were to confesse Christ according to this saying of the righteousnes of faith which spake on this wise c Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Say not who shall ascend into heaven to bring Christ downe from above c. And seeing God usually giveth names unto persons according to their nature state and condition d Gen. 22.28 Rev. 3.12 11.8 the infants of the beleeving Jewes having the name of Jewes rightly attributed unto them they were Jewes that is Confessors though they could not actually confesse and the like may be sayd for their invocation or calling upon the name of God So it appeareth that the infants of the Jewes had such a holy state and condition upon them that the visible imputation e Heb. 7.9 10. of holy actions was conferred upon them though they could not act the same And the very like may be said concerning the infants of beleeving parents now And seeing that salvation appertaineth to the infants of beleevers f Luk. 18.15 16 17. the righteousnes of faith is imputed unto them g Mat. 16.16 and therefore they ought to receive the signe and seale of the same righteousnes for we are to account that Jesus Christ our righteousnes is a Saviour in a speciall manner unto all those who ought to be judged righteous persons in Covenant with him and ought not to be accounted to have the guilt of originall sinne but that they have it pardoned and done away through him But the infants of beleeving parents ought to be judged righteous persons in Covenant with Christ and ought not to be esteemed to have the guilt of originall sinne but that they have it pardoned and done away through him as hath been proved before Therefore wee are to account that Jesus Christ our righteousnes is a Saviour unto them in a speciall manner See Mat. 1.21 as well as to their parents It is certaine that the rarest Saint in the world though he professe and confesse never so much yet he being one of Adams posteritie hath originall sinne from the houre of his birth to the time of his death yea and before his birth he was conceived in sinne So David sayth of himselfe Loe in iniquitie was I painfully brought forth and in sin my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 But herein consisteth the Saints happines that all their sinnes are remitted h Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 through Jesus Christ so that the Lord will not remember their sins nor impute the same unto them he counteth them not guiltie he saveth his people from their sinnes therefore is he called Jesus * Mat. 1.21 So David sayth that with Jehovah is bountifull mercy and plentifull redemption And he will redeem Israel out of all his iniquities Psal 130.7 8. Now whereas it is said He shall save his people from their sinnes He will redeem Israel out of all his iniquities Hereby is meant all the sinnes of all his people in Covenant with him both young and old both great and small So David sayth Psal 115.12 13 14 15. The Lord hath been mindfull of us he will blesse us he will blesse the house of Israel He will blesse the house of Aaron He will blesse them that feare the Lord both small and great The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your children You are blessed of the Lord which hath made Heaven and Earth And so in Isa 44.3 the Lord sayth to Israel I will powre my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring And in Isa 45.25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory By all the seed of Israel he doth not mean Apostates for they are not counted for the seed k Rom. 9.8 but this justification and glorifiâ—ation is promised onely to those that abide in the Lord Jesus l Joh. 15.4 5.6.10 and so continue in his Church But the seed of the faithfull in their infancie cannot justly be sayd to depart from Christ to aberate from his Commandements to Apostate or degenerate from that h avenly state wherein the Lord of his mercy hath planted them therefore they are as well in infancie as after to be accounted holy â—pâ—â—iâ—uall and iâ— the new Covenant in the very promise of Eternall life and freed from the wrath of God and curses of the law and under grace and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord therefore it is apparent that the Lord imputeth them righteous though him so then they are righteous by imputation they are believers and Coâ—fessors imputatively yea and all the graces of God are theirs by imputation and this favour and benediction is not onely extended to the infants of the beleeving Jewes m Jer. 30.20 but also â—o the infants of the bâ—leeving Gentiles There is no d fference a Rom. 10 12. sayth the Apostle Paul their riches are equall they are all on in Christ b Gal. 3.28 God is their God and Christ is their Saviour in a speciall manner He justifieth the circumcision and uncircumcision by his righteousnes c Rom. 4.8 This righteous servant justifieth