without sufficient Experience of the Gracious Presence and Blessing of Christ with and upon you in your present way I will not deny but take it for granted that so it is Yet this I will say that we are under no Promise of having thc Golden Oyl conveyed unto us but through the Golden Pipes Teach them says Christ to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World If therefore we step out of Christ's way we cannot rationally suppose our selves to be at least so immediately under the Influence of Christ's Blessing What Christ may graciously afford unto his People that sincerely seek unto him according to the best light they have though the Sanctuary Preparation may in some Points be Defective is one thing and what we may justly expect by vertue of a standing Promise is another Certainly the nearer we come to him and the more Exact and Punctual we are in the Expressions of our Love and Friendship to him the more groundedly may we Expect the Answerable Discoveries of his Loving Favour unto us and we can no otherwise demonstrate our Friendship than by being obedient to him in the Observation of all those things which he hath commanded us and that both whatsoever they are and howsoever he hath injoyned the Performance of them That the Baptism of Believers is appointed by Christ as a Golden Pipe among the rest of the Golden Pipes of the New Testament Church for the Conveyance of the Golden Oyl or the Heavenly Unction from himself to his Members is an undeniable Truth and cannot with any Justness of Pretence be contradicted That the Baptism of Infants deserves that Character is more than what the Scriptures do declare unto us and peradventure at long run you also may see Cause to say the same Indeed if a thorow Reformation in this Point might once be obtained that is if Ministers Teach First and then Baptize such only as Profess Faith in the Lord Jesus and newness of Life evidenced by a Holy Conversation that being the only Practice warrantable by and Exemplified in the Word of God We might then justly hope to see the Accomplishment of the forementioned Divine Prediction A Candlestick all of Gold A Candlestick that hath a Golden Bowl Golden Lamps and Golden Pipes that is a Pure Church-State wholly Constituted and Regulated according to the Divine Prescription and Pattern And then also it would inevitably follow that the Papal Antichristian Church must of Necessity Vanish and Expire Since the Matter of that Synagogue is the Collective Body of the Nations who having been sprinkled in their Infant State are thence beguiled into a Blind and Soul-cheating Delusion that they are good Christians and true Members of the Catholick Church whom yet because of their Unbelief and Prophaneness the Word of God Excludes from the Gospel Church and consequently from Baptism till Converted And I make no question but it will be at last found that to uphold the present Practice of Infant Sprinkling is no other than to uphold and support the main Pillar of that Apostate and Adulterous Church that is by bringing the Church into the World and the World into the Church And when the World is once brought into the Church let us shew any difference if we can betwixt that and the World which yet our Saviour tells us are distinct having chosen his Church out of the World John 15. 19. 'T is true the time will be when the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ But that cannot be pretended unto in the present Administration of things in the Heavens and Earth that now are wherein we cannot say that one of a Thousand much less that the whole World is subject unto Christ's Scepter and consequently far from the true Characters of Church-Membership according to the Gospel Rule All of Gold Indeed 't is great pity but that every Plant which our Heavenly Father hath not planted should be Rooted up and the present Corrupt Practice of Infant sprinkling among the rest since there is nothing that can be more evident than this that were but this corner Stone that supports the Antichristian Fabrick quite removed the whole Building must of necessity totter and then we might justly hope for a pure Church-State Till which as we cannot groundedly expect true Peace or Settlement in the World so neither can we justly expect that the Name of the City should be called Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there The Occasion of the present Discourse was from a late Treatise of Mr. William Allen Entituled A Serious and Friendly Address to the Nonconformists Beginning with the Anabaptists Or an Addition to a former Treatise of his Entituled a Perswasive to Peace and Unity Wherein he doth Labour with utmost Strength and force of Argument to induce those of a contrary Perswasion from himself to a Conformity and Compliance with the Church Discipline and Government then Established in these Nations and particularly in Respect of the present Practice of Infants Baptism An Answer to which you will find in the Ensuing Sheets together with Answers to all other the most considerable Arguments which are urged by others also to the same purpose As for Mr. Allen he is a Person altogether unknown to me But though his Apprehensions and mine are different in the present point And though he hath endeavoured to whet up his Arguments with utmost keeness and lays them on with greatest force