Anabaptists by proving unto them that mis-begotten children and Bastards were not to be put away in respect of civill use for sayth he who should nourish or bring them up rather then their owne parents 2 Sam. 11.4 5. 12.14 15 c. Moreover If unbeleevers cannot be sanctified to beget or conceive a holy seed except they be yoked unto beleevers as you here grant by your words in saying that * See A. R. Pag. 12. lin 19. that which is sanctified to a beleever being unsanctified to an unbeleever must needs be sanctified unto him by his beleeving And so the meaning of the translations whether by or to * See A. R. lin 16 is all one and may be thus expressed That the unbeleeving wife is sanctified unto the beleeving husband by or through his beleeving Then it will follow by your owne confession that though an unbeleever be in the state of matrimony yet except it be with a beleever the unbeleever cannot procreate such a holy seed * To wit not borne visibly holy in the holy Covenant as the Infants of beleevers are spoken of in 1 Cor. 7 14. And so this argueth that there is a great and manifest difference in respect of holinesse between the infants of beleevers and the infants of Infidells And that this holinesse proceedeth not meerly according to your former inferences * Pag. 11. lin 36 37 38. Lin. 14 15. from a lawfull conjunction in respect of Matrimony which is honourable to all Neither doth the unbeleevers being sanctified come simply by being in the honourable state of Marriage which those have who are not so sanctified but because she or he is coupled in marriage with such a beleever Keep still to this that the unbeleeving yoak-fellow may be sanctifiâ—d to her or his beleeving yoak-fellow but not to any unbeleever And then there will be some more hope that you will be drawn out of your Anti podobaptisticall errours for as I sayd before this doth shew that those children whose parents are neither of them beleevers are not holy nor sanctified by their birth from any ground appearing in 1 Cor. 7.14 or any other Scripture Moreover I know none that pleadeth that the unbeleeving wife of the beleever should be admitted to Baptisme and Church-fellowship with her beleeving husband And yet shee is sanctified unto him in the enjoyment of her to bring forth a holy seed and therefore is in this respect far different from his cattell and beasts with whom he may not so unite himselfe they are not so sanctified to him as to bring forth a holy seed but his wife is which difference you doe not set downe when you say * See A R. Pag. 12. lin 21 22 23. that shee is no otherwise sanctified then servants and his cattell and beasts But you should have minded that the Beasts are sanctified to him as beasts the servants as servants and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified in him to him or by him as a wife But touching the children they are holy under the holy Covenant as hath been formerly observed and proved and shall be further cleared A. R. Pag. 12. li. 27 28. A. R. To another Question which you call an Objection Whether the Children of beleevers have no more priviledge then the children of Heathens Turkes and Infidells You say * Lin. 29. In respect of the Covenant of Grace and Salvation none at all Ans If by their children heer you meane their infants then I absolutely affirme and will prove that the infants of beleevers have more priviledge then the infants of unbeleeving Heathens in respect of the Covenant of grace and salvation for God hath testified to Abraham * Gen. 17.7 Jer 30.22 Ezek. 37.27 Heb. 8.10 saying I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee And this is the new Covenant of grace and of salvation That God will be our God and wee shall be his people Which Covenant is not made unto the wicked and their off-spring to Turkes and Heathens who are without God in the world Rev. 21.3 Nor have they any ground to hope for the salvation of their infants for true hope is grounded upon some promise of God which they are destitute of 2 Cor. 6.16.18 and where God hath made no promise who can expert performance Touching secret things they belong unto the Lord our God but things revealed appertaine to us and our children * Deut. 29.27 for ever And whereas you say * Pag. 12. lin 30. It commeth not by any naturall Birth but by the worke of the Spirit for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth Joh. 3.7 8. And God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him Act. 10.34 35. I answer As the Saints generation doth not hinder their regeneration so their naturall birth doth not hinder the birth of the Spirit for the Spirit bloweth where it listeth John 3.8 And yet the sound thereof may be heard by the testimonies of Scripture which declareth that the Spirit of God is in all that are his and he hath wrought upon some of the infants of beleevers miraculously before they were born and God loveth all his Saints without respect of persons * God hath promised to circumcise our heart and the heart of our seed and this is the work of the Spirit yea he respecteth the poorest of their infants before the infants of the world which are without though they are never so rich In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Act. 10.34 35. And as those infants in the time of the Law whom he claimed visibly for his own in speciall were not then to be judged destitute of his Spirit no more are such holy infants now for as Gods Spirit is the Spirit of promise so God is alwayes as good as his word Whereas you say * See A. R. Pag. 12. lin 34. In respect of the means of salvation their priviledge in having beleeving parents is far more then those that have not because beleeving parents may be a means to bring their Children to the knowledge and faith of Jâ—sus Christ and so be instruments of their salvation as Sainâ— Paul saith here The beleeving husband may save his unbeleeving wife I answer If by children here you meane infants if this be all the priviledge you will afford them I thanke you for nothing But it is well they are not at your finding for indeed this measure of yours is somewhat scant If they die in their infancie how shall their parents bring them to the knowledge and faith of Jesus Christ yea how shall they beleeve that they goe to heaven if they had not some warrant to beleeve that the worke of regeneration was wrought in them before If the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and the graces of his holy Spirit were not imputed unto them before Psal
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
