finds Contention raging within him for now those inferior powers will be no longer subject unto Reason but the rebellious pride of the Carnal appetite is such that the Body ceaseth to be any longer subject to the Soul upon which strivings and contentions enter and from thence all manner of Diseases and Distempers upon the Body for death and all corporeal infirmities are but the immediate effects of the disobedience of the Body to the Soul and man is entred into Contrariety not only with himself but others also and hath a property and principle of Contradiction whereby he opposes quarrels divides from and contends with others And is so far departed from the unity and harmonious agreement that should be in the minds of men especially Christians that now there ariseth passion anger and envy which so disturbs torments and disquiets the mind because others are not like us that from thence follow in a great measure diseases infirmities and bodily distempers because the Soul departs from Harmony and is in continual vexation and anxiety so that the Humors of the Body are disquieted and the radical moisture destroyed Persons that are of a Cholerick Temper are more subject to Diseases than those of a more quiet and sâ—rene disposition their passion inflames the inward parts and disorders the whole frame of Nature and envious men are subject to Consumptive distempers Invidus alterius rebus macrescit Opimis because his mind is full of dissatisfaction and disquietness being departed from Unity And Solomon tells us The bloody-minded man shall not live out half his dayes And we know those Anchorets and Monks that have retired from the World into Dens and Caves of the Earth that they might live a contemplative Life and be free from all manner of discord contention and division have lived to an exceeding Old Age and free from those distempers and Bodily Infirmities that others meet with the unity agreement and harmony of their minds much conducing to their bodily health So it 's said of Moses that he was an hundred and twenty years old when he dyed his Eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. 34.7 we know of what quiet serene and meek Spirit he was of Numb 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth so that the quietness of his mind did very much contribute to the sanity of his Body And if Men and Women would more follow the Counsel of the Physitian of their Souls who bids us live in peace unity and love they would not perhaps so often want a Physitian for their Bodies FINIS Some Short Questions and Answers for the Younger Sort. Quest WEre not the Children of Believers Church-Members before Abraham's time Answ No the Scripture makes no mention of any such thing neither was there any visible sign or mark appointed by God to distinguish them from the Children of Unbelievers Quest Was there no successive conveyance of Grace from believing Parents to their Children Answ No because the Children of Believers prov'd as wicked as others insomuch as all flesh had corrupted its wayes and God brought the flood upon the World of Ungodly Quest What then became of the Children that Dyed from Adam to Abraham Answ Those that belonged to the Election of Grace were Saved though in no outward Covenant nor signed by any Visible Ordinance Quest Why then did God make a Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and distinguish them from all Nations Answ Because he had a design that the Messiah should come of his Loins and therefore his Males only are commanded to be Circumcised to signifie that Christ should be a Man-child and should shed his Blood for the sins of Believers Quest What other Ends were there of Circumcision Answ To distinguish them from other Nations with whom they were not to Marry lest the Succession should be Interrupted and so the Messiah not come of Abrahams Loynes Quest What advantage had they of Circumcision besides Answ They were counted the Visible people of God for a time had the Laws of God committed to them and the Land of Canaan and divers Earthly Blessings bestowed upon them Quest But had any other People any right to Eternal Life and Salvation Answ Yea It being evident that God had divers of his people amongst the Gentiles who belonged to the Election of Grace as Job and his Three Friends and others which appears by Bildad's appeal to the Ancients Job 8.8 10. For enquire I pray thee of the Former Age and prepare thy self to the search of their Fathers and vers 10. shall not they teach thee c. Quest But how came it to pass that the Jews became the People of God and not others Answ By vertue of a Grant from God to Abraham who freely made a promise to be a God to him and his Seed after him Quest Was this promise made to Abraham because he was better than others or before or after he Believed Answ No It was freely of Grace for God sound him an Idolater and these Promises were made to him before he Believed for we hear nothing of his Faith till Gen. 15.6 Quest Were his Children then Partakers of those Priviledges meerly by being descended from his Loynes Answ Yea we find no other Reason rendred Quest But we hear Abraham was a Believer and received the sign of Circumcision as a token of the righteousness he had by Faith Is it necessary then that his Children have the like Faith Answ 'T is true Abraham Believed after the Promise and was Circumcised but it was not Commanded that his Children should Believe in order to Circumcision Quest But as Abraham was a Believer before his Children had a right to Circumcision so should it not be known that every Father in Israel were a Believer before his Child were admitted to Circumcision Answ No for all were required to Circumcise their Children whether the Parent Believed or not Quest Were none to be Circumcised but those that Descended from Abraham Answ Yea all