condemning us as guilty of the greatest Schism and of all those Direful Evils that are the Natural Consequents of a Schismatical Separation from a true Church yet to give him his due his Language is fair and his Discourse free from those Fiery and Passionate Heats that usually attend Discourses of this Nature from other Pens I suppose he will have no Cause to complain of being otherwise dealt with in the present Answer Sure it is That the Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God I pray God that the present Reply may be made Instrumental to the opening his Eyes that he may see from whence he is fallen and Repent and do his first Works Since the Writing of this I am informed of Mr. Allen's Decease I make no question but that he and others also will sooner or latter be convinc'd that the horrible guilt of Schism and the consequent Evils attendant thereon were so far from being justly Chargeable on us because of our present Practice that these things do rather lie at the Doors of those that thus condemn us I have endeavoured indeed to speak with as much Advantage as I could to the Conviction of him and others that I cannot but apprehend to walk in a corrupt Path in this Respect And having so done I know no Reason any have to be offended if they be in Love exhorted also to their Duty Exhort one another dayly saith the Holy Spirit lest any of
of the Supper whatever Circumstances were by the command of God to be Observed in the Celebration of the Type And after the same sort must we Reason if we will Reason aright concerning Circumcision and Baptism also And yet again Thirdly Even in the very Instance of this Argument Supposing a Corespondency of Analogy between Circumcision and Baptism yet there is no Correspondency of Identity For although it were granted that both of them did Consign the Covenant of Faith yet there is nothing in the Circumstance of Childrens being Circumcised that so concerns that Mystery but that it might very well be given to Children and yet Baptism only to men of Reason Because Circumcision left a character in the flesh which being Imprinted upon Infants did its work to them when they came of Age. And such a Character was necessary because there was no word added to the sign But Baptism Imprints nothing that remains on the Body and if it leaves a character at all it is upon the Soul to which also the word is added which is as much a part of the Ordinance as the Sign it self For which cause therefore it is highly requisite that the Parties Baptized should be capable of Reason that they may be capable both of the word of the Ordinance and the Impress to be made thereby upon the Soul Since therefore the Reason of the Parity doth wholly fail there is left nothing to Infer a Necessity of Complying in this Circumstance of Age more then in the other Annexes of the Type Then also the Infant must be precisely baptized upon the Eighth day And Females must not be baptized because such were not to be Circumcised But it were more proper if we would understand it aright to prosecute the Analogy from the type to the Antitype by way of letter and Spirit and Signification That as Circumcision figures Baptism so also the Adjuncts of the Circumcision shall signifie some thing Spiritual in the Adherences of Baptism And therefore as Infants were Circumcised So Spiritual Infants shall be Baptized which is Spiritual Circumcision For therefore Babes had the Ministry of the type to Signifie that we must when we give our Names to Christ become Children in Malice and then the type is made Compleat The Seventh Argument for Infants Baptism and whereon the greatest stress is laid by Mr. Allen Mr Baxter and others is drawn from the Church-member-ship of Infants under the former Administration That because Infants were comprehended with their Parents in the Jews Church state they are so still under the Gospel and therefore to be baptized Reply We know very well that Mr. Baxter and others do Assert the Church-membership of Infants before Abrahams time and that therefore it is a Moral Institution and so not Capable of being Repealed as other Jewish Rites were But that is a groundless Fiction and cannot be at all proved from the Scripture The Discussion whereof shall be reserved for the latter part of this Discourse In the mean season That they were admitted Members of the Jewish Church is Evident And it is also as Evident that God hath now quite pulled down that House of his broke up House-keeping and turned the Servants Infants and all out of Doors Rom. 11. 17. 24. The Natural Branches are broken of and God hath now built him a New house into which God hath admitted none as his Houshold Servants but Believers only or such as Profess so to be Moses saith the Apostle Heb. 3. 5. 9. was faithfull as a Servant in all his house But Christ as a son over his own House Whose House are we if we hold fast the Confidence c. Where the Servants of the new house are discribed te be Beleivers not Infants and therefore called Living stones and a Spiritual House 1. Pet. 2. 3. And that the Old House the Jewish Church with all the Appurtenances and Priviledges of it is pulled down and a new One Built into which Infants are not to be admitted is Evident from the Apostles Reasoning Heb. 7. 