shall be shall never be able to cast the Seed of Believing Parents out of the Church by any Consequence drawn from any Text in the Bible therefore they must give us clearer Texts before we shall believe them SECT V. BUt come we to the great Argument which all use and that wherewith I was assaulted Matth. 28.19 and Mark 16.16 Only Believers are to be Baptised To which I Answer This took with me in my Meditations I thought there was strength in it Had the Gospel-Church been first erected amongst the Gentiles and had Baptism been first Instituted in the Gentile-Churches then the Anabaptists Argument from hence would have carryed me But the first Gospel-Church was erected among the Jews in Jerusalem and Baptism was Instituted in the Jewish-Church first where the Anabaptists cannot deny but the Infants were Members with their Parents and under the Seal of the Covenant So that they must first prove that by this Text the Children of the Believing Jews in the Gospel-Church were not Members with their Parents which I am sure cannot be forced from this Text nor doth it in the least prove the Repealing of Abraham's Covenant with his Seed Circumcision did Seal up the Promised Seed in whom all Nations should be Blessed or Christ to come and surely required therefore their Faith in the Messiah to come After Christ's Ascension in the Gospel-Church Baptism seals up this Promised Seed or Christ now come with a full and clear Revelation of him the difference of the Faith as to the Object of it is only Christ to come and come If then the Children of the Jews while the Parents did believe in the Messiah to come were under a Covenant Reputed Members of the Church and Circumcised should when their Parents believe in Christ come be cast out of Covenant out of the Church and not Baptised I know no Reason nor Warrant from God's Word this would have made strange work If the Anabaptists say the Jews did not believe in the Messiah to come they must prove it the Messiah ran much in their minds we may see by the Woman of Samaria Joh. 4.25 Read Acts 26.7 and by the Jews Joh. 1.19 20 21. If Christ were then clearly revealed why should this cast the Infant out the Infant is not therefore guilty of the more Sin when Christ was clearly revealed and so deserve to be cast out We are to consider Ordinances in their Institution wherefore God appointed them what they carry in them in their own Nature and what Men ought to do who partake of them not what Men do we know what Baptism signifies what it implies and what they ought to do who partake of it though Men abuse it The Case was the same as to Circumcision That this was one thing it Sealed up as I said the Promise of Christ to come the Anabaptists cannot deny and it is the true Answer which Pererius gives from Aquinus to that Question what was the difference between the Circumcision of the Jews and of other Nations for that other Nations did Circumcise besides the Jews not only Cyprian de ratione Circumvis Hierom. on Jer. 9. ult who upon that Text I think well but also Herodotus who lived some hundreds of years before Christ in Xerxes's Time tells us insomuch that Herodotus saith the Jews took it up from the Egyptians among whom it was in so much esteem that there was no entrance into the most Honourable Offices amongst them unless they were Circumcised Now Pererius makes this difference Other Nations used it taking it up as a custom and right transmitted to them from their fore-Fathers whom they had in Honour But the Jews used it as it was a Sacrament containing in it the Profession of their Faith and Obedience towards God and the Divine Promise of the Messiah to come he adds And Expiation of Original Sin as the Ancients speak of Baptism and so many do now That other Nations do not use it as a Seal of God's Covenant it appears by the time of Circumcising the day God appointed was the eigth day but Ishmael's Posterity Circumcise in the thirteenth year of their Age then Ishmael was Circumcised so that it is meerly in Honour of him so Josephus tells us l. 1. c. 12. To go on If then the Seed of the Jews believing in Christ come be still under the Covenant and Church-Members with their Parents and if so ought to be Baptised by Mr. Tombe's Concession Then let the Believing Gentiles and their Seed come in also for now no difference between Jew and Greek Gal. 3.28 And for more full proof the Apostle tells the believing Ephesians and so all believing Gentiles Ephes 2.19 We are no more strangers from the common-wealth of Israel v. 12. but Christ having broken down the middle Wall of Partition between the Jews and us v. 14. we are now fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God For the word Fellow-citizens in the City or Church of the Jews I pray who were esteemed Citizens Were not the Children put into Abraham's Charter were not they then Citizens with their Parents What hath God sent his Quo Warranto and taken away Abraham's Charter when the Parents the Citizens believe in Christ sincerely and keep Covenant with him and walk in the steps of Abraham will now God take away their Charter and cast out their Seed from being Citizens What hath Christ by his blood made us both One taking down the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile v. 14. And doth he now set up the partition Wall between the Jewish believing Parent and his Seed bringing now the Seed of the believing Jews into that condition the Gentiles were in before Christ came Ephes 2.11 12. Shall the Anabaptists make us believe this unless God hath said so in express terms What a Bar had this been against the Jews ever receiving the Gospel Did they any where make this Objection against it Now we Gentiles believing are Fellow-citizens with them of the same Houshold of God with them Are not Children part of the Houshold Were not the Jews Children part of the Houshold of God then the Apostle tells us we also are Fellow-citizens and of the Houshold of God as the Jews are As for the Texts Matth. 