that were born in his House or bought with money Quest But was it not required that those Servants in Abraham 's House should profess Faith before they and their Children were Circumcised Answ No It was not commanded to be done upon any condition of Faith in the Parent or Child that was a Servant Quest Were Abrahams Children Circumcised by vertue of any right they had to the Covenant of Grace above others Answ No for some of Noah's Children c. had a Right to the Covenant of Grace yet not Circumcised and Esau and Ishmael c. had no right to the Covenant of Grace and yet Circumcised Quest Were not Infants Church-Members in Abraham 's time Answ Yea the Church and the Common-wealth being all one they must needs be Members Quest When did their Membership cease Answ When Christ came and had suffered when the Priesthood was changed when the Law of Circumcision ceased when the natural
faith they were Interessed in the Covenant of Abraham their father Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal seed of Abraham and of the number of People separated to bring forth the Messiah in the flesh and yet were not of the seed according to the promise nor interested in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant because they did not personally believe as our Apostle declares Chap. 4. of his Epistle And many afterwards who were not of the carnal seed of Abraham nor interested in the priviledge of bringing forth the Messiah in the flesh were yet designed to be made his spiritual seed by Faith that in them he might become heir of the world and all Nations of the Earth be blessed in him Now it is evident that it is the second Priviledge and spiritual seed wherein the Church to whom the Promises are made is founded and whereof it doth consist namely in them who by faith are interested in the Covenant of Abraham whether they be of the carnal seed or no. And herein lay the great mistake of the Jews of old wherein they are followed by their Posterity unto this day They thought no more was needful to interest them in the Covenant of Abraham but that they were his seed according to the flesh and they constantly pleaded the latter Priviledge as the ground and reason of the former It is true they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh but on that account they can have no other Priviledge then Abraham had in the flesh himself And this was as we have shewed that he should be set apart as a special Channel through whose loins God would derive the promised seed into the world In like manner were they separated to be a peculiar people as his Posterity from among whom he should be so brought forth That this separation and priviledge were to cease when the end of it was accomplished and the Messiah exhibited the very nature of the thing declares For to what purpose should it be continued when that was fully effected whereunto it was designed but they would extend this priviledge and mix it with the other contending that because they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh the whole blessing and Covenant of Abraham belonged unto them But as our Saviour proved that in the latter sense they were not the children of Abraham because they did not the works of Abraham so as our Apostle plainly demonstrates Rom. 4.9.10.11 Chapters Gal. 3.4 Chap. That those of them who had not the faith of Abraham had no interest in his blessings and Covenant seeing therefore that their other priviledge was come to an end with all the Carnal ordinances that attended it by the actual coming of the Messiah whereunto they were subservient if they did not by faith in the promised seed attain an Interest in this of the spiritual blessing it is evident that they could on no account be considered as actually sharers in the Covenant of God We have seen then that Abraham on the account of his faith and not of his separation according to the flesh was the father of all that believe and heir of the world And in the Covenant made with him as to that which concerns not the bringing forth of the promised seed according to the flesh but as unto faith therein and in the work of redemption to be performed thereby lyes the foundation of the Church in all ages Wheresoever this Covenant is and with whomsoever it is established with them is the Church unto whom all the promises and Priviledges of the Church do belong Hence it was that at the coming of the Messiah there was not one Church taken away and another set up in the room thereof but the Church continued the same in those that were the children of Abraham according to the faith The Christan Church is not another Church but the very same that was before the coming of Christ having the same faith with it and interested in the same Covenant It is true the former Carnal Priviledges of Abraham and his Posterity expiring on the grounds before mentioned the Ordinances of worship which were suited thereunto did necessarily cease also And this cast the Jews into great perplexityes and proved the last tryal that God made of them For whereas both these namely the carnal and spiritual Priviledges of Abrahams Covenant had been carried on together in a mixed way for many generations coming now to be separated and a tryal to be made Mal. 3 who of the Jews had Interest in both who in one only those who had only the Carnal priviledge of being children of Abraham according to the flesh contended for a share on that single account in the other also that is in all the Promises annexed unto the Covenant But the foundation of their plea was taken away and the Church unto which the promises belong remained with them that were heirs of Abrahams faith only It remains then that the Church founded in the Covenant and unto which all the promises did and do belong abode at the coming of Christ and doth abide ever since in and among