their Children belong to Gods family and kingdom and not to the Devils certainly the greatest treasure of Parents is their children and in them the salvation of their souls Now how uncomfortable a thing were this to Parents to take away the very ground of their hope for the salvation of their Children and I dare affirm it that we have no ground of hope for any particular person untill he be brought under the Covenant of grace All the world as I have formerly touched is divided into two kingdoms the kingdom of Christ which is his Church and the kingdom of Satan which is the rest of the world now so long as any person is visibly a member of the kingdom of Christ we have no cause to doubt their election salvation until they visibly shew the contrary although we know that there are some reprobate among them so on the other side although we know Christ hath many of his elect to be gathered out of the Devils kingdom yet we have no cause or ground to hope that any particular person is any other then a reprobate being a visible professed member of Satans kingdom untill he give hope to the contrary now what a most uncomfortable abridgment were this of the Covenant of grace thus apparently to cut off the Seed of Beleevers from their visible right in the Church of Christ and to put them in the visible Kingdome of Satan And Secondly as really unwilling must they look to find Parents to part with their childrens right to the Seale of the Covenant this their right to the Covenant being all the ground of hope that beleeving Parents can have that their Infants who die in their Infancy are saved rather then the Infants of Turkes had need bee sealed if they live untill they are grown men and give other signes of grace they may conceive good hopes of them though they were not sealed with a Sacramentall seale This therefore is apparent that the cutting off our priviledges and comfort in these two were a great abridgment of the priviledges of the new Covenant and would put the Seed of Abrahams faith into a farre worse condition in regard of their posterity then the Seed of his flesh were in And the Jews in Acts 2.39 if this Doctrine had been preached to them might have replied unto St. Peter when he exhorted them to be baptized for their Childrens good Nay Peter even therefore we will not be baptized for as yet we are sure our Children are in Conant with God and reckoned to his family but if we receive your new way our children must be counted to the kingdom of the Devill and so might they in Coloss. 2. when Paul told them they need not be circumcised because Baptism came in the room of it they might have replied that though they need not be circumcised themselves yet they would still circumcise their children because Bapâ—ism was not to be applied to them according to these mens Doctrine Upon these five Conclusions 1. That the Covenant of grace is alwayes the same 2. That the Infants of those in Covenant are alwayes reckoned Covenanters with their Parents 3. That our Baptisme succeeds in the room and use of their Circumcision 4. That by Gods expresse order their Infants were to be Circumcised as it was a seale of the Covenant And 5. that our priviledges for our selves and our Children are at least as honourable large and comfortable as theirs were The Conclusion follows undeniably that therfore the Infants of beleeving Parents are to be baptized Against this Argument the Anabaptists object many things They say the Covenant was not the same some of them say the children of the Jewes were not under the Covenant in relation to spirituall things They say Circumcision and baptism served not for the same ends and uses They say Circumcision was administred as a nationall badge and properly sealed temporal blessings They say whatever priviledges Infants of Beleevers had before Christs time they have now none at all and many such like things All which I have so fully cleared in this former Discourse that I suppose I need not adde any more the main and only Objection remaining which hath any colour of weight in it is this There is no command no expresse institution or cleare example in all the New Testament of baptizing of Infants And in the administration of Sacraments we are not to be led by our owne reason or grounds of seeming probability but by the expresse order of Christ and no otherwise If by institution command and example they meane an expresse syllabicall command c. I grant that in so many words it is not found in the New Testament no expresse command in the New Testament that they should be baptized no expresse example where Children were Baptized but I also adde that I deny the consequence that if in so many words it be not commanded in the New Testament it ought not to be done this is not true divinity that Christians are not tyed to observe that which is not expresly and in so many words set down in the New Testament there is no expresse reviving of the Laws concerning the forbidden degrees of marriage in the New Testament except of not having a mans fathers Wife 1 Cor. 8. no expresse law against Polygamy no expresse command for the celebration of a weekly Sabbath are therefore Christians free in all these cases Yea in the Point of Sacraments there is no expresse command no example in all the New Testament where Women received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper there is no expresse command that the Children of Beleevers when they are grown shoud be instructed and Baptized though instructed by their Parents expresse command there is that they should