with Crispus and his house Acts 18. 8. And is to be supposed it was so with others of whose believing before their baptizing we read not as of Gaius and Stephanas 1 Cor. 1. 14 16. And this at this day is and ever hath been the way of the Churches dealing with adult persons § 19. But the Argument will not hold from Men to Children It follows not that because men that are capable of believing or disbelieving the Gospel are not baptized except they make profession of faith that therefore Infants who are neither capable of believing nor disbelieving must profess faith or not be baptized Faith being required of the one but not of the other § 20. When the Apostle commanded the Thessalonians that if any would not work neither should he eat 2 Thess 3. 10. did he mean the Infants should not eat that could not work 'T is plain he required working onely of those that were able to work not of those that were unable So in the case in hand 't is apparent that Believing is onely required of men able to understand and believe not of Infants neither able to believe nor understand For by the words immediately foregoing preach the Gospel to every creature it is most evident that it is of such persons onely as the Gospel may be believed or disbelieved by upon the preaching of it to them that it is said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned not of such persons as the Gospel cannot rationally be preached to in order to the bringing them to believe by the preaching of it in regard of their incapacity to understand it and inability to believe or disbelieve it And so Infants are utterly unconcern'd in this Text. And as from it we plead nothing for them so from it can nothing rationally be pleaded against them § 21. I have read that Men must be converted and become as little Matth. 18. 2. children I suppose for humility and innocency that they may enter into the kingdom of God But I have not read that little children must be converted and become as Men for understanding or Faith before they can have entrance in Gods kingdom A profession of faith by persons of understandâ—ng in the names of the Infants is required by the Church and upon that profession it baptizes them But that understanding and faith which is required in Adult persons as praevious to their baptism is not by the Church required in Infants as necessaâ—y to their baptizing Nor can it be proved that ever it was by Christ or any Apostle of his exacted of them as it cannot be proved that ever Christ or any Apostle of his ordered the delay of their baptizing till it might be in them § 22. And lastly if Infants baptism be an Apostolical Tradition that is a thing delivered down to the Church to be practiced in it by the Apostles and Apostolical Persons and as practiced also by themselves as there is better ground to believe it than there is evidence against it then the thing is out of question They would never have baptized themselves nor taught others to baptize such as wanted faith because incapable of believing if mere want of faith notwithstanding such incapacity to believe did render them incapable of baptizing And if not believing did not in the Apostles Age and the Ages succeeding it make Infants incapable of Baptism then can it not make them so in ours there being no more reason for the one than for the other § 23. And so here is nothing in the Infants themselves that renders them uncapable of being baptized CHAP. XXIV Children not incapable of being baptized in regard of any thing required of them or to be done to them in Baptism § 1. SEcondly There is nothing in Baptism required of or to be done unto Infants which hinders them from it or renders them incapable of it §. 2 Not the Thing signifying Water with the application of it by way of Immersion or Assusion They may be dipped into water in case of strength or they may have water poured on them in case of weakness § 3. Not the Thing signified The Blood of Christ and the Grace of the Spirit For what can hinder why they may not be sprinkled from the guilt of the sin of their Birth by the blood of Christ in the Grace of Justification Cannot the blood of Christ satisfie for that guilt that lies upon Infants Or cannot God apply the satisfaction made by the blood of Christ unto Infants And what can hinder why they may not be cleansed from the corruption of their nature by the Power of the Spirit in the Grace of Sanctification Cannot the Holy Spirit mortifie those dispositions unto evil which Parvulis datur gratia operans cooperans per baptismum sicut adultis sed parvulis in munere non in usu G. Biel in 4 l. Sent. dist 4. are in Infants Or can he not infuse dispositions to goodness into Infants Is not the spirit of grace able to inoperate the grace of the spirit in Infants Is not he able to give them a temper of heart capable to receive his Infusions Is not he able to make Infusions of grace into their hearts suitable to their temper No incapableness of Baptism then in Infants on these accounts § 4. Again may not children as well as elder persons be taken into Vnion with Christ May not they be incorporated into him What no lambs in his flock but all old sheep No little members in his body but all great ones No babes in Christ but all strong men Cannot the water do the same for them Cannot the spirit do the same in them to unite them unto Christ that is done by it either for elder persons towards their Union with him Surely the application of the Water of Baptism to their Bodies does as well signifie and declare and the infusion of the Spirit of Christ into their souls does as well operate and effect their Union with him as the Union of elder persons For what should hinder No incapableness then of Baptism in Infants on this account neither § 5. Again look upon Baptism as the Door of entrance into the kingdom of Heaven and so far are they from being incapable of that that they are made a kind of standard to the capacity of others for it For our Saviour not only saith that of such as infants is the kingdom of heaven Matth. 