many d Isa 53.11 He pardoneth the iniquities of all that abide e 1 Ioh. 3 5 6. in his Covenant And seeing that the beleeving Jewes and the beleeving Gentiles have equall priviledges f Isa 56. As the infants of the beleeving Jâ—wes were and are in the Covenant of God with their parents g Gen. 17.7 Psal 11. â— so are the infants of beleeving Gentiles h Exod. 12.48 Rom. 11.12.15 16.17 20.23 24. for Jesus Christ is the same to day as he was yesterday and so is he for ever i Heb. 13.8 God is the same God over all and therefore rich unto all that call upon him * Rom. 10 12 And seeing he is the same God rich unto all that call upon him Beleeving Gentiles have the same priviledges for their seed as the beleeving Jewes had and have for their seed so that though their infants are all sinners k Rom 5.12.13 14. c. originally yet by the free grace of God they are justifica l Ver. 20.21 their transgression is forgiven and their sinne is covered and therefore they are all blessed both small and great m Psal 115.13 buds n Isa 65.23 and blossoms Blessed o Jer. 1. Psal 22.10 11 71.6.17.18 Mar. 10.13 14.15 16. Rev. 14. â—3 Psal 100.5 2 Sam 12.23 in their conception blessed in their birth blessed in their life and blessed at their death remaining still in the Covenant branches p Psal 80 1.1â— of Gods holy Vine In the Lord shall all this blessed seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Note he doth not limit it to some onely but extendeth it to all not one person of them is exempted for though they be all sinners by nature yet by grace they are saved not of themselves but it is the gift of God who
your selfe in answering them when you say * Pag. 13. lin 10 11 12 13 14. That Examination in respect of the Supper is required onely of men of yeares not of infants who are not able to performe it Further you tell us That if your Author nor memory faile you Children were admitted as well to the Supper as to Baptisme for many yeares in time past and over against in the margent of the page * Page 13. at lin 15. you name Parker on the Crosse Ans Indeed you may suspect your memory if you take your imagination to be your memory And you may expect that your Author can stand you in little stead in opposing the Baptisme of Infants A good object may faile a bad subject and so your Author may faile you especially he being neither an Author nor upholder of your errour which you labour by all meanes to uphold Next you say A. R. Lin. 17 18 19 And why not to the one as well as to the other seeing the same reasons are alike in both and will center into one if fully prosecuted I Answer This is but a begging of the Question I have told you why not to the one as well as to the other Because they are capable of the one in respect of a naturall capabilitie but not of the other And therefore I deny that the reasons are alike in both or will center into one though never so fully prosecuted Wheras you further oppose infants Baptisme saying that * Pag 13. li. 21 22. no Infant is required by God in Scripture to beleeve or to repent or to be baptized by any man c. The Infants of beleevers are not impenitent I Answer That this your speech is ambiguous and abominable and you may know that we stand not for the Baptizing of Infidells or those in whose hearts wee cannot rightly judge the foundation of repentance to be layd For God hath not required such to be baptized no more then he did command such to be circumcised in the time of the Law And you should know that faith is the gift of God so also is repentance and though the Saints of God are not required to manifest their faith and repentance actually so long as they cannot act yet for to say that therefore they have not faith and râ—pâ—ntance or that wee are not to judge them to have the gifts and graces of the Spirit because they cannot act is a meer idle toy and frivolous foppery But if you will say that though the infants of beleevers cannot manifest faith and repentance no more then Isaac could who was a childe of promise in his infancie yet they are to be judged to have faith and repentance notwithstanding Then you will agree with us in this truth But if you will say you deny it and will not assent unto it and that therefore the infants of beleevers ought not to be baptized Then I tell you you have your answer long agoe Christian Infants sayth Mr. Ainsworth * In his Censure upon the Anabaâ—tists Dia â—g pa. 70. lin 19. Have the grace they speakâ—â—f repentance faith regeneration c. Though not actually or by way of declaration to others yet they have through the worke of the Spirit the seed and beginning of faith virtually and by way of inclination so that they aâ—e not wholly destitute of faith regeneration c. though it be a thing hid and unknowne unto us after what manner the Lord worketh these in them Eâ—cles 11.5 Which Mr. Ainsworth doth further prove thus * In