ready even at that time to heare Counsell and to receive conviction from our Elders and other brethren if they could shew me any errour in this way Silvanus I doubt not your Elders and other brethren have not been wanting to use the meanes for your conviction and satisfaction But if the Lord espied an Idoll set up in your heart then he in his just displeasure would leave you to see nothing but according to yâ—ur Idoll If the heart be once taken with the love of an Errour it is all one if not worse as not to be taken with the love of tâ—uth And in such a case God is wont to the give up the soule â—o strong delusions to beleeve lies 2 Thes 2.10 11. But besides your owne Elders and brethren you wanted not other friends the Eders and brethren of some other Chuches whom you have been wont to consult withall in lesse matters and them you acquainted not with your scruples which whether it were out of loathnesse to grieve them or out of lothnesse to be removed from your way I doe not know Silvester I am not so wedded to my way but I am willing to heare counsell from the word of God And therefore neither am I unwilling to acquaint your selfe with my scruples in this point which I have gathered out of some bookes chiefely out of those which seeme to me most orthodoxall For they doe not as some others of that way doe deny Magistrates nor Predestination nor Originall Sinne Nor doe they maintaine Free-will in conversion nor Apostasie from Grace but onely deny the lawfull use of the Baptisme of children because it wanteth a word both of Commandement and Example from the Scripture It is well that any of that way doe condescend so farre unto the truth in these controversies Silvanus which doe so nearely concerne the grace of Christ and power of Godlinesse and Publike peace And I am bound in Christian love to beleeve that they who yeeld so farre doe it out of conscience as following herein the Example of the Apostle who professed of himselfe and his followers We can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth But yet I beleeve withall that it is not out of love to the truth that Satan yeeldeth so much to the Truth but rather out of another ground and as his manner is for a worse end He knoweth the times that now by the good and strong hand of God they are set upon purity and Reformation And now to plead against the Baptisme of children upon any of those Arminian and Popish grounds which be so grosly ungratious as those above-named Satan knoweth and seeth they would utterly be rejectâ—d He chooseth therefore rather to play Small Game as they say then to lose all He now relinquisheth all those grosse and ungratious tenents whereby he was wont to plead against childrens Baptisme and now pleadeth no other Argments in these stirring times of Reformation then may be urged from a maine Principle of Purity and Reformation to wit That no Duty of Gods Worship nor any Ordinance of Religion is to be administred in the Church but such as hath just warrant from the word of God And by urging this Argument against the Baptisme of children Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light and the Spirit of Error and Prophanenesse into a Minister of Truth and Righteousnesse And so he hopeth to prevaile either with those men who doe believe the lawfull and holy use of childrens Baptisme to renounce that Principle and so to renounce also all Reformation brought in by it or else if they stick to that Principle then to renounce the Baptisme of children And so the Reformation begun will neither spread farre nor continue long For if Godly Parents doe withdraw their children from the Covenant and from the Seale of the Covenant they doe make void as much in as them lyeth the Covenant both to themselves and to their children also And then will the Lord cut off such soules from his People Gen. 17.14 And so the Reformation begun with a Blessing will end in a curse and in a cutting Separation either of Parents or of children or of both from the Lord and his People That place in Gen. 17.14 speaketh not of Baptisme but of Circumcision Silvester Between which though there may be some Resemblance in regard of their common Nature and use yet this difference between them chiefely sticketh with me That Abraham and his naturall Posterity had an expresse Commandment and word of Institution from God for the circumcising of themselves and their Infant seed But the Beleevers of the New Testament though they have a Commandment from God to be Baptized themselves yet they have neither Commandment nor Example for the Baptisme of their Infant seed It is a Tempting of God even limiting of the Holy one of Israel Silvanus to put upon him to deliver his will onely by Commandment or Example or not at all As if God might not deliver his will by promise or threatning by Proportion or deduction by Consequence as well as by expresse Commandment or Example What Commandment or Example is their for women to partake of the Lords Supper yet the Proportion of the Lords Supper with the Passeover and Deduction from such Scriptures as put no difference between male and female make it to be received as the will and Ordinance of Christ That women able to examine and judge themselves should partake of the Lords Supper as well as the men Every shred of Gold hammered or drawne out of the wedge of Gold is as well Gold as the whole lumpe and wedge Whatsoever is drawn out of the Scripture by just consequence and deduction is as well the word of God as that which is an expresse Commandment or Example in Scripture But to helpe you if the Lord will over this stumbling block which you stick at the Baptisme of children is not without a Commandment and word of Institution from Scripture as may appeare two or three wayes Silvester Shew me any Commandment or word of Institution for the Baptisme of children and it sufficeth me CHAPT I. Declaring and Maintaining the first ground for the Baptisme of Children FIrst the Commission of the Lord Jesus given to his Apostles doth give us a Commandment and word of Institution for the Baptisme of children Mat. 28.19 20. Goe saith he to his Apostles and make Disciples as the word signifyeth all Nations some at least of all sorts in all Nations Baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you to the end of the world In which Commission the Lord Jesus giveth commandment to his Apostles and to their Successors to the end of the world To performe three Acts 1 To make Disciple 2 To Baptize them 3 To teach them to observe all the Ordinances of
Wee read of no such increase of any Congregation since Christs time But suppose that all the children in a Nation were baptized yet that of it self will not make a Nationall Church but many Churches in one Nation Besides if one Family should grow a Nation as the house of Jacob did and all the children being received into Covenant and unto the seal thereof the whole Nationall Generation should become members of the Church as they did in Israel Yet that will not bring the godly into bondage and into scorn and contempt nor put the power of Government to rest in the hands of the wicked For the faithfulnesse of God who keepeth Covenant and mercy with his People prevented that in the House and Church of Israel Where though the whole Nation was in Covenant with God yet ordinarily the Government was kept in the hands of such as either were Godly or for the most part favoured godlinesse Or if they failed herein God was wont to deliver both them and their Governours into the hands of their Enemies that they might learn to rule with God and to bee faithfull with his Saints But furthermore this above all may justly satisfie you That in the state of the Churches of the New Testament God hath instituted such an order therein that though all the Infants of the Church-members bee baptized yet none of them are received by the order of the Gospel unto Communion at the Lords Table nor unto liberty of power in the Government of the Church untill they doe approve themselves both by publick Profession before the Church and also by their Christian conversation to take hold of the Covenant of their Fathers and of the Church and to walk in the steps of their Faith and professed subjection to the Gospell of Christ For it is an expresse Commandement given as to all Christians in their place so especially to the Officers and Brethren of the Church Not to cast holy things to dogges nor Pearles before Swine Mat. 7.6 Nor to receive such to the Lords Table as have not on a Wedding Garment But in such a case the Servants and Ministers of Christ are to â—inde such hand and foot to wit by the censures of the Church and to cast them out unto outer darknesse Matth. 