28. and Mark 16. Blessed Jesus the Promised Seed to Abraham in whom all Nations should be blessed is now come fulfilled the Law Crucified Dead Ascended Salvation is onely to be had in him Now this was the great Doctrine the Apostles were to preach first to the Jews than to the Gentiles and call all Nations to believe in this Christ that they may be blessed according to the Promise made to Abraham True none but Adult persons or persons of understanding can understand this Doctrine and actually believe in Christ No more could any but Jews Adult or of ripe years understand the Promise of Christ to come in whom all Nations should be blessed but yet the Jews Children were reputed
of the Church yet he hath given my Seed a better mercy both my self and my children if they could speak would say We would not be under Abraham 's Covenant with our Parents nor Church-Members with our Parents as we were before Christ came for Christ hath left us Infants a better Blessing in the room As it was a great favour to the Israelites that God gave his Oracles to them Psalm 147.19 28. That God was in Covenant with them Ephes 2.12 But God will null that Covenant Heb. 8.13 It shall vanish away But God will make another Covenant new a better Covenant having better Promises in the room of that old vanishing Covenant So that if Israels eyes be opened they would say they would by no means be under the old Covenant this new is so much better Thus let the Anabaptists tell us what God hath left better for the Infant-Seed of a Jew now believing in Christ that now it would not be Church-member with the Parents nor under Abraham's Covenant nor would now be baptized as before Christ they were circumcised For my part I can conceive nothing keep to the state of the Question 9. There is so much evil in this Doctrine and Practice of the Anabaptists that we must have clearer Scriptures than ever were produced as yet to prove it and clear it from that evil As 1. For the blessed God How doth 〈◊〉 dishonour him in straitning his Love and Grace now under the Gospel over it was under the Law Moses tells the Jews Deut. 4.37 The Lord loved thy Fathers Chap. 7.8 chap. 33.3 So it appears that he would not only take the Fathers but their Children also into Covenant and constitute his Church of them also But now whatever the Gospel saith of the Philanthropie of God Tit. 3.4 and God so loving the world Joh. 16.3 when that Seed promised to Abraham is come in whom all Nations shall be blessed he nulls the Covenant with his Seed cast them out of the Church and leaves no blessing for their Infants when their Parents believe in the promised Seed come Before the Lord calls the little children under the Covenant and in the Church Mine Ezek. 16.20 21. But now the Jews believe in Christ God calls none of their Children Mine though now they do more gladly bear them unto him than they did before 2ly It dishonours Christ He took upon him indeed the Seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 and turned the Seed of Abraham out of the Covenant and out of the Church if the Anabaptists Doctrine be true Though he seemed to have an affection to Children and was much displeased with his Disciples when they rebuked the Parents when they came to seek his blessing for their Babes Mark 10. 13 14. and bad them bring their children to him and told them of such is the Kingdom of Heaven If our sweet Lord meant as he spake and we believe he did then they are still Members of the Church he doth not shut the Door against them now he is come But the Anabaptists tell us a contrary Tale to the dishonour of our blessed Saviour When the believing Jews now carry their children to Christ Dedicate them to him with earnest Prayer in Baptism and ingage to bring them up for him the Anabaptists forbid them and tell them the Kingdom of Heaven doth not consist of such little Ones Per absurdum vero est ut per Messiae adventum imminutum sit foedus sanctu Vossius Gen. 17.7 That the blessed and blessing Messia by his coming should null the Covenant with Abraham it is not only absurd but very absurd a great reproach is cast upon Christ Doctor Thomas Goodwin pleading the Infant 's case against the Anabaptists saith In a manner half the Church of God the purest part of it Elect Infants die in their bud and infancy and grow not up to partake of the dews and influence of any other outward Ordinance and were they deprived of this i.e. Baptism should go out of this world into which God only sent them to receive that which should make