God to Abraham and to his seed after him in their generations as Gen. 17.7 That was faithfully to performe all that he had promised either to Abraham in particular or his seed in generall as Neh. 9.8 Psal 105 9.10 11 12 13 14.42 Luke 1.72 73 74. In token of which God annexed Circumcision as a seale to confirme the same as Gen. 17.11 These are the severall parts and branches of the Covenant that God made with Abraham and his seed and Circumcision in the flesh as a seale to confirme every part to each seed as was proper to the same But if any shall say the Scriptures deny many seeds Obj. and approve onely of one seed in Abraham with whom the promise was made as Gal. 3.16 To this I answer and say that this place well considered will help forward the truth Ans for the Apostle here speaks of the Covenant so as comprehending Christ the substance of the same and the Elect in him for eternall life In which sense the covenant of grace was not made to Abraham and to all his seed without exception for then all his seed must either be saved or else such as are not but perish must fall out of the said covenant of Grace for I suppose no man will say that all the seed of Abraham without exception were saved And if not then there was some of Abrahams seed comprehended in the Covenant in one sense and admitted to the seale thereof whom God excepted against in another some of which was Ishmael and Esau signifying in Abrahams generation a fleshly seed as well as a spirituall between which seeds God ever held forth a distinction through all their generations from Abraham untill Christ who put an end to the type and the flesh and all priviledges of that nature thereunto belonging Col. 2. as 2 Cor. 5.16 Phil. 3.3 4 5. So that now all is laid up in Christ as Gods store-house and treasury and in him only for such as beleeve and therefore now first in Christ by faith and then to the Covenant and the priviledges thereof as Gal. 3.29 And none by the Gospel approved of now to be the children of Abraham but onely such as walke in the steps of his saith For as none invisible before God are by him at all approved to have right to any priviledge of grace but onely as he lookes upon them in his Sonne No more are there any visibly before men to be approved of so as to have right to the same but as they appeare to be in Christ by some effect of faith declaring the same And so much the more in that God excludes all from his holy Covenant is to have right in the outward dispensation thereof but onely such as beleeve Rom. 11.20 Heb. 3.18 19. Heb. 4.1 2 3. Heb. 11.5 6. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.22.26.29 Let all this be well considered and I doubt not but the difference between the Covenant God made with Abraham before Christ and this under Christ will appeare very great though in some respect for substance the same Yet in the outward profession of them the difference is great both in respect of persons and things Wherein our descent chiefly lyes that covenant admitted of a fleshly seed but this only of a spirituall Gen. 17. with Rom. 9. That in the flesh and this in the heart Gen. 17.13 with Jer. 31.33 Rom. 2.28 29. The seale and ordinances of that Covenant confirmed faith in things to come but the seale and ordinances of this confirme faith in things already done That Covenant was nationall and admitted all of the same to the seales thereof but this personall and admits of none but such as beleeve That Covenant begot children after the flesh as all Abrahams naturall posteritie But this onely begets children after the Spirit and onely approves of such as are begotten and borne from above in whose hearts God writes his Law Jer. 31. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. Joh. 3.5 6. That covenant with Abraham and his posteritie before Christ comprehended a civill State and a worldly Government with the like carnall Subjects for the service of the same But this covenant now under Christ comprehends onely a spirituall State and a heavenly Government with the like spirituall Subjects for the service of this also That covenant held forth Christ in the flesh to a heart vailed this holds him forth after the Spirit to a face open 2 Cor. 3. In all understand the visible profession of the Covenant in the out ward dispensation of the priviledges thereof And now I come to the consequence gathered from the Covenants Obj. being one and the same as aforesaid That as Infants were in that covenant then and circumcised so are Infants in this now and to be baptized In answer to which Ans I shall commit in the first place to the Readers consideration these particulars for the further clearing of the aforesaid truth First What the Covenant is Secondly What is that which admits into the said Covenant Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant And lastly Whether all have not one and the same way of entrance into the said Covenant and to each of these a word First the Covenant it selfe is a Covenant of grace and salvation by which God of his grace takes a person or a people to himselfe for his own above all others and to be their God and to manâ—â—est upon them the riches of his grace and glory and the manner of which is in effect but onely thus much Gods calling of a man to an agreement with himselfe in his Sonne wherein he promises to be his God and to give him life and happines and all things in Christ and that he shall beleeve and rest upon his faithfulnes and truth and so take him for his God c. And thus I say God and man come to an agreement in Christ upon something passing between them wherein they both agree and this is called a Coveannt and I call it a covenant of grace when the thing agreed upon is a subject of grace as Gods giving of man life and peace and all things in Jesus Christ and that he will be his God upon whom he shall relie and beleeve the accomplishment of all things in his due time and that he shall heare and know his will by his Sonne and obey him in the same and mans free consent to God againe that he likes of all this well and concludes with God that it shall be so For a Covenant presupposeth two persons at least and also something to agree or covenant upon thus did God with Abraham and so he doth with every beleever and chiefely when God takes any into a Church-fellowship So that the covenant consisteth of these essentials First the persons disposed to agree Secondly something to agree upon And lastly their mutuall consent which is the agreement it selfe And so much for the Covenant and what the same is Secondly What it is that gives right
and received the seale thereof even so are Infants now in the Covenant and ought to receive the seale thereof Three things are to be cleared in this Argument First That the Covenant made with Abraham and his posteritie in the flesh before Christ and that now under Christ is the same Secondly As Infants were in that Covenant so are Infants now Thirdly as Infants were sealed then so they ought to be now Now for the proving of these aforesaid there are 3. other grounds laid down as follow First That Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant but this being one was preached to Abraham as Gal. 3.8.17.18 Rom 4.11 and so to the end and to the Jewes in the Wildernesse Heb. 4.1.2 Heb. 3.7 and so in Davids time Heb. 4.7 c. Therefore the Covenant is the same Secondly If Abraham be the Father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeved the righteousnesse of faith and they his children equally as so beleeving and no otherwise then the Covenant is the same But Abraham is the father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeves as aforesaid Rom. 4.11 12.16 17.23 24. Gal. 3.3.9.26.29 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thirdly The standing of the Jewes in the Grace of God was the same with Abraham as is cleare from Gods often expressing of himselfe to be the God of Abraham and his seed and praying to God for to remember the Covenant he made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and acknowledging the accomplishing of the same to them as Luk. 1.73 74. Luk 1.54 55. and ours in the same with the Jewes as is cleare from Mat. 21.41.43 22.1 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thus lies the Argument Ans and the grounds to back it and all to prove the Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed to be the same now to the beleeving Gentiles and their seed and Infants to be in this now as they were in that then In answer to which I shall onely touch at the three last grounds briefly in a word as I come to the Covenant it selfe The first is because the Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant and was preached to Abraham and to the Jewes c. therefore the Covenant is the same For the first if the preaching of the Gospel being the doctrine of the Covenant can prove the Covenant to be the same to them as to us then all to whom the Gospel was and is preached are in the same Covenant But I think it is the effectuall beleeving of that which the Gospel