22.11 12 33. that is to say into such an estate of darknesse and misery wherein they live that are without For without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whore-mongers and Murtherers and Idolaters and Lyars Rev. 22.15 And there want not holy and judicious and faithfull witnesses of the Gospel of Christ and of the wayes of pure Reformation who doe so expound the principles of the Apostles Catechisme Heb. 6.1.2 That none of the Members of the Church were admitted to the fellowship of the Lords Table but such as were inlightned to Repentance and had tasted of the Heavenly gift of Faith and were partakers of the Holy Ghost in some kinde and had tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come through the acknowledgement of the Resurrection of the dead and of the last judgement Of these six Principles of the Apostles Catechisme the Lords Supper is not mentioned for one amongst them because these chiefely concerned the baptized members of the Church to bee trained up unto the knowledge and taste at least of them before they could bee admitted to the Lords Table And if their savoury profession of these things were approved before the Church then they were received as confirmed Members by laying on of hands Which holy order was a long time preserved pure in the purer sort of Primitive Churches But afterwards it as all other the Institutions of Christ were abused and adulterated in the Papacy this profession and confirmation of baptized Infants being translated from the Church whereof they were members to the Bishop and their holy Profession of the principall Doctrines and Duties of Christianity transformed into a Catechisme touching the Faith and Promise of their God-fathers and God-mothers And the Imposition of hands upon them by the Pastour or Bishop was finally transformed into a Sacrament But all these grosse superstitions were but super-additions to the first primitive holy institution And yet as by the straw and stubble you may gather what kinde of Grain grew in the field So by these abuses of this Ordinance it may easily bee gathered what was the practise of the Primitive Apostolick Churches in this case Let then this primitive practise bee restored to its purity as it is in some of the first Churches planted in this Countrey and then there will bee no more feare of pestering Churches with a carnall Generation of members baptized in their Infancy then of admitting a carnall company of Hypocrites confessing their Faith and Repentance in the face of the Congregation Either the Lord in the faithfulnesse of his Covenant will sanctifie the hearts of the baptized Infants to prepare them for his Table or else hee will discover their hypocrisie and profanenesse in the presence of his Church before Men and Angels and so prevent the pollution of the Lords Table and corruption of the Discipline of the Church by their partaking in them CHAP. VII THe Fourth Argument Silvester that I finde against the Baptisme of Infants is That it is a ground both of ignorance and errour for it holdeth people in blindnesse that they cannot come to know the nature of the holy Ordinance nor what the same requireth in the subjects thereof and also it causeth the simple to conceive that Baptisme is of necessity to salvation Doe you think that the Circumcision of Infants in the dayes of the Old Testament was any ground of ignorance or errour Silvanus that it held people in blindenesse that they could not come to know the nature of that holy Ordinance nor what the same requireth in the subjects thereof Surely God was of another minde when hee said hee knew Abraham who had lately circumcised his children and household That hee would command his children and houshold to keep the way of the Lord c. Gen. 18.19 which how could he possibly doe unlesse he first taught them to know it In like sort the Baptisme of a mans children doth not allow him to keep them in blindnes and error but rather bind and charge him to traine up his children in the knowledge and faith and obedience of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost into whose name they have been baptized It is not the baptisme of the children of believers but of the children of carnall and ignorant and prophane persons that holdeth or keepeth men in the blindnesse of ignorance and error When you say that Baptisme of infants causeth the simple to conceive that Baptisme is of necessity to salvation I would know whether the Circumcision of infants did cause the simple to conceive the necessity of Circumcision to salvation If not why should the Baptisme of infants rather cause such an errour then the circumcision of
in their riper years whereof many are also holy even from the womb these also should during their yeares of nonage want an outward badge and any outward acknowledgment of what they are even fellow heires of the Kingdom with their brethren which even in the infancy of the world it selfe whilst all were under Tutors and Governours was their priviledge To cleare therefore their evidences and set right their title to this Kingdome and to shew forth a writ and warrant for their enstallment and admission into it by Baptism is an act of the greatest Justice as of charity These and the lâ—ke weighty considerations have stirred up the Spirit of this learned grave and holy Man though full of other labours and employments and now therewith of yeares to bring forth of his rich Treasury things both new and old for the asserting this so important truth Of the Author himself what is said of Ezra his search into the Ordinances of the Law that his heart was prepared to seek the Law of the Lord and to doe it and to teach in Israel Statutes and Judgements The same I may say of him concerning the Institutions those heavenly things Heb 7. â—3 as in comparison of the other the Apostle speakes of the Gospel Much of his thoughts and attention have been spent thereon both to sever them from the additions and inventions of men and to preserve them in their Dignity from the disregard of others And he was a chosen instrument of God to hold forth the purity thereof in a great measure well-nigh from the first of his setled Ministry with much constancy and integrity and with an eminent blessing both of protection and successe upon his Ministry in those evill times which since hath been further crowned with further light herein Who continues still to esteem the clearing any part or portion thereof a sufficient reward of his choicest paines And yet he hath not made those lesser and more outward things of the Gospel the chiefest or first born of his strength but in a due proportion the greater matters of Faith and of the common salvation which hee hath more universally traversed even the whole circle of Theologie and in his Ministery gone over besides many select Bookes of Scripture opened by him therein then most Divines alive I shall adde nothing for the present about the subject matter of this Treatise I having already in my publique Ministry at large delivered my self of what I have to say in this Argument which though I have been provoked enough to make more publike yet hitherto through many what more urgent diversions what personall infirmities to deale in many things at once I have been hindered from casting that worthlesse Mite into the publike Treasury Tho. Goodwin The Grounds and Ends of Baptisme of the Children of the Faithfull Opened in a Familiar Discourse by way of a Dialogue or Brotherly Conference PREFACE Silvanus BRother Silvester for the love I beare to you and your godly Parents I have been much provokâ—d in Spirit to endeavour the pulling you forth of that error into which you are so deeply plunged I doubt not your Elders and others of your Brethren have not