the same page lin 27. to page 71. If Infants naturally are some wayes capable of Adams sinne and so of unbeliefe disobedience transgression c. Then Christian Infants supernaturally and by grace are some wayes capable of Christs righteousnesse and so of faith obedience sanctification c. But Infants are capable of the former evills by Adam therefore they are capable of the later good things by Christ That they are capable â—f the former he proved in his treating of originall sinne from divers Scriptures as Psal 51. John 3. Rom. 5. c. The consequence to wit that infants are capable of the later good things by Christ he proveth thus * See his book page 71. lin 8. First Because the first Adam was a figure of the second Adam Christ So that as the sinne of the first Adam his fault disobedience and death for it came on all his Children both by imputation and infection or corruption of nature So the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ cometh on all his Children both by imputation and renewing of nature unto life and salvation as the Apostle compareth them Rom. 5.12.15 16 17 18 19.21 Secondly Because Infants being by Adam sinners Children of wrath c. mâ—st be borne againe of the Spirit or else they cannot see the kingdome of God Joh. 3.3.5 6. But the Christian Infants dying in infancie shall see the kingdome of God and not be damned as the Adversaries grant * The old Anabaptists doe graÌ„t that childreÌ„ dying in their infanciâ— shall see the Kingdom of God But some now that stand against the Baptisme of Infants say They are all in the state of damnation Others that withstand Infants Baptisme say They know not how to judge of them But I say by the Scripture Wee are to judge the infants of beleevers to be in the state of salvation â—nd those of them that die in their infancie are not damned but saved And as for other Infants even the infants of the wicked we have nothing to doe to judge them within but without Therefore by Christs doctrine they are borne againe of the Spirit and so must needs in some measure have repentance faith and holines without which there is no regeneration Againe That Infants have the faith and love of God in them And regeneration in their measure is thus proved They to whom God giveth the signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith and of regeneration they have faith and regeneration for God giveth no lying figne he sealeth no vaine or false Covenants But God gave to Infants Circumcision which was the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.12 Rom. 4.11 2.28 29. Colos 2.11 Therefore Infants had and consequently now have faith and regeneration though not in the crop of harvest by declaration yet in the bud and beginnings of all Christian graces They that deny this reason must either make God the Author of a lying signe and seale of the Covenant to Abraham and his Infants or they must hold that infants had those graces then but not now both which are wicked and absurd to affirme Or they must say that Circumcision was not the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and then they openly contradict thâ— Scripture Rom. 4.11 Moreover As the Apostle in Rom. 5. compareth our naturall estate in Adam and our spirituall estate in Christ so may
A CHRISTIAN PLEA FOR INFANTS BAPTISME OR A CONFVTATION OF some things written by A. R. in his Treatise entituled The second part of the vanitie and Childishnesse of Infants BAPTISME In the Answer whereof The lawfulnesse of Infants Baptisme is defended and the Arguments against it disproved by sufficient grounds and forcible reasons drawn from the sweet fountains of holy Scripture S. C. Deut. 4.37 Because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed Jer. 30.20 Their Children also shall be as aforetime Isa 65.23 They shall not labour in vaine nor bring forth in feare for they are the seed of the Blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Acts 2.39 The promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call LONDON Printed by T. P. and M. S. and are to be sold by Ben. Allen in Popes-head-Alley 1643. A CONFVTATION OF SOME things written by A. R. in hâ—s Treatise intituled The second part of the vanitie and Childishnesse of Infants Baptisme In the Answer whereof The lawfulnesse of Infants Baptisme is defended and the Arguments against it disproved by sufficient grounds and forcible reasons drawn from the sweet fountains of holy Scripture Mr. ARS YOur former Treatise intituled The vanitie of Childish Baptisme being answered I according to my promise made unto you in that answer * Pag. 28. lin 31 32. doe now proceed to answer this your other Treatise which you have intituled The second part of the vanitie and Childishnes of Infants Baptisme And I conceive it is the Treatise whereof you spake in your vanitie of Childish Baptisme * Pag. 29. lin 30 31 32. wherein you