as well as the Jews be in Covenant with God and Baptism now as well as Circumcision then be a Seal of the Covenant to be Administred to all in the Covenant then certainly it must follow that Children of the Jews as in Covenant with God being admitted to its Seal Circumcision the Children of Christians being equally in Covenant may and ought to be admitted to its Seal which now is Baptism Thus is the Major Proposition proved and those who were Circumcifed under the Law manifested to have a Right to Baptism under the Gospel I proceed 2. To Receive and Answer the Objections I have met with against this Argument Object 1. They Object The Covenant then made was a Carnal Covenant but this through Christ is a Spiritual Covenant and therefore though Infants may be capable of one yet not of the other till Regenerated and become Believers Answ 1. The Covenant then made was a Covenant of Grace permanent to the Worlds end Gen. 17.10 13. made through Christ the Promised Seed and is the same Covenant we are now admitted to nor shall it ever be Repealed while Christ hath a People on Earth Which thus appears 1. It was made with Abraham who in Scripture is often called the Father of the Faithful Rom. 4.11 and it was made with him as a Believer Therefore it was a Covenant of Grace 2. It was made through Christ Gen. 17.7 in whom all the Families of the Earth should be Blessed who was that Promised Seed to proceed from Abraham 3. It is often called an Everlasting Covenant and therefore this Covenant of Grace hath been often in succeeding Ages urged to God by his People to re-mind him of his Promises made to Abraham And God also in divers Ages hath declared himself to his People by the Title of the God of Abraham 4. The Tenor of that Covenant is the same with ours now Gal. 3. latter end Heb. 11. that God will be a God of his People and their Seed and that they who believe on him shall be accepted by him 5. Scripture Attests Circumcision to have been to Abraham a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.1 which implies that Covenant made with Abraham to have been a Covenant of Grace Object 2. But they Object again That the Seed here in the Covenant and that had Right to Circumcision the Seal of it was a Spiritual Seed and therefore Believers ought only to be Baptized To which I Answer Answ 1. The Seed in the Covenant denoted not only the Spiritual Seed but all the Natural Seed of Abraham all proceeding from his Loyns Gen. 17.23 13 14. Ishmael as well as Isaac was Circumcised and every Male Child Born of all the Strangers that were Proselyted to the Jewish Religion 2. The Natural Seed as Men belonged to the Visible Church of God and so were in a Capacity to receive that Seal and Mark distinguishing them from the Gentiles and Heathens which was only an Ordinance belonging to a Visible Church of which Men might Judge 3. The Uncircumcised were denyed many Common Priviledges yea it was a Scandal for the Jews to Associate with them or to joyn in Affinity with them which Priviledges could not be granted only to the Spiritual Seed Gen. 34.14 because it would be much injurious to Humane Society nor indeed could their Spiritual state or their being the Spiritual Seed of Abraham come under Mans Cognizance 4. This would crect Men as Judges of our Hearts and Spirituality which cannot be discerned by any Mortal Eye Jer. 17.9 10. 2 Tim. 2.19 but is only known to that Immortal God who tryeth the Heart whence proceeds that distinction of an Invisible Church consisting of true Believers only whom God alone knows and of a Visible Church containing all Christian Professors whose Members are discernable by Men. 5. If Baptism or Circumcision be only applicable to the Spiritual Seed of Abraham true Believers the Ordinances would soon be null as to their Administration because we know not then whom to Baptize not dare we say this Man or Child is a true Believer and one of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham and the other is not and probably may thus admit those to the Ordinances who are Hypocrites while we reject those who are true Believers Cen. 17.22 Acts 8.13 18 23. There have been Persons Baptized and Circumcised who yet doubtless were not of the Spiritual Seed of Abraham witness the instances of Ishmael and Simon Magus 6. The Children the Anabaptists refuse may be the Spiritual Seed of Abraham for ought they or we know Jeremiah and St. John were Sanctified from the Womb and known by God to be his before they were Born and so before they could be under Mans Cognizance And who dare say that the Children they refuse are not partakers of the Holy Ghost or by God accounted as Believers What would be the Result of such Expressions Should those dye in their Infancy who dare say they are Damned Nay the Anabaptists grant them a Capability of Salvation and say all Children dying Children shall be saved and then surely they esteem them the Spiritual Seed of Abraham And if so the Children not Acting any thing to render them uncapable they might by their own Arguings be Subjects fit to be Baptized ARGUMENT III. Those