the same And to affirme this to be Gods way to brings persons to the faith by working so upon them by his Spirit in their infancy argues some ignorance of the true nature and worke of grace as the Gospell holds it forth And to be capable of the grace of the Covenant which must be understood of the promise containing the blessings and priviledges thereof in the holy dispensations of the same We shall finde in the Scriptures of God all the sweet promises of Grace under the New Testament holding forth their blessings and blessed priviledges onely to such as beleeve And that to the Elect themselves as they are considered in Christ and appeare so by some effect of grace declaring their faith and they to be such as God approves of in his Sonne and so to have visible right to those priviledges they are visibly justified by and possessed in as such that have a visible right unto the same Which can come to us Gentiles no other way then by Christ and faith in his Name And if any shall object from the testimony of John the Baptist Obj. that he is said to be filled with the holy Ghost from his Mothers wombe Luk. 1.15 c. and hence conclude that Infants may have faith To this I answer in a word Ans first what Infants may have is one thing and what Infants can from this Scripture be proved to have is another For if any thing from this Text can be proved for Infants it will be that they are filled with the holy Ghost from the Mothers wombe as John is said to be which is another thing then to beleeve as Act. 6 5. 4 31. Secondly All such so testified of by God as he did of John I shall acknowledge as much as is here meant to be in him to be also in them so testified of by the holy Ghost But to affirme because God so testified of John the Baptist in the wombe therefore the same holds true upon all other Infants likewise This is indeed weaker then infancy so to affirme Job 31.18 and grosser then ignorance for any to beleeve Job is said to be a Guide to the distressed from his Mothers wombe Shall it be concluded thence that he was a Guide to such when he was an Infant or if he were so must it needs follow that all Infants are capable Guides because it is said so of him And lastly I am not against any that have faith but absolutely for all that beleeve whether Infants or others so that their faith appeares by such effects as the Word of God approves of Otherwise what have I or any man to doe to meddle with the secret and unrevealed things of God either to justifie or condemne And whereas in the former Proposition there seemes a restraint made of the worke of grace in an Infant over there is in other persons by saying onely so farre as is necessary to union with Christ and justification to life thereby Now for answer to this we shall first consider what in this sense is to be understood by Christ and secondly what by union with Christ so as to be justified thereby By Christ here I understand him so as the Gospel holds him forth in the work of mans Redemption in reference to his death resurrection and the onely righteousnesse that commends such to God as beleeve in the same And so Christ thus considered is the onely subject of life to every soule that shall be united unto him by faith To which union with Christ these three things must be minded as essentiall to the same First Gods revealing tendering of Christ as the alsufficient onely way to life Secondly A heart fitly disposed by faith to apprehend and receive Christ so tendered And lastly The Spirit of grace uniting and knitting of the heart and Christ togegether as aforesaid And this I understand to be that effectuall and substantiall union with Christ to justification of life which the Word of God approves of that most decide all differences in matters of Religion For justification to life ever presupposeth apprehension of Christ as the subject of life and a true application of the same by faith as aforesaid The Gospel holds forth no other justification to salvation but what is or faith and faith ever presupposes the parties knowledge of the thing beleeved Rom. 10.14 Heb. 11.6 Now let this be well examined by the rule of truth then let the Reader judge how capable Infants are of union with Christ and justification to life thereby Now for to darken and obscure this truth there are these evill consequences as absurdities brought in as to follow upon the same First If Infants should not be capable of those graces aforesaid then they were not elected Obj. Secondly Then their bodies should not be raised againe to life And lastly We have not infallible judgement but may be mistaken as in the case of Simon Magus c. To this in a word and first I would know of such Ans whether Infants with referrence to their non-age were the subjects of Gods Election Secondly If Infants so considered are capable subjects of glory And if not as I suppose none will affirme then why any more in Grace then in Glory And for any to appoint God a way how to save Infants or to draw out to themselves a way how the holy Spirit of Grace must sanctifie them to salvation above what is written I thinke it is somewhat too much boldnesse God will have his creature to keepe onely to his Word as the Rule by which man must judge all things and the Word of God shews that he hath elected persons to the meanes as well as to the end being the way unto the same And that was the Adoption of Sonnes and to be called and justified by beleeving in Jesus Christ as Ephes 1.4 5. Rom. 8.29 30. 1 Pet. 1.2 2 Thes 2.13 14. And therefore the ground of Gods calling us and our beleeving is attributed unto out Election Act. 2.47 Act. 13.48 Rom. 8.28 Rom. 11.7 And to the glory of God as the cause of all by the dispensation of his grace upon his chosen in Christ and their free obedience unto him againe as Rom 9.23 24. Ephes 1.6.12 These things God hath revealed in his Word and further I dare not goe but leaving the secret things to God who gives not account of all his wayes And for the raising of Infants bodies doth none rise but such as are in visible union with Christ as for invisible things we meddle not with It is the power of God that raiseth the dead and not union with Christ 1 Thes 4.16 And when any of Gods Elect can by the Scriptures be shewed to die in their infancy then it will be granted that their bodies are raised to life eternall onely as they are Infants Nor that I hold all that dye in their infancy to be damned but being a secret thing I leave the
was come to Ierusalem be assayed to joyne himselfe to the disciples Act. 9 26. And the whole body fitly joyned together c. Eph. 4 16. And a fitly framing of matter together for a house or habitation of God as Eph. 2.21 22. All which is the Saints entering covenant with God which covenant is their forme that gives them a being in such a relation or fellowship Isa 43.21 1 Pet. 2.9 And so much in briefe of the constitution of a Church or of the Saints entering into Church-fellowship and the causes producing the same And now being come into her own land as of old was signified Ezek. 36.24 25. which is into a visible covenant with God or union with Christ and so become his own shee is now to be washed with water in Baptisme as Ezek. 16.8 9. Mat. 28.19 Eph. 4 5. And thus being in covenant with God by faith in Jesus Christ in which their state consists and so the agreement made the covenant passed between them now the seale is see to which is the outward ordinance of Baptisme to confirme the same which being done she is then to enter upon her holy communion in all the rest of Gods holy ordinances thereunto belonging for her comfort and well-being And thus I have by Gods gracious assistance done with this subject charged upon me partly by such as feare the Lord in a far Countrey beyond the Seas and partly by my own conscience for the truths sake at home And good Reader confider well before you judge and what I see not teach thou me c. Job 34.31 But let not my unweary Readâ—â— be offended with me though I speake a word or two more It may be some will aske me if I condemne all Churches but onely such as I have here described To which I answer that I condemne no Church which God approves of in his word secondly I condemne no Church at all for I goe not about to shew who are false but what is true and it is enough for me if such a Church as hath been spoken of be granted to be true and let all others alone to stand and fall to their own Master and in regard of those reproachfull clamours cast upon all without exception that seem to be of my judgement about Baptisme I shall yet make bold with my Reader briefly to declare a word of my faith what I beleeve and hold to be truth and desire to practise the same and so leave all to God for the godly Reader to judge what difference there is between him and me in the maine that men should be so incensed against me as to seeke my life as some have done the Lord in mercy forgive them and lay it not to their charge And now for my faith First I doe beleeve that there is onely one God who is distinguished in three persons God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost yet but one in nature or essence without division and uncommunicable who made the world and all things therein by the word of his power and governes them all by his wise providence Secondly I beleeve that God made man in his own Image an upright and a perfect creature consisting of soule and body which body God framed of the earth and breathed a soul into the same To whom God gave a law upon his keeping of which depended