say that the grounds which Seperates and some others urge for the baptizing of Infants should be answered And here in the beginning of this your second part you say * Pag. 1. Having formerly treated of the Baptisme of the nationall Church you have now thought it meet likewise to consider the grounds upon which the seperated and some other Churches doe baptize their Infants which you say are from severall places of Scripture But in answer to your first Treatise pag. 27. line 26 27 28 29. I there tell you that these some others besides Seperates I know not who they are and if they are not seperated from the unclean thing they are still uncleane And though such may bring good grounds for baptizing of Infants from severall places of Scripture yet they cannot bring good grounds to warrant any Churches to baptize that are not seperated from Idolatry and doe not cleave unto Christ in puritie in his visible way of worship But those that are so seperated indeed may very justly alledge Scripture to justifie what they do in things of this nature for of all Churches and people in the world they are the most holy and sincere yea and cleave closest to the Rule And they in baptizing their Infants do that whereunto they are bound by the Covenant which both they and their holy seed are under Whereas you say the grounds are from severall places of Scripture especially these five which you promise to examine in order I answer I know not what five you meane for you have not so plainly distinguished them whereby wee may know how in your book to find them But it may be you have not done it of set purpose but through some over-sight for in pag. 3. li. 16. you speak of a second argument from places and in pag 3. lin 39. you speak of a third argument from 1 Cor. 7.14 The fourth in pag. 12. lin 40. is expressed to be the fourth Scripture As in pag. 1. Act. 2.39 is declared to be the first But in pag. 18. lin 2. you speake of a fifth argument Now by this your disorderly manner of proceeding it appeares that you doe not performe what you promised in pag. 1. where you say the grounds are from severall places of Scripture especially the five which you there promise to examine in order THe first you say is that in Act. 2.39 The promise is to you and your children But this Text you say is to no purpose in the poynt To which I reply that this your bare affirmation will not beare the least weight in the ballance of Gods Sanctuary for this promise spoken of by Peter is the promise of eternall life and all those who are heires of this promise are the right Subjects of Baptisme * Act. 10.47 But the Infants of beleevers are heires of this promise for so the tener of the whole Scripture declareth There is no place of Scripture which describeth the blessednesse of the parents but it also includeth their Infants yea in this place Act. 2.39 where beleevers children are mentioned their Infants are meant As shall be more clearly proved in answer to your next objections following And this being prooved it followeth that they are the right subjects of Baptisme But you say it is not there said of Infants but to your Children not promises but promise To which I reply that this your Answer is of no weight for Infants are Children as well being young as old and this great promise of God includeth promises for though Gods great promise in generall be but one yet in particular it is divers But seeing you say it is worthy enquiry to know what is meant by you and your Children I will by Gods assistance prove unto you that it is meant of beleevers and their Infants Consider therefore that the Apostle doth not onely distinguish them from their parents by the title Children and also from those afar off But he likewise declareth them to be those children to whom the promise appertaineth as well as to the parents themselves which doth plainly shew that it ought not to be understood as if it were spoken of all their Children both godly and wicked but of all those Children who doe not degenerate from the steps of their holy parents which sinne of Apostacie or degeneration you cannot justly lay to the charge of beleevers Infants who never sinned actually * Mr. Spilsbury sayth the word coÌ„demns none but with respect to actuall sinne See his Treat of Bap. pag. 11 lin 30. It is a sure truth that the sinnes of the parents being forgiven the Lord will not impute the same unto their Infants * Sinne remitted is not imputed unlesse it be acted again Originall sinne I say taketh no more hold on the Infants then on their parents and touching actuall sinne they are as cleare as their parents * Exod. 20.6 But the like cannot be said of all their children of ripe yeares * Ezek. 18.10 11 12 13. Wherefore it plainly appeareth that the promise is made generally to all the infants of the faithfull howbeit not to all their Children but onely to such as abide in the steps of their righteous parents amongst which holy children the infants of beleeving parents
