to enter or admits any into the said Covenant What inrights into the covenant and that is the promise of God in Christ and faith in the same that gives right of entrance and onely admits into Covenant with God as Neh. 9.8 The Covenant aforesaid hath these essentiall parts and visible branches First Grace in the agent God Secondly faith in the Subject Man Thirdly a uniting or closing of these together which is that mutuall consent agreement by faith in the same grace revealed by the Gospel which is the word of Reconciliation So that it is the blessed word of life and faith in the same that gives right and admits into Covenant with God Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant and they are onely such as beleeve for God approves of none in covenant with him by his Word out of Christ nor of any in Christ without faith Nay God denies his approving of any in fellowship or communion with him that doe not beleeve as John 3.5 6 36. Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.9 Thus God approves of none as Subjects of his gracious covenant but onely such as he hath elected and chosen in Christ and so appearing by some fruit and effects of the same as these Scriptures with many other witnes Rom. 8.29 30. Rom. 11.7 Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 Act. 2.47 Act. 13.48 So that such as are the chosen and called of the Lord are the onely approved Subjects by him in his saving and ever-blessed Covenant of life The fourth and last is this Whether that all persons now under the Gospel have not one and the same way of entrance into the foresaid Covenant For answer to this the holy Word of God must be Judge and I finds the Gospel of Christ to approve of none in the Lords holy Covenant of grace but such as beleeve neither any approved of as to be in the way of life but such as are in Christ by faith and therefore no other way to come into the Covenant of grace and salvation as the Scriptures reveale but only by Jesus Christ For in him are all the promises confirmed made over only unto such as beleeve as 2 Cor. 1.20 Rom. 10 4 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Rom. 8.9 The holy Covenant of life consisteth of these three essentialls for entrance thereinto The essentials of the covenant First the word of God to reveale the same Secondly Christ to open the way and to inright the partie therein And lastly faith without which none can enter thereinto So that as there is but onely one way of entrance into Covenant with God that the Scripture reveals now under the Gospel that is by Jesus Christ and faith in his name Then all must enter this way that can be approved in covenant with God for none can come to the Father but by the Sonne nor any to the Sonne but by faith as John 14.6 with John 6.44.45 Heb. 11.6 Let all this be well considered and then see how Infants are discovered to be in this Covenant what way of entrance hath God by his word appointed for them to come in and denied the same unto others except they be naturally begotten born in the covenant and so were never out of the same which thing indeed the opposite doctrine affirmes for if Infants be in the covenant of grace and that by vertue of their being borne of beleeving parents who are in the same then such Infants are borne in a saving estate of grace and were never out of the same which doctrine makes voyd many heavenly and divine truths that speak to the contrary which lay all under sin and wrath for the same as conceived in sin borne children of wrath and so under the curse untill Christ by his bloud and death redeemes them and by his heavenly voice calls them and by his holy Spirit of grace begets them unto a lively hope working faith in their hearts to lay hold upon Christ Gods arme of salvation that carries them up to glory and therefore all are said to be borne againe from above of water and of the Spirit before they can enter into the Kingdome of God Now for such as are begotten and borne in the covenant being the seed of beleevers as is affirmed then such were never out of the same which doctrine disables them of any of the former priviledges by Christ for none can be under grace wrath the curse at one and the same time in the outward dispensation of the same the which all out discourse intends for invisible things belong to God and so I come to some other grounds tending to prove Infants to be in the covenant now as they were of old and they are these First Obj. If it were not so then this Covenant would not be the same with that And for answer to this Ans I shall referre the Reader to what hath been aforesaid concerning the differencebetween the Covenant then and this now not the same in a typicall way nor the same in a fleshly seed nor the same in the outward priviledges nor the same in the visible profession thereof c. All which I have already spoken to and shall adde more here after Another ground is this Obj. else the state of the grace of God should be straitned and made of lesse extent by Christs coming then it was before whereas it is more inlarged and of greater extent there being nothing more required in the state of the persons to interesse Infants into the covenant then then is now This particular consists of two parts Ans and the first is to this effect if Infants be not in the covenant now as they were at the first then is the covenant of lesse extent since Christs coming then it was before the answer is that indeed it is of lesse extent in respect of the flesh by Christs coming then it was before because that by him is taken away all fleshly respects either in regard of persons or priviledges in matters of grace which is a further inlarging of the covenant in a spirituall sense for the neerer the covenant comes to perfection the larger it is and the perfection of the covenant in one sense is this to have nothing contained in it but what is truely of it and the contrary is a straitning of the same and a bondage unto the true Subjects thereof Againe It can not properly be said that the covenant in the full accomplishment of the same in glory will be more straite of lesse extent then now in grace and yet there shall be none but onely such as truely appeare to be of the same The second part of the Proposition lies to this effect Obj. There was no more required in Infants then to interesse them into the Covenant then there is required of Infants now For answer to this in a word Ans let the Reader consider well what was required to interesse Infants into the covenant
