c 4. Hereby they may not only hope and Pray but are incouraged to Believe concerning their Children and the rest of those who are in Covenant among them that God will do them good as they conclude mercy to the remnant forgivness of their sins with faith upon this ground thou wilt remember the Truth to Iacob and thy Mercy to Abraham sworn unto our Fathers in dayes of old Micah 7.18 20. This indeed is the childrens faith for themselves and their children but so it may be a ground of Parents faith And if we pray for our children why should we doubt leaving only secrets to God if we see them dy before they reject the Gospel positively I see no reason for any man to doubt of the salvation of his child if he dyes or that God will not do good to his child in time if he lives 5. This stirrs up their hearts to be the more sincerely holy and keep in with God because of their children and to educate them with more care and watchfullness because they are the Lord's Children as well as theirs they are not common but holy vessels and therfore let them see that they be not defiled and hence we find that when God exhort's to any duty of holiness in Scripture he oft makes this the ground of it I am your God and hence God aggravates their sin in offering their children to Molech Ezek. 16. because they were his children that should have been better used 3. In respect of themselves the good is very great 1. It is a special meanes to prevent sin Deut. 29. I make this Covenant not only with him that is present but with your seed also who are not here verse 15 Lest there should be among you man or woman family or tribe whose heart turnes away from God and lest there should be a root of gall and wormwood and indeed it mightily workes on the heart to think shall I whom God hath chosen to be his be my own or be the Divels or be my lusts c 2. 'T is a strong motive engagement upon them to forsake sin even the uncircumcision and sin of their hearts as is evident Deut. 10.15 16. The Lord had a delight to choose the seed of your fathers even you to be his people as it is this day what follow 's Therefore Circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and be no more stiff-necked 3. 'T is a special help as to avert their hearts from sin so to convert turn them to God to make them look toward God that he would turn them when perhaps they are without any hope in other respects of mercy or of being able by any meanes they can use to turn themselves this is evident Acts 3.19 with verse 25. Repent and be converted for you are the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers this drawes their hearts when they see how God call's them to return Ier. 3.22 Come unto me ye back sliding children c we câ—me unto thee for thou art the Lord our God When backsliding Ephraim could not convert himselfe he cryes unto God oh turn me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Ier. 31.18 which places cannot be meant of being their God only by internal Covenant in giving to them the special benefits of the Covenant for then they should be in Covenant with God and have remission of all their sins c before they were turned or before faith and therefore it 's meant of being a God in outward and external church-Covenant which is no smal motive and loadst one to Believe And although many do not believe and will not be turned yet this Covenant is an high priviledge and great favour fitt in it self to draw to God though many believe not and hence the Apostle saith that the priviledge of the Iew is great in having God's Oracles which contain God's Covenant committed to them though some believe noâ— which unbelief make's not he saith the faith of God i. e. God's promise or Covenant of none effect or an uneffectual and fruitless Covenant for this word of God's Covenant shall take some effect among some such as are in it which therfore is a priviledge though many perish as is evident Rom. 9.4 6. 4. 'T is a special meanes of binding them fast to God when they are turned Ier. 13.11 as the girdle cleaveth unto a man so have I caused the whole house of Israel to cleave unto me that they may be for a name and glory Deut. 30.20 thou shalt cleave unto him because he is thy life and the length of thy dayes he was not their life spiritually and savingly for many thus exhorted were dead and in their sins but federally or in outward Covenant 5. If they shall forsake and break loose from God and from the bond of his Covenant and have as much as in them lies cast themselves out of Covenant by their own perfidiousness breach of Covenant that one would think now there is no more hope yet it is a special meanes to encourage their hearts to return again even when they seem to be utterly cast off and therefore it 's said Ier. 3 1. though thou hast committed whoredome with many lovers wherby the covenant was broken yet return unto me so Deut. 4. If when you are scattered among the nations and shall serve wood stone and be in great tribulation if from thence thou seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him he will not forsake thee and what is the reason of it viz. his remembrance of the Covenant with their fathers for so 't is Deut. 4.27 28 29 30 31. But I forbear to name more such things as these which come by outward Covenant to Inchurched Members 4. In respect of others their good is very great for 1. now they may enjoy the special watch and care of the whole Church which otherwise they must want 2. They hereby have the more fervent Prayers of others for their good and hence Rom. 9.1 2 3. we see how Paul upon this ground had great zeal in his prayers for the Jews not only because his countrymen but especially because to them did belong the Adoption and Covenants they had gracious Fathers c. so Psal 89.49 Lord remember thy former loving kindnesses which are sworn to David in truth And hence we see Moses oft pleads and prevailes with God in prayer for the sinning Israelites viz. oh Remember Abraham Isaac and Iacoâ— Now I pray you lay all these things together and then see whether you have any cause to say What profit is there by Covenant and Church-membership of persons not yet able to profess the faith of Jesus Christ Quest. 