upon the Banks of Eternity and do hope er'e long to enter into those sacred Mansions where all the Saints are of one mind where we shall possess not dispute our Unity wherefore I shall leave my Testimony for the unity of Charity and Affection amongst all that are Godly though of different perswasions and shall enforee it from these Considerations 1. From the work of Regeneration which some of all differing Professors can experience Indeed while in a state of unregeneration nothing is to be expected but Jars and Contentions for all Division comes from sin Scelera dissident It is so in the natural body one affection struggles in the Soul for mastery Ambition fights with malice and Pride with Covetousness the head plots against the heart and the heart swells against the head Reason and Appetite Will and Passion Soul and Body set the whole frame of Nature into a continual Combustion one Faculty moves contrary to the Government or Attraction of another and so as in a confluence of contrary Streams and Winds the World is turned into a maze of Contentions But when once we become Christians and are made conformable to Christ it presently maketh of two one and so worketh peace It slayeth the hatred and war in the Members of Christ against one another it reduceth to that primitive harmony and uniform Spirituality Yea Conversion layes an obligation upon Christians to love one another If we love him that Begat we cannot but love him that is Begotten 2. Because all things else agree The beams of the Sun though divided and distinct from one another have yet an unity in the same nature of light because all partake of one Native and Original splendor The limbs of a Tree though all several and spreading divers wayes yet have an unity in the same Fruit because all are incorporated into one Stock and Root The streams of a River though running divers wayes do yet all agree in the unity of sweetness and clearness because all issuing from the same pure Fountain Why then should not Christians though of different Perswasions agree in the unity of Love and Affection 3 Because by Division Discord and Rebellion the Apostate Angels lost their Heavenly Habitation and are for ever plunged into easeless and remediless Torments The Devil was Created an Angel of Light and stood a while in Unity and Harmony until he began to Jar and enter into Division and to chuse to be an absolute Nature of himself and would separate and break himself off from Unity by which he became viler than the vilest of Gods Creatures And so it is possible for persons by leaving the principles of Harmony Unity and Love to fall from the most glorious state of profession into endless misery and perdition The excellency of the unity of Charity appears further from those Notae quietis or letters of rest naturally imprinted upon the whole Series of Created Beings for if we survey the particulars of this stately Fabrick we shall find the image of peace and love impressed and imprinted as the Conservatory principle of their Natures stampt at first by the Divine Creator when out of a confused Chaos it pleased the Eternal parent or Radical principle of all things being not willing that so large a space should be Eternally bereft of his gracious influence or his bounty any longer frustrated from Communicating Happiness to so many millions of Creatures as might act upon this Stage to effect this Creation for when by his powerful Word he applyed himself to Create this sensible World out of so great disorder and confusion he effects it with so much symmetry and proportion that Nature seems to lose it self in the Harmony of such a Being And as the Crown and perfection of all doth so imprint peace and unity in it that to attempt the Extirpation of these from the Universe were to endeavour the reduction of this stately Engine into its Original Chaos and Confusion Besides we find when the great Creator began to make a division in this sensible World it was only of such things as were directly contrary and opposite to one another as light and darkness Gen. 1.4 And God divided the light from the darkness and God saw that it was good shewing us that it was never intended there should be any division in the World but between light and darkness things directly and essentially contrary Therefore in the next Division which was the Work of the Second day that was between the Waters and the Waters things of the same kind and nature and that work had no Blessing annexed to it because it was the first breach of Unity which number some say is branded with infamy Numerus Binarius infamosus est quia primus ausus est discedere ab unitate because it was the first that durst depart from unity And though there be a kind of war between the Elements yet some are of Opinion that it is more imaginary than real for we find sometimes they will forget their Natural stations and properties and to avoid vacuum will mutually pass into the room of one another yea not only lovingly to mix but to dwell with one another peaceably as fire and water will sometime