hath said as he liveth that he desireth not the deâ—th of a sinner neither shall the sonne die for the fathers iniquitie but every one shall beare his own iniquitie q Ezek. 18. Shall every one beare his owne iniquitie Then the iniquitie of the righteous parents that is remitted is not visibly imputed to any of their children in their infancie Therefore those infants are to be accounted righteous For the m râ—y of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him and his righteousnes unto childrens children to such as keep his Covenant c. Psal 103.17 18. For to say that the sinne of the parent that is remitted is imputed to his childe that never sinned actually is an arguing that the sonne shall die for the father yea and for the sinnes of the righteous father A flat contradiction both of the Scripture and Reason it selfe But it may be some will say that the best beleevers on earth doe sin daily yea and that in their best actions Shall all these sinnes be remitted and not be imputed considering that sinne is daily committed by them Ans If they sinne they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Chrâ—st the righteous r 1 Ioh. 2.1 2. and through him the beleeving parents who die dâ—iâ—y unto sâ—nne have their sinnes so quelled and crushed that there is no power in the same whereby to condemne them for as the Brazen Serpent was lifted up in the Wildernes so is Jâ—sus Christ lifted up for them Å¿ Ioh. 3.14 15. so that the fiery Messengers of Sathan though they sting them yet cannot destroy their soules and this being remitted to the parâ—nts to all beleevers shall not be imputed to them because still upon the renewing of sinne they renew their repentance and so doe cut the cords of sinne by godly sorrow t 2 Cor 7.10 11. But a wicked person that is not penitent hath the iniquities of his fathers imputed unto him and his mothers sinne is not blotted out all this is remembred with the Lord continually u Psal 109 14 15. and laid upon the sinner that is not justified by Jesus Christ But the infants of beleevers as hath been observed before are from under the guilt of originall sinne their parents sinne is not imputed unto them but both the originall sinne and actuall sinne is fully remitted and the infants cannot be taxed with actuall sinne they are cleare they never acted sinne Wherefore by all this it appeareth that the Lord spake not in vaine when he bid the parents choose life that both they and their seed might live for though God visiteth the iniquities of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those that â—â—te him yet he sheweth mercy to thousands of those that love him and keep his Commandements * Exod. 20.5 6 Seeing then it is so apparent that the infants of beleevers are freely justified and saved by Jâ—sus Christ through his righteousnesse they are under this promise mentioned by Peter Act. 2.39 And therefore are to have Baptisme the seale of the same promise administred upon them And this conclusion is agreeable to your own position * A. R. second part pag. 6. lin 37 38 39. which is that that which availeth to justification doth according to the rule availe to Baptisme c. Whereas you further say * Pag. 2. lin â—0 that by children are meant sonnes and daughters which should prophecie This I denie not But that it is onely meant of them I doe deny for all are not Prophets x 1 Cor. 12.29 Jeremia was not a Prophet till God called him And though he was not set about the work till he was capable to understand and apprehend y Ier. 1.6.10 11 12 17 18. yet he was sanctified in the wombe and therefore the promise appertained unto him then before he could prophecie even so the promise is really made to the infants of the faithfull though they can neither prophecie nor speake with tongues Wherefore it appeareth by what hath been said in answer unto you that your argument is quite overthrowne and the drift thereof hath no weight in it to edifie the soule nor any strength to prove what you undertooke * Pag. 2. lin 21. namely that by children no infants are meant in this place of Acts 2.39 And although it be said that the promise is to their children yet you deny that the Text speaketh of their children in Covenant * Line 41. by saying that this objection that these children were in Covenant hath no colour of footing in the Text for proofe whereof you bring your own former speeches * Line 42. and adde for further demonstration saying * Pag. 3. lin 1.2 3 4 5. that first the promise is made equally to them and to their children and to them that are afar off But these which are afar off are not within the Covenant by the promise untill they beleeve the same To which I answer that if it be not meant of their children in Covenant then is it meant of their children out of Covenant But you should know that those who are out of Covenant are not within the promise of life and salvation None have right unto the tree of Life but those that are in Covenant with God z Rev. 21.7 8. 