those who are the children of Abraham by faith And a little further he saith No individual person hath any interest in the promises but by vertue of his membership with the Church which is and always was one and the same with whomsoever it remains the promises are theirs and that Not by application or Analogie but directly and properly The Church unto whom all the promises belong are only those who are heirs of Abrahams Faith believing as he did and thereby interested in the Covenant So far this learned man whose words need no comment nor need we draw any inference but recite his bare words which are both perspicuous and Orthodox clearly and fully evidencing our position That believers only are the children of Abraham and none but such have an Interest in the Covenant made with him which unavoidably excludes infants from Gospel-Ordinances untill they believe in their own persons And then and not before they may lay a just claim that they are Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And if our opponents think Dr. O. injured as they are apt to clamour to that purpose for our improvement of his words to our advantage he being for Poedobaptism we say that they are at liberty to reconcile his words to his practice if they can to do which they have need of a considerable stock but they are seldome unfurnisht of artifice and distinction to help at this dead lift The Dr. treating about the nature of the Covenant and promises made to Abraham and perhaps forgetting Infant-Baptism opens and expounds them with such spirituality and Orthodoxy as leaves no room for Infant Baptism but excludes it beyond all possibility of reconciliation unless it can be proved that they viz. Infants are heirs of Abrahams faith believing as he did and that the promises are theirs not by application or Analogie
the same to Abraham's Spiritual Seed in and through all Generations from him to us viz. such as Believed as he did 2. In respect to Temporal blessings and so it was peculiar to his Natural and Spiritual Seed during the Old Testament-dispensation and Typical administrations and in that respect it is not the same Believers being now under the former not the later As Abraham is considered under the notion of a double Father-hood so there must be a double Son-ship to answer that Relation the Jews were his Sons in one capacity namely a Carnal Generation of which they were wont to bragg as appears by the reproof John gave them Mat. 3.9 Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father and in the other capacity all Believers whether Jew or Gentile are his children This is evidenced Rom. 9.6 7 8. They are not all Israel that are of Israel they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God c. and v. 7. shews us that their Carnal Generation gives not the true notion of Son-ship The Jew as a Natural Son of Abraham may pretend to Baptism and New-Testament-Ordinances by a priority in respect of the Offer Rom. 3.1 2. Therefore Christ commanded his Apostles not to go into the wayes of the Gentiles c. but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and Preach the Gospel to them Mat. 10.5 6 7. See Rom. 2.10 to the Jew first and also to the Gentile and this gave occasion to the Speech of Peter Acts 2.39 The promise is to you and your Children viz. primarily and to the Gentiles also but secondarily which they of the Circumcision were astonisht at Acts 10.45 The Gentiles are called afar off suitable to Eph. 2.13 Ye Gentiles who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Now as it was the preheminence of the Jews to have the Gospel first Preached to them so we find their carnal prerogative stand them in no stead Luke 3.8 where they are informed that Gospel-Ordinances are not bottom'd upon Carnal Generation or priviledges but true Holiness manifested by the fruit it brings forth viz. Fruits meet for Repentance He came to his own but they received him not and therefore as many as received him whether Jew or Gentile to them he gave power to become the Sons of God and to receive him is to believe in his Name Men are now admitted to Ordinances upon other considerations than legal denominations of clean or unclean viz. fearing God and working righteousness which is not generated or conveyed by Birth but by the New birth and the Spirit of the living God Therefore if the Natural Seed of Abraham could not pretend a right to New-Testament Ordinances by that Title much less the Adopted Seed by any such way of Natural Generation And if their Birth-right could not serve them how can our Birth-right serve us And this may serve as an Answer to the first particular that the Covenant as it respected Life and Salvation to Believers is one and the same now as then But as it respects external administrations and the qualification of Church-members it is not the same the legal typical faederal right vanisht and Faith is now the only qualification The second Whether Circumcision be the token sign or seal of the Covennnt This needs but a short Reply for we find it to be called the token of the Covenant Gen. 17.11 And the Apostle Rom. 4.11 calls it the sign of Circumcision a Seal of the righteousness of Faith c. intimating by distinguishing between a Sign and a Seal that Circumcision was to all a Sign but to Abraham alone a Seal of the righteousness of Faith And we find Circmucision never called a Seal but where it speaks of Abraham which intimates that it was only a Seal to him And this is sutable to what Chrysostome Theophilact and others quoted upon the place by a very judicious pen viz. It was called a Seal of the righteousness of Faith because it was given to Abraham as a Seal and testimony of that righteousness which he had acquired by Faith Now this seems to be the priviledg of Abraham alone and not to be transferred to others as if