of the earth be blessed Hence that this was a Covenant of Grace no man can rationally deny The Apostle is so clear for it in Rom. 4. and Gal. 3. 1. How can God after the breach of the first Covenant now Covenant with any to be their God but by a Covenant of Grace 2. A Covenant in which Christ is promised and it is confirmed in Christ Galat 3.17 3. A Covenant wherein God preacheth the Gospel to Abraham Gal. 3.8 4. A Covenant the Righteousness whereof is the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 5. A Covenant made 430 years before the Covenant at Mount Sinai which Sinai Covenant could not disanul Galat. 3.17 Our Divines have cleared this so that I say no more of it and therefore being confirmed in Christ it must be the same with the new Covenant But as Christ was first revealed but obscurely in a promised Seed but afterwards by the Prophets there was a clearer revealing of Christ the nearer the time this Son of Righteousness should rise So the new Covenant was comprehended in this Covenant made with Abraham but by the Prophets afterwards God revealed it more fully after the Jews had so violated the Mount Sinai-Covenant Hence that which Divines-call the Anima faederis the Soul of the Covenant I will be their God was also in Abraham's Covenant My Author denies that Abraham's Covenant and the new Covenant are the same he tells us it was a mixed Covenant there were two Seeds and so Promises and of two sorts which must he applyed right to the two Seeds Ans 1. How many Covenants shall we have in the Bible by this Author Camero is blamed by some Divines for making Three Covenants but by this Author we shall have Four 1. Adam's Covenant or Covenant of Nature 2. Abraham's Covenant 3. The Israelites Covenant at Mount Sinai 4. The New Covenant 2. Are there not outward Promises also annexed to the New Covenant as well as to Abraham's Do we not read them plainly 3. Are there not two Seeds in your Administration of Baptism to Adult Persons by Dipping Real and Formal I am sure they are not all Real Christians and do not your Baptism belong to the New Covenant a Sign and Seal of the Grace threof Yet this you Administer to such as prove Notorious Hypocrites 4. Did not Abraham's Seed by this mixed Covenant enjoy besides outward Corporal Blessings those Blessings I mentioned before in the Church with more I might have mentioned 5. Did not God engage himself to be the God of all the Seed and did not Circumcision Seal up his Covenant and Engagement to them if they did perform the Condition and had they not a great advantage by God's engaging himself thus to them to lay hold upon God for their God and Eternal Portion 2ly This Covenant was made with Abraham as a Believing Person and the Father of Believers it was not made with him as a Man nor with his Seed as Men but as the Seed of a Believing Father Circumcision was the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 in which Chapter twice he is called The Father of all Believers both Jews and Gentiles and Gal. 3.29 Here a Question might be moved why Abraham should be called The Father of Believers my Reason is were there no Believers before Abraham was he the First and Eldest Believer The Father in the Family is the first in the Family so Abraham if the Father should be the first But was not Abel a Believer in Christ Enoch Noah c. surely there were Believers in Christ a Thousand Years before Abraham was Born what may we think of Adam and Eve in Charity may we not think they Believed in the Promised Seed why then should Abraham be the Father Aquinas Answering to a Question Why Circumcision was commanded first to Abraham and to none before Serm. Doct. 3. q. 70. Act. 2. Answers That Abraham was the first that received the Promise from God of Christ to be born out of his Seed and the first that seperated himself from the Society of Infidels If this were true it would serve to Answer our Question Tho' A La I de labours to defend the Vulgar Transaction Gen. 3.15 She shall bruise thy Head yet he saith it come all to one For it is the Woman by her Seed that is Christ that bruised the Serpents Head Do we think the Lord did not teach his Servants then the use and end of the Sacrifices So that Christ was promised before and there were Believers before if there were a little more revealing of Christ to Abraham now that is all I do more admire his Act in sacrificing his Son Isaac though that is given to his fear of God Gen. 22.12 I cannot think of any better reason than this though there were Believers in Christ and Abraham might be a stronger Believer but with none did God make an express Covenant a Believer and his Seed and seal the Covenant to his Posterity but with Abraham only I shall add a few more words presently 3. This Covenant was made also with and sealed to his Seed The great Question is who are this Seed my Author tells me His Spiritual Seed Whence I meet with this once and again That Abraham's natural Seed was a Type of the spiritual Seed Elect Regenerate Thus in answer to the question Whether not baptizing Infants makes not the Priviledge under the Gospel less than under the Law He answers The natual Seed of Abraham was a typical shadowing thing as the Antitype exceeds the Type the spiritual birth the carnal birth so much are we better Ans 1. What do you mean by so much are we better Were none of these who were Circumcised being Abraham's natural Seed also his spiritual Seed Your words carried it as if not Besides here would be a question How the Elect-regenerate the spiritual Seed are Abraham's Seed how is he a Father to them as such I am sure they are Christ's Seed Isa 53.10 11. And we can give reasons why they should be called his Seed he is the meritorious and efficient cause of them but Abraham neither way You would have done well to have shewn us this Abraham is not so much a Father to us as Paul was to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 neither I am sure in this respect he was Father to Isaac he did not convey Faith in his Generation of Isaac how then is he a Father to us now That there were Believers before Abraham the Apostle Heb. 11.4 5 7. Instance in Abel Enoch and Noah and more I doubt not but yet in the History written by Moses Abraham is the first person who is called a Believer upon a special Promise given to him Gen. 15.6 if any cause he was but Causa exemplaris which is Causa adjuvnans to the principal By his example we should be stirred up to believe the Promise of God as Abraham our Father did (a) An example how God will justifie us but he
