your selfe in answering them when you say * Pag. 13. lin 10 11 12 13 14. That Examination in respect of the Supper is required onely of men of yeares not of infants who are not able to performe it Further you tell us That if your Author nor memory faile you Children were admitted as well to the Supper as to Baptisme for many yeares in time past and over against in the margent of the page * Page 13. at lin 15. you name Parker on the Crosse Ans Indeed you may suspect your memory if you take your imagination to be your memory And you may expect that your Author can stand you in little stead in opposing the Baptisme of Infants A good object may faile a bad subject and so your Author may faile you especially he being neither an Author nor upholder of your errour which you labour by all meanes to uphold Next you say A. R. Lin. 17 18 19 And why not to the one as well as to the other seeing the same reasons are alike in both and will center into one if fully prosecuted I Answer This is but a begging of the Question I have told you why not to the one as well as to the other Because they are capable of the one in respect of a naturall capabilitie but not of the other And therefore I deny that the reasons are alike in both or will center into one though never so fully prosecuted Wheras you further oppose infants Baptisme saying that * Pag 13. li. 21 22. no Infant is required by God in Scripture to beleeve or to repent or to be baptized by any man c. The Infants of beleevers are not impenitent I Answer That this your speech is ambiguous and abominable and you may know that we stand not for the Baptizing of Infidells or those in whose hearts wee cannot rightly judge the foundation of repentance to be layd For God hath not required such to be baptized no more then he did command such to be circumcised in the time of the Law And you should know that faith is the gift of God so also is repentance and though the Saints of God are not required to manifest their faith and repentance actually so long as they cannot act yet for to say that therefore they have not faith and râ—pâ—ntance or that wee are not to judge them to have the gifts and graces of the Spirit because they cannot act is a meer idle toy and frivolous foppery But if you will say that though the infants of beleevers cannot manifest faith and repentance no more then Isaac could who was a childe of promise in his infancie yet they are to be judged to have faith and repentance notwithstanding Then you will agree with us in this truth But if you will say you deny it and will not assent unto it and that therefore the infants of beleevers ought not to be baptized Then I tell you you have your answer long agoe Christian Infants sayth Mr. Ainsworth * In his Censure upon the Anabaâ—tists Dia â—g pa. 70. lin 19. Have the grace they speakâ—â—f repentance faith regeneration c. Though not actually or by way of declaration to others yet they have through the worke of the Spirit the seed and beginning of faith virtually and by way of inclination so that they aâ—e not wholly destitute of faith regeneration c. though it be a thing hid and unknowne unto us after what manner the Lord worketh these in them Eâ—cles 11.5 Which Mr. Ainsworth doth further prove thus * In the same page lin 27. to page 71. If Infants naturally are some wayes capable of Adams sinne and so of unbeliefe disobedience transgression c. Then Christian Infants supernaturally and by grace are some wayes capable of Christs righteousnesse and so of faith obedience sanctification c. But Infants are capable of the former evills by Adam therefore they are capable of the later good things by Christ That they are capable â—f the former he proved in his treating of originall sinne from divers Scriptures as Psal 51. John 3. Rom. 5. c. The consequence to wit that infants are capable of the later good things by Christ he proveth thus * See his book page 71. lin 8. First Because the first Adam was a figure of the second Adam Christ So that as the sinne of the first Adam his fault disobedience and death for it came on all his Children both by imputation and infection or corruption of nature So the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ cometh on all his Children both by imputation and renewing of nature unto life and salvation as the Apostle compareth them Rom. 5.12.15 16 17 18 19.21 Secondly Because Infants being by Adam sinners Children of wrath c. mâ—st be borne againe of the Spirit or else they cannot see the kingdome of God Joh. 3.3.5 6. But the Christian Infants dying in infancie shall see the kingdome of God and not be damned as the Adversaries grant * The old Anabaptists doe graÌ„t that childreÌ„ dying in their infanciâ— shall see the Kingdom of God But some now that stand against the Baptisme of Infants say They are all in the state of damnation Others that withstand Infants Baptisme say They know not how to judge of them But I say by the Scripture Wee are to judge the infants of beleevers to be in the state of salvation â—nd those of them that die in their infancie are not damned but saved And as for other Infants even the infants of the wicked we have nothing to doe to judge them within but without Therefore by Christs doctrine they are borne againe of the Spirit and so must needs in some measure have repentance faith and holines without which there is no regeneration Againe That Infants have the faith and love of God in them And regeneration in their measure is thus proved They to whom God giveth the signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith and of regeneration they have faith and regeneration for God giveth no lying figne he sealeth no vaine or false Covenants But God gave to Infants Circumcision which was the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.12 Rom. 4.11 2.28 29. Colos 2.11 Therefore Infants had and consequently now have faith and regeneration though not in the crop of harvest by declaration yet in the bud and beginnings of all Christian graces They that deny this reason must either make God the Author of a lying signe and seale of the Covenant to Abraham and his Infants or they must hold that infants had those graces then but not now both which are wicked and absurd to affirme Or they must say that Circumcision was not the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and then they openly contradict thâ— Scripture Rom. 4.11 Moreover As the Apostle in Rom. 5. compareth our naturall estate in Adam and our spirituall estate in Christ so may
the ordinance of Circumcision and the right subjects thereof As all those doe who affirme that all the infants in the world from Adam to Abraham might have been circumcised if God had instituted Circumâ—ision then But this is to bring in the feed of Caine with the seed of Seth the infants of the idolatrous Heathens with the infants of Abraham and so to make a compounded mixture in the Lords Church which he alwayes laboured to keep from pollution by sequesterating them from the vile Furthermore You make answer to a position * Lin. 26. which is that God gaâ—e to infants Circumcision which was a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 And we know God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth a Covenant to any persons that are not therein Therefore infants are in the Covenant have faith and regeneration and so ought to be baptized now as well as circumcised then To this your answer is * Lin. 32. That it is true that God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are in the Covenant when they are not therein To which I reply That I like it well that you will now confesse this truth But it appeareth by your following words * Lin. 12 13 14. that you take for granted a thing which you have not proved as if God declared and made knowne unto Abraham that Ishmael was not in the Covenant before he was circumcised And you cite Gen. 17.18 19 20 21. Which Scripture maketh nothing for your purpose for if you will say God established his Covenant onely with Isaac and none other and all the rest were out of the Covenant then it will follow that the rest of Abrahams children which Abraham had by Keturah yea and the Proselytes and their children were out of the Covenant by your ground But you should consider that God in establishing his Covenant with Isaac and setting him out for a singular person did give Isaac the preheminence as Sem had above Japhet * Gen. 9.27 and Judah Jacobs fourth sonne over his eleven brethren * Gen. 49.8 9 10 11 12. And God establishing the Covenant with Isaac as the root did establish it unto all those who were of the true Religion as the branches but if any departed from Isaacs banner they deprived themselves of Isaacs blessing Now for as much as it was the minde of God that Ishmael should be circumcised * Master Spilsbery granteth that Ishmael and Esau were by God commanded to bee Circumcised as well as any of the rest of Abrahams seed Gen. 17.10.13 See his Treat of Bap. pag. 7. lin 3 4 5 So Iscariot and Magus were commanded to be baptized as well as Peter and Paul and that circumcision was the signs and seale of the righteousnesse of faith It confirmeth it that in the account of man he was then to be judged worthy of it even righteous and in Gods covenant for God is not by your owne confession the author of a lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are not in the Covenant when they are not therein Now this is in respect of visibilitie * And so Mr. Spilsbery further granteth That though such were rejected as were not elected this made not the promise of God of none effect to those who stood firme in the Covenant by grace in Christ Jesus as branches in their root pag. 17. lin 21 22. for Simon Magus had Baptisme the outward visible seale of the Covenant and yet we cannot say that he was ever in Gods secret account in the Covenant But secret things belong to God And till God declared unto Abraham that Ishmael was not in the Covenant though he promised to give Isaac never so many priviledges yet Abraham was not to judge Ishmael to be out of the Covenant any moâ—e then others of his houshold till God had directed him so to judge Againe I suppose that Ishmael being come to yeares of discretion it was sacriledge in him to usurp the ordinance and a sinne in Abraham to impose the same upon him except he were in the Covenant so farre as men were to judge of which Covenant this by your own confession was no lying signe Now though Infants were not capable to resist or refuse to be circumcised yet those of elder yeares could and Ishmael was thirteen yeares of age when he was circumcised Therefore Ishmael submitting according as he and the rest of Abrahams familie were taught who were at yeares of discretion was to be esteemed to be in the Covenant Moreover That the children who were â—ircumcised according to Gods appointment were visibly in the Covenant before they were circumcised is apparent by Gen. 17. ver 14. God sayth The uncircumcised man childe whose flesh of his fâ—re-skin is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Which doth plainly argue that he was in the Covenant before else how could he breake that which he never had And Abrahams children then could not be sayd to be rent out of the Covenant which they were never in or rent froÌ„ a people who were never theirs but we may rather conclude that as Gods covenant was their covenant Gods people their people so God was their God as he had testified himselfe to be * And also I will be their God That is sayth Mr. Spilsbery their God whom they shall beleeve and obey upon whom they shall depend for the performance of all that I have promised unto them by which faith and obedience they shall acknowledge me to be their God See Spils Treat Bap. pag. 12. before they were circumcised circumcision was added as a signe for sealing or confirming of the same thing signified thereby But wheras God himself calleth circumcision his Covenant a Gen. 17.10 meaning expresly a signe of it b Ver. 11. and Paul calleth it a seale of the righteousnes of faith c Rom. 4.11 you say It was not by God ordained nor by Abraham understood to be to the persons circumcised a seale of their being in Covenant and much lesse of their being in the faith or regenerated * See A. R. Pag 21. l. 37 38 39. so by this it seemeth that you would make the words of Paul and of God himselfe to be false for you openly contradict them both as also that which you granted before namely that God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are in the Covenant when they are not therein Next you say that Gen. 17.11 and Rom. 4.11 See A. R. must be understood * Pag. 22. that the circumcision which Abraham received both upon himselfe and seed was to him and them a signe and seale that righteousnesse should be not by the law or circumcision in the flesh but by the faith which Abraham had when he was yet uncircumcised That he should be the father of
their seed in their infancie to have such dignitie by vertue of Gods covenant to be circumcised The Gospel of Christ being every jot as glorious as it hath been is also as effectuall and powerfull now to dignifie beleevers and their infants with the ordinance of Baptisme and that by vertue of Gods covenant unto which is annexed Christs institution which is very generall yea more generall then circumcision was of old And surely if the infants of beleevers had that power as to become the children of God in their infancie fellow heires with the Saints in light as Isaac was and all those like him were and to be coe-heires with Jesus Christ of the everlasting inheritance kingdome and glory and that before Christs resurrection Then the infants of beleevers borne after Christs resurrection have the like priviledges But the first is true from the grounds before layd from their right to the covenant their being in the covenant c. and the unchangeablenesse of the Angel of the covenant Therefore the latter that holy infants are still in the covenant is true also And this hath been sufficiently proved before Touching your Exhortation how wee should bewaile the great Apâ—stacie c. I say as the Saints of old did bewaile the great Apostacie of the Israelites both in faith and worship Isa 2.6 who were replenished from the East and were south-sayers like the Philistians and pleased themselves in the children of strangers So wee ought to bewaile this Apostacie of these now Wee have cause to bewaile their ignorance who pretend holinesse to God and make a verball profession drawing neer unto God with their mouthes like the Apostate Israelites when their hearts are far from him pleading for the baptizing of those Infants whose parents are neither of them beleevers causing the holy signe to be administred upon their infants in that idolatrous estate in the partaking whereof they have no right any more then the seed of those Apostates of the Israelites had right to circumcision in former time But yet though the Infants were circumcised in that Idolatrous estate the Prophets worke was to call them to repentance and if they returned the manner of their circumcision being repented of it was as effectuall unto them as if they had received it in an excellent and holy manner So those who are baptized in their infancie in the state of Apostacie at their conversion are not to be baptized againe but to repent of the evill of the manner and not cast away Gods holy institution but still retaine it and make a holy use of it yet they ought not to Idolize it by preferring it before that which is greater Though the Temple Rev. 2.1 2. and the Altar and the worshippers were to be measured yet the Court without was to be cast out and not to be measured because it was given to the Gentiles Againe Whereas you speak of the abrogation of the state of the Jewes I say This hath been answered fully before you should still minde that Jesus Christ came not to undermine or overthrow his kingdome though it was taken out of the hands of the unbeleeving Jewes and given unto another people whom Christ testified would bring forth fruits of it Againe Whereas you speak of the casting off of Israel according to the flesh I answer That none were cast off meerly because they were Israelites according to the flesh and though some were cut off yet others