12. For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law Which must needs Include Circumcision with all the Appurtenances and Priviledges belonging to it And therefore as Infants Church-membership came in with the Law of Circumcision So it went out and was repealed with it They were t is true of the Houshold of Old but it was by a positive Law Shew us the like now or you say nothing Sure it is There is now no Institution that makes Infants fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God neither are they to bo so accounted till they believe and are able to do Service in the House And if you say that among men Infants are counted of the Houshold tho they can do no Service we Answer that as Comparisons do not run upon four feet so it doth not follow that because we count our Infants of our Family therefore they are to be accounted members of Gods Family the Gospel Church unless God by any Institution had made them so The Houshold of God is called the Houshold of faith or a House Consisting of Believers Now unless you can prove Infants to be Believers they are not of this House For all the Servants here must be Believers either Really or at least historically and Professedly which Infants cannot be If it be Objected That as the Jews and their Children are broken off So the Gentiles and their Children are Ingraffed in their Room according to Rom. 11. 20. Because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith We Answer That the Reason why the Jews and their Children were broken off was not because they had not Believing Parents For Abraham Isaac and Jacob were still the Parents of them all They were Abraham's seed when they were broken off as well as before But the true Reason was because the terms of standing in the Church were now altered For before the Gospel came they stood members of the Old Jewish Church though as much unbelievers for many Generations as they were when they were broken off But now Abraham's Church state is at an end and all the Priviledges and Immunities cease The Jewish Church must give way to the Gospel Church The Messiah being come and about to build him a New House into which none are of Right to enter but such as are profest Believers For the Old House or Jewish Church was not intended to abide for ever but only to the time of Reformation And then the Law must be changed the Priesthood changed the Priviledges and Ordinances changed yea the Covenant changed Which they not believing being willing to abide in the Old House still and to remain Church Members upon the account of a meer Fleshly and Natural Birth still crying out Abraham is our Father and we are his Seed and are Free and were never in Bondage Wherefore they were broken off and that whether they would or
Flesh but He of the Free-Woman was by Promise There was an Infinite difference in the Propagation of the Seed of the former Church-state and of the Seed of the Gospel-state no less than between Nature and the power of God as was in the Types Ishmael and Isaac Secondly Neither hath this Change brought any other loss upon the Child But First The Interest which it had in the Everlasting Covenant under the former Administration it still retains Secondly The Benefits and Advantages which it had by the Parent are so much bettered by how much the Spiritual State of the Parent under the Gospel by Baptism after Faith is better ratified than under the Law Thirdly All other and further Benefits from the Covenant are more freely and fully tendred and with many enforcing Advantages brought near to be had and enjoyed Fourthly It is an Advantage that as a Token of the Expiration of the Bondage Church State their Signing upon the Natural Birth is also at an end and their Signing into all these Priviledges transferred to an Ordinance upon the visible Test of their New Birth Without which no Word of GOD can be found to raise them to the visible Dignity and Prerogative of the Sons and Heirs of Sarah the Gospel Covenant or Administration Thirdly There is no Colour or Warrant from the Word of GOD that Jesus Christ in the Day of His Appearing did Establish any one Ordinance in the Church which did Import a Communion in his Intercession to be practicable duly by a Person in an unregenerate State or at least that makes not an External Profession thereof Object 4. But what hope can we have of our Infants if they must not be admitted unto Christian Baptism nor reputed as Members of the Common Body and Church of the Faithful We Answer First If the Hope of the Parent for the Childs Salvation be grounded upon the Administration of an Ordinance in Infancy then neither had the Patriarchs for above 2000 Years Hope of their Children which we find untrue by Noahs Prophecy Gen. 9. 