regularly Baptise the Children of such Believers as you Baptise your Adult persons though as to the reality of saving Faith we are mistaken and so are you Once more take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.19 as Dr. Hammond saith it ought to be Translated Disciple ye all Nations or make Disciples Hence the Argument All they that are Disciples ought to be Baptised But the Children of Believing Parents are Disciples Therefore the Children of Believing Parents ought to be Baptised This Argument I gave to him who opposed me but he could not tell which Proposition to deny a fit Man to dispute in a Congregation For the proof of the Argument The Major is the plain Text there is no opposing of that The Minor that such Children are Disciples our Divines have so cleared it from Acts 15.1 and 10. v. compared and other Texts that I will not say what they have said before I give my thoughts thus They are Disciples 1st By God's Reputation he esteems them so they are mine saith God born to me Ezek. 16.20 21. 2ly They are so by their Parents Dedication of them to Christ 3ly They are so by their Parents Education of them for Christ 4ly They are so as I may say jure Gentium or rather jure Religionum all Natitions all Religions take their Children to be the same that the Parents are Did not the Jews take their Children to be Moses's Disciples as well as themselves John 9.28 Do not the Turks take their Children to be Mahomet's Disciâ—les as well as themselves Should you deny it you should hear of it if not feel it Yea go the Indians whose Religion iâ— I may call it so is very Devilish and Superstitious were it not too good a word When the English first began to dwell in New-England Massasoit the Sachem of Mount Hope made a League with the English at Plymouth to live in Amity with them The Articles were Seven he kept the League well A little before his death he comes to renew his League for himself and his two Sons Alexander and Philip this was on September 25 1630. But in his Treatise he urged this That the English should engage never to attempt to draw any of his people to the Christian Religion he insisted upon it very much but the English were resolute and would make no League upon such terms But this we see by this Heathen that he would have his Posterity to be reckoned as he was though his Religion was Devilish If then the Children of Jews Turks Pagans be reckoned with the Parents why must not the Children of Believers in Christ be reckoned Disciples of Christ with their Parents The Reader I suppose will pardon me though I make a little Digression The Wars between the Indians and the English in New-England I suppose must have heard This Philip the Son of Massasoit before-mentioned was he that began the Wars with the English 1675. which lasted till 1677. The English when they saw Massasoit stand so upon that Article then said That God would root out the Posterity of that Massasoit and so now it is come to pass That Story which my worthy Friend Mr. William Hubbard gives us of Passalonaway the most noted Paneaw or Sorcerer and I believe the oldest man in the Country When I saw him he was reckoned one of the oldest men of the Indians but I perceived by the time of his dying he lived about thirty years after is worthy the observing About Merimach River Anno 1660 several Sagamoors meeting together there was a great Dance These Solemnities are the Times when the most Ancient tell Stories and transmit them to their Posterity Passalonaway being present made his last Speech and took his Farewel thus I am ready to die and not likely ever to see you meet any more I will now leave this word of Councel with you That you take heed how you quarrel with the English for though you may do them much mischief yet assuredly you will all be destroyed and rooted out of the Earth if you do for I was as much an Enemy to the English at their first coming into these Parts as any one whatever and did try all waies and means possible to have destroyed them at least to have prevented their sitting down here but I could no way effect it Therefore I advise you never to contend with the English nor make War with them Accordingly his eldest Son Wonnalancot as soon as he perceived the Indians were up in Arms he withdrew himself into some remote place that he might not be hurt by the English or their Enemies SECT VI. TO return to my Author His Sixth Question is Whether Baptism did succeed in the room and use of Circumcision He saith By no means But the Body of our Learned and Pious Divines say It doth and our Divines have spoken to it so often that I am loath to say any thing to it Shortly my thoughts were these 1. Circumcision came in upon Faith Abraham believed then he was Circumcised And so doth Baptism 2. Circumcision did sign Christ to come in the flesh So saith my Author and Baptism signs he is come in the flesh 3. Circumcision did signifie you may say Seal the Righteousness of Faith So doth Baptism 4. Circumcision signified Sanctification so do Baptism 5. Circumcision signified and sealed the Covenant between God and the Seed of Abraham Gen. 17.7 8 9 10 11. So doth Baptism 6. Circumcision did oblige Israel to walk with God so Baptism obligeth us 7. Circumcision did distinguish Israel from other Nations so Baptism distinguisheth us Circumcision respecting Christ to come and Baptism Christ come Hence the Jews though circumcised yet coming under a new Dispensation ought to be baptized much more reason for this than for Timothy who being a Disciple Acts 16.1 no question was baptized and yet after that circumcised by Paul v. 3. Circumcision saith my Author was to be a Bond and Obligation to keep the whole Law of Moses but Baptism is contrary Ans 1. For the Moral Law the Rule of our Obedience Baptism doth not solve us from that but bind us to it for Sanctification is held forth in our Baptism 2. As for the Ceremonial Law where Christ was set forth in shadows no wonder though when Christ is come and the shadow 's gone that Baptism was contrary to it Evangelium relatum Revelatum But what doth this hurt us 3. Paul did not Circumcise Timothy with that respect to Circumcision the Jews did The Jews did look to be justified by the observation of the moral and ceremonial Law both Gal. 5.3 the 4th verse unties the knot The false Apostles urged Circumcision Acts 15.1 according to the Law of Moses But Circumcision is not of Moses but the Fathers saith our Lord John 7.22 If you Circumcise thus and seek Justification thus you are fallen from grace Gal. 5.4 My Author goes on Circumcision initiated the carnal Seed into a carnal Church and