all his happinesse and upon the contrary attended his misery which soon took effect for he breaking that Law he fell under the curse and the wrath of God lay upon him all his posterity By which fall Man lost the knowledge of God utterly disabled himself of all ability ever to recover the same againe Thirdly I beleeve God out of the counsell of his own will did before he made the world elect and choose some certain number of his foreseen fallen creatures and appointed them to eternall life in his Sonne for the glory of his grace which number so elected shall unavoydably be saved and come to glory and the rest left to themselves in their sinne to glorifie his justice Fourthly I beleeve that God in the fulnesse of his owne time did send his Sonne the second person who in the wombe of the Virgin Mary assumed mans nature and in the same he suffered death upon the Crosse onely as he was man to satisfie his Fathers justice for the sinnes of all his elect and them onely and that he lay three dayes three nights in his grave from whence he arose the third day by the power of his Godhead for the justification of all for whose sinnes be dyed and that in the same body Christ dyed be arose from tho dead and afterwards ascended into heaven the place of glory where he was before and there to remaine untill he comes at the last day to judge the world in righteousnesse Fifthly I beleeve that God of his grace in his own time effectually calls such as shall be saved to the knowledge sive as a childe in the parents begetting of it and so God by his Spirit works faith in the hearts of all such to beleeve in Christ and his righteousnes only for justification And thus they are made righteous before God in Christ and so conformable to the will of the Father through the Sonne and also made holy through the worke of regeneration and the holy Spirit of grace dwelling in them yet all such have still as long as they live here in the flesh remaining in them an old man that originall corruption the flesh that warres against the Spirit which hinders them in their obedience both to God and man and many times draws them to that which is evill and contrary to their intentions yet all of them shall through Christ overcome and safely be brought to glory at last Sixthly I beleeve the holy Scriptures to be the word of God and have the onely authoritie to binde the conscience to the obedience of all therein contained and are the allsufficient Rule by the Spirit of God to guide a man in all his obedience both to God and man Seventhly As for the absence of originall sin and power in the will to receive and refuse grace and salvation being generally offered by the Gospel and Christs dying for all persons universally to take away sinne that stood between them and salvation and so laid downe his life a ransome for all without exception and for such as have been once in Gods love so as approved of by him in Christ for salvation and in the covenant of grace and for such to fall so as to be damned eternally and all of the like nature I doe beleeve is a doctrine from beneath and not from above and the teachers of it from Satan and not from God and to be rejected as such that oppose Christ and his Gospel Eightly I doe beleeve the resurrection of the dead that all shall rise and come to judgement and every one give account of himselfe
to God and receive according to the things done in their bodyes whether they be good or bad therefore no conscience ought to be forced in the matters of Religion because no man can beare out another in his account to God if in case he should cause him to sinne Ninthly I do beleeve the King is set upon his throne by God who hath given him power and authority to reigne and rule for God over all his subjects as supreame head over all persons in his Dominions in whom is resident all power to punish any that shall offend either against his royall person crowne or dignity and that all his Subjects are to obey him out of conscience to God and all in lawfull authoritie under him and wherein they rule wâ—â—l I am bound in conscience actually to obey and assist them to the utmost of my abiliaie both in my person and state and wherein they goe amisse that I cannot with a good conscience actually obey them as aforesaid I shall passively submit my body to suffer their pleasure according to the Word of God in what they shall inflict upon me without resistance this is my faith and the faith of all that I desire to have fellowship with And lastly I do beleeve that there is an holy and blessed communion of Saints that God of his grace calls suck as belong to life by election unto the fellowship of his Sonne by the Gospel of which matter God by his Word and Spirit joyns them together in his covenant of grace and so constitutes his Church as I have before shewed And as God hath thus built for himselfe an holy habitation of such pure matter and also after ho holy a manner even so hath he provided a way of preservation and safetie for the same as Isa 26.1 We have a strong Citie salvation will God appoint for walls and bulworks which Citie is said to have a wall both great and high and built upon twelve foundations great that none shall break through high that none shall overtop or get over and strong in the foundation that nothing shall shake it 〈…〉 5. 〈…〉 3. and God hath said that he will be a wall of fire round about and the glory in the midst of it and that he will keepe it and watch over it by night and by day that nothing shall hurt it and as God hath built himselfe a house after his own minde and is a guard to the same even so he also is said to beautifie the same with salvation 〈…〉 3. 〈…〉 and to make the place of his feet glorious and that he will lay all her stones with faire colours and her foundations with Saphires and her windows of Agaâ—s and her gates of Carbuncles and all her borders of pleasant stones and all her children taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of her children Which Citie and the streets thereof are said to be of pure gold like unto cleare glasse 〈…〉 11 whose light is like to a stone most precious even as a Jasper stone cleare as Crystall Of which Christ saith Thou art all faire my love and there is no spot in thee 〈…〉 and that the Kings daughter is all glorious within and her clothing is of wrought gold And as Christ doth thus signifie unto us the nature of his Church both in respect of her matter her forme her grace and comely order in him her head even so he holds forth his love to her and delight in her by these and the like sweet expressions of comfort and solace 〈…〉 The Lord hath chosen Zion be hath desired it for his habitation saying this is my rest and here will I dwell for ever And so faith the Apostle In Christ all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord 〈…〉 1 〈…〉 in whom you are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit and therefore God is said to love the gates of Zion more then all the dwellings of Jacob and glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Citie of God Which Citie is said to be Jerusalem which is above bo is the mother of us all And so the mountain of the Lords house is said to be established in the top of the mountains and to be exalted above the hils 〈…〉 6. For whose sake saith the Lord I will not hold my peace nor rest untill I cause the righteousnesse thereof to break forth as brightnesse and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth And so called by Christ and holy people the redeemed of the Lord a City sought out and not forsaken The name of which Citie from that day shall be 〈…〉 12 〈…〉 8. The Lord is there And further called his vine his plant his temple his flocke his pleasant portion his first borne his bride his Queene his Spouse his wife his body his love his dove his onely joy and place of Rest Consider Some were perswaded with the things that were spoken but some beleeved not Act. 28.24 ERRATA Faults escaped Page 8 line 5. Reade as for is p. 12. l. 4. r. therefore though the first c. p. 19. l. 45. 〈…〉
would establish his covenant for an everlasting covenant and so he would be a God to his seed after him in doing for them all that he had promised to multiply them to give them that fruitfull Land of Canaan and so to blesse them with great prosperitie And also I will be their God that is their God whom they shall beleeve and obey upon whom they shall depend for the performance of all that I have promised unto them by which faith and obedience they shall acknowledge me to be their God Now these being the particular expressions of the covenant and as they lie barely in the letter they art figurative speeches and so considered onely as they were temporall for so was Canaan a temporall inheritance and so were the other outward blessings under which were figured our spirituall substances onely to the like Subjects And as they were outward or temporall so considered they were both generall and conditionall for as the people did then beleeve God and obey him so they did enjoy them and not else as Heb. 3. Unto which covenant circumcision was added as a token to put the people alwayes in minde of the said covenant as Gen. 17.11 and a seale to confirme the covenant on both the sides God to be a God unto them as aforesaid and they for his own people above all others and so to performe the same condition of faith and obedience as Abraham their father did And to walke as such circumcised in heart unto which they were ingaged by that Ordinance as Rom. 2.25 26 27 28 