grafted in againe to their owne roote or Olive tree as at the first which is union and communion with God in his holy way of worship under the Gospel as of old under the Law And so much for the roote or Olive tree which must be understood of Christ mystically considered and not of beleeving parents as aforesaid Now a word of the branches which cannot be meant of Infants but beleevers onely in the Apostles sense being holy First They are branches onely in the same consideration as they subsist and grow in the roote or Vine and so beare the true nature of the same by which they appeare to be holy by the fruits thereof Christ as aforesaid being the roote or vine the branches can no way be said to subsist and to grow in him as their roote but onely by saith and he in them by his spirit without which there is no holines in the Apostles sence who speaks of such as holines as is produced in the branch by the holy roote in which ingrowes and so partakes of the nature of the roote by vertue of the union and communion it hath with the same all which is by saith as the Word reveales Secondly There is no branch that is alive in the Vine but partakes of the life and sap of the same by vertue of which the branch though never so young and small is discovered to be alive and inabled to bring forth in its season such fruit as by which the same may be discerned so it is here by these spirituall branches they cannot properly be called branches in the Apostles sence but as they partake of the life and grace of Christ their true vine and olive tree by which they appeare at the least to be alive in him by faith and inabled by the same to bring forth such fruits as may discover them to be in the Covenant of grace and so to be admitted unto the priviledges thereof as Joh. 15.1.7 Nature it selfe teaches as much for no man will admit of dead plants to be set in his vineyard or grafted into a stock but onely such as are capable to comply with the same in the sap and nourishment thereof to the end it may grow and bring forth fruit and so it is with Christ who comes not short of nature and therefore he admits not of any dead plants to be set in his spirituall vineyard or dead members to be joyned to his mysticall body but onely such as by faith capable to comply with the head Neither took he for himself a compounded body consisting of both living and dead members which all are that have not a living principle of grace faith in him which all beleevers Infants have not nor any at all untill they are borne againe of the Spirit as Job 3.5 6. The Church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ is not a mixt company but onely one substantiall and royall substance sutable to her head matter by which shee was produced being the immortall seed of the Word and therefore one holy spirituall uniforme compacted body both for nature and forme Cant. 6.9 Mal. 2.15 Eph. 2.14 to 22. Joh. 4.23 All which considered proves the body of Christ or Church of God under the new Testament not to consist of Infants neither in whole nor in part and so the branches aforesaid not to be understood of Infants but beleevers And if any object from the words of Christ Mat. 18.6 speaking there of some little ones that beleeved in him and from thence gather that Infants have faith c. The answer in a word is this That I am for all that beleeve and onely for them whether they be Infants or others so that their faith be visible as it may be discerned otherwise it concerns nothing the point in hand for we are upon visible things such as may be judged of by the Word of God Againe little children that beleeve in the Scripture sense are such as be little and weake in the faith and so babes in Christ as 1 Joh. 2.12 1 Cor. 3.1.3 Heb. 5.12 13. But it is said that the Church of the Jewes of old and the Church of the Gentiles now are one in nature as they are both the Church of God and so Infants in the one as they were in the other and the same priviledges to the one as to the other c. I have before shewed the large difference between the Jewes and the Gentiles in respect of their outward priviledges but a word or two more and so end The Church of God under the old Testament and that now under the new for nature are one in reference to the Elect of God called to the faith and by the spirit of grace united to Christ as the branches to their vine and so an holy plant of Gods planting of which indeed the true Church of Christ consists and therefore God did ever put a distinction in Abrahams seed even from Abraham to Christ as in Abraham between Isaac and Ishmael Gen. 17.20 21. Gen. 21.11 12 13. in Isaac between Jacob and Esau Gen. 25.23 Rom. 9.11 12. in Jacob between Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48.13 14.16 17 18 19. And thus the holy Ghost figuratively pointed at a difference in Abrahams seed between the children of the flesh the children of God Rom. 9.6 7 8. and though God did thus distinguish in Abrahams posteritie yet there could not be the like dividing in the same they being nationall people consisting both of a Church and so spirituall and of a common wealth and so all under a civill worldly government Which nation God crowned with many outward priviledges as he never did any people in the earth they being the first people that God ever tooke into covenant with himselfe in such a way by whom he raised himselfe a name and same in all the world and so his peculiar treasure to whom he committed great matters of trust as Psal 135.4 Rom. 3.1 2. 9.4 Eph. 2.12 Of whom came Christ the Saviour of man and therefore salvation is said to be of the Jewes as Rom. 9.5 Joh. 4.22 In respect of which there was a blessed promise passed upon the Jews for the bringing forth of the Messias and the promised seed in whom all Nations should be blessed And therefore all of that nation were admitted to the outward priviledges as figures of him which that Nation was to bring forth so that a fruitfull wombe was counted a great blessing among the Jews not knowing who might be so honoured as to bring forth that blessed and all blessing seed And therefore God honoured the naturall birth among the Jews with such outward blessings and priviledges that belongs not to the Gentiles at all The Gentiles now are to look for their bringing forth of Christ according to the Spirit as the Jews did then according to the flesh and likewise their birth and their seed in all things sutable to the same As Joh. 3.3.5 6. Joh. 1.12