holds forth in the doctrine of it that proves persons in the Covenant and not the preaching of it because many may have the Gospel preached among them and yet not be in the Covenant And for the second that Abraham is the equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles onely as he did beleeve and they his children onely so beleeving as their father Abraham did and not else In respect of which the covenant is the same to the one as it is to the other This in a sense I confesse is a truth that none are accounted children of Abraham but onely as they beleeve as their father Abraham did and iâ— this be true as the ground affirmes it is then let the Reader judge how Infants can be said to be the children of Abraham and in the Covenant and so to have right to Baptisme as the scale to confirme their saith and whether they doe beleeve as Abraham did But that Abraham may be said to be an equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles I thinke not so in all respects the Jewes were the seed of Abraham as they descended from his loynes as well as from his faith But for the Gentiles they are called the seed or children of Abraham onely as they walke in the steppes of his faith and not else as 1 Pet. 3 6. And lastly Obj. that the standing of the Jewes in the grace of God was the same with Abrahams and ours the same with the Jewes therefore the Covenant is the same This doctrine so generally laid downe without distinction or exception holds forth a mans falling from grace Ans or out of Gods gracious Covenant of life eternall A doctrine to be testified against by all that truely feare the Lord. For Abrahams standing was true and firme in Gods gracious Covenant and if the Jewes was the same without exception then the Jewes that did oppose Christ and were cut off for the same fell out of this Covenant of grace But I shall further cleare this in that which follows and so I come to the Covenant it selfe and to see how that God made with Abraham and this under Christ will agree In the handling of which in the first place this must be well observed A double â—eed in Abraham that there was in Abraham a double secd when God made his covenant with him and his seed and confirmed the same by the seale of Circumcision There was in Abraham at that time a spirituall seed and a fleshly seed Between which seeds God ever distinguished through all their Generations And as there was a distinction thus made by God in Abrahams seed before they were circumcised and yet admitted to the seale of the Covenant by Gods speciall command For Ishmael and Esau were by God commanded to be circumcised as well as any of the rest of Abrahams seed Gen 17.10.13 Even so there must be the same respect observed also in the Covenant and that because the Covenant comprehends divers things and Circumcision was a seale unto them all Some of which were proper unto both the seeds and some not as may be gathered from the severall branches of the Covenant expressed by God Gen 17. As first for the multiplication of Abrahams seed Gen. 17.2 this was proper as well to his fieshly seed as his spirituall as Gen. 21.13 Deut. 10.22 Isa 48.19 Secondly The land of Canaan Gen. 17.8 This was proper also to both the seeds of Abraham And as it was onely a temporall inheritance the same was conditionall as Heb. 3. And so confirmed by circumcision upon both the seeds of Abraham as Gen. 21.9 10. Deut. 30.18 19 20. And as it pointed at a spirituall inheritance shadowed out under it Now thus considered it was absolute and confirmed onely upon the spirituall seed as Gen. 17.19.21 Gen. 21.12 Gal. 3.17 Thirdly That from Abrahams loynes should come a seed in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed as Gen. 17.16.19 18.10.18 21.2 This blessed branch of the Covenant was proper onely to the spirituall seed considered either in the cause or in the effect as Act. 3.25 26. Gal. 3.7 8.9 16. Fourthly Abrahams fatherhood of the faithfull as Gen. 17.4 5. This was onely proper to faithfull Abraham and his seed as they are found walking in the steppes of his faith as Rom. 4.11 12 13 16. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7 9 29. 1 Pet. 3. Lastly To be a
begotten and brought forth in a way of uncleannesse as adultery fornication and the like And whereas it is said that if this were the meaning of the Apostle then he said nothing for the clearing of the scruple because this holinesse of the children might be questioned as well as their own c. To which I answer and say that to expound the Apostle this way makes onely forth clearing of the scruple which scruple befell the Corinthians by reason of an Epistle which the Apostle writ to them before as 1 Cor. 5 9. wherein he so presses them from having any communion or fellowship with any unclean person in the worship of God which they understood of civill commerce with the world upon which they questioned the lawfull retaining of their unbeleeving husband and wives and to have communion with them in that neer relation of husband and wife in their civill commerce and societie And so much the more having an example of the like nature in the Law Ezra 10.7 about which thing they wrote to the Apostle for information 1 Cor. 7.1 and questioned not their children Whereby it appears they held it lawfull for to retain their children To which the Apostle answers from a double ground thus 1. In that all things are sanctified to such as beleeve as Tit. 1.15 and so is the unbeleeving wife to the beleeving husband So that you may lawfully live together in that comfortable estate and societie of marriage which God hath ordained for man and wife to abide in 2. If you judge your selves to live in such a way of uncleannesse upon which you must now part then your children so begotten are unclean and to be put away also but in that you 〈◊〉 it lawfull to retain your children and not to put them away though you beleeve and they do not Then much more the unbeleeving parents as aforesaid that bear them for if the effect be holy then must the cause be also holy that produceth the same which is Gods holy ordinance of marriage and not his holy covenant of grace Now it had been in vain for the Apostle to have gone about to prove the lawfull restraining of the unbeleeving husband and wife from the holinesse of their children being in the Covenant for nothing was more clear then this that such children as are begotten in uncleannesse were not approved of in Gods holy Covenant of life not any way holy either by Law or Gospel How then could this tend to remove the Corinthians scruple to tell them they might lawfully continue together because their children were in the Covenant of grace and life and so were holy when as their scruple lay in matter of uncleannesse upon which they were to part Now this must first be cleared whether they were so or not in respect of themselves before ever they could beleeve the holinesse of their children or any such to be in Gods gracious Covenant for the children of adultery and fornication are debarred the holy Covenant both in the Law and Gospel But if it be said that the scruple was about the unlawfull commerce of the beleever with the unbeleever and not of their marriage as if they lived in adultery and fornication and so the uncleannesse of the flesh in that respect as if they were not married Now if this be true that they scruple not their marriage then it holds true also that they did not question the lawfull retaining of their children And so the Apostles argument from the same is of force to prove the lawfull continuing of their parents also though the one called to the faith and so a beleever and the other not In which respect they judged their children free from that uncleannesse the unbeleeving parent was or might be guiltie of to which the Apostle answers and affirms that the condition of the parents and the children is one and the same in the aforesaid respects If they put away the one as unclean upon the same ground the other is unclean and to be put away also And as the one is holy and to be retained upon the same ground the other is holy and to be retained likewise And I conclude as I began tht the holinesse here both of the unbeleeving parents and the children is the same for nature being opposed to one and the same uncleannesse which is onely the holinesse of the creature in a naturall respect not the holinesse of the gracious Covenant of life in a spirituall respect as it is affirmed And so this Scripture also hath nothing at all in it for the proving of Infants true subjects of Baptisme One thing more in the Proposition I cannot passe which is this 〈…〉 That by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit is holy and partakes with the same state of grace with him unlesse they do by some act of theirs deprive themselves of it as Esau and Ishmael A word briefly of this and so I leave it as answered already 〈…〉 1. If this be a truth then one may be saved by another mans faith for here by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit that is