breasts Psal 22.9 Esay saith in like sort The Lord hath called me from the wombe Esa 45.1 and the Lord saith the same of Ieremy I sanctified thee before thou camest forth of the wombe Ier. 1.5 Yea little children are so farre forth capable of receiving the holy Ghost or which is all one the kingdom of God for by his Spirit he setteth up his kingdom in us that our Saviour expresseth it generally that whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child to wit as a little child receiveth it for so the syntax carryeth it he shall not enter therein Mar. 10.15 What though it bee said that faith commeth by hearing so it is also said the Spirit commeth by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 And yet you see as some have received the Spirit that never heard of faith so the same hâ—ve received faith that never heard the word As for Iob the place which you quote Iob 31.18 argueth the like of him that hath been said of the former that Iob from his mothers wombe was indued with an indoles or inbred disposition and affection to pity and succour the fatherlesse and widow which dâ—ubtlesse was wrought in him by the holy Ghost as all other good gifts be And all other infants as well as he are capable of the same and the like gifts if the spirit of the Lord be pleased to work them Silvester I am not against any that have faith but am absolutely for all that believe whether infants or others so that their faith appeare by such effects as the word of God approveth of But whereas some say that infants are capable of the Spirit of God and of the grace of the Covenant though not wrought in the same way and by the same meanes yet the same things and by same Spirit so farre as is necessary to union with Christ and justification of life thereby else children were not elected nor should be raised up in their bodies to life I wish it may be minded that touching union with Christ three things are essentiall to the same 1. Gods revealing and tendering of Christ as the al-sufficient and onely way to life 2. An heart fitly disposed by faith to apprehend and receive Christ so tendered 3. The spirit of grace uniting and knitting the heart and Christ together And this I understand to be that effectuall and substantiall union with Christ to the justification of life which the word of God approveth of For justification to life ever presupposeth the parties knowledge of the thing beleeved Rom. 10.14 Heb. 11.6 Now let this be well examined by the rule of truth and then see how capable infants are of union with Christ and justification to life thereby As for some evill consequences which some to darken and obscure the truth doe say would follow thereupon that then infants were not erected nor should then their bodies be raised again to life c. I would first enquire of such whether infants with reference to their nonage were the subjects of Gods election Secondly if infants so considered are capable subjects of glory And if not as I suppose none will affirme then why are they any more capable of grace then of glory The word of God sheweth that he hath elected persons to the meanes as well as to the end the meanes being the way unto the end and that was the adoption of sonnes to bee called and justified by believing on Jesus Christ Ephes 1.4 5. Rom. 8.29 30. 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 14. c. And to return free obedience unto him again as Rom. 9.23 24. Ephes 1.6 12. And for the raising of infants it is the power of God that raiseth the dead and not union with Christ 1 Thess 4.16 And when any of Gods electcan by the Scriptures be shewed to dye in their infancy then it will be granted their bodies are raised to life eternall When you say you are not against any that have faith Silvanus whether infants or others so that their faith appeare by such effects as the Word approveth I demand what if their faith appeare not by the effects is it not enough if it appeare by divine testimony Christ hath said that of such is the kingdom And that all that receive his kingdom must receive it as little children doe as hath been shown above and is not his testimony of their faith as good an evidence of their faith as the effects of their faith can be As for the 3 things which you would have to bee minded as essentiall to union with Christ The first of them the revealing and tendering of Christ as the al-sufficient and only way of life if you meane the revealing and tendering of him by the Ministery of the gospel you know the Ministery of the gospel is but an outward instrumentall cause of faith and no outward instrumentall cause is essentiall to the effect whether we speake of naturall or supernaturall effects certaine it is that the spirit of God who is the principall cause of faith though he be wonted to work it by the Ministery of the Word yet he can also work it without the Ministery or else how came the Wisemen from the East to seeke after Christ and to worship him by the sight of a starre If you say that was extraordinary but you speake of ordinary meanes that will not serve for that which is essentiall to a thing the thing cannot be without it neither ordinarily nor extraordinarily a thing cannot be and be without his essence or that which is essentiall to it Besides Christ speaketh of it as no extraordinary thing for infants to receive the kingdom of God and they cannot receive it without Christ nor without faith in Christ and yet they never received either Christ or faith by their own immediate hearing of the Woâ—d And for the second thing which you make essentiall to union with Christ an heart fitly disposed by faith to apprehend and apply Christ Be not unwilling to understand that which is the truth The heart is fitly disposed by faith to apprehend or apply Christ when faith is begotten in the heart for by this gift of faith begotten in us Christ apprehendeth us and by the same gift of faith the heart is fitly disposed to apprehend Christ even in infants for when faith is wrought in infants the heart is quickned with spirituall life and made a sanctified vessell fit to receive Christ which reception of Christ though it be passive as Dr. Ames calleth it in Châ—p 26. de Vocatione lib. 1. Medullae Theologiae yet it is all one with regeneration wherein not infants onely but all men are passive which gave the Lord Jesus occasion to say That whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a little child hee can in no wise enter into it Luk. 18.17 It is true in men of years the Spirit as you speake worketh faith by the hearing of the Word and by revealing and tendering Christ