19. 14. which implies that they themselves are qualified for it and have all things required in them for entrance into it but also he saith Matth. 18. 3. Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven which again implies that Infants are duly qualified for an entrance into the kingdom of heaven for why else must others be converted and become as they are that they may enter into it and not only so but that
of St. Basil where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for the teaching before baptism and particularly the baptism of the Eunuch by Philip and comprehends all the teaching he is read to have had Yea and in this place of St. Matthew what ever can be implied in the first Verb is expressed in what follows in the second Verb which reaches to all things whatsoever Christ had commanded them Unless any will say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the teaching of somewhat that Christ never commanded his Apostles something that neither concerns faith nor manners for these were the things that Christ commanded his Disciples to act themselves and to teach others the acting of § 24. So again to make such a distinction between the Verbs as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie teach those that are not Disciples to make them so and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie teach them that are Disciples after they are made so is also frivolous For put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together so signifying and so distinguished and what will they amount to why thus much Teach those that are not Disciples to make them so teaching or by teaching these that are Disciples after they are made so How uncouth if intelligible a construction is this and how unpracticable the thing in it self when understood How should a single Apostle travelling all alone into a strange place teach those that had never heard of the Gospel by his teaching those that had received it or must he carry Disciples always along with him to and set up School in every strange nation that Heathens hearing him teach Christians might by such hearing become Christians also How is this imaginable to have been the meaning of our Saviour How impracticable in the Apostles first onsets on the Heathen nations to make them become Christians When Churches were setled then indeed something of this might be though none sure ever thought that to be the design of our Saviour in his commission but how this could be before any Church were either setled or so much as begun to be gathered and there must be a first beginning to gather before there could be a Church is past imagination And besides the Histories of those times shew the course was otherwise But now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make disciples of Heathens or make Heathens disciples teaching or by teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you how clear is the interpretation how genuâ—ne the sense how practicable the thing in all times and places how agreeable to the design in his commission how nothing else but the very mind of Christ in his word § 25. In a word admit the word that comes here before baptizing were the same with that which doth come after it namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach or did here properly signifie teaching as it doth not how easily may it hence be gathered That baptism may be either before or after teaching according to the condition of the Person to be baptized after it in those that are capable to be first taught before it in those that are not as yet capable of teaching after it to men before it to children § 26. And in confirmation hereof it might be said that this hath been the very way of the Church of â—hrist in all the ages of it first to teach men and then to baptize them but first to baptize Children and after teach them letting them at present have that means of grace which at present they are capable of and affording them afterward what remaâ—ned assoon as they should become capable of it § 27. But having no authority to change any word in the Text of our Saviour nor reason to be over liberal in my concessions I abide by what was said before having added this ex abundan i more then was needfull to shew the weakâ—ess of the Antipaedobaptists way of arguing even upon the utmost advantage they can desire to be given them § 28. And by this time I hope it appears that there is nothing in the word of God which renders Infants uncapable of being baptized § 29. And if so then we have enough though we had no more for Infants baptism For Baptism being that by which our children may have so much good as we have shewn they may have in the first branch of our Argument and being that whereof they have so much need as we have shewn they have in the second