excluded God's grace is not straitned by Christ's coming therefore our Infants are not excluded Reason 3 Our last Reason is grounded on 1 Cor. 7.14 The Aposile there speaks of such an Holiness which belongs to the Corinthians children from this ground that one of the Parents is a Believer and whereof the children of Parents beeing both unbelievers are not capable but remain unclean Now this cannot bee meant of a civil holiness or cleaness for so the children of unbelieving Parents were holie as well as the children of Believers seeing holie Matrimonie is not an Ordinance peculiar to the Church And no where in Scripture are children called holie becaus their Parents are joined in holie Wedlock and may lawfully live together Federal holiness what But it is meant of a Federal holiness whereby the children are joyned with God in Covenant dedicated to his Service have right to the means of salvation and the sacrament of Baptism and whereby they are distinguished from Heathens Turks Apollonius p. 84. and such other Infidels This Federal holiness is transferred from the Parents to the children not by Generation or Legitimation but by the merciful will of God whereby hee promiseth to bee a God to them and their Seed Thus the whole Church both yong and old by virtue of God's Covenant with them are severed from other Nations dedicated to God's pure Worship and Service and for that caus are counted holie Deut. 14.1 2. Thou art an holie people unto the Lord with Ezra 9.2 the holy Seed had mingled themselvs with the people of those Lands the Jews were the holy Seed the Heathens unholy not becaus they were illegitimate or wanted a civil holiness but becaus they were without God's Covenant as Paul describeth the State of all Heathens Ephes 2.11 Remember that in time passed yee were Gentiles in the flesh without Christ Aliens from the Commmon-wealth of Israël and strangers from the Covenant of Promisses Quest Som at Corinth thought themselvs defiled by their marriages with Infidels though contracted before their conversion and thereupon moved a question Whether it were lawful to continue their marriage with the unbelieving partie or whether they must not seek a separation 1 Cor. 7.1 12. Answ Paul is utterly against separation vers 12.13 Let not him put her away and let not the Wife leav her Husband His reason is vers 14. Becaus the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband though the unbelieving partie bee unclean before God and is not made an holy Person yet the use of Matrimonie with her is Holy to the believing partie and of this truth the holiness of their children is brought for an evidence to this sens that seeing the Lord counted their children holy and in Covenant with him the believing partie might rest assured that their abode together and the use of their marriage is not polluted but acceptable in the sight of God Object The sanctification of the Wife is but a civil sanctification in that place i. e. shee is sanctified to his use that hee ought not to put her away Again the holiness there spoken of is a fruit of that sanctification of the Wife whereof it will follow That seeing the effect cannot bee greater then the Caus the Caus cannot produce a greater effect then it self the Caus beeing onely a civil sanctification Of Christ exalted p. 166. the holiness of the children must bee the same thus argueth Tho Collier Answ 1. The question was Whether the Believer were polluted by his unbelieving Wife the Apostle saie's No quia pluris est pietas unius ad sanctificandum conjugium Calvin in loc quà m alterius impietas ad inquinandum i. e. the faith of the Believer is of greater force to sanctifie their present cohabitation then the unbelief of the other to pollute it This hee proveth from a greater effect and fruit of the Husband's faith viz. The holiness of the children born of such a Husband by such a woman The children are holy not onely civilly as beeing born of lawful Wedlock but federally as beeing severed from all children of unbelievers by special prerogative holy to the Lord consecrated unto him whereas by nature they were Aliens and unclean according to that of Paul Rom. 11.16 if the root bee holy so are the branches The faith of the believing partie sanctifieth the unbelieving Wife to bear not onely a lawful but an holy Seed yea it sanctifie's the children and severeth them from the common condition of other children which are prophane and unclean without the Church without God in the World 2. Note That the Holiness of the child received from one of the Parents believing is more then the sanctification of the Wife by her believing Husband becaus such a Wife is not taken into Covenant with her husband but the child is and therefore the Apostle saie's not that such as is the sanctification of the Wife such is the holiness of the child But thus Such as is the holiness of the believing partie such is the childs holiness in respect of Church-membership and so the faith of the believing Husband is the caus of both these effects viz. That his coupling with his Wife is not impure and also that his children are holy And this latter an evidence of the former And thus the holiness of the childe is a sign of the mother's sanctification to holy cohabitation and an effect of the Father's Faith by virtue of God's Covenant To have said That