as the al-sufficient and onely way of life And faith being wrought apprehendeth and applyeth Christ not onely habitually and passively as in infants but actively to the justification of life And in such it is true also which you say there is ever in the party a knowledge of the thing believed But I will not say as you doe That faith ever presupposeth the knowledge of the thing believed unlesse you meane habituall knowledge which is never wanting no not in infants where faith is For knowledge and faith are put one for another Esa 5.3.11 John 17.3 So that now take your own word having examined what you say as you desire by the rule of truth wee have seen and found that infants are capable of the holy Ghost and therefore of faith and being in the faith and faith in them they are in Christ and so united unto Christ 2 Cor. 13.5 And being in Christ there is no condemnation to them Rom. 8.1 And if no condemnation then justification belongeth to them And if union with Christ and justification by Christ belong to them then were they elected and predestinated thereto For none are called to union with Christ nor justified but those whom God hath predestinated thereunto Rom. 8.30 When therefore you enquire whether infants with reference to their nonage be the subjects of Gods election And secondly whether infants so considered bee subjects capable of glory And when you further suppose that none will affirme either Be it known unto you that as wee firmly believe both so we doubt not confidently to affirme both both that infants are subjects of Gods election and also subjects capable of glory Jacob was an elect vessell in his mothers wombe Rom. 9.11 neither was this his singular priviledge but common with him to all the elect of God who were elect vessells before the foundation of the world and therefore so too in their mothers wombe To say and grant as you seem to doe that though infants be subjects of Gods election yet not with reference to their nonage it would imply that you hold the election of God hath reference to their foreseen faith or works which they grow up unto in riper years otherwise in their nonage when you hold them uncapable of faith and obedience it seemeth you hold them also uncapable of election which is rank and palpable Pelagianisme and Arminianisme But seeing election it self is a grace of God infants being capable of election are capable of grace And thereby it commeth to passe that heaven and heavenly glory is as fit to receive them as they are fit to receive the holy Ghost such is the fruit of election And if they receive the holy Ghost as hath been shewed above then are they subjects equally capable of grace and glory But say you if God have elected them unto the end to wit unto glory then he hath elected them also unto the meanes and way that leadeth to that end to calling to justification by believing and free obedience unto him again All this is true for elect infants if they die in their infancy are made partakers of the holy Ghost by whom faith is begotten in their hearts in which they are in Christ and united to him which is their calling By the same faith dwelling in them they are justified yea and sanctified also and so their free obedience is fulfilled to that great commandement both of law and Gospel which containeth all the rest Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy Lev. 19.2 1 Pet. 1.16 And as concerning the resurrection of infants from death to life which was argued above could not be without union with Christ You answer First it is the power of God that raiseth the dead not union with Christ But the reply is ready the power of God raiseth indeed all the dead yet none from death to life eternall which is the life meant in the argument but by virtue of their union with Christ Rom. 8.11 1 Cor. 15.49 Secondly you answer again that when any of Gods elect can be shewed by the Scriptures to die in their infancy then it will bee granted that their bodies are raised to life eternall Reply first it seemeth then that till the death of some elect infants be shewed out of Scripture it will not be granted by you that their bodies are raised to life eternall So that it appeareth by your Tenent all the children that dye in their infancy none of them are elected nor saved an ungracious and uncomfortable doctrine which hath been refuted above whereto may be added that then there is some sort of mankind to whom the grace and redemption of Christ never reached It hath been said by the holy Ghost that Christ gave himself a ransome for all that is for some of all sorts But now there is a sort of mankind found out even all that die in their infancy which are many thousands for whom Christ gave himself a ransome Reply 2. If infants be elect before they be born and remain elect whilst they are living can they not dye whilst they are infants as well as any other of the elect of God of riper yeares Reply 3. What if it could not be shewed by the scriptures that any elect of God dyed in their infancy will it therefore follow that no infants are the elect of God What if it cannot be proved by Scripture that any elect Queens dyed in their Regency will it therefore follow that either no Queens are elected or if they bee they cannot die in their Regency Reply 4. It hath been expressely shewed above from scripture that infants have dyed as at an 100 years old onely because they were as truly seasoned with grace and as ripe and ready for glory in their infancy as if they had fulfilled the age of an 100 yeares Esa 65.20 Reply 5. If none of Gods elect did dye in their infancy then all outward things did not fall alike to all contrary to the Scripture Eccles 9.2 death may by your Tenent befall and often doth to carnall infants but never to elect infants And thus elect infants whilst infants should be immortall which is a paradox I suppose the Church of God never heard of before now since the world began Reply 6. If none of Gods elect did die in their infancy then in ease any of the faithfull should come to bury any of their children in their infancy as many doe they might have cause to sorrow for them as without hope for they can have no hope of their salvation or resurrection to life seeing their infants dying infants were never subjects capable of Gods election and so must needs dye uncapable of glory But for Christians to sorrow for their dead as others that have no hope is contrary to the precept of the Apostle 1 Thes 4.13 I would not be understood so to oppose infants Silvester as to exclude them from salvation but leave all in respect of them as a secret thing
