that the Promise is imputed to the Children may appear Because 1. The first thing in every sort is the Rule for the rest that are consequent upon it but to Abraham as the prime Guardian the Holy Gospel-Covenant was given and the Sign of it applied to Infants hereupon the same must be to all that believe and their Off-spring For all that believe shall inherit the Promise and be Heirs as well as the Father of the faithful This St. Paul speaketh clearly in express words Gal. iij. 29. And if you be Christ's then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise 2. That which was granted to Abraham was not a particular Priviledge to him alone or to his People the Jews but it was the Holy Gospel-Covenant that all Nations were to be interested in and concerned with what it was to Abraham it was to be unto the whole Race of Mankind and therefore called a Covenant of Grace as may appear by the forequoted place of the Holy Apostle St. 8. Paul and from St. Matthew we are assured St. Matth. viij 2. that the Heathen World shall sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven as equal unto Abraham Eph. ij 19. because they are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Now the Covenant made with Abraham included Father and Son as I have I hope proved and upon this account possibly it might be the Holy Jesus called the Chief of the Publicans a Son of Abraham St. Luke xix 9. and so consequently a Son of God for it was usual to call the People that worshipped any God the Children of that God whether the God they worshipped were true or false Mal. ij 2. Now that there is a necessity of Baptism this Consideration may prove it That Children as soon as born by reason of Adam's transgression are under the Sentence of Death and Damnation except secured from it even while Children if they dye without according to any outward means yet revealed they cannot ordinarily be happy and except this be cleared the Fathers can have little comfort in them Now there is no other Method appointed by Heaven for the Pardoning and Purging of Guilt but the Blood of Jesus and the Covenant that Blood gives a Title unto and there is no other external Medium or Means discovered to us by God to make this Blood so efficacious as to procure us pardon and peace but only the being baptized St. Paul tells us that those that are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his Death Rom. vj 3. So that if we are not cleansed by this external Baptism supposing the neglect to be with our own consent which cannot be the condition of Children we have no interest in his Merits When we thus declare we intend only the external common appointed Means of Salvation The Holy Ordinance of Baptism is the Instrument that sues out and purchases through Christ's Blood a Pardon to our selves and our Infants How far Heaven extends its Mercy to those that are without Means and cannot use them is a Mystery hid from us and known only unto God But now to return to a more particular defence of Acts ij 39. Besides this particular and express Gift of the Holy Ghost was only in the infancy of the Church and then that Gift was indispensably necessary to enable the Blessed Apostles to perform the Holy Jesus's Commission which he gave to them presently after his Miraculous Resurrection and not long before his Illustrious Ascension unto the Mansions of Glory which was to teach and publish his Holy Gospel to all Nations which they could not do without this Gift of Tongues because they knowing no more than their own Native Language had been Barbarians to a great part of the Gentile World and therefore could not have spoken so intelligibly as to be understood and this appears by the effusion of the Holy Ghost on the first Jewish Converts in this Chapter and upon those of the Gentile World as appears eight Chapters after this Acts x. 46. they heard them speak with Tongues and magnifie God which Children were incapable of not being arrived to the use of Reason or Speech which might be for the greater encouragement of the Gentiles because the Holy Gospel-state assures a more plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit than the weaker Oeconomy or Dispensation of the Law Besides seeing the Antipedobaptists object and say Infants are excluded from Baptism by this Text An Obj. because this Gift refers to Sons and Daughters mentioned Verse 17. To which I do answer Answ I may say Children are not excluded for a like reason because Sons and Daughters may in reason be supposed to mean more adult and full-grown persons and because this Promise referring to the Gift of Tongues could not belong unto Children capable of Baptism for they had not the use of Speech Infused Habits must suppose the Subject capable of them or by the Infusion render them so as in this Instance of the Gift of Tongues when it is supernaturally infused it must either suppose the Subject predisposed with understanding or must make him so by that Infusion Now we read no where that this Gift of Tongues was bestowed but it found the Subject predisposed with understanding for upon all on whom this Gift was conferred it is said they spake with Tongues Acts ij 4 6 8 11. x. 46. i. e. in different Languages which we never yet read or heard any Infant-Children did which evidences beyond denial to you and to your Children must be meant of Sons and Daughters that were adult and of full-grown Years Lastly I may urge this descent of the Holy Ghost was the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and of Fire prophecied of and foresignified by S. John the Baptist St. Matth. iij. 2. St. Luke iij. 16. and that he who was Praecursor Christi the Fore-runner of the Messiah should be the Minister of and dispense and deal forth to the World and this may appear true because when St. Luke describes this Advent or Coming of the Holy Ghost he tells us he descended in cloven Tongues like as of Fire i. e. having a resemblance like unto Fire Acts ij 3. St. Mark 1.8 and this St. Mark calls expresly the Baptism of the Holy Ghost And this doth not vacate or make void the other Baptism of Water because St. Peter makes it the assurance of the Messiah's Baptism Acts ij 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost An Obj. And tho' it is objected and said by the Antipedobaptists answ that the Gentiles had this Gift before Baptism Yet in answer hereunto they had the Grace of Faith that qualified them for Baptism because the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the Word i. e. by Faith embraced and received it and