their children were lawful was no more then to have said That their marriage was lawful which was not the question But to say that the children of their lawful marriage were holy This did inferr not onely the lawfulness of their marriage but the sanctified Use As Mr Baily hath well observed of Anabaptism p. 138. Lastly If by holy bee onely meant a civil holiness then on the contrarie by unclean must bee meant a civil uncleanness But when Paul saie's els were your children unclean his intent is not to make them all as an unclean birth and impure off-spring which were born at Corinth of unbelieving Parents but to shew that they are not comprehended within God's Covenant And so when hee saie's but now are they holie hee notes som preheminence of the children of Christians above the Heathens children Though in civil respects in respect of a lawful birth both sorts of children were equal yet that civil holiness beeing common to both there is a preheminence of the Christians child above the Heathens The child of an Infidel at Corinth is to day unclean and the next day holie in case his Parents turn Christians And what 's the reason of this so sudden alteration It must needs bee in regard of the Covenant into which the partie now believing is taken with his children his unbelieving Neighbor with his children still remaining unclean Hence I conclude with Calv. in loc Seeing our children are exempted from the common condition of lost mankind
is an Office appointed of God and that Ordination for executing that Office is an Ordinance of Christ in the New Testament our third Conclusion will naturally follow viz. That no man uncalled and unordained can with good conscience intrude upon that work and Office This position or Conclusion is proved by two places especially remarkable for this purpose the first is that of Zach. 83.3 4 5. And it shall com to pass that the Prophets shall bee ashamed every one of his Vision when hee hath prophesied neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceiv but hee shall say I am no Prophet I am an husbandman for man taught mee to keep Cattel from my youth 1. This place is a plain Prophecie of the times of the Gospel wherein many blessings are promised when the Messiah is com vers 1.2 Concl. 3 2. The words vers 4.5 are words of Recantation and repentance of som that pretended the Spirit and took upon them the Office of Prophesying when as they were not Prophets but husbandmen or bred up to som other Trades 3. The means by which this kind of Teachers were brought to shame and repentance is the zeal of the Christian Magistrate upon complaint made to him of their doings by their dearest friends vers 3. And it shall com to pass that when any shall yet Prophecie i.e. notwithstanding all spiritual means used to cleans the Land of seducing spirits and Teachers of fals Doctrines vers 2. if for all this they shall prophecie then his Father and his Mother which begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live c. the meaning is this that as in the Law of Moses Deut. 13.5 8. Hee that pretended himself a Prophet and was none was to bee punished by the Magistrate such a like zeal should bee used against fals Prophets in the New Testament their best friends endued with knowledg and discerning shall oppose them preferring their zeal and pietie towards God before the natural affection they bear towards their own children And there is reason as Mr Borough's thinks why their best friends should withstand them in this way 1. Becaus it is a thing abhorring to Nature Heart-divisions p. 19.23.24 that men should suffer God whom they honor to bee blasphemed 2. To see their wives and children and dearest friends to bee seduced into waies which wee think will undo their souls to eternitie and not bee able to help them nor our selvs unless wee can perswade the Seducer to desist and ask them why they do so and entreat them to forbear Therefore these must com under the Magistrates restraining power 4. Then follow 's the fruit of the Magistrates dealing with them viz. Their shame and repentance they shall disclaim their usurped profession and confess that they were never brought up nor fitted for it and so return to their former cours and Trade of living This Scripture is fulfilled in one part by the rising of fals Teachers in our daies and if it bee not fulfilled in the other part viz. in their repentance one principal caus thereof is becaus our Magistrates are so far from putting them to shame that they rather uphold them having enfranchized every Sect to hold Assemblies to preach who will yea to the disadvantage of Christ's Gospel have suffered his Ministers to bee vilified reproched even in Almanacks and to bee made the scorn and derision of the raging waves of the Sea and mocking spirits of which S. Jude complains v. 13.18 I pray God this bee not laid to their charge Conclus 3 Our second place is Num. 16.1 2 3 5. Dathan and Abiram were Gentlemen of the Tribe of Reuben the eldest son of Jacob Num. 26. 