who are within the Covenant of Grace may be Baptized But Children are within the Covenant of Grace Therefore they may be Baptized THE Major of this Argument is verified in that Baptism is now the Seal of the Covenant between God and his People as Circumcision was under the Law and therefore those who are thus in Covenant with God Col. 2.11 12. may be admitted to the Participation of its Seal as those were The Minor That Children are within the Covenant of Grace is thus undeniably confirmed 1. Gods Grace is Universal appertaining to Children as well as Adult Persons Christ dyed for them as well as Men and Women and they partake of his Benefits as well as the other and shall be saved hereafter as well as grown Persons 2. Children were ever in the Covenant with God and never rejected or cast out by Christ nor that Covenant Repealed and we have already proved the Covenant including Children as well as Parents to be a Covenant of Grace and so everlasting Therefore Children are still in the Covenant of Grace 3. They never Excluded themselves Rom. 11.20 because not actual Unbelievers and none but such were rejected therefore they are still in the Covenant 4. They have the Promises of the Covenant belonging to them Acts 2.37 38 39. and renewed to them with their Converted Parents which would not be unless Christ still comprehended them as well as their Parents within the Covenant 5. They are termed Holy though Born but of one Believing Parent And this Holiness cannot be understood of Legitimacy or Lawfulness of Birth as I have met with the Anabaptists Glossing as if
Gospel few Jews would become Christians Then surely they are to blame who suppose Christians Priviledges since Christ are not as great as the Jews were before Christ Which being granted Baptism of our Children must follow Therefore 2. If our Christian Priviledges being as great as the Jews were our Children are rightly Baptized as will appear by these Reasons 1. The Children of the Jewish Proselytes were with their Proselyted Parents Circumcised to which Baptism succeeding in the Church the Children of Disciples and Professors of Christianity ought to be Baptized as will be farther manifested from my next Argument drawn from Circumcision 2. None were Excluded the Covenant of Grace among the Jews or amongst Christians or are uncapable of its Seal Circumcision or Baptism Rom. 11.20 21. but actual Unbelievers of which Crime Children of Jews or Christians could not nor can be impleaded 3. The Believing Jews and their Children kept their Priviledges after their Conversion to Christianity that they enjoyed before Acts 2.39 Rom. 11. at large And therefore their Children might as well be Baptized after their Parents became Christians as they might have been Circumcised before or else their Priviledges by Conversion were infringed and their case worse than before because 1. Their Children were before their Conversion to Christianity within the Covenant and had Right to and were admitted to the Seal of it but now by the Parents espousing Christianity the Child would be debarred the Seal which implies its Exclusion from the Covenant 2. They and their Children were esteemed the People of God before their Conversion to Christ but since though the Parents were received as Converted Christians yet the Children would but be accounted as Heathens till they became Men or were able to give an Account of their Faith and so be Baptized 3. This would leave the Converted Jew but small grounds for the hopes of his Childrens Salvation if they dyed Young because they would not be looked on as Members of Christs Church Ephes 2.12 within the Covenant of God or to have Right to its Promises 4. The same Promises made to the Jews are also made to the Gentiles which Promises include their Seed or Children as well as themselves Acts 2.39 The Promise was to the Jews who were near and to their Seed and to the Gentiles who were afar off and to as many as the Lord our God should call and to their Seed which Promise gives our Children Right to Baptism as well as it did the Jewish Children to Circumcision 5. The Children of the Jews as well as the Aged in Order to their Publick Reception into the Church of God were Circumcised therefore the Children of the Gentiles Converted together with the Jews to Christianity may justly have Baptism it being the Sacrament of Admission into Christs Church under the Gospel as Circumcision was under the Law And that the former is true to wit that the Children with the Parent were under the Law Circumcised the Scripture is so plain that none will deny it and that our Children then may be yea ought to be Baptized must be granted from a Concession of our Priviledges being as great as the Jews But this will still be clearer in my next Argument ARGUMENT II. Those who were Circumcised under the Law may be Baptized under the Gospel But Children were Circumcised under the Law therefore Children may be Baptized under the Gospel THis Argument is Categorical whose Conclusion cannot be denyed if the Premisses be granted I shall therefore prove each Proposition