22.14 15. and those that abide not in Christ they have no part in him or his * Ioh. 15.6 But the infants of beleevers are in Christ and in the promise and God is faithfull a 1 Thes 5.24 and therefore will not breake his promise with those whom he hath effectually called to the fellowship of his Sonne Jesus Christ And it appeareth by the Apostle Peters words that these children mentioned in Act. 2.39 were such whom in visibilitie the Lord had so called in Christ Jesus for the Apostle speaketh of them in the time present The promise is to you sayth he and to your children but when he speaketh of those afar off he hath relation wholly to the future time saying and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call And so by this he shewed that God would be a God unto all those whom he so calleth Now this calling I doe not understand to be a bare publication of the Gospel or generall invitation which appertaineth unto all b Mar. 15.15 2 Tim. 1.9 but such a calling which is appropriated unto those whom the Lord accepteth in the Covenant of the Gospel and fellowship with his Sonne Jesus Christ That the infants of beleevers have fellowship with Jesus Christ is evident Suffer them sayth Christ to come unto mee and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heaven c Luk. 18.15 16 17. Seeing then that they are declared to be in Jesus Christ who is made a d Isa 42 6 7. Covenant to the people they are not out of
Covenant no more then the infants of Abraham to whom the Lord spake saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed c. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations e Gen. 17.10 By all this it appeareth that wee have no ground to deny that the Scripture speaketh of their children in Covenant neither are we to dreame that the promise appertaineth to all sorts or is visibly made equally to visible beleevers and visible unbeleevers also for though in Gods secret account visible unbeleevers may be accounted as visible beleevers are and have the promise reserved for them by God in the secret intention and unalterable resolution of his sacred Majestie who will afterward manifest it visibly to appertaine unto them in his appointed time yet these unbeleevers the mean while in our account and in their own account are not to be esteemed heires of the promise or elect vessels of mercy so long as they are not in the Covenant for none are to be esteemed as the children of life but those that are visibly in Jesus Christ for whose sake life is promised to those that choose life and also to their seed f Deut. 29.2 Secondly you say If they were in the Covenant Pag. 3. line 6. by having this promise made to them then were they of the new Covenant and Church of the Gospel for there were no other people to be accounted in Covenant with God save those which be of this Church but those were not of this Church but they were afterwards added thereunto as appeares ver 41. and therefore were not of it before and consequently notwithstanding the promise being so to them and their children yet neither they nor their children were of the Covenant nor Church untill they did beleeve although they were Jewes and so the children of faithfull Abraham Ans Here I think you are mistaken for you would inferre that these were not in the new Covenant before they were baptized and added to the particular Church but then by the same rule wee may think thâ—t the Apostles baptized and admitted into Church-fellowship 〈…〉 those who were out of the new Covenant and that those Converts mentioned in Act. 2.39 were out of the new Covenant when they haâ— gladly received the Word for as touching their Baptisme and audition to the Church the Scripture denoteth the same as distinct from the rest which went before But you should know 〈…〉 that none ought to be baptized before they are in Covenant with God Wherefore if these aforesaid were not in Covenant with God before they were baptized and added as aforesaid then they were first added and were afterward baptized and afterward entered into Covenant with God which disorderly proceeding is not according to the Rule of Jesus Christ. 