branch of it with what either charity or justice can they be denied it being they are so capable of it as we have now shewn them to be in the handling of this third branch Sure children are not the only persons in the world that may neither have acts of justice nor charity shewn towards them And what should hinder us from doing for them this good for which they have so much need Neither is the pains so great nor the trouble so much nor the charge so heavy but we may afford it them What will we do for them that will not do so little as this comes to to baptize them Are we not free and at liberty to do it if we will Is there any restraint laid upon us from doing it by the Law either of God or Man If neither spake for it as indeed both do yet to be sure neither speaks against it and so we may do it if we will And what can be pretended against doing so much good where we see there is so much need § 30. Do it then Brethren for your Children because it is so much for their good Do it because that of that good they have so much need And do it because it is an act both of Justice and Charity which they are as capable of receiving as you at liberty for performing Never stand hunting for Scripture for it so long as there is no Scripture against it but reckon it your duty to bring them to Christ whom Christ hath permitted to come unto him and whose coming to him Christ hath forbidden any man to hinder saying Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not § 31. And more then this I need not say to move any reasonable man to the doing of it § 32. And yet above and beyond all this I shall shew you in the fourth and last place a Right that Children have unto Baptism and then it cannot but be a wrong to hinder them from being baptized A Right I say our Children have unto Baptism and that upon a threefold account the Constitution of this Church the Custom of the Catholick Church and the Institution of Christ as I shall shew in order CHAP. XXVI Our Childrens Right to Baptism by the Constitution of this Church and Custom of the Catholick Church § 1. I Begin with our Childrens right to â—aptism by the first the Constitution of this present particular Church § 2. And as that hath told us in her 27th
born till he be baptized into Christ and a child of wrath through the uncleanness of his natural birth till he be made a child of grace by baptismal regeneration Can we think but he was for the baptizing of Infants who saith it is praescribed that none is capable of salvation without baptism especially being the Lord hath positively said Except a man be born of water he has not life and who from a comparison of this Definition of our Saviours with that Law which he gave for the discipling of nations by baptizing them gathers a necessity of baptism to salvation upon the account of which necessity believers were baptized And if they were baptized themselves and upon the account of a necessity of baptism unto salvation then surely they would have so much charity for their children as to baptize them and not leave them in a state of perdition It is plain therefore that he was rather for than against Infants Baptism § 79. And as he was for the baptizing of Infants so was also Irenaeus in the same Age but before him one that had been an Auditor of Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna and is by St. Hierom lookt on as a man of the Apostolical times and so a most competent witness as Dr. Hammond argues of the Apostolical Def. of Inf. Bapt. c. 4. §. 2. pag. 96. doctrine and practice especially being as Tertullian saith a most accurate searcher of all doctrines and one that sealed his belief with his blood being martyred at Lyons in the year 197. And what saith he Why he saith that Christ came to save all by himself all Omnes enim venit per semetipsum salvare omnes inquam qui per eum renascuntur in Deum infantes parvulos pucros juvenes seniores D. Irenaei advers Haeres l. 2. c. 39. p. 192. See Dr Haem Bapt. of Inf. Sect. 40. I say who are born again unto God by him Infants and little ones and children and young men and elder men Here it is plain that Infants and little ones and children are in the number of those that are born again unto God through Christ Now that by being born again unâ—o God is meant by being baptized I suppose none doubts that has read and understands as the Catholick Church hath ever understood that of our Saviour John 3. 5. Except a man Quod verbum Christi ad Nicodemum intendie aquam sensibilent is a position of Thom. Waldens de Sacramentis Tom. 2. q. 102. fol. 104. col 2. be born again of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God or is acquainted with the Scripture notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regeneration the laver whereof is Baptism § 80. In the same Age flourished Hyginus Bishop of Rome and about the same time being martyred Anno Dom. 144 And he as Platina affirms out of the ancient Records Voluit unum saltem Patrimum unamque Matrimam baptismo interesse sic enim eos appellant qui infantes tenent dum baptizantur Platina in Vitâ Hygini appointed that there should be at least one Godfather and one Godmother present at Baptism Now who he meant by Godfather and Godmother Platina informs us while he tells us that so they call those that hold Infants when they are baptized Godfathers and Godmothers appointed to be at the baptizing of Infants supposes Infants baptized § 