shall be shall never be able to cast the Seed of Believing Parents out of the Church by any Consequence drawn from any Text in the Bible therefore they must give us clearer Texts before we shall believe them SECT V. BUt come we to the great Argument which all use and that wherewith I was assaulted Matth. 28.19 and Mark 16.16 Only Believers are to be Baptised To which I Answer This took with me in my Meditations I thought there was strength in it Had the Gospel-Church been first erected amongst the Gentiles and had Baptism been first Instituted in the Gentile-Churches then the Anabaptists Argument from hence would have carryed me But the first Gospel-Church was erected among the Jews in Jerusalem and Baptism was Instituted in the Jewish-Church first where the Anabaptists cannot deny but the Infants were Members with their Parents and under the Seal of the Covenant So that they must first prove that by this Text the Children of the Believing Jews in the Gospel-Church were not Members with their Parents which I am sure cannot be forced from this Text nor doth it in the least prove the Repealing of Abraham's Covenant with his Seed Circumcision did Seal up the Promised Seed in whom all Nations should be Blessed or Christ to come and surely required therefore their Faith in the Messiah to come After Christ's Ascension in the Gospel-Church Baptism seals up this Promised Seed or Christ now come with a full and clear Revelation of him the difference of the Faith as to the Object of it is only Christ to come and come If then the Children of the Jews while the Parents did believe in the Messiah to come were under a Covenant Reputed Members of the Church and Circumcised should when their Parents believe in Christ come be cast out of Covenant out of the Church and not Baptised I know no Reason nor Warrant from God's Word this would have made strange work If the Anabaptists say the Jews did not believe in the Messiah to come they must prove it the Messiah ran much in their minds we may see by the Woman of Samaria Joh. 4.25 Read Acts 26.7 and by the Jews Joh. 1.19 20 21. If Christ were then clearly revealed why should this cast the Infant out the Infant is not therefore guilty of the more Sin when Christ was clearly revealed and so deserve to be cast out We are to consider Ordinances in their Institution wherefore God appointed them what they carry in them in their own Nature and what Men ought to do who partake of them not what Men do we know what Baptism signifies what it implies and what they ought to do who partake of it though Men abuse it The Case was the same as to Circumcision That this was one thing it Sealed up as I said the Promise of Christ to come the Anabaptists cannot deny and it is the true Answer which Pererius gives from Aquinus to that Question what was the difference between the Circumcision of the Jews and of other Nations for that other Nations did Circumcise besides the Jews not only Cyprian de ratione Circumvis Hierom. on Jer. 9. ult who upon that Text I think well but also Herodotus who lived some hundreds of years before Christ in Xerxes's Time tells us insomuch that Herodotus saith the Jews took it up from the Egyptians among whom it was in so much esteem that there was no entrance into the most Honourable Offices amongst them unless they were Circumcised Now Pererius makes this difference Other Nations used it taking it up as a custom and right transmitted to them from their fore-Fathers whom they had in Honour But the Jews used it as it was a Sacrament containing in it the Profession of their Faith and Obedience towards God and the Divine Promise of the Messiah to come he adds And Expiation of Original Sin as the Ancients speak of Baptism and so many do now That other Nations do not use it as a Seal of God's Covenant it appears by the time of Circumcising the day God appointed was the eigth day but Ishmael's Posterity Circumcise in the thirteenth year of their Age then Ishmael was Circumcised so that it is meerly in Honour of him so Josephus tells us l. 1. c. 12. To go on If then the Seed of the Jews believing in Christ come be still under the Covenant and Church-Members with their Parents and if so ought to be Baptised by Mr. Tombe's Concession Then let the Believing Gentiles and their Seed come in also for now no difference between Jew and Greek Gal. 3.28 And for more full proof the Apostle tells the believing Ephesians and so all believing Gentiles Ephes 2.19 We are no more strangers from the common-wealth of Israel v. 12. but Christ having broken down the middle Wall of Partition between the Jews and us v. 14. we are now fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God For the word Fellow-citizens in the City or Church of the Jews I pray who were esteemed Citizens Were not the Children put into Abraham's Charter were not they then Citizens with their Parents What hath God sent his Quo Warranto and taken away Abraham's Charter when the Parents the Citizens believe in Christ sincerely and keep Covenant with him and walk in the steps of Abraham will now God take away their Charter and cast out their Seed from being Citizens What hath Christ by his blood made us both One taking down the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile v. 14. And doth he now set up the partition Wall between the Jewish believing Parent and his Seed bringing now the Seed of the believing Jews into that condition the Gentiles were in before Christ came Ephes 2.11 12. Shall the Anabaptists make us believe this unless God hath said so in express terms What a Bar had this been against the Jews ever receiving the Gospel Did they any where make this Objection against it Now we Gentiles believing are Fellow-citizens with them of the same Houshold of God with them Are not Children part of the Houshold Were not the Jews Children part of the Houshold of God then the Apostle tells us we also are Fellow-citizens and of the Houshold of God as the Jews are As for the Texts Matth. 28. and Mark 16. Blessed Jesus the Promised Seed to Abraham in whom all Nations should be blessed is now come fulfilled the Law Crucified Dead Ascended Salvation is onely to be had in him Now this was the great Doctrine the Apostles were to preach first to the Jews than to the Gentiles and call all Nations to believe in this Christ that they may be blessed according to the Promise made to Abraham True none but Adult persons or persons of understanding can understand this Doctrine and actually believe in Christ No more could any but Jews Adult or of ripe years understand the Promise of Christ to come in whom all Nations should be blessed but yet the Jews Children were reputed