means of their naturall birth or generation after the flesh but by the Spirit of regeneration howbeit it is a certaine truth that the Saints generation doth not hinder regeneration in any of them Generation doth not worke regeneration but generation causeth distinctioÌ„ of persons that what was one in the root is become more in the branches or what was one in such a branch growing on such a roote bringeth forth other branches Abrahams holy action was Levies by imputation See Heb. 7.9 or as it were little sprigges who are in a growing condition or in a way of thriving so long as they are borne up and receive nourishment from the roote And this division or distinction by way of derivation doth not simply make qualities contra-distinct and opposit one to the other or break the conjunction or contraction between them or take away the vertue of the roote from them For Abrahams act of obedience which he did before Levi was an infant was imputed unto Levi afterward which act was an act of obedience even a fruit of faith which cannot be without the Spirit Now when Levi was borne should they have sayd that he was an unregenerated Infant Nay rather it may be thought that they esteemed as well of Levi in his infancie as Eve did of Seth in his infanciâ— when Seth was borne shee did not say God hath sent moâ— a young Heathen or Canite though the seed of Caine was hers by generation but saith shee The Lord hath sent mee another seed in stead of Abel whom Caine slew Marke now shee did not say in stead of Caine or in stead of Caines infants which did indeed spring naturally from Adams loynes but in stead of Abel saith shee Therefore I say it is apparent that though generation did not worke regeneration yet shee beleeved in God and had so much faith 〈…〉 to put a reall difference between Apostates and those who were not Apostated but were spiritually holy And in that it is said that Seth was in stead of Abel it is a plaine Argument that as Abel was in the Covenant and as Abel was a member of the Church so was Seth according to his name so was he set or appointed instead of Abel for the saying imports that he took the roome of Abel as when one plant is removed out of a fruitfull soyle and another planted in stead thereof And seeing God refuseth not the bodies of his Saints but accepteth of them in his gracious Covenant though they are generated persons it plainly argueth that generation doth not hinder regeneration And therefore it appeareth that this your reason concerning generation and regeneration is of no force against the holy Children spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 but ratheâ— maketh for them as shall be further made to appeare And all which you have said here doth not prove that the holinesse of children there is not meant of any holines in relation to any Church-Covenant which is the thing for which you brought it The Infants of beleevers are visibly holy in relation to faith and the holy Covenant The unbeleeving yoak-fellowes abiding with their be leâ—ving yoak fellowes are sanctified by them for this end Else were their Children uncleane but now are they holy So sayth the holy Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 Your children are holy that is to say the children of you beleevers in Covenant with your God they are the children of the Covenant differing from those children that are unholy and out of the Covenant But against this you argue that what is an effect of regeneration is not brought to passe by generation though the parents be holy And I suppose that those Merit-mongers keeping still to their principles may beleeve the contrary I meane such Merit-mongers who against the Gospel of free-grace do labour vehemently to shut out all beleevers infants from the new Jerusalem Rev. 22.14 15. and so doe in their conceptions rank them with dogs and whoremongers without and judge them not to be in the Covenant or regenerated because they have not a naturall capabilitie to discerne apprehend and both actually verbally professe faith in their own persons yea they judge all infants to be visibly in one condition and out of the Covenant in visibilitie without putting any visible distinction between the Infants of the Church and the Infants out of the Church But if that which is an effect of regeneration were to be brought to passe by generation they might with some colour of truth ranke them all in one visible estate considering that they are all generated And then there had been no weight in the Apostles speech concerning this matter But we are to know that the Apostle had good reason for what he sayd The Master of spirits was his instructor whose words are not to be wrested and perverted and so made of none effect but are discreetly to be observed and faithfully obeyed And though some doe despise the Lords vessells of small quantitie even holy infants the young Olive plants of beleeving parents esteeming them unregenerated yet wee are taught to esteeme highly of them and to honour them as the precious Saints whom the most high God hath regenerated and seperated to himselfe as his peculiar treasure who are justified and sanctified and saved by him and therefore ought to be sealed unto him by Baptisme as such holy Infants in the time of the Law were sealed unto him by Circumcision And you your selfe doe grant that to be of the Covenant or Kingdome is the proper effect of regeneration Joh 3.3 without which none can see it much lesse be of it Consider what you say for here you must confesse that seeing all that see the kingdom of God are regenerated either the Infants of beleevers which die in their infancie are regenerated or else that they shall never see the Kingdome of God much lesse be of it But Christ hath testified that the kingdome of heaven consisteth of such and therefore wee may safely conclude that though they die in their infancie yet they shall see the kingdome of God and therefore it appeareth that they are regenerated What will you say now in answer to your argument seeing it maketh not against holy infants but for them Surely you will denie that they have any of the effects of regeneration or else you will denie your owne argument or the Scripture of God which declareth that they are in covenant or else confesse that the infants of beleevers are to be accounted holy persons in covenant with God and heires of his heavenly Kingdome according as the holy Scripture teacheth us one of these you will doe if silence prevent you not Moreover I know not how you take the beeing in the Covenant or Kingdome there is a two-fold beeing therein to wit externall and internall outward and inward visible and invisible as I observed before concerning persons enterance into the Church Act. 8.13 Simon Magus beleeved and was rightly baptized with the
see his Treat of Bap. pag. 20. lin 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. consisted all of visible Saints Deut. 29.18 to be câ—rrupt For the like you said before in your book p. 4 That they stood meerly upon nature and circumcision of the flâ—sh not by faith and circumcision of the heart And here you oppose this nature unto grace the naturall seed unto the spirituall seed And thus it appeareth that you hold neither the matter nor forme of the Church to be spirituall then nor the persons graciâ—us but ungracious fleshly and carnall But the Scripture teacheth us that they were a holy nation and a peculiar people unto the Lord their God and so excellent that none were like unto them Great advantage had they every manner of way Vnto them was committed the Oracles of God And shall wee thinke that God committed his Oracles to a Church which had a carnall constitution or that he owned such for his holy peculiar people God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham that he would be a God unto him and his seed for ever And though the Law was added because of transgression yet it could not disanull the covenant and therefore not the Church or people of the covenant or the seale of the promise Now surely if that the Church had been constituted upon nature corrupted such as you have opposed to grace and upon the naturall not upon the spirituall seed * See before in this Treatise pag. 29 30 31. For there it is answered at large then there was no difference between the Israelites and the Heathens and then was the Church of Israel no communion of Saints but a mixt multitude which to thinke is very erronious as may appeare by these Scriptures Exod. 19.5 6. 