dwell together as we see in Tempests Of Thunder Rain and Hail and also in Spirit of Wine and other things But especially things of the same Tribe and Kind do most earnestly affect one another from an Innate principle of Union as Water and Salt do mutually embrace each other And as the harmonious assent of things amongst themselves is admirable so the Heavens with the Lower Region is no less wonderful for in the whole frame of Nature there is such an admirable mixture that all the design is to maintain a Friendly Union and concatenation between themselves desiring only to gratifie the Supream Ruler and benefit each other Nature ordering and disposing all things to be carryed about in a most uniform Circulation And now is it not strange when the whole Creation doth as it were study peace and amity man should continue and practice the contrary And those that should be lead by the Spirit into Unity and Love should be sent to the meanest Creatures to learn their Lessons of peace and concord Lastly We may consider the Evils that Discord brings upon the Outward man it was discord division and contention that brought and still brings those Bodily maladies sicknesses aches paines and weakness upon the Bodies of Men and at last death it self For how came those things into the World but from the rebellious strivings and contentions of the Body with the Soul For as long as Adams mind was subject unto God and stood in Harmony and Union with him the inferior powers of the Soul were obedient unto Reason and the Body unto the Soul and this Union prevents all infirmities and sicknesses but he no sooner Rebels against God and breaks himself off from this Union and enters into Division but he presently
finds Contention raging within him for now those inferior powers will be no longer subject unto Reason but the rebellious pride of the Carnal appetite is such that the Body ceaseth to be any longer subject to the Soul upon which strivings and contentions enter and from thence all manner of Diseases and Distempers upon the Body for death and all corporeal infirmities are but the immediate effects of the disobedience of the Body to the Soul and man is entred into Contrariety not only with himself but others also and hath a property and principle of Contradiction whereby he opposes quarrels divides from and contends with others And is so far departed from the unity and harmonious agreement that should be in the minds of men especially Christians that now there ariseth passion anger and envy which so disturbs torments and disquiets the mind because others are not like us that from thence follow in a great measure diseases infirmities and bodily distempers because the Soul departs from Harmony and is in continual vexation and anxiety so that the Humors of the Body are disquieted and the radical moisture destroyed Persons that are of a Cholerick Temper are more subject to Diseases than those of a more quiet and sâ—rene disposition their passion inflames the inward parts and disorders the whole frame of Nature and envious men are subject to Consumptive distempers Invidus alterius rebus macrescit Opimis because his mind is full of dissatisfaction and disquietness being departed from Unity And Solomon tells us The bloody-minded man shall not live out half his dayes And we know those Anchorets and Monks that have retired from the World into Dens and Caves of the Earth that they might live a contemplative Life and be free from all manner of discord contention and division have lived to an exceeding Old Age and free from those distempers and Bodily Infirmities that others meet with the unity agreement and harmony of their minds much conducing to their bodily health So it 's said of Moses that he was an hundred and twenty years old when he dyed his Eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. 34.7 we know of what quiet serene and meek Spirit he was of Numb 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth so that the quietness of his mind did very much contribute to the sanity of his Body And if Men and Women would more follow the Counsel of the Physitian of their Souls who bids us live in peace unity and love they would not perhaps so often want a Physitian for their Bodies FINIS Some Short Questions and Answers for the Younger Sort. Quest WEre not the Children of Believers Church-Members before Abraham's time Answ No the Scripture makes no mention of any such thing neither was there any visible sign or mark appointed by God to distinguish them from the Children of Unbelievers Quest Was there no successive conveyance of Grace from believing Parents to their Children Answ No because the Children of Believers prov'd as wicked as others insomuch as all flesh had corrupted its wayes and God brought the flood upon the World of Ungodly Quest What then became of the Children that Dyed from Adam to Abraham Answ Those that belonged to the Election of Grace were Saved though in no outward Covenant nor signed by any Visible Ordinance Quest Why then did God make a Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and distinguish them from all Nations Answ Because he had a design that the Messiah should come of his Loins and therefore his Males only are commanded to be Circumcised to signifie that Christ should be a Man-child and should shed his Blood for the sins of Believers Quest What other Ends were there of Circumcision Answ To distinguish them from other Nations with whom they were not to Marry lest the Succession should be Interrupted and so the Messiah not come of Abrahams Loynes Quest What advantage had they of Circumcision besides Answ They were counted the Visible people of God for a time had the Laws of God committed to them and the Land of Canaan and divers Earthly Blessings bestowed upon them Quest But had any other People any right to Eternal Life and Salvation Answ Yea It being evident that God had divers of his people amongst the Gentiles who belonged to the Election of Grace as Job and his Three Friends and others which appears by Bildad's appeal to the Ancients Job 8.8 10. For enquire I pray thee of the Former Age and prepare thy self to the search of their Fathers and vers 10. shall not they teach thee c. Quest But how came it to pass that the Jews became the People of God and not others Answ By vertue of a Grant from God to Abraham who freely made a promise to be a God to him and his Seed after him Quest Was this promise made to Abraham because he was better than others or before or after he Believed Answ No It was freely of Grace for God sound him an Idolater and these Promises were made to him before he Believed for we hear nothing of his Faith till Gen. 15.6 Quest Were his Children then Partakers of those Priviledges meerly by being descended from his Loynes Answ Yea we find no other Reason rendred Quest But we hear Abraham was a Believer and received the sign of Circumcision as a token of the righteousness he had by Faith Is it necessary then that his Children have the like Faith Answ 'T is true Abraham Believed after the Promise and was Circumcised but it was not Commanded that his Children should Believe in order to Circumcision Quest But as Abraham was a Believer before his Children had a right to Circumcision so should it not be known that every Father in Israel were a Believer before his Child were admitted to Circumcision Answ No for all were required to Circumcise their Children whether the Parent Believed or not Quest Were none to be Circumcised but those that Descended from Abraham Answ Yea all that were born in his House or bought with money Quest But was it not required that those Servants in Abraham 's House should profess Faith before they and their Children were Circumcised Answ No It was not commanded to be done upon any condition of Faith in the Parent or Child that was a Servant Quest Were Abrahams Children Circumcised by vertue of any right they had to the Covenant of Grace above others Answ No for some of Noah's Children c. had a Right to the Covenant of Grace yet not Circumcised and Esau and Ishmael c. had no right to the Covenant of Grace and yet Circumcised Quest Were not Infants Church-Members in Abraham 's time Answ Yea the Church and the Common-wealth being all one they must needs be Members Quest When did their Membership cease Answ When Christ came and had suffered when the Priesthood was changed when the Law of Circumcision ceased when the natural
them had he allowed it But this Text indeed informs us that our Children may be blest and be of the Kingdom of Heaven by the application of Gods Free Grace without Baptism which is only a Duty to such as it is commanded to viz. such as are capable of Faith and Repentance But 3. Will Mr. Whiston indeed adventure to practice any thing that is not litterally and syllabicably forbidden in Scripture not allowing any Negative consequences If so then the children of Heathens or Turks c. being not in so many words forbidden to be baptized will give him employment enough And hundreds of the ridiculous inventions of Romish Impostors are not forbidden by name and circumstance being indeed not known any more than Infant-baptism in those times Will he therefore hold them lawful and this is the consequence of his Doctrine utterly exploded by the most Orthodox Protestants He proceeds page 40. and would have us believe That Infants are capable of the ends and uses of Baptism whereof he mentions two 1. To seal confirm and ratifie the Covenant with the promise thereof unto those with whom it is establish'd 2. To give those a solemn admission into the Visible Church who have an antecedent right thereto and this he takes for granted which is begging upon begging concluding He will not spend time in the proof of that which no Body can or will deny Now he has made quick work on 't but should not he have known our minds before so confident a publication of our assent to his Dictate And since that 's all we do here publickly enter our dissent and lay down this as our belief That Infants till they grow up and are converted are not capable of the ends and uses of