them meet for the common Inheritance of the Saints without any outward owning them or visible way of blessing from him c. yea and the other half that grow up to glorifie God in their riper years whereof many also are holy from the Womb these also should during their years of nonage want an outward badg and any outward acknowledgment of what they are even Fellow-heirs of the Kingdom with their Brethren which even in the Infancy of the World whilst all were under Tutors and Governours was their priviledge Thus this Gospel-Divine speaks and that to the purpose 3ly As to Parents be they never so godly what grief must it needs be to them if their children die out of the Covenant and visible Church what hopes can they have of their Salvation more than an Indian hath of his being both in the same state An Indian-child may be Elected as well as a sound Believer 2ly nor can a believing Parent pray for his children upon any grounds more than an Indian the Covenant and Promisies scattered in the World to the Godly and their Seed they cannot plead upon them 3ly Whereas the Covenant and the Engagement of the children to God in Baptism is the Infant 's Circumcision might be Arguments to whet upon their children and encourage them now no such Arguments are in date 4ly The Jews before Christ came in the day of their circumcising their Infants did use to give thanks to God and bless him for Abraham's Covenant and his Ordinance of Circumcision the Seal of his Covenant but when the Jews believe Christ's come now Thanksgiving and blessing of God cease for the Govenant is nulled children cast out of the Church 4ly As for the Children of believing Parents if they come to years of discretion and God bless Parents instructions so as to keep Conscience awake though they play the wretches and have cause to be humbled all their days yet I say if Conscience be kept awake and God begin to open their Eyes more and make them in earnest to mind the Salvation of their Souls then they will understand what a wretched Doctrine this Doctrine of the Anabaptists is by denying that to them by which they may take hold of God in the time of their fears Quare patet non prorsus vanum esse atque inane ex pio genere nasci saith Peter Martyn Hoc Com. p. 8. It is not a vain empty thing to be born of godly Parents this is true which he saith Here tho' it was far from my thoughts to speak much less to write what benefit I have experimentally found from a Parental-Covenant and Infant-Baptism yet because the Lord's Providence hath engaged me in this Controversie which I never intended and because it may be a help to others Children of good Parents I shall declare God blessed my godly Parents Education of me to keep my Conscience awake as
understood him he was afore-hand with me took hold of me brought me under the Seal of his blessed Covenant and when I read over the several Texts which tells us what blessings are there signified and sealed God was engaged for his part if I will look to my part to answer the Condition then these should be mine this gave me encouragement As for my Dedication to him I was willing to stand to it I did like it very well but both for the Condition and to answer my Dedication I went to him whose Covenant it is and who was first with me that he would please to perform his part and in the strength of his performance I would perform my part Why would that blessed One be first Why did he begin with me when I did not know him But since he will be a God and Triumph in his Grace since I came to understand it by his Grace I have held him and will hold him And though as I said I have not attained what I seek after yet I have found in my dismal Temptations wherein I have had as deep a share as most Christians ever had when I could not tell where to lay hold my Parent al-covenant and Infant-baptism which I am still improving now my Head is gray have been a support unto me So that I bless God 1. for Abraham's Covenant 2ly I bless God that I had godly Parents 3ly I bless God my Parents were no Anabaptists but that while I was an Infant they brought me under the Seal of the blessed Covenant a stay and comfort to me in my old age and I hope improved as well as they who were Dipped yesterday When people do either not understand things or if they do yet they do not mind and improve them so get no good by them no wonder though they talk against them when others bless God for them and daore his grace in them Let the Children of Godly Parents look to themselves they have a price in their hands if they have wisdom and hearts to improve it it is a fearful thing to hear of the Child of a Godly Praying Parent to dye in an unconverted State Only a word some may think you had Godly Parents mine were not so it may be I had a Godly Grandfather or a Mother had you so no doubt but you may improve the Covenant from him The second Commandement will help you David pleaded 86 Psal 16. Save the Son of thy Hand-maid he pleads the Parental Covenant saith Mr. Hooker Born thy Servant of Godly Parents who were thy Servitors saith Ainsworth Insignis est priorum praerogativa qua etiam David hic animum suum in precibus fulcit quod sciunt se in Ecclesia a fidelibus Parentibus qui fuerunt servi ancillae Domini natos esse