been wanting to use the meanes for your conviction and satisfaction But if the Lord espyed an Idol set up in your heart he might justly leave you to see nothing but according to your Idol If the heart be once taken with the love of an Error it is all one if not worse as not to be taken with the love of truth And in such a casâ— God is wont to give up the soule to strong delusions to beleeve lies 2 Thess 2.10 11. But besides your owne Elders and Brethren you wanted not other friends the Elders and Brethren of some other Churches whom you have bin wont to consult withall in lesse matters and them you acquainted not with your scruples which whether it were out of loathnesse to grieve them or out of loathnesse to be removed from your way I doe not know Silvester I am not so wedded to my way but I am willing to heare counsell from the word of God And therefore neither am I unwilling to acquaint your selfe with my scruples in this point The Grounds and Ends of Baptisme OF THE CHILDREN OF THE FAITHFVLL Opened in a Familiar Discourse by way of a Dialogue or Brotherly Conference PREFACE Shewing the occasion of the Conference BRother Silvester I feele your losse at my heart for the love I beare to you as to your godly Parents before you I heare God hath lately burnt your house over your head and most part of your goods with it And it troubleth me the more for your sake because I feare this hand of God is gone out against you to visit upon you and your family your breach of Covenant with the Lord and his People For though I know that all outward things fall alike to all the Sheepe and Servants of Job were burnt as well as your house and many a godly man hath been struck with sicknesse for his tryall as well as Moses for neglect of an Ordinance yet whilst Moses lay under the neglect of an Ordinance in suffering his child to lye by him uncircumcised Silvanus it had been no rash judgement in others nor want of holy wisedome in himselfe to think that God by making a breach upon his health did visit upon him his breach of Covenant with the Lord in delaying and neglecting though it may bee for his wives sake to bring his child under the Seale of the Covenant Wee may in brotherly love well conceive that God hath made this Bâ—each in your estate to try your faith and patience as hee did Jobs But surely it will be your wisest and safest course so to construe Gods meaning That your breach of Covenant with God did kindle a fire in his wrath which brake forth upon your house and burnt up so great a part of your Estate For even our God the God of the New Testament is a Consuming fire as well to Christians now as to Jewes of old And when doth the Iealousy of God most kindle but against the Violation of his Ordinances which being delivered to us in the 2. Commandement are ratified by a Sanction from the Iealousy of the Lord our God Exod. 20.5 You saw not long before a like fire of Gods wrath breaking forth in burning the houses of others of your brethren and neighbours who had a while before turned aside into the way same of error with your self which when you tooke no warning by the same fire burst for that last upon your selfe How wise and righteous was the hand of the Lord that when water was neglected to Baptize your child water should be wanting to quench the fire that consumed your house Silvester I cannot think that the delay of my childs Baptisme could kindle that fire that burnt up my house For if I know mine owne heart I was very
thus God taketh men in their own wilinesse whilst they goe about to shoulder out infant from being disciples unto Christ and so from baptisme they exclude themselves from the chiefe benefits of the baptism of Christ which is to have God the Father Son and holy Ghost to be a God to themselves and to their seed and in stead of approving themselves to be the Disciples of Christ they take out a wrong lesson from the words of institution turn the glorious name of the blessed Trinity into the weake performance of a Christian duty and that but an outward duty neither Onely because infants are not able to perform such a duty they shall therefore be debarred from baptisme into the name of the Father Son and holy ghost seeing Baptisme into that name is but into the true and orderly profession of the faith But the Lord redeeme your soule from such guile and falshood Let the name of the Father Son and holy ghost be as Christ meaneth it the Adoption protection and government of the Father Son and holy ghost as to have the name of one called upon another is so meant in Scripture Gen. 48.16 And then infants are as capable of that grace and of such a baptisme as their Parents be Doe not put off your self nor me with this pretence that here teaching goeth before baptizing c. For though the Parents must be taught being gentiles and Pagans before they can bee disciples yet the children of disciples are received into the number of Christs disciples by himselfe though themselves understand not what is tâ—ught them by the hearing of the eare Neither put your selfe off with that other pretence That Matthews words are explained by Mark 16.15 16. For though it be true that one of those places giveth some light to the other yet either you must take disciples in a larger extent then believers or else you must account of the children of believers as God doth not as infidels as the children of Pagans be but as holy and under the promise of grace and faith and so as believers in their fathers right till themselves renounce it or else you cannot avoid it though you doe disclaime it that if infants be unbeleevers and so cannot be baptized then as unbelievers they cannot be saved For the Text is expresse Hee that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Neither yet suffer your self to be put off from the truth by that other pretence That all the externall benefits and priviledges of the gospel are given only to external and visible faith And so the sealing and confirming ordinances of Christ ever presuppose faith in the subject to seale unto and to be confirmed For all this and the baptism of infants may well stand together For the benefit and priviledge of externall baptisme is not given to infants but in respect of the externall and visible profession of the faith of their Parents or of one of them at least And this ordinance of Christ sealeth and confirmeth the Covenant of grace to the believer for himself and his seed yea to the whole Church of believers and to their seed also when they grow up to understand the nature and use of it Chap. II. THus then at length having by the help of Christ cleared this first Argument for the baptisme of infants of believers from the commandement of the Lord Jesus let us now if you please proceed to another commandement a commandement of the holy Ghost with whom Peter being filled in the beginning of his publique administration of the Apostolick office he exhorted the penitent Jews them and theirs to bee baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus His words are thus recorded Acts 2 38 39. Repent ye saith he and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children c. From whence the argument that these words hold forth ariseth thus They to whom the promise is made of remission of sins and of receiving the holy Ghost they have a commandement to be baptized every one of them But to such as doe repent and to their children the promise is made of remission of sins and of receiving the holy Ghost Therefore they that doe repent and their children have a commandement to be baptized every one of them The former Proposition ariseth from the reason which the Apostle giveth of his exhortation Repent ye saith he and be baptized every one of you For the promise is made to you and to your children as who should say let every one of you be baptized both you that doe repent and your children For the promise is made to you that is to you that doe repent and with you to your children also Silvester The text saith not let every one of you and of your children be baptized but repent ye and let every one of you to wit who doe repent be baptized Silvanus The Reason of the commandement giveth the sense of the commandement now the reason of this