of That it would please thee good Lord to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived The sense of which is That all Separatists from the Holy Catholic or any Orthodox National Church that is a true Part or sound Member thereof may return home unto Christ's Fold and be received into the Bosom of the Holy Church and cannot be thought without breach of Charity to have the prospect of any other purpose but the Everlasting Happiness and Welfare of Mens Immortal Souls I say that we should ever entertain a thought of persecuting killing or damning those that differ from us while they profess the Holy Name of the Blessed Jesus Our Mind is the same with St. Ignatius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Ignat. that Holy Martyr to soften the sharp Humour by tender and skilful Applications of the Gentle Word like pouring Oyl into the Samaritan's Wounds I mean to heal by Embrocation or the most tender Methods and not by Scarifications and Caustics to use the Chirurgion's Term of Art and I do esteem it my Obligation to deprecate that deceitful Prosperity that should be strong enough to breath into the Spirits of persons any higher measure of sharpness in the Fathers Vid. Dr. Hammond's Query of Infant-Baptism Pag. 312. or Sons of the Holy Church than what I now believe to be a powerful Engagement to bring Men to the Church THE END A PRAYER used by the Author after the publick Preaching and Delivery of these Discourses O THou holy ever-blessed and illuminating Spirit the Fountain of Wisdom who was sent by God the Father and promised by God the Son to conduct and guide Men into all necessary Truth who wouldest not the Destruction of any of the Sons of Men but art really and truly desirous that all Persons should come unto the saving Knowledge of thy revealed Will and hast formerly Commissionated peculiar Messengers and at last didst send the beloved Son of thy Bosom to reduce all People from dangerous Mistakes and Errors and to lead them into the Paths of divine Truth that at the end of their days they may arrive at and be placed in the Mansions of Glory and Happiness above to live an immortal and never-dying Life with thee the best of Beings Give thy Blessing we humbly beseech thee unto these Discourses and render them serviceable unto those excellent Purposes unto which they are sincerely intended Prepare and qualify the Spirits of those that have or shall hear them to embrace whatsoever is discovered in them according to thy revealed Will with a Spirit of Love and Meekness Mollify and soften all obdurate hardned Souls all callous brawny Consciences that are seared as it were with an hot Iron enlighten the dark-sighted that they may discover and understand thine holy Will when it shall be powerfully offered unto them and give them the Assistance of thy divine Grace and the Aids of thine holy Spirit to live according to such Convictions Take away from all Men Conceitedness and strong Prepossessions secular Interests and fond Humours or whatsoever may put the least stop unto the Operations and Workings of thy divine Spirit in the Proposal of thine holy Will unto the Sons of Men and make these Discourses useful unto such as know and are acquainted with thine heavenly Doctrin unto the Conviction of those that scruple the Truth and are therefore unwilling to own and acknowledge it and unto the recovery of such as are apostatized and fallen therefrom and if thou shouldest be so merciful unto me as to make me the unworthiest of thy Servants in the least measure an Instrument for the advancing thine Honour and thy Churches good by curing our Divisions and reducing any wandring straying Sinner from the Error of his Way deliver me from any Tumours or Swellings of Spirit any undecent Exaltation of Thought or Mind any assuming or taking the least thing unto my self and grant I may ascribe and return all Laud and Praise to thee who art the Fountain of Light and the Author of Truth and that I may acknowledge that the Improvement as well as the Talent proceeds from thee who art the Giver of every good and every perfect Gift Grant these Requests for the Merits and Mediation of thy dear Son who is not only the Way and the Life but also that bright Day-star who by his irradiating Beams lightens every Man that comes into the World even our only merciful Saviour and most powerful Redeemer the Holy Jesus Amen Now to God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost be given and paid all Honour and Glory as is most due from Angels and Men henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS Errata Corrigenda IN the Preface Pag. 15. Marg. Lin. 7 8. read P. 103 104. P. 24. l. 7. r. been P. 53. l. 11. r. hit P. 60. l. 26. r. Roast P. 62. l. 8. r. Man In the Contents Pag. 5. Lin. 8 9. read Schecinah In the Book Pag. 3. Marg. Lin. 18. dele sine P. 17. l. 4. r. as are not P. 35. Marg. l. 22. r. cavit P. 50. l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 58. l. 3. del of P. 70. l. 20. r. prevails P. 75. Marg. l. 25. a Baptizari in P. 80. l. 14. r. Harmoniously P. 91. l. 3. del fore and in the same line r. offered for P. 92. l. 27. r. were P. 93. Marg. l. 4 5. r. 48. 53. P. 94. Marg. l. 3. r. 46 47. P. 100. Marg. l. 4. r. 94. P. 120. Marg. l. 16. r. instituto P. 127. l. ult r. Antipadobaptistic P. 133. l. 3 4. r. Obstacle P. 136. l. 21. del they P. 138. l. 15. del the.