his children pertake of the same with him and so fare as he doth onely by vertue of his grace or state in grace which is the same And so by the fathers saith the children share together with him in that grace which his faith instates him in which is salvation it self 2. This doctrine takes away the being of originall sinne for here they are all holy and partakers of grace untill they commit some actuall sinne Which denies any originall sin for that would make them unholy though they never committed actuall sin in their own persons 3. It layes a ground of falling out of an estate of grace for by this doctrine Esau and Ishmael and all beleevers children are holy and partakers of the same grace with their parents untill they commit sin as Esau and Ishmael did and then to fall from the same as they did And lastly this is false doctrine for both Esau and Ishmael were excluded from being subjects of Gods saving grace before they committed actuall sin As Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11.12 13. and so Gen. 17.20.21 Gen. 21 9.10 12. But as it tends to Poperie and Arminianisme so I shall leave it as an old Creed bare error not worth any further medling with And now to the fourth and last Argument thus If Baptisme succeeds circumcision 〈…〉 4. then as infants were to be circumcised so are infants to be baptized but Baptisme succeeds circumcision as Col. 2.11 12. Therefore as infants were circumcised so are infants to be baptized This Argument is somewhat weak 〈…〉 and therefore a weak answer shall serve What though Baptisme succeeds circumcision must it needs follow that as Infants were circumcised they must of necessitie be baptized The new Testament succeeds the old must it needs follow therefore that the same order be observed now as was then
received there as a true ordinance of God And for a more orderly proceeding in this discourse I shall first set down my dissent and the causes of it and then examine those grounds that are brought for the proving of the contrary And first for that ordinance of Baptisme which as aforesaid hath been administred and received in a false Antichristian estate and retained the true ordinance of God and such so baptized by the power of the man of sin to be admitted into the Church of Christ with the same baptisme as the Lords ordinance This I cannot assent unto because I see no such thing in all the Word of God by which I must be guided here and judged hereafter So that I dissent from that baptisme administred by the power of Antichrist and cannot own the same for Gods ordinance appointed by him and instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that for these and the like reasons First because in so doing I shall approve of Antichrists matter and form 〈…〉 and so of the state it self As an infant for his matter and the words with water applied his form I have alreadie proved that an infant is not the subject of baptisme appointed by God though it be the child of a beleever but how much lesse such who are the carnall seed of the wicked The covenant of grace and the parents faith is alledged to inright the former unto baptisme but what inrights these unto it and how came they by it Secondly the ordinance of baptisme instituted by Christ is so essentiall to the constitution of the Church under the new Testament that none can be true in her constitution without it Neither can that be a false Church where baptisme is truly the Lords ordinance in the administration thereof as 1 Cor. 12.13 with Gal. 3.27 So that to approve of Antichrists baptisme to be Gods ordinance is to approve of his Church to be also the Church of God For as the eaters of the sacrifice were of old partakers of the Alcar 1 Cor. 10.17 18. and to receive him that is sent is a receiving also of him that sent him Mat. 13.40 so it is with this essentiall ordinance of baptisme in the church of Antichrist that whosoever approves of the one by the same he approves of the other also For the ground and piller that bears up the truth and that truth so born up stands and falls together as 1 Tim. 3.15 So that where there is not a tâ—â—e constituted Church there is no true constituted Church ordinance and where there is a true Church ordinance in its constitution as baptisme is there is at least presupposed a true Church also And therefore to condemne a Church to be false and altogether Antichristian and yet baptisme there and by the same administred to be the ordinance of God this I can see no rule for in Scripture and therefore I dissent Thirdly 〈…〉 6. Christ hath disclaimed and denieth all communion with the man of sin both in respect of himself and his subjects and hath also proclaimed open warre against him in all his dominions and therefore he cals home his subjects as Jer. 51.6.45 Revel 18.4 Christ refuseth to be laid as a chief corner stone under Antichrists building as he must be if he in his holy ordinance of baptisme be granted to lie in his foundation For baptisme is no otherwise Christs ordinance but as it depends upon him the ordainer But Christ denies Antichrist any such priviledge and also forbids his people from taking a stone from Babylon to lay in the foundation of the I ords building as Jer. 51.26 But if Antichrists church be of himself and so false then all the parts thereof must be of his own devising and false also For if in opposition to a true Church of Christ there is a false church of Antichrists which thing cannot be if there be not in opposition to true ordinances of the one false ordinances of the other that are essentiall to the same as the ordinance of baptisme is And so the like ministery proportionable to the same as 1 Cor. 10.21 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. Revel 2.2 according to Matth. 24.24 with 2 Thes 2.9 10. Fourthly I cannot approve of that baptisme in the church of Antichrist to be Gods ordinance because in so doing I shall advance humane testimony above the Word of God For I have no way to satisfie my conscience whether I have that ordinance or no but onely by Antichrists Church-book or my godfathers godmothers which if the one be dead and the other lost then am I to seek my baptisme But at the best if any should demand of me whether I were baptized or not all that I can say is that men tell me so in all which Christ must have no voice and the Word of God put to silence as knowing no such thing and Antichrists Church-book come in the place as a ground of my faith in a truth so essentiall Which thing I dare not approve of Fifthly to justifie baptisme in the church of Antichrist to be Gods ordinance is to force men to sin against conscience for if any man comes unto such for fellowship in the truth he must either justifie the baptisme he received of the man of sin as Gods ordinance or else continue in that sinfull way in which he is and desires to leave I speak now in their sense whose practise it is which I cannot at all assent unto for a truth Sixtly I cannot justifie Antichrists baptisme for Gods ordinance because it makes against Christs baptisme in these two respects First for the power by which the same was constituted and so authorised in the hand of the Minister being the power of the man of sin rejected of God as an enemic to the crown and dignitie of Christ the King of Saints Secondly in respect of that body into which the partie was baptized and so by the same made a visible member and that was in the body of Antichrist In both which respects the baptisme administered en the false Antichristian state in my judgement cannot be the ordinance of God And lastly I dare not go from that rule and order which Christ left in his last Testament for the constituting of his Church and taking of members into the same which is by faith and baptisme All which grounds being well considered I cannot see by any rule of truth to approve of the baptisme administred in a false Antichristian church to be Gods ordinance instituted by Christ in his new Testament That being there administred under a false power by a â—â—se ministery upon a wrong subject in a false body and yet the same Gods ordinance this is more then I can find by the Word of God from which rule I dare not go Thus having shewed my judgement and some reasons why I so judge of the baptisme administred in a false Antichristian estate cannot be the ordinance of God instituted by Christ in the