5 9. This is that Dathan and Abiram which were famous in the Congregation they thought they had as much right to the Government as Moses who came of a yonger Tribe and therefore like Levellers they say to Moses and Aaron wherefore lift you up your selvs above the Congregation of the Lord ver 3. And when they were summoned to appear before Moses they refused saying wee will not com vers 12.13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a Land flowing with milk and honie except thou make they self altogether a Prince over us their quarrel was especially against Moses against the Civil Power Korah for his part was a Levite and hee would have none above him in the Church hee would needs do the office of a Priest as well as Aaron seek yee the Priesthood also saies Moses to him v. 10. His quarrel was Ecclesiastical against Aaron vers 11. What is Aaron that yee murmur against him Thus yee see how Korah did endevor to make common the Offices of the Priesthood and why becaus said hee all the Congregation of the Lord is holy vers 3. All have the gifts of the Spirit as if God's Ordinarie gifts of Sanctification did take away distinction of Callings and Offices But what saies Moses to all this geer vers 5. To morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who is holy and will caus him to com near unto him i.e. God will by miracle shew whom hee accepteth for his servant in the Government you or mee And who is holy i.e. whom hee hath consecrated to com near unto him by special Calling to do the Office of a Priest Aaron or you All the Congregation is holy by the Gift of common vocation unto Grace but not by special Gift of consecration to the Office of a Priest As Paul 1 Cor. 11.7 saith that the Husband is the image of God in respect of domestick Autoritie the wife is the image of God in respect of the gifts of grace as well as her Husband but the Husband and so every good Magistrate hath on him a twofold image of God 1. One by gifts of Grace common with other Saints 2. The other by special Calling and Autoritie to his Office in Church or State Well you see Korah's sin what it is but how doe's the Lord take this at his hands see v. 35. Those 250 men which offered incens and invaded the holy Office were burnt to death with fire from Heaven And for a Monument to all Posteritie that None who is not Called and Consecrated should presume to take upon him the Office of ministring holy things to make himself near to God in these peculiar Conclus 3 Services God commanded the Censers wherewith they had offered the Incens to bee kept for a memorial unto the children of Israël that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron com near to offer Incens before the Lord that hee bee not as Korah and his Companie vers 40. Also God commanded Aarons rod that budded to bee kept for a token against the Rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings Num. 17.10 And they shall know that whosoëver cometh near to the Tabernacle of the Lord without a Calling to do the Office of a
mee thinks hee doe's better reform manners and punish vice then your old rotten Magistrates must wee stay for a Commission when things bee amiss Absalom will minister justice better then his Father David aie by all means things are like to go well Conclus 3 if every man that reckon's himself gifted may bee judg what is best and himself the fittest to do it But God is a God of Order Unitie Peace and not of Confusion 2. And this I dare affirm that the Devil hath not a more subtil prevalent engine to pull down the Kingdom of Christ and set up his own which is establisht by Heresie Sedition Fals-worship Envie Hatred Schism Dissention c. then by destroying the Ministerie whereby God hath erected and built his Church But as long as Christ will have a Church among us hee will hold those stars in his right hand Rev. 1.16 20. And whensoëver you see them pluckt out of the Firmament of the Church Luk. 19.41 42 2 Chro. 36.16 then look for nothing but a sad night of darkness and miserie upon this Nation They are the greatest malignants and avowed enemies of our Nation that are haters of it's Ministerie But let them beware what they do for if hee that loveth and receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mâ—t. 10 41. shall receiv a Prophet's reward then hee that despiseth derideth hateth vilifieth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet or becaus hee is a Minister of the Gospel hee carrie's in his breast the mark of a Reprobate and let him bee sure that hee shall receiv the reward of a Prophet-hater The truth is God hath made these Preachers a check a shame and a just rebuke to a rotten See Mal. 2.3 7 8 9. formal dead Clergie that understood not nor ever endeavored the conversion of souls God would by a foolish people provoke men of abilities to a more spiritual and conscionable discharge of their duties 't were good this use were made of it But what good els this promiscuous preaching hath don how it hath advanced truth or godliness is their part to shew What mischief it hath don what Errors it hath spread how many unstable souls it hath beguiled what fearful Schisms and Factions it hath brought into our Land what discord among brethren c. There bee too many Instances in most Counties of England By such like men you see what preaching you are like to have if ever your establisht Ministerie bee extinguished People by degrees will grow to a loathing and contempt of the Gospel preached through their prophaning it with their fulsom fooleries I shall close up this point with a remarkable passage of Mr Owens in his Treatise of Toleration joined with that Sermon of his which hee preached before the Hous Jan. 31. 