22.31 12.48 49. Num. 9.14 15.15 Levit. 19.2 20.7 8. Deut. 7.6 14.1 2. 26.18 19. 1 King 8.53 Deut. 4.20 29.10 11 12 13. 10.15 Psal 147.14 But from this your groundlesse affirmation you would through an inference make another disparitie between the Church of the Jewes and the Church of the Gentiles You say That was therefore termed Israel according to the flesh and of the circumcision of the flesh this Israel according to the Spirit and of the circumcision of the heart Rom. 8 28.29 Rom. 9.6 7 8. Coll. 2.11 And to this I answer That your speech doth here import as if none who were Israel according to the flesh were Israelites according to the spirit but the Apostle sayth All are not Israel that are of Israel He maketh a manifest difference between Israel the Church of God and those who were not really Israelites though they came of Israels loynes according to the flesh But your speech crosseth the Apostles speech and tendeth to prove that all were Israel that were of Israel But what will you say to the Proselytes and their seed Were they Israel according to the flâ—sh Surely they were not therefore they were Israelites according to the spirit As well as others who were also Israelites both according to the spirit and flesh Moreover None were to be circumcised externally in the flesh but those who were in Gods covenant and were circumcised in heart so farre as mâ—n could discerne and those that were in Gods covenant were Israelites spiritually and so to be esteemed even as true members of the Church So David sayth Yet surely God is good unto Israel unto those that are pure in heart Deut. 30.6 Circumcision of the flesh sealed unto them the circumcision of the heart and this God promised both to them and their seed and then both male and female were all one in Christ * Exod 12.48 49. Num. 9.14 15.14 15 16. and so they are now ** Gal. 3.28 As for the Scriptures Rom. 2.28 29. Rom. 9.6 7 8 Coll. 2.11 which you cite they make nothing for your present purpose to prove That that was onely called Israel according to the flesh and the other onely according to the spirit The one constituted upon that nature which you have opposed to grace upon the naturall seed destitute of the spirit the other constituted on grace without nature and the spirituall seed of Abraham without the naturall seed Prove this and then you say something else it is nothing to your purpose But indeed the substance of what you say heer is answered at large in this Treatise pag. 29 30 31 32 33. And now I will proceed to examine the Scriptures which you have cited heer for confirmation of these your opinions As touching Rom 2.28 29. there the Apostle declareth who are the true Jewes indeed namely those that are Jewes inwardly and that the true Circumcision indeed is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is of God c. Now will you reason from this place that those who were the naturall seed not degenerating were not the spirituall seed and that because God accepted of the infants with their parents and commanded them to be circumcised that therefore the Church-state was built upon nature and not upon Christ Surely you cannot gather any such thing from the Apostles words in Rom. 2.28 29. nor from any other place of Scripture but rather the contrary Yea the Apostle in the following Chapter declareth that as for the advantage of the Jew and the profit of circumcision it was much every manner of way chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God For sayth he what if some did not beleeve shall their unbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid And so he concludeth that both Jewes and Gentiles are justified by faith Seeing it is one God which shall justifie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith Doe wee then make voyd the Law through faith sayth he God forbid yea wee establish the Law And in the fourth Chapter Paul treateth of justification by faith without workes and expoundeth Davids speech for whereas David sayth * Psal 32.1 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile Paul explaineth it thus Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without works From which places of Scripture much may be gathered against those who denie infants to have faith imputatively for the Apostle declareth that he to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne is a righteous person Now every person is either righteous or unrighteous for as righteousnesse is not imputed unto those to whom sinne is imputed So those whose iniquities are pardoned and their sinne covered the Lord imputing no sinne unto them he imputeth righteousnesse unto them without workes and this righteousnesse is that which justifieth before God It was faith which was counted unto Abraham for righteousnesse And so he proceedeth in the 9th 10th and 11th verses to prove that this blessing or blessednesse came not onely upon the circumcision but also upon
say must be judged to be as a true Saint is till he be discovered to us for though God know the heart yet wee doe not though he see invisibly we cannot We must judge of invisible things by visible demonstrations Some men may creep in and make a faire shew outwardly for a while yea and a great while and yet be hypocrites but tell they are discovered to be evill what man can poynt them out and say from his own knowledge that they are not under the new covenant A persoÌ„ that offers to joyn himself to a particular Church of Christ and not only by his verball confession but by his life and conversation apeareth unto them to be an out-side Christian they knowing nothing by him but good if they refuse him it is their sinne though all which he doth outwardly is fained A humane creature though he have the wisdom knowledg of Angels yet can he not know what is in man none I say knoweth this but only the man Christ wherefore it is apparent that though none are by us to be esteemed spiritually holy but those that are outwardly in the same new covenant in which the visible Church is yet all the members therein ought so to be estemed till they are seen to degenerate And moreover I would have you to know that God doth not only accept of our inward performances but of our very words yea of all externall holy performances in his worship and service if they be done according to his will so David saith Lâ—â— the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight * Psal 19.14 So that though all our worship and service unto God ought to be spirituall and done in spirit and in truth yet God hath not bound us to doe it only internally Holinesse both inward and outward is accepted of God and not externally also yea for as much as he hath made us bodies as well as soules and spirits therefore he doth require outward performances of us as well as inward * Mat. 28.20 Rev. 1.3.11 Zach. 14.16 17 18 19. Luke 22.19 20 but when his saints are not capable God then doth accept of them neverthelesse and imputeth Christ righteousnesse unto them notwithstanding their naturall weaknesse Let them while they are capable keep themselves unsported and doe that which God requireth and then when they are no more capable to know or do any spirituall action they are still not only knowne of God 1 Cor. 5.3 6.1 2 3 4 5 20. 