all that were in it But saith Mr. K. Might they not in that hour go a little way out of the House and be baptized This is begging the Question and yet he thus concludes viz. 'T is evident he abuses the Sacred Text. But hitherto you may see it is plain they did not go out of the House Ver. 33. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straightway Ver. 34. And when he had brought them into his house he set meat before them and they rejoiced believing in God with all his house This was to bring them into some more peculiar Place or Dining-Room in his House for you see it is clear they were not out of the Prison before for so it appears by the next Verse viz. Ver. 35. And when it was day the magistrates sent the sergeants saying Let those men go But the Apostles refused to go out of the Prison And they came and besought them and desired them to depart out of the city Thus you see here was 1. The Jaylors bringing the Apostles out of their close confinement after his conviction 2. There was preaching the Word of the Lord to all that were in his House and not out of his House 3. Here was washing their stripes after they were taken out of their close confinement into his House at large 4. And Lastly Here was their Baptism And all this was done in the same hour of the Night straightway and then when this was done he invites them into his own peculiar Appartment or Dining-Room and set Meat before them And in the last place it doth plainly appear that they did not go out of the House or Prison all night because they were there in the Morning and refused to go out when the Magistrates sent to the Jaylor to release them therefore there is no manner of ground to imagine that they went out of the Prison and out of the City a little way in the Night to be baptized in a River or a Pond of Water but besides the Gates of Cities use to be shut in the Night and Guard kept at them who would have secured them had they attempted to go out in the night Ergo they were baptized in the House So that I have not abused the Sacred Text but it is evident that Mr. K. hath abused me in charging me falsely 12. And Lastly I shall give some Reasons to Evince that the Face of the Subject is the properest part to be baptized Because by the Face both God and Man are described 1. God is described by his most glorious face Psal 51.9 Psal 44.24 〈◊〉 18.10 Not that we are to conceive of God as of any Form or Shape who is a most Glorious Immense Spiritual Being in himself but it is in condescension to our weak capacities 2. Man is described and best known by the Face Gal. 1.22 Psal 84.9 And how common a thing is it among Men to say I never saw such an Ones Face That is they never saw the Person 2. The Face is the properest part for the application of water in Baptism because the Face represents the whole Man 3. The Face ought to be baptized as the properest part because the part baptized ought to be naked for these Reasons viz. 1. Because otherwise the Cloaths and not the Person are baptized 2. Because it maketh the truest Figure of Man in his natural laps'd State before he is washed in the Water of Regeneration and renewed by the Holy Ghost by which the Soul puts on these two blessed Garments of Salvation namely Christs Righteousness for Justification and the Robe of Holiness for Sanctification Every Soul in a laps'd State you have set forth in these two Texts in the old and New Testament first in the Old Testament Ezek. 16.4 5 6. Here you have Man in his natural State which is unsavoury loathsome polluted and helpless and in the New Testament Rev. 3. there he is set forth to be wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked This is the State and Condition of all Men by nature before they are washed in Regeneration 4. And Lastly The Face of the Subject is the properest part for the application of water in Baptism because Nature it self teacheth us that the Face is the most delightful comely part of Man for Conversation We do not care to converse with a Man that turns his back upon us Thus much for the part of the Subject that ought to be baptized and the posture the Subject ought to be prepared in and that is the naked Face Thus I have confuted Mr. Keach's Arguments which he hath produced to prove that Dipping is the only Infallible Mode for Baptism whereas there is neither Precept nor Example for it no not so much as a bare May be for it in all the Book of God but you see there is a great Analogy between those many Sprinklings and Baptism though the Mode is not absolutely determined declaratively II. I will prove that all Elect dying Infants must have the Grace of Faith or they can never be saved 1. But saith Mr. K. in p. 14 16. How doth God sanctifie dying Infants I speak as to the Mode of it No mortal Man I am sure can tell if it is by infusing Grace let it be so though it can't be proved while the World stands yet Gods design therein could not be the same in them as in others c. Though the Grace is given by which we do believe yet is not the Act ours Can God be said to believe for us or can there be Faith in any Subject and yet no knowledge of the Object To which I answer that the Mode of sanctifying Elect dying Infants must be by Infusion of Grace by the Holy Spirit into their Souls