81. Lastly Justin Martyr or who ever wrote that Ancient piece intituled Quaest Respons ad Orthâ—dox stating the difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Just Martyr Quaest Resp. ad Orth. 56. pag. 424. Edit Paris 1615. between Infants dying baptized and unbaptized saith it is this that the baptized obtain the good things that come by baptism but the unbaptized obtain them not A proof this clear and full as can be desired of the baptizing of Insants in that Age the age wherein that Author lived the very next to that of the Apostles if Justin Martyr were that Author To which it is not now needfull I should add any thing unless I should add what follows in the same Author touching the Baptized Infants namely that they are vouchsafed the advantages of baptism through the faith of those that bring them to be baptized § 82. And thus I have shewn you that it hath been the Custom and Practice of the Universal Church of Christ in all the Ages thereof from the present to the Primitive Times even up to that very Age wherein the Apostles lived to baptize Infants CHAP. XXVIII Infants Baptism a Tradition Apostolical § 1. I Am now to examine how this could come to be practice of the Universal Church And truly it can be no other but the Authority of the Apostles Tradition or Practice in their own Age. The Apostles some way by word or writing taught Vniversa Ecclesia quae Apostolicam proximè secuta est infantes baptizavit Igitur dubium non est quinmota Scripturae authoritate praxi Apostolicâ hoc secerit Wendelin Thelog Christ l. 1. cap. 13. Explic. Thess 11. others so to do or did so themselves and so made themselves an example for others to do the like or both or else it is not imaginable how such a practice should not onely be received so generally into the Church and so early too but continue also in it through all Ages down from their time to our own without interruption I will therefore speak of both And first of Tradition § 2. Tradition notes the delivery of a thing to be received into our belief or practice See Dr. Ham. Bapt of Inf. Sect. 99 100. That where 't is genuine and Apostolical is of mighty moment in religious concerns And that if any is truly such which hath been received and owned for such by the Church in all the Ages of it from the primitive to the present times either openly in profession or tacitly in practice § 3. To this is referred the Sanctification of the Lords day To this is referred the admission of Women to the Lords Table To this is referred the Canon of Scripture And to this is referred the Baptizing of Infants § 4. Let no man whisper you in the ear saith St. Augustin with any other doctrines a Quid de parvulis pueris si ex Adam aegroti Nam ipsi portantur ad Ecclesiam Nemo ergo vobis susurret doctrinas alienas Hoc Ecclesia semper habuit semper tenuit hoc a ma orum fide percipit buâ— usqâ—â— in sinâ—m perseâ—â—renter â—â—â—â—dit D. Aug. Serm. 10. de Vâ—â—v Apost This the Church hath always had hath always held this from the Faith of our Fore elders it hath received and this it keeps perseveringly unto the end And for as much as the Universal Church doth maintain it being always held in the Church and not brought into it by any Councils decree b Quod uniâ—â—rsâ—z tâ—nâ—t â—â—â—lâ—sia noc Conciliis institutum sed semper
that Infants were baptized in the Apostles days For the reasoning of the Apostle is this The unbelieving husband hath been sanctified that is brought to be a believer and to be baptized by that is through the means the instruction and conversation of the believing wifâ— dwâ—lling together with him gaining him to the Faith through her perswasion and good conversation And the same hath also been found to be effected upon the unbelieving wife by the dwelling of the believing husband together with her In confideration whereof he had advised the believing husbands still dwelling with his unbelieving wife and wife with husband ver 12 13. Upon this experience a hope hath been grounded that your châ—ldren though now they be not actually believers yet shall be brought to be believers by the means of their living in the same Families with you that are belâ—evers and by being instructed by you in the Christian Faith as soon as they shall be capable of understanding it And upon this hope they have been made holy by a Visible sanctification as Aquinas hath it that Aquin. Sum. 3. q. 68. Ar. 2. is baptized or sanctified by baptism separated by that Sacrament from the common unclean condition of Heathens and taken into the Communion of Saints Persons holy by design relation and vocation And else but for this hope they had not been sanctified nor made holy by baptism even as the children of Heathens are not baptized nor so made Holy because there is not the same reason for their coming hereafter to be Christians that there is for yours who therefore now upon this hope are in that sense Holy Let that hope therefore move the believing husband to continue with his unbelieving wife and the believing wife to continue with her unbelieving husband which hath moved us to baptize the children of those of you whereof either Parent is a Christian even the hope that those that now actually are not believers shall hereafter be broughâ— actually to believe through the instruction and conversation of the believers with whom they coinhabit and converse § 8. Well now Children as it appears by this Text were made holy in the Apostles See Dr. Ham. Def. of Inf. Bapt. ch 3. §. 