26 27. Secondly We demand what Hopes are intended and by what Scriptures the same are Annexed to the Administration of an Ordinance in Infancy Thirdly We justifie a Holy Hope in Believers in behalf of their Children which is grounded upon plain Scriptures without Infant Baptism Fourthly This Argument seemeth to carry in it this Conclusion That Christian People by Infants Baptism are by Scripture Grounds assured according to Gospel Hope of the Salvation of their Children But there wants a Proof for it and we suppose it is not received as a Truth by many that Oppose us in this Point Object 5. If Children may not now be Baptized this makes the Priviledge of Believers under the Gospel to be less than was theirs under the Law For their Children were all admitted as Members of the Visible Church by the Ordinance of Circumcision and we cannot but conclude that our Priviledges for our Selves and for our Children are at least as Honourable Large and Comfortable as theirs and therefore our Infants are to be Baptized To this we Answer That it is true our Priviledge is the same with theirs in respect of the Substance of the Covenant of Grace But neither was that made to the Jews Natural Posterity as such nor is it made to ours As for Circumcision It was indeed a Priviledge to the Jews in comparison of the Heathens but a Burthen in comparison of us And it is accordingly so termed by the Apostle Acts 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a Yoke upon the Neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear And to the same purpose the Apostle Paul also exhorts the Believers Gal. 5. 1 2 3 4. to stand fast in their Christian Liberty and not to be Intangled again in their former Yoke of Bondage in this respect And therefore it is so far from being a Priviledge to our Children that they should have either it or any other thing in the place and use of it that the Truth is it is a great Priviledge that they have neither it nor any other thing in the stead of it but Christ manifested in the Flesh And the Parents lose nothing by denying Baptism to Infants in the place and use of Circumcision but it is indeed if rightly considered a Benefit to them to want it God not appointing it nor making a Promise of Grace to be confirmed by it to the Infants of Believers Clear it is that we have no better Promises in respect of the Substance of the Covenant of Grace now than they had then only the Administration of the Covenant is now better than it was to them Then it was with Expectation of Christ to come now with Assurance of Christ already come in the Flesh and accomplishing what was foretold of Him Then Christ was shadowed with dark Types now we see Him unvailed in a plain History So that though it be true that the Priviledges of Believers are now many ways Inlarged in some respects yet simply the Covenant of Grace is not inlarged in respect of the Substance of it The Promises of Grace are still belonging to the Elect and Believers and to no other In respect of the Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. it is plain the Jews had some Priviledges above us but the want of some Priviledges which they had is abundantly recompenced unto us by other Priviledges which they had not Particularly in respect of the clearness of the Revelation of the Gospel Covenant and also in respect of the universal tender and publication of it in as much as now not only the small Nation of the Jews but also of all Nations Believers are brought into the participation of the same together with the more abundant Communication of the Holy Spirit To which purpose we are told that the Holy Spirit was not yet given to wit neither in that manner nor measure as afterward because Christ was not yet Glorified Jo. 7. 39. So that it is no Absurdity to grant that the Jews might have more Privilebges in some things than we and yet our Case and Condition to speak simply better than theirs by reason of other Priviledges we have above them which abundantly recompence the defect of those Priviledges of theirs whether real or supposed And the Truth is Priviledges are so Arbitrary and Various that God gives them as He thinks good oft times without assigning any special Reason So that no Argument can be drawn thus GOD gave such a Priviledge to the Jews therefore we must have such a Priviledge too except we can prove it is GOD's Will it should be so And therefore this Argument is of no force without an Institution to attempt to prove that because the Jews had a Priviledge to Circumcise their Infants therefore we must have a Priviledge to Baptize ours Nor indeed is there any Scripture that proves that Baptism of Infants is a Priviledge
respecting an Antecedent Obedience in us so were all those which were peculiar unto the Covenant of Sinai they were indeed also of Grace in that the Reward did infinitely exceed the Merit of our Obedience But yet they all supposed it and the Subject of them was formally Reward onely In the Covenant of Grace it is not so For sundry of the Promises thereof are the means of our being taken into Covenant of our entering into Covenant with God The First Covenant Absolute was Established on Promises in that when Men were actually taken into it they were encouraged unto Obedience by the Promise of a future Reward But these Promises namely of the Pardon of Sin and Writing of the Law in our Hearts which the Apostle expresly Insisteth on as the Peculiar Promises of this New Covenant do take place and are Effectual Antecedently unto our Covenant Obedience For although Faith be required in order of Nature Antecedently unto our actual Receiving of the Pardon of Sin yet is that Faith it self wrought in us by the Grace of the Promise and so its Precedency to Pardon respects onely the Order that God hath Appointed in the Communion of the Benefits of the Covenant and intends not that the Pardon of Sin i◠the Reward of our Faith § 4. We shall Conclude what concerns this Subject with another Passage of the Doctors to the same purpose