yet this doth not exclude Infants from Baptism as appears from the reason already offered To all this let me add in short what is meant by the Promise as recorded by Joel and cited by the Text and it is double 1. The Pardon of Iniquity 2. The Gift of the Divine Spirit whereby was not always intended a miraculous Gift but the comfort and support of the Divine Spirit in their Souls by his Holy Inspirations and Breathings 1 Cor. xij 29 30. his powerful Aid and Assistance for it is clear by St. Paul the Gift of Miracles was not imparted to some and the Kingdom of God or Grace that good Christians enjoy in this World Rom. xiv â— 6 consists in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost and that these very persons had this Communication of the Holy Spirit appears at the latter end of this Chapter for this reason Acts ij 46. Because they did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart And further Another Communication of the Holy Spirit they had in that they were willing to leave their Possessions and deliver them to be disposed of as the Holy Apostles thought most useful for the good and benefit of the Church iv 34. which were clear and great Testimonies that the Divine Spirit resided and dwelt in their Souls I know a great and learned Man saith he will not defend the Arguments from this Text because he thinks it inconcludent for this reason because he believes the word Children there used is really the Posterity of the Jews and not their Infant-Children And I believe so too And yet with deference to my Superiors and with submission unto better Judgments I take the Argument to be concluding upon this account because it would be a great Incentive to incourage the propagating Christianity and a Motive to both Jews and Gentiles to embrace and come in and own themselves Professors of the Holy Gospel and Disciples of the Blessed Jesus And it is very probable in his first Sermon St. Peter would use the most prevailing Argument with the Jews that he might remove the Prejudice that lay upon their Hearts to hinder them from believing in a crucified Saviour and it is not improbable his numerous Auditors understood him in this sense because we read in the latter part of this Chapter the same day were added to the Church about three thousand Souls Acts ij 41. So that when St. Peter saith the Promise is to you and unto your Children it is as much as if he had said these words O you Jews that now hear me if you will repent and be baptized you and your Posterity and the Children of you and your Posterity if you will repent i. e. own your Guilt in crucifying the Lord of Life and Glory and embrace his Holy Gospel and live according to the Rules thereof and be baptized i. e. receive the Sign of Admission into the New Covenant of Grace you and your Children shall have the same Priviledge you had in your own Dispensation under the Law i. e. your Children shall be in Covenant as well as your selves and equally with you be admitted to the Sign of the Covenant Baptism as your Children are now admitted to Circumcision the Sign of the antiquated Covenant in your way and this might be a great Argument to the Gentiles to become Christians because they should not only enjoy the same Priviledge as the Jew if one of their Proselytes but much greater by being a Disciple of the Blessed Jesus as much greater as the Holy Gospel did exceed the Law as appears by St. Paul's Argument But if the Ministration of Death or the Law written and engraven in Stones was glorious so that the Children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the Face of Moses for the Glory of his Countenace which Glory was to be done away how shall not the Ministration of the Spirit or Gospel be rather glorious For if the Ministration of Condemnation or the Law be Glory much more doth the Ministration of Righteousness or the Gospel exceed in Glory for even that which was made glorious or the Law had no Glory in this respect by reason of the Glory or Gospel that excelleth for if that which was done away or the Law was glorious much more that which remaineth 2 Cor. iij. 7. 12. or the Gospel is glorious Thus I hope I may say without assuming or taking too much to my self I have rescued this Text from the Antipedobaptists Objections and drawn a concluding Argument from it for Infant-Baptism but because the Reverend Dr. Hammond thinks he hath founded the Practice upon a better Basis give me leave to mention it because it will corroborate and confirm what I have said and when I shall have answered the Objections brought against the other place of Holy Scripture I hope I shall for ever silence the Objections of any Antipedobaptist from Holy Writ from having any influence or prevalency on unprejudiced minds that love Truth better than Interest and had rather comply with the Sacred institutions of the Holy Jesus than carry on and promote any Faction against him and his Holy Religion The Argument is this Baptism or Washing was a known Rite solemnly used among the Jews as it is now among Christians for the initiating or entring Jews and Proselytes into the Covenant of the Lord and so into the Congregation of the Jews as among us it is into the New Covenant and into the Church of Christ Many Branches of that Custom there were I shall briefly gather them together and farther testifie the truth of those Affirmations which any way seem questionable to any 1. Baptism or Washing the whole Body was a Jewish Solemnity by which the Native Jews were entred into the Covenant of God made with them by Moses This that learned Doctor makes appear by several Quotations from their great Rabbins and tells us nothing can be more clearly affirmed by them 2. As the Native Jews were thus entred into Covenant by Baptism so the Proselytes of the Jews that were taken in as Profelytes of Justice or Righteousness as professing or undertaking all their Law and not only as Proselytes of the Gate to live among them were received into their Church by Baptism likewise This also the same excellent Doctor proves by several Authorities and Testimonies of their learned Men in all Ages whensoever any Gentile was willing to enter into Covenant and to be gathered under the Wings of the Schecinah or Divine Majesty and to undertake the Yoke of the Law he was bound to have Baptism Circumcision and a Peace-Offering and if it were a Woman Baptism and Sacrifice And again the stranger that is circumcised and not baptized or baptized and not circumcised Arrianus in Epictet l. 2. c. 9. is not a true Proselyte until he be both A clear Testimony we have of this in Arrianus the Stoic Philosopher where the Jewish Proselyte is by him called