1648. His words are these There are a sort of persons termed in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unruly disorderly Mr Owen of Toleration p. 82. 1 Thes 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the baser sort Act. 17.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conclus 3 absurd unreasonable men 2 Thes 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawless and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 and the like disorderly vagabond wandring irregular persons fixed to no calling abiding in no place taking no care of their Families that under a pretence of Teaching the truth without mission without Call without warrant uncommanded undesired do go up and down from place to place creeping into Houses c. Now that such waies as these and persons in these waies may bee judicially enquired into I no way doubt I did yet never observ any other issue upon such undertakings but scandal to Religion and trouble to men in their civil Relations Therefore according to the Aposiles order 1 Cor. 7.24 Let every man in the same Calling wherein hee was Called to Christianitie therein abide with God studying to bee quiet and to do his own business 1 Thes 4.11 and not other mens as the Lord hath commanded Object 1 The chief Argument for preaching without Ordination is taken from Act. 8 ver 4. with Act. 11.19 20. they that were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen went every where preaching the Word yet these that were scattered were not Ordained men therefore men unordained may Preach Answ 1 1. It must bee in such cases as in the Text This example will not hold in cases altogether unlike Suppose that when Ministers are persecuted Congregations scattered when Christians are fain to flie into strange Countries among Infidels when such cannot bee had as by God's ordinary Call have power to preach I say admit that in such a Case any man may preach the Word declare among the people the name of Jesus Christ his Death and Resurrection yet by what analogie of reason can this bee alleged against the established cours provided in Scripture for sending men to preach In Case of extreme danger when I am assaulted for my life I may rather kill then bee killed I may bee my own Magistrate But this warrant 's not an ordinarie usurping of the Magistrates sword so in our present Question Rule When wee have a Rule and an extraordinarie Example that crosseth that Rule as in the case of Phinees and Abraham's killing his son then wee must leav the Example and follow the Rule wee must not follow dispensations and forsake the standing precept Answ 2 2. But how will it appear that these They in the Text that preached abread were men unsent and unordained seeing there bee precepts in Scripture for Ordination Col. 4.10 11. Philem. v. 24. if wee finde any doing the work of Elders wee are to presume that they are Ordained though their Ordination Concl. 3 bee not recorded as Marcus Aristarchus Demas Lucas Tychichus c. And that those preachers above mentioned were so sent I shall offer unto you for proof these Textual considerations 1. All that are named Act. 9.10 Act. 21.8 as Philip the Evangelist and Ananias and Lucius of Cyrene were men in Office 2. Nothing appear's to the contrarie but all make's for it That the seventie were at Jerusalem till that scattering they kept companie with Christ while hee lived and with the Apostles at Jerusalem after hee was Ascended Act. 1.21 For out of the seventie Matthias was chosen to bee an Apostle and becaus they nestled themselvs in their warm quarters at Jerusalem God send 's a persecution to dispers them about their business that so the preaching might bee more fully known according as Christ fore-told Act. 1.8 so it came to pass the seventie were appointed to preach in the places where those that were scattered did preach Act. 8.1 Therefore it is altogether likely that these were the men 3. Besides it is said Act. 6.7 that a great Companie of the Priests were Converted to the Faith and these were Paul's Fellow-helpers unto the Kingdom of God Aristarchus and Marcus and Jesus which is called Justus who are of
not bee known but by examination therefore the Apostle will have those Prophets Teaching submitted to the judgment of others that have the spirit of Prophecie that so by the harmonie and consent of their Doctrines the unitie of the spirit by which they all speak 1 Cor. 14.37 may bee evidenced and approved Now this could not befal the Pen-men of holy Scripture who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and not of their own spirits at any time when they preach't or writ any part of Scripture Whatsoëver the Apostles preached or wrote it is of Divine Autoritie becaus they wrote it Conclus 3 Object 4 Som be so inconsiderate as to plead for their pattern and warrant Christ's making Preachers of Fishermen why therefore may not Tradsmen preach Answ Nothing can make more directly against you 1. Christ called them from their Trades to an higher imploiment to bee Fishers of men and they left their Trades to do this Work But you say keep on your Trades and preach too 2. Christ who is the Autor of the Ministerie of New Testament Called them trained them up in his School as Disciples then hee Ordained Twelv that they should bee with him that hee might