29. otherwise the covenant stood not in force for their outward prosper it is that was the glory of that people in generall In which respect onely the covenant the seale and the inheritance are all of a like extent as Gen. 17.7.8.13 and so ended in Christ in whom all stands firme onely to such as beleeve as Gal. 3. This covenant was accomplished by God upon the Jewes at three severall times as they were Abrahams seed First in bringing them from Aegypt to Canaan Secondly from Babylon to Jerusalem And lastly Christs coming in the flesh as the seed in whom all Nations should be blessed This blessed seed according to the covenant God made with Abraham was sent first to Abraham seed the Jews in generall as Mat. 10.5 6. Mat. 15.24 Joh. 11.11 To blesse them by calling them to repentance and so to turne them from their sins as Act. 2.38 39. Act. 3.25 26. Act. 13 23.26 32 33. Thus the King of heaven offered his Sonne first in marriage to the Jews as Mat. 22. and being refused by them he sought him a wife among the Gentiles as Act. 13.46 Act. 15.14 Rom. 11. And so much for the promise or covenant God made with Abraham and his seed which for the right understanding of it must be considered in a severall respect according to the seed but not so to the Gentiles and their seed the Covenant lies not to them in a figurative way not in any fleshly or temporall respect as it did to Abrahams seed in the flesh but to the Gentiles in substance onely as they are in Christ by faith and so upright as Abraham was when God made covenant with him and if otherwise that the Gentiles must be considered as the Jews then they must have a fleshly seed under the same conditionall respect as Abraham had have onely one publike head as Abrahams was to bring them in all stand in the same relation as children to a father to that one head as Abrahams seed did unto him and come in the same way both for covenant and command as Abraham and his seed did All which the Scriptures deny the Gentiles for coming in such a way And so I come now to the seed and first to begin in the fountaine and head-spring of all at Abraham and Sarah and see the Gospels discovery of heir seed compared with the Law by which it will appeare what the seed of Abraham is that God approves of to be in the covenant with him and so to have right to the seale there of There was under the old Testament a generall stated people in an outward forme of profession among whom God owned but a remnant to belong unto him in his gracious covenant of life as Isa 10.21 22. Rom. 9.27 Against some of which in the generall God excepted as not so approved of in his covenant and yet admit them lawfull members of that body and so to the priviledges thereof they being the seed of Abraham after the flesh 〈…〉 as Gen. 17.10.20 21.23 Gen. 21.12 13. Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11 12 13. So likewise under the new Testament there is also a stated people 〈…〉 whom God approves of for his own chosen and true spirituall worshippers against whom he layes no exception but owns them as such whom he hath purchased with his own bloud and so approved Subjects in his gracious covenant of life as such who are called chosen and faithfull Joh. 4.23 1 Pet. 2.5.9 Eph. 2.19 20 21 22. 4.16 1 Cor. 12.12 13.25 26 27. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Act. 20.28 Rev. 17.14 Now unto these two stated or bodyed people there is in the Scriptures two typicall heads namely Hagar and Sarah as Gal. 4.22 23 24 25. Here Hagar and Sarah as the two Mothers type out the two Testaments even so their two sons IshmAel and Isaac type out the subjects of the same the one by the bond-woman born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise v. 23. Now as Hagar the Mother signified the old state in generall so IshmAel her son signified the children of the same state borne after the flesh as he was for though that he was of the seed of Abraham yet he was no childe of promise Now for Sarah she was the lawfull wife of Abraham and so a free-woman with whom the Apostle compares the state of the Church of the new Testament the true spouse and wife of Christ who is free from all servitude and bondage stands onely in subjection to Christ her husband as Sarah did to Abraham And Isaac her son signifying the true holy and blessed seed Of this holy stocke according to the Spirit and so as Isaac was true heire according to promise for the Gospel approves of none as true heires of the blessing so the right seed and truely in the covenant but onely such as the promise produceth brings forth as it did Isaac for Isaac came not by an ordinary course of nature but by vertue of the promise of God and faith in the same which raised nature above it selfe to bring him forth as Gen. 18.10 11 12. Gen. 21.1 2. Rom. 9.9 Heb. 11.11 12. By this the wisdome of God in the Apostle holds forth as in a figure who are Abrahams seed approved of in the Gospel they are such as are brought forth by a power above nature which is by the promise of God
grafted in againe to their owne roote or Olive tree as at the first which is union and communion with God in his holy way of worship under the Gospel as of old under the Law And so much for the roote or Olive tree which must be understood of Christ mystically considered and not of beleeving parents as aforesaid Now a word of the branches which cannot be meant of Infants but beleevers onely in the Apostles sense being holy First They are branches onely in the same consideration as they subsist and grow in the roote or Vine and so beare the true nature of the same by which they appeare to be holy by the fruits thereof Christ as aforesaid being the roote or vine the branches can no way be said to subsist and to grow in him as their roote but onely by saith and he in them by his spirit without which there is no holines in the Apostles sence who speaks of such as holines as is produced in the branch by the holy roote in which ingrowes and so partakes of the nature of the roote by vertue of the union and communion it hath with the same all which is by saith as the Word reveales Secondly There is no branch that is alive in the Vine but partakes of the life and sap of the same by vertue of which the branch though never so young and small is discovered to be alive and inabled to bring forth in its season such fruit as by which the same may be discerned so it is here by these spirituall branches they cannot properly be called branches in the Apostles sence but as they partake of the life and grace of Christ their true vine and olive tree by which they appeare at the least to be alive in him by faith and inabled by the same to bring forth such fruits as may discover them to be in the Covenant of grace and so to be admitted unto the priviledges thereof as Joh. 15.1.7 Nature it selfe teaches as much for no man will admit of dead plants to be set in his vineyard or grafted into a stock but onely such as are capable to comply with the same in the sap and nourishment thereof to the end it may grow and bring forth fruit and so it is with Christ who comes not short of nature and therefore he admits not of any dead plants to be set in his spirituall vineyard or dead members to be joyned to his mysticall body but onely such as by faith capable to comply with the head Neither took he for himself a compounded body consisting of both living and dead members which all are that have not a living principle of grace faith in him which all beleevers Infants have not nor any at all untill they are borne againe of the Spirit as Job 3.5 6. The Church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ is not a mixt company but onely one substantiall and royall substance sutable to her head matter by which shee was produced being the immortall seed of the Word and therefore one holy spirituall uniforme compacted body both for nature and forme Cant. 6.9 Mal. 2.15 Eph. 2.14 to 22. Joh. 4.23 All which considered proves the body of Christ or Church of God under the new Testament not to consist of Infants neither in whole nor in part and so the branches aforesaid not to be understood of Infants but beleevers And if any object from the words of Christ Mat. 18.6 speaking there of some little ones that beleeved in him and from thence gather that Infants have faith c. The answer in a word is this That I am for all that beleeve and onely for them whether they be Infants or others so that their faith be visible as it may be discerned otherwise it concerns nothing the point in hand for we are upon visible things such as may be judged of by the Word of God Againe little children that beleeve in the Scripture sense are such as be little and weake in the faith and so babes in Christ as 1 Joh. 2.12 1 Cor. 3.1.3 Heb. 5.12 13. But it is said that the Church of the Jewes of old and the Church of the Gentiles now are one in nature as they are both the Church of God and so Infants in the one as they were in the other and the same priviledges to the one as to the other c. I have before shewed the large difference between the Jewes and the Gentiles in respect of their outward priviledges but a word or two more and so end The Church of God under the old Testament and that now under the new for nature are one in reference to the Elect of God called to the faith and by the spirit of grace united to Christ as the branches to their vine and so an holy plant of Gods planting of which indeed the true Church of Christ consists and therefore God did ever put a distinction in Abrahams seed even from Abraham to Christ as in Abraham between Isaac and Ishmael Gen. 17.20 21. Gen. 21.11 12 13. in Isaac between Jacob and Esau Gen. 25.23 Rom. 9.11 12. in Jacob between Ephraim and Manasse Gen. 48.13 14.16 17 18 19. And thus the holy Ghost figuratively pointed at a difference in Abrahams seed between the children of the flesh the children of God Rom. 9.6 7 8. and though God did thus distinguish in Abrahams posteritie yet there could not be the like dividing in the same they being nationall people consisting both of a Church and so spirituall and of a common wealth and so all under a civill worldly government Which nation God crowned with many outward priviledges as he never did any people in the earth they being the first people that God ever tooke into covenant with himselfe in such a way by whom he raised himselfe a name and same in all the world and so his peculiar treasure to whom he committed great matters of trust as Psal 135.4 Rom. 3.1 2. 