would stop mens mouthes for ever having a word to say for the baptizing of infants This blessed commission of Christ to his Apostâ—es was chiefly for us Gentiles saying All power is given me in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost c. As if Christ had said Go now into all Nations and preach the Gospel freely 〈…〉 6. as well to one nation as to another for the Gospel shall not now be confined any more to one place or people then to another God is now a God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews go therefore as well to the Gentiles as to the Jews even unto all Nations and there preach the Gospel 〈…〉 29 and so make Disciples by teaching them and such so taught them baptize in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost that is into the true and orderly profession of that which they have been taught and beleeved So that here teaching goes before baptizing and presupposeth understanding and faith in that which is taught this being the onely place of Christs instituting the ordinance of baptisme And further explained Mark 16.15.16 Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature he that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved So that from these Scriptures brought to prove the baptizing of infants it is clearly manifest that infants are not the subjects of baptisme appointed by Christ for all the externall benefits and priviledges of the Gospel are given onely to externall and visible faith And so the sealing and confirming ordinances of Christ ever presuppose faith in the subject to seale unto and to be confirmed So that here is no ground for the baptizing of Infants but the contrary But it is affirmed by some that as God commanded Infants to be circumcised and the same command remaining still unrepealed stands in force for Infants to be baptized To which I answer and say if that commandement must serve now without alteration then we must circumcise and not baptize and that males onely and not females but if it be altered then it hath not the same way to hold Infants forth in Baptisme as it had in Circumcision but that command which injoyned circumcision is repealed by a direct command to the contrary as Gal. 5.2 1 Cor. 7.18 Rom. 2.28 29. If any object from the second Commandement injoyning the worship of God though the said worship of God be changed in respect of the manner and outward forme yet the same commandement continues still in force for the worship of God now as it did then The answer is These two commandements will no way agree so be compared the second commandement directly injoyned Gods worship as the substance thereof and so still remaines and also retaines the same thing it first commanded being the worship of God But now for the command that injoyned circumcision which was the substance of that command is now cleane made voyde for circumcision in the flesh is now abolished that in the heart come in the place as Rom. 2.28 29. Col. 2. Againe as the old outward forme of Gods holy worship under the old Testament was abolished and done away so likewise the new order and forme of Gods worship was erected and set up againe by speciall command and when the manner of it is once set downe â—hen the commandement comes on againe and not before and binds onely to that order and manner so erected and set up and to none else so that now the new state of the Church and worship of God being established and the subject of Baptisme in the same expressed to be a beleever Now if that commandement comes on upon this state then it binds to this subject onely and to none other And to hold the subject of Baptisme by the same command that injoyned circumcision without the said subject being expressely set downe and so confirmed and established by the New Testament this is more then will be granted in any other part of Gods worship injoyned or comprehended in the second commandement All which say we is so farre approved of by God as is expressely set downe in the New Testament or everlasting Gospel of Christ But let us examine a little wherein the authoritie of that commandement of circumcision may be that is brought to beare out the baptizing of Infants Circumcision it doth not for all agres that we are now to baptize and not to circumcise the parties circumcising it doth not then the Master of the family to circumcise but now one authorized by Christ in his body the Church to baptize the same part of the body it doth not that the foreskin Baptisme the whole man the age it doth not that the eight day and this any day the subject it doth not that a male onely this both male and female Now in that it doth not injoyne none of all these wherein then can the authoritie of that command consist now in Baptisme so as to injoyne Infants to be baptized for either it must be a thing indifferent or else it must injoyne something And whereas men cry out from that command Infants Infants Infants must be baptized as they were commanded to be circumcised why this command if it should be so serves for none but onely males so that if they will have the female to be baptized they must look out for another coÌ„mandement for them and so there must be two commandements meet in one ordinance But I would demand of such as hold the baptizing of Infants from the command that injoyned circumcision that if in case there had been no word or command given for baptizing of any whether that they or any other might have baptized either Infants or any others from that commandement but I suppose they will not so affirme and if not what doe man wander under the clouds of their own ignorance when as the light shines so clearely for what is more cleare then this that the New Testament hath sufficient expresse commands and rules for the administration of Baptisme both for matter and manner with out any reference much lesse dependency upon the law of Circumcision they being two distinct institutions At two severall times there is given command for Baptisme the first was John the Baptist who received his authoritie not from the command of Circumcision but had his Commission expressely from God who sent him to baptize as Joh. 1.32 33. And those that he baptized are said by the holy Ghost to be such as manifested their faith and repentance as Mat. 3.6 The second Commission which serves for us Gentiles is that which Christ gave to his Apostles Mat. 28.18 19. Which hath no reference to the command of circumcision but by vertue of that power and authoritie given him of the Father for the ordering and disposing of all things in heaven earth for his own glory and his peoples good In which