16.1.2 Act. 1.26 2.42 Iam 2.18 but beloved of Christ and sanctified by the holy Sprit for though they cannot apprehend Gods working in them yet God can tell how he worketh in them and saveth them by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse * Ps 3 2.2 Rom. 4.6 And after this manner doth God worke in the Infants of beleevers So long as they are not capable he doth not require them to act but to suffer as holy infants in former time suffered not only the administration of his passive ordinance * Gen. 17.14 23 Ios 5.3.7.8 of circomcision but also death * Ex. 1.22 Act. 7.19 1 Sam. 22.19 A. R. Pag. 4. l. 13. to l. 24. it selfe for his sake from the hands of Gods enimies But your inference from your foregoing reasons is That if beleevers childeren be in the covenant and have this true holinesse then all the childeren of beleeving parents must be saved as well old childeren as young for age doth not make them cease from being their childeren But all the childeren of beleevers are not saved no not of faithfull Abraham himselfe according to that known sentence of the Prophet Isaiah 10.21 Repeated by Saint Paul Romans 9.27 Though the number of the childeren of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved Therefore the childeren of beleevers are not in the covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptized To which I Ans That beleevers children are in the covenant is true but that all the childeren of all beleevers are in the covenant is not true but all their holy infants are and ought so to be judged accounted euen in the state of salvation as wel as the greatest verball professors of the faith of Christ and all these infants of beleeving parents that live till they come to yeares of discretion are still to be acounted holy and spirituall except they apostate Now though the Scripture declareth that a remnant shall be saved yet we are directed by the rule of Gods Word to judge that beleeving parents and their seed that doe not degenerate are of this remnant But the childeren of beleevers in their infancie have not power actually to degenerate from the righteous steps of their holy parents But ould childeren may possibly So Ishmael when he was an infant was not a mocker neither was Cain in his infancie a murtherer but when they came to yeares and acted these wickednesses they were for the same cast out the one from communion with the familie of Adam * Gen. 4.11.14.16 the other from the familie of Abraham * Gen. 21.9.10 And as you reason here against beleevers infants being in the new Covenant because you know not absolutely whether they shall be saved So you may reason against the parents themselves though they are members of the visible Church and also as well plead against every verball professor that is a visible member of the same body Thus All you which seem to be beleevers are a people which have indeed taken upon you the profession of the great name of God and have given up your selves unto him to walke in all his wayes and say you have taken hold of Gods Covenant and have covenanted together to become an entire body City House Temple Garden Vineyard c. unto God whom you suppose to be your builder and planter c. So you thinke your selves to be his holy people his bride by marriage his peculiar treasure in covenant with him c But alas you are much deceived you thinke your selves to be in a holy and happie estate in Covenant with God and that you have right to his Ordinances but it is not so For then it will follow That if you beleevers members of this visible Church be in the Covenant and have this true holinesse then every member of you must be saved as well old as young c. But all the members of the visible Church are not saved no not of the Christian Church in the Apostles time for divers of them perished as Judas Iscareot one of the Lambs 12 Apostles and Simon Magus Therfore though you profess faith you are not in the Covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptised If this be a good and sufficient ground or reason to prove the parents not to be in the new Covenant nor to be baptized then the same reason
circumcision of the flesh was to teach them it being the signe k Gen 17.11 and seal l Rom. 4 11. Col. 2.11 12. of the righteousnesse of faith as baptisme is now And this you may minde also that though the rebellious seed of Abraham according to the flesh were rejected m Esay 2.6.9 yet the strangers that joyned to the Lord were still received n Esay 56.3 4 5 6 7 8. wherefore this is a plain evidence that they stood by the grace and life of God and Christ and circumcision of the heart for the cause why God rejected some of the circumcised seed of Abraham according to the flesh was because they were uncircumcised in heart o Ier. 9.25 26. and therefore the Lord threatned to visite them and did visit them with the uncircumcised in flesh Wherefore it appeareth that without faith and circumcision of the heart they could not stand at all And the Scripture saith that the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off for unbeliefe and that those that stand doe stand by faith and therefore are admonished not to be high minded but fear p Rom. 11.20 and take heed q v 21. and continue in the beautifulnesse of God r v. 22. and that the unbeleeving Jewes also if they abide not in unbeliefe shall be grafted in again Å¿ v. 23. Wherefore it appeareth that as unbeliefe was the cause why the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off from the olive tree whereon they were so unbeliefe was the bar which kept them off for if they abide not in unbeliefe they shall be grafted in again and this proveth that their standing was never to be otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart Neither are we to thinke that the giving of the Law at mount Sinai or the ceremonies which the Jewes then had to lead them to Christ or any of Gods Oracles being committed unto them or any persons groundlesse departing from the State doth argue that the constitution of the same Church was as you would have it taken to be Neither did their circumcision of the flesh argue that they stood not by faith and circumcision of the heart no more then the outward baptisme doth now argue that the Saints now stand not by faith and the inward baptisme of the heart and spirit but meerly upon nature and baptisme of the flesh But you should know that as it is not possible to please God now without faith * Heb. 11.6 no more was it then * Psal 50.18 In the time of the Law God abhorred his own Ordinances if they were not done in faith * Isa 1.13 14. And as faith gave Abraham the denomination of Gods friend the righteousnesse of which faith Circumcision was a seal * Rom. 4.11 so none were ever esteemed as the holy people the sonnes and daughters and friends of God but those that were made nigh unto him by the promise of Christ and by faith and circumcision of the heart And you should know that the Jewes had not outward spirituall holinesse visibly imputed unto them meerly because they were the children of Abraham but because Abraham their Father and they his children were the children of God and their childrens children were in Covenant and so they were the children of the promise as Isaack was and blessed with their Father Abraham And this may further appeare unto you because when