9.4 Eph. 2.12 Of whom came Christ the Saviour of man and therefore salvation is said to be of the Jewes as Rom. 9.5 Joh. 4.22 In respect of which there was a blessed promise passed upon the Jews for the bringing forth of the Messias and the promised seed in whom all Nations should be blessed And therefore all of that nation were admitted to the outward priviledges as figures of him which that Nation was to bring forth so that a fruitfull wombe was counted a great blessing among the Jews not knowing who might be so honoured as to bring forth that blessed and all blessing seed And therefore God honoured the naturall birth among the Jews with such outward blessings and priviledges that belongs not to the Gentiles at all The Gentiles now are to look for their bringing forth of Christ according to the Spirit as the Jews did then according to the flesh and likewise their birth and their seed in all things sutable to the same As Joh. 3.3.5 6. Joh. 1.12
All the whole houshold of every familie among the Israelites in Aegypt as well children as others were to eate the Passeover Exod. 12.3 4. And the Lords Supper succeeds that 〈…〉 and yet Infants are not approved as fit Communicants in the Lords Supper because they are not capable subjects But it is a double mystery how persons are fit and capable of union in a State that are not fit and capable of communion in the ordinances of the same State And more mysticall how one should be a capable subject of Baptisme and noâ— of the Supper 〈…〉 I can see no Rule for such a practise in all the booke of God and it s against the Rule of nature that when a childe is borne to keep it from food The Church of the new Testament succeeds the old but it will not follow that the like order and subjects succeed each other also for no rejected Ishmaelite or Esau are to be admitted either to union or communion in the Church under the new Testament by Christs appointment therefore though that Baptisme succeed circumcision yet the same subjects doe not so The two Testaments are as Wills containing certaine Legacies given and bequeathed to such onely as whose names are expresly set downe in the same as Rev. 21.27 In the old Testament as the first Will a Male of eight dayes old or a Prosolyte Exod. 12.48.49 Gen. 17 10-44.23.25 Joâ— 8. Phil. 3.4 5. So in the new Testament as the last Will of Christ the Legacies therein contained as the priviledges and blessing of Abraham are given onely to such as beleeve and to none else Gal. 3.14 22 29. Rom. 8 17. 4.11 12. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7. These are such as are begotten againe by the immortall seed of the Word borne of the Spirit and so children of God and the onely true â—eiâ—es of the Kingdome of Christ with the priviledges thereof as Jam. 1.18 1 Pet. 2.23 Joh. 1 12 13. Joh. 3.5 6 1 Joh. 3.9 10. Rom. 8.17 These are the holy seed which God so approves of in the Scriptures as subjects of grace heires of life and being in the covenant they onely have right to the priviledges thereof and their children or of-spring are such as succeed them in the same saith and truth and so are called the Generation of the righteous as succeeding each other in the way of righteousnesse and not their Infants or personall seed proceeding from their loyns by carnall generation as Esa 43.5 44 3. 54.3 59.21 66.22 61.9 65.23 compare Rev 12.17 Gal. 4.26 to 31. These and the like Scriptures shew what is the right and true approved seed unto which the priviledges of grace belong so that although Baptisme succeeds Circumcision yet the difference is great both in matter and manner in persons and things Circumcision sealed to things temporall and carnall as well as spirituall and so were the subjects and things to come as under types and shadows and so in a cloud and darknesse Whereas Baptisme hath for its subjects children of the light in the cleare evidence of the Spirit with the face open and confirmes faith in things come and already done for Baptisme seals onely to faith in Christ and grace in the new birth which cannot be where there is not first a begetting by the immortall seed of the Word of life for which end God hath ordained in the Gospel preaching beleeving to goe before baptizing as Mat. 28.19 with Mark â—6 15 16. And that way or order which hath not God for its Author and found in the Records of Christ with his image and superscription upon it let us say as sometime he did Give to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so say I Give to Antichrist his baptizing of Infants to Christ his baptizing of beleevers What advantage will it be to Infants to come before they are called to have a name to live and yet dead for ought any one knows and to come to the marriage-Supper without a wedding Garment shall the holy things of God be forced upon such as neither beleeve know or once desires them will men set a seale to a blanke are children capable to receive meate before they be borne except we make Baptisme the wombe of regeneration as many doe who teach that Infants are regenerated borne againe of the Spirit of grace in Baptisme whose doctrine is of the same stampe and authoritie as he that sent them so to preach What can be more naturall then begetting and bringing forth of the Infant before feeding of it at the Mothers breasts Is it not sacriledge to presse such upon the wise of Christ the Church for her Paps with whom she never travelled or beare of her body Christ will deny himselfe to be food and nourishment to any where he hath not beene first seed to beget Let men take heed how they impute such folly to the wisdome of god as to give the milke of his breasts unto any that are still borne or to set dead twigs in his heavenly and divine stocke or naturall branches in his holy and spirituall vine Let such beware how they fight against the God of order least in stead of finding the breast to feed before the wombe to beare they meet with a curse upon the single emptinesse of Christ with a double barrennesse that will admit of no conception or spirituall birth to succeed the naturall Not that I intend the least to deny salvation unto Infants no I am so far from this that I testifie against all such doctrine nor yet affirme all Infants to be saved neither doe I know among Infants which shall be saved and which not therefore I leave it as a secret thing to God untill he makes the same appeare by some visible effect of faith which onely gives a visible right unto any ordinance of the new Testament and therefore I cannot see by the Gospel how Infants voyde of visible faith should have visible right unto the priviledges of grace neither ought they to be admitted thereunto as hath been proved and also for these and the like reasons following First 〈…〉 because there is neither command nor example for the baptizing of Infants in all the new Testament the order and government of which in the administrations thereof is no way inferiour to the old but in the old Testament there was an expresse Rule by command from God what communicants were to be admitted to circumcision and other ordinances of that nature and what not but this order is no where found in the new Testament for the baptizing of Infants and therefore the same is not to be practised Secondly It is a high contempt and injury to Christ as he is the husband of the Church his holy Spouse to force upon him an naturall wife himselfe being spirituall and desires the like associate as such a Church is founded upon the naturall birth namely Infants