lay out such a Temptation there being none but he and I and therefore I desired he would allow me to propose something calmly to him which since resulted to my thoughts for I was willing to be his Proselyte if he could convince me to be in an Error and as willing he should be my Proselyte if I could prove him in a Mistake For though I loved the Church of England well yet I loved Truth better and if he could evince or prove she had not Truth on her side I would forsake her but I could have no Answer for he diverted to other discourse and said we had spoke enough on the Argument He hath since been with me and desired a Dispute in the Church I told him I would meet him in any Church if he would submit to two Conditions which I thought reasonable the one was That he would get my Reverend Diocesan's leave or secure me from any Penalty the Bishop or the Law might lay on me The other was That he would be at the Charge to hire an Amanuensis to write down the Argumentativ part of his Discours and I would be at as great a Charge to hire one that should write down what I offered and then at the end of our Conference the Papers should be exposed to the consideration of the most Judicious Auditors to examine which spoke most according to the true Sens of Holy Scripture or the dictates of right Reason but this offer he refused and said he would have nothing writ on either side And the cause why I would engage him thereto was because it would be a kindness in that it would be a great Caution we should speak properly and would oblige us to circumspection and care from the consideration and fear of that shame and reproach we should be exposed to by delivering our selves inconsistently and incoherently and it would be a satisfaction to the People because then we should use our endeavours to speak Truth and to confirm it by Reason which if we did it might have a good effect on the People that heard it to understand who spoke most properly according to the sense of Holy Scripture and so consequently who had the clearest Truth on his side but no Argument would prevail with him to submit to such reasonable terms and then I told him I would allow him to tell I refused to accept his Challenge But then I desired him to tell on what terms I denied to comply or if not I should take care to do it and then he would have cause not to be satisfied with but ashamed of the Report When he was with me on New-years-day 1688. I told him I understood that was the first day he Held-forth in his Meeting-place and I supposed he spoke against our Principles and truly the Festival engaged me to say something in defence of our declared Doctrines I said I doubted he trusted to such an Extemporary Effusion and such an extraordinary Measure of the Holy Spirit that I thought he could give little Account of what he said after he concluded but I told him I hoped I trusted as much to the Holy Spirit as he in a rational way for I studied for what I delivered and then I implored the Divine Blessing on what I studied which I thought as much as I ought to trust to for I believe since the Miraculous Aids of the Holy Ghost are ceased the Divine Spirit doth afford his Blessing in the use of means and not in an extraordinary manner and then I read what I spoke in reference to Infant-Baptism which I desired him to censure as severely as he pleased provided he would give me a Reason The Account whereof is as followeth Preaching that day on the Institution of Circumcision from Gen. XVII 9.15 I made this Observation That Heathen Proselytes and their Infants were made Partakers of God's Covenant whence I thus argued in the General for Infant-Baptism If this be understood it will afford a strong though not usually brought-Argument for Baptizing of Infants For if this be true as may be made appear by Jewish Customs it is plain not being of the Seed of Abraham but being of the Faith of Abraham gave a Person a right to the Covenant and to the Sign of it Circumcision or else no Proselytes could be made from Heathenism and so admitted into Covenant by that Sign and then by Parity of Reason the Faith of the Christian Parent shall be imputed to the Child And if the Faith of the Parent gives a Title to the Covenant or being a Christian Baptism like Circumcision being only the Sign of the Covenant by Parity of Reason the Faith of the Parent as I have hinted gives a right to the Sign because the Sign is less than the Privilege Besides there is no being a Disciple of Christ without being Baptized into his Blessed Name that being the Sign of the Holy Gospel Covenant and made as necessary as Circumcision which was the Sign of the Covenant under the Law not that I would be so uncharitable as to Damn all that die unbaptized because it is here as in Circumcision the Infant can be in no fault as not being capable of Obedience to the Command or transgressing the Law by contempt and so cannot be said to break the Covenant that doth nothing belonging to the keeping it and though the Child did not Ezod IV. 24. yet Moses the Father of the Child went in danger of his Life whom the Lord met by the way in the Inn and sought to kill which if duly considered might make all Christian Parents that neglect the bringing their Children timely to Baptism tremble for fear of some severe punishment falling on themselves which may be one reason why our excellent Church declares in the Rubrick of Private Baptism and enjoyns the Pastors and Curates of every Parish oft to admonish the People that they deferr not the Baptism of their Children longer than the first or second Sunday or other Holyday next after the Child be born Vnless on a great and reasonable Cause declared to the Curate and to be by him approved Moreover if there be no enjoying the Benefits of the Covenant without the Sign this makes the Sign necessary and the wilful neglect of necessary means endangers any Person 's Salvation without the Interposition of an extraordinary Mercy and that which is above or beyond means is ever miraculous And if such a miraculous proportion of Mercy were indulged as oft as such a wilful neglect gave occasion it would cease to be miraculous because a Miracle is not only an extraordinary act of Power but a rare contingency and therefore cannot oft happen otherwise the Sun 's daily motion about the Earth would be as great if not a greater Miracle than it s once * Josh X. 12 13. 2 Kin. XX. 9 10 11. standing still or once Retrograde Motion Lastly let it be considered that our Adversaries think Christian Instruction necessary before the