Circumcision in whom ever it was were a testimony of Dâ—vine righteousness for as it was the priviledg of Abraham that he should be the father of all the faithful as well circumcised us uncircumcised and being already the father of all uncircumcised having faith in uncircumcision he received first the sign of Circumcision that he might be the father of the Circumcised Now because he had this priviledg in respect of the righteousness which he had acquired by faith therefore the sign of Circumcision was to him a Seal of the righteousness of Faith but to the rest of the Jews it was a Sign they were Abraham's Seed but not a Seal of the righteousness of Faith 〈◊〉 all the Iews also were not the Fathers of many Nations And Ierom upon Gal. 3. saith Because Christ was to spring from the Seed of Abraham and many Ages were to pass from Abraham to Christ the wise God lest the Seed of beloved Abraham should be mingled with other Nations and should by degrees be joyned more familiarly distinguisht the flock of Israel by a certain mark or Circumcision then for 40 Years together in the wilderness none were Circumcised because they were out of the danger of such mixtures being alone but as soon as they were past the banks of Jordan Circumcision prevented the error of mingling with others whereas it is written that they were Circumcised that second time by Joshua it signifies that Circumcision ceased in the Wilderness which was rationally used in Egypt 3. Whether Baptism doth succeed in the room place and use of Circumcision To answer this doubt let us consider the great difference between Circumcision and Baptism Circumcision was a legal Ordinance appointed to the Jewish Males Reprobate as well as Elect by a positive command to distinguish them from the rest of the World as a Token of the Covenant God made with Abraham viz. that the Messiah should come of his Loins according to the Flesh But Baptism is an Evangelical Ordinance whereby Jew or Gentile Male or Female upon a profession of Faith and Repentance is baptized in Water in token of Regeneration and to signifie the death burial and resurrection of Christ the Messiah already come and so added to the Visible Church and admitted to all the priviledges thereof which being not the Office of Circumcision Baptism cannot be said to succeed in its room place and use The consideration of the great difference in their institution illustrates this also for when Christ instituted Baptism he saies Go teach and baptize and in the administration they confessed and were baptized Believed and were Baptized not a word of Infants And in the Precept of Circumcision not a word of Teaching or Faith but of Infants the
A TREATISE Concerning the COVENANT and BAPTISM Dialogue-wise between a BAPTIST a POEDO-BAPTIST Wherein is shewed That Believers only are the Spirituall Seed of Abraham Fully discovering The Fallacy of the Argument drawn from the Birth Priviledge WITH Some Animadversions upon a Book Intituled Infant-Baptism from Heaven and not of men Defending the Practise of Baptizing only Believers against the Exceptions of M. Whiston By Edward Hutchinson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. It is necessary first to believe and afterwards to be signed with Baptism Basil l. 3. contra Eunom I beseech you regard not what this or that man says but enquire all things of the Scripture Chrysost 13. hom 2 Cor. If you be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3.29 LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle near the Royall Exchange in Cornhil 1676. The Epistle DEDICATORY To the spiritual seed of Abraham especially those of the Baptized Congregations BEloved for the fathers sake first premising that they are not all Israel that are of Israel I know there is drosse mingled with your silver chaff amongst your wheat and the Canaanite is still in the land and troubles you but to you that are indeed the true seed of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ do I dedicate this Treatise You beloved are of God and have your fathers name written in your foreheads you are the true Israelites to whom pertaineth the Adoption and the glory the Covenants and Gospel promises whose are the fathers and for whom Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever You are a chosen generation a Royal priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people walking in the steps of your father Abraham hearkning to that great Prophet whom God hath raised up among your brethren and have been baptized into the name of the father son and holy spirit But the devil that implacable enemy of souls hath endeavoured to wreak his malice upon you above all people opening his floodgates to overwhelm you the Archers have shot sorely at you the plowers have made deep furrows upon your backs yet you are still supported by the rock of Ages and strengthned by an Everlasting Arm they have laboured in vain for the blessings of your father Abraham have prevailed above the blessings of your progenitors Your begining in these nations of late years was but small yet when it pleased the Lord to dispel those clouds that overshaddowed us and scatter some beams of the Gospel amongst us he gave you so great an increase that Sion may say with admiration who hath begotten me these c. Nor is it lesse observable that whereas other Reformations have been carryed on by the secular arm and the Countenance and allowance of the Magistrate as in Luthers time by several German Princes the Protestant Reformation in England by King Edward Q. Elizabeth c. The Presbyterian reformation by a Parliament Comittee of Estates Assembly of Divines besides the favour and assistance of great personages you have had none of these to take you by the hand but your progresse was against the impetuous current of humane opposition attended with