2. You say when families were Churches all of the family were of the Church and when a Nation was a Church all that were of that nation were of that Church But now Believers being matter of the Church what if none were admitted till
they can hold forth visible faith would not many of these things be more clear Answ. In these words there is a threefold mistake 1. That all of the family nation in former times were of the Church this 〈…〉 for God never took â—â—y to be his Church but 〈◊〉 they were Believers at 〈◊〉 eâ—ternally In that Nation I say Believers which either are professed believers or promised believers such as by outward Covenant shall have the meanes to be made believers in y â— Nation and hence you have heard that the Nation of the Jews stood by Faith and were broken of by unbeliefe and if any rejected the Covenant as Ishmael and Esau they were not of that Church though they did and might dwell in y t nation as doubtless thousands did 2. You think that Visible pâ—â—sonal Faith only makes the Church and members of it which â—s an errour as may appear from many thingâ— already said for Children may be in Gods account professors of y â— Faith parentally as well as personally i. e. in the profession of their parents as well as in their own And hence you shall find that the Covenant God entered into with the Parents of Church-members personally the Children are said to have that Covenant made with them many hundred yeares 〈◊〉 See for this purpose among hundreds these few Scriptures Haggaâ— 2.5 In Haggal's time God is said to make a Covenant with them then when they came out of Egypt which was not personally but parentally so Hosea 12.4 5. when God entred into Covenant with Jacob at Bethel God is said to speak with US who lived many yeares after and hence the Children many yeares after challenge Gods Covenant with them which was made with their Fathers for them Micah 7.19 20. Hence also those Children are said to Come to Christ who were not able to come themselves but only were brought in the armes of others to Christ. It 's a known thing among men that a Father may receive a giâ—â— or Legacy given to him and his heires and he and his heires are bound to perform the condition of the Covenant and promise by which it is conveyed and that the Child doth this in his Father 3. You think that if men only grown up and able to profess Faith should be of the Church then all things would be more clear aboâ—â— Children Truly I believe the quite contrary upon y â— grounds before laid dowâ— For 1. Hereby pollution of Church shall not be avoyded but rather introduced to excluâ—â— Children from an holy-making Covenant as we have proved 2. Hereby that good and benefit of their Covenant should be lost not gain'd by excluding them out of Covenant untill they can personally profess and make use of the Covenant The wisdome of man furthers not the Righteousness of God And here let me conclude with the naked profession oâ— my Faith to you in this point which is â— Bulwark of defence against all that is said by Anabaptists against baptising of Infants 1. That the Children of professing Believers are in the same Covenant God made with Abraham Abraham was a Father of many nations and not of one nation only and hence the same Covenant made with him and the believing Israel in that nation the saâ—â— Covenant is made with all his believing seed in all other nations 2. That Baptisme is a seal of our first entrance and admission into Covenant and therfore is to be immediately applyed to children of believeing parent as soon as evâ—â—â—hiâ— be in Covenant and that is as soon as they become the visible seed 〈…〉 faithfull for so the Covenant to Abraham run's I will be thy God and the God of thy seed not only his elect-seed but Church-seed as hath been shew'd not only of his seed in that one nation but in all Nations These two things I cannâ—â—â—ell how to avoid the light of they are so clear and the ignorance of these makes so many Anabaptists as they are called and I never yet met with any thiâ—â— written by them and much I have read that was of any considerable weight to overthrow these But I forget my selfe and trouble you My prayer is and shall be That the Lord would gâ—ve you understanding in all these things FINIS Errata Preface Page 4. Linâ— 20. read wonted p. 6. l. 7. r. y t have fought p. 7. l. 28. r. spiritâ—â—â— page 18. liâ—â— 29. for 〈◊〉 r. anâ— In y e Book page 11. line 34. for now r. were Instances hereof see in the pâ—eface to â—â—e act of the Synod held aâ— Boston 16â—2 Touching Bâ—ptism Consociation of Churches Cap. 4. Pag. 14. Keyes Cha. 4 Pag. 15. Act. mon. vol 3. Pag. 606 610. s. m. Argum 1.