remained on and in that state where the Gentiles by faith were planted and placed as some of the Jewes through unbeliefe were cut off supplanted and displaced So the Ap stle Paul sayth the Jewes some of them not all of them were cut off because of unbeliefe and the beleeving Gentiles grafted in their stead As for those that beleeved their priviledges and prerogatives were still as great and as large both to them and their seed as they were before And the like may be sayd concerning the Proselytes And so your other question is resolved concerning the bringing in of us Gentiles and our seed as acceptable on Gods Altar And whereas you question againe A. R. Whether the parents Jew and Gentile must needs be borne againe of the Spirit and onely by faith become the seed of Abraham and heires according to promise Gal. 3.7.29 Rom. 4.11 12. And shall their children become the same seed by nature I answer The birth of the Spirit is very necessary both to young and old without which they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven And I would have you to know that I plead not that the children of the faithfull become heires of the promise by nature but by the free grace of God which passeth all understanding which is as sufficient for beleevers and their children now as formerly And these interrogations of yours are answered at large you having mentioned the same things before Againe You say A. R. Pag. 30. lin 2. to lin 10. Neither can any shew any one such promise to any beleever in all the whole world and his seed as was and is to Abraham and his seed who is therefore the father of us all to wit of all beleevers and onely of beleevers Jew and Gentile father and childe c. Rom. 4.16 and therefore it is faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed but the promise is sure onely to beleevers Therefore beleevers onely are the seed of Abraham to whom the promise and ordinance of the new Testament doe properly appertaine To which I answer That this hath been answered before already It hath been proved sufficiently that the same covenant which was made with Abraham and his seed is made to beleevers and their seed it being a perpetuall covenant the heires of it are perpetuall heires even such to whom the promises doe appertaine as well as unto their deare brethren of old who are departed in the same faith and this heavenly order the old Law which was given at Mount Sinai could not disanull And I hope there is no reasonable man but will condescend unto this that all those who were to receive the signe and sâ—ale of the righteousnesse of faith were visibly holy and faithfull but the Infants of beleevers were by Gods appointment to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith therefore the Infants of beleevers were then as they are now visibly holy and faithfull And Christian Infants are as capable every way of the seale now as the Infants of the Jewes Gods holy ones were capable of the seale in former time Therefore the Baptisme of the New Testament doth properly appertaine unto such and therefore the administration of Baptisme upon them doth not overthrow the least part of the Gospel of Christ or any thing of his much lesse the whole as you in your following words most falsly speake and therefore the minor of your following argument being so small that there is no
the Lord imputeth righteousnes unto them without workes * Rom. 4.6 as hath been proved before * See pag. 3.4.6 to pag. 14. See pag. 15 16 17. Wherefore wee may safely conclude that all those infants which were then in these families or any other if they were the infants of one or both beleeving parents the application of the Gospel belonged unto them and therefore the Apostles in preaching life and salvation and applying the promises unto the parents did also apply the promises unto their infants according to the practise of God himselfe who did not visibly seperate between the beleeving parents and their infants but graciously accepted of them in his Covenant And when he preached the Gospel to the parents never did exclude but ever did include their infants with them And to the intent that all bâ—leeving parents might be incouraged to trust in him and relie upon him for the accomplishment of his gracious promises which he made unto them and their Infants The holy and blessed God repeated the same divers times yea and sundry times at one and the same instant as in Gen. 17. I will sayth God to Abraham make my Covenant between me and thee and thou shalt be a father of a multitude of Nations c * Gen. 17.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. See also ver 19.21 And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee and againe he sayth I will be their God Note here how often in this one place and at this one time he repeateth his Covenant hereby to take away all doubts and suspicious objections which might happen through Sathans temptations to arise in the hearts of any of his pâ—ople against the large extent and sufficiency of the same Covenant he bindeth it up with weighty words and sentences of great consequence yea and for further confirmation of his peoples faith in beleeving the firmenesse of his promises and the largenesse of his Covenant he annexed a visible signe and seale thereof to the intent that they might not forget his Covenant And as beleeving Gentiles and their infants were taken into Covenant with God then so they were to submit unto his ordinances amongst which this same Circumcision the signe of his Covenant * Gen. 17.11 and seale of the righteousnesse of faith * Rom. 4.11 was one which was given unto them to observe throughout their generations for this see Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. And in Exod. 12.48 49. The Lord there declareth unto his people Israel saying And when a stranger shall sojourne with thee and will keep the Passeover to the Lord let all his males be circumâ—ised and then let him come neer and keep it and he shall be as one that is borne in the Land for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof One law shall be to him that is home-borne and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you By this wee may see that the Proselytes and their seed had equall precious priviledges with the Jewes and their seed And so the Jewes infants and the infants of beleeving Gentiles then were not as those who were without God in the world but were joynt-heires of the same precious promises they had visible right by vertue of the Covenant to all the ordinances of God then present or now to come and were to be partakers thereof as they had capabilitie to receive the same even according to the requiring of the Scripture There is much then to be considered in this that the infants of beleevers were admitted to be members of the visible Church and to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith together with other priviledges before Christ was manifested in the flesh for Jesus Christ came not to take any priviledges from them but gave them as great if not greater in stead thereof Let us not thinke that he came into the world to take from them the types and to bereave them both of substances and types But rather let us conclude that for as much as the Sonne of God whose delight was with the sonnes of men * Prov. 8.31 before he was made the sonne of man is wisdome and truth it selfe he came not to deceive the least members of his beloved Spouse of the least happines or blâ—ssednesse which they formerly by right recâ—ived and enjoyed from him Now it was a blessednessâ— unto Gods peop e for the Lord to gave unto them outward visible signes for the confirmation of their faith But Circumcision of Infants was an outward visible sigâ—e given unâ—o his people from God for the confiâ—mation â—f their faith * Gâ—n â—7 11 Râ—m â— 11 Therefore it was a blessednessâ— unto them to enjoy it amongst other blessings and blessed priviledges It beâ—ng then a blessâ—dnes for the infants of beleevers to be admitted mâ—mbers of Gods visible Church and so to have by vertue of his Covenant a visible right to all Gods ordinances and to partake of them according as they were capable I mean in respect of a naturall capabilitie if the same privilâ—dges are not granted by God to the gâ—neratioâ— of the faithfull now it seemeth that God unloadeth his people of the blessings which he hath formerly bestowed upon them which to affirme is contrary to the Scripture Psal 68.19 where David speaking of the gifts which Christ should give unto the Râ—belliâ—us sayth Bl ssed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with blâ—ssings even the God of our salvation Selah Seeing then that it was such a blessâ—dnessâ— for the beleeving parents to have their infants in Gods Covenant with themselves and to receive the signe thereof for confirmation of their faith and seeing that God daily loadeth his people with blâ—ssings then surely it cannot reasonably be imagined that God hath unloaded his people of these excellent blessings for as much as he is alwayes one and the same Seeing then that beleeving Jewes and Gentiles and their infants joyntly had this blessednes they have the same blessednes now their priviledges are not lessened by the comming of Christ for he came not for any such intent and purpose but he came to confirm the promises made with the fathers therefore was Jesus Christ a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God and so to confirme the promises made with the fathers * Rom. 15.8 9 10 11 12. by fuâ—filling them So all the promises in him are yea and Amen And this was done also that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mâ—rciâ— as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among thâ— Gentiles and â—â—ng unto thy Name And again he sayth Rejoyce yeâ— Gâ—â—tiles with his people And againe Praise Jehovah all yee Gentiles Laud him all yee pâ—â—ple for his mercy is mightie towards us and the faithfulnâ—sse of Jehovaâ— eâ—â—ureth for ever Psal 117. And againe
outward Baptisme therefore by consequence he was visibly in the Covenant even outwardly and externally He was an elected Saint so far as men could or were to judg then at that present time though his heart was not upright in the sight of God and therefore he was not of Gods Kingdome nor in the new Covenant in Gods secret account nor regenerated no more then Judas Iscariot though the Apostles themselves esteemed never so highly of him But the Infants of beleevers are visibly in the Covenant And wee are to judge all that are in the Covenant visibly to be elected regenerated sanctified heires of righteousnesse children of God and of his heavenly Kingdome till they appeare unto us either by some visible demonstration of their owne or evident manifestation of others or testification of Gods not to be that which before wee were to judge them to be O minde this well that Secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deut. 29.29 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever Secondly say you * Pag. 5. lin 9. to lin 19. Contradictions cannot be the effect of one and the selfe-same Covenant in one and the selfe-same respect but for one parent to be a beleever that is of the Church when the other parent is not to produce a holy seed that is in the Covenant 1 Cor. 7.14 And for the other parents to be one a Jew and the other a Babylonian the one a member of the Church the other not to produce an unholy seed that is out of the Covenant and to be put away both wife and all borne by her as Ezra 10.3 you say is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect Therefore it cannot be the effect of one and the selfe-same Covenant Ans That is a contradiction which is opposed to a contrary thing as light is to darknesse And that is an effect which floweth from a Cause or ground The ground why God gave Abraham the signe and seale of his righteousnesse was Abrahams faith in beleeving Gods Covenant For Abraham had first the Covenant and faith to lay hold upon it and afterward the seale thereof The ground why Abraham did administer Circumcision Gods holy signe and seale of the righteousnesse of his faith was faith in beleeving the firmenesse of Gods promise Rom. 4.11 and the effectuall power and efficacie of the Ordinance of Circumcision which Circumcision had the denomination of the Covenant it self * Gen. 17.10 because it was a signe thereof * Ver. 11. I say Abrahams action of Circumcision was done in faith otherwise it had been sinne unto him * Rom. 14.23 But he added unto his faith this vertue this effect of the New covenant to yeeld obedience unto God in performance of this holy Ordinance upon his infants according to Gods appointment Baptisme being come in the roome of Circumcision though it be more generall yet it hath an equivolence with Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. Wherefore it being not contradictory thereunto but sealing up one and the same Covenant of life As Circumcision was to be administred upon the infants of beleevers in former time so Baptime is to be administred upon the infants of beleevers now Now though every contradiction argueth a difference yet every difference maketh not a contradiction But to restraine or lessen the priviledges of the Saints under the Gospel is not onely to make one Covenant contradictory to another but also the New covenant contradictory to it selfe which is not of a fading nature but of a flourishing nature and hath flourished and doth flourish more under the Gospel then it did under the Law Wherefore if you doe conceive that 1 Cor. 7.14 is of a lesser extent then Ezra 10.3 you are mistaken but if you will say 1 Cor. 7.14 is of a larger extent Wherefore have you brought Ezra 10.3 to unfold it Except it be to prove forcibly hereby against your selfe how that all beleevers infants generally of what Nation soever have greater priviledges now since Christs death then they have had heretofore As for the second part of your Argument considering that it wanteth explanation one way and proofe another way it will not stand you in any stead to prove what you would have it prove to wit that the holinesse spoken of 1 Cor. 7.14 is not a holinesse in relation to any Church-Covenant Indeed if you had set it downe thus That for one parent to be a beleever and the other an unbeleever to produce a holy seed in covenant and the same parents remaining in the same estate without alteration to bring forth an unholy seed and out of the Covenant is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect Or thus For one parent to be a beleever and another parent to be an unbeleever to produce a holy seed And for the like parents in the same respects to produce an unholy seed is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect If you had reasoned thus and so proved it then you had done somewhat like to your undertakings but in speaking generally of parents in covenant and out of covenant without noting in particular the difference that was between these sanctified unbeleeving wives mentioned in 1 Cor. 7.14 and those unbeleeving wives mentioned in Ezra 10.3 who were not then sanctified to beleevers for that purpose you even loose your selfe But you say it is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respects and have not explaned nor declared what it is a contradiction of whether of the New covenant or of the old covenant or of both covenants Therefore declare plainly what covenant you thinke this divorcement in Ezra to be an effect of Was it an effect of the New covenant or of the old you may know that neither covenants did allow them to marry those cursed persons You ought also to minde that one Israelite might be divorced from another Israelite in the time of the Law and this precept was granted and written them by Moses Deut. 24.1 for the hardnes of their hearts Mat. 10.5 But this in Ezra 10. was not a bare grant but an absolute command not barely permitted or granted unto them for the hardnesse of their hearts there is more in it then so For those wicked persons in whom they formerly took delight they were forceably to put away it was not left to their libertie whether they would put them away or no but it was an injunction layd upon them under penaltie of Gods curse for they perceived Gods heavie wrath was hanging over their heads ready to seaze upon them unlesse there were some speedy redresse And it evidently appeareth that you have not well read or considered the Scripture for if you had you would soone have seen a great and weightie reason pressing these sonnes of God to put away these daughters of men and those unholy children borne of them for they in uniting themselvs thus unto them had made thēselves