had such an advantage as we have not he knew the Promise was made to him immediately without any discourse which we cannot know but must first prove the Condition But this I think also is a reason He was the first person sealed that received the Seal of that Promise or Covenant and all his Seed after him commanded to receive and observe the same This Sign and Seal being visible I conceive Abraham is to be considered as a visible-believing Father and all his visible Seed must be sealed as the Father 2. As to what you say the natural Seed are the Type of the spiritual Seed was not Isaac his natural Seed and was he not also his spiritual Seed then it seems Isaac was a Type of himself So all the godly Jews after that were Abraham's Seed after the flesh were Types of themselves I pray tell us how the Type and Anti-type meet in one individual person To what Topick in Logick will you refer the Type and Anti-type 2ly When the Anti-type comes the Type cease When then Isaac Jacob and the Israelites that are the natural Seed come to be the Spiritual Seed then they must cease to be his natural Seed But how is this possible When Christ came the Types ceased 3ly When you Dip your Regenerate persons actual Believers you think they are then they are the Seed of Abraham you judge then Abraham is their Father then God is their God but divers of these are Hypocrites we know they have proved so and we shall hear an Anabaptist anon acknowledge it they professed they took him for their God and worshipped him c. while they then lived in your Churches and did not as yet openly discover themselves was God in no sense their God 4ly To whom Christ is a Head to them God may be said to be a God But Christ is the Head of the visible Church in which are many unsound Members Branches in him that bear no fruit John 15.2 Then God in some sense is their God if Christ may in some sense be their Head 5ly Is there not an external and an internal Adoption Rom. 9.4 to them pertained the Adoption Were they not called God's children Deut. 14.1 Is not God then the God of his children Do not God say They are mine Ezek. 16.20 21. and yet is God no way their God 6ly If the spiritual Seed be there onely meant then all the Israelites in the Land of Canaan were the spiritual Seed which I answer is false That they must be so according to your interpretation the next Verse proves it Gen. 17.7 8 9. At the 8th verse I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the I and wherein thou art a stranger all the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession And I will be their God Thou shalt therefore keep my Covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations Can the Holy One speak plainer than he doth Doth he not tell you that that seed of Abraham which shall inherit the Land of Canaan where his Tabernacle and all his Instituted Worship was set up and there kept the Seal of his Covenant that he will be their God Doth not God speak the same Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. to the men women and children who then entred into Covenant with God That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself And that he may be a God unto thee as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn to thy Fathers c. When Peter would draw the Jews to believe in Christ Crucified who as yet were Unbelievers and not turned from their iniquities Acts 3.25 26. Do he not use this Argument You are the children of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers Abraham in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed This part of the Covenant was most proper to the thing Peter had in hand But if they were now the children of that Covenant God made with Abraham then God was their God though as yet they were not a spiritual seed As to this Seed the Jews tell us The Seed of Ishmael is excepted from Circumcision as it is written For in Isaac shall thy seed be called to thee Gen 11.12 And Esau is excepted for lo Isaac said to Jacob and he give to thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and to thy seed Gen. 28.4 Ishmael was cast out of the Church Profane Esau despised his Birth-right and is cast off As to the Sons Abraham had by Keturah though the Scripture doth not say they they were circumcised yet we may rather think they were But whether after Abraham had sent them away they kept up Circumcision in their Families Ishmael and Esau kept up Circumcision we know and taught their Children the spiritual meaning of it the Scripture is silent So that from them we can draw no Argument pro or con This is enough for me that when God saith I will stablish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee And the very next words God promiseth to give the Land of Canaan to his seed and will be their God there And these were the Seed of Isaac the Seed of Jacob and as the Martyr Stephen calls them Acts 7.38 the Church of God in the Wilderness that is Ecclesia instituta vel organica though God might have some belong to him that sprung from the other Sons of Abraham This is plain and clear but I am sure all these were not the spiritual seed 7ly Elect-regenerate stand upon even ground with Abraham but here God puts some honour upon Abraham that his see shall have a blessing for his sake 8ly If Elect-regenerate be only mean by the Seed then there needed not thâ— word Seed to be put in unless you will say God is not the God of Elect-regenerate unless they be Abraham's Seed waâ— he not of Abel Enoch Noah c. 9ly This Covenant with Abraham and hâ— seed was signed and sealed Gen. 17.9 10 11 12. What Moses calls a Sign or Token the Apostle Rom. 4.11 calls a Seal My Author tells me Circumcision was â— Seal to Abraham only not to Believers noâ— their seed To Infants it was a sign put iâ—â— their flesh c. too tedious to transcribe all A. You tell us it sealed to Abraham onely the Truth of that Promise That in his seeâ— all the Familes should be blessed But the same Promise was made to Isaac Gen. 26.4 and to Jacob Gen. 28.14 Did it not seal to them as well Yea the Apostle Peter Acts 3.25 tells the Jews they were children of the Covenant God made with our fathers saying to Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kinreds of the earth be blessed Did dot Circumcision seal this to them as well The end of Seals is to confirm Faith had not they have not we need to have our Faith strenthned Is the Anabaptists Faith