any of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh did degenerate their rejection was not for or because that they were the children of Abraham but because they had taken upon them the image of Satan and so degenerated from the steps of Abraham and thereby became the children of Belial And as we may say concerning these Hebrews so we may say concerning the Heathens when any of the Gentiles or Heathens became Prosolites their childeren that were at yeares of discretion were not to be circumcised unlesse they were willing to enter into covenant with God and to take upon them the Lords yoake and fight under his banner Howbeit whether they were circumcised or not they were still the Prosolytes children according to the flesh But concerning the infants of the Prosolytes there was no questioning of them they were to be circumcised being in the covenant with their parents and yet not circumcised because they were their childeren by nature but because they were in the same covenant with their holy parents and so they were the childeren of God by his free Grace And the Scripture doth evidently declare that none were to be admitted into the Church of the Jewes but believing Hebrews and Prosolytes and their holy seed By all this it apeareth that the members of the Jewes state had a spirituall holinesse upon them and stood no otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart And were not as those who were neither beleeving Jewes nor Prosolytes Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world without Christ and strangers from the covenants of promise But the Church of the Jewes the Lorâ—s peculiar people were made nigh unto God by the blooâ— of Jesus Christ which was then to be shed and is now shed for the remission of their sins and their reconciliation to God the father and his blessed spirit And whereas you say that the state or Church of the Jews is abollished I tell you I am not bound to beleeve that God abollished his Chuâ—ch state whereof David Solomon Hezekias Josias and the holy Prophets and righteous men were members such a Church at the constitution whereof there was no prophane person to be admitted or any root beating gall or wormwood to be suffered but if you thinke that God changed the state in the daies of the Messias his manifestation in the flesh and made it more glorious Even as the Moone is said to be changed when shee hath run her course but remaineth still the same Moone though more glorious then before this I would rather beleeve then that And touching your speech of the abolishing of the other things If you mean an abolishing of all the beggarly rudiments taking away the Elimentish part of some Ordinances and planting other materialls in stead thereof then I grant it But be sure that you stick to this that Christ came not to deceive the Infants of beleeving parents to take away the substance of the Ordinances but rather the yoakes which cleaved thereunto which circumstantiall things he nayled to his Crosse in token that those who rightly and truely enjoyed them before were now benefited without them and were to have through a generall distribution an equall proportionable share and right to whatsoever came in stead thereof Now let us consider that if the infants of beleevers members of the Church of the Jews were not then aliens from the Common wealth of Israel nor without hope nor without God in the world They were not then without Christ neither were they Strangers from the Covenants
Psal 103.5 Next you rehearse a question What holinesse it here meant to the Children To which you answer That it is not that holinesse that accompanieth faith and such holinesse onely is available to the admittance into the state of the Gospel and to have right to Baptisme To which I answer that it is to be taken for that holinesse that accompanieth faith and therefore it is available to admit them into the state of the Gospel and giveth them visible right to Baptisme and this may appeare unto you from the Apostles testimony which declareth that if one of the parents be a beleever the children are holy different from those uncleane children whose parents are neither holy nor sanctified to the holy to produce a holy seed and therefore I conclude that we are to account the Infants of beleevers to have that holines upon them which accompanieth faith and giveth them visible right to Baptisme they are to be judged to be of the number of Gods elect as really as those are to be judged who professe faith and manifest obedience in their owne persons And it is further to be minded that visible Saints who make a verball profession and walke holily in outward appearance though we cannot infallibly tell whether they have faith or no they are to be baptized And we are not to dreame that wee can discerne internally in men seeing God only knoweth the heart and no man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is in him yet where we see a holy verball profession and a life and conversation annexed thereunto and correspondent therewith outwardly though the inward qualifications be not according to the requiring of the Word yet wee are to judge them to have that internall true holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord and also that the Lord hath admitted them into the fellowship of his Son Jesus and into the state of his Gospel and that they are as lively precious stones as living fruitfull plants and therefore are to be accounted to have as much right to Baptisme as he that manifesteth more holinesse So it is said of Simon magus Acts 8.13 that he also beleeved and was baptized and yet afterwards when he manifested evill fruits Peter said unto him * Ver. 21.22.23 Note though Simon Magus was in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie yet he was sayd before to beleeve and was baptized And now since Peter biddeth him repent c. Which doth plainly shew that Peter knew not then but that he might be saved Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thine heart is not right in the sight of God Repent c. for I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie And therefore we are to baptize those whom we are to judg to have holines internally though in Gods sight they have it not That is to say Those that have holinesse outwardly are to be admitted into the outward visible state and are to have the outward Baptisme they being to be judged to have the inward graces as the holy children of beleevers have in visibilitie and so are to be esteemed in the judgement of charitie which thinketh no evill But what is the reason why you thinke that the holinesse ascribed by the Apostle to the children of beleevers is not that holines that accompanieth faith Is it because they cannot work Is it so indeed I tell you that the Scripture teacheth us that those that are of the faith though they cannot work the same are the children of Abraham a Gal. 3.7 and that the children of the promise are counted for the seed b Gal. 4.28 and that Isack was a childe of promise in his infancie c Ver. 28 29 30 31. And that faith and works are different things d Rom. 4.2.4 And therefore though the holy children of beleevers cannot work yet the Lord imputeth righteousnesse unto them e Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 4.6 Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 without works And yet we are to minde f Phil. 2.12 that the Lord