1. p. â—2 c Times Those children were Infants who alone are capable of being baptized capable of being baptized by the benefit of their Parents Faith The Holâ—ness of those children imported their being baptized That Baptism was administred by none but the Apostles or Persons ordained and appointed by the Apostles for that work Hence it follows that Infants were baptized as in the Age so by the Hands or by the Appointment of the Apostles themselves Than which nothing needs be required further for the justifying of Infants Baptism § 9. And now it having appeared to be the Custom and Practice of the Universal Church of Christ to baptize Infants and that Custom and Practice being grounded on the Tradition and derived from the Practice of the Apostles themselves it follows that Infants have as good a Right unto Baptism by Prescription from thence as any person can have to any thing else by that Title which yet in many cases is as good as any other § 10. And now for Gods sake tell me why Infants should now be denied that which they have always had why should they now be forbidden coming to Christ who in all the Ages of the Church even up to that wherein the Apostles lived have had free access unto Christ and have been suffered to come to him and that by Baptism Why should we be less carefull of our childrens concerns than in all former ages others have been why should not we be as vigilant to preserve their Rights and this especially as others before us We need not doubt their Title nor question their Right having so good a Prescription for it Either Prescription can give no good Right to any thing which yet we see it doth in many or else children having sixteen hundred years prescription to plead for it have a good Right unto Baptism § 11. And yet is not that all the Right the little Children have unto Baptism For I shall now proceed to shew you a Third Right that they have unto it and that is by the Institution of Christ himself CHAP. XXX Childrens Right to Baptism by the Institution of Christ § 1. ANd truly if it can appear that Infants Baptism does come within the Institution of Christ and that Christ in his instituting of Baptism to be a Sacrament of the Gospel did either include Infants in it or not exclude them by it I cannot see what any sober modest inquirer can further want for his satisfaction in this point Unto that therefore I shall immediately hasten my discourse § 2. And if any man think that the Institution of Baptism is set down in Matth. 28. 19. or Mark 16. 15. and from the circumstances of those Texts define the Subject of Baptism as if those onely were to be baptized that are such as those were that are there expresly mentioned namely persons capable of hearing and learning believing and disbelieving the Gospel preached to them and so exclude Infants from baptizing because incapable of these things I shall humbly assume the boldness to believe that to be a mistake and to affirm that Baptism was by our Saviour instituted that is oâ—dained appointed and made a Ceremony of admission of Proselytes into his Church long before § 3. The Particular time indeed when he did institute it cannot be affirmed with so great câ—rtainty Aquinas groundâ—ng in St. Augusâ—â—nes Sum. 3. q. 66 a. â— Ex quo Christus aquis immergitur ex co omniam pecâ—nta a luit aqua D. Aug. ib. saying that from the time of Christs being dipped in water water did wash away the sins of all is of opinion that Baptism was instituted a Sacrament by Christ when himself was baptized though the necessity of using of it was not enjoyned till after his passion and resurrection But Ncâ—l de Orbell saith * Baptismus fuit à Christo in â—itâ—tus ante pâ—â—onem ipsius cum ante lilam disâ—ipuli baptizarent baptismo Christi Joh. 3. Quan viâ— hora pracisa instituâ—iâ—nis non have atur ex Evangelio non enim fuit institutus quando Christus baptizatus est à Johanne tamen Christus tune de dicavit qâ—am tanquam materiam l. doneam baptâ—smoex taitu suae mundissima carnis Nic. de Orbell list 3. 4 Sent. q. 3. de Baptismo fol. 7 8. †Baptiâ—mi Insinuatio fuit Facto quan lo fait Christus baptizatus insinuans noâ—esse baptizandos Verbo quando Nicedemo dicit Joh. 3. Nisi quis renatus fuerit Guiller vorrilong sup l. 4. Sent. de p. 3. aâ—t 3. that he did not then institute it but onely did by the touch of his most â—ure flesh dedicate water as a fit matter for baptism Nor will Cluitlerm â—orrilong allow that act to be the
mocked Acts 17. 32. But as wise and pious persons will not be jeer'd out of a practice that is solemn and serious and of weighty concern by the raillery of a few aieny-brain'd phantasticks so it is beside the question in hand and if any have thought fit to defer it on that account that is no argument of the unlawfulness of it § 9. Some perhaps imagining the Contract made by the Persons themselves though never so young but three or four years old so they could but answer themselves to what was to be required of them in order to their baptizing would afterwards be accounted by themselves the more obligatory and have stronger impressions upon them than if made by others have thought it fitter to defer it for a while I dispute not the prudentiality of the consideration but onely say that the prudency be it never so great of its deferring longer can infer no unlawfulness on its doing sooner And it seems to me