such external discouragements as bespeak your embracing this despised truth an effect of heart-sincerity void of all mercenary considerations Yea how active has the Accuser of the Brethren been to represent you in such frightful figures exposing you by that mischievous artifice to popular Odium and the lash of Magistracy in so much that the name of an Anabaptist was crime enough which doubtlesse was a heavy obstacle in the way of many pious souls And what our dissenting brethren have to answer upon that account who instead of taking up have laid stumbling blocks in the way of Reformation will appear another day Yet notwithstanding the strenuous oppositions of those great and learned ones The mighty God of Jacob hath taken you by the hand and said be strong Besides it has a considerable tendency to the advancement of divine grace if we consider the way and manner of the Reviving this costly truth When the professors of these Nations had been a long time wearied with the yoke of superstitious ceremonies traditions of men and corrupt mixtures in the worship and service of God it pleased the Lord to break these yokes and by a very strong impulse of his spirit upon the hearts of his people to convince them of the necessity of Reformation Divers piâ—us and very gracious people having often sought the Lord by fasting and prayer that he would shew them the patern of his house the goings out and comeings in thereof c. Resolved by the grace of God not to receive or practise any piece of positive worship which had not precept or Example from the word of God Infant-Baptism coming of course under consideration after long search and many debates it was found to have no footing in the Scriptures the only rule and standard to try doctrines by but on the contrary a meer innovation yea the prophanation of an ordinance of God And though it was purposed to be laid aside yet what fears tremblings and temptations did attend them lest they should be mistaken considering how many learned and Godly men were of an opposite perswasion How gladly would they have had the rest of their brethren gone along with them But when there was no hopes they concluded that a Christians faith must not stand in the wisdom of men and that every one must give an account of himself to God and so resolved to practise according to their light The great objection was the want of an Administrator which as I have heard was removed by sending certain messengers to Holland whence they were supplyed So that this little cloud of Witnesses hath the Lord by his grace so greatly encreased that it is spread over our Horizon though opposed and contradicted by men of all sorts And now friends I can safely bear you record that it is not humour conceitednesse or singularity so often charged upon you that makes you decline the BaptiZing your little ones For I know they are as dear to you as children are to any parents under heaven your sighs and tears those heart-breaking desires and pathetick wishes you send to the mercy-seat for them is a sufficient testimony hereof and your petitions that Ishmael may live before God that your children may be converted that they may have an Interest in the new Covenant that the law of God may be written in their hearts that their sins may be pardoned their natures sanctifyed and their souls eternally saved And did you know that Baptism could contribute the least iota hereunto how readily and zealously would you perform it besides it is an easy service that would bring you into the credit and esteem of differing professors divers of your natural relations c. yea 't is as safe as easy nothing of self-denyal or the Cross attending it And it is very remarkable that
as to the ordinances priviledges and rights whereof who but themselves had the title For this indeed was their advantage of old that to them were committed the oracles of God To which Christ answers true they did stand in the house for a time yet but for a time and though sons and heirs in the laws Typical sense yet they were but servants in the Gospels And being but servants as Moses and his house the old Church were they must anon be turn'd out of the house and abide in the Church that is Abrahams family no longer that believers the true sons and heirs may come in as in the 35. verse And the servant saith Christ abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth for ever If therefore the son make you free and that he doth not for all your former freedom unlesse you believe in him then shall you be free indeed even to the glory oracles and blessings of the spirituall house the Gospel Church which else you must be cut off from And so indeed it came to passe within a while for not believing and repenting which are the only terms which give right to Gospel ordinances and priviledges So that these Jews though Natural branches still as much as ever if being the fleshly seed of a believer could help them as to a standing there were yet clean broke from the root Abraham as he stands a root to all the faithful because only of unbelief Rom. 11.20 when such as were wild olives and no kin at all to Abraham after the flesh were in their own persons but not their natural seed with them save as they believed with them owned as his Children by believing and as members of the true Church under the Gospel And this was declared by John the Baptist and the rest of the first Ministers of the Gospel who would not admit Jews as Jews though Abrahams own seed unto Baptism when they offered themselves upon the aforenamed terms without faith and repentance See how the Pharisees Sadduces and whole multitude of Abrahams seed come to be Baptized Math. 3.7 Luke 3.7 pretending and pleading that if Baptism were a Church priviledge it must needs belong to them who were the children of Abraham But see how he rejects