13. and therefore we are said now to know no man after the flesh no nor Christ himself as the Jews did not Christ himself after the flesh 2 Cor. 5.16 and Circumcision was one priviledge of the flesh as Phil. 3.4 5. Therefore though that the Jews infants were admitted to all those outward priviledges being a nationall people and so a nationall bodie with a naturall birth and the like seed in generall yet the Gentiles infants cannot be admitted to their spirituall priviledges they being a personall people called by the Word of grace and so a spirituall body with a spirituall birth and the like seed And so much for the meaning of the Apostle Rom. 11.16 which makes nothing for the baptising of Infants but altogether against the same the words not being well considered and therefore misapplied the first fruits being such as first so appeared of Gods elect by faith in such a way of grace by gods receiving and approving of them in his holy covenant under so many gracious promises The lump such a remnant in the election of grace chiefly of the Jews with reference to the same state of grace and faith in Christ as the first fruits were in when God so approved of them And so a second fruits following the first fruits of the same kind which first fruits did ever presuppose the same And so for the root and branches the root Christ mystically considered as aforesaid as the Scriptures hold him forth The branches such as grow in him by faith and he in them by his Spirit by which they are alive in their vine All which are understood of beleevers and not of Infants and so with respect to their calling and not to their infancy as Act. 2.39 which promise is in no other sence to the children then to the parents and that is either to turn them from their sins by calling them to repentance As Act. 3.19 20.25 26. or to comfort them so turned or repenting by tendring and applying to them the promised Saviour Christ Jesus as Act. 13.23.26 32 33.38 39. And as God hath not grounded his election of grace in the seed of beleevers but in the good pleasure of his will no more hath he the dispensation of the same in his gracious Covenant but in his free and effectuall call to beleeve in his Son in whom they were elected to the same which call to the faith makes the onely difference between them and others and not their being the seed of beleevers by a naturall birth For we are alike by nature children of wrath as well the seed of beleevers as any others considered in any personall respect as Rom. 3.9 Eph. 2 3. Whose happinesse depends upon that blessed change and spirituall birth by which they are born again and called to beleeve in the Lord of life and not their being the seed of a beleeving parent for so one may be and perish as soon as any others And now for the other Scriptures 1 Cor. 7.14 if this be of the same consideration with the former then the same is answered with that and so they are both void in respect of the end for which they are alledged namely to prove the holinesse of infants being in the Covenant of grace and life by vertue of their being the children of beleeving parents and so to have right to Baptisme But I do not understood this Scripture to be of the same consideration with the former and therefore a word or two of this also And for the understanding of the Apostle in the same its good first to consider what that holinesse is which inrights persons to the priviledges of grace and that is one of these two at the least Either the holinesse of Christ in whom God looks upon his children and approves of them holy in him and so to have right through his Son to all things both in grace and glory 〈…〉 generation appearing in the holy fruits and effects thereof by which such persons appear to to have right to the aforesaid priviledges before men who must judge of the tree by the fruit and of both by the Word of God Ephes 4.24 Tit. 3.5 1. Pet. 1.15 16. Hebr. 12.14 There is no other holinesse that proceeds from Gods holy Covenant or that can inright to any priviledge of grace now under the Gospel For whatsoever can truly inright any person to the priviledges of grace the same inrights to glory For no lesse can inright to grace then what inrights to glory So that if this be such a holinesse then look how many it inrights to Baptisme it also inrights to glory and so all that are baptised being children of beleevers and so holy must be saved or else fall from grace But neither of these d◠I beleeve for truth and therefore this holinesse must be some other holinesse then that which tends to life eternall It is said the unbeleeving wife is holy or sanctified which is all one by the husband and the unbeleeving husband by the wife and if it were not so your children would be unclean also but in that the unbeleeving husband and wife is holy by the beleevers so are your children by the same means holy likewise For the same way the children would be unclean by the same rule of contraries they are holy But if unbeleeving husband were not sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife by the beleeving husband now if they were not thus sanctified the one to the other that so they might lawfully continue together as husband and wife their children would be unclean in that they were begotten in an unlawfull way for here the uncleannesse of the unbeleeving and unsanctified parents if in case they were so and the uncleannes of the children is the same even so on the contrary the unbeleeving husband being sanctified by the beleeving wife that so they may lawfully continue together in that honourable way of marriage and the bed undefiled hence your children are holy Which holinesse of the children and the sanctitie of the unbeleeving parents is the same opposed to the uncleannesse in opposition to the same So that as the one is uncleannesse of the flesh so is the other the holinesse of the flesh compared with these together Ezra 10.2.3 1. Sam. 21.4 5. 1 Cor. 6.18 and 7.1 2. 1 Thes 4.3 4. And for the two-fold holinesse that is noted in the Argument to be considered in the Apostles words the one not in the thing it self but to another use and the other of the thing it self and therefore sin to confound them This is in part true for the holinesse of the children is not onely such a relative holinesse as to another use as the unbeleever to the beleevers use and no more but the holinesse of the children rests in themselves as the subjects thereof by nature being begotten and born in that lawfull and honourable way of marriage by Gods appointment and so holy and clean in opposition to such as are