But they were all baptized sayth Paul therefore I conclude that seeing they had the Administration it was not without an Administrator Ob. 3. Did they want the Element Ans They had water enough in the cloud and if that had been too little there was more in the sea and if the Angel of Gods presence their present companion had seen it good they should have been dipped and should have had as great a quantitie of the Element in Baptisme as the Aegyptians had without it Ob. 4. Did they want subjects Ans They were the subjects themselves and right subjects wee may say for they were such who were in Gods covenant of which Circumcision the seale * Rom. 4.11 of the righteousnesse of faith was a signe * Gen. 17.11 This being rightly minded it may refute your former opinion to wit that the Baptisme of infants cannot be of God but of man a vaine and lying tradition * Pag. 7. lin 18. 19. 22. thrust upon the world under colour foysted in like Antichristian devices Now sure if it were not of God but of man you will tell us what man invented it Seeing you have presumed to be so bold to goe thus far I pray you if you can goe a little further and tell us who invented it you cited divers humane Authors * Pag. 7.8 9. which were since Christ but sure they were not the inventers thereof for heer you may see it was administred long before they were borne many hundreds of yeares and so your new account commeth too short to prove the Baptisme of infants to be invented since Christ for as much as this of Moses undermineth that your sandie conception Who invented it then I pray you tell me for sure you can tell at least you thinke so otherwise you would not have termed it as you doe Moses did not invent it he was faithfull over his Masters house as a servant bringing nothing into the worship and service of God but what was appointed by God neither would he or God suffer such a thing to be acted and to goe unreproved except it were according to Gods appointment Neither would the Apostle have called it Baptisme as he doth in 1 Cor. 10.1 2. had it been an invention of man and not an institution or an action of Gods But you your selfe have granted it to be a priviledge unto them then sure you must by this confesse it was no invention of man but the Lords doings though it be marvellous in your eyes and therefore seeing that the children of Israel in the cloud and in the sea had baptisme conferred upon them by divine right it was not a humane invention nor diabolicall institution according to your former affirmation but an Evangelicall Administration Next you take upon you to give the sense of the place but you varie from it you tell us that no enjoyning of any outward priviledge as Baptisme or the Lords Supper will now save us without true faith accompanied with obedience and I tell you that I also affirme the same But when you should declare that our Baptisme cannot save us without faith no more then their Baptisme could save them you varie from the poynt in particular and speake in generall of their many outward priviledges and when you come to particulars you mind their bringing through the sea for one their defence and guidance in the Wildernesse by the cloud for another but you omit their Baptisme the maine thing which you should keepe to at this time and so you run on and would turne Pauls particular testimonie into a generall whereas Paul doth speake in particular and telleth us that they were baptized And at length you come to Peter and take upon you to tell us the manner of his speech how he compareth the Baptisme of the Arke with the Baptisme now and sayth the like figure Baptisme doth now also save us and so you tell us that these being onely figures and allusions can prove nothing to the poynt in hand Thus now you have cast off both the Baptismes of the New and Old Testament for the Apostle Peter speaketh of the Baptisme of Noah and of the Baptisme now and sayth this is a like figure to that and you tell us they are figures and allusions but I thinke you mean delusions for you say they serve not at all to prove the poynt in hand But as for this Answer of yours it is one and the same with that in the Anabaptists Dialog For there they tell us 1. That Moses did not at all wash them with water in the cloud and sea 2. That this of Moses is called Baptisme by comparison as Noahs Arke is called the figure of the Baptisme that saveth us for as the Arke saved those in it from drowning so the Israelites were all under the cloud and in the sea and therein baptized or safegarded from destruction of their enemies 3. That it pleased the Holy Ghost to say they were baptized in the sea and cloud because the sea and cloud was their safetie as Noahs Arke was And as Christ sayth they are baptized that suffer for his sake So there is as much warrant to enjoyne Infants to suffer persecution because it is called Baptisme as to baptisme them because the cloud and sea is called Baptisme To this Mr. Ainsworth sayth * In his booke called A censure upon the Anabaptists Dialog pa. 99. Let them consider Exod. 14.24.25 compared with Psal 77.16 17. c. And they may see there was water enough in the cloud and they will not say I thinke that there was no water in the sea All outward baptizing or washing must be with water or some other liquor If they were not baptized with water what other liquor were they baptized in Not with bloud as in the baptisme of suffering death for Christs sake which they impertinently mention Not with wine or strong drinke for they found none such in the Wildernesse If they can shew nothing but water to baptize them in lâ—t them deny no more for shame that they were baptized with water God spake to our fathers by the Prophets at sundry times or in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sundry parts as it were by peice-meale as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 1.1 By Moses he shewed how the cloud removed from before Israel and stood behinde them as they passed through the Sea and gave them light but was darknesse to the Aegyptians and from the fiery cloudy pillar the Lord looking troubled the Aegyptians and took off their Chariot wheeles that they drave them heavily Exod. 14.19 20.24 25. This being briefly and obscurely told by Moses God after by Asaph another Prophet sheweth the manner of it how not onely the waters of the Sea saw the Lord when they fled and parted but the clouds also from above powred out water when they rained the skies sent out a sound by thunder c. Thus the ground being softned with the raine occasioned
Iscariot and Simon Magus But you should rather have questioned thus according to truth how can the promise be sure to all the seed if beleevers infants be not in the promise And surely wee are not to argue so perversly and foolishly that because some beleevers children are not saved since they rent themselves out of the promise that therefore no beleevers children oâ— that their infants are not in the state of salvation and that the promise appertaineth not unto them for this will not stand with true sense or reason nor with the Apostles Testimonie when he sayth Rom. 3.1 2 3. That the Jewes advantage was much every manner of way and that the unbeliefe of some did not make the faith of God without effect So that the Apostle himselfe answereth your objection for the promise is still suâ—e unto all that abide in Gods Covenant And seeing the infants of beleeving parents doe abide in Gods covenant they are part of all the holy seed and therefore it evidently appeareth that the promise appertaineth unto them as hath been proved before and this doth as really appertaine unto them as to those who professe faith and those that deny this doe in a manner make the faith of God of none effect and so make the Author thereof a lyar But let such despisers of the children of promise wonder and perish without the promise rather then that the Infants which God hath given to beleeving parents should not be counted for the seed within the promise But next you say Now then if the promise be sure unto all the seed unto whom it is made A. R. and all beleevers and onely all beleevers the promise is sure to Then all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the seed unto whom the promise is made and then none of Abrahams own naturall seed nor the naturall seed of any other in the world are to be accounted the seed unto whom the promise and covenant is made untill they beleeve Rom. 9.7 8. Rom. 4.13 14 Gal. 3 7.9 Ans It is a sure truth that the promise is sure to all the seed to whom it is made and it is made to the faithfull and their seed that doe not degenerate from their steps But their Infants cannot justly be said to degenerate from the steps of their holy parents who continue in their righteousnesse Therefore they are holy and in the Covenant and are the children of Abraham And seeing you have granted that all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the seed uâ—to whom the promise is made then all those to whom the promise is made are the seed and so are beleevers but the promise was made unto Abrahams infants as well as to others God said unto Abraham that he would be theâ—r God and for confirmation of his Covenant he ordained that the infants should have the signe of his covenant Gen. 17. the seale of the righteousnesse of his faith in their infancie And the like may be sayd concerning the Proselytes and their infants for God was a God unto them all both male and female bond and free And the like may be sayd now concerning beleevers and their infants for Christs love is not lessened since he manifested himselfe in the flesh He is the same as he was and will be the same as he is in this respect and therefore seeing wee have not one tittle of Scripture for debarring our infants of the priviledges which formerly appertained to the infants of the faithfull wee ought not so to shut up the kingdom of heaven against them but ought to beleeve that the blessing of Abraham belongeth to them as well as to the infants of old for it is a sure truth that the promise is sure unto them and therefore the seale of the promise must be imposed upon them Now whereas you say that none are to be accounted the seed till they doe beleeve If by beliefe you mean beliefe by manifestation actually in their own persons What is this but an arguing against Isaac in his infancie and a shutting him out in your conceptions from being then a childe of promise and a shutting out of others also who were as holy as he yet could not manifest faith actually in their own persons no more then he could in his infancie And so if you mean that none are the seed untill they do professe faith as it appeareth you do is not this to make voyd the promise of God in shutting out all Abrahams infants and the infants of all other beleevers and thus through their sides to strike at Christ who was once an infant like them Now the thing which you should mind but doe not is that the Covenant was established with Abraham and his seed everlastingly with his infants as well as others And as wee may say concerning Abraham and his infants so wee may say concerning the Proselytes and their infants and the like may be sayd for beleevers and their infants now whom you can never prove to be out of Covenant till they appear to be seeds and then do your best but so long as they are not degenerated but remaine the seed they are to be accounted holy and within the promises and covenant of the Gospel And as for the holy infants I know not how they can be charged with unbeliefe or disobedience against any of Gods Commandements any more then their holy parents to whom the Lord hath testified saying that he sheweth mercy to thousands of generations of those that love him and keepe his Commandements Next you say A. R. Pag. 19. lin 21. This then being a most evident truth it may in no wise be granted that the covenant is made with all beleevers as with Abraham or that the promise is made unto all these as unto Abraham or that all these are fathers as Abraham for all these are the seed and the only seed and children of Abraham And those to whom the covenant and promises doe onely belong under the tearme seed Ans These your words doe imply that Abraham was not any part of the seed and that the covenant was not made unto him as he was a beleever but meerly as he was a father But when God made his Covenant with him He did not say I will be thy God meerly as thou art a father and the God of thy seed meerly as they are thy seed and of thy seeds-seed meerly as they are thy seeds-seed but he testifieth that he will be the God of him and them though he and they should increase to many persons yet he would be a God unto them all as he was a God unto him God was a God unto Isaac and he was a God unto Abraham and he could be no more unto him What could Abraham have more then God a greater reward he could not have then the reward that exceeded all rewards Now God hath covenanted with his people that he will be their God and therefore it appeareth that the covenant is
Covenant no more then the infants of Abraham to whom the Lord spake saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed c. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations e Gen. 17.10 By all this it appeareth that wee have no ground to deny that the Scripture speaketh of their children in Covenant neither are we to dreame that the promise appertaineth to all sorts or is visibly made equally to visible beleevers and visible unbeleevers also for though in Gods secret account visible unbeleevers may be accounted as visible beleevers are and have the promise reserved for them by God in the secret intention and unalterable resolution of his sacred Majestie who will afterward manifest it visibly to appertaine unto them in his appointed time yet these unbeleevers the mean while in our account and in their own account are not to be esteemed heires of the promise or elect vessels of mercy so long as they are not in the Covenant for none are to be esteemed as the children of life but those that are visibly in Jesus Christ for whose sake life is promised to those that choose life and also to their seed f Deut. 29.2 Secondly you say If they were in the Covenant Pag. 3. line 6. by having this promise made to them then were they of the new Covenant and Church of the Gospel for there were no other people to be accounted in Covenant with God save those which be of this Church but those were not of this Church but they were afterwards added thereunto as appeares ver 41. and therefore were not of it before and consequently notwithstanding the promise being so to them and their children yet neither they nor their children were of the Covenant nor Church untill they did beleeve although they were Jewes and so the children of faithfull Abraham Ans Here I think you are mistaken for you would inferre that these were not in the new Covenant before they were baptized and added to the particular Church but then by the same rule wee may think thâ—t the Apostles baptized and admitted into Church-fellowship 〈…〉 those who were out of the new Covenant and that those Converts mentioned in Act. 2.39 were out of the new Covenant when they haâ— gladly received the Word for as touching their Baptisme and audition to the Church the Scripture denoteth the same as distinct from the rest which went before But you should know 〈…〉 that none ought to be baptized before they are in Covenant with God Wherefore if these aforesaid were not in Covenant with God before they were baptized and added as aforesaid then they were first added and were afterward baptized and afterward entered into Covenant with God which disorderly proceeding is not according to the Rule of Jesus Christ. 