them as having no part nor portion in this matter O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come as if he should have said what have you to do with the remission of sins and redemption from wrath which I preach and baptize in token of being notwithstanding your priviledges corrupt and sinful in your lives Bring forth therefore to the end you may be baptized fruits answerable to amendment of life and begin not to say that we have Abraham to our father we are the seed of an eminent believer for God is able of these stones to raise up childeen to Abraham i. e. God will without being beholden to you raise a seed to Abraham rather then to want them from amongst these stones whether he means stones literally or the Gentiles which were as stones in their eyes it matters not But this we gather from it that even at that very time when the birth-priviledge and holynesse of a fleshly seed stood in full force and unrepealed as then it did how much more since the abrogation thereof by faith Abrahams seed could not much less can the seed of believing Gentiles now it is repeal'd be admitted to Baptism without Repentance The Jews as impenitent and unbelieving as they were stood uncast out of the Jewish Church while the Church it self stood But they could not passe out of that Church into the Gospel Church nor from their right to circumcision prove their right to Baptism yet this they might have done if what gave right of old to one of those ordinances doth in like manner in right persons to the other So then seeing Abrahams own seed had no right to Baptism as such how can you expect it from your seed who are not Abrahams seed For Abraham hath but two seeds as I know of except Christ the first is his seed after the flesh and such were all those that were born of his body as Ishmael and his children by Keturah and those that come of him by Isaac and Jacob which only were heirs with him of the land of Canaan for Esau sold his birth-right 2. His seed after the faith and they are all those that walk in his steps Rom. 4.12 and such that do his works John 8. but to suppose that Abraham hath a third seed and they are the children of believing Gentiles is a fancy for non datur tertium semen Abrahae Two seeds of Abraham the Scripture mentions but a third sort cannot be assign'd The first are only these that descend from his loyns as the Midianites and others by Keturah the Ishmaelites by Hagar The Edomites and Israelites by Sarah which last only were the holy seed and children of promise in reference to the Hagarens in a type and sole heirs of the Typical Canaan All these I say were the first sort and all believers of what Nation soever are the second sort but the natural seed of believers are neither of the one nor of the other Poed But were not the proselytes or strangers counted Abrahams seed and circumcis'd upon that account Bap. No they were not Abrahams seed and circumcis'd on that account but from a positive instruction an expresse command from God as they were the males in the family of one that was a Jew at least by devotion for which see Gen. 17.12.13 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcis'd among you every man child in your generations he that is born in the house or bought with mony from any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with mony must needs be circumcis'd and in Exod. 12.48.49 it is called a law When a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the passeover let all his males be circumcis'd and then let him eat the the Passeover and he shall be as one that is born in the land and for the stranger And in Numb 9.14 it is called an Ordinance Ye shall have one Ordinance for him that is born in the land and for the stranger Shew but so much for Infants-Baptism that it is called a law an ordinance or hath any institution for it and the controversy is ended So that you see the prosclites were circumcis'd by vertue of a law as they were Males in the family and not as Abrahams seed for so they were not nor heirs either of the temporal or spiritual Canaan In the temporal Canaan they had no inheritance nor any right to the heavenly unless they were true believers as Abraham was So that the sum of what hath been said is First the seed of believers are not Abrahamâ—s seed Secondly that Abrahams seed are cut off from all the
the root and his posterity are the branches as well as his immediate infants and so to be baptized And if you say 't is hard to finde whether their progenitors were believers so far remote then 't is but going a step higher to Noah and his faith will serve to Baptise the whole world for Noah considered as a believer is as well a root as Abraham But that there is no kinde of holynesse in the natural seed of believers more then in the seed of unbelievers now under the Gospel appears from these Arguments 1. If there be no persons in the dayes of the Gospel to be accounted common or unclean that is unholy by nature more then others then there are no persons to be accounted clean or holy by nature more then others but the antecedent is true Act. 10.28 God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean Ergo so is the consequent But they that baptise Infants break the command of God to Peter by counting the children of unbelievers common and unclean and the children of believers clean or holy But if the children of believers be holy with any kinde of holynesse above others Then the children of unbelievers are unholy with some kinde of unholinesse more then others and so to be accounted common and unclean But this is not so for believers children are by nature children of wrath as well as others as your selves confesse Therefore call nothing no men or species of men common or unclean for in every nation he that fears God and works righteousnesse shall be accepted Observe