circumcised becometh a Debtor to keep the whole Law which the Jewish Children were as uncapable of keeping as Christian Children are of the Holy Gospel and so the Objection lieth as strong against Circumcising as Baptizing Children And it is reasonable according to the Laws of Men too For it is well known to all Lawyers that it is a common thing to admit a Child to an Estate by Guardians and Tutors under several Conditions which the Child cannot undertake the Performance of till he come to that Age wherein he can exercise his Reason And is it not full as reasonable to admit Children on certain Terms to an Holy Gospel Estate as to a secular one on Conditions they are uncapable of executing And thus we have the Laws of Heaven and Men too against our Adversaries Nay we have three strong Weapons to defend the Truth if we know but how to wield and manage them 1. The Holy Scripture which is the Sword of the Spirit 2. Reason which I may call the Sword of Nature 3. The Law which I may name the Military Sword And being thus secured with spiritual natural and material Armour we may be so courageous as not to fear the most violent Attempts that shall be made against us and may believ according to an Holy Scripture Phrase very proper to our Case that against Truth and us too while we hold the Truth and stick to sound Principles no Weapon formed shall prosper or have its intended effect and when I had delivered these three Accounts from the Pulpit in defence of Infant-Baptism I was thinking that if I could make the Sense of this last Text viz. St. Matth. XXVIII 19. Go teach all Nations baptizing them I say if I could prove those Words to be not only not for the Antipaedobaptists but against them and for us I did believe I should say all was sufficient to prove its Lawfulness from Holy Scripture And meditating one Morning I employed my Thoughts to give the Words such a Sens and to justifie it when I had done And in order thereto I did humbly and fervently implore the Divine Assistance and God who is never wanting to help them who with Humility and Faith address themselves to him suggested this Account of the Text to my Mind that I have offered in the following Papers which when I had composed I penn'd down because I was not willing to forget what my Thoughts had delivered as the proper meaning of the Text according to my Judgment and I made use of no Book but the Greek Testament to satisfie my self in the Account the Original giveth of Acts II. 39. which with 1 Cor. VII 14. I made use of as collateral Proofs to confirm the Sens given For I did believ the comparing of one Place of Holy Scripture with another one of the best ways of coming to its tru Meaning which when I had drawn out it made about two Sheets of Paper which was all at first I did design to print But the Occasion of enlarging it was this A Neighbour-Clergy-man with whom I discoursed about the Sens given of St. Mat. XXVIII 19. and the Confirmation I brought from those two other Places of Holy Scripture beforementioned acquainted me he had a Book of an ingenious Antipaedobaptist that did seem to invalidate any Proof for Infant-Baptism from those two Texts which I desired to read and he lent me When I came home I did without prejudice peruse what he had wrote and at the first sight I was somewhat surprized but on consideration and retiring into my self I did find his Arguments against the Sens I offered were but weak as I hope will appear to any impartial Reader by the Answer I have given After I had done this I resolved to use all Means I could think of or remember to establish the Sens I had given of the Text and accordingly read over some useful Treatises upon the Subject and because as Pliny somewhere saith Ingenuum est profiteri per quos profeceris Plinius An ingenious thing it is to own by whom we have profited I will give an Account to whom I am obliged and more particularly I stand engaged to the reverend Dr. Hammond in his Resolution of Six Queries one whereof is about Infant-Baptism the other is the Excellent Author of the Case of Infant-Baptism Which was one of those cases the Reverend Lord Bishop of London did out of a pious and excellent Design engage his City Clergy to state and resolve for the satisfaction of Dissenters and to reduce them to the Church of England As for Dr. Hammond I have used his words in a manner and for the other I have in most if not in all places altered his words and taken his sens that I might adapt it to my own style that the Work might look the more alike and seemingly appear all of a piece Something I have borrowed from Mr. Ellis in his Book called Pastor and Clerk or a Debate real concerning Infant Baptism As to the Authorities I have used to confirm the sens delivered I have not taken things on Trust but perused and examined good Editions of the Original Authors and have been careful neither to mis-report their words nor misrepresent their sens and having made this Ingenuous Acknowledgment I cannot be accused of Plagiarism because I give my Authors all the Reputation they can desire by owning what I have taken And now I hope I may without any conceitedness say I have used all the proper Methods for reducing Gainsayers into the Paths of Truth and Peace For besides three Rational Arguments for Infant-Baptism I have endeavoured to prove it from that place of Holy Scripture the Adversaries think against it and to engage the belief of the most avers and pre-possessed I have offered all the proper methods of Conviction 1. I have given a clear Exposition to confirm the meaning 2. I have much enlarged that Exposition 3. I have proved the Sens by the Coherence 4. I have confirmed the meaning by the Original for in some places of Holy Scripture no Translation cometh up exactly to the Original for in every Language there are some peculiar Idioms that cannot well be translated into another Tongue 5. I have strengthened the Sens by two other places of Holy Scripture for the Holy Spirit by comparing one place with another doth best interpret his meaning 6. I have given some general Observations to establish the Sens of the three Texts delivered 7. I have defended the Exposition given by an Allusion to Jewish Customs without which Account it is impossible to come to an understanding of some places of Holy Scripture in the New Testament 8. I have confirmed what I have offered as the sens of the three places of Holy Scripture from the Authority of some of the Ancient Fathers who living nearest the times of the Holy Apostles may reasonably be presumed best to know the sens of their Writings and I could have produced more in