because commonly to one that is borne of the spirit there is twenty borne of the flesh Thirdly It is a practise that overthrows and destroys the body of Christ or holy temple of God for in time it will come to consist of naturall and so a nation and so a nationall Generation carnall members amongst whom if any godly be they will be brought in bondage and become subjects of scorn contempt and the power of government rest in the hands of the wicked Fourthly because it is a ground both of ignorance and errour for it holds people in blindnes that they cannot come to know the nature of that holy ordinance nor what the same requires in the subjects thereof also it causes the simple to conceive that Baptisme is of necessity to salvatiō Fifthly it keeps up the State of Antichrist by granting him this so chiefe a corner-stone of the Lords house to lie in his foundation for that church where Baptisme is the true ordinance of God in the administration thereof is by the Rules of the Gospel a true Church so that if Antichrists Baptisme which he administers be Gods ordinance then that Church wherein he doth so administer the same must be also the Church of God and in sin that refuseth communion with it Sixtly Because it builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall for such as are baptized in their infancy have no other way to satisfie either themselves or others but the bare word of man that must stand in the place of the word of God for such to beleeve their true receiving of so holy ordinance of God Seventhly To Baptize Infants makes the holy ordinance of God a lying signe because none of those things can be expected in an Infant which the said ordinance holds forth or signifies in the administration thereof which is the parties regeneration and spirituall new birth a dying and burying with Christ in respect of sin and a rising with him in a new life to God and a confirmation of faith in the death and resurrection of Christ and a free remission of sinne by the same as Rom. 6.3 4. Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 2.38 〈…〉 None of all which can be expected in an Infant Eightly Because the subject of Baptisme is to be passive but an Infant is no way passive as that ordinance requires 〈…〉 I meane a passive subject threefold 1. a thing uncapable and thus is a stone 2. a thing forced and thus is an Infant who opposeth its Baptisme to the utmost of its abilitie so farre is it from being passive in the same 3. A thing is passive by a subjecting power producing the same in the subject by bringing it to a free and voluntary subjection and thus is the true subject of Baptisme None can be passive to receive grace but by grace because it consists of selfe-deniall And lastly this doctrine of Infants Baptisme opposes directly the expresse word of God by teaching that Infants are in the covenant of grace being borne of beleeving parents and so an holy seed by vertue of which they have right to Baptisme as a priviledge of grace Against which the holy Ghost affirmes that all are conceived in sinne brought forth in iniquitie and so by nature children of wrath and under the curse and except they be borne againe from above they cannot see the Kingdome of God Psal 51.5 Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 9. Gal. 3 10.13 14. Job 3.3.5 6. Job 1.12 13. Here man saith that Infants are cleane and holy in and from the wombe and so are subjects of grace and glory but God saith that all Infants as well one as another are first in sinne and unholy and so are subjects of wrath untill the second birth makes the difference as Joh. 3.5.6 And now which to beleeve let the upright heart to God judge But it is said that as the Covenant was made to the Jews and their seed under the old Testament so in the same manner doth the Apostle apply the said Covenant to beleevers and their seed in the new Testament as Act. 2.39 Ans The words are not unto your seed but unto your children wherein there is great difference For by seed in the Scripture is very often put for a naturall generation begotten and born after the flesh And by children a spirituall generation walking in the steps of the faith of such as have gone before them as Act. 3.25 Act. 13.26.33 and so Job 8.37.39 with Rim. 9.7 8. and so the words import as much which is to you and to your children and to all afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that the promise is onely to such as God shall call and to none else Again it s called the promise and not the Covenant and we know that every promise is not a covenant there being a large difference between a promise and a covenant And now let it be well considered what is here meant by the promise and that is Gods sending of the Messias or the seed in whom the Nations should be blessed and so the sending of a Saviour or Redeemer unto Israel as these Scriptures manifest compared together Isa 11.1 Jer. 23.5 6. with Luke 1.68.74 Act. 13.23 Act. 3.25.26 This was performed by Christs coming first in the flesh in which respect he came both of and to the Jews onely by promise as Joh 4.22 Rom. 9.5 Matth 10.5 6. Matth. 15.24 Joh. 1.11 Secondly in the preaching of the Gospel by which he was held forth as a Saviour to all that by faith laid hold upon him as the arm of Gods grace stretched out unto them And this way also Christ was first tendered to the Jews for a Saviour to save them from their fins Act. 4.12 and for to be their King as to save them so unto whose state and government they were to submit as Luk. 19.14.27 Act. 2.36 In which sense the Apostle speaks when he saith the promise is to you and to your children and to all farre and neer as God shall call that is the promise or promised Saviour is come and is now according to Gods promise tendered to you by the Gospel calling you and your children and all else where the word of grace shall come to beleeve and receive him by saith who is now come to save you and all that beleeve from their sins Act. 3.25 26. And therefore it s said as many as gladly received or beleeved this glad tidings the same was sealed or confirmed unto them by baptisme Act. 2.41 according to Joh. 1.11 12 13. By all which it is manifest that the promise Act. 2.39 is meant the sending of the Messias or a Saviour to the house of Israel to call them to repentance and to save such as beleeve from their sins as is clear also by these Scriptures Isa 59.20 Act. 13.23.26 32.38.39 And thus the promise is unto you and your children that is the promised Saviour is offered and