teach the Heathen and the Jewes and make them Disciples and then baptize them but no command that the Children of those that are Beleevers should be baptized when they are grown men nor any example where ever that was done will any man therfore say that Christian women are not to be partakers of the Lords Supper nor the children of beleevers when growne men be baptized I think none will be so absurd as to affirm it If it be said though these things be not expressely and in terminis in the New Testament yet they are there vâ—rtually and by undeniable consequence I confesse it is true so have we vertually and by undeniable consequence sufficient evidence for the baptizing of children both commands and examples For first we have Gods command to Abraham as he was the Father of all Covenanters that he should seale his Children with the seale of the Covenant Now this truth all our Divines defend against the Papists that all Gods commands and institutions about the Sacraments of the Jewes bind us as much as they did them in all things which belong to the substance of the Covenant and were not accidentall unto them as because circumcision
obedience towards God To conclude this All their externall promises in case of obedience all outward blessings which were to bee injoyed by them the Land of Canaan and all the good things in it all outward punishments and threatnings losse of their Countrey going into Captivity all their Sacrifices their Washings their Sprinklings their holy Persons holy Feasts and holy things were all of them but so many Administrations of the Covenant of Grace Earthly things then were not onely promised or threatned more distinctly and fully then now they are to them who are in Covenant but were figures signes types and Sacraments of spirituall things to bee injoyed both by them and by us as might bee cleared by abundance of particulars Take but that one instance of the Land of Canaan which albeit in it selfe it was but like other Lands yet was it by the Lord sanctified to spirituall ends where he would have his Tabernacle pitched and Temple built out of which Land when the ten Tribes were carried captive hee is said to have put them out of his sight the very Land being figuratively holy and a signe of Gods presence the resting of Gods people there a signe of their eternall rest in Heaven into which not Moses the Lawgiver but Joshua or Jesus the type of their true Jesus was to bring them neither did the Lord promise them entrance into or continuance in that Land but upon the same conditions upon which hee promiseth eternall life as true Faith in the Gospel with the love and feare of God and obedience of his Commandements Godlinesse having then as it hath now and alwayes the promise of good things for this life and the life to come of earthly things then more distinctly and fully and typically but of heavenly things more generally and sparingly whereas now on the contrary there is a more cleare and full revelation and promise of heavenly things but the promise of things earthly more generall and sparing Now this externall Administration of the Covenant is not the same with us as it was with them but the Covenant is the same they were under the same misery by nature had the same Christ the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the World the same conditions of Faith and repentance to bee made partakers of the Covenant had the same graces promised in the Covenant Circumcising of their heart to love the Lord c. Theirs was dispenced in darker Prophecies and obscurer Sacrifices types and Sacraments ours more gloriously and clearely and in a greater measure the cloathes indeed doe differ but the body is the same in both As is apparent if First you look but into the Prophecies that were made Jer. 31.33 Isaiah 59.21 Joel 2.32 and many other places where the same things are promised to the Gentiles when the Gospel should bee preached unto them which were first promised to Abraham and to his seed but more fully if you looke into the New Testament where you shall find Luke 1.54 55 69 70 72 73. Luke 2.31 32. that Christ and the kingdome of grace by him is acknowledged to bee the summe of the oath and Covenant which God had promised to Abraham and to his seed So Matth. 21.41 43. the same Vineyard that was let to the Jewes should afterward be let to the Gentiles the same kingdome of God which was formerly given to the Jews should be taken from them and given to the Gentiles So Rom. 11. the Gentiles were to bee ingraffed into the same stocke in which formerly the Jews had growne and from which they were now to bee cut off and into which in the end they should bee ingraffed againe So Gal. 3.8.14.16 Abraham had the same Gospel preached to him which is now preached to us the same blessing bestowed upon Abraham comes on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that they as well as he might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith they who receive the promise of the Spirit through faith have the blessing of Abraham come upon them as cleare is that Ephes. 