understood him he was afore-hand with me took hold of me brought me under the Seal of his blessed Covenant and when I read over the several Texts which tells us what blessings are there signified and sealed God was engaged for his part if I will look to my part to answer the Condition then these should be mine this gave me encouragement As for my Dedication to him I was willing to stand to it I did like it very well but both for the Condition and to answer my Dedication I went to him whose Covenant it is and who was first with me that he would please to perform his part and in the strength of his performance I would perform my part Why would that blessed One be first Why did he begin with me when I did not know him But since he will be a God and Triumph in his Grace since I came to understand it by his Grace I have held him and will hold him And though as I said I have not attained what I seek after yet I have found in my dismal Temptations wherein I have had as deep a share as most Christians ever had when I could not tell where to lay hold my Parent al-covenant and Infant-baptism which I am still improving now my Head is gray have been a support unto me So that I bless God 1. for Abraham's Covenant 2ly I bless God that I had godly Parents 3ly I bless God my Parents were no Anabaptists but that while I was an Infant they brought me under the Seal of the blessed Covenant a stay and comfort to me in my old age and I hope improved as well as they who were Dipped yesterday When people do either not understand things or if they do yet they do not mind and improve them so get no good by them no wonder though they talk against them when others bless God for them and daore his grace in them Let the Children of Godly Parents look to themselves they have a price in their hands if they have wisdom and hearts to improve it it is a fearful thing to hear of the Child of a Godly Praying Parent to dye in an unconverted State Only a word some may think you had Godly Parents mine were not so it may be I had a Godly Grandfather or a Mother had you so no doubt but you may improve the Covenant from him The second Commandement will help you David pleaded 86 Psal 16. Save the Son of thy Hand-maid he pleads the Parental Covenant saith Mr. Hooker Born thy Servant of Godly Parents who were thy Servitors saith Ainsworth Insignis est priorum praerogativa qua etiam David hic animum suum in precibus fulcit quod sciunt se in Ecclesia a fidelibus Parentibus qui fuerunt servi ancillae Domini natos esse Saith Gesnor on the Text and stirs up Parents to learn this Treasure to their Children and Children of such Parents to make use of it Junius also speaks well to this Head Others it may be will say Baptised I am but my Parents bad enough Well art awake and art in earnest for Christ and the saving Blessings come by him you may improve your Baptism When the Gibeonites by Craft got Israel into a Covenant with them and confirmed it by an Oath 9 Josh 15. the God of Israel would not suffer them to destroy them They were made Servants indeed the breach of this cost Israel dear 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. If you be got under the Seal of the Covenant it was not by Craft but God's Providence ordered it and now you are under it prize it and improve it do not you fear the God of Israel will hold to his part These being the Evils that arise from the Anabaptists Doctrine we must have very clear Texts for the nulling of Abraham's Covenant and casting Children out of the Church 10ly If Blessed Jesus upon his coming doth repeat Abraham's Covenant and so the Children of the Believing Jews be no Church-Members then Jesus Christ by his coming doth null the Promises made to the Fathers But the Text saith Rom. 15. 8. He confirms the Promises made to the Fathers I am sure this was one made to the Fathers I will be a God to thee and thy Seed then it is not nulled but confirmed Christ confirms Abraham's Charter Act. 3.26 God sent his Son Jesus to the Jews first to Bless them one great Blessing he mentions but it seems by the Anabaptists Christ takes away a Blessing tell us I pray what Blessing doth Christ leave the Seed of the Believing Jews while Infants in the Room of it 11ly We read Gal. 3.16 of Promises made to Abraham and his Seed Promises in the Plural Number Seed in the Singular not Seeds the Jews a part and the Gentiles a part not so but Seed that is Christ Mystical not Personal the Promises were not made to Christ but Christ was Promised to Abraham So that it is Christ in Aggregato the Jews and Gentiles make up one Body and one Seed There were several Promises made to Abraham some concerned him alone some concerned himself and his Seed according to the Flesh alone The Gentiles had nothing to do with them That all Nations should be Bless'd in Abraham's Seed This belongs to the Gentiles as well as the Jews This is one Promise But we must have Promises in the Plural Number made to Abraham that belong to the Gentiles if you take away this I will be the God of thee and thy Seed I know not how to make the Text true But if this be granted then this Verse and the fourteenth Verse are both true now the Blessing of Abraham is come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ I have insisted long upon this Branch because the pinch of the Controversie lies here and these Grounds are to me so strong that unless the Anabaptists bring Texts as strong as an express Scripture for the Repeal I shall not regard them nor am I come yet to the Texts in the New Testament to prove the Church-Membership of Infants though it may be inferred from some I have named already The last Branch in the Sillogism is That if this Gracious Covenant be not Repealed but stand firm then it must be Signed and Sealed to them who are under it this I suppose will not be denyed The Blessed God makes no Covenants but he Seals them That the Tree of Life and the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil were Sacraments and Seals belonging to the first Covenant I see is the Opinion of very Learned and Godly Divines When God makes a Covenant with Noah and all the Creatures God Seals it when with Abraham God Seals it and though the Seal be changed yet it hath another Seal added in the Room of it Our weak Faith hath need of strengthening and all too little if God's Spirit doth not step in SECT IV. NOw let us come to the Anabaptists and hear how they prove the Repealing of the Covenant