commandement Repent ye and be baptized every one of you is this For the promise is made to you to wit to you who doe repent and to your children And therefore the sense of the commandement of the holy Ghost is this Repent ye and let every one of you both you that doe repent and your children also be baptized For the promise is to you and to youâ— children And so much is implyed also in the change and different expression and extent of the verbs of command he doth not say Repent ye and be baptized as if he commanded two duties to the same persons no more to be baptized but such as doe repent But repent ye indefinitely and be baptized every one of you universally and singularly not onely ye who doe repent but your children also But the event sheweth Silvester that Peter intended onely them that did repent to be baptized and not their children for so it followeth in the Text verse 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized which sheweth that none else were baptized but persons that were grown up to yeares of understanding such as were affected with the word and received it gladly It is true indeed the Apostles forced baptisme upon none Silvanus but administred it onely to such as gladly received the Word But those penitent Jews and Proselytes who understood that promise was to them and to their children they gladly received the whole Word both the word of promise which they received by faith and the word of commandement they and their children to bee baptized which they received by offering themselves and their children unto baptism in which respect it is therefore said They that gladly received his word were baptized because both their own baptisme and the baptisme of their children was the
immediate fruit of the parents gladsome receiving of the word the act of the parents in such a case is accounted of Christ as the act of the children as in Mark 10.13 14. The act of the parents in bringing their children to Christ is called the act of the children in comming to him as Levi paid tythes in the loynes of Abraham Heb. 7.9 10 so in like sort these children here gladly received the word in the armes of their parents But the ground of all this argument seemeth to me very weake Silvester for you take that for granted which to me seemeth very uncertain if not untrue that by the children to whom the promise is made should be meant their naturall children whereas he rather meaneth the children of their faith spirituall children such as God called to repent as well as themselves Silvanus The children to whom the promise was made if they were onely the children of the faith of their parents that is as you meane not the children for whom the parents believe but their children that believe and repent as well as their parents then a double absurdity would follow First that whereas in the dayes of the old Testament upon the faith and repentance of the Proselyte parents the Covenant and promise did belong to them and to their children now in the dayes of the new Testament the faith and repentance which admitteth the parents excludeth their children For the children of these Jews and Proselytes who heard the Sermon were in Covenant with God before the Sermon But now upon hearing this Sermon and being wrought upon effectually by it unto faith and repentance though themselves be received yet their children are cut off from the Covenant A strange doctrine that the faith of the Parents should set their children further off from God and his Covenant then they were before Secondly to say the children to whom the promise was made were meant onely their penitent and beleeving children would make the Apostles argument a vaine and superfluous flourish whereby he encourageth these Jews and Proselytes to repent and beleeve upon this motive taken from a promise made not onely to themselves but to their children For by this doctrine the promise belongeth no more to the children of beleevers then to the children of Pagans For even the children of pagans whilst their children remain Pagans have the promise belonging to them as soon as themselves doe repent and believe And what more have the children of beleevers belonging to them then so Yea the Apostles argument is made no argument at all so farre as hee urgeth them to repent and believe by the blessing of the promise thereby redounding to their children For whether they repented and believed or no the promise would belong to their children when the children came themselves to repent and believe Otherwise if their children repented not the promise would not belong unto them though their parents did repent Let me adde for confirmation an argument or two more take this then for a third argument conversion unto faith and repentance is it selfe given by the Covenant to the children of the Covenant And therefore the children of the Covenant were under the Covenant before their conversion and so before their faith even by the faith of their parents For so the same Apostle Peter in his next Sermon to the Jewes testifieth Ye are the children of the Covenant saith hee which God hath made with our fathers c. unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus hath sent him to blesse you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Acts 3.25 26. If Christ then be given by the Covenant and conversion by Christ to the children of the Covenant then the children of the faithfull are not first converted and so come under the Covenant but are first under the Covenant and so come to be converted A fourth argument may be taken from the easier engraffing of the naturall seed of holy Parents into Christ then of the posterity of Pagans which could not be but in respect of their interest in the Covenant and the benefit redounding to them from thence For otherwise the Apostles reasoning Rom. 11.24 will not hold If thou Roman wer't cut off the olive tree wilde by nature and graffed contrary to nature into the good olive tree how much more shall these Israelites which be the naturall branches be graffed into their owne olive tree What reason can be given why the Israelites should be much more capable of engraffing into Christ then the Roman Pagans were Surely not in respect of the greater ingenuity and better indoles or disposition of nature that will be found in the Israelites above what was found in the Romans for by nature all are alike corrupt and averse from Christ one as another Rom. 3.12 Psal 14.3 but onely in respect of Gods greater propension to shew his saving and converting grace to the children of his confederates And so indeed the Apostle explaineth himself verse 26 27 28. There shall come saith he the deliverer out of Zion and turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob. And this is my covenant when I shall take away their sins As touching the gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the elelection they are beloved for their Fathers sake The words in the place in hand Silvester Acts 2.39 are not unto your seed but unto your children wherein there is a great difference For by seed in Scripture is often meant a naturall generation begotten and born after the flesh But by children a spirituall generation walking in the steps of the faith of such as have gone before them as Act. 3.25 13.26.33 and so John 8.37.39 Rom. 9.7.8 And so the words import as much which is to you and to your children and to all a farre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call so that the promise is onely to such as the Lord our God shall call and none else Silvanus You much mistake it if you take it there is any such difference to be put between seed and children for both of them are taken alike promiscuously Sometime seed is put for the spirituall children and children are put for the carnall seed And sometimes againe the seed are put for the carnall children and children for the spirituall seed in Gal. 3.26 when the Apostle saith If you bee Christs then are you Ahrahams seed and heires according to the promise there seed is put for spirituall children But when hee saith Hierusalem that now is is in bondage with her children Gal. 4.25 there he putteth children for the carnall seed And so hee doth also even in some of those Texts which your selfe alledge to the contrary as in Acts. 3.25 when the Apostle saith Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers he speaketh of such whom hee exhorteth to repent and to be converted ver 19. And