〈…〉 Moreover If it be admitted that persons must be first added to the particular Church before they are to be baptized which thing I dare not affirme But suppose it were so yet I say it cannot be proved that persons are not in the new Covenant till they are joyned to the particular Church for all those that are out of the new Covenant are not fit matter for it But that these Converts mentioned in Act. 2. were in the new Covenant before they were baptizâ—d is apparent by their conversion and repentance and that the blessed promise of God in the free pardon of their sinnes was rightly applyed unto them and their seed and this is the new Covenant That God will be our God See Gen. 17.7 Rev. 21.3 and wee shall be his people and that he will be mercifull unto us in forgiving us all our iniquities c. Heb. 8.10 11 12. And so David sayth O blâ—ssâ—d is he whose transgrâ—ssion is pardoned and whose sinne is covered O blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne * Psal 32.1 2. And Paul explaineth it to be a Righteousnesse imputed without workes Rom. 4.6 And that this righteousnes of faith is visibly imputed to the infants of beleevers as hath been heretofore is cleare from Act. 2.39 compared with other Scriptures and therefore I conclude they are beleevers imputatively and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized Now that persons are in the promise or new Covenant visibly before they have faith I suppose no well informed Christian will affirme But to say that true visible beleevers though unbaptized are not in the new Covenant till they be baptized and added as before specified it sheweth a great deale of ignorance at the best in him that so affirmeth NExt you say Their second Argument is from those places which speakâ— of baptizing whole housholds To which I answer It is certaine that divers places of Scripture speake of baptizing whole housholds And it would argue weaknes and presumption in us to affirme that there were no infants in those familiâ—s except wee could prove the same which if there were none it maketh nothing against the baptizing of infants I hope we are not ignorant at least wee are admonished not to be ignorant that God baptized the children of Israel in the Sea 1 Cor. 10 1 2. in which act he really declared who are the right subjects of Baptisme namely Beleeving parents and their infants with them Jewes and Prosolytes such as were the right subjects of Circumcision * Gen. 7.9.14 Exod. 12.48 49. And if wee doe discreetly weigh the great and generall Commission of Jesus Christ given when he ascended upon high it will give great light to this point for it declareth that all Nations were commanded to be made Disciples and those that were made Disciples of Christ he commanded to be baptized so soone as it appeared that the Application of the Gospel appertained unto them Goe sayth Christ teach all Nations baptizing them c * Mat. 28.18 Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and he that beleeveth not shall be damned * Mar. 16.15 16. Now I hope you will not denie infants to be part of the Nations or to be part of the number of Creatures spoken of here for whom an immortall state is prepared for it is a sure truth that they are reasonable creatures and comprehended in these words Every Creature Consider then how that the purest infants of the holiest parents are by nature the children of wrath Conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie and have Originall sinne cleaving unto them till their change come I mean till the time of their death or dissolution and are by nature enemies against God so deeply stained with sinne that nothing in the world is effectuall to clense them therefrom * Psal 49 7 8 9. but the crimson bloud of their crucified Saviour naturall corruption from their conception Rev. 1.5 is inherent in them and cannot be subdued but by the
this see his treatise of bapt p. 11. and having their spirituall priviledges as they have had heretofore Consider throughly the words of Peter how at the very preaching the Gospel of Repentance to the parents in the application thereof he did not barre out but expresly mentioneth their children and if wee doe but seriously weigh the Text and compare it with other places of Scripture which set forth the blessednes of the children with the parents we may well conceive that it is meant of holy infants as hath been formerly observed And as I plead for none to be baptized before they doe beleeve so I plead for none to have the Gospel applyed unto them before they have faith by imputation and that is to be judged by some visible rule out of Gods Word But the infants of beleevers have faith by imputatioÌ„ as is proved before therefore in this consideration they are beleevers holy and spirituall a 1 Cor. 7.14 and therefore the Gospel may be lawfully applyed unto them b Mar. 10 13 16. Mat. 19.13 14 15. Luk. 18.15 16 17 See Luk. 1.76 and What letteth water that these may not be baptized which have received the holy Spirit as well as wee c Acts 10.47 As for actuall profession or verball demonstration of faith God hath not required the children of beleevers to performe in their owne persons in the time of their infancie which thing though they are not able to doe yet they are in the faith of Christ and shall certainly be saved though they die in their infancie for God will be no more wanting unto them then to their parents d Isa 22.24 Heb. 13.8 It is to be minded that God baptizing e 1 Cor. 10.1 2 many families f Ex. 12.21.37.41 Ps 77.17 19 20 did not exempt such children from the parents but baptized those persons that passed through the Sea both men women and children young and old And so in the middest of their afflictions by this Oracle gave these faithfull g Heb. 11.29 persons a glimpse of that which should be in the dayes of the Messias where one element and passive ordinance should be generall for all his precious Saints both young and old So the Apostles baptizing many families did not omit their infants neither can wee finde in all the New Testament that ever the infants of the faithfull are exempted in expresse words nor can it be gathered by necessary consequence The Apostle Peter maketh the Baptisme in the Arke equivolent with our Baptisme now a 1 Pet 3.20 21. And Paul declared that he would not have the beleeving Corinthians ignorant * 1 Cor. 10.1 2 that God baptized his Church then which consisted of many families in which there were many infants who were the approoved subjects of Circumcision b Exod. 12.48 Jos 5.2 5 7. and of that Baptisme then And therfore Baptisme now being a generall ordinance yea and alwayes more generall in the administration then Circumcision ever was yea and it being given to all the visible members of Christs body c Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.16 amongst whom the infants of beleeving parents are no small number d Zach. 8.5 Luke 18.15 16 17. Isa 22.24 they ought to be baptized both male and female thereby to set forth the excellent benefits which they have by Christ A. R. A Third argument of theirs say you is from 1 Cor. 7.14 where it is said Else were your Children uncleane but now are they holy Pag. 3. l. 39 to pag. 4. l. 3. Whence you say they thus reason If the Children of beleeving parents be holy that is to say in the new Covenant then they may have the seales of the Covenant and be baptized To which I adde this argument both for explanation and confirmation of the former All those persons whom wee ought to judge to have the invisible Seale even the holy Spirit of promise Eph. 1.13 ought to be esteemed spiritually holy and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized * Act. 10.47 Mat. 28.18 19 Mar. 16.15 16 Act. 10.47 But the infants of one or both beleeving parents ought to be esteemed to have the invisible Seale even the holy Spirit of promise * 1 Cor. 7.13 14. Exod. 12.48 Luke 18.15 16 17. John 3.5 A. R. 1 Cor. 7.13 14. Therefore the infants of one or both beleeving parents ought to be judged spiritually holy and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized Your Reasons that they are not in the new Covenant are * Pag. 4. l. 22 23. Pag 4 l. 3 4 5. to l. 13. First Because there is now but one Covenant on foot which is a covenant of grace and salvation Secondly Because there is but one manner of entering and being in that Covenant Thirdly That there is but one holinesse now acceptable with God which is inward spirituall c. To which I answer that the like you may say of the members of the visible Church which doe actually and verbally professe faith As if you should say thus unto them There is but one new Covenant now on foot therefore you beleevers are not in it This reason is threed-bare Secondly There is but one manner of entering and being in that Covenant therefore you are not of that Covenant This is as poor as the other Thirdly Because there is no holinesse accepted with God but that which is inward spirituall and in truth c. Therefore you beleevers are not in the new Covenant nor ought to be baptized Is not this mad kind of reasoning But to performe that which you promised you should have proved that the infants of beleevers are not spiritually holy nor never did or can enter in the new covenant and then I would have said you had done somewhat like to that you tooke upon you to doe but instead of taking awaâ—â—he position that infants are holy and in the new covenant you tell us that there is but one covenant the manner of entering into it and abiding in it but one the holinesse now acceptable with God to be but one To which I further answer that though a person be not holy internally nor under the new covenant in Gods secret acount yet in our acount he is to be esteemed to be in the new covenant An hypocrite may make a glorious shew yea and seeme in outward acts of obedience to goe further then a true Saint 1 Cor. 13. He may give his goods to the poore and his body to be burned and yet want love Ob. But peradventure you will aske how then we must judge of an hypocrite An. Surely as the faithfull Disciples of Christ judged of Judas Judas had a Saint-ship an Apostle-ship and a Deacon-ship *** Mat. 10.1 2 4 16. Matk 3.14.19 6.7 12 13. Luke 9.1.10 Iohn 12.4.5 6 13.29 Symon Magus also had an outward Saint-ship * Act. 8.12.13 upon him An hypocrite or saint outwardly I
say must be judged to be as a true Saint is till he be discovered to us for though God know the heart yet wee doe not though he see invisibly we cannot We must judge of invisible things by visible demonstrations Some men may creep in and make a faire shew outwardly for a while yea and a great while and yet be hypocrites but tell they are discovered to be evill what man can poynt them out and say from his own knowledge that they are not under the new covenant A persoÌ„ that offers to joyn himself to a particular Church of Christ and not only by his verball confession but by his life and conversation apeareth unto them to be an out-side Christian they knowing nothing by him but good if they refuse him it is their sinne though all which he doth outwardly is fained A humane creature though he have the wisdom knowledg of Angels yet can he not know what is in man none I say knoweth this but only the man Christ wherefore it is apparent that though none are by us to be esteemed spiritually holy but those that are outwardly in the same new covenant in which the visible Church is yet all the members therein ought so to be estemed till they are seen to degenerate And moreover I would have you to know that God doth not only accept of our inward performances but of our very words yea of all externall holy performances in his worship and service if they be done according to his will so David saith Lâ—â— the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight * Psal 19.14 So that though all our worship and service unto God ought to be spirituall and done in spirit and in truth yet God hath not bound us to doe it only internally Holinesse both inward and outward is accepted of God and not externally also yea for as much as he hath made us bodies as well as soules and spirits therefore he doth require outward performances of us as well as inward * Mat. 28.20 Rev. 1.3.11 Zach. 14.16 17 18 19. Luke 22.19 20 but when his saints are not capable God then doth accept of them neverthelesse and imputeth Christ righteousnesse unto them notwithstanding their naturall weaknesse Let them while they are capable keep themselves unsported and doe that which God requireth and then when they are no more capable to know or do any spirituall action they are still not only knowne of God 1 Cor. 5.3 6.1 2 3 4 5 20. 16.1.2 Act. 1.26 2.42 Iam 2.18 but beloved of Christ and sanctified by the holy Sprit for though they cannot apprehend Gods working in them yet God can tell how he worketh in them and saveth them by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse * Ps 3 2.2 Rom. 4.6 And after this manner doth God worke in the Infants of beleevers So long as they are not capable he doth not require them to act but to suffer as holy infants in former time suffered not only the administration of his passive ordinance * Gen. 17.14 23 Ios 5.3.7.8 of circomcision but also death * Ex. 1.22 Act. 7.19 1 Sam. 22.19 A. R. Pag. 4. l. 13. to l. 24. it selfe for his sake from the hands of Gods enimies But your inference from your foregoing reasons is That if beleevers childeren be in the covenant and have this true holinesse then all the childeren of beleeving parents must be saved as well old childeren as young for age doth not make them cease from being their childeren But all the childeren of beleevers are not saved no not of faithfull Abraham himselfe according to that known sentence of the Prophet Isaiah 10.21 Repeated by Saint Paul Romans 9.27 Though the number of the childeren of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved Therefore the childeren of beleevers are not in the covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptized To which I Ans That beleevers children are in the covenant is true but that all the childeren of all beleevers are in the covenant is not true but all their holy infants are and ought so to be judged accounted euen in the state of salvation as wel as the greatest verball professors of the faith of Christ and all these infants of beleeving parents that live till they come to yeares of discretion are still to be acounted holy and spirituall except they apostate Now though the Scripture declareth that a remnant shall be saved yet we are directed by the rule of Gods Word to judge that beleeving parents and their seed that doe not degenerate are of this remnant But the childeren of beleevers in their infancie have not power actually to degenerate from the righteous steps of their holy parents But ould childeren may possibly So Ishmael when he was an infant was not a mocker neither was Cain in his infancie a murtherer but when they came to yeares and acted these wickednesses they were for the same cast out the one from communion with the familie of Adam * Gen. 4.11.14.16 the other from the familie of Abraham * Gen. 21.9.10 And as you reason here against beleevers infants being in the new Covenant because you know not absolutely whether they shall be saved So you may reason against the parents themselves though they are members of the visible Church and also as well plead against every verball professor that is a visible member of the same body Thus All you which seem to be beleevers are a people which have indeed taken upon you the profession of the great name of God and have given up your selves unto him to walke in all his wayes and say you have taken hold of Gods Covenant and have covenanted together to become an entire body City House Temple Garden Vineyard c. unto God whom you suppose to be your builder and planter c. So you thinke your selves to be his holy people his bride by marriage his peculiar treasure in covenant with him c But alas you are much deceived you thinke your selves to be in a holy and happie estate in Covenant with God and that you have right to his Ordinances but it is not so For then it will follow That if you beleevers members of this visible Church be in the Covenant and have this true holinesse then every member of you must be saved as well old as young c. But all the members of the visible Church are not saved no not of the Christian Church in the Apostles time for divers of them perished as Judas Iscareot one of the Lambs 12 Apostles and Simon Magus Therfore though you profess faith you are not in the Covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptised If this be a good and sufficient ground or reason to prove the parents not to be in the new Covenant nor to be baptized then the same reason