would not have his people to cease from working and to be idle so long as they are able to worke But when they have neither will skill nor abilitie as many a visible Saint that is in years may want and yet be no Covenant-breaker then the Lord accepteth of them and imputeth his righteousnesse unto them as if they had done all the holy workes which ever were done in the world by any who were imputed righteous God is a wise God and knoweth that his Saints can doe nothing without him nor act further then they have capabilitie therefore in his mercie he exacteth no more Good in his wisdome knew that the Infants of beleevers were capable of passive Ordinances and therefore he instituted the same to be imposed upon them and administred unto them But as for active ordinances which they could not performe nor had naturall capabilitie to doe God did not require it at their hands no more then he did require the Proselytes females to be circumcised who as you say were implyed in the males And this doth in no way eclipse the Glorie of Christs mediatorship but advanceth the free Grace of God and the righteousnesse of Christ far above all the works in the world But to affirme that the infants of beleevers have not the true holines which accompanieth faith is in a manner to darken the Glorious Sunne of Righteousnesse and the light of his Gospel with a meritorious smoake of corrupt doctrine arising out of the bottomlesse pit of sorie mans deceiptfull heart But let us heare what you say further for confirmation of your affirmation True it is that in the time of the Law and state of the Jewes A. R. Pag. 6. lin 5. and old Covenant there were some fiderally and outwardly holy and outwardly uncleane and then all men yea all things in the world were distinguished by this kinde of holinesse So the uncircumcised were then unholy and they of the Circumcision holy and might not accompanie with the other Act. 11.3 And accordingly had they their outward washings and purifications for these their outward pollutions all which were but typicall things and all these and such like distinctions are now abolished with that State and quite taken away out of the world by the comming of Christ and this is evident by Peters vision Act. 10.11 c. expounded by himselfe in the 28. verse where he sayth That God had shewed him that he should not call any man polluted or uncleane Whence it is cleare that now all men in the world are as cleane as the Circumcised and those as polluted in the Gospel-sense as any other for now all are as one and alike in Christ Jesus as may appeare by these Texts Rom. 10.11 Col. 3.11 Gal. 3.28 5.6 And as none then without this legall and outward holinesse ought to
them so he doth not onely come unto them but cast his garment of righteousnesse over them and dwell with them and abide in them Isa 22.21 and is a father unto them as he was to the Inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem Our God is a God of truth and therefore he will not deceive his pâ—ople nor break his Covenant which he hath made with them which Covenant is to his Saints thus I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed * Gen. 17.7 I will be their God ** Ver. 8. So sayth the Spirit of Truth who will not nor cannot lye Who for strengthening of his peoples faith and encreasing of their comfort that their hearts in loving him might be enlarged and their joy in delighting in him might be full he did command a visible signe and seale of the rigâ—tâ—ousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them and upon their seed whose Gâ—d he had testified himselfe to be Now those persons to whom God is a God they are blessed in a speciall manner * Psal 33.12 and he is a father unto them * Esa 9.6 and those persons to whom God is a God and a Father are seperated from Idolaters and are a holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 2 Cor. 6.17 peculiar people unto him directly opposed to those who are uncleane * Rev. 22.11.15 Isa 52.11 Rev. 21.7 8. and out of the Covenant But God is a God and a Father to the infants of beleeving parents now as he was formerly for his holy Covenant is sure and therefore such infants even the holy off spring and blessed issue of the blessed are all the sonnes daughters of God and are to be accounted amongst the number of seperated Saints in covenant with him for he hath promised to be a God and a father unto the beleeving Gentiles 2 Cor. 6.18 as he was unto the beleeving Jewes Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.1 Concerning whom the Lord sayth Their children shall be as aforetime Jer. 30.20 Jer. 30.20 whose holinesse is directly opposed to the Idolatry of those Idolaters which the Lord commandeth his blessed Saints to sepâ—rate from and is quite contrary to this uncleannesse which unbeleevers and their infants have who though they are not bastards yet they are unholy because they are out of the Covenant and God is not their God nor father to hallow theÌ„ as he is to the holy children of beleeving Gentiles and as he was to the holy children of the Jewes in covenant with him Thus the Contents of your exposition being not right wee may justly conceive that all the Scripture which you bring to confirme it will be wrong in the application and your grounds false But let us heare further what you say A. R. Lin. 29. A. R. Lin. 30. And I will shew my ground by my thus opening the Text. The believing Corinthians both men and women married and single do joyne in a Letter to the Apostle for resolution of many of their doubts touching their severall conditions this appeares in the first verse and thence to the 12 and their doubts in this particular and which he answers in the five verses following seemes to be this in effect as if they should thus write we being borne anew and made the Sonnes and Daughters of God â—y Faith in Jesus Christ and being made holy by his spirit and taken into Communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ and his Saints in light from an estate of darkenesse and death from being Idolaters and Children of thâ— Devill have very uncomfortable cohabitation and felloship with our wives and husbands remaining still in their naturall and blind condition so farre different from the estate into which we are now brought Surely our holy God that bids us touch no uncleane thing doth not allow us thus to do And wee fâ—are least wee have done very ill in continuing thus so long for our Marriage wee cannot thinke but it was dissolved when wee first beleeved And wee ought then to have put away our wives as the Jewes diâ— their strange wives and unto this the Apostle begins his answer in the 12. verse thus And unto the rest to wit of your doubts speak I not the Lord If any Brother have a wife that beleeveth not if she be content to dwell with him let him not put her away And the woman that hath a husband that beleeveth not if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him for the unbeleeving husband is sanctified to the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified to the beleeving husband else were your Children uncleane but now they are holy As if the Apostle should have said to them thus you Corinthians do doubt of your coâ—abitation with your unbeleeving married yoke-mates of â—hicâ— tâ—â—re is no cauâ—e for to the pure all things are pure that is all lâ—â—â—ull 〈…〉 namely whatsoever is lawfull in nature