unsound consequences and false inferences and lay by the plaine testimony of Scripture that must decide all doubts and controversies in matters of Religion For sure I am there is neither command nor example in all the New Testament for any such practise as I know and whatsoever is done in the worship of God or obedience to Christ without his command or apparant example approved of by Christ is of man as a voluntary will worship Col. 2 20 21 22. Mark 7.7 8. after the commandements and doctrines of men the which Christ testifies against as a vaine thing This way the Gentiles are more forward in then ever the Jewes were and more bitter against such that doe oppose their traditions then ever they were And therefore I beseech thee Good Reader beware of opposing the Gospell and Christs holy order in the same Rom. 11. For which thing God fell out with his ancient people the Jewes and threatens to make the Gentiles drinke of the same cup if they oppose the power and authoritie of his Sonne Jesus Christ as they did and doe not the Gentiles this Yea and much more then ever the Jewes did The Gentiles are set forth in Scripture to be the greatest enemies that Christ and his Gospell hath in the world Psal 2. Ezek. 38. Rev. 20.8 9. Rev. 9 1-11 Rev. 12.4 Rev. 13.1 2. Rev. 17.13 14.17 Rev 11.2 Rev. 11.8 Rev. 17.17 Rev. 11.2 Luk. 21 24 Rom â— 11.20 21 22. for they rage and bend up their forces against Christ and his people and the Gentiles they compasse the Campe of the Saints to devoure them Of them is the bottomlesse pit out of which come the Locusts with a King over them and of them is the blouddie Dragon that stands against the Church to suppresse and devour Christs holy order and Government and her subjection to the same Of the Gentiles rises that beastly State with which the Kings of the earth joyne their powers against Christs Kingly power and Subjects and they tread underfoote the holy Citie Not the earthly Citie Jerusalem as some weakly affirme but the holy heavenly order of the Gospell and the true Subjects thereof The Gentiles Crucifie Christ in his mysticall body which is more then to slay him in his humane body There is a time set for the long suffering of God towards the Gentiles Which time being once expired God will have as strict account of the Gentiles as ever he tooke of the Jewes Which day shall be as blacke and darke over the Gentiles as ever it hath been to the Jewes And more in that their sinne hath been greater against grace Christ and his members by many degrees then ever the Jewes were And therefore woe woe unto the Gentiles because the day of their account draws neere Therefore good Christian Reader be well advised and doe not take part with any that shall oppose Christ in his sweet and comely order among his Saints and kingly Government over his Subjects Wee see by apparant example how dangerous a thing it is to oppose Kings but Christ is the King of Kings therefore kisse the Sonne least he be angry Psal 2.12 JOHN SPILSBERY A TREATISE CONCERNING THE SVBIECT OF BAPTISME VVherein is handled and also disproved Infants Baptisme The Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. And how the same agrees with Beleevers and their seed under the New Testament with the Priviledges thereof The Baptisme administred by a false Antichristian Power no Ordinance of GOD. The orderly constitution of both Church and Ordinance With many other things briefely handled FOR a more orderly proceeding in the following Discourse I shall first lay downe the Arguments and Objections and then give Answer to the same And for some things in the beginning I shall passe over briefely they not much concerning the point in hand As the Scriptures being a perfect rule of all things both for faith and order this I confesse is a truth And for the just and true consequence of Scripture I doe not deny and the covenant of life lying between God and Christ for all his Elect I doe not oppose and that the outward profession of the said Covenant hath differed under severall Periods I shall not deny and of the Scriptures speaking of the disanulling and abolishing the old Covenant and making a new is to be understood of the Period from Moses to Christ and not of that from Abraham to Moses This also in part I confesse but not the whole because that the abolishing of the old Covenant or Testament reached unto all that outward for me of worship under any type or shadow by which the people professed their faith and obedience to God So that the abolishing of types and shadows must reach so farre as any types and shadows were and that was unto Circumcision it selfe unto Abrahams Period and beyond even to all those sacrifices in any part of the old Testament wherein God testified his pleasure unto his people in any darke and typicall way or they their faith and obedience to him by the same So that the opposition the Scripture holds forth between Covenant Covenant is between Testament and Testament with reference to the order and forme of profession thereof But I leave this as little concerning the matter in hand and come to that which follows And the first to any purpose is layd downe thus That children are capable of the Spirit of God and of the grace of the Covenant Obj. and whatsoever men of yeares are capable of though not wrought in the same way and by the same meanes yet the same things and by the same Spirit so farre as is necessary to union with Christ and justification to life thereby else children were not elected or raised up againe in their bodies and be saved nor yet the judgement we can have of men of yeares be infallible but we may be mistaken as in the case of Simon Magus and others in the like nature In answer to this Ans let it be in the first place considered what may be here meant by children because the Scriptures speake of children in a severall respect If such children as the Scriptures call so through weaknesse in the faith as Mar. 18.6 1 Joh. 2.12 13. 1 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 Now if such children as these then I confesse that such are capable of the Spirit of God and so of the rest as aforesaid But if by children be meant of infants then we are to consider what is meant by capablenesse of the Spirit the grace of the Covenant and the rest If capable of the Spirit so as opposed to the power of the Spirit to worke upon them so is a stone as well as a man as Mat. 3.9 But if capable to comply with the Spirit in hearing receiving and beleeving the Spirits testimony and so of Regeneration faith and repentance c. This I shall deny untill some proofe be produced from the Word of God for
same to God And though that we have not infallible knowledge to judge aright of the hearts of men which thing is proper to God alone shall we not judge at all therefore we are to goe on as neere as we can by the Rule of Gods Word and in so doing we discharge our dutie which binds us to judge of the tree by his fruit And though we are not infallible Judges but may be mistaken yet this will not follow that we should justifie a tree upon which no fruit at all appeares but rather to goe on by the rule of judgement and if we doe misse to be humbled for our weaknesse rather then leave all undone because we are not sure to doe it infallibly But I would not be understood to oppose Infants so as to exclude them from salvation no I am so farre from this that I doe not so much as impose any such worke of grace upon them as essentiall to life in this or that way as many doe but leave all in respect of them as a secret thing to the wisdome and grace of God in Christ by whom the sinne of all the Elect are for ever done away at once And for faith that I presse for in all that challenge right to any priviledge of grace is onely to have some warrantable ground to judge by and so to know who God doth approve of as those unto whom such priviledges belong Seeing he hath proclaimed that all by nature are children of wrath Ephes 2. And I cannot beleeve that any are naturally borne in grace and so beleevers from the wombe though the opposite doctrine teacheth and affirmes the same And so I come to another Proposition laid downe thus That Baptisme is not the first graâ—e Obj. but the second neither doth it conferre grace but is given to confirme the former which therefore must be presupposed or else not to be administred And it is the sealâ— of the new Testament or of the righteousnesse of faith now to all that are partakâ—rs thereof as of old Circumcision was unto them Rom 4 11. Onely understand by Baptisme the outward part Administred by a lawfull Minister of the Church which may and too often isâ— sâ—parated from the inward though it ought not to be so and yet remaines true Baptisme so administred â—r else Simon Magus and those false brethren Gal 2. being not baptized and if they had repented must have been baptized a new I shall not say much to this particular Ans because our chiefest worke lies yet behind onely thus much let the Reader observe that here Baptisme is said to be given of God as an Ordinance to confirme saith in the subject baptized and so to be presupposed or else not to be administred Now of God give it to that end for to confirme faith then he never intended the same to be administred upon any but onely such as have faith And so much the next words affirme which say That it must be presupposed or else not administred Now I suppose it is meant that faith in such is to be presupposed from some ground or visible effect of faith in appearance at the lest For no man can properly presuppose a thing without some appearing ground from whence his supposition must arise and specially in waightie matters But what ground any man can have to presuppose of childe in the