is of force against the infants of beleevers to prove them also not to be in the new Covenant nor to be baptized But this is very weak against such parents Therefore it is of no force against their infants Seeing it is so you may plainly perceive that I have just ground to except against your conclusiō Pag. 4 l. 22 23 that because all the children of beleevers are not saved Therefore the infants of beleevers are not in the Covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptized Such an excuse as this might as well have served informer time for the children of Israel that they might not onely have neglected Circumcision but also all other Ordinances But such arguing bringeth large liberty tending to Athisme destruction and ruination of the foundation of Christian Religion Rom. 3.1 2 3 4. But what saith Paul when he declareth that the Jewes had the Oracles of God committed unto them what if some did not believe shall their unbeliefe make the faith of God of none effect God forbid yea let God be true and every man a lyar c. The Apostasie of Cain could not hurt Adam nor hinder Abel from eternall life For though Cain and his seed perished yet God was still good unto his Church unto Israel to those that were of an upright heart Furthermore for to maintain errour you bring errour false things to prove a falshood like two false witnesses that stand one for another for to prove your own false affirmation that infants are not in the Covenant outwardly nor have that holinesse whereby to be admitted now to the outward ordinance of baptisme as infants were then to Circumcision in the time of the Law and state of the Jews You say That the state or Church of the Jews were under the old Covenant and Law Pag. 4. l. 29. and stood not by faith and circumcision of the heart as this Church of the Gospel doth but stood meerly upon nature and circumcision of the flesh and accordingly had their outward and fiderall holinesse and outward cleansings all which are abolished with that state and no such holinesse or distinction is now between any persons in the world as you say shall be further declared by and by To which I answer That the Church of the Jews were in the old Covenant and Law is true But that they stood not by faith and circumcision of the heart as this Church of the Gospel doth but stood meerly upon nature and circumcision of the flesh is not true for the Church of the Jewes had the new covenant * Mr. Spilsbery granteth the Covenant made with Abraham and the Covenant now to be the same in substance See his treatise pag. 8 line 10. that was confirmed to Abraham * Gen. 17. Gal. 3.16 17. before of God in Christ which covenant the Law which was foure hundred and thirty yeares after could not disanull that it should make the promise of none effect* The Jewes were Gods holy speciall a Deut. 7.6 and peculiar b 26.18.19 people who were not constituted of a visible mixt multitude of prophane persons and holy beleevers and Infidels good and bad together c 29.18 32.9.12 Esay 5.1 2. but were a people called d 41.1 2. 43.1.7 Mat. 12.2.13 and separated e Ps 135.4 148.14 125.2 Deut. 33.29 14.1 2 from other Nations God brought them out of Egypt f Ex. 12.41.42 and baptized them in the cloud and in the sea g 1 Cor. 10.1 2 and went before them by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire h Ex. 13.21 22 and at the great and victorious deliverance which they had over the Egyptians they beleeved his Words and sang his praise i Ex 15.1 Ps 106.12 then God led them through the wildernesse k Ex. 15.22 and made the bitter waters sweet for them l ver 25. that they might trust in him who healed them m v. 26. and he fed them with Manna which neither they nor their fathers knew to the intent that they might know that man could not live by bread only but by every word of God n Deut. 8.3 and he made the flinty rock a fountain of waters o Ps 114.8 Num. 20.8.11 that they thereby might quench their thirst Yea The Lord came from mount Synay and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of his Saints from his right hand went a fiery Law yea he loved the people p Deut 33.2 3 they were therefore to trust stedfastly in God the sword of their excellencie q ver 29. and to look continually for eternall life of him and cleave unto him r 10.20 who was their life and the length of their dayes ſ 30.19 20. whom they were commanded to fear and to love and to serve with all their heart and with all their soule t Deut. 10.12 so the Lord was with them they with him and as he had commanded them so they were still to be a holy people to the Lord their God even as he was holy u Levit. 11.44 19.2 20.7 By all which it appeares that there was a manifest difference put between them and the prophane of the world as is between Christ and Antichrist In brief as their Church was the Church of Christ a See Cant. and the Covenant b Rev. 21.3 which they had c Gal. 3.16 17. the Covenant of Christ so the Commandement d Deut. 30.11.12 13 14. Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10. or word which was not hid from them was the Gospel which they were not to enquire after as though it were some strange thing afar off or beyond the seas c. for it was nigh unto them in their mouth and in their heart that they might doe it even the Gospel of Christ the same word of faith which Paul preached yea further they had not onely the Gospel of Christ but Christ himselfe his presence in a speciall manner amongst them though he were not then manifested in the flesh Esay 63 9. Wherefore I would have you to consider and revoke those rash speeches that this heavenly society and blessed fraternity stood not by faith but meerly upon nature and circumcision of the flesh It is an infidelious opinion to judge them to be Infidels in the Jewes state whom God did so call and separate which had his Oracles and Ordinances whom he called his holy people his chosen e Deut. 10.15 and peculiar people f Cap. 14.2 his beloved ones g Cap 7.7.8 to whose seed he promised life as to themselves h Cap. 30.19.20 whose hearts he promised to circumcise as also the hearts of their seed i Deut 30.6 as he hath promised to his people in the last dayes which thing
of Promise * Eph. 2.12 But the Infants of beleevers who were members of the Church of the Jewes were not aliens from the Common wealth of Israel * Gen. 17.7 Deut. 29.10 11 12 13 14 15.18 Exod. 12.48 49. nor without hope nor without God in the world Therefore such holy Infants were not then without Christ neither were they strangers from the covenants of promise Now for as much as the Infants of beleevers were not without Christ nor aliens from the Common wealth of Israel nor strangers from the Covenants of promise nor without hope nor without God in the world They were such as were made nigh by the bloud of Christ See Eph 2.13 whose bloud was then to be shed and is powred out for them and therefore we may safely conclude that the holy infants are not loosers by his coming And therefore seeing the New Covenant is not abolished it evidently appeareth that the Infants of beleevers now are in the new Covenant because the Infants of beleevers were in the same New Covenant before And this agreeth with the words of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your children uncleane but now are they holy for the Apostle there speaketh to beleevers and of a holinesse in relation to their faith and to the covenant they were in And though you said the old Covenant is abolished yet you grant that the New covenant is not abolished but remaineth Wherefore you must of necessitie be driven to grant also that the infants of beleevers are in the new Covenant because they were of it before and the New covenant remaineth permanent Thus having taken away the foundation of your Arguments which you brought against holy Infants being in the Covenant you may justly expect that all which is builded upon the same sandy foundation will fall to the ground Pag. 4. li. 37. Your next words are these which follow There being the new covenant now on foote which is a covenant of grace and salvation and which brings certaine salvation to all those that rightly enter into it and which is onely by faith Hence it is said Act. 2.47 That the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Ans That the new Covenant is now on foot and that it is the covenant of grace and salvation and brings it to all those which rightly enter into it in deed and in truth is not by me denied And that the enterance is onely by faith is very true But mind this that there is an externall right and an internall right We finite creatures must judge of the trâ—e by the fruit a Mat. 12.33 Luke 6.44 of the faith by the workes b Jam. 2.18 19 Judas had no internall right for he was a devill c Joh. 6.70 71 inwardly yet he had an externall right for he was a Saint outwardly d Act. 1.17 But so long as he was not known to be a wicked man but still made a great outward shew of holinesse they were to judge him righteous But when he manifested evill fruits of treachery and hypocrisie then they were to alter their former charitable opinion of him And though he had not onely an outward Saintship but also an Apostle-ship and a Deaconship before yet when he Apostated that man who was before to be accounted a Saint and an Angel on earth was afterward to be esteemed as a devill And so the like may be said concerning other wicked men Psal 41.9 10. Psal 69.25 26 27 28. Set thou in office over him the wicked one saith holy David * Psal 109.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. and let the Adversary stand at his right hand When he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his prayer become sinne Let his dayes be few and another take his office Act. 1.20 Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and begge Let them seeke their bread also out of their desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the stranger spoyle his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him neither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse-children Let his posteritie be appointed to cutting off in the generation next after let his name be wiped out Let the iniquitie of his fathers be remembred of Jehovah and let not the sinne of his mother be wiped out Let them be before Jehovah continually that he may cut off the memorie of them from the earth c. Now that the Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved is certaine but here we are to note that this Church in Jerusalem was a visible particular Church And that as far as men could judge all those were to be saved that in outward appearance were rightly added to the same or to any other particular Church of the same constitution And though the Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved yet wee are not to determine that all that joyned to a particular Church were saved yea though they were added rightly according to order in an externall way Judas was of the visible Church yea of that Church whereof these were members and yet wee will not say that he is saved Persons may be saved which are of no visible particular Church And persons may be of a true visible particular Church of Christ and yet Apostate and not be saved any more then Judas who fell finally as other reprobates doe though never so eminent in the Church Howbeit we will not say that any fall away from the grace of Gods secret election but from an outward sanctification it is possible that elected persons may for a time fall yet not without great sinne no more then the temporary falling away of the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth and others also which the Scripture maketh mention of who were the deare Saints of God yet for a time fell from their stedfastnesse But now I will examine your reasons what they are whereby you say * Pag. 4. lin 41 Pag. 5. lin 1 2 That the holinesse of children here is not meant of any holinesse in relation to any Church-covenant First say you * Pag. 5. lin 3. to lin 9. That which is an effect of regeneration is not brought to passe by generation though the parents be holy but to be of the covenant or kingdome is the proper effect of regeneration Joh. 3.3 without which none can see it much lesse be of it or enter into it therefore it cannot be brought to passe by generation though the parents are holy Ans That regeneration is brought to passe by generation I will not affirme The infants of beleevers are regenerated before they are borne this you cannot justly deny for Jeremie and John Baptist were sanctified in the wombe and the priviledges of beleevers are alike precious Not that it commeth by the
means of their naturall birth or generation after the flesh but by the Spirit of regeneration howbeit it is a certaine truth that the Saints generation doth not hinder regeneration in any of them Generation doth not worke regeneration but generation causeth distinctioÌ„ of persons that what was one in the root is become more in the branches or what was one in such a branch growing on such a roote bringeth forth other branches Abrahams holy action was Levies by imputation See Heb. 7.9 or as it were little sprigges who are in a growing condition or in a way of thriving so long as they are borne up and receive nourishment from the roote And this division or distinction by way of derivation doth not simply make qualities contra-distinct and opposit one to the other or break the conjunction or contraction between them or take away the vertue of the roote from them For Abrahams act of obedience which he did before Levi was an infant was imputed unto Levi afterward which act was an act of obedience even a fruit of faith which cannot be without the Spirit Now when Levi was borne should they have sayd that he was an unregenerated Infant Nay rather it may be thought that they esteemed as well of Levi in his infancie as Eve did of Seth in his infanciâ— when Seth was borne shee did not say God hath sent moâ— a young Heathen or Canite though the seed of Caine was hers by generation but saith shee The Lord hath sent mee another seed in stead of Abel whom Caine slew Marke now shee did not say in stead of Caine or in stead of Caines infants which did indeed spring naturally from Adams loynes but in stead of Abel saith shee Therefore I say it is apparent that though generation did not worke regeneration yet shee beleeved in God and had so much faith 〈…〉 to put a reall difference between Apostates and those who were not Apostated but were spiritually holy And in that it is said that Seth was in stead of Abel it is a plaine Argument that as Abel was in the Covenant and as Abel was a member of the Church so was Seth according to his name so was he set or appointed instead of Abel for the saying imports that he took the roome of Abel as when one plant is removed out of a fruitfull soyle and another planted in stead thereof And seeing God refuseth not the bodies of his Saints but accepteth of them in his gracious Covenant though they are generated persons it plainly argueth that generation doth not hinder regeneration And therefore it appeareth that this your reason concerning generation and regeneration is of no force against the holy Children spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 but ratheâ— maketh for them as shall be further made to appeare And all which you have said here doth not prove that the holinesse of children there is not meant of any holines in relation to any church-Church-Covenant which is the thing for which you brought it The Infants of beleevers are visibly holy in relation to faith and the holy Covenant The unbeleeving yoak-fellowes abiding with their be leâ—ving yoak fellowes are sanctified by them for this end Else were their Children uncleane but now are they holy So sayth the holy Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy that is to say the children of