is as clear as the Sun because there is no other way for Old or Young to be savingly sanctified by 2. God hath promised it Isa 44.3 I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring c. 3. Gods design is the same in the infusing Grace and Holiness into an Elect Infant as it is in an Adult Elect Sinner for God hath no other End nor higher Design then the glorifying his own Free Grace in the salvation of both Old and Young therefore that part of your carnal Argument is already destroyed Pray Sir in your next let us know if God hath any other or differing Design or End in the saving Adult Elect Sinners from that of sanctifying and saving Elect dying Infants and let us also know what way that is 2. Faith is the Gift of God though the Act of Faith may be said to be the Believers yet if God do not Act in the Believers Faith his Acting will signifie nothing for God is the authour and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. And it is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed of his good pleasure
Phil. 2. 3. Though the Act of Faith may be said to be the Believers yet the Habit of Faith is Gods for the Believer is wholly passive in the reception of Grace and there must be Habits before there can be Acts there must be the Root of Grace before there can be the Fruit of Grace and a young Infant is as capable of receiving the Habits of Grace wherein the Subjects are wholly passive as an Adult Person is 4. John the Baptist could never have leaped in his Mothers Womb for joy had he not known God in Christ the only true Object of Joy Sir You have measured these Profound Mysteries by the Rule of carnal Reason which is a very false Rule to measure it by The Faith of God doth not stand in the Wisdom of Men. 2. Saith Mr. K. in p. 14. We say the same thing with worthy Mr. Marshal in pag. 78. of his Book which you recited in the 24th pag. of yours viz. That Vnion betwixt Christ and the Soul is fully accomplished by Christ giving the Spirit of Faith to us even before we can Act Faith in the reception of Him because by this Grace or Spirit of Faith the Soul is inclined to an active receiving of Christ Pray Mr. K. did worthy Mr. Marshal say no more If he did how dare you be so unjust to deal thus unfairly by Mr. Marshal as to leave out the conclusion of his Sentence without an c. as if he had said no more Pray Reader look into the Pages Mr. K. hath quoted both of Mr. Marshal's Book and mine and there you will find the conclusion of his Sentence thus viz. And no doubt Christ is thus united to many Infants which have the Spirit of Faith because they are not come to the years of understanding Is this to say the same thing with worthy Mr. Marshal But this is as true as that I spent 20 Leaves in my former Book to prove that which No body denies But pray what hath Mr. Marshal said in this to destroy or enervate the Notion of Habitual Faith in Elect dying Infants For though he hath not used the very same Words yet it is to the same effect and carrieth an Equivalent in it with that of Habitual Faith Now if Mr. K. saith the same thing with worthy Mr. Marshal then Mr. K. and I am agreed 3. Saith Mr. K. Is Regeneration in your Infants that are Regenerated the Fruit or Product of this Spirit of Faith or Habits which you plead for to be infused into them when Infants Sure if they had any such Habits when Infants they need no other inspired Habits when they are grown up Where the Habits and Principles of Grace are once infused into a Soul they can never be lost neither shall they need any other inspired Habits of Grace when they are grown Persons for where these Habits are once planted they can never be destroyed for once in Christ by Regeneration and for ever in Christ by Justification and Sanctification for that Soul is in a State of Grace and hath the Life of Christ in him and that Life can never be lost because it is in Christ the Son of God it is in the keeping of Christ and therefore to speak with Reverence Christ himself may as soon be lost as that 2. We may conclude that many children of Believers that did not die in their Infancy have had the Habits of Grace infused into their Souls in their Infancy and that may be the reason why so many of them when they are grown Persons can tell they have Grace but know not how nor when they came by it No doubt Timothy had Grace infused into him in his Infancy because we read not any thing of his Conversion no more than we do of his Baptism wherefore both might be effected in his Infancy being the Son of a godly Mother But the Apostle Paul could tell the time of his own Conversion and also his Baptism Acts 9. 