therefore yet they were the carnall seed And he speaketh to them to whom he saith Christ was sent to turne every one of them from their iniquities vers 26. And therefore he knew no other of them nor spake no otherwise to them then as to men yet in their sins And so in that other place which you quote out of Acts 13.26 33. the Apostle plainely calleth them the children of the stock of Abraham who were the naturall seed of Abraham and whom afterward he calleth despisers vers 41. And amongst whom many of them contradicted and blasphemed his doctrine verse 45. So that from the word children it cannot be gathered that in this Text the Apostle meaneth children walking in the steps of the faith of their fathers No nor from those other words of the Text which you say import so much which speake of the promise made to you and your children and to all afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call for these words doe not import what you say that the promise is onely to such as God shall call and to none else as many as the Lord our God shall call is not a limitation of those remote words you and your children but of the next words immediately going before all that are afar off lest it should be thought that the promise is to all that are afarre off that is to all Pagans and infidels he explaineth himselfe in the words next following even to as many as the Lord shall call from amongst them And all they indeed from among the Gentiles whom the Lord shall call they still partake of the same promise of grace with the Jews that as the promise of grace is made to the Jews and their children so is it now to the Gentiles called and to their children there is no difference now between Jews and Gentiles in respect of any spirituall priviledges or promises The children of the believing Gentiles are now as holy as the children of the believing Jews and the promises pertaine to both alike But it is not said in the Text Silvester the Covenant is to you and yours but the promise Now we know that every promise is not a Covenant there being a large difference between a promise and a Covenant Let it then be well considered what is here meant by the promise and that is Gods sending of the Messias or the seed in whom all the Nations should be blessed and so the sending of a Saviour or a Redeemer unto Israel as these Scriptures manifest compared together Esa 11. 1 Jer. 23.5 6. with Luke 1.68.74 Acts 13.23 3.25 26. This was performed by Christs comming First in the flesh in which respect he came of and to the Jewes onely by promise as Joh. 4.22 Rom. 9.5 Matth. 10.5 6. 15.24 John 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 on him And this way also Christ was first tendered to the Jewes for a Saviour to save them from their sâ—nnes Acts 4.12 And for to be their King as to save them so into whose State and government they were to submit as Luke 19.14 27. Acts 2.36 In which sense the Apostle speaketh when he saith the promise is to you and to your children and to all farre and neare as God shall call That is the promise or the 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 believe and receive him by faith who is now come to save you and all that believe from their sinnes Acts 3.25 26. And therefore it is said as many as gladly received or believed these glad tydings the same was sealed or confirmed to them by Baptisme Acts 2.41 according to John 1.11 12 13. By all which it is manifest that the promise Acts 2.39 is meant of the sending of the Messias or a Saviour to the house of Israel to call them to repentance and to save such as believe from their sinnes as is cleare also by these Scriptures Esa 59.20 Act. 13.23 26 32 38 39. And thus the promise is to you and your children that is the promised Saviour is offered and offereth himself freely to save you notwithstanding your crucifying of him yet now repent and believe for his promise is upon the same freely to forgive and to save you from all your sins Thus the promise is applyed to faith which is the way of preaching the gospel and not an absolute conclusion of persons to bee in the Covenant of grace and life whether they have faith or not What is this but to keep the wicked from leaving his way by promising them life This God did not in making of his Covenant at the first nor the Apostle by his applying of the same at the last Silvanus In this your long answer some things are impertinent some things false some fraudulent and some confused but one thing onely alledged out of the Context that may seeme to the purpose and that also misapplyed 1. It is impertinent to put a difference betweene the promise and the Covenant As it was before curious to put a difference betweene seede and children For though every promise be not a Covenant yet there is no such large difference as you speake of betweene the promise of God and his Covenant but that they are ordinarily put one for another The Covenant of not drowning the world any more with a floud was no more then a promise yet it is called a Covenant Gen. 9.11 and the Promise that God gave to Abraham of the inheritance of the world Rom. 4.13 was by the Covenant confirmed by the sacrifices of beasts divided asunder Gen. 15.5.9 10.17 And that which God calleth the promises Gal. 3.16 he calleth the Covenant in the next verse verse 17. Besides whatsoever difference there may be betweene the promise and the Covenant it is here pleaded altogether impertinently For if it were granted you which you plead for though there be no mention of it in the Text That by the promise is here meant the promise of sending the Messiah yet that promise is either given by the Covenant of grace or by the Covenant of workes If Christ be given and sent by the Covenant of grace then the promise that giveth him is the Covenant of grace So that if the promise of sending Christ be to them and their children as the Text speaketh then the Covenant in which that promise is given is to them and their children And so indeed the same Apostle telleâ—h them in his next Sermon Acts 3.25 26. Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers c. Unto you first God having raised up his sonne Jesus sent him to blesse you c. the promise therefore of sending Christ was given by Covenant
Covenant of grace And if any one of these promises belonged to them the whole Covenant of grace belonged to them also But to deale ingenuously and faithfully with you the Text which you quote out of Acts 2.41 might hold forth a just colour of an Objection if you had so applyed it against the argument gathered out of verse 38 39. for the baptisme of infants For if they who were baptized were such as gladly received his word verse 41. then it doth not appeare out of this place that infants were at that time baptized with the rest because they could not receive the word much lesse gladly least of all expresse their gladnesse by any visible profession This objection I confesse would have prevailed with me to have forborn any proof of the Baptisme of infants out of this place were it not partly for the Reasons which have been alledged above from the words of verse 39. partly also for that I finde the Lord Jesus is wont to accept the acts of Parents in the duties of the second Commandement as done for themselves and for their children as hath been touched above For look as when Levi is said to pay tythes in Abraham it was because Abraham in paying tythes was reputed of God as paying them for himself and for Levi Heb. 7.9 And as when Parents came and brought their children to Christ their comming was reputed of Christ as the comming of their children as well as of themselves Mar. 10.14 So when Peters hearers received the word gladly they gladly received in both for themselves and their children to wit both the word of promise which was expresly given to themselves and their children and also the word of Commandement which was grounded upon the promise and urged as farre as the promise extended Be baptized every one of you and thereupon