you beleevers in Covenant with your God they are the children of the Covenant differing from those children that are unholy and out of the Covenant But against this you argue that what is an effect of regeneration is not brought to passe by generation though the parents be holy And I suppose that those Merit-mongers keeping still to their principles may beleeve the contrary I meane such Merit-mongers who against the Gospel of free-grace do labour vehemently to shut out all beleevers infants from the new Jerusalem Rev. 22.14 15. and so doe in their conceptions rank them with dogs and whoremongers without and judge them not to be in the Covenant or regenerated because they have not a naturall capabilitie to discerne apprehend and both actually verbally professe faith in their own persons yea they judge all infants to be visibly in one condition and out of the Covenant in visibilitie without putting any visible distinction between the Infants of the Church and the Infants out of the Church But if that which is an effect of regeneration were to be brought to passe by generation they might with some colour of truth ranke them all in one visible estate considering that they are all generated And then there had been no weight in the Apostles speech concerning this matter But we are to know that the Apostle had good reason for what he sayd The Master of spirits was his instructor whose words are not to be wrested and perverted and so made of none effect but are discreetly to be observed and faithfully obeyed And though some doe despise the Lords vessells of small quantitie even holy infants the young Olive plants of beleeving parents esteeming them unregenerated yet wee are taught to esteeme highly of them and to honour them as the precious Saints whom the most high God hath regenerated and seperated to himselfe as his peculiar treasure who are justified and sanctified and saved by him and therefore ought to be sealed unto him by Baptisme as such holy Infants in the time of the Law were sealed unto him by Circumcision And you your selfe doe grant that to be of the Covenant or Kingdome is the proper effect of regeneration Joh 3.3 without which none can see it much lesse be of it Consider what you say for here you must confesse that seeing all that see the kingdom of God are regenerated either the Infants of beleevers which die in their infancie are regenerated or else that they shall never see the Kingdome of God much lesse be of it But Christ hath testified that the kingdome of heaven consisteth of such and therefore wee may safely conclude that though they die in their infancie yet they shall see the kingdome of God and therefore it appeareth that they are regenerated What will you say now in answer to your argument seeing it maketh not against holy infants but for them Surely you will denie that they have any of the effects of regeneration or else you will denie your owne argument or the Scripture of God which declareth that they are in covenant or else confesse that the infants of beleevers are to be accounted holy persons in covenant with God and heires of his heavenly Kingdome according as the holy Scripture teacheth us one of these you will doe if silence prevent you not Moreover I know not how you take the beeing in the Covenant or Kingdome there is a two-fold beeing therein to wit externall and internall outward and inward visible and invisible as I observed before concerning persons enterance into the Church Act. 8.13 Simon Magus beleeved and was rightly baptized with the
them so he doth not onely come unto them but cast his garment of righteousnesse over them and dwell with them and abide in them Isa 22.21 and is a father unto them as he was to the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem Our God is a God of truth and therefore he will not deceive his pâ—ople nor break his Covenant which he hath made with them which Covenant is to his Saints thus I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed * Gen. 17.7 I will be their God ** Ver. 8. So sayth the Spirit of Truth who will not nor cannot lye Who for strengthening of his peoples faith and encreasing of their comfort that their hearts in loving him might be enlarged and their joy in delighting in him might be full he did command a visible signe and seale of the rigâ—tâ—ousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them and upon their seed whose Gâ—d he had testified himselfe to be Now those persons to whom God is a God they are blessed in a speciall manner * Psal 33.12 and he is a father unto them * Esa 9.6 and those persons to whom God is a God and a Father are seperated from Idolaters and are a holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 2 Cor. 6.17 peculiar people unto him directly opposed to those who are uncleane * Rev. 22.11.15 Isa 52.11 Rev. 21.7 8. and out of the Covenant But God is a God and a Father to the infants of beleeving parents now as he was formerly for his holy Covenant is sure and therefore such infants even the holy off spring and blessed issue of the blessed are all the sonnes daughters of God and are to be accounted amongst the number of seperated Saints in covenant with him for he hath promised to be a God and a father unto the beleeving Gentiles 2 Cor. 6.18 as he was unto the beleeving Jewes Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.1 Concerning whom the Lord sayth Their children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 Jer. 30.20 whose holinesse is directly opposed to the Idolatry of those Idolaters which the Lord commandeth his blessed Saints to sepâ—rate from and is quite contrary to this uncleannesse which unbeleevers and their infants have who though they are not bastards yet they are unholy because they are out of the Covenant and God is not their God nor father to hallow theÌ„ as he is to the holy children of beleeving Gentiles and as he was to the holy children of the Jewes in covenant with him Thus the Contents of your exposition being not right wee may justly conceive that all the Scripture which you bring to confirme it will be wrong in the application and your grounds false But let us heare further what you say A. R. Lin. 29. A. R. Lin. 30. And I will shew my ground by my thus opening the Text. The believing Corinthians both men and women married and single do joyne in a Letter to the Apostle for resolution of many of their doubts touching their severall conditions this appeares in the first verse and thence to the 12 and their doubts in this particular and which he answers in the five verses following seemes to be this in effect as if they should thus write we being borne anew and made the Sonnes and Daughters of God â—y Faith in Jesus Christ and being made holy by his spirit and taken into Communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ and his Saints in light from an estate of darkenesse and death from being Idolaters and Children of thâ— Devill have very uncomfortable cohabitation and felloship with our wives and husbands remaining still in their naturall and blind condition so farre different from the estate into which we are now brought Surely our holy God that bids us touch no uncleane thing doth not allow us thus to do And wee fâ—are least wee have done very ill in continuing thus so long for our Marriage wee cannot thinke but it was dissolved when wee first beleeved And wee ought then to have put away our wives as the Jewes diâ— their strange wives and unto this the Apostle begins his answer in the 12. verse thus And unto the rest to wit of your doubts speak I not the Lord If any Brother have a wife that beleeveth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman that hath a husband that beleeveth not if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him for the unbeleeving husband is sanctified to the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified to the beleeving husband else were your Children uncleane but now they are holy As if the Apostle should have said to them thus you Corinthians do doubt of your coâ—abitation with your unbeleeving married yoke-mates of â—hicâ— tâ—â—re is no cauâ—e for to the pure all things are pure that is all lâ—â—â—ull 〈…〉 namely whatsoever is lawfull in nature or civill use is 〈…〉 to the beleever and yet even those things are impure to the impâ—â—e or uâ—belâ—â—ving for even their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 But to the Belâ—ever all things are pure that is as I have alreaâ—y said all lawfull things for things that are unlawfull in themselves câ—â—â—â—t be sanctified by â—â—e faith of a truâ— Bâ—leeâ—er no not to his use but mâ—â—t be lâ—fâ— and 〈◊〉 as siâ—full and wiâ—kâ—d which if your cohabitation werâ— such as you iâ— wâ—akâ—â—sse iudge then â—as nâ—t your marriage lawfull at the first then it is not lawfull nor sanctified to yâ—u now as you judge it is not and then are your children uncleane But if your marriage were at fiâ—st lawfull then your Cohabitations now with your â—oke-mates is likewise lawfull and then also sanctified to you now by your beleeving else were your children uncleane that is unlawfully begotten and Bastards but now are they holy that is Legitimate and no Bastards Ans Here hath been many words to little purpose as appeareth by your own Conclusion for the Tenour of all is that which you have affirmed before * Paâ— 9. lin 26 27. which is your Conclusion now * Pâ—â— 10 lin 31 32. As if the Apostle should say Else were your Children unlawfully begotten and bastards but now are they legitimate and no bastards A very poore collection or rather restriction of the Apostles words But that this restriction is in the Text wee must take it upon your bare word for you have brought no Scripture which any way cleareth this your Affirmation But it hath been proved before that the Apostle meaneth a religious holinesse a holinesse in relation to faith and to the holy Covenant of God in which Câ—venant bâ—lâ—evers their infants are now under the Gospel And this may further appeare unto you by these Considerations First That the Apostle in this place of Scripture speaketh not of all infants but onely of the infants of beleeving parents in Coâ—enant for he doth not say to unbeleevers that their children are holy neither
to be godly or holy neither from 1 Cor. 7.14 nor from any other Scripture In consideration whereof it doth appeare that there is a reall difference between the infants of the godly and the infants of the wickâ—d and that the holinesse which differenceth them is a spirituall holinesse For in respect of legitimaciâ— some of the infants of unbeleevers had the preheminence when some of the infants of beleevers had it not and yet the infants of beleevers whether legitimate as Isaac or illegitimate as Pharez were in respect of their religious sanctification the onely infants whom God accepted of visibly in his Covenant But as for the others which were out of the Covenant God rejected them whether they were legitimate or illegitimate So then it appeareth that it is the holy Covenant which demonstrateth the children of beleevers to be holy and members of the visible Church as the holy infants were in formed time By this you may see how you are deceived both in mistaking and mis-construing the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.14 and misunderstanding and perverting the words of the Prophet Mal. 2.14 15. Your next words are these In the same sense is the Apostle to be taken Heb. 13 4. where he saith Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge If Marriage be honourable in all and the Bed undefiled then the issue of that Bed must needs be undefiled that is cleane and holy as â—n the other side the issue of all unlawfull conjunctions are uncleane illegitimate and Bastards Now this holinesse and unholinesse of Children proceedeth not from the holinesse or unholinesse of the Parents But from the lawfull or unlawfull conjunction of the Parents in the begetting of their Children for the Apostle in this place speakes of all men universally That the Apostle speaketh of all men universally in Heb. 13.4 when he saith that Marriage is honourable amongst all is in a sense true but that he speaketh of all men universally in Cor. 7.14 is not true in any sense for the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 7.14 speaking to the members of the Church of that which principally concerned them he groundeth his speech concerning the holinesse of children and sanctification of the unbeleever to that use upon the faith of one of the parents that if one of the parents be a beleever though the other parent be an unbeleever the Children are holy that is to say they are under the holy Covenant And so it necessarily implyeth that if neither parents are beleevers the children are unholy that is they are not born holy nor under the holy Covenant For it was faith that made the beleevers yâ—â—k-mate to be so sanctified to him as the Apostle speaketh Because he was a beleever the Infidell was sanctified to him For to an unbeleever shee could not be sanctified but unto a beleever And therfore the children of those beleevers were holy because one of the parents was a beleever and this faith so sanctifying the unbeleeving yoak-mates to this end and use made the children holy which cannot be sayd of an infant whose parents are neither of them beleevers though his parents were honourably married and the bed undefiled in his procreation but he is unholy ungodly and out of the Covenant neither of his parents being holy nor any of them sanctified then in themselves nor sanctified in by or to a beleever for producing a holy seed spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 But you goe on still and say that A. R. Pag. 11. li. 34. It seems that the holines here of the children ariseth not from the faith or holines of the parents but meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in begetting their Children * Lin. 38. It is even so Ans Is it even so How is it even so Doth the holines of the holy children spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 arise meerly from the lawfull marriage c How prove you this Who revealed this unto you Belike you thinke your bare affirmation it is even so is sufficient proofe It may be you will say that Pharez and Zarah were ungodly and unholy Gen. 38.16 17 24 25 26 29 30. and out of the Covenant because their parents had not lawfull marriage at their conjunction in begetting of them And also that Davids illegitimate Infant was ungodly and unholy out of the covenant because he was not lawfully married to Bersheba 2 Sam. 11.4 5. before he had begotten him For surely if the godlines holinesse of the Infants of the faithfull arise meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in their begetting then all the infants of the faithfull whose parents have not lawfull marriage in their begetting are not holy nor godly But seeing the infants of the world whose parents were married to each other in their begetting were though born legitimate yet not borne holy that is to say not under the holy Covenant And seeing that Davids infant was in the Covenant though he was illegitimate 2 Sam. 11.27 12.16 17.23 which thing might be sayd of other illegitimated Infants of the Church then It plainly argueth that there is a great gulfe between the holy infants of the Church spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 and the infants of the world whose parents are ungodly and out of the Covenant And also it is clearly seen that you fowly misse it in saying that the holinesse ariseth meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in begetting their children In all which speeches you still crosse your selfe in what you have set downe in the fourth Page of your Booke * See A.R. his second Book pag. 4. where you enter upon this particular concerning 1 Cor. 7.14 For there you affirme in opposing Infants holinesse First That there is now but one Covenant on foot c. Secondly That there is but one manner of entering and being therein And thirdly That there is but one holinesse now acceptable with God c. Consider what you sayd there and that which the Apostle declareth here in 1 Cor. 7 14. That the children of beleevers are holy now under the Gospel Now are they holy sayth he and so judge your selfe in reason whether you doe not wrong the Scripture and your selfe also unreasonably in making this one holinesse to be a meer legitimacie proceeding meerly from the parents lawfull conjunction in matrimony But let us see what further reasons you can give for maintenance of this your opinion For the question or doubt was only whether they might put away A. R. Pag. 11. lin 38 or depart from their unbeleeving yoak-mates the which the Apostle answers that they ought not to put them away and he implies this reason because they were lawfully married unto them according to Gods ordinance Ans Here you grant that the Apostle saith the beleevers ought not to put away their unbeleeving yoak-mates This maketh directly against