of institution for the Circumcision of Abraham and his seed giveth the same Commandement or a Word of Institution for the baptisme of beleevers and our seed As by like proportion it is justly gathered that if Baptisme be given us in the roome of Circumcision and the Lords Supper in the room of the Passeover then as no uncircumcised person might eate of the Passeover so now no unbaptized person may eate of the Lords Supper Silvester Here are many things presupposed but not proved as first that the Covenant which God made with Abraham and his seed was a Covenant of grace For some say it was a Covenant of temporall blessings as of the inheritance of Canaan not spirituall Others say it was a Covenant of works not of grace And others say that though it was a Covenant of grace to Abraham and to his faithfull seed yet it was a Covenant of works at least to his carnall seed Secondly it is presupposed but not proved that Circumcision was a seale of the Covenant of grace to Abraham and to his naturall seed Thirdly neither is it proved that God hath made a Covenant of grace now with Believers and our naturall seed Fourthly Neither is it proved that Baptisme with water is given us of God in stead of circumcision It is true Silvanus the Devill hath bestirred himselfe mightily to call in question all these truths of the Covenant of grace that so hee might make the Covenant of none effect both to Parents and children Now the Lord rebuke him and make us wise to discern his enterprizes But to cleare all these points let us by the help of Christ prove them one and other as well as presuppose them We must not lose nor cast away any Divine truth because it is questioned but rather contend for it and the more earnestly because it is opposed For the first there is a truth in it though not the whole truth that the Covenant made with Abraham was of temporall blessings such as deliverance from Egypt and the inheritance of Canaan but not of temporall blessings onely nor chiefly even as the Covenant of grace with us though it chiefly convey spirituall and eternall mercies yet it reacheth also to temporall blessings also Hos 2.18 19 20 21 22 23. Reasons hereof from the word are plaine and strong 1. From the Tenor of the Covenant I will bee a God to thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17.7 Now God to be a God to us and our seed is more then a temporall blessing even all-sufficient goodnesse for us and ours for our soules and for our bodies for this life and for ever God giving himselfe to be our God the Father giveth himselfe to be our Father God the Son giveth himself to be our Redeemer and God the holy Ghost giveth himself to be our Sanctifier and Comforter And indeed that Christ was promised and given in this Covenant is clear from Luke 1.54 55. and Verse 69 72 73. The holy Ghost also is here promised and given in this Covenant as well as Christ the Angel of the Covenant Esa 63.9 10 11. Secondly in the words of this Covenant God giving himselfe to be a God to Abraham and to his seed hee therein promised life to them yea life after death For the Covenant was so rehearsed by Moses after the death of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Exod. 3.6 Whence Christ undeniably concludeth that God promised and gave to them resurrection from the dead and eternall life Mat. 22.31 32. Luke 20.37.38 Surely resurrection from death and living to God after death are not temporall blessings 3. Canaan it selfe was not given as a meere temporall blessing but as a pledge of a spirituall inheritance a seale of the Church a type of Heaven Gen. 47.21 to 31. and Chap. 50.25 Heb. 11.22 Hence it was that Jacob gave such a solemne charge by oath unto Joseph and Joseph to his brethren the one to bury his dead body in Canaan the other for the transportation of his bones to Canaan which they would never have done for an earthly inheritance but to nourish in the hearts of their posterity faith and desire of their communion in the Church and of their rest in heaven whereof the rest in Canaan was a type whereunto not Moses but Joshua must bring them that is not the law but Jesus Heb. 3.11 with Chap. 4 5.8 And their casting out of that Country by captivity was their casting out of Gods sight 2 Kings 17.28 Whereby their Church Estate was dissolved the Communion of Saints scattered the Ordinances of his publike Worship removed from them and their hopes of heaven Silvester But I have read it strongly pleaded that the Covenant made with Abraham was an old Covenant a Covenant of workes which Christ hath therefore disanulled as old and weake Heb. 8.13 Now still to pleade our owne and our childrens right unto that Covenant and to the Seale thereof is to confound the Old and New Testament Law and Gospel besides Circumcision which was a Signe and Seale of the Covenant with Abraham bound them that received it to keepe the whole Law Gal. 5.3 And therefore the Covenant to which it was annexed was a legall Covenant a Covenant of workes and not of grace The Old Covenant spoken of Heb. 8.13 was not the Covenant made with Abraham but with the Israelites on Mount Sinai when God brought them out of Aegypt as is expresly said Heb. 8.9 which Covenant comming 430. yeares after the Covenant with Abraham is expresly distinguished from it as that which could not disanull the promise or Covenant which went before unto Abraham Ga. 3.17 Silvester But why should the Covenant with the Israelites on Mount Sinai be called old in comparison of the Covenant with Abraham which was 430 yeares older then it The Covenant made on Mount Sinai is not called old in comparison of the Covenant made Abraham bur in comparison of the Evangelicall dispensation of the Covenant of grace by the Lord Jesus in whom the sacrifices and Leviticall Ceremonies being accomplished and abolished we look for atonement not in bloud of Bulls and Goates nor in Legall Ablutions but in the bloud of Christ onely And as for Circumcision though the Apostle say that every one circumcised is bound to keep the whole Law yet that doth not argue that circumcision was to Abraham a signe and seale of the Covenant of works for a double answer may justly be given to it First they that hold that the Covenant given on Mount Sinai was the Covenant of works as doe Melancthon Chemnitius Piscator c. They would answer that circumcision was a signe of the Covenant of workes not as circumcision was given to Abraham but as it was given by Moses for Moses also enjoyned circumcision as a Leviticall rite Lev. 12.3 But Christ himselfe observeth a difference between circumcision as given by Moses and as of the Fathers John 7.22 23. Secondly but they that