and the un-Churching of the Children of Believing Jews About a quarter of a year after I had finished my Discourse a Neighbour brought me Mr. Edward Hutchinson against Paedopabtism to read it but it was sent for again so that I did but read his Epistle to the Baptized Congregations and a Letter which I think concerned Mr. Wills and the beginning of his Book p. 3. he states the Question and proves That the Infants of Believing Gentiles are not the Seed of Abraham so that Infant Church-Membership and Baptism falls to the Ground Ans But he must prove that the Infants of the Believing Jews are not the Seed of Abraham or else Infants Church-Membership does not fall I had reason to state the Question so as to the Believing Jews but if he will yield the Infants of Believing Jews to be Members and have a Right to Baptism I will prove the Infants of Believing Gentiles are Church-Members and have a Right to Baptism There is neither Jew nor Greek c. Gal. 3.28 no difference now but of this more hereafter Again we shall see whether his Arguments do not cut off the Infants of Believing Jews as well as Gentiles 1. Argu. His first Sillogism If none be the Children of Abraham but those that do the works of Abraham then Infants are not the Seed of Abraham but the Antecedent is true Joh. 8.39 Therefore Ans If none be rational Creatures but those that can Sillogize as Mr. Hutchison doth then Infants are not rational Creatures But c. If you say my Antecedent is false so is yours but it shews how strong your Argument is 2. If Isaac at eight Days old when Circumcised do not the works of his Father Abraham then he is not Abraham's Seed you argue from no Doing to no Seed A strange Argument Sir 3. If any of those Jews to whom our Lord spake these words had any Male-Children born that day they had been reputed Abraham's Seed Members of the Church and must be Circumcised the eighth day or Sin 2. Argu. His second Sillogism If those who are Christ's are only Abraham's Seed then Infants are not Abraham's Seed but the Antecedent is true Gal. 3.3.19 they are not Christs by Calling Ans Is there no way to be made Christ's but by Calling can he that made the Ear and the Heart come no way to the Heart but by the Ear what Divinity is this cannot he that infuses the Soul into the Body infuse Grace into the Soul but by the â—ar 2. Christ commands little Children to be brought to him and none to forbid them Mark 10.13 14. c. Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven then they must be Christ's we believe Christ Sir before you 3. Because Isaac at eight days old cannot answer a Call of Christ's therefore he is none of Christ's a good Argument Was John none of Christ's when he leaped in his Mothers Womb when Mary came to Elizabeth Luk. 1.44 Argu. 3. His third Sillogism If none be Blessed with Abraham but those that are of Faith than Infants are not the Seed of Abraham but the Antecedent is true Gal. 3.9 Therefore Ans Does the Text say Actual Faith 2. Alas poor Infants by this Author ye are Cursed no poor Infant dying an Infant can be Blessed Yea those Infants whom Christ Blessed Mark 10.16 were Cursed though he Blessed them for they could not Act Faith upon Christ Did Isaac when Circumcised the eighth Day put forth an Act of Faith upon Christ to come 3. Believers in Christ are so either Actually or Siminally 4. Actual Believers in Christ are so either Visibly and Really or Visibly only Visibly only such were those to whom in your Preface to your Baptised Congregations you thus speak they are not all Israel that are of Israel I know there is dross mingled with your Silver Chaff among your Wheat and the Canaanite is still in the Land It seems then you find Dross Chaff Canaanites and not true Israelites in your Baptised Congregations but you did look on them as visible Believers when you Dipped them 2. Seminally so and they first such as are Reputed so by God's Covenant with Believing Parents and their Seed 2ly Such who besides this Reputation are regenerated by the Spirit which is not without Faith Seminally Argu. 4. His fourth Sillogism If the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God then Infants now are not the Seed of Abraham but the Antecedent is true Rom. 9.8 Therefore c. Ans I deny the Consequence 2ly It seems then no Infants are the Children of God by this Argument a very bold and wretched Assertion 2. There is a double Adoption External Ecclesiastical and Internal Heavenly Saving that hath a Heavenly Eternal Inheritance belonging to it they who had only the first these were called the Children of God Deut. 14.1 and 16. Ezek. 21. to these pertain the Adoption Rom. 9.4 Our Question is not who are the true Children of God that have that Inheritance prepared for them but who are to be Reputed the Children of God in foro Ecclesiastico Visibly so that they are Members of a Visible Church and have Right to a Visible Ordinance in the Visible Church The Dross the Chaff the Canaanites the false Israelites which you tell us are in your Baptized Congregations are none of the Children of God in a saving Sense but your Baptists did judge them to be Believers Actually in Christ if so then Children of God then you admited them Members of your Churches and so Baptized them by Dipping They were looked upon as Abraham's Seed when you admitted them The next thing he falls upon is Act. 2.39 of which after I could go no further the Book was sent for nor did I intend to make any large Discourse though it had continued with me by these four Arguments we have a taste of the Man's strength By these Arguments and the next which follows which is in all their mouths let the Reader judge whither they do not all strike as much at the Grace and Wisdom of God in his Covenanting with Abraham and his Seed Constituting the Church of the Jewish Parents and their Seed and Circumcising of the Infants as they do prove that now the Infants should not be admitted into the Gospel-Church nor Baptised So that the Anabaptists tells God that if he will Constitute the Church of the Jews right he must let their Children be grown up First Learn to know the God of Abraham Second Put forth an Actual Faith in Christ the Promised Seed to come as Abraham saw his Day and rejoyced Joh. 8.56 Thirdly Let them do the works of their Father Abraham Joh. 8.39 Fourthly Let them manifest that they are really the Children of God then admit them Members and Circumcise them Does not all their Arguments tend to this they will teach the Holy Wise God how to Constitute Churches better I will not be afraid to say That all the Anabaptists that ever were or