divine acceptation comes in upon the account of actual and personal righteousnesse no persons nor their seed are now accepted for the holynesse of another rather then others 2ly If God be now no respecter of persons then there is no birth holynesse and so no peculiar priviledges belongs to believers natural seed by Gods appointment more then to the seed of unbelievers but the first is true Act. 10. I perceive saith Peter that God is no respecter of persons therefore so is the latter And that Peter meant this of birth holynesse and natural priviledges is evident because he mentions this as the result of his vision where he was forbid to count any man common or unclean that is more then others by nature for God is no respecter of persons It s true all men are by nature common and unclean in opposition to moral cleaness and Gospel-holiness but no sort of persons are by nature clean or holy with any kinde of ceremonial dedicative or Covenant holynesse above others But 3. If there be a Covenant holynesse now in the days of the Gospel flowing from the root to the branches then God would rather have continued his Church in the posterity of believers as of old but he hath not done so therefore there is no such holynesse We read in the Second of the Acts. of 3000. baptized and afterwards 5000. The greatest part of which were believers and the 7 Churches of Asia and as you say their children holy with a Covenant holynesse It is strange then the Church was not continued in their posterity but it was not for I suppose it is hard if not impossible to finde any one of their off-spring a member of any true Church in the world So the Church of Rome once a true Church But you do not count the present Church so why they had believing parents who were in Covenant and their seed holy yet God did not think fit to continue them a true Church any long time But hath rather raised his Church out of the posterity of unbelievers and longer continued them As in this nation our progenitors were all Idolaters as the Brittains Romans Saxons Danes and Normans The off-spring of some of whom we are yet God hath continued his Church amongst us a very considerable time But if we boast of our Covenant holyness and birth priviledges God may soon unchurch us and raise up Church members out of stones as John the Baptist told the Pharisees 4ly There is no such Covenant holyness under the Gospel because that holynesse was a Typical Ceremonial holynesse such as was in beasts birds Garments oyl the Altar temple yea in the whole land and therefore called Emanuels land and no other kind of holyness was in the seed let Pedo-Baptists say what they will all which holyness is now abolished and done away and that appears thus If all uncleaness and unholyness that was in some beasts birds garments oyl Altars Temples and men c. be now abolished and done away then all that cleaness and holyness that was in some beasts birds garments men c. is also abolished and done away But the Antecedent is true Act. 10. as appears by Peters vision what God hath cleansed call not thou common or unclean Ergo so is the Consequent And that there was an uncleaness commoness and unholyness in some men as well as in beasts birds c. is evident For it was not lawfull for a Jew to eat with him that was a Gentile But now it is not so If an unbeliever invite thee to a feast if thou beest disposed thou maiest go 1 Cor. 10.25 And that all this Typical dedicative denominative holyness is now abolished appears further Because that holyness that sanctifyed the Jews land City Temple c. was Ceremonial only and so abolished but that holyness which sanctifyed the seed was the same and no other that sanctifyed the land therefore that holyness which sanctifyed the seed is now abolished And if it be said that the holyness of the seed was not typical and Ceremonial I prove it thus 1. If all things under the law were but a figure and shaddow of good things to come then the holyness of the seed was but a figure and shadow of good things to come And so a type But the Antecedent is true as we find in the 9th and 10th Chapters of the Hebrews where all things under the law all the priviledges of the old Covenant all the perquisites dependances and appurtenances are called by such names as make them evidently appear to be Typical as first they are called a figure Heb. 9.9 which was a figure for the time then present So verse 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy place made with hands which are the figures of the true They are called a patern Heb. 9.23 It was necessary that the paterns of the things in the heavens c. 3. They are called a shaddow Heb. 10.1 for the law having a shaddow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things So then the holyness of the seed being a dependance an appurtenance a priviledge of the law or old Covenant was but a figure patern shadow and so Typical and abolished And if you say if the holyness of the seed was a Type what did it tipify I answer 1. First it typifyed the holyness of Christ who is called the