wombe or one that is newly borne to have faith and so capable of a seale as to be confirmed by Baptisme I cannot conceive but rather thinke it to be great weaknesse in such that shall so presuppose or affirme For it is a doctrine that confirmes the opinion of such as hold faith to be naturall and in a man from the wombe and as some say they have been beâ—eevers ever since they were borne And so it is here for when an Infant is once baptized it goes ever afterwards for a beleever as well as any that are never so cleare in the faith unlesse he comes to commit such sinne as to be excommunicated untill which time he was ever a beleever before But I passe from this to the next particular thus That as of old more was required of Abraham and men of yeares when they were Circumcised Obj. then of Ishmael and Isaac or of other Infants continually circumcised afterwards so now in the adminsstring of Baptisme more is required of men of yeares then is of Infants of Abraham God required faith in the blessed seed but not the same of Isaac Of men of yeares faith is to be required and must be that a man may be baptized but not the same of Infants The substance of this particular lies thus That more is required of men of yeares Ans for their receiving of Baptisme then is of Infants and all the proofe is from the example of Abraham Ishmael and Isaac and others in like manner after them in the order of Circumcision I shall give a briefe answer to this by an Argument drawne from the same thus Upon the same condition that Abraham Ishmael and all the rest of his houshold received Circumeision so are all now to receive Baptisme But Abraham Ishmael and all the rest of his houshold were circumcised upon one and the same condition without requiring any thing more of one then of another as Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14.23.25 26 27. Therefore all are to be baptized upon one and the same condition without requiring any thing more in one then in another which is faith repentance in all alike Mar. 28.19 Mark 16.15 16. Act. 16.31 32 33 34. Act. 2.38 Act. 8.12 13 37. Act. 10.47 And whereas it is said that faith in the blessed seed was required in Abraham but not in Isaac who was to be circumcised at eight dayes old It is more then I finde the Scriptures reveale that such a faith was required of Abraham at the time of his circumcision or else he must not have been circumcised Or that the same faith in the blessed seed Jesus Christ was so required of all his houshold at the time of their circumcision is more then yet appeares to me And as it is said that the same faith was not required of Isaac as aforesaid no more was it required of Ishmael who was 13. yeares old when he was circumcised Gen. 17.25 not of the Shechemites being men of yeares Gen. 34. So that this Proposition falls in it selfe and so I leave it come to the reasons Arguments themselves The first Argument lies thus If the Covenant now under Christ 1. Argu. be the same that was before Christ with Abraham and his posteritie in the flesh then as Infants were partakers of the Covenant then and received the seale thereof Circumcision so are Infants now partakers of the Covenant and ought to receive the seale thereof Baptisme But the Covenant now under Christ is the same that was before Christ with Abraham and his posteritie in the flesh Therefore as Infants were then in the Covenant
to enter or admits any into the said Covenant What inrights into the covenant and that is the promise of God in Christ and faith in the same that gives right of entrance and onely admits into Covenant with God as Neh. 9.8 The Covenant aforesaid hath these essentiall parts and visible branches First Grace in the agent God Secondly faith in the Subject Man Thirdly a uniting or closing of these together which is that mutuall consent agreement by faith in the same grace revealed by the Gospel which is the word of Reconciliation So that it is the blessed word of life and faith in the same that gives right and admits into Covenant with God Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant and they are onely such as beleeve for God approves of none in covenant with him by his Word out of Christ nor of any in Christ without faith Nay God denies his approving of any in fellowship or communion with him that doe not beleeve as John 3.5 6 36. Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.9 Thus God approves of none as Subjects of his gracious covenant but onely such as he hath elected and chosen in Christ and so appearing by some fruit and effects of the same as these Scriptures with many other witnes Rom. 8.29 30. Rom. 11.7 Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 Act. 2.47 Act. 13.48 So that such as are the chosen and called of the Lord are the onely approved Subjects by him in his saving and ever-blessed Covenant of life The fourth and last is this Whether that all persons now under the Gospel have not one and the same way of entrance into the foresaid Covenant For answer to this the holy Word of God must be Judge and I finds the Gospel of Christ to approve of none in the Lords holy Covenant of grace but such as beleeve neither any approved of as to be in the way of life but such as are in Christ by faith and therefore no other way to come into the Covenant of grace and salvation as the Scriptures reveale but only by Jesus Christ For in him are all the promises confirmed made over only unto such as beleeve as 2 Cor. 1.20 Rom. 10 4 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Rom. 8.9 The holy Covenant of life consisteth of these three essentialls for entrance thereinto The essentials of the covenant First the word of God to reveale the same Secondly Christ to open the way and to inright the partie therein And lastly faith without which none can enter thereinto So that as there is but onely one way of entrance into Covenant with God that the Scripture reveals now under the Gospel that is by Jesus Christ and faith in his name Then all must enter this way that can be approved in covenant with God for none can come to the Father but by the Sonne nor any to the Sonne but by faith as John 14.6 with John 6.44.45 Heb. 11.6 Let all this be well considered and then see how Infants are discovered to be in this Covenant what way of entrance hath God by his word appointed for them to come in and denied the same unto others except they be naturally begotten born in the covenant and so were never out of the same which thing indeed the opposite doctrine affirmes for if Infants be in the covenant of grace and that by vertue of their being borne of beleeving parents who are in the same then such Infants are borne in a saving estate of grace and were never out of the same which doctrine makes voyd many heavenly and divine truths that speak to the contrary which lay all under sin and wrath for the same as conceived in sin borne children of wrath and so under the curse untill Christ by his bloud and death redeemes them and by his heavenly voice calls them and by his holy Spirit of grace begets them unto a lively hope working faith in their hearts to lay hold upon Christ Gods arme of salvation that carries them up to glory and therefore all are said to be borne againe from above of water and of the Spirit before they can enter into the Kingdome of God Now for such as are begotten and borne in the covenant being the seed of beleevers as is affirmed then such were never out of the same which doctrine disables them of any of the former priviledges by Christ for none can be under grace wrath the curse at one and the same time in the outward dispensation of the same the which all out discourse intends for invisible things belong to God and so I come to some other grounds tending to prove Infants to be in the covenant now as they were of old and they are these First Obj. If it were not so then this Covenant would not be the same with that And for answer to this Ans I shall referre the Reader to what hath been aforesaid concerning the differencebetween the Covenant then and this now not the same in a typicall way nor the same in a fleshly seed nor the same in the outward priviledges nor the same in the visible profession thereof c. All which I have already spoken to and shall adde more here after Another ground is this Obj. else the state of the grace of God should be straitned and made of lesse extent by Christs coming then it was before whereas it is more inlarged and of greater extent there being nothing more required in the state of the persons to interesse Infants into the covenant then then is now This particular consists of two parts Ans and the first is to this effect if Infants be not in the covenant now as they were at the first then is the covenant of lesse extent since Christs coming then it was before the answer is that indeed it is of lesse extent in respect of the flesh by Christs coming then it was before because that by him is taken away all fleshly respects either in regard of persons or priviledges in matters of grace which is a further inlarging of the covenant in a spirituall sense for the neerer the covenant comes to perfection the larger it is and the perfection of the covenant in one sense is this to have nothing contained in it but what is truely of it and the contrary is a straitning of the same and a bondage unto the true Subjects thereof Againe It can not properly be said that the covenant in the full accomplishment of the same in glory will be more straite of lesse extent then now in grace and yet there shall be none but onely such as truely appeare to be of the same The second part of the Proposition lies to this effect Obj. There was no more required in Infants then to interesse them into the Covenant then there is required of Infants now For answer to this in a word Ans let the Reader consider well what was required to interesse Infants into the covenant