send them to preach Mark 3.14 But you preach without any such Calling Training up Ordaining or sending 3. Christ sent them out two and two to preach and gave them power to heal the sick cleans the Leapers rais the dead cast out Divels Christ enabled them for the work which hee sent them about But you have no such mission nor new abilities Here is the difference between Christ and men hee doe's not finde men fit but make's them fit and so send 's them But wee must finde them fit or els not send them Neither must any run before they bee sent Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran c. These are the chief Arguments for preaching without Ordination for farther satisfaction wherein and of all Mr Chillenden's Objections I refer the Reader to that acute solid short Treatise entituled Church-members set in joint written by Filodexter Transylvanus and I the rather recommend that Treatise becaus my people have grounded their Opinion and Practice upon Mr Chillenden's Book The second Question WHether Baptism belong's and bee rightly administred to Infants of Christian Parents in the New Testament Affir Baptism is the first visible Act of God's Grace whereby hee doth receiv us into his favor and familie And the first visible means whereby hee doth apply to us by Word Sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ for remission of sins Now the Question is to whom this Seal of mercie doth belong Anabaptists have sundrie pretences to scorn and deride Infant baptism in their account the Baptism of Infants is no Baptism becaus according to Christ's Institution as they conceiv true Baptism doth alwaies presuppose actual belief in the receivers and is otherwise no Baptism therefore they rebaptize Others allow of Infant-baptism they esteem it as an Ordinance which Christ hath instituted in special love and favor to his people onely they restrain this priviledg to the Infants of Parents who joyn themselvs in Church-Covenant to som particular Congregation My debate is with the former who deny all Infant-baptism the which if it be proved to belong to any Infants it is enough for my purpose and the same Arguments which prove it to belong to Infants of this or that Congregation do prove it to belong to the whole visible Church and their Infants it being a vain pride and great presumption to make new conditions of Church-membership which God hath not made and to ascribe to the inventions of men a power to supersede the Ordinances of God to cast both us and our Infants out of the Covenant us that were baptized into that one bodie if wee subscribe not to their Articles and our children becaus wee subscribe not thus making voide the Commandment of god by the commandments and Ordinances of men I the rather force my self to speak somthing of this beaten point becaus there bee three yong heathens in my Parish and three others dead out of the Covenant through their Parents frowardness Now for the convincing and satisfying if it may bee of theirs and other poor peoples judgments in the present Controversie I shall content my self with five Arguments the first will depend upon a clear positive Answer to another question viz. Quest Did God make the Covenant of grace onely with actual Believers or with them and their Infant-seed Did God take into Covenant the Parents with their children or the Parents onely Answ Not the Parents onely but with them their Infant-seed this is the express Tenor of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 between God and Abraham between mee and thee and thy seed to bee a God unto you What seed meaneth hee his Infant-seed vers 12. Hee that is eight daies old whether it bee a child of thy loines or of a stranger a proselyte which is not of thy seed this Covenant was first made with Abraham Gen. 12.3 wherein God promised that in his seed shall all the Nations of the Earth bee blessed Of God's Covenint i. e. in Christ And it was renewed with the Sign of Circumcision added unto it Gen. 17 7 12. Wherein observ three things 1. That the Covenant made with Abraham was the Gospel-Covenant wherein blessedness was promised in and through Christ the promised Seed for God preached the Gospel to Abraham when hee said In thy seed shall all Nations bee blessed as S. Paul reasoneth Gal. 3.8 the which Covenant seeing it was 430 years before the Law and not disanulled by the coming of the Law it was to endure till the Seed should com to whom the promiss was made vers 17.19 and consequently to the end of the World becaus Christ came to establish the Covenant made to the Fathers Rom. 15.8 and after Christ no more changes to bee expected 2. Note that the Persons with whom that Gospel-Covenant was made were Abraham and his Infant-seed and all Nations even us Englishmen and our Infant-seed as appear's Gen. 17.4.12 My Covenant is with thee and with thy seed in their Generations and with the stranger that is not thy seed all of them must bee Circumcised Compared with Rom. 15.8 15. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision i. e. of the Jews for the truth of God to confirm the promises of the Covenant made unto the Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie beeing made partakers with them of the same promises according as it is written Rejoice yee Gentiles with his People c. Now this Covenant of promises made with the Fathers Christ should not confirm but clip and curtail it if so great a part as all our Infants bee left out and excluded But if God take our Infants into Covenant who shall dare to exclude them 3. Note when God at first gave
