6 7. and the children of the Promise are counted for the seâ—d but Isaac was a child of Promise in Infancy Gal. 4. 28. even an heir of life 1 John 2. 25. and had the seal of Faith administred upon him and I hope none will be so bold to say it was a lying sign or seal to seal to him that he had not but of this we shall have occasion to handle anon but now to prove that a mans children are his houshold We read Gen. 45. 11. and 46. 5 6 7 8. that Joseph is said to nourish his Father and his Brethren and all his Fathers houshold according to their Families which is expounded I will nourish you and your little
ones Gen. 50. 21. and it is lâ—â—ewise said David dwelt with Achish at Gath he and his men every man with his hâ—ushold 1 Sam. 27. 3. which is expounded to be their Sons and daughters 1 Sam. 30. 6. If there were no more evidence than these two Witnesses it might suffice reasonable men but all men have not faith and therefore do they muddy the water of Gods truth with their feet Ezek. 34. 18 19. but there is a pure River of water of life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22. 1. to confirm the spirits of the faithful from these mens abuse of Scripture We read in Deut. 25. If two brethren dwell together and one of them dye and have no child the Wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger her Husbands Brother shall go in unto her and take her to him to Wife and perform the duty of an Husbands brother unto her and it shall be that the first born which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead that his name be not put out of Israel ver 5 6. and in the seventh verse If the man like not to take his Brothers wife see in ver 9. then shall his Brothers wife come unto him in the presence of the Elders and loose his shoe from off his foot and spit in his face and shall answer and say So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his Brothers house how plainly doth it appear in this place that a mans children are his house Again the Elders prayed the Lord to make Ruth like Leah and Rachel which built the house of Israel Ruth 4. 11. which were their children and again the Widdow of Zareptha's son was called her house read 1 Kings 17. 12 13 14 15. verses Again a Bishop or Pastor must be one that ruleth well his own house having his children in subiection 1 Tim. 3. 4 5. and again Jacob went down into Egypt every man and his houshould which were their children Exod. 1. and where persons had no children see what God saith promising to give children he maketh the barren woman to keep house or dwell in a house and to be a joyful mother of children Psal 113. 9. which is farther confirmed in that sense and it came to pass because the Midwives feared God he made them houses Exod. 1. 21. compared with 1 Sam. 2. 35. and the cause why Sarah gave her Maid Hagar to Abraham that she might be builded up by her Gen. 16. 2. or obtain children thus I hope no Conscience can doubt or scruple or think the contrary but that the children is the mans house or houshould and the Apostle Baptising Believers and their houshould or house did with his own hands Baptise Believers and their children thus your stumbling block is taken out of the way if God be pleased to open your eyes to see it R. A's Objection Because you cannot see the children of the faithful bring forth the fruits of faith you presume to say they have not faith T. W. his Answer Might not one by your ground say that a child of 8 dayes old cannot have all the faculties of nature in him as a man though the Holy Ghost saith a child is born a man John 16. 21. in the bud or beginning as hearing seeing smelling speaking and the like yet because the child cannot hear understandingly and see perceivingly and smell distinguishingly and speak plainly as a man of years shall one conclude he hath not the faculties in him in the bud but little children Christ saith are of the Kingdom of God which is the houshould of Faith Gal. 6. 10. and can any be of the houshould of Faith and want Faith therefore as the world knoweth not Christ nor the subjects of his Kingdom 1 John 3. 1. they must needs be but as the world to say those have not faith which are of Christs Kingdom and with Nicodemus say how can thâ—se things be John 3. Again we read Isaac was Circumcised at eight dayes old the Apostle calleth Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4. 11. and the children of Believers are as capable of Faith at eight dayes old now in Gospel times as before the Law the Prophet speaking of Gospel times saith their children shall be as afore-time Jer. 30. 20. so that as Circumcision was a sign of Faith and holiness Rom. 4. 11. and 2. 29. Col. 2. 11. Deut. 10. 16. even so is Baptism now Acts 8. 37 38. Rom 6. 3 4. The Covenant of the Gospel with Abraham is the same now in substance Gal. 3. 8. Gen. 17. 4 5. Rom. 4. 13 16 17. the Covenanâ— with Abraham was that the Lord would be a God to him and his seed after him Gen. 17. 7. as Blessed is that Nation whose God is the Lord Psal 33. 12. this blessedness commeth on none by the Law Rom. 4. 15. Gal. 3. 10 11 12. and that the Lord will be a God to us and we his people is the Gospel in the substance Heb. 8. 10. Rev. 21. 3. 2 Cor. 6. 16. and Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision to confirm the Promise made to the Fathers which they believed Christ was to come we believe he is come Luke 1. 69 72 73. Acts 13. 32 33. being one faith of Gods elect Gal. 3. 9. Heb. 11. and we believing Gentiles fellow Heirs and of the same body with the Believing Jews therefore I may justly conclude That which was once commanded of God and never repealed ought still to be done But God commanded the sign or seal of faith and holiness to the faithful and their seed and never yet repealed therefore ought still to be done But if any object that Circumcision was a seal of the Land of Canaan the Apostle ought to be believ'd before them who saith It was a Seal of faith and for farther manifesting of their folly that say It was a seal of Canaan for Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were Circumcised and they never passed it according to the promise nor their Generations till they came out of Egypt but dwelt as strangers in it Heb. 11. 9. Again as uncleanness is opposite to holiness when the fruit of the Land of Canaan was forbidden the children of Israel three years it should be as uncircumcised unto them and not to be eaten and in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy Lev. 19. 23 24. thus we see that Circumcision is a sign of holiness Again we read that God promiseth to Circumcise the hearts of his people to love him Deut. 30. 6. which is no less than a clean heart Psal 51. 10. which is no less than putting off the body of sins by the Circumcision of Christ Col. 2. 11. and when men do not hear and obey the Lord they are said to have uncircumcised ears Jer. 6. 10. Thus we may see plainly that Circumcision