3. All Infants are conceived in sin Psal 51.5 There are all the Habits or Seeds of sin in an Infant in its first Conception or Formation even as many as there are in an Adult Sinner for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God therefore Elect dying Infants must be regenerated they must be begotten and born of God for God will be a reconciled Father to none but them which he spiritually begets for God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them Thus you see as young Infants are brought into the same Ballance of Original Guilt and Pollution with Adult old Sinners so they must be brought into the same Ballance of Justification Adoption and Sanctification with Elect Adult Believers or they can never be saved 4. Mr. K. doth own That all Infants are under the guilt and stain of Original Sin by Nature And he also saith We do believe that all those dying Infants who are saved God doth in some way or another which is not known to us sanctifie them for no unclean thing can enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem There is no other way but this viz. Children must be justified and acquitted from the guilt of Original Sin And secondly they must be sanctified and cleansed from the filth and pollution of sin they must be regenerated and made Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 For without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord The Fallen Angels may as well expect to be saved as any unregenerate Soul may either Old or Young that dyeth in that State and Condition 2. All Children are elected and chosen of God that are saved dying in their Infancy and therefore they must have the Grace of Faith to unite them to Christ which is the Faith that is peculiar to Gods Elect Titus 1.1 For all Mankind by Nature are in a state of Unbelief for it was that Sin that brought Man into a State of condemnation for had our first Parents believed God when he told them if they eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they should die Man had never fell into a State of Sin and Condemnation Now the opposite Grace to the Sin of Unbelief is Faith and Habitual Faith by the powerful Agency of the blessed Spirit of Grace is sufficient to subdue and conquer original Unbelief and to justifie and sanctifie them by the application of the Righteousness Blood and Merits of Jesus Christ to their Souls It is not Man's acting Faith that justifies him but it is the Habit of Faith in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ that doth that The Act of Faith in a sense may be said to be the Creatures but the Habit of Faith is Gods own Free Act in the Creature wherefore if Man cannot be justified without his acting of Grace then Justification depends on the Acting of the Creature Though a Believer may be said to have a hand in his own Sanctification yet he hath none at all in his
some of which are dead and some living But I find he is so subject to mistake both in quoting Authors and Scriptures that I dare not lay any weight upon what he says of them 1. In pag. 4. saith Mr. K. I shall begin with Mr. S. pag. 5. viz. I think there is more to be said for sprinkling or pouring water on the Face in Baptism then there is for dipping or ducking over head and ears in a River or Pond for the latter is more like a punishment of Criminals than the solemnizing of an Ordinance of God c. To which I Answer I am of the same mind still and can see no reason at all to alter it for you cannot produce any positive Command for it nor clear Example of it in all the Book of God but the Learned will tell you that the word Baptize is frequently used for pouring and washing with water 2. What was the signification of all those Sprinklings and Pourings and Washings with Blood and also with Water but to set forth and Typifie the cleansing Vertue of the Holy Ghost and the absolute necessity of Regeneration and Sanctification Isa 52.15 So shall he sprinkle many nations c. that is God will sanctifie many Nations or some of many Nations and what is Baptism but a Sign or Token of Sanctification and Regeneration Exod. 24.8 And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you And yet that was but the Sign of the Blood of the Covenant for the real Blood of the Covenant was the Blood of Christ who was given for a Covenant of the People Isa 49.6 8. Heb. 9.13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh Mind it was but the purifying of the Flesh not the Spirit it was but an External Sanctification or a Sign thereof and is Water-baptism any more But mind the 14th verse How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Ezek. 36.25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And I pray mind all these following Scriptures of Sprinkling and Pourings c. Heb. 12.24 1 Pet. 1.2 Isa 44.3 Exod. 29.16 20 21. Levit. 1.5 11. chap. 9.18 chap. 32.8 13. ch 4.6 17. ch 5.9 ch 8.11 24. chap. 14.7 8 9 16 51. Numb 19.18 19 20 21. 2 Chron. 29.22 chap. 30. 16. Here you see are sprinklings c. both of blood and water under the Old Testament and also the New which Types out Regeneration viz. blood for Justification and water for Sanctification which is very compatible to the signification of Baptism Now pray find us out so many Scriptures if you can wherein Dipping or Immersion in blood and water do so nearly represent and parallel the Ordinance of Water-baptism and also that have the Covenant for their Center as all these I quoted have both in the Old and New Testament 3. It is a practice among the Heathens as I have been informed when they Dedicate any thing to their Idol-Gods to take it and dip or plunge it all under water and if so then it is plainly forbidden in Levit. 