with them Believers in the Messiah to come by Gods Covenant with them and the Church Constituted of them So now Believers in Christ come their Seed are Reputed with them Musculus whom my Author hath put in his Catalogue of Authors hoc com p. 603. which makes the ignorant Anabaptist think he is on their side but rancks the Anabaptists in a second or lower degree of Hereticks for denying Infant-baptism and an Oath In answer to an Argument of the Anabaptists there was a Command for Circumcising but no express Command for Baptising Thus writes Facit hoc non contra nos sed pro nobis c. ibid. 338. This doth not make against us but for us saith he the sum of his answer being too long to transcribe all is this Since God hath plainly declared his Will that the Infants of Believers whose Father Abraham is should be Partakers of the Grace and Sign of the Covenant and no where do we read that this Will of God is Repealed what necessity is there after such a clear expression of his Will to desire another Command in the New Testament Since therefore Christ gave no special Command what should be done with the Infants of Believers he did sufficiently intimate to his Apostles who were Jews and brought up among the Jews that he did not take away that Grace by which God declared himself to be the God not only of Believers but also of their Seed and that he will have them Sealed with the Sign of his Grace To which do but add Matth. 19.13 14 15. we may see Christ hath not taken away this Grace from them This Answer of Musculus is full and clear and runs upon that I have been calling for an Infallible proof of God's Repealing of Abraham's Covenant I have rather wronged Musculus by not Transcribing the whole Paragraph for brevities sake I desire the Reader to view him For my part I do not yet see any absurdity if I should say as in the fourth Commandment the morality of it being that a seventh part of time be set a part for the Worship of God therefore let God please to change the day yet that Commandment binds us to sanctify that day So when God shall please to make a Gracious Covenant with Believing Abraham and his Seed and gives Command to have that Covenant Sealed and never declares his Repealing of the Covenant and its Sealing the Covenant standing still in force though God may please to change the Seal and bring in another Seal under a new dispensation yet God's former Command may well warrant us to administer the Sign and Seal of the Covenant to Abraham's Seed as before Sure I am this express Command the Anabaptists require for Baptising Infants will cast out the Lord's-Day and Magistracy out of a Christian Common-wealth Women from the Lord's Table For though there were divers Women attended Christ Luke 8.2 3. yet there was not one of them with him at his Institution of the Lord's Supper nor do we read expresly that Women were at the Lord's Table in their Churches For him that would prove it from the words 1 Cor. 11.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there tell us That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the Epiceen Gender and includes Male and Female I answer If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did alwaies signify Male and Female and not the Male only then it were a good proof but I told twenty places in Matthew's Gospel I looked no further where it signifies only the Male. Besides what Gender is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which is joyned with it Nor can we have ground to Excommunicate Women if they walk impenitently scandalous in the Church Partly upon their Principle who call for express Command and partly because the casting out of the Seed of Believers and Repealing the Covenant are so strange that it cannot be proved by any Consequence I have yet met with therefore I call for Srciptures as clear at least as express Commands or signification of God's Will To return to Infants They must be regenerate and have Faith some way else they must all perish what should make the thing so impoisible they should have the Habit or Seed of Faith and of all saving Graces in them I hope it is not because Christ is known only by Revelation I pray what Act of Faith in God what Act of Love to God or Fear of God c. did Isaach or John put forth towards God when being Infants they were Circumcised yet I am confident they had the Seeds of all these at that time they were sanctified then and why not then a Seed of Faith in Christ had not John it when he leaped c. In the first Synod held in New-England this was one question discussed Whether we be justified by the Habit or the Act of Faith Arguments were brought pro and con some were for the Habit of Faith then why not Infants justified by a Habit of Faith Dr. Ames in his proofs for Infant-baptism makes this his first Argument That in the very beginning of Regeneration the Soul is a meer passive the Infant is as capable of a passive reception of Christ and Grace as another Man but Baptism Seals to our Regeneration modul theal c. 4. th 12. Got. of grace p. 27. c. Socin pro. flig p. 781. That servant of Christ Mr. Tho. Hooker proves that Children may have Faith and hath a pretty large discourse upon it The Socinians say it is a Dream if they mean Actual Faith who do not say it Caelonius in answer to them proves by ten or eleven Arguments that Children may have Faith to be sure we may observe that they whom the Holy Page Records to be Godly except Menasseh were so from their Child-hood Isaac Jacob Samuel Hezekiah Josiah David Obadiah Jehoshaphat where do you read of the Saints first running a course of wickedness and then Converted How many Children may we observe that we may say as Dr. Thomas Goodwin said are sanctified from the Womb. What is the matter then that all Infants are cast out of the Church and must not be Baptised Object If you say If you could tell which they are they should be Baptised Answ Can you tell who have saving-Faith and Grace though they make Actual Profession and tell you they have it they who you say are Dross Chaff Canaanites no true Israelites in your Baptised Congregations they told you they had Faith when you Dipped them but you were mistaken 2. If that be yielded that Infants may be Regenerate may have Faith and Grace Seminally then this Text which you do so talk of does not cut them off from Baptism 3. By Abraham's Covenant let the Parents be visible Believers by their competent knowledg of Christ profession of their Faith in him and Conversation in some measure becoming Christians giving up themselves to the Ordinances and Rules of Christ's House prove themselves thus to be visible Christians and we can as