the gaining the Gentile World to his New Dispensation and to be professors of his Sacred Institutions and obedient Subjects to his excellent Laws And this did more suitably answer his Advent or Coming into the World who came to be an Universal Saviour for all Mankind For Moses was but a Legislator to the Israelites and Joshua a Saviour to the Jews only and yet on that account called Jesus because he delivered that People from their Enemies and entred them into Canaan But he that was to be an Universal Redeemer and so the true Jesus in the most extensive signification of the word thought fit to appoint such a Sacrament of Admission into his Kingdom as might work upon and prevail with the whole World even all Mankind Now from what hath been said and from a custom among the Jews concerning Proselytes of Justice which all learned Men know to be so and Men of Sense among the Antipaedobaptists acknowledge that after such a Proselyte was Baptiz'd and Circumcis'd and had thereby a Right to eat of the Passover his Child born after such an Admission into the Covenant had a Right to Circumcision at Eight days old as well as a natural-born Jew it may appear that denying Baptism to Infants now is an Hindrance to the Propagation of the Holy Gospel both as to Jews and Pagans As to the Jew because he might say to an Antipaedobaptist offering Arguments to perswade him to become a Christian He would not be of his Religion because after he was in Covenant and had received the Sign of the Covenant his Child was not in Covenant and so had no Right to the Sign which he had in his Way by virtue of his Faith and so consequently the Benefit and Privilege less in ours than in his Way And so the Pagan might say to an Antipaedobaptist perswading him to embrace Christianity I will rather be a Jew than a Christian because as soon as I own and profess their Faith my Child after such a Declaration is in Covenant as well as my self and hath a Right to the Sign So that by this account it plainly appears that the denying Infants Baptism is an Hindrance to the Progress of the Holy Gospel from Evidence of Reason From whence it may seem rationally to follow That he who holds any Principle that derogates from and diminishes the Honour of Christianity and impedes the Propagation of the Religion of our dear Redeemer hath no true and proper Right to the Honourable Name and Title of a Christian which is the natural and pernicious consequence of Antipaedobaptistic Tenets So that how General soever the Commission the Holy Jesus gave to his Blessed Disciples for converting the Heathen Nations was the sence must be plainly this which if I can secure by two other Texts of Holy Scripture confirm by Allusion to Jewish Customs and by the Coherence establish by the Authority of the Ancient Primitive Fathers and answer the strongest Objections of our Adversaries I shall say all that can be thought necessary by Men of Reason in defence of Infant-Baptism Go teach all Nations Baptizing them i.e. When you have sufficiently instructed the Pagan World in and convinced them of the Excellency of my Holy Gospel and thereby perswaded them to embrace my Divine Religion my Spiritual Worship and then after a publick Profession they have declared themselves my Disciples and Followers ascertain them that they are admitted into my Covenant of Grace and receive them into and give them a possession of my Covenant by the Sign and Seal of Baptism and then assure them that their Children shall have the same Right to my Covenant that the natural-born Children of Jews have and the Children of the Proselytes of Righteousness or Justice had after their Parents were converted to the Jewish Religion The Naturalists have learn'd by diligent enquiry That if a Pearl have a foulness and happen to fall into the Womb of a Dove 1 Pet. ij 2. Albertus lib. de Gemmis Vid. Mr. Carpenter's Anabaptist washt and washt and shrunk in the washing p. 15 16. and continue some time there the Dove will return it fair and clear So Doctrines should be proved in the Womb of the Holy Spirit the true Holy Scripture-Dove which Womb is the sincere Word of Truth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if the Doctrine be true Pearl the Holy Spirit will speedily deliver it for such and cleanse it from any Foulness or Impurity it hath contracted in this naughty World This Interpretation is suitable to the Nature of Baptism because it was appointed for all that need it and all should have Baptism that stand in need of Baptismal-Grace and all stand in need of Baptismal-Grace that would be cleansed from Original Pollution and all stand in need of being cleansed from Original Defilement that are Polluted therewith Aequè certa sunt ac evidentia quae ex sacris literis evidenter ac certe deducuntur atque ea quae in illis expressè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. ad verbum in terminis habentur Ex veronil nisi verum Principia fides vel quae ex iis deducuntur sunt in Scriptura Omnis divina Revelatio est in Scriptura vel directe vel per necessariam inevitabilem consequentiam It is a true Maxim That Matters are alike sure and clear which are assuredly and evidently drawn from Holy Writ as the Matters which are read there in their own proper terms and phrases Or the same Observation may be thus worded Consequences are as true as the Principles they are drawn from if truly and properly deduced The ground of this is as certain as Truth it self From Truth proceeds nothing but what is so if drawn by a right Consequence And another Ground may be because the Consequence so drawn is in a manner as true as the Principle and Truth so drawn is the same with that from whence the Deduction springs and rises Upon this account we observe That the Doctrines of Faith and what is deducible therefrom is contained in Holy Writ And again Every Doctrine that is the Discovery and Birth of Heaven is either expresly or by a needfull and unavoidable Conclusion in Holy Writ And on this account we declare That he who believes a Truth believes all the Deductions that can properly be drawn therefrom CHAP. IV. An Exposition of St. Matth. xxviij 19. Whereby the Sence delivered is further cleared IF Christian Children from the Sence I have delivered of this Text be not as capable of Baptism as the Jewish Children of Circumcision Upon what account arises the Distinction Not from the Nature of Abraham's Covenant for that as to the material part was the same with ours made over to us by the Holy Jesus Nor from the manner of Conveyance for Circumcision did signifie the same thing under the former Dispensation as Baptism under the latter And hereupon seeing the two Covenants were for the Nature of them alike and