offers himself freely to save you notwithstanding your crucifying of him yet now repent and beleeve for his promise is upon the same freely to forgive and to save you from all your sins Thus the promise is applied to saith which is the way of preaching the Gospel and not an absolute conclusion of persons to be in the covenant of grace and life whether they have faith or not What is this but to keep the wicked from leaving of his way by promising him life This God did not in making of his Covenant at the first nor the Apostle by his applying of the same at the last Otherwise to bring the personall or naturall seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and so of all beleevers into the Covenant of grace and that by Gods appointment whose word i◠like himself both true and stable as a word of faith purely tried as gold seven times in the fire Hence observe the evils that attend this doctrine unavoidably First it makes void the stability of Gods Covenant of grace it self thus If the Covenant of grace be absolute and stable then all within the same must be saved But all within the said Covenant were not saved ergo the Covenant of grace is not absolute and stable The major is confessed that a beleevers seed is in the Covenant of grace without exception The minor is proved from Ishmael Esau and the rejected Jews all which were the seed of beleevers and yet not all saved 2. It s a ground of falling from grace thus All that God took into his Covenant of grace were in an estate of grace But all that God took into his Covenant of grace did not there continue Ergo such fell from an estate of grace I prove this the same way with the former 3. It s a ground of universall redemption for it makes the death of Christ equall as well to such as perish as to such as are saved thus All that are in the Covenant of grace Christ died for But all that were in the Covenant of grace were not saved Ergo Christ died for such as are not saved The proof of this is the same with the former if God took Abraham and his seed into his Covenant of grace without exception 4. It makes God the author of mans beleeving untruth by injoyning him to beleeve the salvation of such as he himself knows and reveals the contrary as Ishmael Esau and but a remnant among the Jews nay none at all but such as beleeve Gen 17. Gen. 25. Gen. 48. Rom. 9.27 Against which opinion and evils aforesaid I argue thus The Covenant of grace is absolute and saving unto all once with in the same But all the personall seed of beleevers are not saved therefore all beleevers seed are not in the Covenant of grace The Proposition is clear from these Scriptures Jer. 32.40 Isa 49.21 Jer. 31.3 Joh. 13.1 Mal. 3.6 Joh. 10.28.29 The Assumption from these Gen. 21.10 with Gal. 4 29.30 Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11 12 13.27 God requires no man to beleeve untruth But for a beleever to beleeve that all his seed is in the Covenant of grace is to beleeve untruth Therefore God requires no such thing This Argument is sully proved in the former And so much for the promise Act. 2.39 which being well understood men would never go about to build the baptising of the Gentiles infants upon that Scripture But it is said that Christ admits of little children to come unto him blessing them and acknowledging their right unto the kingdom of God Mark 10.14 therefore such may be baptised To which I answer briefly thus That the blessing of Christ upon these children was for bodily cures as is manifest by the desires of those that brought them to Christ which was not that he should baptise them but that he would touch them and lay his hands upon them and pray as Mark 5.23 Matth. 19.13.15 This was the ordinary way of healing in the time of the Law by such as were inabled by God thereunto as is clear by these Scriptures compared together 2. King 5.11 with Matth. 19.13 Matth. 8.3 Matth. 9 18. Luk. 4.38.40 Never were any so brought to Christ but for some cure and for his blessing of them that was in respect of that temporall mercie he bestowed upon them according to that they came to him for and to shew his bountie and humilitie that he was no respecter of persons as such might seem to be that suffered others to come and would have kept back children And for such to belong unto the kingdom so those children did and therefore they ought to come as well as any other For they were children of the Jews and at that time members of that Church and so of that kingdome and had as much interest in Christ for outward blessings as any else And further Christ is pleased to make use of childrens humilitie and innocencie to reprove the high mindednesse of his disciples and to draw them forth a pattern from the same As Mat. 18.1 2 3 4. with Mark 10.5 〈…〉 So that all this makes nothing for the baptizing of Infants they being not brought to Christ for baptisme But it s further objected that the Apostles baptized whole housholds as the houshold of Stephanas Lydia and the Jayler 1 Cor. 1.16 Act. 16.15 33. and infants being a part of the houshold therefore infants were baptized Answer Though that Infants are a part of the family when there be infants in the same yet this makes nothing for the baptizing of Infants except it be first proved that infants were there in those housholds And also upon the same ground we may prove that the Jayler had a wife and Lydia an husband because that husbands and wives are commonly in a houshold or family and being there they are a part of the same and that the Jaylers wife and Lydias husband and servants though never so wicked were all baptised But if it be said that faith was to be required of them being of yeers Hence it will follow that no infants were then baptised because that one and the same condition is required of all that are baptised and so it is said of the Jayler that the Word was preached to him and to all that were in his house and that he beleeved and all his house and these are said to be baptised Act. 16.32.34 and thus the Apostle preached and they beleeved and such onely were baptised and none else And what the Apostles order and practise was in this family it was the same in all other housholds and families for they walked alwayes by one rule and therefore their order was not to baptise infants It is said that Christ sent out his Apostles to teach and to baptize all Nations Matth. 28.19 in which Nations there were infants as well as men of yeers and so commanded to be baptized Ans In a word briefly to this for this Scripture being well considered and rightly understood