Conference Answ If Baptism belong but to one Infant it is enough to confute them who deny it to all becaus they are Infants 2. And if it belong to som Infants why not to all for who shall judg which are elected and which are not It concerns not us to know who are and who are not Elected becaus the Sacraments do belong to the Elect not as Elect but as visible members and Professors upon which account S. Peter baptized Simon Magus And Abraham by God's appointment circumcised Ismaël though a reprobate Esau and all the children of the flesh were circumcised 3. Lastly by your reason Men of years should not bee baptized becaus wee cannot tell whether they bee Elected or not Object 2 But where have you any Example of children baptized Answ There is no need of example when wee have the Doctrine of the holie Ghost for it which is of greater Autoritie and force then bare Example Howbeit the practise of the Apostles may go for an Example their baptizing of whole housholds is an Example of baptizing all within the hous old and yong that are not excepted Even as under the name of Abraham's houshold are comprehended his Infants Abraham and his houshold were circumcised so the Jailor and his houshold were baptized the phrase is the same the case the same and why not the persons Object 3 Yea but the Scripture saies Go Teach and Baptize and they that gladly received the Word were baptized and again they were baptized confessing their sins therefore men must bee capable of teaching of Faith and repentance before they bee baptized Answ T is true When wee first bring the Gospel to a People they must bee first Taught confess their Faith and their Repentance and then bee baptized But it as true that when the Parents have received the Faith and are baptized their children also are taken into Covenant Thus Abraham was first taught and then circumcised But his Infants were first circumcised and then taught This one Error doth much bemist your understandings you conceiv that the Covenant take's in onely actual Believers That is indeed a part of the Covenant but not the whole extent of it as hath been proved For as wee by deeds do purchase and convey Lands holden in Leas or Copie to our children yea to children which shall bee born as well as to them that bee already born and though our children at that age knew not what their Fathers did for them yet when they come to age they claim those Lands by virtue of the Land-Lord's Grant and Seal annexed paying their Rents and doing their covenanted Services and Homage So doth the great Land-Lord of Heaven put both us and our children into the Copie of Heaven and confirms it by Seal of Baptism And when our children com to have Faith they may claim the good things covenanted by virtue of God's Grant and Covenant made with their Fathers they performing the conditions of their Father's Covenant From Scripture I proceed to som Reasons for Infant-Baptism Reasons 1 Infants are capable of the thing signified in Baptism viz. of the blood of sprinkling therefore of Baptism it self If they have the thing signed which is the greater why should they bee debarred the Sign which is the less It cannot bee denied them upon any just ground of Faith or Reason Object Yes Say they becaus Infants have not Faith nor Repentance Answ You must add 1. that have not Faith nor ever will com to have Faith 2. You must add that they have not Faith nor any other means of applying Christ's blood els your exception is not sufficient In men of years it is applied by the Spirit of God and by Faith in Infants by the Spirit alone which is given unto them It is the Application of Christ's righteousness that justifieth us not our Act of apprehending it the thing applied not our Act of applying God by his Spirit in Infants doth all things on our part which Faith should do Joh. 3.8 the wind bloweth where it listeth thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is everie one that is born after the spirit i. e. As the power of God is seen in the wind moving the aër so it is in the changing and renewing of us though the manner bee bid from us 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 Eccles 11.5 Thus much wee know from Christ's own mouth that Infants are blessed for hee blessed them Mar. 10.16 Shall wee denie it becaus wee know not the manner how they are blessed Or shall wee deny them to bee reasonable creatures becaus wee cannot discern in them the use of reason Or shall wee deny them to bee sinners becaus they know not what the Law is nor what the transgression of the Law is Wee need not trouble our selvs about the manner how Christ's righteousness is applied to them seeing God is as gracious to apply unto them the righteousness of the second Adam as in justice hee did the sin and condemnation of the first Adam 2. That Exception about Faith and Repentance is no more a barr against the Baptism of Infants then against the Circumcision of Infants forasmuch as in Circumcision were required all the same qualifications which you say are required to Baptism viz. the inward Circumcision of the heart Little children must bee brought