Sin and Faith whereby they stedfastly believe the Promises of God made unto them in that Sacrament answ That is for answer hereunto Those that are baptized when adult are indispensably obliged thereunto and Infants when they come to years of discretion and thus our Church Catechism expounds her sense which Promise or Graces Children when they come unto Age are bound to perform It is a good Rule in the Civil Law Nemo tenetur ad Impossibile No Man is obliged unto the performance of that which is impossible to be done by any human power And then we cannot believe that he who is the God of Reason as well as Truth will oblige his Creature to a Duty which he is not able to perform by any Powers he hath created him with and suppose God should infuse into a Child an extraordinary and miraculous measure of Grace as well as Reason as he did into our blessed Saviour and St. John the Baptist who were sanctified from or in the Womb yet we read not tho' they had so great a proportion of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that during the state of their infancy they magnified God and spake with Tongues antecedent to the use of Speech the manifestation of which Miraculous Power and the discovery of which Divine Gift the Jews at the Feast of Pentecost Acts 2.4 8 11. 10.46 and the first Gentile Converts shewed But to return Tho' these Graces are not needful to all in all circumstances for where there is not a capacity to act them there can be no obligation to their exercise yet that the Children of Believers have a right to the Covenant as soon as born and so have a right to the Seal that conveys the Title and are obliged to its Use if they will enjoy the Priviledges of the Covenant I hope hath been made appear beyond contradiction yet they are needful for some that are admitted unto that Holy Ordinance and this Distinction ought to be well understood and weighed If Baptism be allowed to those who have not the proper Qualifications then those Qualifications are not absolutely needful unto the Undertakers of that Holy Ordinance Faith is sometimes needful when Repentance is not so sometimes Faith and Repentance conjoyned and otherwise sometimes Acts 8.37 When St. Philip admitted the Ethiopian Eunuch to Baptism he only enjoyned Faith 2.41 38. not Repentance St. Peter when he made three thousand Converts at his first Sermon enjoyned Repentance only In short It is as the condition is or the needs of the Party require In Infants the matter is plain as to Repentance the non-performance whereof cannot hinder their being baptized because they having committed no sin are not obliged unto the Duty and yet this is as needful for being baptized as Faith So that this evidences they are not absolutely needful not to all not to Children but only accidentally so and if they may be baptized if they want one why not if they want the other is a Mystery that will not nay I am inclined to believe cannot be discovered by those that because they think the contrary are engaged to make the Revelation Besides I add Actual Faith is needful not to the undertaking but to the subsequent Products of that Holy Ordinance because the first Planters of Christianity admitted some tho' adult to Baptism who had no Faith but were only formal Professors and of this sort were Simon Magus Alexander the Coppersmith Demas and Diotrephes and Judas if baptized and also the Gnostic Hereticks For the Effect is from the Searcher of Hearts who knows our secret thoughts but the External Ordinance may be performed and undertaken by those who know not such Secrets And this is a clear Proof that that Faith which is needful to the product of the Holy Ordinance is not needful to its undertaking and if formal Professors may be partakers of it much more Children if to such as actually impede or hinder the product much rather to them that do not so If it be objected by the Antipedobaptists An Obj. The Church cannot tell but that those that say they have Faith may have it but she certainly knows Children have not I answer answ The Church cannot tell but Hypocrites stop the Product and oppose the Grace of Baptism but she can tell Children do not nor can make hindrance or opposition there is a possibility one may partake of the Grace but the second cannot stop its effects Moreover Children have Faith because they believe in the Holy Jesus St. Matth. 18.6 St. Mark 9.42 as we are told in Sacred Scripture in express words recorded by two Evangelists if one be not enough And that this is a satisfactory and sufficient Proof the Holy Scriptures do assure us when they tell us St. Joh. 8.17 that the Testimony of two Men is true and this witness and evidence it appears we have for the truth of this Doctrin that Children have Faith and that this their Faith was true sound and such as God will accept we may with good reason believe because he that is truth and will not therefore deceive us doth seem so to assure us Vid. pag. 89. as we have already made appear in this Chapter Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me and therefore fit for his Blessing which is Divine The exercise of our understanding is no more necessary to make us fit for Grace than for Reason but we have seeds of Reason congenite and innate antecedent to the exercise of our understandings otherwise there would be no distinction between a Rational Creature and a Brute when first produced into being and brought to light Sparks and Seeds then of Reason there may be to use the words of the great African Father Per Infantis animan non ubi ratio nulla erat sed ubi adhuc sopita erat St. Aug. Ep 23. ad Bonifac. The Soul of an Infant hath Reason but as yet not capable of use like Fire raked together in the Embers So likewise there is a possibility of Grace being infused by the Divine Spirit as is clear in the fore-quoted Instance of the blessed Jesus and his Praecursor or Fore-runner St. John the Baptist who were sanctified in or from the Womb. Or else they may be said to believe by the Faith of those that present them unto the Holy Ordinance in the Sacred Place Fide gestantium Idem ibidem For to this I may add the Child hath the Faith of the Parent imputed to it and that the Faith of the Parent is imputable to the Child and available for great purposes is apparent because we read in the Holy Gospel That the Blessed Jesus makes the Faith of the Parent necessary unto the Healing of the Child From whence I argue thus That if the Faith of the Parent may be imputed for the recovering of the Bodily Diseases why may not the same be imputed for the curing the Distempers