2.13 to the end of the Chapter the partition wall which severed us from the Jewes is now broken downe and the Gentiles who formerly were afarre off are now taken in and made Inter-Commoners with the Jews the Apostle alluding to the manner of the Jewish worship where beyond the Court wherein the Jews did worship there was another Court divided from it by a sept or wall which was called Atrium gentium immundorum the Court of the Gentiles and of the uncleane nearer then which none of them might approach unto the Temple but now saith he The partition wall is broken downe and wee are no more Strangers and Forainers but made felow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and with them grow up unto an holy Temple in the Lord all which shews that the very selfe same priviledges formerly made peculiar to the Jews are now through Christ communicated to the Gentiles And this will yet more fully appeare if wee consider how St. Paul to the Galatians shews that the same seed of Abraham so much spoken of in the Covenant made with him is now found among the Gentiles as 〈◊〉 was formerly among the Jews there you shall find three sorts of Abrahams seed First Christ Gal. 3.16 the root and stock the head and Elder brother of all the rest Secondly all true beleevers are Abrahams seed cap. 3.29 these onely are made partakers of the spirituall part of the Covenant Thirdly you shall find another seed of Abraham who were onely circumcised in the flesh and not in the heart who though they were either borne of Abrahams seed or professed Abrahams faith and so were Jews facti though not nati made though not borne Jews becomming Proselytes yet never came to make Abrahams God their All-sufficient portion but placed their happinesse in somewhat which was not Christ either by seeking justification by the works of the Law being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse did not submit themselves unto the righteousnesse of God or placed their happinesse in satisfying the lusts of their flesh going a whoring after the creature and so though they were Abrahams seed by profession and outward cleaving to the Covenant yet were to be cast off with the rest of the uncircumcised of whom Ishmael and Esau were Types Gal. 4.22 c. Even so is it now in the times of the Gospel we have now Jesus Christ the Elder brother the first-born of the Covenant we have also true beleevers who are brethren and Co-heires with him who are properly the heires by promise and wee have also some who are onely a holy seed by externall profession Gal. 4.29 who either with the false Teachers which Paul there speaks of mingle justification by the Law and Gospell together or with others 2 Tim. 3.5 though they have a forme of godlinesse yet deny the power
alledge that though Circumcision was to be applyed to their Infants yet it was not as a seale of the spirituall part of the Covenant of Grace but as a nationall badge a seale of some temporall and earthly blessings and proviledges as of their right to the land of Canaan c. and that Ishmael though he was circumcised for some temporall respects yet he was not thereby brought under the Covenant of Grace which was expresly said to be made with Abraham in relation to Isaac and his seed I answer there is nothing plainer then that the Covenant whereof Circumcision was the signe was the Covenant of Grace Abraham received Circumcision a signe of the righteousnesse of faith and the Jewes received it not as a Nation but as a Church as a people separated from the world and taken into Covenant with God It is true indeed that Circumcision bound them who received it to conforme to that manner of administration of the Covenant which was carried much by a way of Temporall blessings and punishments they being types of spirituall things but no man can ever shew that any were to receive the Sacrament of Circumcision in relation to these outward things onely or to them at all further then they were administrations of the Covenant of grace sure I am the Prosolytes and their children could not be circumcised in any relation at all to the Temporall blessings of the Land of Canaan as they were temporall because notwithstanding their Circumcision they were not capable of receiving or purchasing any inheritance at all in that Land sojourne there they might as other strangers also did but the inheritance of the Land no not one foot of it could ever bee alienated from the severall Tribes to whom it was distributed as their possession by the most High For all the land was divided unto twelve Tribes and they were not any one of them allowed to sell their lands longer then till the yeare of Jubilee Levit. 25.13 c. Yea I may boldly say that their Circumcision was so farre from sealing to them the outward good things of the Land that it occasioned and tyed them to a greater expence of their temporall blessings by their long and frequent and chargeable journeyes to worship at Hierusalem And as for what was alledged concerning Ishmael the answer is easie God indeed there declares that Isaac should bee the type of Christ and that the Covenant of grace should bee established and continue in his family yet both Ishmael and the rest of Abrahams family were really taken into Covenant untill afterward by Apostasie they discovenanted themselves as also did Esau afterward though he were the Son of Isaac in whose family God had promised the Covenant should continue Fifthly and lastly the priviledges of beleevers under this last and best administration of the Covenant of grace are many wayes inlarged made more honourable and comfortable then ever they were in the time of the Jewes administration many Scriptures speake of the inlargement of their priviledges not one for the diminishing or depressing or extenuating of them that yoke that hard and costly way of administration which neither they nor their Fathers were able to beare is taken off from our shoulders our Covenant is said to be established upon better promises the glory of theirs had no glory in respect of ours