would answer Jesus himselfe baptized none Iohn 4.2 If you aske againe but why did not hee command his Disciples to baptiz them I answer because it may be both they and their children were baptized before Or because it doth not appeare that their Parents came to bee baptized of him or had themselves been baptized before though out of a godly affection they brought their children to him that he might blesse them Now it was not meet that the children should bee baptized when neither of the Parents of any of them were baptized nor brought their children to such an end Though we baptize children yet we doe not give them as you say a name to live when they bee dead For they may be truly said to live in that sense wherein the dead bodies of Abraham Isaac and Iacob are said to live to him Luke 20.37 38. For though they were then dead in their graves yet God being the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob by Covenant hee will therefore raise up their dead bodies to life againe And so it is with the Infants of believers though they were by nature dead in sinne yet God the God of their Fathers being a God to them by vertue of the Covenant seeing God is not the God of the dead but of the living God will therefore according to his Covenant raise them up to newnesse of life that they may live in his sight If any of them fall short of that life it is because they make themselves twice dead by casting off the Covenant of their fathers I marvaile why you should call the baptisme of Infants a com ming to the marriage supper without a wedding Garment If you meane by comming to the marriage Supper partaking of the Lords Table you are not ignorant there is great difference in this case between the Lords Supper and Baptisme such may bee admitted to Baptism as may not be admitted to the Lords Supper We do not force as you call it the holy things of God upon such as nei ther believe nor know nor once desire them For if Parents doe not willingly offer their children to Baptisme we doe not force them And if they bring them and prefent them to Christ Christ accepteth the Parents bringing of them as much as the childrens comming in their own person Mar. 10.13 14. Why should you call the Baptisme of infants the settting of a seal unto a blank Is the Covenant of God to believing Parents and their seed become a blanke Is the promise of pouring out the Spirit of regeneration upon the seed and off-spring of believers a blank Isa 44.3 But it seemeth by your opinion if our children bee not full of themselves all the promises of God are a blanke and empty to them Though children be not capable to receive meat before they bee borne yet their Parents who are borne againe had need of some sign the sign appointed of God to feed and strengthen their faith in the Covenant that God will bee a God to them and their seed Besides the Baptisme which children receive before their regeneration is a seale and confirmation of the Covenant and of all the promises thereof to them after their regeneration The Circumcision which David received in his infancy did confirme his faith and confidence of victory against Goliah the uncircumcised Philistine after he was grown up to mans estate 1 Sam. 17 26. Signs given of God for future blessings are neither blanks nor preposterous We doe not make baptisme as you say the wombe of regeneration nor teach that Infants are regenerated and borne of the Spirit of grace in Baptisme Nor doe I finde that it was their judgement who compyled that book where such words are used men may thankfully acknowledge a benefit as received when they have onely received a promise of it and see it confirmed with a signe when Gedeon received a signe of the accomplishment of Gods promised victory over the Midianites though that signe was but a dreame and of a blessing to come yet Gedeon thankfully worshipped God for it and accepted the Victory as already granted him For so saith the Text Judg. 7.15 When Gedeon heard the telling of the dreame and the interpretation of the dreame hee worshipped and returned into the Host of Israel and said Arise for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the Host of Midian It is to no purpose to ask us as you doe what can bee more naturall then begetting and bringing forth of the Infant before feeding of it at the Mothers brests Is it not sacriledge to presse such upon the Pappes of the Wife of Christ his Church with whom shee never travelled or bare of her body For wee doe not look at the Sacraments neither doth the Scripture take them as the brests or Paps of the Church The wit of man can make an Image to it selfe and then play before it as the Israelites did before the golden Calfe Twice doth the Scripture mention the brests of the Church and never meaneth them for the Sacraments but for the Ministers of the Church full of the sincere milk of the Word equall in Office as the brests hoin bignesse and such as doe themselves feed among Lillyes Cant. 4.5 and 7.3 and 8.10 You must strain your wit farre to make the brests of the Church agree to the Sacraments Baptisme is rather the Navell of the Church whereby the Infant hath nourishment derived to it before it bee born Cant. 7.2 And as for the Lords Supper if it bee the other of the two brests of the Church the oldest and strongest Christians had still need to suck of that brest and so must become againe babes in Christ Yea Baptisme it self though it bee a seale of Regeneration whether past or to come yet it sealeth up also such deliverance from afflictions and persecutions 1 Pet. 3 21. and such sanctification and cleansing from all sin to present us to Christ without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.26 27. that the strongest Christian will have need to feed upon his Baptisme as strong meat for strong men even when he is to lay down his body in the dust and to expect from his Baptisme the resurrection of his body 1 Cor. 15.29 But say you Christ will deny himself to bee nourishment to any where hee hath not been first seed to beget Answer Though none can take any nourishment till they bee begotten No Prince will deny to give a Charter to a Corporation of his Subject and a Charter sealed with the Great Seale of such and such Lands and inheritances for the maintenance and nourishment of them and their children and their childrens children for ever before any children bee yet born to them Your exhortations therefore for want of a ground-work of Truth doe fall of themselves to the ground like an house built upon the Sand. Let men take heed say you how they impute such folly to the wisdome of God as to give the milk of his brests to