so strong that they need no Seals 2ly I took God's Signs to be Seals by the Apostle's Authority I look on the Rain-bow which God calls Gen. 9.12 13. the Token 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word used Gen. 17.11 of Circumcision of his Covenant to be not only a Sign but a Seal of his Covenant that he will not drown the World 3ly But why do you say it sealed that Promise What did it seal nothing but that That Promise is not mentioned in this Chapter but in the 12th and 22th but in this Chapter so soon as the Lord had made the Covenant between himself Abraham and his Seed immediately the the Lord adds this Circumcision and calls it his Covenant I am sure it seals this and I doubt not but the Jews did so look upon it as a Seal of the Covenant between God and them that God was their God and they his people Sir you must give me better grounds than these or else I must still be of the opinion of the great body of the most learned and pious Divines viz. That all the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament were and are Signs of the Covenant sealing up the Grace of God to Believers My Author hath more Notions about Circumcision but of them afterwards In the Child Circumcision left a signal Impression saith he A. 1. That which you call a signal Impression God calls his Covenant But 2ly Though there were a signal Impression left in the Infant yet if when it came to years it were not taught the spiritual meaning of it the Child would get no benefit by it 3ly What signal Impression is left upon those whom you baptize by Dipping when Adult more than upon those who are baptized by pouring of Water upon them when Infants True you can remember better you were dipped but Children tho' they have but a moral certainty from their Parents and others and the Testimony of the Book in which they are recorded yet being taught the meaning of it and especially if as some Parents who compose short Prayers for their Children put in that Petition for the blessing of their Baptism as some Parents do Children may keep it in mind and in time come to make as good use of it as those who are dipped when Adult and Experience I hope will prove it 4ly If that be true which Mr. Tomâ—â—s is willing to believe out of Mr. Selden that the Jews admitted Proselites by Baptism the female kind the same Author Mr. Selden and so Baxter tells us the Children also of the Proselites were admitted by Baptism to what purpose saith the Anaba t ist since they understand it not and there is no Impression left Let the Jews answer that 5ly Abraham's Seed being so numerous as the Stars in the Heavens how could the Infants circumcised when they came to riper years and living only in Canaan know that there was any Signal Impression made upon their flesh unless their Parents or others told them might not they well think alâ— men were as they or it might be proper to their Nation If they then were certain by their Parents and others informing them cannot we be as certain by our Parents Information that we were baptized 6ly May there not be a Conveyance of a great Estate to a Child that lies in the Cradle and understand nothing many years but when it comes to ripe years and see its Name in the Conveyance and the Witnesses now it can sue for it Two things are very desirable if there were nothing to trouble the Conscience a thing to be lamented and other things concur First That Baptism should ever be administred in the face of the Church Secondly The Names of all baptized Recorded both which I have known the constant practice in Independent Churches By both which and Parents Education a Child when it comes to years of understanding may be as sure of its Baptism though it makes no Impression as Circumcision did in the flesh and now sue out the Blessings which there the Lord did signifie and conditionally seal to be mine 7ly Were our Churches in that order they ought to be and were that laudable Practice which certainly is our Duty taken up viz. That special care bâ— taken that Children baptized be diligently Catechized and when they come to fit years be called before the Eldership there to own their Baptismal Covenant and give an account of their Faith solemn Prayer made for them and the Church now to take care of them and inspection over them as being their Members there would be no room for this Objection and less ground for Anabaptists to cry down Infant-baptism If we will keep Churches so far as our Duty can reach for Christ it is not preaching a Sermon or two on the Lord's-Day will do the work there is more required than so Though the Anabaptists strength lie in the incapacity of Infants to believe in Christ yet because this notion hath been a trouble to me heretofore therefore I speak the more to it 5ly This Covenant never repealed by God Now I come to the Pinch Mr. Tombes the greatest Adversary that ever the Seed of Believers had yields two things 1. That the Children of the Jews were Members with their Parents in the Jewish Church But then say I it must be by vertue of this Parental-Covenant God made with Abraham else how they should be Members with their Parents I know not 2ly That if the Children of believing Parents be Members of the Church with the Parents then they must be baptized For I grant saith he that Baptism is the way and manner of solemn Admission into the Church I mean the regular way Then the Question must be thus stated Quest When the Jews believed in Christ come crucified risen and ascended as the five thousand in Acts 4.4 Did the Lord now repeal his Covenant which he made with Abraham and his Seed admit only the Parents into the Gospel-Church but bar the Doors against their Posterity or Children I think I have stated the Question right and if this cannot be proved then I hope believing Gentiles shall find a way to bring in their Children too with the Jews and find a Title to Baptism by Mr. Tombes's Concession Affirmanti incumbit probatio This lie upon the Anabaptists to prove And here though I am far from that absurd irrational Principle of Veronius who lays down this for a Rule in our Disputation with the Papists That we must bring express Scriptures to confute them yet this casting all the Posterity of the Godly out of the Church is so wretched a Doctrine as Mr. Thomas Hooker calls it against the poor Infants that as yet want a Tongue to plead for themselves that the Anabaptists must bring Scriptures if not express yet as clear and strong as express Scriptures else I shall little regard their Writings And this I require upon these grounds First The Anabaptists require of us an express Command from