they in receiving his word gladly did gladly give up both themselves and their children to be baptized Silvester But before you take the baptisme of infants concluded out of this place consider what you will say to another interpretation which I have seen made of this place For there bee that say That by the promise to you and to your children is not meant the Covenant of grace to you and to your children but the promise of sending the Holy Ghost to enable them and their sons and daughters to prophecy Which promise Peter quoted out of Joel Act. 2.16 17. which promise Christ received of the Father and had now shed abroad in their sight and hearing verse 33. and which Peter promised to them upon their repentance and baptisme verse 38. because the promise was to them and to their children Silvanus Thus sometimes you will have the promise to be understood of sending Christ and sometime of sending the holy Ghost but the truth is both are but effects of the same grace and both given by the same Covenant The English proverb speaketh of such men as are loath to see what they doe see that they cannot see the wood for trees so these men cannot see the Covenant for the promises what is the wood but a storehouse of trees and what is the Covenant of grace but the storehouse of the promises of grace In the Covenant of grace when God giveth himselfe to bee the God of the faithfull and of their seed the Father promiseth himselfe to be their Father Christ promiseth to be their Redeemer and the Holy Ghost promiseth to be their sanctifier You may as soone separate the persons in the Trinity from being one God as separate the gift of one of these persons to us and to our children from the gifts of the other or separate all these gifts or the promises of these gifts from the Covenant of grace But if the gift of the Holy Ghost be here promised to these Iews and Proselytes and to their children Silvester that they might speake with new tongues and prophecy then in this place by children cannot be meant infants for infants are not capable of speaking with tongues and prophecying The Apostle Peter Silvanus though he speake of the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost which in the former part of the chapter did enable the Disciples to speake with new tongues and prophecy yet he did not intend to limit and confine the gift of the Holy Ghost to that work in these Converts here for that would have been small comfort to them who were pricked in heart and enquired the way of salvation to put them off with a promise of the Holy Ghost to worke such gifts of tongues and prophecying as were common to hypocrites Matth. 7.22 23. 1 Cor. 13.1 The Apostle therefore who better knew how to satisfie and heale these wounded soules hee promiseth to them such a gift of the Holy Ghost as is joyned with remission of sinnes and accompanyeth salvation Act. 2.38 39. And though infants whilst infants are not capable of speaking with tongues and prophecying which is but one gift of the Holy Ghost and but a common gift neither yet they are capable of the Holy Ghost for regeneration and remission of sins which are the chief blessings of the Covenant which these Converts then stood in need of and for the effectuall working of which the Apostle telleth them The promise was made to them and to their children which indeed cannot bee wrought but by the gift both of Christ and of the Holy Ghost And now having said enough as I conceive if not too much for the clearing of these two first Arguments for the Baptisme of the infants of believers Let us now proceed to adde a third taken from the Analogy of the Circumcision of the seed of Abraham and the Commandement of God for the same Silvester I have heard much agitation of such an argument and more of that then of any other but I am very slow to believe the baptism of infants upon that ground CHAP. III. Silvanus DOe you not believe that God made a Covenant of grace with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17.7 c. Silvester What if he did Silvanus Did he not by that Covenant give him a Commandement to receive the signe of Circumcision the seal of the Covenant of grace to him and to his seed Silvester Gen. 17.9 10. Silvanus What of that Hath not the Lord given that Covenant of grace which was then to Abraham and his seed now to beleevers and our seed Silvester What then Silvanus I demand further hath not God abolished Circumcision and given us baptisme in the room thereof Silvester What of all this Silvanus Then out of all these it followeth that if the same Covenant of grace be now given to believers and our seed which was given to Abraham and his seed and if baptisme be now given to us as a seale of the Covenant in the room of Circumcision then the same Covenant which gave a Commandement or a word
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
as it usually falleth out maketh strongly for it the words are plaine thou foundest his heart faithfull before thee and madest a Covenant with him to give to his seed the lâ—nd of the Canaanites And your self with your Leaders doe easily acknowledge that in the old Testament the Covenant of Abraham admitted his carnall seed into the fellowship of it And doubtlesse Nehemiah speaketh of Abraham and of his faithfull heart and holy Covenant as it stood in the dayes of the Old Testament How commeth it then to passe that his faithfull heart whereby he received the Covenant to himselfe and his seed should be alledged to prove that the faith of Abraham admitted him into the Covenant but not his seed But proceed to your third thing which you woulâ— have to bee well considered and consider I pray you how far off it is from concluding your purpose Silvester The third thing to be considered is who are the approved subjects of this Covenant and they are onely such as believe For God in his Word approveth of none in Covenant with him out of Christ nor of any in Christ without faith Nay God denyeth his approving of any in fellowship with him that doe not believe as John 3.5 6 36. Heb. 11.6 Nor doth he approve of any subjects of his gracious Covenant but onely such as hee hath elected and chosen in Christ and so appearing by some fruits and effects of the same as these Scriptures with many other witnes Rom. 8.9.29 30. Rom. 11.7 Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 Acts 2.47 13.48 Silvanus There is a broad difference between these two who are the true approved subjects of this Covenant and who are approved to be the true subjects of this Covenant For it is certain and your selfe admitted it above that God approved all the seed of Abraham even his carnall seed to be admitted as subjects of the covenant and of the seale thereof But it as certain that God never approved such true subjects of the Covenant whom himselfe never elected nor themselves ever received the gift of faith without which it is impossible to please God Many are truly called to the fellowship of the Covenant and of the seale thereof who were never elected nor approved in their spirituall estate as heires of salvation It is in the same sense that Paul speaketh Rom. 2.28 29. He is not a Jew which is one without neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but hee is a Jew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the Spirit whose praise or which is all one whose approbation is not of men but of God But dare any man therefore inferre that God did not approve it that any should bee admitted unto the Covenant of Abraham or unto the seale thereof Circumcision unlesse he were a Jew or Israelite within and circumcised with the circumcision of the heart To what purpose then are all the texts of Scripture alledged by you which prove no more then wee acknowledge that by naturall generation all men are carnall that without faith it is impossible to please God that whom God electeth hee calleth that the election obtaineth what they seeke for that the elect are chosen to be holy and partakers of the sprinkling of the blood of Christ that the elect are brought on to faith But what is all this to prove that such as are carnall by naturall generation cannot be holy by the grace of the covenant or that it may not please God to admit