Baptism which are to witness Repentance and Regeneration already wrought to represent the Death Burial and Resurrection of Christ the washing away our sins by the blood of Christ our union with and putting on Christ our entrance into and right to partake of all the priviledges in the Visible Church And as to what Mr. Whiston says since he only beggs That the Covenant and Promises are establish'd with Infants and therefore have an Antecedent right to Church membership We reject it as unproved and un-scriptural And he is at liberty to make good his and disprove our assertion if he can Which I shall expect ad Calendas Graecas He tells us page 4.6 That John did not discharge the Jews from any priviledg they afore had only rectifies a mistake they lay â—nder Here he had done honestly if he had acquainted us what their mistake was since he knows John's mind so well but alas he fore-saw that that would spoil his aim therefore that the Reader may not be at a loss altogether I have Transcribed it from Dr. Owen's Exercit before-mentioned and I dare say the Doctor knows their mistake as well as our Answerer he I mean the Doctor calls it a woful and fatal mistake page 55 56. For they would entail Gospel-Priviledges upon the old Faederal right and would share of the blessings belonging only to Believers upon the carnal consideration of being Abrahams natural Posterity They thought saies this Judicious Divine no more was needful to interest them in the Covenant of Abraham but that they were Abraham's Seed according to the flesh pleading the later priviledg as the ground of the former But on that account they could have no other priviledg then Abraham had in the flesh himself viz. that God would derive the promised Seed the Messiah through his Loins into the World And is not this to a tittle the mistake of our Paedo-baptists who plead for Infant-baptism from the very same ground of the Birth priviledg and entailing Church-Ordinances upon the same Faederal Right they did I cannot but note an expression he hath page 38. viz. Because we know not the time when Infant-baptism was instituted we may therefore say it is from Heaven and not of men Now I perceive the reason why he bestows so glorious a Title upon his Book But shall we conclude that the Tares the Enemy sowed while the Watchmen slept were from Heaven and not of men since the drousie Watch-men cannot calculate the time they were sown to a minute Learned Vsher gives Malone the Jesuite an answer to this purpose when he maintained that the Mass was of Divine institution because Protestants could not exactly find 〈◊〉 its Nativity or when the fooleries that attend it had their Original Must we receive every error when we cannot assign the critical minute of its broaching Suppose I know not the time when Mr. Whiston was born shall I therefore conclude him not to be a man nor of men but dropt from Heaven c Is it not enough if we can tell the time when Infant-baptism was not in the Church and that Mr. Baxter has very kindly done for us when he saies that it has no express mention in the Records or Histories of the Church for the first and purest Centuries And if this be the ground of his mock-title I shall conclude it to be like Mr. Bs. plain Scripture-proof of a complexion that cannot blush As to what he saith about Tradition being nothing of weight and upon which he leans not much I shall pass it by only note that Dr. Owen defines Tradition pag. 20. Exercit. on the Heb. Tom. 1. to be a general uninterrupted Fame conveyed and confirmed by particular Instances Records and Testimonies in all ages And no other Tradition the Doctor saies is of any weight And how far short of making out his Infant sprinkling by Tradition so understood this Author hath been is sufficiently demonstrated already And so I proceed He saith page 75. It is their Covenant-interest that we contend for principally and design the proof of from the Covenant at first established with Abraham and again we plead not for Infant Baptism from the Analogy it bears with or to Circumcision but from the Command obliging Abraham's Seed in their Generations to keep the token of the Covenant This is somewhat odd he pleads not for Circumcision but from the token of the Covenant which in another place he calls Circumcision which is in plain English that he pleads and pleads not from Circumcision So that I know not how to come at him This is a new way of distinction to distinguish Circumcision from Circumcision he would seem to leave that baffled argument of some of the Ancients and yet he cannot but be at it again We acknowledg there was a Command obliging Abraham's Seed in their Generations to be Circumcised which he means by the token of the Covenant but that administration came to its period at the coming of Christ and therefore the command of being Circumcised is not in force now Nor have we any new Command that Believers and their Seed must be baptized in their Generations besides the term Generations is frequently used to signifie a certain and limited time the burning