up a false Church and Ministery which is the greater Upon the same ground doe I affirme that he may nay that he must also resemble the true ordinances by setting up false ordinances which are the lesser like unto the true otherwise he could not put off his ware for none would trade with him in his merchandise Secondly Antichrist hath not the substance of Gods holy ordinance in his baptisme though he use or rather abuse the words of Christs institution in his administration for then he should also have the substance of all other ordinances of God because he useth the words of the Scripture wherein they are instituted and contained it is not the bare letter of Scriptare onely but the true minde of Christ there set downe that bears an ordinance which none can know but onely he who hath the Spirit of Christ as Rom. 8.1 Cor. 2. and this hath not Antichrist Thirdly I deny the water to be the matter but onely the instrument in Baptisme for as fire is the instrument of burning even so is water of washing and as the matter of burning is the sewell that is burnt so the matter of washing is the partie washed for as the matter of the Church is the Saints and the matter of the Ministery the Prophets so the matter of baptisme are the persons upon whom the same is conferred Fourthly I deny the forme of words with the use of water in a false Antichristian Church to be the forme of the Lords baptisme instituted by Christ in the new Testament for then every foolish using of them words with water must be the true ordinance of God as many ignorantly doe affirme But for the forme of Baptisme that is authorized person baptizing the true matter into the true and orderly profession of Jesus Christ as mat 28.19 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 3.27 This being thus done by a true power and authoritie from Christ is the forme of baptisme in the administration thereof but this doth not Antichrist and therefore his baptisme is not Gods ordinance The next ground alledged to prove Baptisme administred in a false Antichristian Church to be the true ordinance of God and so to be retained is the vessels of Gods house in Babylon that as those vessels remained still the Lords ordinance being in the hands of Gods enemies and so may Baptisme as a vessell of Gods house being in the hand of Antichrist which is spirituall Babylon I shall answer to this in briefe first for the vessels of the Lords house they were Gods ordinance and that whiles they were in Babylon but not so as they onely consisted in their instituted formes and not in respect of their constituted use that is as Belshazzar the King and his Princes made them their drinking cups as Dan. 5.2 3. Thus considered with respect to this use and service that the Babylonians applyed them unto they were not the ordinance of God for God never ordained them for such a use Though in themselves simply considered they were Gods ordinance ordained by him to holy use In which consideration Baptisme may be said to be Gods ordinance in the Church of Antichrist or where soever the holy Scriptures of God are onely as an instituted Rule in the word of God for his owne people to observe and obey him by using it in that way and to the same end as God ordained and appointed the same ordinance unto But now for Antichrist to take the Scriptures and according to his right of authoritie and spirit shall from the same compose a forme of worship with ordinances sutable thereunto Among which Baptisme must be one without which all the rest are nothing worth Now though that Baptisme as a holy institution of Christ contained in the Scriptures be the ordinance of God yet considered in Antichrists constitution and false administration it is not the ordinance of God no more then the Princes of Babylons drinking in the vessels of the Lords house was his ordinance Againe secondly God is said in the Scriptures to give or to send the vessels of his house to Babylon as 2 Chron. 36.17 18.21 Jer. 27.2 .22 Dan. 1.2 Now let the like be shewed where ever God is said to give or to send his ordinance of baptisme unto Antichrist untill then the vessels of Gods house remaining his ordinance in Babylon shall make nothing for them to prove Antichrists sprinkling of water in the face of an Infant to be Gods ordinance of Baptisme But here it is said by some that Antichrist as a thiefe hath stolne away Gods ordinance of Baptisme out of his Church for which he is said not to have repented of his theft as Rev. 9.21 If this should be true herein they condemne themselves for whosoever communicates with the thiefe in the thing stolne he is as deepe in the sinne as the thiefe himselfe But it will be said that they having repented of the evill God hath accepted of that though they retaine their Baptisme as his ordinance How can this be which way doth their repentance appeare so long as they retaine the thing that is stollen for nature teaches thus much that so long as any man keepes in possession that which he knows was stollen he is guiltle of the theft Secondly How doe such know that God hath accepted of their repentance while they Rill retaine the thing stollen justifie the same and how can they make it appeare by the word of God that he approves of that Baptisme for his ordinance which they have received at the hand of Antichrist All which is worth the consideration how these things can be made to appeare that are so commonly taken for granted truths Againe thirdly Though Antichrist should steale away the Lords baptisme out of his Church yet he could not steale away the power and authoritie of Christ for to administer the same upon any other For though he should bring away Christs baptisme yet it was but onely in his owne person which thing he could not passe from himselfe upon any other as an ordinance of God without the power and authoritie of Christ And lastly let us consider a little what may be here meant by theft together with the helpe of other Scriptures and that is mens bringing in their owne inventions and humane traditions and pressing the same for truth upon the consciences of meâ—â— by which means the truth of God is displanted and the way of the Lord obscured and so comes to loose its esteeme and authoritie in the heart of man as Gal. 1.6 7. 4.17 In which sense the false Prophets are said to steale the word of God every one from his neighbour as Jer. 23.30 that was by setting up their owne traditions and pressing the same for truth upon the people by which means the commandements of God were made of no effect as Mat. 7.13 Of which the Lord complains that the feare by which the people feared him was taught by the precepts of men as Isa 29.13