yet we may conclude that eternall life is theirs and the second death shall have no power over them * Rev. 20.6 they are blessed and happie having part in the first resurrection for theirs is the kingdome of heaven and therefore it appeareth that they are given for an heritage unto Jesus Christ who is the way and the truth the resurrection and the life and their Physician the graces of whose good Spirit which is infused in them they cannot be said to refuse or to reject his kingdome or any of those good things which are distributed unto them If the kingdome of heaven should not appertaine unto the infants of beleeving parents as it hath done heretofore then the Scripture is not fulfilled which sayth that their children shall be as aforetime but the Scripture is true as God himselfe is true and therefore your words cannot be true God took the infants of beleevers into covenant with him formerly and admitted them to be members of his visible Church then and he caused a visible signe * Gen. 17.11 and seale * Rom. 4.11 of his covenant his righteousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them then and he declared from time to time his deare love and his tender affection which he had towards them and therefore they are as holy as they were and shall be as holy as they are Christ is a father * 2 Cor. 6.18 unto the beleeving Gentiles as he was unto the beleeving Jewes and he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever And therefore as the infants of beleeving Jewes * Gen. 17. Gentiles * Exod. 12.48 were received with their beleeving parents into the Church of God in former time So the infants of the beleeving Jewes and Gentiles are received with their beleeving parents into the Church of God now and as the other had Circumcision so these are to have Baptisme it being given to all the members of Christs visible Church * Mat. 28.19 amongst whom they are a part * Mat. 10.14 And this is according to what is written in the Scripture of God for thus sayth the Lord Their children shall be as aforetime and their Congregation shall be established before me c. Jer. 30.20 Wherefore now let us see who can give one instance or tittle of Scripture for the dismission of their membership or for barring them from any spirituall priviledge now under the Gospel which they are capable off and in particular this of Baptisme seeing it is so generally distributed by the Lord of all administrations and appertaineth to all Saints Indeed if Christ Jesus had not been much * Mar. 10.14 displeased with his Disciples for such a thing and if he had not declared that the kingdom of heaven appertaineth to them and had not given a command that they should be admitted unto him or if he had not taken them up in his armes and layd his hands upon them and blessed * Ver. 16. them but had despised these and put them from him and justified his Disciples in their rebuking of them or if he had given the bringers of them a check 〈◊〉 â—5 26 as he did to the Cananitish woman or if he had given the least touch of holy Infants supplantation then you might have had some matter to work upon in this your sacrilegious opposition of holy infants But you have no tittle of Scripture to beare you out all the Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation maketh against you and therefore wee may conclude against you that the Infants of beleevers are now as the Infants of beleevers were in former time even subjects of Gods kingdome a Luke 18.16 members of his Church b Gen. 17. glorious branches young sucking-sprigs of his noble Vine c Psal 80.11 holy plants d 128.3 proceeding from those Olive trees which are planted in the house of the Lord and are said to flourish in the Courts of our God e 92.13 And what man shall root them out without rooting out himselfe Jesus hath honoured them greatly and what shall be done unto those whom the King of heaven delighteth to honour That the Lord Jesus Christ greatly delighteth to honour the Infants of beleevers Mat. 18.2.3 19.13 14 15. Mar. 10.13 14 15 16. Luk. 18.15 16 17. is apparently seen in these Scriptures where Christ Jesus now in the time of the Gospel honoureth them so much by his words and actions And this is that which that heavenly Prophet Isaiah being carried by the holy Spirit of God spake of long before Our God that Father of mercies and God of all comfort and consolation declared prophetically and oraculously by Isaiah the continuation of his truth unto beleevers and their Infants now under the Gospel prophesying of Christ and of Christians Isa 22.21 thus He shall be a father to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem 22. and to the house of Judah And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut 23. and he shall shut and none shall open And I will fasten him as a naile in a sure place 24. And he shall be for a glorious throne unto his fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantitie from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of slagons Isa 22.21 22 23 24. First It is here to be observed that Christ Jesus is called here a Father ver 21. He shall be a Father sayth he So in Isa 9.6 he is called the everlasting Father Now he that is a father must be a father of some wheras he is called an everlasting father it sheweth that he is as the Apostle sayth the same yesterday to day for ever * Heb. 13.8 Secondly It is declared to whom he is a father namely to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah Now the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah were the Lords Saints in covenant with him his Church and people of whom he had declared that Christ Jesus their Saviour should come and these Christ Jesus was said to be a father unto even to the Church of the Jewes both young and old parents and children and salvation was said to be of the Jewes a Joh. 4.22 Their advantage was much every manner of way first because the Oracles of God were b Rom. 3.1 2. through Christ coÌ„mitted unto theÌ„ The God of their fathers c Exod. 15.2 was their father d Jer. 31.9 and was as a nursing e Num. 11.12 father unto them And the same God is a father now unto the beleeving Jewes and Gentiles as largely every way as he was then f 2 Cor. 6.18 The same God over all was g Psal 86.5 and is rich
Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. And hence you say thus they reason As the Covenant and promises were made to Abraham being a faithfull man and his seed and thereupon all his seed were circumcised in the time of the Law so the same Covenant and promises are made to them being beleevers and their seed And therefore their seed may now upon the same ground be baptized Ans You have set downe an argument on your opposites part but you have not declared in particular whose it is whether you mean that the Seperates or those some others or other Churches which you specifie in your first part and the beginning of this your second part are the Authors hereof But whosoever the Authors are you call this their maine argument and it may be you count it so because it is generally layd downe and undistinguished and I tell you though the matter may be the Seperates yet the forme is not but rather your own for it is Anabaptisticall to infer that because the covenant and promises were made to Abrahams seed before the Law that thereupon all his seed were circumcised in the time of the Law if by all you mean all his seed by generation after the flesh for then it will follow that all Ismaelites and Edomites were circumcised and all other Apostates of Abrahams seed by generation besides the rest of his seed But wee doe affirme and will prove that as Abraham had no command to Circumcise all Nations or seeds or any Apostate whatsoever though the off-spring of his body but those that were the seed in covenant with God * Gen. 17.11 so the Saints of God which continued in that estate wherein God had set Abraham were to circumcise none but such as they were yea in this respect the infants of the Proselytes were preferred before the infants of the Apostate seed of Abraham and therefore you may see that wee are far from affirming that any Apostate that sprung from the loynes of Abraham was much lesse that all were to be circumcised for Apostates whether they were of Abrahams loynes or not they were all visibly in a bad condition and not to have the signe or seale of Gods covenant put upon them And those who were not Apostates whether Jewes or Proselytes they were all visibly in a good condition and were to have the signe and seale of Gods covenant administred upon them and were different and quite contrary to the Apostates By true Iewes and Proselytes and true Christians I mean visible Saints Therefore to keep to the matter in hand the Argument for the Infants of beleevers lieth thus That as all the infants of the true Jewes and Proselytes were to have the seale of Gods covenant put upon them then so all the infants of those who are true Christians ought to have the seale of Gods Covenant put upon them now See Gal. 3.17 18. and compare herewith the words of Peter Act. 2.39 The promise is unto you to your children c. And seeing the Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ foure hundred and thirtie yeares before the Law and was established with Abraham and all his seed who did not degenerate and thereupon they were all to be sealed unto him as his peculiar treasure with that signe or token of his covenant which he had appointed then It followeth that now the same covenant is confirmed of God in Christ and made sure unto all faithfull parents and all their seed who doe not degenerate and therefore they may all be sealed unto God as his peculiar treasure with the signe or token of his covenant which he hath appointed now It followeth also that Baptisme being the seale of one and the same Covenant which Circumcision was a seale of it ought to be administred upon the infants of beleevers now as circumcision was formerly because that the infants of beleevers being formerly in the new Covenant of which Circumcision was a signe are not rent out of it by the coming of Christ but confirmed in it for Christ is no changeling and therefore Baptisme being now the seale of the same Covenant it admitteth of the same subjects and it being not more particular but more generall then Circumcision and to be administred upon male and female it appertaineth to the Infants of beleevers both male and female And this is according to that teaching Oracle which God did in the cloud and in the sea in which the whole body of the Israelites were baptized both male and female Pag. 18. But you say That neither Abraham nor his seed were circumcised because the Covenant was made with hâ—m and your reason is because the Covenant was made with him above twentie yeares before Circumcision was instituted And yet all this time neither Abraham nor his seed were circumcised neither had he or any of his seed ever been circumcised for his being in the covenant had not the Lord afterwards expresly commanded the same To which I answer that though they were not circumcised so soone as they were in the covenant neither commanded to be circumcised then yet if Abraham had not been in the covenant neither he nor his infants could have received the ordinance of Circumcision the signe of the covenant according to Gods appointment See Gen. 17. But beleevers and their seed that came after were not to omit circumcision for if they did they brake the covenant Exod. 4.24 25 26. Now Abraham his seed by vertue of Gods covenant were bound to yeeld obedience to God and to walke in all his wayes as God revealed himselfe unto them So that when once Circumcision was instituted it was not to be omitted Next * Pag. 18. at lin 17. you say Nor was that covenant made with Abraham and his seed A. R. meerly for his being a faithfull man for then should it have been made with Noah being a faithfull man but for his being such a faithfull man whom the Lord pleased to choose and set out as a patterne to all beleevers Rom. 4.23 24. and to be a father of many Nations Rom. 4 17 18. And in whose seed all the Nations in the world should be blessed Act. 5.25 13.23 to wit in Christ who was to come of his flesh Ans The same new covenant that was made with Abraham was made also with Noah wherefore as Abraham is called the father of many Nations so Noah is called the heire of justice which is by faith Heb. 11.7 Such a faithfull man as Abraham was such a faithfull man was Noah yea chosen of God and a patterne to all beleevers which should come after him Now whereas you say that the Lord was pleased to choose Abraham and set him out as a patterne to all beleevers I suppose you meane all those beleevers which came after him not those that were dead before he was borne So Noah was a patterne to Abraham not Abraham a patterne to Noah And it is sure
Gen. 17.14 according to Gods appointment were the true seed in covenant with God and so were made free when Apostates though circumcised were bond-servants to sinne and were not to be admitted as they stood in that state of Apostacie to be members of the Church of the Jewes as you most fainedly would father upon Christ You fain as if Christ should say that Abrahams nature could produce no other but servants of sinne c. But I know not what you meane hereby I know Abraham was a sinner in the loynes of Adam yet Adams sinne was not imputed unto him to condemnation no more was it visibly to Abrahams seed but as they degenerated from Abrahams steps for the sinne of Abraham which he had actually and originally was forgiven him in Christ And thinke not that he was destitute of the new covenant for though the new covenant was before the manifestation of the old covenant in Mount Sinai yet it was new in respect of perpetuitie though old in respect of antiquitie is set forth in Rev. 4. by the similitude of a Rainbow in sight like an Emerauld round about the throne of God And the Infants of Abraham were never out of the Church-state till they apostated degenerated from the steps of Abraham If the promises had been made to seeds as of many then there had been some ground â—o beleeve that visible wicked persons or persons meerly naturall destitute of the spirit were fit matter for the constitution of that Church and that the seed of Apostates might be circumcised as well as others But the promises were made onely to one seed * Gal. 3.16 namely Christ that is to say Christs body which consisteth or ought to consist visibly of none but sonnes of God by faith in Christ And seeing the promise made to Abraham and his seed was not made through the Law namely the old Law and that this old Law could not disanull the promise therefore the old covenant could be removed and yet the promise continue still to all those subjects to whom it was made See A. R. Pag. 24. li. 1 2. Mat. 1. Luk 3. Isa 11. But further you would faine that the flesh spoken of in Gen. 17.13 was Christ who was to come of their flesh But you should know that Christ came of the Tribe of Judah by liniall descent and not of the rest of the Tribes nor of the father Proselytes and yet they being circumcised that covenant of circumcision was in their flesh Moreover Christ himselfe was circumcised in his infancie * Luk. 2.21 where was that covenant if he were the flesh spoken of The covenant was in his flesh as well as in the flesh of his brethren Now by flesh wee may and ought to understand that place from whence the superfluitie of their foreskinne was cut off Gen. 17.10 Ver. 14. My covenant