them Christ himselfe acknowledgeth one Churth to bee all Faire and to have no spot in her Cant. 4.7 and that is interpreted by some Expositors and as I take it most fitly of the Primitive Apostolick Church at Hierusalem described Acts 2. and Acts 4. towards the end of both chapters And yet even in that Church were found Ananias and Saphira who were but dead members and neither suitable to their head Christ nor to the immortall seed of the word of which that Chuch was begotten The place in Mal. 2.15 speaketh lesse to the purpose for what though God sought a godly seed doth hee alwayes finde what hee is said to seeke God sought for one to stand in the gap but hee found none Ezek. 20.30 Besides the godly seede there spoken of is in the Originall the seed of God which is not meant of every Church-member for what is the marryage of one man with one woman in our first Parentes unto that Seeing it is a patterne that bindeth Pagans as well as Christians but it is meant of Christ Jesus The place in Ephes 2.14 to 20. sheweth what the Church of Gods Redeemed bee and all the spirituall members thereof but neither proveth that all the members of the Church are such or that the Infants of beleevers are not such The Church of God in Zion was built upon the foundation of the Prophets and it was an habitation to the Lord. Psal 102.13 yet infants were members of it The place in John 4.23 sheweth as I said before what God seeketh not that hee findeth all such in every Church much lesse that hee excludeth Infants out of the Church till they can make it appeare by open profession of their faith that they doe worship him in Spirit and truth It hath bin proved above that of Infants is the Kingdome of God Mar. 10.14 that is the Church and yet they cannot professe and declare any such worship in their owne Persons though indeed the Acts of their godly parents in that case are there accepted of Christ as the Acts of the Infants For Christ accepted their Parents bringing of them to him as if they had come to him in their owne persons Suffer saith hee little children to come unto mee and yet they came not but as they were brought Silvester There is a large difference betweene the Iews and Gentiles in respect of outward Priviledges The Infants of the Iews had a speciall reason for their admittance into the fellowship of the Iewish Church which doth not now continue in Christian Churches Of the Iews came Christ the Saviour of man and therefore salvation is said to bee of the Iews Rom. 9.5 Iohn 4.22 In respect of which there was a blessed promise passed upon the Iews for the bringing forth of the Messiah and the promised seede in whom all Nations should be blessed And therefore all of that Nation were admitted to the outward Priviledges as figures of him whom that Nation was to bring forth So that a fruitfull wombe was counted a great blessing among the Iews as not knowing who might be so honourable as to bring forth that blessed and all blessing seede And therefore God honoured the Naturall birth with such outward blessings and priviledges which belong not to the Gentiles at all The Gentiles now are to looke for their bringing forth Christ according to the Spirit as the Iews did then according to the flesh and likewise their birth and their seed and all things suitable to the same as Joh. 3.3.5 6. Ioh. 1.12 13. And therefore wee are said now to know no man after the flesh 2. Cor. 5.16 And Circumcision was one Priviledge of the flesh Phil. 3.4 5. Therefore though the Iews Infants were admitted to all those outward Priviledges being a Nationall people and so a Nationall body with a naturall birth and the like seede in generall yet the Gentiles Infants cannot bee 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 It is true there is some difference between the Iews and the Gentiles Silvanus in respect of outward Priviledges for not to â—over in generalities wherein lyeth deceit the Iews or rather the house of Israel being Gods first borne Exod. 4.24 and so our elder brother they were the excellency of Dignity and the excellency of power glorious and mighty wonders the Lord often wrought for them they had the preheminence of them was Christ of them were the Fathers the Patriarchs and the Prophets and to them were committed the Oracles of God And if you will so account it a double portion to injoy both a Congregationall Church and a Nationall they injoyed both a Congregationall Church in their Synagogues and a National Church at Hierusalem in their solemne feasts But two things let mee here put you in minde of first that when the Elder brother for his demerit is disinherited of his Birth-right as Reuben sometime was his preheminence of honour and double portion is divided amongst his younger brethren no part of it is lost So is it here The Church of Israel being disinherited all the spirituall priviledges all the honour and power which they injoyed either in their Synagogue or in their Nationall Assemblies is now set over to our Congregationall Churches and as for the outward Priviledges which the house of Israel injoyed as a wordly Kingdome and the power and glory thereof they were no part of the priviledges of their Church estate but accessories and additaments thereunto For in the Covenant of Abraham God spake nothing of a worldly kingdome but of affliction for 400. yeares Gen. 15.13 as therefore worldly power and glory were cast in as accessorie to the Church of the Old Testament so they may be also in the New If the Churches of the New Testament shall bind Kings in chaines as is prophecyed Psal 140.8 and execute upon them the judgement written then surely Christian Churches shall have some Kings to bee members of their body else what have they to doe to judge them that are without the Apostle saith Godlinesse hath the promises of this life as well as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 What though Church power bee not administred with worldly pompe and what though all the children of the Church bee equall in Church-Priviledges yet some or other of the children of the Church ate capable of great preheminence even in outward Priviledges They may be Princes in all Lands Psal 45.16 which though some understand of spirituall power yet not so properly for spiritual power is not princely in the earth Besides if civil Magistracy be lawful amongst men which you deny not some of the children of the Church may bee as fitly employed in such a principality as Pagans And surely the time shall come when according to the prophecy of Daniel chapt 7.27 the Kingdome and the Dominion and the greatnesse of the