was come to Ierusalem be assayed to joyne himselfe to the disciples Act. 9 26. And the whole body fitly joyned together c. Eph. 4 16. And a fitly framing of matter together for a house or habitation of God as Eph. 2.21 22. All which is the Saints entering covenant with God which covenant is their forme that gives them a being in such a relation or fellowship Isa 43.21 1 Pet. 2.9 And so much in briefe of the constitution of a Church or of the Saints entering into Church-fellowship and the causes producing the same And now being come into her own land as of old was signified Ezek. 36.24 25. which is into a visible covenant with God or union with Christ and so become his own shee is now to be washed with water in Baptisme as Ezek. 16.8 9. Mat. 28.19 Eph. 4 5. And thus being in covenant with God by faith in Jesus Christ in which their state consists and so the agreement made the covenant passed between them now the seale is see to which is the outward ordinance of Baptisme to confirme the same which being done she is then to enter upon her holy communion in all the rest of Gods holy ordinances thereunto belonging for her comfort and well-being And thus I have by Gods gracious assistance done with this subject charged upon me partly by such as feare the Lord in a far Countrey beyond the Seas and partly by my own conscience for the truths sake at home And good Reader confider well before you judge and what I see not teach thou me c. Job 34.31 But let not my unweary Readâ—â— be offended with me though I speake a word or two more It may be some will aske me if I condemne all Churches but onely such as I have here described To which I answer that I condemne no Church which God approves of in his word secondly I condemne no Church at all for I goe not about to shew who are false but what is true and it is enough for me if such a Church as hath been spoken of be granted to be true and let all others alone to stand and fall to their own Master and in regard of those reproachfull clamours cast upon all without exception that seem to be of my judgement about Baptisme I shall yet make bold with my Reader briefly to declare a word of my faith what I beleeve and hold to be truth and desire to practise the same and so leave all to God for the godly Reader to judge what difference there is between him and me in the maine that men should be so incensed against me as to seeke my life as some have done the Lord in mercy forgive them and lay it not to their charge And now for my faith First I doe beleeve that there is onely one God who is distinguished in three persons God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost yet but one in nature or essence without division and uncommunicable who made the world and all things therein by the word of his power and governes them all by his wise providence Secondly I beleeve that God made man in his own Image an upright and a perfect creature consisting of soule and body which body God framed of the earth and breathed a soul into the same To whom God gave a law upon his keeping of which depended all his happinesse and upon the contrary attended his misery which soon took effect for he breaking that Law he fell under the curse and the wrath of God lay upon him all his posterity By which fall Man lost the knowledge of God utterly disabled himself of all ability ever to recover the same againe Thirdly I beleeve God out of the counsell of his own will did before he made the world elect and choose some certain number of his foreseen fallen creatures and appointed them to eternall life in his Sonne for the glory of his grace which number so elected shall unavoydably be saved and come to glory and the rest left to themselves in their sinne to glorifie his justice Fourthly I beleeve that God in the fulnesse of his owne time did send his Sonne the second person who in the wombe of the Virgin Mary assumed mans nature and in the same he suffered death upon the Crosse onely as he was man to satisfie his Fathers justice for the sinnes of all his elect and them onely and that he lay three dayes three nights in his grave from whence he arose the third day by the power of his Godhead for the justification of all for whose sinnes be dyed and that in the same body Christ dyed be arose from tho dead and afterwards ascended into heaven the place of glory where he was before and there to remaine untill he comes at the last day to judge the world in righteousnesse Fifthly I beleeve that God of his grace in his own time effectually calls such as shall be saved to the knowledge sive as a childe in the parents begetting of it and so God by his Spirit works faith in the hearts of all such to beleeve in Christ and his righteousnes only for justification And thus they are made righteous before God in Christ and so conformable to the will of the Father through the Sonne and also made holy through the worke of regeneration and the holy Spirit of grace dwelling in them yet all such have still as long as they live here in the flesh remaining in them an old man that originall corruption the flesh that warres against the Spirit which hinders them in their obedience both to God and man and many times draws them to that which is evill and contrary to their intentions yet all of them shall through Christ overcome and safely be brought to glory at last Sixthly I beleeve the holy Scriptures to be the word of God and have the onely authoritie to binde the conscience to the obedience of all therein contained and are the allsufficient Rule by the Spirit of God to guide a man in all his obedience both to God and man Seventhly As for the absence of originall sin and power in the will to receive and refuse grace and salvation being generally offered by the Gospel and Christs dying for all persons universally to take away sinne that stood between them and salvation and so laid downe his life a ransome for all without exception and for such as have been once in Gods love so as approved of by him in Christ for salvation and in the covenant of grace and for such to fall so as to be damned eternally and all of the like nature I doe beleeve is a doctrine from beneath and not from above and the teachers of it from Satan and not from God and to be rejected as such that oppose Christ and his Gospel Eightly I doe beleeve the resurrection of the dead that all shall rise and come to judgement and every one give account of himselfe