or civill use is 〈…〉 to the beleever and yet even those things are impure to the impâ—â—e or uâ—belâ—â—ving for even their mindes and consciences are defiled Tit. 1.15 But to the Belâ—ever all things are pure that is as I have alreaâ—y said all lawfull things for things that are unlawfull in themselves câ—â—â—â—t be sanctified by â—â—e faith of a truâ— Bâ—leeâ—er no not to his use but mâ—â—t be lâ—fâ— and 〈◊〉 as siâ—full and wiâ—kâ—d which if your cohabitation werâ— such as you iâ— wâ—akâ—â—sse iudge then â—as nâ—t your marriage lawfull at the first then it is not lawfull nor sanctified to yâ—u now as you judge it is not and then are your children uncleane But if your marriage were at fiâ—st lawfull then your Cohabitations now with your â—oke-mates is likewise lawfull and then also sanctified to you now by your beleeving else were your children uncleane that is unlawfully begotten and Bastards but now are they holy that is Legitimate and no Bastards Ans Here hath been many words to little purpose as appeareth by your own Conclusion for the Tenour of all is that which you have affirmed before * Paâ— 9. lin 26 27. which is your Conclusion now * Pâ—â— 10 lin 31 32. As if the Apostle should say Else were your Children unlawfully begotten and bastards but now are they legitimate and no bastards A very poore collection or rather restriction of the Apostles words But that this restriction is in the Text wee must take it upon your bare word for you have brought no Scripture which any way cleareth this your Affirmation But it hath been proved before that the Apostle meaneth a religious holinesse a holinesse in relation to faith and to the holy Covenant of God in which Câ—venant bâ—lâ—evers their infants are now under the Gospel And this may further appeare unto you by these Considerations First That the Apostle in this place of Scripture speaketh not of all infants but onely of the infants of beleeving parents in Coâ—enant for he doth not say to unbeleevers that their children are holy neither
seventh day so wee may take a ground from circumcision as it was a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith whereby wee may be grounded in the administration of Baptisme And it is seriously to be minded that Baptisme is not larger then circumcision one way and lesser another way I mean lesse generall but in every respect it is as generall yea and in some respects more generall As generall because such males who had right to circumcision have right to Baptisme More generall because circumcision was to be administred onely upon the males but Baptisme upon males and females Now to make it more generall and lesse generall then circumcision is a contradiction and you by no meanes will allow of contradictions at least you pretend it If a Master promise to give his servants such or such a portion in brasse farthings and above his usuall or ordinary custome give it them in silver weight for weight It is all one He hath fulfilled his promise seeing he lesseneth not the summe and his servants if they are wise know what is good for themselves will not take exceptions therat or refuse the same Even so it is with God and his people The things which he giveth unto them are better and better not worse and worse larger and larger not lesser and lesser and therefore we may apply this to this particular case in hand and beleeve with David that God hath magnified his Word above all his Name Now though Baptisme be greater and more generall then circumcision in respect of the subjects upon whom the same is administred yet it doth not therefore argue that Baptisme is the seale of one covenant and circumcision the seale of another covenant The River of the Sanctuarie mentioned in Ezâ—chiel though it was not so deep in one place as in another place yet it was the same River And a small light and a greater light is all one and the same light though the greater seem in a manner to swallow up the lesser So a fire is still the same fire though it be increased as much again as it was fastening upon more fuell yet it is still one and the same though much greater then before So Baptisme although it be to be imposed upon the females and differeth in respect of the act from circumcision yet it is one and the same in effect a seale of one and the same covenant for the enlargement of a thing as I said before changeth not the nature of the thing enlarged but maketh it to include more then it did before Whereas it is said that Infants were then members of the Church a Pag 22 l. 12. and whereas it is demanded When they were cast out b Lin. 12. To this you answer c Lin. 13. That they were cast out when the Jewes Church-state Line 15. and old covenant was abrogated by the comming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel and planting other Churches farre different from that of the Jewes in many respects To this I reply That this which you have said proveth not at all that infants were cast out There is not one tittle of Scripture in all the New or Old Testament to this purpose that the infants of beleevers are or shall be cast out Bring me one Instance if you can of any one infant of a beleever that at Christs coming was to be cast out then you will say something for their exempting out of the covenant but as yet you have brought none neither can you finde any but many yea multitudes of Scripture there are to the contrary both in the new and old Testament But you seem to poynt out the time when the holy infants were cast out of the Church You tell us they were cast out when the Jewes Church-state and old covenant was abrogated by the coming of Christ and preaching of the Gospel and planting other Churches farre different from that of the Jewes in many respects But alas you take for granted a thing which you have not proved and it is no marvaile indeed to see the thing that is not probable to be without proofe That the Jewes Church-state was abrogated with the old covenant I am not bound to beleeve except I see it in Gods Word much lesse will I grant that the preaching of the Gospel overthrew the Church-state But seeing the new Jerusalem hath gates and foundations Rev. 21. according to the number of the twelve Tribes and twelve Apostles of the Lambe and that the Jewes and Gentiles being grafted into one Olive tree Rom. 11. make up but one Church I must conclude that the Church of the Jewes is the Church of the Gentiles for Christ is not properly the head of two bodies neither did he come to abrogate the old Church * So Mr. Spilsbery sayth That 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 anâ— by thâ— spirit of grace united to Christ as bâ—anches to theiâ— viâ—e and so an holy pâ—ant of Gods planâ—ing of wh â—h indeed the true â—hâ—rch of God â—onsists See his â—reat of Bapâ—â—â— â—1 at lin 14. though he abrogated the old covenant But now let us see how farre you would make this Church different from the Church of Israel you know it must be either in matter or in forme or in both otherwise I suppose you will strive without an opposite for all Christians generally doe confesse that they were bound to observe such circumstances which wee are not bound to observe but all this did not argue buâ— that their Church was fit matter and a right forme and the same with the Church of the Gentiles But you say * Aâ— lin 20. That was corstituted upon nature and the naturall seed of Abraham this upon grace and the spirituall seed of Abraham To which I answer That if by nature you mean corruption as it appeareth you do then by your ground the Church of the Jewes was constituted upon corruption was a corrupt Church a leporous Church in the very constitution You think that the Church of the Jewes in her constitution which was of Gods building Isa 5.1 2 3. * No man sayth Mr. Spilsbery will admit of dead plants to be set in his vâ—neyard or grafted into a stock but onely suâ—h 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 are capable to comply with the head Neither tooke he for himselfe a compounded body consisting of both living dead members which all are that have not a living principle of grace c. For this