Passages citing the thesis of Suarez the Iesuit viz that any body whosoever that 〈◊〉 speak and wash may be a sufficient Minister of Baptisme whether he be man or woman believer or unbeliever baptised or not baptized if so be he know how to wash and utter the Words with a due mention haec assertio saith the Jesuit est omnino certa But saith Chamier in the name of the Orthodox we teach the contrary viz. that the right of conferring Baptisme belongs to those only who are publick Officers in the Church c. which accordingly he there makes good against the Papists 7 Baily the Iesuite whom Rivet encountereth to the Question between the Orthodox and the Papist viz. Whether the Infants of believers are holy before Baptisme he answereth roundly for them NO Rivet Cath. Orthod Tract 3. q 3. And touching that famous place controverted between our selves and the Anabapâ—â—sts in regard of their wresting and perverting the sence of that Scripture 1 Cor. 7.14 â—lsâ— wâ—râ— your Children unclean but now they are Holy we may observe how they tread in ehe steps of the Papists that have gone before them therein as they likewiso do in that noted Scripture Col 2.11 12. not allowing Baptisme to answer Circumcision according to the mind and meaning of the Holy-Ghost wherein see Ames against them Bel. Enerv. Tom. 3. l 1. Caâ— 4. Thes. 13. and Rivet in Gen. 17 Exercit 88. Pag. 340. c. Take a tast of that 1 Cor. 7. as followeth Baily the Jesuit before Cited ibid quest 3. laboureth thus to avoid the dint of that text The Apostle saith he either speaks of a civil Sanctification before men that the Infants should not be ILLEGITAMATE or BASTARDS or else of an Instrumental Sanctification because that one shall procure the Salvation of the other c. the like we find of Bellarmine's apprehention and Judgment of the sence of that Scripture Such Children saith he are said to be not unclean that is Infamous and BASTARDS but holy that is LEGITIMATE and free from civil ignominie Ames Ibid. Lib. 2. C. 1. Thes. 6. The Rhemists also very perniciously abuse this Scripture and are not therein without their Antipaedobaptisticall followers Blessed Cartwright excellently upon the place in his confutation of their annotations on the new-Testament defend's this cause of Christ against their Popish glosses It is saith he one thing oftentimes in the Scripture to be Sanctified and another to be holy as for you you err in both for when it is said the unbelieving party is Sanctified by the believing it is not only meant as you say that the Marriage is an occasion of the Sanctification to the infidel party but that the use of the infidel party in Marriage company is Sanctified or made holy and lawfull unto the believing party as meat and drink is said to be Sanctified unto us by the word Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 and as your Interpretation here is short so in the exposition of the Holiness of the Children which are begotten in this Matrimony it is utterly false and first it is to be observed that the Apostle speaking of the Children doth not as you do apply one word of them to both saying that they are Sanctified but saith that they are holy which is more then he had spoken before of the infidel party for although our meat and drink be Sanctified unto us and that the use of them is holy to those which are holy yet the meats and drinks themselves are not holy if therefore you were short in the interpretation of Sanctified you fail much more in giving the same exposition unto the holiness of the children for if the holiness here spoken of be not in the children when they are begotten and born of the Parents but come unto them afterward by Baptisme and Faith there groweth no sufficient comfort unto the faithfull party to continue in marriage with the Infidel considâ—ring that occasion of holiness might come otherwâ—se then by marriage For that which is able to uphold the faithfull in comfort and strength to abide in marriage with the infidel is the knowledg that the Children begotten in that Marriage are in Covenant and are Children of Gods favour and grace washed in Christs Bloud and Sanctified by his Spirit and if you will know what this Holyness of Children new-born is the Apostle telleth you Gal. 2.15 That it is through the Covenant to be a Iew by nature or birth and if you will yet further understand what the Holyness of Children is the Apostle in the same place telleth you that it is not to be Sinners by Nature as those which are born of the Heathen for as much as their sins who are in Covenant are by Christ not reckoned unto them And this Doctrine of the Holyness of the Children which are born of the Faithfull if you could not attain unto it is so sensibly sâ—t forth unto you that unless together with the knowledg of the Truth you are also bereaved of your common sence you cannot be ignorant of it for how can you but understand that if the root be holy the branch is holy Rom. 11.16 and if the first fruits be holy the whole crop is holy All which privilidges of Children new-born sometime being proper to the Iewes are now our priviledges as well as theirs sithence we are grown intâ— one body wâ—th them Ephes. 2.15 and being Burgesseâ— of the same Heavenly City that they are must needs have the same infranchisement and Prerogatives tâ—â—t they have not that every one which is â—orn under the Covenant is holy but tâ—â—t they are so to be taken of the Church until the contrary do manifestly appear c. By the premises we may see therefore whence even from that MOTHER of harlots probably this Illegitimate birth this antichrist an flâ—ud of Anabâ—â—tâ—â—me hath issued forth yea and I also fear is lâ—ke to be â—â—sed and maintained â—n it's course untâ—l God hath dried up those breast and riveâ—s of spiritual Babylon in the mean while Calvins admonition touching Anabaptâ—sme may not be unseasonable meri ò debet nobis esse suspectum quicquid à tali officina proaâ—erit Opuscuâ— â—n Psychopannychia Pag. 411. S. M. There are some who though they graunt the Baptisme of some Children yet utterly deny the continuance of that Covenant-mercy of God to their succeeding Generations though the Church-society whereof they were Members be not dissolved nor the surviveing posterity so much as deserve to be by the Discipline of Christ in his Church excommunicated This seems in truth to arise fâ—om their not acknowledging sufficiently or not abiding by the true genuine grounds of the Baptisme of those whose right to Baptisme is acknowledged by them For the information therefore of the minds of the weak and stablishing their hearts in this Truth of God according to the Scriptures even in the Doctrine of Pâ—â—dobaptisme a Doctrine of so great concernment and of so much comfort and incouragement