as are writen in the Lambes book of life this I would say to it 1. You cannot justly deny but that Gods Testimony of the Infants of Beleevers that they are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 and that of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.14 is as good an Evidence of their Election as the Profession of Faith and Repentance which men of yeers are wont to make is an evidence of their election before the Church Again 2. It is one thing to speak of such as enter into the Church for that agreeth to such as were sometime without another thing to speake of the Infants of believers who were never out of the Church and so cannot be said to enter into it Besides 3. It is one thing to enter into the Church as an abiding member another thing so to enter as for some notorious scandall to be cast out of it Such shall be the purity of the Government of that new Hierusalem as that no prophane person shall enter into it nor any hypocrite or if any hypocrite should creepe in as there did in the most pure and discerning times even in the Apostles dayes yet they will in time be discerned and then cast out Otherwise there would be no use of excommunication in those pure Iewish Churches which is not probable Yea infants themselves though borne in the Church yet if when they grow up to yeares they shall degenerate into a prophane or scandalous course they shall not be tolerated to abide in the Church yea if they shall not take hold of the Covenant of their Fathers but content themselves in an ignorant or civill or worldly course of life they shall not bee allowed to enter into holy communion with the sincere members of the Church at the Lords Table 4. It is one thing to prophecy of the transcendent glorious happinesse of an exact pure Church in some age of it another thing to command and foretell the perpetuall continuance of it in the same degree of purity Sure I am that when Christ commeth to judgement he shall find in those pure Churches of the Jews some foolish Virgins as well as some wise And the foolish Virgins shall bee shut out from the presence of Christ Mat. 25.10 11 12. And they that are shut out were never written in the Lambs book of life 5. It is one thing to speake of the members of the Church universally another thing to speake of them all indefinitely all of them that is the body of them or the greater part of them may be said to be written in the Lambs booke of life to bee all righteous Isa 60.21 to have their sinnes forgiven and not to complaine of any sicknesse Isa 33.21 But how can this bee understood universally of all the members of the Church at all times 6. It is one thing to speake of the condition in which God approveth Church-members another thing to speak of the condition in which God approveth the receiving of Church-members God never approved the condition of Judas in his Apostleship or in his Church-membership and yet hee approved the receiving of him into both But to proceed to the difference which you make of the subjects of the two Testaments though that bee a point scanned before and needlesly repeated here When you make the Old Testament to bequeath Legacies to a male of eight dayes old or to a Proselyte and for that end quote Gen. 17.10 14 23 25. with other Scriptures and the New Testament to bestow Legacies as the Priviledges and blessing of Abraham onely to such as believe and none else You speake not herein according to the language of the Scriptures For the Scripture never calleth the Testament or Covenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 17. the Old Testament your mistake herein hath been a principall occasion of corrupting your judgement both in this point in hand and sundry other that have reference to it I have shewed you above that the Testament which the Scripture calleth the Old Testament was that made with the Israelites on Mount Sinai not that made with Abraham Gen. 17. in the land of Canaan It had been small comfort to us that Christ by his death should procure us this priviledge that the blessing of Abraham might come upon believing Gentiles if the blessing of Abraham were not better then the Old Testament or Covenant of which the Apostle said long agoe even in his time it was ready to vanish away Heb. 8.13 and was indeed soon after with the Temple wholly abolished It is true the Covenant of Abraham bequeathed this Legacy to a male of eight dayes old to bee circumcised but circumcision was onely the seale of the Covenant The chiefe Legacy bequeathed in that Covenant was the promise that God would bee a Father to Abraham and to his seed And a God hee was to them whilst they were yet in the wombe or being borne were not yet come to be eight dayes of old Else all the Infants of Gods people that dyed in their first weeke lived and dyed out of Covenant And so the Covenant shall depend upon the seale not the seale upon the Covenant and the grace of the Covenant shall not know nor acknowledge nor owne infants the first seven dayes untill the eight and so the eternall Jehovah to whom a thousand yeers is but as one day shall limit the grace of his eternall Covenant not to shine forth upon the Infants of believers til the eighth day shine forth upon them It remaineth therefore that the Infants of Abraham and of his seed were under the Covenant assoone as they were his seed to wit even from their conception though none of them were circumcised but the males only nor the males neither till the eighth day The males onely partly because the Females had not such a foreskin of their flesh as was to be circumcised partly because God would have them trained up both males and females to expect all the blessing of their circumcision from the circumcision of Christ Jesus mentioned Coloss 2.11 Neither were the males circumcised till the eigthth day not because they were not subjects of Abrahams Covenant till the eighth day but for some ceremoniall respect or for some other reason peculiar to that Rite Circumcision being a cutting of the flesh it was a worke of mercy not to put infants the first weeke to the paine till they were better able to beare it Some have anciently thought the circumcision of the eighth day did prefigure the sanctification of the eighth day for a Sabbath in the dayes of the Messiah Others have thought God would have Circumcision deferred till the eighth day that a Sabbath might passe over the Parents that he might solemnly renew his Covenant with God before the seale of the Covenant should bee applyed to his Infant Others have conceived that as God would not have a Kid or Lamb sacrificed to him till it had sucked of the Dam seven dayes so neither would hee call forth the