their seed in their infancie to have such dignitie by vertue of Gods covenant to be circumcised The Gospel of Christ being every jot as glorious as it hath been is also as effectuall and powerfull now to dignifie beleevers and their infants with the ordinance of Baptisme and that by vertue of Gods covenant unto which is annexed Christs institution which is very generall yea more generall then circumcision was of old And surely if the infants of beleevers had that power as to become the children of God in their infancie fellow heires with the Saints in light as Isaac was and all those like him were and to be coe-heires with Jesus Christ of the everlasting inheritance kingdome and glory and that before Christs resurrection Then the infants of beleevers borne after Christs resurrection have the like priviledges But the first is true from the grounds before layd from their right to the covenant their being in the covenant c. and the unchangeablenesse of the Angel of the covenant Therefore the latter that holy infants are still in the covenant is true also And this hath been sufficiently proved before Touching your Exhortation how wee should bewaile the great Apâ—stacie c. I say as the Saints of old did bewaile the great Apostacie of the Israelites both in faith and worship Isa 2.6 who were replenished from the East and were south-sayers like the Philistians and pleased themselves in the children of strangers So wee ought to bewaile this Apostacie of these now Wee have cause to bewaile their ignorance who pretend holinesse to God and make a verball profession drawing neer unto God with their mouthes like the Apostate Israelites when their hearts are far from him pleading for the baptizing of those Infants whose parents are neither of them beleevers causing the holy signe to be administred upon their infants in that idolatrous estate in the partaking whereof they have no right any more then the seed of those Apostates of the Israelites had right to circumcision in former time But yet though the Infants were circumcised in that Idolatrous estate the Prophets worke was to call them to repentance and if they returned the manner of their circumcision being repented of it was as effectuall unto them as if they had received it in an excellent and holy manner So those who are baptized in their infancie in the state of Apostacie at their conversion are not to be baptized againe but to repent of the evill of the manner and not cast away Gods holy institution but still retaine it and make a holy use of it yet they ought not to Idolize it by preferring it before that which is greater Though the Temple Rev. 2.1 2. and the Altar and the worshippers were to be measured yet the Court without was to be cast out and not to be measured because it was given to the Gentiles Againe Whereas you speak of the abrogation of the state of the Jewes I say This hath been answered fully before you should still minde that Jesus Christ came not to undermine or overthrow his kingdome though it was taken out of the hands of the unbeleeving Jewes and given unto another people whom Christ testified would bring forth fruits of it Againe Whereas you speak of the casting off of Israel according to the flesh I answer That none were cast off meerly because they were Israelites according to the flesh and though some were cut off yet others remained on and in that state where the Gentiles by faith were planted and placed as some of the Jewes through unbeliefe were cut off supplanted and displaced So the Ap stle Paul sayth the Jewes some of them not all of them were cut off because of unbeliefe and the beleeving Gentiles grafted in their stead As for those that beleeved their priviledges and prerogatives were still as great and as large both to them and their seed as they were before And the like may be sayd concerning the Proselytes And so your other question is resolved concerning the bringing in of us Gentiles and our seed as acceptable on Gods Altar And whereas you question againe A. R. Whether the parents Jew and Gentile must needs be borne againe of the Spirit and onely by faith become the seed of Abraham and heires according to promise Gal. 3.7.29 Rom. 4.11 12. And shall their children become the same seed by nature I answer The birth of the Spirit is very necessary both to young and old without which they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven And I would have you to know that I plead not that the children of the faithfull become heires of the promise by nature but by the free grace of God which passeth all understanding which is as sufficient for beleevers and their children now as formerly And these interrogations of yours are answered at large you having mentioned the same things before Againe You say A. R. Pag. 30. lin 2. to lin 10. Neither can any shew any one such promise to any beleever in all the whole world and his seed as was and is to Abraham and his seed who is therefore the father of us all to wit of all beleevers and onely of beleevers Jew and Gentile father and childe c. Rom. 4.16 and therefore it is faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed but the promise is sure onely to beleevers Therefore beleevers onely are the seed of Abraham to whom the promise and ordinance of the new Testament doe properly appertaine To which I answer That this hath been answered before already It hath been proved sufficiently that the same covenant which was made with Abraham and his seed is made to beleevers and their seed it being a perpetuall covenant the heires of it are perpetuall heires even such to whom the promises doe appertaine as well as unto their deare brethren of old who are departed in the same faith and this heavenly order the old Law which was given at Mount Sinai could not disanull And I hope there is no reasonable man but will condescend unto this that all those who were to receive the signe and sâ—ale of the righteousnesse of faith were visibly holy and faithfull but the Infants of beleevers were by Gods appointment to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith therefore the Infants of beleevers were then as they are now visibly holy and faithfull And Christian Infants are as capable every way of the seale now as the Infants of the Jewes Gods holy ones were capable of the seale in former time Therefore the Baptisme of the New Testament doth properly appertaine unto such and therefore the administration of Baptisme upon them doth not overthrow the least part of the Gospel of Christ or any thing of his much lesse the whole as you in your following words most falsly speake and therefore the minor of your following argument being so small that there is no