thereof which cannot be untill a man be borne from above and such as are spirituall alive are the onely subjects of Baptisme This will be further cleared in the constitution of the Church which now follows which constitution is the orderly collection conjoyning of persons into the new covenant or visible union with Christ their head and so consequently into an orderly body among themselves wherein the Saints are the matter and the covenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth and is by them constituted as Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 Gal. 3.18.29 Heb. 6.17 Zech. 13.9 with Deut. 26.16 to 19 Deut. 29.12 13. Rom. 9.8 with Gal 4.28 By which it appeares that it is the promise or the covenant of grace that produceth a Christian and gives him a beeing in such an estate of grace as in Church-fellowship and so consequently the Church it selfe for that which is true in a part is the same in the whole Now for the constituting causes by which God ordinarily useth to effect this worke are these First the word of God which is to fit and prepare the matter for the forme Secondly the confession of faith which is to declare the fitnesse of the matter for the forme Thirdly the free and mutuall consent and agreement of the particular persons upon the practise of the same truth beleeved and confessed as aforesaid And lastly the Spirit of Christ uniting and knitting up their hearts together in and by the same truth and of each of these a word First of the Word of God sitting and preparing of the matter and this appeares in the ministery of John thâ—â— Baptist who was to goe before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias for to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient unto the wisdome of the just and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord as Luk. 1.17 Compare with this Luk. 3.4 5 6. where he is said to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight And now the manner how this is to be done is to fill up every valley and to bring down every mountain and hill and to make the crooked straight and the rough wayes smooth And so verse 6. by the valleys is to be understood of such as whose hearts were possessed with fear either of Gods displeasure against them for sin or fear of the dangers straits and difficulties that attends the Gospel of Christ in the true profession of the same From both which the hearts of such are to be freed that are fit to follow Christ and prepared subjects for his Kingdome Luk. 14.26 In which sense the Gospel is a preparative meanes to fill up such valleys by powring in the great abundance of Gods rich grace and free love in Christ towards all such as beleeve and his all-sufficiency to preserve such as suffer for his Names lake And for laying low the mountains and hills that is to humble and to bring downe the proud heart of man that exalts himselfe and cannot submit unto the simplicitie of the Gospel and to that low and meane condition of Christ upon his Crosse as Isa 2 11-22 with 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. And for the crooked to be made straight that is the crooked and Serpent like nature wayes and evill dispositions of men these shall be changed and made conformable to Christ And so for the making of the tough smooth that is the hard and rough turbulent spirits of men that will admit of no rule order or peaceable societie at all shall by the word of God be made soft smooth and of such a meek temper of spirit as that all such shall live together in love innocent and harmlesse with unitie peace and uniformitie to Christ in all things as Isa 11.6 7 8 9. All which Christ himselfe often affirmed that except a man deny himselfe he cannot be his disciple All which change thus upon the hearts of men is by the power of the Word of God by which they as matter are sitted and prepared for the forme The second constituting cause is the confession of faith which declares the fitnes of the matter for the forme which confession of faith is produced by the power of the Gospel shining into the heart of man and drawes away the same after that which is by the Gospel revealed Which truth is of such a working nature that will not be kept in but like unto leaven which so seasons and sweetens the whole man that as fire at length it breaks forth and discovers it selfe or rather such as have it not onely so but it brings them together by which they come now to conferre about the same so that at length they come to be of one and the same minde and judgement in it and withall convicted of their obedience thereunto And upon this here follows a third constituting cause which is their free mutuall consent and agreement upon the practise of that truth so by God revealed and by faith received as his will in their obedience thereunto which agreement is between God and them in his truth who by his power subjects them to himselfe by the same and where this is in truth Now comes the cause in the last place which 〈…〉 and concludes the whole work and that is the Spirit of grace and power going forth in their hearts by faith uniting knitting them up together in one for the manifestation of their obedience to God in their practie all subjection to Christ in the said truth by them received and agreed upon as aforesaid and this is the Covenant that formes the Church which ever goes in order before the externall administration of any other ordinance then the matters joyning together for orderly practise for persons must be informed of the truth in judgement and bound by the same in conscience and agree upon the practise before the same can orderly be put into execution which foresaid union is the holy Ghosts conjoyning and uniting the said persons together in one and the same truth and so consequently into an orderly body among themselves immediately under Christ their head Which conjunction is called in Scripture the unitie of the Spirit Eph. 4.3 and the gracious covenant by which God becomes their God and they his approved people in such a visible relation Gen. 17. as Deut. 29.12 13. with Deut. 26.17 18. Ezek. 16.8 Ier. 31.3 This is called also joyning to the Lord as Ier. 50.5 They shall aske the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten And the sonne of the stranger that joyns himselfe to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and to be his servant c. Isa 56.6 And bâ— that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And of the rest durst no man joyne himselfe unto them Act. 5.13 And when Paul
unsound consequences and false inferences and lay by the plaine testimony of Scripture that must decide all doubts and controversies in matters of Religion For sure I am there is neither command nor example in all the New Testament for any such practise as I know and whatsoever is done in the worship of God or obedience to Christ without his command or apparant example approved of by Christ is of man as a voluntary will worship Col. 2 20 21 22. Mark 7.7 8. after the commandements and doctrines of men the which Christ testifies against as a vaine thing This way the Gentiles are more forward in then ever the Jewes were and more bitter against such that doe oppose their traditions then ever they were And therefore I beseech thee Good Reader beware of opposing the Gospell and Christs holy order in the same Rom. 11. For which thing God fell out with his ancient people the Jewes and threatens to make the Gentiles drinke of the same cup if they oppose the power and authoritie of his Sonne Jesus Christ as they did and doe not the Gentiles this Yea and much more then ever the Jewes did The Gentiles are set forth in Scripture to be the greatest enemies that Christ and his Gospell hath in the world Psal 2. Ezek. 38. Rev. 20.8 9. Rev. 9 1-11 Rev. 12.4 Rev. 13.1 2. Rev. 17.13 14.17 Rev 11.2 Rev. 11.8 Rev. 17.17 Rev. 11.2 Luk. 21 24 Rom â— 11.20 21 22. for they rage and bend up their forces against Christ and his people and the Gentiles they compasse the Campe of the Saints to devoure them Of them is the bottomlesse pit out of which come the Locusts with a King over them and of them is the blouddie Dragon that stands against the Church to suppresse and devour Christs holy order and Government and her subjection to the same Of the Gentiles rises that beastly State with which the Kings of the earth joyne their powers against Christs Kingly power and Subjects and they tread underfoote the holy Citie Not the earthly Citie Jerusalem as some weakly affirme but the holy heavenly order of the Gospell and the true Subjects thereof The Gentiles Crucifie Christ in his mysticall body which is more then to slay him in his humane body There is a time set for the long suffering of God towards the Gentiles Which time being once expired God will have as strict account of the Gentiles as ever he tooke of the Jewes Which day shall be as blacke and darke over the Gentiles as ever it hath been to the Jewes And more in that their sinne hath been greater against grace Christ and his members by many degrees then ever the Jewes were And therefore woe woe unto the Gentiles because the day of their account draws neere Therefore good Christian Reader be well advised and doe not take part with any that shall oppose Christ in his sweet and comely order among his Saints and kingly Government over his Subjects Wee see by apparant example how dangerous a thing it is to oppose Kings but Christ is the King of Kings therefore kisse the Sonne least he be angry Psal 2.12 JOHN SPILSBERY A TREATISE CONCERNING THE SVBIECT OF BAPTISME VVherein is handled and also disproved Infants Baptisme The Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. And how the same agrees with Beleevers and their seed under the New Testament with the Priviledges thereof The Baptisme administred by a false Antichristian Power no Ordinance of GOD. The orderly constitution of both Church and Ordinance With many other things briefely handled FOR a more orderly proceeding in the following Discourse I shall first lay downe the Arguments and Objections and then give Answer to the same And for some things in the beginning I shall passe over briefely they not much concerning the point in hand As the Scriptures being a perfect rule of all things both for faith and order this I confesse is a truth And for the just and true consequence of Scripture I doe not deny and the covenant of life lying between God and Christ for all his Elect I doe not oppose and that the outward profession of the said Covenant hath differed under severall Periods I shall not deny