they cannot do that they ought to confess and declare we have Truth on our side and that they are in an error which though Men out of love to their Reputation or a mistaken Interest they are unwilling to come to yet I am certain it is their Duty to do it CHAP. XVIII An Account whence Infant-Baptism results AND now the business may be determined in this one Enquiry Whether the baptizing of Infants do appear to be a divine Institution and holy Apostolic usage And if it do we have all we can desire in the Case but if it do not we are obliged and bound to disown the Method we have taken for the asserting our Principle or drawing from it what we would conclude thereupon and because the best Method for the solving of this doubt is the urging home what we have said laying the foundation upon a divine Institution and the usage of the holy Apostles Therefore give me leave to press it close upon the Consciences of such Men as love the Truth and value their Souls above all Worldly Considerations in six Particulars 1. Whether by the holy Jesus's laying the Institution of this blessed Sacrament in the Jews usage of baptizing Proselytes which hath been evidenced to appertain unto the Infant Children of such Proselytes 2. By his being so far from rejecting the Age of Children as an impediment of coming unto him i. e. unto their Proselytism that he affirms them to be the Pattern of those of whom his Kingdom consists and though he be not affirmed in the holy Gospel to baptize such when indeed the blessed Jesus baptized not at all St. John iv 2. St. Mark x. 16. but his holy Disciples yet he took them in his Arms and laid his Hands upon them and blessed them which being the Rite customary in the holy Church for those that were qualified for Baptism and directly preparative to it they that were by the Christ allowed that cannot be esteemed by him less fit for Baptism than for that 3. By the express words of the holy Apostle that their Children are holy expounded by the coherence and connexion of the Text as we have already made evident and apparent by giving its proper sense and answering the strongest Objection against what we have offered as its true meaning so as to conclude from the reason of the holy Apostle's Discourse that it was the usage of the days Apostolic to admit the Infants of Christian Parents unto Baptism and so expounded by the Christian Authors of the earliest Centuries 4. By the Authorities of the ancient primitive Fathers that treated of this Doctrin without the least pretence of theirs who were best acquainted with their Customs that this was not an holy Apostolic usage and therefore continued in all the times of the ancient Church successively 5. By the Testimony of Councils when the obstinacy of false Teachers contradicted resisted and gain said it 6. At last enjoyned by the holy Church whence I believe with the other Accounts already given the needfulness of its usage and continuance ariseth and not from any other Grounds Now all I urge with due submission of my Self and the Cause unto the Opinion of unbyassed Persons any Man of Candor and Ingenuity that is freed from Passion Prejudice and Interest is this Whether these six Particulars being duly and seriously considered the Truth of all which is well known unto any learned Man it be not clear enough that admitting Infants to Baptism is a divine Institution and an holy Apostolic usage If it be not I would willingly understand what is more needful for satisfaction in a business of this Concern And whether by any other or more properly convincing Arguments the contrary can be proved to be an holy Apostolic custom or that they denied the Infants of Proselytes the holy Sacrament of Baptism CHAP. XIX An Appeal unto the Reason of Mankind AND now I have one Consideration to offer by way of Appeal unto all disinterested and unbyassed Persons to engage their Belief unto such a comfortable and christian Doctrin as well as so necessary and useful a Practice That whatsoever appointment or precept hath God the Father for its Author whether discovered by the Revelation of the holy Prophets or by the service of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministring Spirits above that are sent forth into all the Parts of the World to Minister for them who shall be the Heirs of Salvation as the Author of the Epistle unto the Hebrews acquaints us or the Holy Jesus for its Institutor whether directly from himself Heb. 1.14 or mediately by his Successors the holy Apostles and those that succeeded them holy Apostolic Men is not of Infallible Obligation unto all to whom it was given and so each Institution of Christ unto all Christians and that the peculiar way of its Derivation unto us whether by the Inspired Discoveries of the Law or Holy Gospel or any different Method is but of an extrinsic Consideration to any such Divine Appointment or Command I say upon this Consideration I have I hope in the Judgment of all sober and rational Men for the full clearing of this Doubt and satisfying this Case of Conscience concerning Infant Baptism by proper and the most highly probable Arguments manifested That by appointing Baptism as a blessed Sacrament to be used amongst Christians the blessed Jesus and his immediate Followers did not deny Children the use of that comfortable and holy Ordinance but freely and willingly admitted them thereunto CHAP. XX. The Conclusion of the whole Matter AND now I have one Proposal to make by way of Importunate Request which I hope is reasonable for me to desire That none of the Antipedobaptists will look upon or account me as their Adversary because according unto the Duty of my Place and the Obligations of my Conscience I declare unto them what I verily believe to be true and have no different purpose or intention in the management of this Controversie but to bring Men to a Great Regard and Reverend Esteem for and an humble and dutiful Submission to the Holy Jesus's Ordination and Appointment Upon the whole Matter then and an impartial and serious Consideration of what hath been offered I cannot imagine what Plea except such as is conducted by Interest Humour or Covetousness any understanding Man can with the least probability use to throw off the concording Agreement of so many Testimonies and great Authorities for so necessary a Practice as well as comfortable a Doctrin And I shall with all Hearty Affection and Brotherly Love conclude and presume no farther than these Arguments and Testimonies will allow me to do surely not be so Censorious as the Antipedobaptists and Anabaptists are when they declare hainous Matters of us and affirm that we by Baptizing Infants Pollute the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant God forbid that we who heartily Pray in our Public Liturgy which all Clergymen are obliged and engaged unto the daily use