branches were broken off the old House removed and a new one built Quest Are not the Infants of the Gentiles Church-members now in the dayes of the Gospel Answ No there being no Institution or Command for it besides the Church and the Common-wealth are now divided and God hath not taken in any one Nation or sort of people distinct from others to be his Church but Believers only out of every Kindred Tongue and Nation Quest Have not then the Infants of Believing Gentiles less priviledg than the Jews had Answ No For Circumcision had been no priviledg nor duty had there been no Institution for it Neither is Baptism a priviledge or duty to any but to those to whom it is Commanded But the priviledges of the Children of Believing Gentiles are greater than the Jews because the Messiah being come which is the sum and substance of all their shadows of Circumcision of Membership and all their Typical Ordinances So that as soon as Infants are capable of Understanding they are to be brought up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord i. e. the Lord Jesus the Anti-Type of all their Types who is to be made known unto them as being already come and hath suffered for all that Believe in him Whereas the Jews could but inform their Children that Christ would come and suffer for the sins of men Quest Have not those that had a right to the priviledges of the Old Covenant a right to the priviledges of the new by vertue of their former right Answ No for then the Jews had a right to Baptism without any profession of Faith and Repentance Besides the Apostle saith Heb 13.10 We have an Altar whereof they have no right to eat that serve the Tabernacle And so we say we have a Baptism that Infants have no right to as they had to Circumcision because there is no Institution for it Quest But may not the Children of the Gentiles be counted Abraham 's Seed Answ No For Abraham hath but two Seeds the natural Jew and professed Believers amongst Jews and Gentiles a third Seed cannot be assigned him Quest But may not Infants be counted Christs Seed Answ No for Christ left no natural Issue who shall declare his Generation shewing us that he did not intend to build his Church of Natural Children as of Old not of dead but of living Stones Besides Believers Children are Children of Wrath by nature as well as others and therefore not to be accounted Christs Seed or to be Baptized while so considered Quest Is not Baptism an Ordinance of the New Testament and must it not be proved by a New-Testament Institution Answ Yea. Quest Where is your Institution then for Infant Baptism Answ It is urged to be Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed Quest Is there any thing concerning Baptism in this Scripture Answ No But we draw this Consequence that as God promised to be God to Abraham and his Seed so he will be a God to every Believer and his Seed Quest Did God in these words promise to save Abraham and all his Natural Seed Answ No But the meaning is that he and his Seed should be the Visible Church and enjoy the Ordinances which no other people should Quest And does this promise belong to believing Gentiles and their natural Seed that they only shall be the visible Church of God and their Children only enjoy the Ordinances of God successively from their Parents Answ No for then these Absurdities would follow 1. That God has not been as good as his promise for the Church has not been continued in the posterity of Believers since Christs time but often passed out of their Race into the Posterity of Unbelievers 2. That then since the first promulgation of the Gospel there is no such need of Preaching to the Heathen in as much as these being not of the Posterity of Believers they are not to be of the Visible Church nor enjoy the Ordinances So that it is a fallacy to hold that God hath promised to be a God to Believers and their Natural Seed as he did to Abraham and his Seed to continue his Church only in the Posterity of them that first received the Gospel But he is still gathering his Church out of the posterity of Unbelievers and therefore before the end of the World the Angel is said to Preach the Everlasting Gospel to every Nation Kindred and Tongue and People who are not of the posterity of Believers Quest Why do the Paedo-baptists Baptize their Infants Answ Because they say they are in the Covenant of Grace Quest How do they know that Answ Because both or one of the Parents are in the Covenant of Grace Quest How does that appear Answ Because they profess so to be Then if the Parent be an Hypocrite the Child is not rightly Baptized Quest From what Ground do the Baptists Baptize Persons Answ Because they make a Profession of Faith and Repentance which is warrant enough from the Scripture Quest But how if they be Hypocrites are they rightly Baptized Answ Yea because it is not necessary for them to know that the Person is in the Covenant of Grace but that he professes himself a Disciple of Christ for which they have Scripture-president and many Examples POSTSCRIPT SOon after I had finished this Treatise Mr. Baxter's Book came to my Hands And in regard of his long silence some great matter was expected but after my perusal of it I find no News at all The first part of his Book even 180 pages is nothing else but a Collection of certain Old Letters that past between him and Mr. Tombs long since In which whether he hath dealt Candidly with Mr. Tombs I know not the contrary is justly feared if the Reader take notice of those Pieces Scrips and Parcels of Letters from Mr. Tombes but his own Written at large As to the matter contained in those Letters I find it to be nothing but what hath been Answered long since and it would amount to no other than Superfluity and Tautology to Answer over again The truest Verdict I can give of it is that it is like most of his other Controversies a lump of Logical Superfluity a System of Syllogistical Vanity wherein the Man manages his War like some Fresh man that is newly Matriculated into the Faculty of Logicking in Mood and Figure that delights to hear himself Syllogize out every Syllable and so comes out with a huge heap of Hypotheticals arguing at a vast difference from the business of Baptism and sometimetimes Ex Suppositis non Supponendis too as if he should fetch Infant baptism from far since 't is so dark in Scripture as he has confessed it is that he cannot have it nigh at hand proving in a great Circumference of Consequence upon Consequence Syllogism upon Syllogism thus if this then that if this then that but this therefore that when very often neither this nor that is