unto Christ and none forbid them and by Baptism they do com unto him where the Minister in Christ's stead receiveth them and blesseth them and the Lord sealeth up unto them their receiving into his favor and grace for his own mercies sake without any merit of ours Reason 2 Christ confirmed the Covenant made unto the Fathers Rom. 15.8 Hee bettered it and no way worsted it And when hee commanded a new Seal to bee set in stead of Circumcision hee did it without altering the substance of the Covenant in the least degree but now the very substance of the Covenant would bee altered to the wors if som persons formerly received into Grace should by Christ bee excluded yea and Believers children are in wors condition then in the Jewish Church which to affirm were not onely derogatorie to Christ's Grace but against Scripture it self which saith Ephes 3.6 that the Gentiles are Fellow-heirs with the Jews and of the same bodie and partakers of his Promise in the Gospel of which they are not partakers nor Fellow-heirs if so great a part of the Gentiles as their children should bee excluded The Infants of Jews and Proselyts at the coming of Christ had interest and right to the Covenant of Grace And if that right bee taken away then their condition after Christ is wors then before Shall they bee loosers by becoming Christians This no sober man will affirm Neither is this a complaining against God but against them who would exclude whom the Lord hath not
and admitted into God's Church and Family Cur eos à signo arceamus upon what reason can wee drive them from the sign of their admittance It is saith a Learned man God's great Work to Church the World A Treatise entituled a blow at the root◠or a discoverie of Satan's devices p. 154. and the Divel's counter-work is to Heathenize the Church It troubles the Divel much that children from their infancie should bee under an Engagement to receiv nurture and admonition in the Lord to frequent the Ordinances and to own Jesus Christ by an external profession if hee could but contriv to prevent their coming into that Engagement hee might hope more easily to keep them out when they are grown up then to work them out so grown up to a renouncing of Christianitie which yet hee hath brought som unto For a close of both the questions hitherto debated I desire to bee resolved by our Adversaries What is meant by the doctrine of Baptism and laying on of hands reckoned up among the principles of Christian Religion Heb. 6.2 By laying on of Hands must bee understood either the rite of confirmation which stood 1. In instruction and examination of those who had been baptized Infants 2. And in Praying for them that God would continue them in the Faith c. This was performed when they grew up to years of discretion and were called to give account of their Faith before their admission to the Lord's Supper And of this minde is judicious Mr Calvin Inst l. 4 c. 19. de confirmatione §. 4. And hee wishes that this Rite and Custom were again restored and practised in the Church of God Talem ergò manuum impositionem quae simpliciter loco benedictionis fiat laudo restitutam hodiè in purum usum velim and gives weightie reasons of what benefit it would bee to the Church Sect. 13. Or secondly by imposition of hands must bee understood a Rite or Ceremonie used in the Ordination of Ministers Now chuse which sens you pleas if the later then you confess that Ordination is a Scripture-principle to bee acknowledged of all Christians and so you yield our first question if the former sens then you acknowledg Infant-Baptism to bee a Scripture principle fit for all men to imbrace and so you yield our later question But why may wee not understand this laying on of hands in both respects and so conclude both points judicent docti It is necessarie for all men to bee instructed and catechized in these six Principles of the Doctrine of Christ and to believ 1. That wee must Repent of all our sins which are dead works and turn from them to serv God in newness of life 2. That penitent persons must believ in God and rest on his mercie in Christ for salvation 3. And for the grounding of people in Religion that they bee instructed concerning the nature use and signification of Baptism whereby wee are baptized and planted into Christ Rom. 6.3 to bee partakers of the benefits of his death 4. And farther to bee instructed that by laying on of hands our baptized Infants ought to bee trained up in the knowledg and fear of the Lord seasoned with the principles of Christ's Religion and that for their good and the instruction of the whole Church and for right dispencing of Gospel-Ordinances and the means of salvation it is necessarie that a succession of Ministers bee Ordained for gathering and perfecting the Saints till wee all meet in Heaven 5. And that all Christian people bee taught to believ the Resurrection of the dead 6. And the last judgment whereby all men shall be judged and eternally disposed of 2 Cor. 5.10 according to that they have don in the bodie whether it bee good or bad O Lord our God God of all Grace Father of all mercies vouchsafe for thy Son's sake to open all our understandings that wee may conceiv and bow all our hearts to imbrace all saving Truthes And let us never bee of the number of those that strive or rebel against the light Soli Deo gloria FINIS