〈…〉 Moreover If it be admitted that persons must be first added to the particular Church before they are to be baptized which thing I dare not affirme But suppose it were so yet I say it cannot be proved that persons are not in the new Covenant till they are joyned to the particular Church for all those that are out of the new Covenant are not fit matter for it But that these Converts mentioned in Act. 2. were in the new Covenant before they were baptizâ—d is apparent by their conversion and repentance and that the blessed promise of God in the free pardon of their sinnes was rightly applyed unto them and their seed and this is the new Covenant That God will be our God See Gen. 17.7 Rev. 21.3 and wee shall be his people and that he will be mercifull unto us in forgiving us all our iniquities c. Heb. 8.10 11 12. And so David sayth O blâ—ssâ—d is he whose transgrâ—ssion is pardoned and whose sinne is covered O blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne * Psal 32.1 2. And Paul explaineth it to be a Righteousnesse imputed without workes Rom. 4.6 And that this righteousnes of faith is visibly imputed to the infants of beleevers as hath been heretofore is cleare from Act. 2.39 compared with other Scriptures and therefore I conclude they are beleevers imputatively and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized Now that persons are in the promise or new Covenant visibly before they have faith I suppose no well informed Christian will affirme But to say that true visible beleevers though unbaptized are not in the new Covenant till they be baptized and added as before specified it sheweth a great deale of ignorance at the best in him that so affirmeth NExt you say Their second Argument is from those places which speakâ— of baptizing whole housholds To which I answer It is certaine that divers places of Scripture speake of baptizing whole housholds And it would argue weaknes and presumption in us to affirme that there were no infants in those familiâ—s except wee could prove the same which if there were none it maketh nothing against the baptizing of infants I hope we are not ignorant at least wee are admonished not to be ignorant that God baptized the children of Israel in the Sea 1 Cor. 10 1 2. in which act he really declared who are the right subjects of Baptisme namely Beleeving parents and their infants with them Jewes and Prosolytes such as were the right subjects of Circumcision * Gen. 7.9.14 Exod. 12.48 49. And if wee doe discreetly weigh the great and generall Commission of Jesus Christ given when he ascended upon high it will give great light to this point for it declareth that all Nations were commanded to be made Disciples and those that were made Disciples of Christ he commanded to be baptized so soone as it appeared that the Application of the Gospel appertained unto them Goe sayth Christ teach all Nations baptizing them c * Mat. 28.18 Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and he that beleeveth not shall be damned * Mar. 16.15 16. Now I hope you will not denie infants to be part of the Nations or to be part of the number of Creatures spoken of here for whom an immortall state is prepared for it is a sure truth that they are reasonable creatures and comprehended in these words Every Creature Consider then how that the purest infants of the holiest parents are by nature the children of wrath Conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie and have Originall sinne cleaving unto them till their change come I mean till the time of their death or dissolution and are by nature enemies against God so deeply stained with sinne that nothing in the world is effectuall to clense them therefrom * Psal 49 7 8 9. but the crimson bloud of their crucified Saviour naturall corruption from their conception Rev. 1.5 is inherent in them and cannot be subdued but by the
Gen. 17.14 according to Gods appointment were the true seed in covenant with God and so were made free when Apostates though circumcised were bond-servants to sinne and were not to be admitted as they stood in that state of Apostacie to be members of the Church of the Jewes as you most fainedly would father upon Christ You fain as if Christ should say that Abrahams nature could produce no other but servants of sinne c. But I know not what you meane hereby I know Abraham was a sinner in the loynes of Adam yet Adams sinne was not imputed unto him to condemnation no more was it visibly to Abrahams seed but as they degenerated from Abrahams steps for the sinne of Abraham which he had actually and originally was forgiven him in Christ And thinke not that he was destitute of the new covenant for though the new covenant was before the manifestation of the old covenant in Mount Sinai yet it was new in respect of perpetuitie though old in respect of antiquitie is set forth in Rev. 4. by the similitude of a Rainbow in sight like an Emerauld round about the throne of God And the Infants of Abraham were never out of the Church-state till they apostated degenerated from the steps of Abraham If the promises had been made to seeds as of many then there had been some ground â—o beleeve that visible wicked persons or persons meerly naturall destitute of the spirit were fit matter for the constitution of that Church and that the seed of Apostates might be circumcised as well as others But the promises were made onely