13. and therefore we are said now to know no man after the flesh no nor Christ himself as the Jews did not Christ himself after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 and Circumcision was one priviledge of the flesh as Phil. 3.4 5. Therefore though that the Jews infants were admitted to all those outward priviledges being a nationall people and so a nationall bodie with a naturall birth and the like seed in generall yet the Gentiles infants cannot be admitted to their spirituall priviledges they being a personall people called by the Word of grace and so a spirituall body with a spirituall birth and the like seed And so much for the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 11.16 which makes nothing for the baptising of Infants but altogether against the same the words not being well considered and therefore misapplied the first fruits being such as first so appeared of Gods elect by faith in such a way of grace by gods receiving and approving of them in his holy covenant under so many gracious promises The lump such a remnant in the election of grace chiefly of the Jews with reference to the same state of grace and faith in Christ as the first fruits were in when God so approved of them And so a second fruits following the first fruits of the same kind which first fruits did ever presuppose the same And so for the root and branches the root Christ mystically considered as aforesaid as the Scriptures hold him forth The branches such as grow in him by faith and he in them by his Spirit by which they are alive in their vine All which are understood of beleevers and not of Infants and so with respect to their calling and not to their infancy as Act. 2.39 which promise is in no other sence to the children then to the parents and that is either to turn them from their sins by calling them to repentance As Act. 3.19 20.25 26. or to comfort them so turned or repenting by tendring and applying to them the promised Saviour Christ Jesus as Act. 13.23.26 32 33.38 39. And as God hath not grounded his election of grace in the seed of beleevers but in the good pleasure of his will no more hath he the dispensation of the same in his gracious Covenant but in his free and effectuall call to beleeve in his Son in whom they were elected to the same which call to the faith makes the onely difference between them and others and not their being the seed of beleevers by a naturall birth For we are alike by nature children of wrath as well the seed of beleevers as any others considered in any personall respect as Rom. 3.9 Eph. 2 3. Whose happinesse depends upon that blessed change and spirituall birth by which they are born again and called to beleeve in the Lord of life and not their being the seed of a beleeving parent for so one may be and perish as soon as any others And now for the other Scriptures 1 Cor. 7.14 if this be of the same consideration with the former then the same is answered with that and so they are both void in respect of the end for which they are alledged namely to prove the holinesse of infants being in the Covenant of grace and life by vertue of their being the children of beleeving parents and so to have right to Baptisme But I do not understood this Scripture to be of the same consideration with the former and therefore a word or two of this also And for the understanding of the Apostle in the same its good first to consider what that holinesse is which inrights persons to the priviledges of grace and that is one of these two at the least Either the holinesse of Christ in whom God looks upon his children and approves of them holy in him and so to have right through his Son to all things both in grace and glory 〈…〉 generation appearing in the holy fruits and effects thereof by which such persons appear to to have right to the aforesaid priviledges before men who must judge of the tree by the fruit and of both by the Word of God Ephes 4.24 Tit. 3.5 1. Pet. 1.15 16. Hebr. 12.14 There is no other holinesse that proceeds from Gods holy Covenant or that can inright to any priviledge of grace now under the Gospel For whatsoever can truly inright any person to the priviledges of grace the same inrights to glory For no lesse can inright to grace then what inrights to glory So that if this be such a holinesse then look how many it inrights to Baptisme it also inrights to glory and so all that are baptised being children of beleevers and so holy must be saved or else fall from grace But neither of these d◠I beleeve for truth and therefore this holinesse must be some other holinesse then that which tends to life eternall It is said the unbeleeving wife is holy or sanctified which is all one by the husband and the unbeleeving husband by the wife and if it were not so your children would be unclean also but in that the unbeleeving husband and wife is holy by the beleevers so are your children by the same means holy likewise For the same way the children would be unclean by the same rule of contraries they are holy But if unbeleeving husband were not sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife by the beleeving husband now if they were not thus sanctified the one to the other that so they might lawfully continue together as husband and wife their children would be unclean in that they were begotten in an unlawfull way for here the uncleannesse of the unbeleeving and unsanctified parents if in case they were so and the uncleannes of the children is the same even so on the contrary the unbeleeving husband being sanctified by the beleeving wife that so they may lawfully continue together in that honourable way of marriage and the bed undefiled hence your children are holy Which holinesse of the children and the sanctitie of the unbeleeving parents is the same opposed to the uncleannesse in opposition to the same So that as the one is uncleannesse of the flesh so is the other the holinesse of the flesh compared with these together Ezra 10.2.3 1. Sam. 21.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.18 and 7.1 2. 1 Thes 4.3 4. And for the two-fold holinesse that is noted in the Argument to be considered in the Apostles words the one not in the thing it self but to another use and the other of the thing it self and therefore sin to confound them This is in part true for the holinesse of the children is not onely such a relative holinesse as to another use as the unbeleever to the beleevers use and no more but the holinesse of the children rests in themselves as the subjects thereof by nature being begotten and born in that lawfull and honourable way of marriage by Gods appointment and so holy and clean in opposition to such as are
All the whole houshold of every familie among the Israelites in Aegypt as well children as others were to eate the Passeover Exod. 12.3 4. And the Lords Supper succeeds that 〈…〉 and yet Infants are not approved as fit Communicants in the Lords Supper because they are not capable subjects But it is a double mystery how persons are fit and capable of union in a State that are not fit and capable of communion in the ordinances of the same State And more mysticall how one should be a capable subject of Baptisme and noâ— of the Supper 〈…〉 I can see no Rule for such a practise in all the booke of God and it s against the Rule of nature that when a childe is borne to keep it from food The Church of the new Testament succeeds the old but it will not follow that the like order and subjects succeed each other also for no rejected Ishmaelite or Esau are to be admitted either to union or communion in the Church under the new Testament by Christs appointment therefore though that Baptisme succeed circumcision yet the same subjects doe not so The two Testaments are as Wills containing certaine Legacies given and bequeathed to such onely as whose names are expresly set downe in the same as Rev. 21.27 In the old Testament as the first Will a Male of eight dayes old or a Prosolyte Exod. 12.48.49 Gen. 17 10-44.23.25 Joâ— 8. Phil. 3.4 5. So in the new Testament as the last Will of Christ the Legacies therein contained as the priviledges and blessing of Abraham are given onely to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3.14 22 29. Rom. 8 17. 