faith think you be built upon the word of man for the truth of his baptisme But be willing to call to mind the Lord Jesus upbraided his eleven Apostles with their unbelief and hardnesse of heart because they believed not them which had seen him after hee was risen from the dead Mar. 6 14. And yet some of them mentioned in the former part of the Chapter were but women and others of them were private disciples neither sort of them were Apostles The truth is if one Proposition in a Syllogisme be found in the Word of God and the other Proposition be found certaine and evident by sense or reason the conclusion is a conclusion of faith As for example it is a proposition found in Scripturâ— Thâ—t the City which raigned over the Kings of the earth â—n Iohns time is that woman the great Whore Babylon which shall bee destroyed Revel 17.18 But Rome is that City which reigned over the Kings of the earth in Johns time This proposition wee have by certaine and evident testimony of the histories of those times Therefore Rome is that woman the great whore Babylon which shall be destroyed This Conclusion is a Conclusion of faith not built upon the word of men but upon the word of God Apply the like manâ—â—r of arguing to the point in hand thus Every disciple of Christ that is every believer and his sâ—ed that is baptized by a Minister of the Gospell in the name of the Fathâ—r Son and holy Ghost is truly baptized This Proposition iâ— delivered in the Gospell But I the child of a bâ—liever was baptized by a Minister of the Gospell in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost This Proposition is confirmed by so many eye-witnesses and such approved records that no reasonable man can doubt of it The conclusion then is a conclusion of faith Therefore I the child of a believer was truly baptized CHAP. X. Silvester FOr a seventh Argument against the Baptisme of Infants I have met with this To baptize Infants maketh the holy Ordinance of God a lying signe because none of those things can bee expected in an Infant which the said Ordinance holdeth forth or signifieth 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 sin by the same as Rom. 6.3.4 Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 2.38 None of all which can bee expected in an Infant Silvanus That which hath been found in some Infants as in John Baptist and Jeremiah and many moe that they have been sanctified by the holy Ghost from their Mothers wombe there is nothing hindreth but the same may bee desired and expected in any Infants of beleeving Pâ—rents The Faith of beleeving Parents hath prevailed with Christ to cast out an evill spirit out of their children And wheresoever the good spirit of grace entreth there wanteth not Regeneration fellowship with Christ in his death buriall Resurrection there wanteth not Faith nor Remission of sins But besides suppose that none of these things were found in Infants yet it is a profane and blasphemous speech to say that the Baptisme of Infants maketh the holy Ordinance a lying sign because none of those things are found in Infants which the Ordinance holdeth forth and signifyâ—th unlesse you were able to make it good that Baptisme holdeth forth and signifieth nothing but what is already found in the Infants But you cannot bee ignorant that Baptisme signifieth and sealeth up not onely good thingâ— found already in the baptized but also good things promised and as yet to come as Resurrection from the dead 1 Cor. 15.29 Saving out of afflictions and persecutions which were then ready to overwhelme all the Churches in the Romane Empire as Noahs flood did the wholâ— world which is the meaning of Peters words in the place which you quote 1 Pet. 3.21 To say nothing that â—aptisme signifieth and sealeth up the growth of all spirituall gifts and blessings as well as the gift of them And growth is a blessing future to the baptized as well as the gift may bee future to some Infants baptized Yea it is an holy truth of God that Baptisme is as well the signe and seale of the promise of God as the signe and seale of any gift of God already bestowed Now Promises are of blessings to come Circumcision was a signe and seale of the Land of Promise to bee given as well as of the righteousnesse of Faith to Abraham which hee had already received Yea the same Circumcision which was to Abraham a signe and a seale of the righteousnesse of the Faith which hee had already received waâ— to Isaac a sign and seale of the righteousnesse of Faith promised but not received Yea that gracious Promise of God that hee would circumcise the hearts of his people Israel and of their seed Deut. 30.6 what was it else but an exposition and declaration of the meaning of their Circumcision that as they had received the outward signe in the flesh so they should receive they and their seed the thing signified in their heart and spirit It is no lying signe that holdeth forth and sealeth that which is done or which is promised to bee done in due time as much as iâ— meet for him to doe that promiseth The Baptisme of Ananias and Sapphira of Simon Magus and Demâ—s was no lying signe though they neither were Regenerate when they were Baptized nor ever afterwards came on to bee Regenerate because the lye lay not in the Lords Covenant nor in the signe of it but in their affected hypocrisie which would not bee healed CHAP. XI THe eighth Argument against the Baptisme of Infantâ— is because the subject of Baptisme is to bee Passive but an Infant is no way passive as that Ordinance requirâ—th I mean a passive subject threefold 1 A thing uncapablâ— and thus is a stone 2 A thing forced and thus is an Infant who opposâ—th his Baptisme to the utmost of his ability so farre is it from being passive in the same 3 A thing is passive by a subjecting power producing thâ—â—ame in the subject by bringing it to a free and voluntary subjection And thus is the true subject of Baptisme None can bee passive to receive grace Silvanus but by grace because it consisteth of self-denyall Obedience to Christ ought to bee free but Baptisme is forced upon an Infant against its will I will not examine the termes of your Distinction of a threefold passive subject though I would not have you taken with it which is indeed neither Naturall nor Artificiall nor spirituall For when you make the first sort of a passive subject a thing uncapable as is a stone I might demand whether you mean uncapable lawfully or unlawfully If you mean a stone is uncapable