20.23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nations which I cast out before you c. 4. Suppose for Arguments sake that it should be granted That dipping in Baptism was the Mode in those Hot Countries where it could not be so prejudicial to their Health yet it doth not therefore follow that Persons should be dipped all under water in these Northern Countries where it is so extream cold especially in the Winter unless there had been a positive Command given for so doing for Baptism is a Duty at all times of the Year for God never Appointed any Ordinance that would put his People in Jeopardy of their Lives 5. The Anabaptists will have Dipping to be the only Mode of Baptism For say they John baptized in Enon near Salim because there was much water there But the Learned do tell us that it should be read thus viz. Because there were many waters there And so I have it also in a Spanish Testament which I may as well make use of as Mr. B. K. hath of the Dutch Tongue Viz. John 3.23 Y Baptizava Tambien Juan en Enon junto a Salim porque Avia muchas Aguas y venian y eran Baptizados If it had been much water then it must have been mucho agua in the singular and not muchas aguas which is many waters in the plural And Travellers that have been in those Countries do say that there is scarcely water enough to cover a Mans Ancles much less to bury their Bodies 6. Another Scripture they lay great stress upon for Dipping is Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism c. In which Text is Typed out unto us the new Birth which consists of two parts namely the death of Sin and the Resurrection of Spiritual Life c. And both these are pointed at in Baptism as a Sign thereof and so it was in Circumcision both which you have represented together to the same purpose in Col. 2.10 11 12. which seems also to refer to or point out unto us the change of the Ordinance from Circumcision to Baptism viz. And ye are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ Buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Ver. 13 14. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses Blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross Here are several things to be observed from these Scriptures 1. Here is Circumcision and Baptism both pointing at one and the same thing viz. The death of the body of Sin for all the Elect of God vertually in the death of Christ and the Resurrection of their Spiritual Life when Christ arose from the dead which is the First Resurrection on whom the Second Death shall have no power for under the Figure of Circumcision it is said putting off the body of the sins of the flesh Secondly Under the
Infant-Seed of Believers are the proper Subjects of Baptism not to exclude Adult Proselytes and in proving this I shall Answer all Mr. B. K's Twenty Seven Arguments as fully and effectually as if I had confuted them one by one for the Ground of all his Arguments is to prove that all Children are excluded the Ordinance of Water-baptism in their Infancy And to effect my Purpose I shall take this Method viz. 1. I shall prove from the Sacred Scriptures that there is a Command from our Saviour Christ for the baptizing young Infants 2. There are undeniable Examples for it 3. I shall prove it from the peculiar Promises that are made to the Seed of Believers 4. From the Renowned Titles that are given unto them 5. From their being under the care conduct and Ministry of the blessed Angels 6. And Lastly From the tender care and sweet condescending Carriage and Behaviour of our blessed Redeemer to the Children of Believers above all other Mens Children in the World 1. There is a positive Command for the baptizing of Infants as well as of others in Christs Commission in Mat. 28.19 20. Go and disciple all nations that is Baptize them for if you observe Teaching comes after Go and disciple all nations make them disciples by baptism Now either Children are no part of a Nation or else there were no Children in all these Nations to whom Christ sent his Apostles and Ministers to preach the Gospel or else Children are every whit as much concerned in the Commission with a respect to Baptism as the Adult But Children are a great part of a Nation and for any to imagine that there were no Children in all these Nations is ridiculous and therefore Children are included in this Commission of our Lords and so they come under the Power and Authority of Christs positive Command to be baptized 2. They Object Children must be taught before they ought to be baptized and Children are not capable of being taught and therefore not capable of baptism Pray hear what God saith in Isa 59.21 As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Isa 54.13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children Heb. 8.11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest This Teaching of God proceeds from his Covenant Love as appears by the aforesaid Scriptures 2. In Mark 16.15 there is Christs positive Command to preach the Gospel to every creature that is to some of all Ages and Sects of the Rational Being therefore Children are concerned in this Command as being a very great part of the Rational Being and they have a great benefit by the Ministry of the Gospel which benefit lyeth principally in their Parents being so disciplined and taught as to be made Believers at which Instant their Children are also initiated and planted into the Covenant of Grace and are holy Children in Gods account 1 Cor. 7.14 and so have a Right to the holy Discipline viz. Water-baptism the Initiating Seal of the Covenant 3. And Lastly There is a Command for Children to hear the Word of the Lord as well as Adult Persons in Jer. 2.4 Even as Moses summoned all Israel Man Woman and Child to appear before God and renew their Covenant with him in Deut. 29.9 to 13. Thus I have proved A Command for the baptizing all the Infant-Seed of Believers 2. I will prove Infant-Baptism from clear Examples First From the Example of John the Baptist Mat. 3. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the regions round about Jordan And were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism he said unto them O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come c. John baptized all the Natural Seed of Abraham that came to his Baptism he refused none though at the same time he exhorted them to Repentance and not to rely upon their Covenant-Relation to Abraham Ver. 11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance c. So that it doth not appear that John baptized none but them which were truly penitent 1. Here you see all the Jews Men Women and Children that came unto John were baptized by him for all came to his Baptism for Children were a great part of Jerusalem and of all Judea c. And therefore Children were not excluded but were baptized 2. The Ordinance of Baptism was first Instituted among the Jews and their Seed before it was among the Gentiles and theirs many Years for the Gentiles must first be proselyted and taken visibly into Covenant by Discipline 3. And Lastly If John had not baptized all Children how could it be said that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region round about Jordan went out to him and were baptized of him Therefore it is plain that all were baptized by him Now if I should say All my Houshold are baptized and yet none of my Children are baptized who are almost double in number the rest of my Family How could that be true So that it is very plain from the Example of John the Baptist we have unquestionable Authority to baptize all our Children in their Infancy 2. There are Examples of Infant-baptism from the Apostles practice for they baptized whole Housholds wherefore if there had been but one Child in all these Housholds that was not baptized it could not properly have been said that the whole Houshold were baptized for children are the principal Upholders of the House for where there are no children that House is but of short duration and it is plain that believing Parents and their children make a holy House a sanctified Husband or a sanctified Wife and holy children make one Body and therefore they ought to be baptized 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body c. 3. Here are whole Housholds that were baptized by the Apostles Acts 18.8 Acts 16.14 15. and ver 30 31 33. and some others and also whole Housholds that were Believers which we read nothing at all of their Baptism 3. That Children are a great part of the Houshold is very clear for by our Saviours Words Parents and their children onely make the Houshold Mat. 10. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father and the daughter against her mother c. And a mans foes shall be they of his own houshold These were Parents and Children not one Servant mentioned And the Widow of Zarephath 1 King 17.15
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah and she and he and her house did eat many days Here was the Woman and the Prophet and her House that was her Son did eat many days for she had no more in her Family as in the 12th Verse Heb. 11. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house c. That was himself Wife and Children Gen. 6.1 7. So that it is impossible Children could be excluded if they had any because the word Houshold includes them but it would be very strange if there were no children in all those baptized Families that are mentioned in the Gospel only occasionally for no doubt but there were many thousands of Housholds more that were baptized in the Apostles Time which they had not the same occasion to mention in particular which we do not read of 4. And Lastly Though all the Infant-Seed of Believers are Holy Children in Scripture account yet they are not all savingly sanctified neither is Water-baptism it self such an Ordinance as to convey or infuse Grace and Holiness into the Subject baptized so as to unite them to Christ by Regeneration No that is the Work of the Holy Ghost alone in the Baptism by Fire Indeed this I do believe that God may nay many times doth while the external Sign of Regeneration and Sanctification is applying without work the thing signified by his holy Spirit internally within Thus you see here are clear Examples of Infant-Baptism and good Authority for it unless it can be proved that there were no Children in all these Nations that Christ commissioned his Apostles to preach the Gospel unto 3. It is clear that all the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right unto the Ordinance of Baptism in their Infancy from the peculiar Promises of God made unto them above all other Children in the World 1. God hath promised to be their God Gen. 17.7 Psal 112.2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 102.28 The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee And in Isa 29.23 Isa 44.3 Isa 65.22 Act. 2.29 Here you see are Precious Promises made to the Children of Believers to be fulfilled and accomplished in Gospel-times and is it rational to conceive that God would not allow them the Ordinance of Baptism that is now the Seal or Token of the Covenant wherein all these Promises are contained which God hath made to the Seed of Believers Therefore all the Children of Believers ought to be baptized in their Infancy 4. We may infer that the Infant Seed of Believers have a Right to Baptism from the Renowned Titles that are given them First they are called Disciples Acts 15.1 10. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved They did not say After the manner of Abraham No for they were zealous of the Ceremonial Law These Men came from Judea where John had been baptizing all that came to him ver 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear But it may be Objected Those were Adult believing Gentiles Which in part is true but it was to their Children principally for they which taught them that they themselves must be circumcised did also teach them that their Children must be circumcised and that the Jews Children must be circumcised likewise as doth clearly appear from Acts 21. Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the law And they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children c. Pray when was this that the Apostle did thus teach the People Why do but look back into Acts 15. and you will find it was when the Men came down from Judea and preached up Circumcision and were such Zealots for the Law of Moses as that they told the People they could not be saved without keeping of it So that it is clear that these Children in Acts 11. were of the number of those Disciples in Acts 15.10 And therefore the Infant-Seed of Believers are Disciples and ought to be baptized as being in Christs Commission Matth. 28.19 20. Now a little by way of Query and Expostulation 1. Is it any ways likely that the believing Jews would have been brought off from circumcising their Children without an Ordinance that was equivalent or better in the room of it Especially if we do but consider how hard a Task the Apostles had to bring them off from it for they thought they should be damned if they did neglect it Acts 15.1 2. If we do but consider what a great Esteem the Jews hath for the Ordinance of Baptism which may be measured by the Question our Saviour put to those Great Men when they came to him to question his Authority in Mark 11. 29 30. They did not dare to say that John's Baptism was of Men for fear that the People would have stoned them 3. If it were such a dangerous thing for those Priests Scribes and Elders to have denied John's Baptism to be of divine Authority what a dangerous thing would it have been for any Man to have Asserted that all their Children had been cast out of Abraham's Covenant or to have opened their Mouths against Infant-baptism seeing the Apostles had so much adoe to bring them off from Circumcision which was the Seal or Token of the Covenant and did Typifie our Saviours bloody Baptism namely his Death and Sufferings 1. It was a bloody Ordinance Exod. 4.25 26. So was Christs Sufferings Luke 12.50 2. It was a painful Ordinance so was Christs Sufferings 3. It was an Ordinance wherein all the Subjects were passive so was Christ in his bloody Baptism 4. It was an Ordinance of Incision or cutting off the Flesh so was the Sufferings of Christ Dan. 9.26 After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself 5. And Lastly The Male Children were only to be circumcised which did Typifie that Christ our Redeemer must be a Man and that of sorrow and the Pascal Lamb did Type out the same It must be a male of the flock without blemish so must Christ be a Male of the Flock or Tribe of Judah without sin But the Females must not be circumcised because they could not make a True Figure of Christ our Passeover which was sacrificed for us But the Females have the Ordinance of Child-bearing which is the True Figure of Regeneration without which there could have been no Circumcision 2. When Christ the Antitype came in the Flesh and was offered up a Sacrificeâ— for
Sin then both these two Ordinances viz. Circumcision and the Passeover were transformed into Baptism and the Lords Supper and whereas the two former did shew the Lords Death to come so the two latter do shew that the Lord is come and hath been offered up a Sacrifice for sin and Baptism is the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith as succeeding Circumcision 4. I challenge Mr. B. K. to prove that ever the believing Jews children were denied the Ordinance of Baptism or that Infant-baptism is any where forbid in the Gospel 5. And Lastly Let him also prove if he can that ever any one Child either of believing Jew or Gentile did stay until he was an Adult Person and then made a confession of his Faith and was baptized for no doubt but there were many thousands of Believers children and Grand-children that were Believers and grown Persons in the Apostles Time whose Parents might be baptized by John at the first Institution