4.11 12. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7. These are such as are begotten againe by the immortall seed of the Word borne of the Spirit and so children of God and the onely true â—eiâ—es of the Kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof as Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 2.23 Joh. 1 12 13. Joh. 3.5 6 1 Joh. 3.9 10. Rom. 8.17 These are the holy seed which God so approves of in the Scriptures as subjects of grace heires of life and being in the covenant they onely have right to the priviledges thereof and their children or of-spring are such as succeed them in the same saith and truth and so are called the Generation of the righteous as succeeding each other in the way of righteousnesse and not their Infants or personall seed proceeding from their loyns by carnall generation as Esa 43.5 44 3. 54.3 59.21 66.22 61.9 65.23 compare Rev 12.17 Gal. 4.26 to 31. These and the like Scriptures shew what is the right and true approved seed unto which the priviledges of grace belong so that although Baptisme succeeds Circumcision yet the difference is great both in matter and manner in persons and things Circumcision sealed to things temporall and carnall as well as spirituall and so were the subjects and things to come as under types and shadows and so in a cloud and darknesse Whereas Baptisme hath for its subjects children of the light in the cleare evidence of the Spirit with the face open and confirmes faith in things come and already done for Baptisme seals onely to faith in Christ and grace in the new birth which cannot be where there is not first a begetting by the immortall seed of the Word of life for which end God hath ordained in the Gospel preaching beleeving to goe before baptizing as Mat. 28.19 with Mark â—6 15 16. And that way or order which hath not God for its Author and found in the Records of Christ with his image and superscription upon it let us say as sometime he did Give to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so say I Give to Antichrist his baptizing of Infants to Christ his baptizing of beleevers What advantage will it be to Infants to come before they are called to have a name to live and yet dead for ought any one knows and to come to the marriage-Supper without a wedding Garment shall the holy things of God be forced upon such as neither beleeve know or once desires them will men set a seale to a blanke are children capable to receive meate before they be borne except we make Baptisme the wombe of regeneration as many doe who teach that Infants are regenerated borne againe of the Spirit of grace in Baptisme whose doctrine is of the same stampe and authoritie as he that sent them so to preach What can be more naturall then begetting and bringing forth of the Infant before feeding of it at the Mothers breasts Is it not sacriledge to presse such upon the wise of Christ the Church for her Paps with whom she never travelled or beare of her body Christ will deny himselfe to be food and nourishment to any where he hath not beene first seed to beget Let men take heed how they impute such folly to the wisdome of god as to give the milke of his breasts unto any that are still borne or to set dead twigs in his heavenly and divine stocke or naturall branches in his holy and spirituall vine Let such beware how they fight against the God of order least in stead of finding the breast to feed before the wombe to beare they meet with a curse upon the single emptinesse of Christ with a double barrennesse that will admit of no conception or spirituall birth to succeed the naturall Not that I intend the least to deny salvation unto Infants no I am so far from this that I testifie against all such doctrine nor yet affirme all Infants to be saved neither doe I know among Infants which shall be saved and which not therefore I leave it as a secret thing to God untill he makes the same appeare by some visible effect of faith which onely gives a visible right unto any ordinance of the new Testament and therefore I cannot see by the Gospel how Infants voyde of visible faith should have visible right unto the priviledges of grace neither ought they to be admitted thereunto as hath been proved and also for these and the like reasons following First 〈…〉 because there is neither command nor example for the baptizing of Infants in all the new Testament the order and government of which in the administrations thereof is no way inferiour to the old but in the old Testament there was an expresse Rule by command from God what communicants were to be admitted to circumcision and other ordinances of that nature and what not but this order is no where found in the new Testament for the baptizing of Infants and therefore the same is not to be practised Secondly It is a high contempt and injury to Christ as he is the husband of the Church his holy Spouse to force upon him an naturall wife himselfe being spirituall and desires the like associate as such a Church is founded upon the naturall birth namely Infants
because commonly to one that is borne of the spirit there is twenty borne of the flesh Thirdly It is a practise that overthrows and destroys the body of Christ or holy temple of God for in time it will come to consist of naturall and so a nation and so a nationall Generation carnall members amongst whom if any godly be they will be brought in bondage and become subjects of scorn contempt and the power of government rest in the hands of the wicked Fourthly because it is a ground both of ignorance and errour for it holds people in blindnes that they cannot come to know the nature of that holy ordinance nor what the same requires in the subjects thereof also it causes the simple to conceive that Baptisme is of necessity to salvatiō Fifthly it keeps up the State of Antichrist by granting him this so chiefe a corner-stone of the Lords house to lie in his foundation for that church where Baptisme is the true ordinance of God in the administration thereof is by the Rules of the Gospel a true Church so that if Antichrists Baptisme which he administers be Gods ordinance then that Church wherein he doth so administer the same must be also the Church of God and in sin that refuseth communion with it Sixtly Because it builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall for such as are baptized in their infancy have no other way to satisfie either themselves or others but the bare word of man that must stand in the place of the word of God for such to beleeve their true receiving of so holy ordinance of God Seventhly To Baptize Infants makes the holy ordinance of God a lying signe because none of those things can be expected in an Infant which the said ordinance holds forth or signifies in the administration thereof which is the parties regeneration and spirituall new birth a dying and burying with Christ in respect of sin and a rising with him in a new life to God and a confirmation of faith in the death and resurrection of Christ and a free remission of sinne by the same as Rom. 6.3 4. Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 2.38 〈…〉 None of all which can be expected in an Infant Eightly Because the subject of Baptisme is to be passive but an Infant is no way passive as that ordinance requires 〈…〉 I meane a passive subject threefold 1. a thing uncapable and thus is a stone 2. a thing forced and thus is an Infant who opposeth its Baptisme to the utmost of its abilitie so farre is it from being passive in the same 3. A thing is passive by a subjecting power producing the same in the subject by bringing it to a free and voluntary subjection and thus is the true subject of Baptisme None can be passive to receive grace but by grace because it consists of selfe-deniall And lastly this doctrine of Infants Baptisme opposes directly the expresse word of God by teaching that Infants are in the covenant of grace being borne of beleeving parents and so an holy seed by vertue of which they have right to Baptisme as a priviledge of grace Against which the holy Ghost affirmes that all are conceived in sinne brought forth in iniquitie and so by nature children of wrath and under the curse and except they be borne againe from above they cannot see the Kingdome of God Psal 51.5 Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 9. Gal. 3 10.13 14. Job 3.3.5 6. Job 1.12 13. Here man saith that Infants are cleane and holy in and from the wombe and so are subjects of grace and glory but God saith that all Infants as well one as another are first in sinne and unholy and so are subjects of wrath untill the second birth makes the difference as Joh. 3.5.6 And now which to beleeve let the upright heart to God judge But it is said that as the Covenant was made to the Jews and their seed under the old Testament so in the same manner doth the Apostle apply the said Covenant to beleevers and their seed in the new Testament as Act. 2.39 Ans The words are not unto your seed but unto your children wherein there is great difference For by seed in the Scripture is very often put for a naturall generation begotten and born after the flesh And by children a spirituall generation walking in the steps of the faith of such as have gone before them as Act. 3.25 Act. 13.26.33 and so Job 8.37.39 with Rim. 9.7 8. and so the words import as much which is to you and to your children and to all afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that the promise is onely to such as God shall call and to none else Again it s called the promise and not the Covenant and we know that every promise is not a covenant there being a large difference between a promise and a covenant And now let it be well considered what is here meant by the promise and that is Gods sending of the Messias or the seed in whom the Nations should be blessed and so the sending of a Saviour or Redeemer unto Israel as these Scriptures manifest compared together Isa 11.1 Jer. 23.5 6. with Luke 1.68.74 Act. 13.23 Act. 3.25.26 This was performed by Christs coming first in the flesh in which respect he came both of and to the Jews onely by promise as Joh 4.22 Rom. 9.5 Matth 10.5 6. Matth. 