them to the outward dispensation of his Covenant whose inward spirituall estate hee is not pleased with Surely all the Israelites in the wildernesse were sometimes admitted into Covenant with God yet with many of them God was not pleased 1 Cor. 10.5 What though those whom God elcteth he calleth to wit by an effectuall calling according to his purpose yet may hee not yea doth he not call many to place in his vineyard the Church yea to office also whom he hath not chosen Matâ—h 20.16 What though the elect obtaine what they seek for the sure mercies of the Covenant and the rest come to be hardened May not therefore the non-elect partake in the outward dispensation of the Covenant and yet afterwards bee hardened in hypocrisie What though the elect onely come on to believe though not with a justifying faith yet with an historicall and temporary faith May they not bee holy by Covenant who yet are not holy by the Spirit of Regeneration May they not be sprinkled with the blood of sprinkling unto the common graces of the Spirit Heb. 10.29 who yet are not sprinkled therewith to the remission of their sins Finally what though it bee said the Lord added to the Church daily such as should bee saved Acts 2.47 were not Ananias and Sapphira added also and Simon Magus too who yet for ought that appeareth were none of them saved Proceed wee theâ— to the fourth thing which you wiâ—h might be well considered and see if there be any more weight in that The fourth and last is Silvester whether that all persons now in the Gospel have not one and the same way of entrance into the covenant let the holy Word of God bee judge and I finde the Gospel of Christ to approve of none in the Lords holy Covenant of grace but such as believe nor any approved of to be in the way of life but such as are in Christ by Faith And therefore no other way of comming into the Covenant of grace and salvation but onely by Jesus Christ for in him are all the promises confirmed and made over onely unto such as doe believe as 2 Corinth 1.20 Rom. 10.4 1 John 5.11 12. Rom. 8.9 You now labour againe of the same fallacy which was noted in you before It is readily granted you that the Gospel of Christ approveth of none in the Lords Covenant but such as believe Neither did the Old Testament approve any in the Lords Covenant but such as believed But as hath been said it is one thing to approve them in the Covenant another thing to approve them to be in the Covenant See it in a similitude God did never approve either Saul or Jehu in the Kingdome of Israel yet hee did approve it that both of them should be admitted to the kingdome So is it here God did never approve Ismael in Abrahams house nor Esau in Isaacs And yet he approved it that they should be in their Fathers houses and also bee admitted to the Covenant of their Fathers and to the seale thereof till their own prophanenesse cast them out And therefore what though there bee no other way of comming into the Covenant of grace but only by Jesus Christ And what though in Christ all the promises are confirmed and made over onely to such as believe Yet neverthelesse Christ hath opened a way for the comming of the Covenant and promises through himselfe not
in the like need to have their faith confirmed that God will bee a God to us and our seed And we are in like sort engaged both to walke in Gods wayes our selves and to bring up our children in the like holy instruction and information of the Lord. But let it be examined a little Silvester how the authority of the commandement of Circumcision can beare out the authority of baptizing infants Circumcision it doth not for all agree that wee are now to baptize not to circumcise The Minister circumcising it doth not then the Master of the family was to circumcise now one ordained by Christ in the Church to baptize The same part of the body it doth not that circumcised the foreskin Baptisme the whole man The age it doth not that the eighth day this any day The subject it doth not that a male onely this both male and female Now in that it doth not enjoyne any of all these wherein then can the authority of that commandement consist now in Baptisme so as to enjoyne Infants to be baptized And whereas men cry out from that command that Infants Infants Infants must be baptized as they were commanded to bee circumcised Why this commandement if it should be so serves for none but onely males So that if they will have the females to be baptized they must looke out another commandement for them and so there must be two commandements in one Ordinance There is no inconvenience for two commandements to meet in one Ordinance Circumcision was more then once commanded Silvanus Gen. 17. Lev. 12. So was the Passeover Exod. 12 Numb 9. Levit. 23.5 Neither is it another commandement that wee alledge for the baptizing of females but onely an example Acts 8.12 which yet being precedentiall is of like force as a commandement look wherin wee vary in the administration of Baptisme from the Rite and manner of Circumcision wee have just warrant for it in the New Testament Else we should no more have varyed from it then did the Proselytes of the Old Testament The rite of Circumcising and of the foreskin is expresly abolished Gal. 5.2 And we are said now to be circumcised in being baptized Col. 2.11 12. The Minister of Circumcision if it were not removed in the Old Testament from the family to the Synagogue from the father of the family to the Levite yet surely removed it was by Christ to the Ministers of the Gospel Mat. 28.19 The age had something in it ceremoniall as hath been shewed above The sex or subject as you call it was enlarged by the example of Philip Acts 8.12 So that we vary in nothing from the Commandement of circumcision but by the like warrant whereby Circumcision was at first commanded Shew us the like warrant for the rejecting of infants from Baptisme as we shew you for the changing of all the rest and reason will require we should hearken to you Tell us not that Iohn Baptist baptized such as professed their faith and repentance and Philip baptized the Eunuch upon the profession of his faith For we doe also now require the like from Proselytes or converts of grown yeares whether Jewes or Pagans But shew us any ground from Scripture either out of the Old or New Testament whereby infants are excluded either from the Covenant or from the seale of the Covenant and then we shall plead no longer for the Baptisme of infants from the Analogie of Circumcision Silvester I will not presse againe that which hath been alledged before But there is something further that sticks with me which may answer your demand and give you a ground for the exclusion of Infants alledged out of Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. Where the two Mothers Hagar and Sarah type out the two Testaments and their two sonnes Ishmâ—el and Isaac type out the subjects of the same the one by the bond-woman born after the flesh but hee of the free-woman was by promise v. 23. Now as Hagar the mother signified the old state in generall so Ishmael her sonne signified the children of the same state borne after the flesh as hee was For though hee was the child of Abraham yet hee was no child of promise Now for Sarah she was the lawfull wife of Abraham and so a free-woman with whom the Apostle compareth the estate of the Church of the New Testament the true Spouse and wife of Christ who is free from all servitude and bondage and stands onely in subjection to Christ her husband as Sarah did to Abraham and Isaac her sonne signifying the true holy and blessed seed Of this holy stock according to the Spirit and so as Isaac was true heire according to promise For the Gospel approveth of none as true heires of the blessing and so the right seed and truly in the Covenant but onely such as the promise produceth and brings forth as it did Isaac For Isaac came not by ordinary course of nature but by vertue of the promise of God and faith in the same which raised nature above it selfe to bring him forth By this the wisdome of God holds forth as in a figure who are Abrahams seed approved of in the Gospel and they are such as are brought forth by a power above nature which is by the promise of