of that Ordinance And would it not be very strange if they had not been baptized in their Infancy that we should not read of one that had been baptized when he came to Years of understanding Timothy's Mother and Grandmother were both Believers and he himself an Eminent Saint and he made a great Figure in the Church of Christ and yet we never read of his Baptism but we do of his Circumcision but no doubt but as the latter was in his Manhood so the former was in the time of his Childhood Thus I have proved the Infant-Seed of Believers to be Disciples 2. All the Infant-Seed of Believers are called holy Children 1 Cor. 7.14 Even as the Children of Israel were because they were a Covenant-People and yet all Israel were not saved for with many of them God was not well-pleased neither do I believe that all the Seed of Gospel-Believers will be saved though they are baptized but all that are Elected shall be saved They are holy by vertue of their being in the Covenant with their Parents and as Christ did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it so neither did he come to Repeal nor Dissolve the Covenant but to confirm it Dan. 9. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself c. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week c. 5. The Infant-Seed of Believers are under the Ministry of the Holy Angels Mat. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven And look back on the 6th verse and you will see that they were Children that believed in Christ Heb. 1. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation The blessed Angels have the care and conduct of all the Elect of God both in their Lives and at their Deaths Luke 16. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome That was into Eternal Glory and the Angels are as capable of doing Service for an Elect Infant both living and dying as they are for the oldest Saint upon Earth because the Angels are not Acted by any power of the Creatures but by the Power of God therefore the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right to Baptism in which Ordinance all the Subjects are as passive as all the Subjects of Circumcision were and the Children of Believers do make the same passive Figure in the Church now as the Children of the Jews did in the Church under the Law for our Saviour tells us that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Church 6. And Lastly To crown all the rest Was the sweet compassionate behaviour of our blessed Redeemer towards the Infant-Seed of Believers in Mark 10. And they brought young children unto him that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God And he took them up in his arms put his hands upon them and blessed them 1. Here was no bodily Distemper complained of nor no cure wrought upon their Bodies 2. These Children were the Infant-Seed of Believers For if their Parents had not been reconciled unto Christ they would never have brought their children unto him to be blessed by him 3. As they were Adult Believers that brought them to Christ so were they also which rebuked them that brought them 4. And Lastly Christ did receive them and laid his Hands on them and blessed them and also prayed Thus you see that the sweet carriage and compassionate behaviour of our blessed Redeemer towards these little Infants of believing Parents doth clearly demonstaate unto us that they were in the Covenant and were baptized before they were thus visibly brought unto Christ seeing that he himself laid his hands on them and blessed them for laying on of Hands in the Primitive Time was succedaneous to Baptism Acts 8.12 15 16 17. Thus you see it clearly made out That all the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right to the Ordinance of Baptism and this brings me to take notice of that Query of B. K's viz. What Benefit is it to a Child to be baptized To which I reply So might proud carnal Reason have Queried in the Time of Circumcision What benefit have our Young Infants by being circumcised at Eight Days old But the Apostles Answer is very compatible to Mr. K. Rom. 3.1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew or what profit is there of circumcision Much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Believing Gentiles and their Children are one Body and likewise a holy People 1 Cor. 7.14 And so they have a Federal Right unto the Oracles of God as Israel had of old 3. Baptism is a solemn Dedication of our Children unto God from whom we received them and it must be done by a solemn Act by the Parents consent in an Ordinance of God or else it is but humane Invention therefore if it ought not to be done in that Church Ordinance namely Baptism then I desire to know of those Gentlemen that oppose it what Church Ordinance it must be done in that is more compatible than that of Baptism 4. And Lastly It is the Duty of all Christian Believers to look upon all their Children in their Infancy as Elected of God from all Eternity It is not for us to reprobate any of them in our Minds and say If I knew which of my Children were chosen of God I would dedicate them only unto God in Baptism For that indeed is a secret we ought not to pry into it is Gods Prerogative only to know which of our Childrens Names are written in