they were under the bondage of Infants under age in comparison of our freedome we as well as they are called a holy Nation a peculiar people a chosen generation separated to him from all other people to whom as well as to them belongs the adoption the Covenant the promises we as well as they injoy him to be our Father and with his dearest Son our Lord are made Co-heires of the Kingdome of glory we have all these things with advantage not onely in the clearnesse of the administration but in some sense in greater extent to persons with us there is neither male nor female Some indeed goe about to shew that in some things the Jewes had greater priviledges then Wee have as that Abraham had the priviledge to be called the Father of the faithfull that Christ should bee borne of his flesh Mary had the priviledge to be the Mother of Christ and the whole Nation this priviledge that God will call in their seed againe after they had been cast off for unbelief many hundred yeers which priviledges say they none of the Gentiles have or can have Answ. But these things have no weight we are inquiring for priviledges which are branches of the Covenant of grace which every man who is in Covenant with God may expect from God by vertue of the Covenant were he a Jew or a Proselyte not for any particular or peculiar favour to a particular man or woman or family or tribe All these forementioned things and many other of the like kind as the Ministery of the Tabernacle and Temple to belong to one Tribe the Kingly office to one family such and such men never to lack a man of their house to stand before God proceeded indeed from Free-grace but were no parts of that Covenant of grace which God made to Abraham and all his Seed For could every man in Covenant challenge these things at Gods hand and that by vertue of the Covenant Could every one of them promise to himself that Christ should be born of his flesh Or every one of their women that she should be the Mother of Christ Could every one whom God owned to be in Covenant with him promise by vertue of the Covenant that their children if cast off by unbeleefe should after many hundred yeers be again called in We speake only of such priviledges as were universall and common to all who were in Covenant for which by vertue of the Covenant they might relie upon God Let any man shew out of the Scripture where our priviledges under the Gospel are cut short in any of these things and he saith somwhat and in particular for the Case in hand concerning our Infants right to the Covenant of grace and the seale of it once we are sure the Infant Children of all Covenanters were within the Covenant and the seale also belonged to them and by vertue of the Covenant which is still the same we plead their interest in it Let any man shew when and where this was taken away when the Infant-children of beleevers were expunged out of the Covenant of grace certainly whoever will go about to deprive them of it to cut off such a great part of the comfort of Beleeving parents must produce cleare testimonies before they can perswade beleevers to part with either of them either their right to the Covenant or to the seale of the Covenant For first their Infants interest in the Covenant next to glory of God and the salvation of their own souls is the greatest benefit of the Covenant of grace even this I say to have
is called a seale of the Covenant therefore our Sacraments are seales of the Covenant because circumcision might be administred but once being the seale of initiation therefore Baptism being also the seale of initiation is also to be administred but once But that circumcision was to be administred upon the eighth day onely was an accidentall thing and therefore bindes not us the Jewish Passeover being to be yearely repeated binds us to have a repetition of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which came in roome of it because this belongs to the substance of the Covenant both of them being Sacraments for spirituall nourishment growth and continuance in the Covenant as the other was for birth and entrance but that their Passeover was to be eaten in an Evening and upon one set Evening in the yeare was accidentall and so binds not us The like instance I give in our Christian Sabbath the fourth Commandement binds us for the substance of it as much as ever it bound the Jewes There God once for all separated one day of seven to be sacred to himselfe and all the world stood bound in all ages to give unto God that one day of seven which should be of his owne choosing Now untill Christs time God chose the last day of the seven to be his Sabbath and having by the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus put an end to the Saturday Sabbath and surrogated the first day of the weeke in stead thereof to be the Lords day we need no new Commandment for the keeping of the Lords day being tyed by the fourth Commandment to keep that day of seven which the Lord should choose the Lord having chosen this the fourth Commandment binds us to this as it did the Jews to the former so in like manner I say in the Sacrament of Baptisme When God made the Covenant with Abraham and promised for his part to be the God of him and his seed what God promised to Abraham we claime our part in it as the children of Abrahams and what God required on Abrahams part for the substance of obedience we all stand charged with as well as Abraham we as Abraham are tyed to beleeve to love the Lord with all our heart to have our heart circumcised to walke before God in uprightnesse