and of the Scriptures speaking of the disanulling and abolishing the old Covenant and making a new is to be understood of the Period from Moses to Christ and not of that from Abraham to Moses This also in part I confesse but not the whole because that the abolishing of the old Covenant or Testament reached unto all that outward for me of worship under any type or shadow by which the people professed their faith and obedience to God So that the abolishing of types and shadows must reach so farre as any types and shadows were and that was unto Circumcision it selfe unto Abrahams Period and beyond even to all those sacrifices in any part of the old Testament wherein God testified his pleasure unto his people in any darke and typicall way or they their faith and obedience to him by the same So that the opposition the Scripture holds forth between Covenant Covenant is between Testament and Testament with reference to the order and forme of profession thereof But I leave this as little concerning the matter in hand and come to that which follows And the first to any purpose is layd downe thus That children are capable of the Spirit of God and of the grace of the Covenant Obj. and whatsoever men of yeares are capable of though not wrought in the same way and by the same meanes yet the same things and by the same Spirit so farre as is necessary to union with Christ and justification to life thereby else children were not elected or raised up againe in their bodies and be saved nor yet the judgement we can have of men of yeares be infallible but we may be mistaken as in the case of Simon Magus and others in the like nature In answer to this Ans let it be in the first place considered what may be here meant by children because the Scriptures speake of children in a severall respect If such children as the Scriptures call so through weaknesse in the faith as Mar. 18.6 1 Joh. 2.12 13. 1 Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 Now if such children as these then I confesse that such are capable of the Spirit of God and so of the rest as aforesaid But if by children be meant of infants then we are to consider what is meant by capablenesse of the Spirit the grace of the Covenant and the rest If capable of the Spirit so as opposed to the power of the Spirit to worke upon them so is a stone as well as a man as Mat. 3.9 But if capable to comply with the Spirit in hearing receiving and beleeving the Spirits testimony and so of Regeneration faith and repentance c. This I shall deny untill some proofe be produced from the Word of God for
to enter or admits any into the said Covenant What inrights into the covenant and that is the promise of God in Christ and faith in the same that gives right of entrance and onely admits into Covenant with God as Neh. 9.8 The Covenant aforesaid hath these essentiall parts and visible branches First Grace in the agent God Secondly faith in the Subject Man Thirdly a uniting or closing of these together which is that mutuall consent agreement by faith in the same grace revealed by the Gospel which is the word of Reconciliation So that it is the blessed word of life and faith in the same that gives right and admits into Covenant with God Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant and they are onely such as beleeve for God approves of none in covenant with him by his Word out of Christ nor of any in Christ without faith Nay God denies his approving of any in fellowship or communion with him that doe not beleeve as John 3.5 6 36. Heb. 11.6 Rom. 8.9 Thus God approves of none as Subjects of his gracious covenant but onely such as he hath elected and chosen in Christ and so appearing by some fruit and effects of the same as these Scriptures with many other witnes Rom. 8.29 30. Rom. 11.7 Ephes 1.4 5 6. 2 Thes 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.2 Act. 2.47 Act. 13.48 So that such as are the chosen and called of the Lord are the onely approved Subjects by him in his saving and ever-blessed Covenant of life The fourth and last is this Whether that all persons now under the Gospel have not one and the same way of entrance into the foresaid Covenant For answer to this the holy Word of God must be Judge and I finds the Gospel of Christ to approve of none in the Lords holy Covenant of grace but such as beleeve neither any approved of as to be in the way of life but such as are in Christ by faith and therefore no other way to come into the Covenant of grace and salvation as the Scriptures reveale but only by Jesus Christ For in him are all the promises confirmed made over only unto such as beleeve as 2 Cor. 1.20 Rom. 10 4 1 Joh. 5.11 12. Rom. 8.9 The holy Covenant of life consisteth of these three essentialls for entrance thereinto The essentials of the covenant First the word of God to reveale the same Secondly Christ to open the way and to inright the partie therein And lastly faith without which none can enter thereinto So that as there is but onely one way of entrance into Covenant with God that the Scripture reveals now under the Gospel that is by Jesus Christ and faith in his name Then all must enter this way that can be approved in covenant with God for none can come to the Father but by the Sonne nor any to the Sonne but by faith as John 14.6 with John 6.44.45 Heb. 11.6 Let all this be well considered and then see how Infants are discovered to be in this Covenant what way of entrance hath God by his word appointed for them to come in and denied the same unto others except they be naturally begotten born in the covenant and so were never out of the same which thing indeed the opposite doctrine affirmes for if Infants be in the covenant of grace and that by vertue of their being borne of beleeving parents who are in the same then such Infants are borne in a saving estate of grace and were never out of the same which doctrine makes voyd many heavenly and divine truths that speak to the contrary which lay all under sin and wrath for the same as conceived in sin borne children of wrath and so under the curse untill Christ by his bloud and death redeemes them and by his heavenly voice calls them and by his holy Spirit of grace begets them unto a lively hope working faith in their hearts to lay hold upon Christ Gods arme of salvation that carries them up to glory and therefore all are said to be borne againe from above of water and of the Spirit before they can enter into the Kingdome of God Now for such as are begotten and borne in the covenant being the seed of beleevers as is affirmed then such were never out of the same which doctrine disables them of any of the former priviledges by Christ for none can be under grace wrath the curse at one and the same time in the outward dispensation of the same the which all out discourse intends for invisible things belong to God and so I come to some other grounds tending to prove Infants to be in the covenant now as they were of old and they are these First Obj. If it were not so then this Covenant would not be the same with that And for answer to this Ans I shall referre the Reader to what hath been aforesaid concerning the differencebetween the Covenant then and this now not the same in a typicall way nor the same in a fleshly seed nor the same in the outward priviledges nor the same in the visible profession thereof c. All which I have already spoken to and shall adde more here after Another ground is this Obj. else the state of the grace of God should be straitned and made of lesse extent by Christs coming then it was before whereas it is more inlarged and of greater extent there being nothing more required in the state of the persons to interesse Infants into the covenant then then is now This particular consists of two parts Ans and the first is to this effect if Infants be not in the covenant now as they were at the first then is the covenant of lesse extent since Christs coming then it was before the answer is that indeed it is of lesse extent in respect of the flesh by Christs coming then it was before because that by him is taken away all fleshly respects either in regard of persons or priviledges in matters of grace which is a further inlarging of the covenant in a spirituall sense for the neerer the covenant comes to perfection the larger it is and the perfection of the covenant in one sense is this to have nothing contained in it but what is truely of it and the contrary is a straitning of the same and a bondage unto the true Subjects thereof Againe It can not properly be said that the covenant in the full accomplishment of the same in glory will be more straite of lesse extent then now in grace and yet there shall be none but onely such as truely appeare to be of the same The second part of the Proposition lies to this effect Obj. There was no more required in Infants then to interesse them into the Covenant then there is required of Infants now For answer to this in a word Ans let the Reader consider well what was required to interesse Infants into the covenant