15.24 Joh. 1.11 Secondly in the preaching of the Gospel by which he was held forth as a Saviour to all that by faith laid hold upon him as the arm of Gods grace stretched out unto them And this way also Christ was first tendered to the Jews for a Saviour to save them from their fins Act. 4.12 and for to be their King as to save them so unto whose state and government they were to submit as Luk. 19.14.27 Act. 2.36 In which sense the Apostle speaks when he saith the promise is to you and to your children and to all farre and neer as God shall call that is the promise or promised Saviour is come and is now according to Gods promise tendered to you by the Gospel calling you and your children and all else where the word of grace shall come to beleeve and receive him by saith who is now come to save you and all that beleeve from their sins Act. 3.25 26. And therefore it s said as many as gladly received or beleeved this glad tidings the same was sealed or confirmed unto them by baptisme Act. 2.41 according to Joh. 1.11 12 13. By all which it is manifest that the promise Act. 2.39 is meant the sending of the Messias or a Saviour to the house of Israel to call them to repentance and to save such as beleeve from their sins as is clear also by these Scriptures Isa 59.20 Act. 13.23.26 32.38.39 And thus the promise is unto you and your children that is the promised Saviour is offered and
Commission the subjects of Baptisme are expressely set downe who they should baptize and they are onely such as first were to be taught and had faith to beleeve the same as I have sufficiently proved And now having these expresse commands so fully held forth by Christ himselfe to gether with the whole practicall order of the Apostles others following the same in their administracions and to goe about to bring authoritie or command from the commandement of circumcision for the baptizing of Infants in more then ignorance and for to plead the baptizing of Infants because that command is not repealed which injoyned Infants to be circumcised is too weake for faith to build upon But now I hope the removall of the same appears in that there is not onely a command in the new Testament directly against the same but also a new command and so a law from Christ the King of Saints and Lord of the new Testament for the ordinance of Baptisme and all the circumstances of the same And yet for the further repealing of that law which injoyned Infants naturally borne and so from the wombe to be circumcised without minding any other sprituall birth but onely that which brought forth the childe in the world for 8 dayes after it must be circumcised by command from God which order is opposed by the Gospel as Joh. 3.3 5 6. Where Christ opposeth the two births the spirituall to the naturall birth and excludes the naturall from any admittance into the Kingdom of God without the spirituall birth And that he might not be mistaken he further explains himself saying That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit And further to know Christs meaning in these births which he opposeth the one to the other he fully holds forth Joh. 1.13 in these words of such as received him which were borne not of blond nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This way and order the commandement of circumcision speaks nothing of neither required the same but onely the first birth for no childe of 8 dayes old was capable to be borne againe of the Spirit in our Saviours sense And thus the Gospel excludes that which the law of circumcision commanded even the first birth which is naturall without the second birth which is spirituall And it is in vaine for any to say that Christ speakes here of men of yeares for he opposeth the two births as aforesaid and not the age of any and so the whole universe of mankinde for this place is generally taken for the doctrine of regeneration from whence many hold that children are regenerated in Baptisme But generally those that baptize their Infants hold that they are regenerated before for they baptize them as being holy before And if any shall say that the Kingdome Christ speaks of is meant the Kingdome of glory and not of grace and therefore though he excludes such out of the one yet not out of the other The answer is that it is no where found in the Gospel that any are excluded the kingdome of glory and yet are admitted into the kingdome of grace The doore of grace in this sense is no wider then the gate of glory by Gods appointment and what men doe through ignorance that alters not the truth of God as Rom. 8.30 And if any say that Christ at this time had opposed Gods ordinance of circumcision if such a truth had been put in execution as is gathered from his words to exclude and put by an Infant of 〈…〉 To this I answer and say that Christ speaks of many things before his death which did not concerne the time present but of the order and government of his Church under the new Testament And so he speaks here of the qualification of his subjects and worshippers in his new kingdome that was at hand all which was to be spirituall and therefore to be borne of the spirit as Christ affirmed In which sense circumcision in the flesh ceased and that of the heart onely remaines as Rom. 2. Adde to this the words of the Apostle Eph. 2.3 We are saith he all by nature children of wrath Now if this be true then so long as nothing else appears how can we judge otherwise without gainsaying the holy Ghost and by the words of Christ we are first borne of the flesh and so in an estate of nature untill grace recover us and the effects of Christs redemption takes hold upon us Untill which time we are judged of the Apostle to be children of wrath and of the flesh and so uncleane and no uncleane thing must come into the holy Citie of grace and glory Rev. 21. All which being well considered I thinke will put a stop to the commandement of circumcision from having any footing in the ordinance of Baptisme or for any to take a ground from thence to justisie their Infants in their Baptisme untill some evidence appeares of their being inwardly washed in the bloud of Christ that so the same may be confirmed unto them by that outward washing with water otherwise the ordinance is no way availeable to them but sinne in such as impose the same upon them who doe neither desire it nor know what is done unto them which is to set a seale to a blanke a thing condemned in nature And so I passe from this subject of Infants Baptisme desiring the Lord abundantly to extend his saving grace unto as many as belongs to him that the praise may ever abound to his glory and their everlasting comfort in all happines and safetie here and glory hereafter We know no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. We are the circumcision that worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. Marvell not that I say a man must be borne againe before he can enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And thus I desire to have Infants ever in honourable and reverent respect so farre as honour and reverence belongs unto them and so leave them to the grace and good pleasure of the God of all grace who onely knows who are his and hath the disposing of them and all his creatures to his own glory so be it Amen And now having examined the visible right that infants have to baptisme and finding none by the Word of God but the contrary I come now to a second sort and they are such as have been baptized in a false Antichristian estate as they say and so challenge right to enter upon or assume a true Church with the same baptisme they received of the man of sin So that the thing I deal with now is onely that opinion which holds a state to be false and Antichristian and yet Baptisme there administred by an Antichristian power to be the true ordinance of God and so leave the state as false and retain their baptisme