God and faith in the same as Isaac was c. Your whole glosse upon this text standeth like the Temple of Dagâ—n upon two maine pillars which being overthrowne Silvanus the whole fabrick will fall like Dagon himselfe before the Arke of the Covenant 1. You conceive that Hagar and Sarah signifie the severall estate of the Churches of the Old and New Testament Hagar the old state of the Church in the Old Testament and Sarâ—â— the state of the Church of the New Testament 2. You conceive that their two sons type out the different subjects of the same But neither of both these will stand with the Apostles words nor scope His scope is to dispute not against infants to exclude them from being subjects of the Church but to exclude legall Justiciaries such as desired to be under the law from being children of the Covenant of grace The words of the Apostle are these The two Mothers are the two Covenants v. 24. not the old state of the Church in the Old Testament and the new state of the Church in the New Testament Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia saith he and answereth or standeth in the same rank as the word signifieth to Hierusalem that now is v. 25. Marke that I pray you hee saith not to Hierusalem in her old estate in the dayes of the godly Kings and holy Priests and Prophets and people the Saints of the Lord who looked to bee saved by the grace of Christ as well as we Acts 15.11 but to Hierusalem that now is under the corrupt and degenerate Priests and Rulers Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces who renounced Christ and the righteousnesse of faith in him and seek to
infants If yea whether did the people of God forbeare the circumcision of their infants for feare they should cause such an errour of the necessity of circumcision in the hearts of simple people were it not that we know when men have once set up an idoll in their hearts every wind and shew of an argument will prevaile with a mans mind to bow down to it wee should not think that men disputed in good earnest that used such arguments in such a cause Have you not met with any other argument of more weight CHAP. VIII Silvester YEs this fifth Argument seemeth to me to have more in it The Baptisme of infants keepeth up the state of Antichrist by granting him this so chief a corner stone of the Lords house to lye in his foundation For that Church where baptisme is the true Ordinance of God in the administration thereof it is by the rules of the Gospel a true Church So that if Antichrists baptisme which hee administreth bee Gods ordinance then that Church wherein he doth so administer the same must bee alâ—o the Church of God and he must be in sin who refuseth communion with it Silvanus Either the words of this argument are ill chosen to expresse your meaning or else these words will give no ground at all against the baptisme of infants You say the Baptisme of infants keepeth up the state of Antichrist by granting him this so chief a corner stone of the Lords house to lye in his foundation But I pray you understand first we never made baptisme the corner stone of the Lords house which is the peculiar prerogative of Christ himselfe Christ onely is the corner stone Secondly when we make I meane acknowledge the Baptism of believers and of their seed a true and precious ordinance of Christ and one of the holy vessels of his Church wee doe not grant unto Antichrist this authority to lay this stone in his foundation unlesse himself were first invested with a lawfull calling to baptize and unlesse those whom he did baptize were believers and the seed of believers Our baptizing of believers and their seed do not grant him leave to baptize idolaters and their seed If you say but we take in such to be members of our Church who have been baptized in his Church or at least their fathers before them and so take a stone out of the Temple of Babel to lay in the foundation of Zion contrary to the Word of the Lord Jer. 51.26 Answ This is another matter but your words expresse no such thing Your words carry it as if we granted him a chiefe corner stone of the Lords house to lye in his foundation and not that he granteth us a stone out of his Babylonish Temple to lye in the fóundation of the Lord house But in very truth neither doe we take a stone from him to lay in Gods house by continuing the seale of the Covenant to believers and their seed from Abrahams time to the Apostles time and Baptisme from the Apostles time till now For the Baptisme of believers and their seed is no more a stone that lyeth in the foundation of Antichrist then is the doctrine of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost three persons and one God into whose name wee and our children are baptized Though the people of God would not take a stone of Babel for a corner or for a foundation of Zion according to Jer. 51.26 yet they did not refuse to take those vessels out of Babel and to restore them againe to the Lords Temple at Hierusalem Ezra 1.7 8. with 6.5 Doe noâ— therefore tell us that if Antichrists Baptisme which hee administreth bee the ordinance of God then that Church wherein hee doth so administer the same must be also the Church of God and they in sinne that refuse communion with it For you might as well say that if the vessels of the Temple wherein the Babylonian Priests ministred to their idols were indeed the holy vessels of the Lord God of Israel then that idols Temple is Babel in which they were used to Ministery was the holy Temple of the Lord and the people of Israel did sin in comming out of Babel and refusing communion with that Idols Temple CHAP. IX Silvester A Sixth argument against the Baptism of Infants I have found to bee this because it buildeth faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall for such as are baptized in their infancy have no other way to satisfie themselves or others but the bare word of man that must stand in the place of the Word of God for such to believe their true receiving of so holy an Ordinance of God Silvanus If Baptisme be a matter fundamentall why did your fourth Argument make it an error in the Baptisme of infants that it caused the simple to conceive that Baptism is of necessity to salvation Surely if Baptisme be a matter fundamentall it is no offence to make both the simple and the wise and all sorts to conceive that it is of necessity to salvation But such indeed is the wise and righteous hand of God that such as will contradict the truth of God shall be ready also to contradict themselves and that sometimes within a very few words But to speake to your argument doe you thinke that the Circumcision of infants was a matter fundamentall If so doe you thinke those infants growing up to yeares did build their faith in matters fundamentall upon humane testimonie And had they no other way to satisfie themselves or others for their true receiving of so holy an Ordinance of God but onely the word of man which must stand them in stead of the Word of God Yea let me demand a further Question What if a man were baptized at as ripe yeares as the Treasurer of Candace Acts 8. who saw himselfe baptized by Philip What hath such a man to build the faith of his Baptisme upon and to satisfie himselfe and others thâ—rein but onely the testimony of his owne eyes and sense of fâ—eling but neither a mans eyes nor his sense of feeling are any â—hitmore the Divine testimony of the Word of God then the testimony by word of mouth of many scoreâ— of witnesseâ— yea put the case a little further and no more then possible what if a man of grown yeares suppose a Pagan were converted to the faith by the hearing of the Word and yet had been blinde from his mothers wombe If hee shall come to be baptized he will want the testimony of his eyes to see himselfe baptized And though he may heare the words of him that baptizeth them yet hee hath it onely by the words of men that he that baptizeth him iâ— a Minister For himself did neither see him elected nor ordained which is also the case of any man though of growne yeares that commeth to be baptized of such a Minister who was ordained to his Office before himselfe was borne must such a mans
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