that there are more weighty considerations inclining to and pressing for the hastening of it than that or any I have yet met with for the deferring because the generality have this way shew'd themselves inclined by baptizing their children whilest Infants § 10. And since we have so many weighty considerations moving to hasten it being we are assured by a late learned Father of our B. Gawden Eccles Angl. Suspir p. 299. Church that there is not any one of the Ancients that doth deny its lawfulness I see no reason why any suggestions or pretences of inconveniency unnecessariness or novelness in that practice by an inconsiderable number of persons either of elder or later times should sway us against the vogue of the Catholick Church to deposite a Constiâ—ution in which we see there is so much conveniency for which we see there is so great necessity of which we see there is so great antiquity antiquity reaching up both unto and also into the Apostles Age as being delivered unto the Church by them CHAP. XXXV The Argument from the sixth Article of our Church answered § 1. YEa but is it not the express Doctrine of our Church that Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation Yes And what then Is Infants Baptism therefore unlawfull No such matter It follows not I hope there are more things lawfull than what are either necessary to salvation or are contained in holy Scripture § 2. But what then follows Why this That supposing Infants baptism were neither read in Scripture nor could be proved thereby it were not to be believed as an Article of the Faith nor were the belief of it to be thought necessary to salvation But sure a thing is not therefore unlawfull because it is not to be received as an Article of the Faith or because its belief is not necessary to salvation And so this Article even on that supposition fights not with the lawfulness of Infants Baptism § 3. But we deny the supposition and say that Infants Baptism is contained in the Holy Nullum dari potest dogma ad salutem obtinendam cognitu necessarium quod in Scripturâ non contineatur express è vel implicitè analogiâ—e ità uâ— per consequentiam legitimam inde elici possit Wendelin Theolog. Proleg c. 3 Thes 7. Cum dico perspicuè intelligo vel in se vel per se vel in suis principiis per aliud Hier. Zanch. de Sacrâ Script q. S. prop. 1. pag. 194. Etsi enim non extet expressum praeceptum hac de re sc de baptizan â—is infantibus fidelium liberis colligitur tamen perspicuè ex suis principiis hoc est ex causis propter quas conferendus sit alicui baptismus c. Id. ib. pag. 195. Scriptures in that manner as other things are that are not expressed in it but yet may be deduced from it namely eminently though not formally implicitly though not expresly so as all Points of Faith are contained in the Creed that are not expressed in it or as all Duties are contained in the Decalogue or all Petitions are contained in the Lords Prayer that are not particularly and formally expressed therein § 4. And that it may be proved thereby I hope this Discourse hath already given a sufficient evidence And before I conclude I will yet add one further proof of it and that such an one as though some think not conclusive of the Point yet that acute Divine as well as Heroick prelate A. B. Laud thought to be a direct proof and neer an expression in Scripture it self 'T is Acts 2. 38 39. Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost For the promise is unto you and to your children c. But how doth this prove Infants Baptism Why let that learned Man tell you in his own words For when St. Peter had ended that great Sermon of his Acts 2. he applies two comforts unto them ver 38. Amend your lives and be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost And then ver 39. he infers For the Promise is made to you and to your children The Promise what Promise What why the Promise of Sanctification by the Holy Ghost By what means Why by Baptism For 't is expresly Be baptized and ye shall receive And as expresly This promise is made to you and to your children And therefore A. C. may find it if he will That the Baptism of Infants may be directly concluded out of Scripture § 5. But Infants are not named here True Yet Children are But those children might be men Yes and they might be Infants also I conceive the word is exclusive of neither but inclusive of both Unless any will say that the Infants were no children or that the promise that was made to the children as well as persons of the then present hearers was made onely to such of their children as were men and not Infants which is easilier said than proved For the Apostle says to your children that is all of them not onely some of them all of them being capable of the thing promâ—sed and none of them being exempted from the benefit of the promise And where God has enlarged the bounds why should man enclose the Common where God has made a restriction Where God has been kind why should Man become cruel and shut out Infants from the benefits of a promise when God has opened a door wide enough to let them in to it § 6. It is true the word Children is not always to be understood of Infants but sometimes of Men and as true it is that it is not always to be understood of Men but sometimes of Infants and as true again it is that sometimes it includes both For when the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground Exod. 14. 22. Were