Commission the subjects of Baptisme are expressely set downe who they should baptize and they are onely such as first were to be taught and had faith to beleeve the same as I have sufficiently proved And now having these expresse commands so fully held forth by Christ himselfe to gether with the whole practicall order of the Apostles others following the same in their administracions and to goe about to bring authoritie or command from the commandement of circumcision for the baptizing of Infants in more then ignorance and for to plead the baptizing of Infants because that command is not repealed which injoyned Infants to be circumcised is too weake for faith to build upon But now I hope the removall of the same appears in that there is not onely a command in the new Testament directly against the same but also a new command and so a law from Christ the King of Saints and Lord of the new Testament for the ordinance of Baptisme and all the circumstances of the same And yet for the further repealing of that law which injoyned Infants naturally borne and so from the wombe to be circumcised without minding any other sprituall birth but onely that which brought forth the childe in the world for 8 dayes after it must be circumcised by command from God which order is opposed by the Gospel as Joh. 3.3 5 6. Where Christ opposeth the two births the spirituall to the naturall birth and excludes the naturall from any admittance into the Kingdom of God without the spirituall birth And that he might not be mistaken he further explains himself saying That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit And further to know Christs meaning in these births which he opposeth the one to the other he fully holds forth Joh. 1.13 in these words of such as received him which were borne not of blond nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This way and order the commandement of circumcision speaks nothing of neither required the same but onely the first birth for no childe of 8 dayes old was capable to be borne againe of the Spirit in our Saviours sense And thus the Gospel excludes that which the law of circumcision commanded even the first birth which is naturall without the second birth which is spirituall And it is in vaine for any to say that Christ speakes here of men of yeares for he opposeth the two births as aforesaid and not the age of any and so the whole universe of mankinde for this place is generally taken for the doctrine of regeneration from whence many hold that children are regenerated in Baptisme But generally those that baptize their Infants hold that they are regenerated before for they baptize them as being holy before And if any shall say that the Kingdome Christ speaks of is meant the Kingdome of glory and not of grace and therefore though he excludes such out of the one yet not out of the other The answer is that it is no where found in the Gospel that any are excluded the kingdome of glory and yet are admitted into the kingdome of grace The doore of grace in this sense is no wider then the gate of glory by Gods appointment and what men doe through ignorance that alters not the truth of God as Rom. 8.30 And if any say that Christ at this time had opposed Gods ordinance of circumcision if such a truth had been put in execution as is gathered from his words to exclude and put by an Infant of 〈…〉 To this I answer and say that Christ speaks of many things before his death which did not concerne the time present but of the order and government of his Church under the new Testament And so he speaks here of the qualification of his subjects and worshippers in his new kingdome that was at hand all which was to be spirituall and therefore to be borne of the spirit as Christ affirmed In which sense circumcision in the flesh ceased and that of the heart onely remaines as Rom. 2. Adde to this the words of the Apostle Eph. 2.3 We are saith he all by nature children of wrath Now if this be true then so long as nothing else appears how can we judge otherwise without gainsaying the holy Ghost and by the words of Christ we are first borne of the flesh and so in an estate of nature untill grace recover us and the effects of Christs redemption takes hold upon us Untill which time we are judged of the Apostle to be children of wrath and of the flesh and so uncleane and no uncleane thing must come into the holy Citie of grace and glory Rev. 21. All which being well considered I thinke will put a stop to the commandement of circumcision from having any footing in the ordinance of Baptisme or for any to take a ground from thence to justisie their Infants in their Baptisme untill some evidence appeares of their being inwardly washed in the bloud of Christ that so the same may be confirmed unto them by that outward washing with water otherwise the ordinance is no way availeable to them but sinne in such as impose the same upon them who doe neither desire it nor know what is done unto them which is to set a seale to a blanke a thing condemned in nature And so I passe from this subject of Infants Baptisme desiring the Lord abundantly to extend his saving grace unto as many as belongs to him that the praise may ever abound to his glory and their everlasting comfort in all happines and safetie here and glory hereafter We know no man after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. We are the circumcision that worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. Marvell not that I say a man must be borne againe before he can enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And thus I desire to have Infants ever in honourable and reverent respect so farre as honour and reverence belongs unto them and so leave them to the grace and good pleasure of the God of all grace who onely knows who are his and hath the disposing of them and all his creatures to his own glory so be it Amen And now having examined the visible right that infants have to baptisme and finding none by the Word of God but the contrary I come now to a second sort and they are such as have been baptized in a false Antichristian estate as they say and so challenge right to enter upon or assume a true Church with the same baptisme they received of the man of sin So that the thing I deal with now is onely that opinion which holds a state to be false and Antichristian and yet Baptisme there administred by an Antichristian power to be the true ordinance of God and so leave the state as false and retain their baptisme
them what will such doe when more light comes they will then yeeld or else appeare to be wilfull opposers of the truth The Lord give them hearts to consider and to put their cause to the tryall of the holy and pure Word of God and to bring all his people into one unitie of faith and uniforme order of truth that God may have glory the Gospel honour the Saints comfort The subject of the former discourse hath been about the right subject of Baptisme and that the word of God hath discovered to be a beleever onely in the proving of which truth there in also disproved two sorts of persons and they are either beleevers Infants or such that received their Baptisme of Antichrist and yet all in their infancy both which are by the Scriptures disapproved the one being uncapable and so without any Rule from God for the same and the other also unlawfull and so directly against the word of God which disclaimes all communion with the man of sinne in any of his divine ordinances who receives nothing of the Lord and therefore all that he can administer unto any is both of himselfe from himselfe and for himselfe and so not to be justified nor retained as the Lords ordinance And this falling out so it followes that we are now to seeke for the Lords true Baptisme and for a case so difficult as some would make it two things in speciall are to be inquired into first how or where to finde it secondly how it may be obtained being found for the first if any ordinance of God should be so deceased in its constitution as that we doe not know where it is afoot in Gods way in the world so as to come by it with a good conscience A people in such a case being convicted of the truth and he necessitie of their obedience to God in the same and yet know not the way or manner how to accomplish their holy desires in the finding obtaining the same They are to goe as of old to Christ and his Apostles as the godly then did that is to the holy Scriptures which are the lively Oracles of God the Spirit speaking in them unto a beleeving heart so they stand in the place of Christ and his Apostles with the same abilitie authoritie to furnish a man of faith with all truth as these Scriptures compared together sufficiently prove 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Rom. 16.25 26. Job 5.39 Mat. 22.29 Luk. 24.25.27.44 45 46. 