sayth he shall be in your flesh and the uncircumcised man-childe whose flesh of his foreskin is not cut off the same person shall be cut off c. Againe If by the flesh was onely meant Christs naturall body and by the covenant onely the circumcision which Christ was to receive and did receive in his flesh Then circumcision was abolished or at an end when Christ was circumcised and none were to be circumcised after him Yea and if he were that flesh which was to be circumcised then it will follow that though none other had been circumcised before or after they had not broken the covenant But God did declare what the circumcision was and where it was to be administred and upon whom First It was a cutting off of the superfluous fore-skinne Secondly That it was to be in their flesh and not in the flesh of others in stead of them Thirdly That it was to be administred upon Jewes and Gentiles that were in the covenant Gen. 17. Exod. 12.48 And so such persons were by vertue of Gods covenant circumcised not onely before Christ was circumcised but also after and therefore you have not done well to interpret Gen. 17.13 after such a manner you have done evill in faining it as if it were the speech of Christ when no such things ever entered into his thoughts Whereas you think circumcision was a covenant properly you should know that though circumcision had the denomination of Gods covenant a Gen. 14.10 yet it was but a signe of it b Ver. 11. The names of things signified in the Scripture are given to the signes which signifie them So the Lambe was called Gods Passeover c Exod. 12.11 the Rock Christ d 1 Cor. 10.4 the bread and wine in the Lords Supper Christs body and bloud c. e Mat. 26.26 And in this sense is circumcision called Gods covenant that is to say a token or signe thereof as God termeth it himselfe in Gen. 17. ver 11. As for those which say that the promise covenant election and faith belongeth tâ— all beleevers children which supposed case you put to shut up all * Seâ— A. R. Pag. 25. at lin 8. your matter I tell you that if by all they mean the godly children of godly parents then they say true But that the wicked children of godly parents have these excellent things belonging unto them is no article of my faith When the Apostle Peter sayth to the Jewes Act. 2.39 The promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call In including the children heer with the parents his meaning is not to include all beleevers children but onely those holy ones who abide in their parents righteous steps which thing holy Infants doe as before hath been proved at large * See pag. 3. they do not degenerate from the righteous steps of their holy parents And therefore such may be lawfully baptized for no more in effect is required to Baptisme then was to circumcision of old this is as that was and these are as those were Holy infants were to be circumcised then and therefore such may be lawfully baptized now Next you * See A. R. Pag. 25. li. 19. charge the great Clerkes of our times with confounding the two Covenants of the Law and Gospel together And to this I say if by these great clerkes you mean those who thinke Infants Baptisme to be a meer tradition Indeed then your accusation may prove true upon them for such as they doe put no difference between the new covenant made with Abraham and his seed and the old covenant and law which came long after it but they thinke this new covenant and the old covenant to be both one and doe not rightly understand the nature of them and therefore the hodge-podge in their teachings and writings which you mention * Lin. 29. is their owne as well as any ones else as also the intermixture of grace and workes truth and errour as also
This promise of Eternall life was made to Adam and all the members of Gods visible Church then d See Gen. 3. compared with Cap 4.16 Cap. 5. and established with Abraham and his seed in their Generations e Gen. 17.7 and this heavenly and Evangelicall promise is here repeated by Peter f Act. 2.21 and applyed to all beleevers and their seed g Ver. 39. And though wee should be furnished with the externall gifts of the holy Ghâ—st and evidently perceive the devills to be subject unto us through the name of Christ and see Sathan fall downe as lightning from heaven at the sight whereof we might have cause to rejoyce yet wee have more cause of joy that our names are written in the Lambs book of life h Luk. 10.17 18 19 20. This eternall life is a life above all lives and to be desired above all things in the world and the promise of this eternall life Peter applyeth to beleeving men and women and their holy seed And though in the same promise is included divers things which God distributeth unto some of his Saints and not to other some yet the chiefe thing promised is life and salvation through Jesus Christ whereof all Saints are partakers without which all the prophecies and tongues in the world will availe us nothing And though the infants of beleevers be not capable to prophecie or speake with tongues yet I doubt not but they are holy i 1 Cor. 7.14 Jeremiah k Ier. 1.5 and John Baptist were sanctified by the holy Spirit in the wombe l Luke 1.15 and seeing that beleevers have the like precious faith m 2 Pet. 1.1 they have also the like precious priviledges n Rev. 22.14 1 Cor. 12.12 13. Eph. 2.13 3.6.8 Rom 10.12 Whereas you say o Pag. 2. lin 24. So then by this time wee may see what is meant by the promise to wit the gift of the holy Ghost I answer It cannot appeare any thing at all the more for this your exposition neither doth it yet appeare that you understand the meaning of the holy Ghost in this place for if you did I thinke you could distinguish between the externall gifts of the holy Ghost and the promise of eternall life Consider therefore how that Peters application of the promise is a reason which he yeeldeth of his former speech and you saith he shall recâ—ive the gift of the holy Ghost for or because the promise is to you and to your Childrens c. What promise is that Even the promise of salvation and redemption spoken of in Joel 2.32 And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Compare with this the words of Peter â—ct 2.21.39 and it will evidently appeare that this promise spoken of in Act. 2. ver 39. is the promise of salvation Joel sayth And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered * Ioel 2.32 And Peter rehearsing this promise sayth Act. 2. ver 21. And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Act. 2.39 Joel in application of the promise sayth For in mount Zion Rom. 10.13 and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call Peter in application of the promise sayth to those Converts which were pricked in their hearts and asked counsell of the Apostles what they should doe The promise sayth he is to you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call I beseech you weigh the Sentences He doth not say Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall prophecie and speak with tongues This is not the medicine which was applyed to heale the wounded-broken-hearted-soules converted at his Sermon But he speaketh of that which is of a higher nature he applyeth a more effectuall and speciall medicine unto them a more singular cordiall Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved And this is that which the Apostle Paul so much insisteth upon Rom. 10. where in the relation interpretation application and prosecution of his text in Deut. 30.12 13 14. he sheweth wherein the weight of the Saints glory and happines consisteth Rom. 10. ver 6. Rom. 10. ver 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. The righteousnes of faith sayth he speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall aâ—cend into heaven that is to bring Christ downe from above ver 7. Or who shall descend into the deepe that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead ver 8. But what sayth it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart that is the word of faith which wee preach ver 9. That if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt beleeve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved ver 10. For with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnes and with the mouth Confession is made unto salvation ver 11. For the Scripture sayth Whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed 1 Pet. 2.6 7. Isa 28.16 ver 12. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greeke for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him And in ver 13. he sheweth further wherein this riches consisteth For sayth he whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved In consideration of these things we may safely conclude that the promise mentioned in Act. 2.39 is the same promise mentioned in Joel 2.32 Act. 2.21 Rom. 10.13 Even the promise of eternall life and salvation by Jesus Christ our Lord. But peradventure it will seeme strange unto some that the infants of beleevers should be thought to be in the state of salvation or to have the righteousnes of faith or to be confessors of Jesus Christ or beleevers or invocaters of his name considering that they cannot manifest the same actually in their own persons But wee ought to note that all these things are theirs by imputation it is imputed unto them as if they had done the same in their own persons Wherefore the Lord gave them the signe a Gen. 17.11 and seale b Rom. 4.11 of the righteousnesse of faith which doth really demonstrate unto us that the infants of beleevers have the righteousnes of faith imputatively otherwise the Lord would not have given them such a signe whereby to distinguish them from those who were not in Covenant with him and had not this righteousnes upon them And touching their confession of Christ all the Jewes infants as they grew up to be capable
were to confesse Christ according to this saying of the righteousnes of faith which spake on this wise c Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Say not who shall ascend into heaven to bring Christ downe from above c. And seeing God usually giveth names unto persons according to their nature state and condition d Gen. 22.28 Rev. 3.12 11.8 the infants of the beleeving Jewes having the name of Jewes rightly attributed unto them they were Jewes that is Confessors though they could not actually confesse and the like may be sayd for their invocation or calling upon the name of God So it appeareth that the infants of the Jewes had such a holy state and condition upon them that the visible imputation e Heb. 7.9 10. of holy actions was conferred upon them though they could not act the same And the very like may be said concerning the infants of beleeving parents now And seeing that salvation appertaineth to the infants of beleevers f Luk. 18.15 16 17. the righteousnes of faith is imputed unto them g Mat. 16.16 and therefore they ought to receive the signe and seale of the same righteousnes for we are to account that Jesus Christ our righteousnes is a Saviour in a speciall manner unto all those who ought to be judged righteous persons in Covenant with him and ought not to be accounted to have the guilt of originall sinne but that they have it pardoned and done away through him But the infants of beleeving parents ought to be judged righteous persons in Covenant with Christ and ought not to be esteemed to have the guilt of originall sinne but that they have it pardoned and done away through him as hath been proved before Therefore wee are to account that Jesus Christ our righteousnes is a Saviour unto them in a speciall manner See Mat. 1.21 as well as to their parents It is certaine that the rarest Saint in the world though he professe and confesse never so much yet he being one of Adams posteritie hath originall sinne from the houre of his birth to the time of his death yea and before his birth he was conceived in sinne So David sayth of himselfe Loe in iniquitie was I painfully brought forth and in sin my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 But herein consisteth the Saints happines that all their sinnes are remitted h Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 through Jesus Christ so that the Lord will not remember their sins nor impute the same unto them he counteth them not guiltie he saveth his people from their sinnes therefore is he called Jesus * Mat. 1.21 So David sayth that with Jehovah is bountifull mercy and plentifull redemption And he will redeem Israel out of all his iniquities Psal 130.7 8. Now whereas it is said He shall save his people from their sinnes He will redeem Israel out of all his iniquities Hereby is meant all the sinnes of all his people in Covenant with him both young and old both great and small So David sayth Psal 115.12 13 14 15. The Lord hath been mindfull of us he will blesse us he will blesse the house of Israel He will blesse the house of Aaron He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your children You are blessed of the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth And so in Isa 44.3 the Lord sayth to Israel I will powre my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring And in Isa 45.25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory By all the seed of Israel he doth not mean Apostates for they are not counted for the seed k Rom. 9.8 but this justification and glorifiâ—ation is promised onely to those that abide in the Lord Jesus l Joh. 15.4 5.6.10 and so continue in his Church But the seed of the faithfull in their infancie cannot justly be sayd to depart from Christ to aberate from his Commandements to Apostate or degenerate from that h avenly state wherein the Lord of his mercy hath planted them therefore they are as well in infancie as after to be accounted holy â—pâ—â—iâ—uall and iâ— the new Covenant in the very promise of Eternall life and freed from the wrath of God and curses of the law and under grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord therefore it is apparent that the Lord imputeth them righteous though him so then they are righteous by imputation they are believers and Coâ—fessors imputatively yea and all the graces of God are theirs by imputation and this favour and benediction is not onely extended to the infants of the beleeving Jewes m Jer. 30.20 but also â—o the infants of the bâ—leeving Gentiles There is no d fference a Rom. 10 12. sayth the Apostle Paul their riches are equall they are all on in Christ b Gal. 3.28 God is their God and Christ is their Saviour in a speciall manner He justifieth the circumcision and uncircumcision by his righteousnes c Rom. 4.8 This righteous servant justifieth many d Isa 53.11 He pardoneth the iniquities of all that abide e 1 Ioh. 3 5 6. in his Covenant And seeing that the beleeving Jewes and the beleeving Gentiles have equall priviledges f Isa 56. As the infants of the beleeving Jâ—wes were and are in the Covenant of God with their parents g Gen. 17.7 Psal 11. â— so are the infants of beleeving Gentiles h Exod. 12.48 Rom. 11.12.15 16.17 20.23 24. for Jesus Christ is the same to day as he was yesterday and so is he for ever i Heb. 13.8 God is the same God over all and therefore rich unto all that call upon him * Rom. 10 12 And seeing he is the same God rich unto all that call upon him Beleeving Gentiles have the same priviledges for their seed as the beleeving Jewes had and have for their seed so that though their infants are all sinners k Rom 5.12.13 14. c. originally yet by the free grace of God they are justifica l Ver. 20.21 their transgression is forgiven and their sinne is covered and therefore they are all blessed both small and great m Psal 115.13 buds n Isa 65.23 and blossoms Blessed o Jer. 1. Psal 22.10 11 71.6.17.18 Mar. 10.13 14.15 16. Rev. 14. â—3 Psal 100.5 2 Sam 12.23 in their conception blessed in their birth blessed in their life and blessed at their death remaining still in the Covenant branches p Psal 80 1.1â— of Gods holy Vine In the Lord shall all this blessed seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Note he doth not limit it to some onely but extendeth it to all not one person of them is exempted for though they be all sinners by nature yet by grace they are saved not of themselves but it is the gift of God who