The Minor Proposition Maour preved That Children were Circumcised under the Law is so undoubtedly true relying on the express Precepts and Practice of God and his People Gen. 17.10 11 12. that I suppose it will not be denyed And the truth of the Major Proposition I shall endeavour to demonstrate these two ways 1. By Arguments for it 2. Solving Objections against it 1. I shall prove by Arguments That those who were Circumcised under the Law may be Baptized under the Gospel 1. Baptism succeeded Circumcision and as that was the Sacrament of Admission into the Church under the Law so is this under the Gospel Col. 2.11 12. having this Priviledge above the other that it may be Administred to either Male or Female Mat. 28.29 and may be performed to all Nations Gentile as well as Jew 2. Our Children are now as capable of being Baptized as the Children of the Jews were then of being Circumcised at Eight days old Ours understand the ends of Baptism as much as theirs did the ends of Circumcision and ours are as capable of Testifying their Conversion to Christianity as the Proselyted Jews Children were to Evidence their being Proselyted nor can any Objection be framed against our Childrens Capability of Baptism but it is equally Valid against their Childrens being capable of Circumcision 3. The Precept of God for the receiving Parent and Child into Covenant Gen. 17. Acts 2.39 stands unrepealed to this day nor can the least jota be produced to forbid Children of Professing Christians Baptism or that Christ who was the Messiah and Saviour of both Jew and Gentile and had admitted the Children of the Jews all along to the Ancient Seal of Circumcision as a Diagnostick of their being his People would or did exclude them in his Gospel Dispensation from Baptism But many Reasons may be offered why their Baptizing is not expresly Commanded which I shall propose in due time At present let us consider since there is no restraint or countermand of the Ancient Jewish Practice of receiving Children to Circumcision And since Baptism is an Ordinance succeeding it it seems to me apparent that they who were Circumcised may be Baptized 4. Christ is proposed as a Mediator of a better Covenant not of a worse Heb. 8.6 founded on better not on less Promises enlarging not infringing his Peoples Priviledges continuing still God a God in Covenant with his People and their Seed and then doubtless this great Priviledge is not Repealed but Children the Seed of his People may Lawfully be Baptized as being still within the Covenant of Grace whereof Baptism under his Gospel-dispensation is a Seal Else our Children have no greater Priviledge by being Born of Christians than the Children of Turks and Pagans Jews and Infidels enjoy 5. Express Scripture avers the Inclusion of Believers Seed with themselves in the Covenant Nor can the word Calling Acts 2.37 38 39. in the place Cited be restrained to the word Seed as if they only were in Covenant with God of the Seed of the Righteous whom God called and Converted which would be no other Priviledge than the Heathens may enjoy who when Converted are admitted into Covenant But the word I presume may well be referred to the present Believer who is called and his Seed and of Gods owning all Believers whom in future Ages he should call and their Seeds So that if the Children of us
is the Action of the People inconsiderable in this matter who brought them to Christ both which imply they were Little Ones who could not come alone else need they not to have been brought nor stand alone else Christ might have laid his Hands on them standing without taking them up into his Arms. 2. The Ordinance it self declares it it was imposition of Hands Christ laid his hands on them and Blessed them saith the Text which 1. Heb. 6.2 Is in the very words the Holy Ghost expresseth that Ordinance of Christs Church Confirmation both in the Original Text and our Transiation Mar. 19.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laying on of Hands And Christ laid his hands on them 2. That this imposition of Hands was an Ordinance and no common Laying on of Hands may easily be gathered because here is no mention of the Childrens being ill or labouring under any Malady to be Cured by Christs touch which might move Christ to lay Hands on them in order to their Cure 3. Christ did not at any time lay hands on Pray and Bless for the healing any Malady as he did at this time 4. It refers to a Spiritual good by our Saviours Reason given why he laid hands on them Theirs or of such is the Kingdom of Heaven They belong to my Church here and shall partake with me of my Glory hereafter Besides this Argument these Texts admit of many more for Infant Baptism so that our Church hath Prudently chosen it as one Reason for its Practice wherein is 1. A double Precept tending to it 1. Affirmatively Suffer little Children to come unto me 2. Negatively Forbid them not By both which our Saviour shews the earnestness of his desires Children should come and his unwillingness they should be hindred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from coming to him or becoming as the very words import Proselytes of him 2. It was to a visible Mercy Christ could have bestowed on them Internal Favours nor could his Disciples have hindred them from receiving them or from being Members of Christs Invisible Church but because they obstructed their coming to Christ to accept of a Visible Mercy and of an outward Priviledge belonging to Christs Visible Church he is displeased 3. The Displeasure of Christ against his Disciples for this fault is Emphatically expressed Mark 10.