1 Cor. 15.3 4. By all which we see that all things are contained in the Scriptures unto which the holy Ghost leads men to prove and finde all things concerning faith and obedience to God and man which are the Propheticall mouth of Christ that all must have recourse unto that will have any thing to do with him Act. 3.22 23. And the Rule by which all must be tryed though an Angel from heaven and the Apostles themselves as Gal. 1.8 9. So that the holy Scripture is the onely place where any ordinance of God in the case aforesaid is to be found they being the fountain-head containing all the instituted Rules both of Church and ordinances so that where or wheresoever any of these are wanting in their constitution and cannot be found in their outward orderly forme wee are to go directly unto its institution and recover the same againe from thence as Cant. 1.7 Isa 8.19 20. Rom. 10.6 7 8. And thus having found the place or subject wherein baptisme ever subsists as an ordinance of God we are in the next place to know how such as want it may come orderly by it for though that God hath joyned his word and ordinances together yet he hath also ordained an orderly way for his people to come to enjoy them which orderly way I conceive to be only in the Church of God wherein is the power of Christ to set afoot his ordinances as when God shall please to take a people to himselfe and by the power of his truth unite them to his Son and so into an orderly body among themselves now such a people so constituted have right unto all such priviledges ordained and appointed by God for their mutuall comfort and well-being as Rom. 8.17 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. By vertue of this union they have with their head Christ the body thus joyntly considered hath the power authoritie of Christ within her selfe to chuse and make use of any one or more of her members as occasion offers and authorises his or them to administer baptisme upon the whole body and so upon themselves in the first place as apart of the same Such may be truly said to be sent and authorized by Christ as of old by Christ in his humane body even so now by him in his divine and spirituall body for wheresoever a Church doth rise in her true constitution there are her ordinances and also power to administer the same and where a thing is wanting there must be of necessitie a beginning to reduce that thing againe into beeing And thus briefly I have shewed my judgement in case baptisme should be wanting where we should finde it and that is in the holy Scriptures of God Secondly How from thence to be obtained and that is by Gods calling a people into an holy fellowship with Christ from whom they have power to assume as a Church so the ordinance of Baptisme upon themselves I shall yet further cleare up this truth by shewing the manner of the foresaid constitution in the causes of it But before I can doe this I must give answer to two sorts of persons that oppose the aforesaid truth first such as stand for a personall succession secondly such as will have no Church before Baptisme and so make Baptisme the forme of the Church As for the first that hold Baptisme by personall succession they have received a sufficient answer in proving of that Baptisme administred by Antichrist to be none of Gods ordinance onely a word or two to such as hold a succession in the defection of Antichrist as they call it if they meane by defection the outward forme of worship and government Ecclesiasticall a I thinke they doe then all the power and authoritie that ever hath carried out any administration or constituted ordinance hath taken its beeing thence and depends upon the same and if so then the power and ordainer and the ordinance so ordained must be both of one and the same stamp as I have already proved if the one be Antichrists the other must be also Antichristian and to dreame of any approved Church by the word of God in or under this defection and yet a part of the same is to look for a man in the Moone and to suppose a Church to consist in such matter that is destructive to the forme and therein to hold a succession of truth is against the very light of nature and to keep the Pope upon the throne of
because commonly to one that is borne of the spirit there is twenty borne of the flesh Thirdly It is a practise that overthrows and destroys the body of Christ or holy temple of God for in time it will come to consist of naturall and so a nation and so a nationall Generation carnall members amongst whom if any godly be they will be brought in bondage and become subjects of scorn contempt and the power of government rest in the hands of the wicked Fourthly because it is a ground both of ignorance and errour for it holds people in blindnes that they cannot come to know the nature of that holy ordinance nor what the same requires in the subjects thereof also it causes the simple to conceive that Baptisme is of necessity to salvatiō Fifthly it keeps up the State of Antichrist by granting him this so chiefe a corner-stone of the Lords house to lie in his foundation for that church where Baptisme is the true ordinance of God in the administration thereof is by the Rules of the Gospel a true Church so that if Antichrists Baptisme which he administers be Gods ordinance then that Church wherein he doth so administer the same must be also the Church of God and in sin that refuseth communion with it Sixtly Because it builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall for such as are baptized in their infancy have no other way to satisfie either themselves or others but the bare word of man that must stand in the place of the word of God for such to beleeve their true receiving of so holy ordinance of God Seventhly To Baptize Infants makes the holy ordinance of God a lying signe because none of those things can be expected in an Infant which the said ordinance holds forth or signifies in the administration thereof which is the parties regeneration and spirituall new birth a dying and burying with Christ in respect of sin and a rising with him in a new life to God and a confirmation of faith in the death and resurrection of Christ and a free remission of sinne by the same as Rom. 6.3 4. Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 3.21 Act. 2.38 〈…〉 None of all which can be expected in an Infant Eightly Because the subject of Baptisme is to be passive but an Infant is no way passive as that ordinance requires 〈…〉 I meane a passive subject threefold 1. a thing uncapable and thus is a stone 2. a thing forced and thus is an Infant who opposeth its Baptisme to the utmost of its abilitie so farre is it from being passive in the same 3. A thing is passive by a subjecting power producing the same in the subject by bringing it to a free and voluntary subjection and thus is the true subject of Baptisme None can be passive to receive grace but by grace because it consists of selfe-deniall And lastly this doctrine of Infants Baptisme opposes directly the expresse word of God by teaching that Infants are in the covenant of grace being borne of beleeving parents and so an holy seed by vertue of which they have right to Baptisme as a priviledge of grace Against which the holy Ghost affirmes that all are conceived in sinne brought forth in iniquitie and so by nature children of wrath and under the curse and except they be borne againe from above they cannot see the Kingdome of God Psal 51.5 Eph. 2.1 2 3. Rom. 3 9. Gal. 3 10.13 14. Job 3.3.5 6. Job 1.12 13. Here man saith that Infants are cleane and holy in and from the wombe and so are subjects of grace and glory but God saith that all Infants as well one as another are first in sinne and unholy and so are subjects of wrath untill the second birth makes the difference as Joh. 3.5.6 And now which to beleeve let the upright heart to God judge But it is said that as the Covenant was made to the Jews and their seed under the old Testament so in the same manner doth the Apostle apply the said Covenant to beleevers and their seed in the new Testament as Act. 2.39 Ans The words are not unto your seed but unto your children wherein there is great difference For by seed in the Scripture is very often put for a naturall generation begotten and born after the flesh And by children a spirituall generation walking in the steps of the faith of such as have gone before them as Act. 3.25 Act. 13.26.33 and so Job 8.37.39 with Rim. 9.7 8. and so the words import as much which is to you and to your children and to all afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that the promise is onely to such as God shall call and to none else Again it s called the promise and not the Covenant and we know that every promise is not a covenant there being a large difference between a promise and a covenant And now let it be well considered what is here meant by the promise and that is Gods sending of the Messias or the seed in whom the Nations should be blessed and so the sending of a Saviour or Redeemer unto Israel as these Scriptures manifest compared together Isa 11.1 Jer. 23.5 6. with Luke 1.68.74 Act. 13.23 Act. 3.25.26 This was performed by Christs coming first in the flesh in which respect he came both of and to the Jews onely by promise as Joh 4.22 Rom. 9.5 Matth 10.5 6. Matth. 15.24 Joh. 1.11 Secondly in the preaching of the Gospel by which he was held forth as a Saviour to all that by faith laid hold upon him as the arm of Gods grace stretched out unto them And this way also Christ was first tendered to the Jews for a Saviour to save them from their fins Act. 4.12 and for to be their King as to save them so unto whose state and government they were to submit as Luk. 19.14.27 Act. 2.36 In which sense the Apostle speaks when he saith the promise is to you and to your children and to all farre and neer as God shall call that is the promise or promised Saviour is come and is now according to Gods promise tendered to you by the Gospel calling you and your children and all else where the word of grace shall come to beleeve and receive him by saith who is now come to save you and all that beleeve from their sins Act. 3.25 26. And therefore it s said as many as gladly received or beleeved this glad tidings the same was sealed or confirmed unto them by baptisme Act. 2.41 according to Joh. 1.11 12 13. By all which it is manifest that the promise Act. 2.39 is meant the sending of the Messias or a Saviour to the house of Israel to call them to repentance and to save such as beleeve from their sins as is clear also by these Scriptures Isa 59.20 Act. 13.23.26 32.38.39 And thus the promise is unto you and your children that is the promised Saviour is offered and