Saith Gesnor on the Text and stirs up Parents to learn this Treasure to their Children and Children of such Parents to make use of it Junius also speaks well to this Head Others it may be will say Baptised I am but my Parents bad enough Well art awake and art in earnest for Christ and the saving Blessings come by him you may improve your Baptism When the Gibeonites by Craft got Israel into a Covenant with them and confirmed it by an Oath 9 Josh 15. the God of Israel would not suffer them to destroy them They were made Servants indeed the breach of this cost Israel dear 2 Sam. 21.1 2 3. If you be got under the Seal of the Covenant it was not by Craft but God's Providence ordered it and now you are under it prize it and improve it do not you fear the God of Israel will hold to his part These being the Evils that arise from the Anabaptists Doctrine we must have very clear Texts for the nulling of Abraham's Covenant and casting Children out of the Church 10ly If Blessed Jesus upon his coming doth repeat Abraham's Covenant and so the Children of the Believing Jews be no Church-Members then Jesus Christ by his coming doth null the Promises made to the Fathers But the Text saith Rom. 15. 8. He confirms the Promises made to the Fathers I am sure this was one made to the Fathers I will be a God to thee and thy Seed then it is not nulled but confirmed Christ confirms Abraham's Charter Act. 3.26 God sent his Son Jesus to the Jews first to Bless them one great Blessing he mentions but it seems by the Anabaptists Christ takes away a Blessing tell us I pray what Blessing doth Christ leave the Seed of the Believing Jews while Infants in the Room of it 11ly We read Gal. 3.16 of Promises made to Abraham and his Seed Promises in the Plural Number Seed in the Singular not Seeds the Jews a part and the Gentiles a part not so but Seed that is Christ Mystical not Personal the Promises were not made to Christ but Christ was Promised to Abraham So that it is Christ in Aggregato the Jews and Gentiles make up one Body and one Seed There were several Promises made to Abraham some concerned him alone some concerned himself and his Seed according to the Flesh alone The Gentiles had nothing to do with them That all Nations should be Bless'd in Abraham's Seed This belongs to the Gentiles as well as the Jews This is one Promise But we must have Promises in the Plural Number made to Abraham that belong to the Gentiles if you take away this I will be the God of thee and thy Seed I know not how to make the Text true But if this be granted then this Verse and the fourteenth Verse are both true now the Blessing of Abraham is come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ I have insisted long upon this Branch because the pinch of the Controversie lies here and these Grounds are to me so strong that unless the Anabaptists bring Texts as strong as an express Scripture for the Repeal I shall not regard them nor am I come yet to the Texts in the New Testament to prove the Church-Membership of Infants though it may be inferred from some I have named already The last Branch in the Sillogism is That if this Gracious Covenant be not Repealed but stand firm then it must be Signed and Sealed to them who are under it this I suppose will not be denyed The Blessed God makes no Covenants but he Seals them That the Tree of Life and the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil were Sacraments and Seals belonging to the first Covenant I see is the Opinion of very Learned and Godly Divines When God makes a Covenant with Noah and all the Creatures God Seals it when with Abraham God Seals it and though the Seal be changed yet it hath another Seal added in the Room of it Our weak Faith hath need of strengthening and all too little if God's Spirit doth not step in SECT IV. NOw let us come to the Anabaptists and hear how they prove the Repealing of the Covenant
regularly Baptise the Children of such Believers as you Baptise your Adult persons though as to the reality of saving Faith we are mistaken and so are you Once more take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.19 as Dr. Hammond saith it ought to be Translated Disciple ye all Nations or make Disciples Hence the Argument All they that are Disciples ought to be Baptised But the Children of Believing Parents are Disciples Therefore the Children of Believing Parents ought to be Baptised This Argument I gave to him who opposed me but he could not tell which Proposition to deny a fit Man to dispute in a Congregation For the proof of the Argument The Major is the plain Text there is no opposing of that The Minor that such Children are Disciples our Divines have so cleared it from Acts 15.1 and 10. v. compared and other Texts that I will not say what they have said before I give my thoughts thus They are Disciples 1st By God's Reputation he esteems them so they are mine saith God born to me Ezek. 16.20 21. 