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was very Angry with them so as severely to chide them for it as the Publick Reproof they had declares Let us take heed we incur not the like by keeping from him those whom he bids to be be admitted to him 4. The expression of Christ concerning the Children whom he Blessed declaring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those very Infants or Children and of their Species is the Kingdom of Heaven a◠it includes the present state of Grace and the future state of Glory 5. Their coming to Christ is their becoming his Disciples or Proselytes Suffer them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Proselytes to Me or let them be received as my Disciples And how can Children be brought to Christ or come to be his Proselytes and Disciples under a Gospel Oeconomy unless by Baptism as the Jews were formerly under the Law by Circumcision This Text rightly considered might silence all Opposers and gain their consent to our Practice ARGUMENT IX If the Faith of the Parents entitles the Children to the Covenant it entitles them to Baptism But the Faith of the Parents entitles the Children to the Covenant Therefore the Faith of the Parents entitles the Children to Baptism IN this Argument the Grand Enquiry is the Benefits resulting to the Children of Believing Parents from their Parents Believing And it being manifested that the Parents Faith entitles the Children to the Covenant we have Proved the Consequence That they being in Covenant ought to be Baptized And that the Faith of the Parent doth entitle Children to the Covenant and its Blessings and Priviledges I thus Prove 1. Scriptures seem clear in it when St. Peter had Converted the Jews Acts 2.37 38 39. he proposeth to them a Believing on Christ and adds the Covenant then to be to them and to their Seed And that place already urged manifests the Child 1 Cor. 7.14 though but of one Believing Parent to be in Covenant with God and so esteemed Holy 2. If Children of Believers had no Right to the Blessings of the Covenant in vain are our Prayers for them but we believe and know that our Prayers are helpful and serviceable to them and obtain Blessings for them 3. The Faith of Parents amongst the Jews entitled their Children to the Covenant Rom. 11.26 Deut. 29.10 11. Gen. 17.10 the Belief of the Proselyte rendred all his Children capable of Circumcision and the like Promises and Priviledges are granted to and enjoyed by Christians 4. We find the Jaylor instructed to Believe Acts 16.33 and presently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very same hour not only him but all with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forthwith were Baptized 5. Else there is no difference observed between our Children and those of Turks and Infidels Ephes 2.12 13. but ours would be equally with theirs without Christ which is a Mystery unknown to the Jews and a thing not to be credited by us since Christ 6. Lydia and the Jaylor Acts 16.15 31 33. Gen. 17.7 c. being instructed we may suppose believed the Doctrine made known yet on their Believing their whole Families were Baptized agreeable to what hath been premised concerning Abraham and others who believing among the Jews were Circumcised and all their Families So that I humbly suppose we may genuinely infer from these Reasons that Children by Right of the Faith of their Believing Parents are received into Covenant by God and have been and ought to be received to the Seal of that Covenant by Man ARGUMENT X. Those who are Capable of the Kingdom of Heaven are Capable of Baptism But Children are Capable of the Kingdom of Heaven Therefore Children are Capable of Baptism Major THE Major Proposition of this Argument Proving their capability of Baptism who are capable of the Kingdom of Heaven relyeth on these grounds 1. The greater includes the less But it is a greater thing to be fit Subjects for Heaven than to be fit for Baptism Many are Baptized who shall not be saved but all who shall be saved are fit for and capable of Baptism 2. The Requisites for Baptism are far more necessary to Salvation Heb. 11.6 Rev. 21. last Mark 16.16 as Faith Repentance and if Children in Gods esteem be such who are capable of enjoying Heaven as well as Believers then sure we may account them Subjects fit for Baptism 3. The Kingdom of Glory of which they shall be partakers hereafter implyeth and presupposeth their being in a state of Grace and of the Church of Christ here Ephes 5.26 and if of Christs Church they may be Baptized 4. It seems