to instruct our children and bring them up for God and not for our selves nor for the Devill to teach them to worship God according to his revealed will to traine them up under the ordinances and institutions of Gods owne appointment all these things Gods command to Abraham charges upon all the children of the Covenant though there were no expresse reviving these commands in any part of the New Testament and therefore consequently that command of God to Abraham which bound his seed of the Jewes to traine up their children in that manner of worship which was then in force bindes the seed of Abraham now to traine up their children in conformity to such ordinances as now are in force And the same command which injoyned Abraham to seale his children with the seale of the Covenant injoynes us as strongly to seale ours with the seale of the Covenant and that command of God which expressely bound Abraham to seale his with the signe of Circumcision which was the Sacrament then in force pro tempore doth vertually binde us to seale ours with the signe of Baptisme which is the Sacrament now in force and succeeds in the roome of the other by his owne appointment There is one command by cleare consequence another you shall find Matth. 28. where our Saviour bids them goe and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sanne and of the Holy Ghost Where you have two things First What they were to doe Secondly To whom they were to doe it They were to preach and teach all things which he had commanded them that is they were to preach the whole Gospel Mark 16.15 The whole Covenant of Grace containing all the promises whereof this is one viz. that God will be the God of beleevers and of their seed that the seed of beleevers are taken into Covenant with their Parents This is a part of the Gospel preached unto Abraham and they were to Baptize them that is to administer Baptisme as a Seale of the Covenant to all who received the Covenant Secondly wee have the persons to whom they were to doe this all Nations whereas before the Church was tyed to one Nation one Nation onely were Disciples now their Commission was extended to make all Nations Disciples every Nation which should receive the faith should be to him now as the peculiar Nation of the Jewes had beene in time past In a word Nations here are opposed to the one Nation before Now we know when that one Nation of the Jewes were made Disciples and circumcised their infants were made Disciples made to belong to Gods Schoole and circumcised with them when that nation was made Disciples in Abrahams loynes and circumcised their seed also was the same when that Nation was taken out of Egypt and actually made Disciples their children were also with them and we know that in every Nation the children make a great part of the Nation and are alwayes included under every administration to the Nation whether promises or threatnings priviledges or burthens mercies or judgements unlesse they be excepted so are they in Cities in Families it being the way of the Scripture when speaking indefinitely of a People Nation City or Family to be either saved or damned to receive mercies or punishments expresly to except Infants when they are to be excepted as we see in the judgement that befell Israel in the Wildernesse when all that rebellious Company that came out of Egypt was to perish by Gods righteous doome their little ones were expresly excepted Num. 14.31 and in the Covenant actually entred into by the body of the Nation Neh. 10. it is expresly limited to them who had knowledge and understanding And the Disciples who received this Commission knew well that in all Gods former administrations when any Parents were made Disciples their children were taken in with them to appertaine to the same schoole and therefore it behooved the Lord to give them a caution for the leaving out of Infants in this new administration that they might know his mind if that he intends to have them left out which that ever he did in word or deed cannot be found in the Scriptures If it be said they are not capable of being Disciples I answer even as capable as the Infants of Jews and Proselytes were when they were made Disciples and beside they are devoted to be Disciples being to be trained up by the Parents who are from their infancy to teach them the knowledge of Christ and at the present they are capable of his owne teaching and sure I am in Christs owne dialect to belong to Christ and to
for want of faith but positive Unbeleevers and such as refuse the Gospel he excludes from both The stone upon which these men stumble is the ignorance in the opposition in the Scripture they bring which is not betweene beleevers and their Children but betweene them and Unbeleeving and profane persons who are shut from the Lords Covenant Baptisme and Salvation But suppose they are capable of the inward grace of baptisme and that God doth effectually work it in some of the Infants of beleevers is that sufficient warrant for us to baptize all the Infants of Beleevers if we knew in what Infants the Lord did work this we might baptize those Infants say some of them but that he doth not make known to us we cannot know of any one Infant by any ordinary way of knowledge that they are inwardly baptized with the holy Ghost and therefore we may not baptize any of them but wait to see when and in whom God will work the thing signified and then apply the signe to them Answ. Our knowledge that God hath effectually wrought the thing signified is not the condition upon which wee are