to one seed * Gal. 3.16 namely Christ that is to say Christs body which consisteth or ought to consist visibly of none but sonnes of God by faith in Christ And seeing the promise made to Abraham and his seed was not made through the Law namely the old Law and that this old Law could not disanull the promise therefore the old covenant could be removed and yet the promise continue still to all those subjects to whom it was made See A. R. Pag. 24. li. 1 2. Mat. 1. Luk 3. Isa 11. But further you would faine that the flesh spoken of in Gen. 17.13 was Christ who was to come of their flesh But you should know that Christ came of the Tribe of Judah by liniall descent and not of the rest of the Tribes nor of the father Proselytes and yet they being circumcised that covenant of circumcision was in their flesh Moreover Christ himselfe was circumcised in his infancie * Luk. 2.21 where was that covenant if he were the flesh spoken of The covenant was in his flesh as well as in the flesh of his brethren Now by flesh wee may and ought to understand that place from whence the superfluitie of their foreskinne was cut off Gen. 17.10 Ver. 14. My covenant sayth he shall be in your flesh and the uncircumcised man-childe whose flesh of his foreskin is not cut off the same person shall be cut off c. Againe If by the flesh was onely meant Christs naturall body and by the covenant onely the circumcision which Christ was to receive and did receive in his flesh Then circumcision was abolished or at an end when Christ was circumcised and none were to be circumcised after him Yea and if he were that flesh which was to be circumcised then it will follow that though none other had been circumcised before or after they had not broken the covenant But God did declare what the circumcision was and where it was to be administred and upon whom First It was a cutting off of the superfluous fore-skinne Secondly That it was to be in their flesh and not in the flesh of others in stead of them Thirdly That it was to be administred upon Jewes and Gentiles that were in the covenant Gen. 17. Exod. 12.48 And so such persons were by vertue of Gods covenant circumcised not onely before Christ was circumcised but also after and therefore you have not done well to interpret Gen. 17.13 after such a manner you have done evill in faining it as if it were the speech of Christ when no such things ever entered into his thoughts Whereas you think circumcision was a covenant properly you should know that though circumcision had the denomination of Gods covenant a Gen. 14.10 yet it was but a signe of it b Ver. 11. The names of things signified in the Scripture are given to the signes which signifie them So the Lambe was called Gods Passeover c Exod. 12.11 the Rock Christ d 1 Cor. 10.4 the bread and wine in the Lords Supper Christs body and bloud c. e Mat. 26.26 And in this sense is circumcision called Gods covenant that is to say a token or signe thereof as God termeth it himselfe in Gen. 17. ver 11. As for those which say that the promise covenant election and faith belongeth tâ— all beleevers children which supposed case you put to shut up all * Seâ— A. R. Pag. 25. at lin 8. your matter I tell you that if by all they mean the godly children of godly parents then they say true But that the wicked children of godly parents have these excellent things belonging unto them is no article of my faith When the Apostle Peter sayth to the Jewes Act. 2.39 The promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call In including the children heer with the parents his meaning is not to include all beleevers children but onely those holy ones who abide in their parents righteous steps which thing holy Infants doe as before hath been proved at large * See pag. 3. they do not degenerate from the righteous steps of their holy parents And therefore such may be lawfully baptized for no more in effect is required to Baptisme then was to circumcision of old this is as that was and these are as those were Holy infants were to be circumcised then and therefore such may be lawfully baptized now Next you * See A. R. Pag. 25. li. 19. charge the great Clerkes of our times with confounding the two Covenants of the Law and Gospel together And to this I say if by these great clerkes you mean those who thinke Infants Baptisme to be a meer tradition Indeed then your accusation may prove true upon them for such as they doe put no difference between the new covenant made with Abraham and his seed and the old covenant and law which came long after it but they thinke this new covenant and the old covenant to be both one and doe not rightly understand the nature of them and therefore the hodge-podge in their teachings and writings which you mention * Lin. 29. is their owne as well as any ones else as also the intermixture of grace and workes truth and errour as also