water but in the sprinkling or pouring the water upon the body For in dipping wee apply the body to the water In sprinkling or pouring the water the water is applied to the body which doth more lively set forth the grace of Christ in the washing away of our sinnes which is done rather by applying Christs blood to us then by applying our selves to the blood of Christ Moreover when you stand so much for dipping I demand and I pray you answer to mee or to your selfe ingenuously Whether would you have the whole body dipped or part onely If the whole body whether naked or clothed If clothed then outward baptisme is not a washing of the flesh but of the cloaths rather If naked how will it stand with civility or modesty to Baptize men and women of grown yeares for children you admit none in the face of the whole Congregation No marvell then if the Sect of the Adamites grow out of your Sect. But if you require but part of the body to bee baptized I demand what part If the face that is our usuall manner of baptizing in England but that you implead as false If the hands and feete and head also that is it indeâ—d which Peter offered in a like case Joh. 13.9 But Christ answereth him the washing of one part was enough and would suffice to signify the washing and purifying of the whole man every whit v. 10. And in very truth the whole virtue and efficacy of the death of Christ is as well and as fully applyed in the Act of sprinkling as of dipping When Esay prophecyed the Application of the death of Christ to the Redemption of many Nations hee foretold that Christ should sprinkle many Nations Esay 52.15 And when the Apostle exhorteth us to draw neer unto God in full assurance of faith in respect of the perfect Oblation of Christ for us once for all Heb. 10.22 hee expresseth our drawing neare as having our hearts sprinkled from an evill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The faithfull people of God are not wont to value the virtue of the gifts of Christ from the bulke of outward signes but from the lively virtue and power of the Spirit of life conveyed in them The Spirit of a Cordiall is as much conveyed in a small dôsis as in a grosse drugge It is a small morsell of Bread and a little cup of Wine which wee partake in at the Lordâ— Supper and yet therein wee partake of whole Christ God and Man If wee should eate the whole Naturall body of Christ and drinke all his Blood it would not profit us so much It is the Spirit that quickneth us Ioh. 6.36 Bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4.8 But say you in your third exception against sprinkling sprinkling doth not so lively represent our fellowship with Christ n his Death Buryall and resurrection as dipping doth Answ Why not as lively seeing as fully Being sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience wee draw neare unto Christ in full assurance of Faith as you heard even now out of Heb. 10.22 and Christ in sprinkling many nations applyed to them the whole efficacy of his Death Isa 52.15 And the Apostle setteth forth the faithfull of the New-Testament to have come to the rightfruition of the riches of gratious and glorious Priviledges of the Heavenly Hierusalem in that wee are come to the bloud of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 And Peter also setteth forth the full benefit of our election in being chosen as the Originall words runne to the obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Iesus 1 Pet. 1.1 If therefore being sprinkled with the blood of Christ wee have full fellowship with Christ in his Death surely the sprinkling of the person baptized with water in Baptisme doth fully and lively resemble the sprinkling and pouring out of the blood of Christ upon him And in his lying under the water poured and sprinkled upon him thereby is plainly shewen forth his fellowship with Christ in his Buryall And in his arising from under the water is in like sorâ— held forth his fellowship with Christ in his Resurrection CHAP. XXII Silvester VVHat say you then to the fourth Exception against the Baptisme received in England taken from the false end for which it is Administred to wit for the Regeneration of the present Infants And it plainly seemeth no otherwise to mee by the prayers and Collects which are appointed to bee read in the booke of the Common Prayer before and after Baptisme For before Baptisme they pray that the Infants comming to this holy Baptisme might receive remission of sinnes by spirituall Regeneration And after Baptisme the Minister is appointed to give thanks upon this ground that seeing these children are Regenerate and graffed into the body of Christs Congregation c. Silvanus For Answer take these two things and either of them will avoid your acception First That the Church of England doth not administer Baptism for this end to work Regeneration Secondly That though it should aime at such an end yet that would not make the Baptisme false For the fitst The Church of England doth professedly teach the contrary Doctrine not onely in their Pulpits but in Bookes allowed by publique authority That the Sacraments doth not beget Faith nor Regeneration ex opere operato but they are signes and seales of both Neither do the publique prayers of the Church hold forth their judgement otherwise But as in judgement they doe beleeve that God by Covenant promiseth to poure clean water upon us and upon our seed Ezek. 36.25 Isa 44.3 and that he sealeth the Covenant and promise by Baptisme So before Baptisme they pray him to accomplish this Promise according to his Covenant which God is about to confirme by that seale And after Baptisme they taking Gods Word and Seale as a Pledge and assurance of the thing already done which will indeed in due time bee done according to the true intent and meaning of Gods Word and Seale that is to the elect seed absolutely to the naturall seed sufficiently to leave them without excuse in the offer of the meanes they therefore give him thankes for it as done already When Israel heard their redemption out of Egypt and saw the signes which Moses wrought for the confirmation of it they beleeved and bowed their heads and worshipped as if they had seen the worke already wrought which they saw onely in the promise and in the signe Exod. 4.30 31. When Gedeon had received the promise of deliverance from the Midianites and saw the same confirmed by a signe though it were but by a dreame hee worshipped God with praise and thanksgiving as if the delivâ—rance had beene already wrought Judges 7.13 14 15. I neede not apply it For the Second Though the Church of England had such a corrupt and false end in their Baptisme which they have not as to administer the same for the working of Regeneration yet that would not make