to apply the signe God no where requires that we should know that they are inwardly and certainly converted whom we admit to the Sacrament of Baptism the Apostles themselves were not required to know this of those whom they baptized if they were they sinned in baptizing Simon Magus Alexander Hymenaeus Ananias and Saphira with others we are indeed required to know that they have in them that condition which must warrant us to administer the signe not that which makes them possest of the thing signified fallible conjectures are not to be our rule in administring of Sacraments either to Infants of grown men but a known rule of the word out of which rule we must be able to make up such a judgment that our administration may be of faith as well as out of charity In baptizing or grown men the Apostles and Ministers of Christ administred the signe not because they conjectured that the parties were inwardly sanctified but because they made that profession of faith and holinesse of which they were sure that whoever had the thing in truth were received by Christ into inward Communion with himself and that whoever thus made it that Christ would have them received into the communion of his Church though possibly for want of the inward work they were never received into the inward communion with Iesus Christ indeed when such a confession was made Christian charity which alwaies hopeth the best and thinketh no evill bound them to receive them and think of them and converse with them as with men in whom the inward work was wrought untill they gave signes to the contrary but this their charity or charitable conjecture was not the grouâ—d of their admitting them to the ordinance but the profession and confession of the party made according to the Word which they were bound to rest in yea I greatly question whether in case Peter or Paul could by the spirit of revelation have known that Ananias or Alexander would have proved no better then hypocrites whether they either would or ought to have refused them from Baptism whilst they made that publike profession and confession upon which others were admitted who in the event proved no better then those were So that I conclude not our knowledge of their inward Sanctification is requisite to the admitting of any to baptism but our knowledge of the will of Christ that such who are in such and such condition should by us be received into the communion of the Church and in this the rule to direct our knowledge is as plain for Infants as for growne men the rule having been alwaies this That growne men who were strangers from the Covenant of God Unbeleevers Pagans Heathens should upon their being instructed and upon profession of their faith and promise to walke according to the rule of the Covenant bee received and added to the Church and made partakers of the seale of their entrance and their Infants to come in with them both sorts upon their admission to be charitably hoped of untill they give signes to the contrary charity being bound from thinking of evill of them not tyed to conclude certainly of any of them because they ought to know that in all ages all are not Israel who are of Israel and that many are called but few are chosen But all who enter into Covenant and receive the seale of the Covenant must stipulate for their parts as well as God doth for his they must indent with God to perform the beleevers part of the Covenant as well as God doth to perform his part as even this Text 1 Pet. 3. requires That Baptism which saves us must have the answer of a good conscience to God now although it be granted that Infants are capable of receiving the first grace if God be pleased to work it in them yet what answer of a good conscience can there be from Infants unto God they having not the use of reason and not knowing what the Covenant meanes Answ. The Infants of the Jewes were as much tied as the Infants of beleevers under the Gospel every one who was circumcised was bound to keepe the Law Gal. 5. and these men professe that Israelitish Infants were within the old Covenant when yet they knew not what it meant nor could have the same use of it with their Parents and others of discretion Looke what answer they will make for the Jewes infants if true will abundantly satisfie for the Infants of beleevers under the Gospel Secondly God seales to them presently their name is put into the deed and when they come to yeers of discretion to be adulti then in their own persons they stand obliged to the performance of it in the meane time Jesus Christ who is the surety of the Covenant and the surety of all the Covenanters is pleased to be their surety we know when severall parties stand obliged in the same bond they may seale at severall times and yet be in force afterward together or even a child sealing in infancy may aguize and recognize that sealing when they come to yees of discretion if then they will renounce it as done when they understood not they may free themselves if they please if they find the former act an inconvenience or burden to them so is it here God of his infinite mercy is pleased to seale to Infants while they are such and accepts of such a seale on their parts as they are able to give in their Infant age expecting a further ratification on their part when they are come to riper yeers in the meane time affording them the favour and priviledge of being in Covenant with him of being reckoned unto his kingdom and family rather then of the Devils if when they are grown men they refuse to stand to this Covenant there is no hurt