2ly They are so by their Parents Dedication of them to Christ 3ly They are so by their Parents Education of them for Christ 4ly They are so as I may say jure Gentium or rather jure Religionum all Natitions all Religions take their Children to be the same that the Parents are Did not the Jews take their Children to be Moses's Disciples as well as themselves John 9.28 Do not the Turks take their Children to be Mahomet's Disciâ—les as well as themselves Should you deny it you should hear of it if not feel it Yea go the Indians whose Religion iâ— I may call it so is very Devilish and Superstitious were it not too good a word When the English first began to dwell in New-England Massasoit the Sachem of Mount Hope made a League with the English at Plymouth to live in Amity with them The Articles were Seven he kept the League well A little before his death he comes to renew his League for himself and his two Sons Alexander and Philip this was on September 25 1630. But in his Treatise he urged this That the English should engage never to attempt to draw any of his people to the Christian Religion he insisted upon it very much but the English were resolute and would make no League upon such terms But this we see by this Heathen that he would have his Posterity to be reckoned as he was though his Religion was Devilish If then the Children of Jews Turks Pagans be reckoned with the Parents why must not the Children of Believers in Christ be reckoned Disciples of Christ with their Parents The Reader I suppose will pardon me though I make a little Digression The Wars between the Indians and the English in New-England I suppose must have heard This Philip the Son of Massasoit before-mentioned was he that began the Wars with the English 1675. which lasted till 1677. The English when they saw Massasoit stand so upon that Article then said That God would root out the Posterity of that Massasoit and so now it is come to pass That Story which my worthy Friend Mr. William Hubbard gives us of Passalonaway the most noted Paneaw or Sorcerer and I believe the oldest man in the Country When I saw him he was reckoned one of the oldest men of the Indians but I perceived by the time of his dying he lived about thirty years after is worthy the observing About Merimach River Anno 1660 several Sagamoors meeting together there was a great Dance These Solemnities are the Times when the most Ancient tell Stories and transmit them to their Posterity Passalonaway being present made his last Speech and took his Farewel thus I am ready to die and not likely ever to see you meet any more I will now leave this word of Councel with you That you take heed how you quarrel with the English for though you may do them much mischief yet assuredly you will all be destroyed and rooted out of the Earth if you do for I was as much an Enemy to the English at their first coming into these Parts as any one whatever and did try all waies and means possible to have destroyed them at least to have prevented their sitting down here but I could no way effect it Therefore I advise you never to contend with the English nor make War with them Accordingly his eldest Son Wonnalancot as soon as he perceived the Indians were up in Arms he withdrew himself into some remote place that he might not be hurt by the English or their Enemies SECT VI. TO return to my Author His Sixth Question is Whether Baptism did succeed in the room and use of Circumcision He saith By no means But the Body of our Learned and Pious Divines say It doth and our Divines have spoken to it so often that I am loath to say any thing to it Shortly my thoughts were these 1. Circumcision came in upon Faith Abraham believed then he was Circumcised And so doth Baptism 2. Circumcision did sign Christ to come in the flesh So saith my Author and Baptism signs he is come in the flesh 3. Circumcision did signifie you may say Seal the Righteousness of Faith So doth Baptism 4. Circumcision signified Sanctification so do Baptism 5. Circumcision signified and sealed the Covenant between God and the Seed of Abraham Gen. 17.7 8 9 10 11. So doth Baptism 6. Circumcision did oblige Israel to walk with God so Baptism obligeth us 7. Circumcision did distinguish Israel from other Nations so Baptism distinguisheth us Circumcision respecting Christ to come and Baptism Christ come Hence the Jews though circumcised yet coming under a new Dispensation ought to be baptized much more reason for this than for Timothy who being a Disciple Acts 16.1 no question was baptized and yet after that circumcised by Paul v. 3. Circumcision saith my Author was to be a Bond and Obligation to keep the whole Law of Moses but Baptism is contrary Ans 1. For the Moral Law the Rule of our Obedience Baptism doth not solve us from that but bind us to it for Sanctification is held forth in our Baptism 2. As for the Ceremonial Law where Christ was set forth in shadows no wonder though when Christ is come and the shadow 's gone that Baptism was contrary to it Evangelium relatum Revelatum But what doth this hurt us 3. Paul did not Circumcise Timothy with that respect to Circumcision the Jews did The Jews did look to be justified by the observation of the moral and ceremonial Law both Gal. 5.3 the 4th verse unties the knot The false Apostles urged Circumcision Acts 15.1 according to the Law of Moses But Circumcision is not of Moses but the Fathers saith our Lord John 7.22 If you Circumcise thus and seek Justification thus you are fallen from grace Gal. 5.4 My Author goes on Circumcision initiated the carnal Seed into a carnal Church and