with the former in his Acurate and Judicious Discourse Entituled The Doctrine of Justification through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ Explained Confirmed and Vindicated page 156. It is commonly said saith he that Faith and New Obedience are the Condition of the New Covenant But yet because of the Ambiguous Signification and various use of that Term Condition we cannot certainly understand what is Intended in the Assertion If no more be Intended but that these things though promised in the Covenant and wrought in us by the Grace of God are yet Duties indispensibly required of us in order unto the Participation and Enjoyment of the full end of the Covenant in Glory it is unquestionably true But if it be intended that they are such a Condition of the Covenant as to be by us performed Antecedently unto the Participation of any Grace Mercy or Priviledge of it so as that they should be the Consideration and Procuring Causes of them that they should be all of them as some speak the Reward of our Faith and Obedience it is most false and not onely contrary to Express Testimonies of Scripture but destructive of the Nature of the Covenant it self SECT XVI § 1. LAstly Whereas we do affirm That though according to the Law of Circumcision Infants were Admitted and Reckoned as Members of the Jewish Church yet that Old Constitution being now pulled down and all the Appurtenances and Priviledges thereunto belonging being now Repealed a New Church State according to the Nature of the Gospel Administration is now Erected into which none are Admitted a◠Members but Professing Believers onely By way of Reply hereunto we are told That Infants Relation to the Covenant and the Universal Church as Members was not Repealed by Christ because it was not founded onely on the Law of Moses which if it had say you it were as such Repealed But Infant Church-Membership taking place as an Ordinance of God before Circumcision was Enjoyned or the Ceremonial Law Instituted why then should it cease with it To the same purpose we are also further told That it was no part of the Typical Administration but a Moral Institution of God even from the Beginning of the World God ever having made a distinction between the Seed of the Faithful and the Seed of the Wicked as Visibly belonging to the several Kingdoms of God and of Satan § 2. To this we Reply First That this Notion of Infants Church-Membership before the Law of Circumcision is but a bare Affirmation without Proof For if it be so that Infant Church-Membership did indeed take place as an Ordinance of God before Circumcision where is that Ordinance Why are we not directed to some place of Scripture where we may find it Hath God Revealed it to some and to none else Or in what Antient Father shall we find it Did any one ever say so before now Therefore with what Confidence soever we are now told That it was no part of the Typical Administration but a Moral Institution of God even from the Beginning of the World unless we are directed where to find that Institution whatever others do we dare not presume to be Wise above what is Written Mal. 2. 15. is indeed alledged And wherefore one That he might seek a Godly Seed But that can be understood of no other than a Legitimate Seed in opposition to a Spurious Off-spring And thus the Assembly do in their Annotations carry the Sence of the place As likewise doth Calvin Camer and divers others § 3. Secondly Whereas we are told That God ever made a Distinction between the Seed of the Faithful and the Seed of the Wicked What Distinction is it that is Intended Did God single them out and Separate them by any Visible Sign or Character before the Law of Circumcision It is evident he did not Or did God distinguish them by his Providential Care of them or Provision for them more than others The Scripture is silent as to this also Or did God Love them with a saving Love more than the Children of Unbelievers as visibly belonging to the several Kingdoms of God and of Satan so as that all the Children of Believers from Adam to Abraham belonged to the Kingdom of God and all the Children of Unbelievers belonged unto the Kingdom of Satan This is indeed suggested by you but not proved But then if this was always the state of the Case between Believers and Unbelievers as to their Respective Seeds and that both before and since the Flood and that it so continues Then according to this Rule woe unto all the Children of Unbelievers most deplorable and desperate i◠their State without any ground of Comfort or Hope of Relief contrary to the Experience of all Ages whilst we are assured that Grace is now Extended to the Gentiles who were not the Children of Believers whilst the Natural Branches the Children of Believing Abraham are cut off But then we would willingly know when the Sons of God took the Daughters of Men and all Flesh had Corrupted it's way To what Kingdom did the Children of Believers belong then Did not the Seed of Believers grow prophane and wicked as well as others That is undeniable And did not the Seed of Unbelievers some of them prove Pious and Godly This also appears even in Abraham himself whose Father was an Idolater as is probably supposed he himself being bred up in Idolatry § 4. Thirdly Whereas it is suggested that there was always from the beginning a Lineal Successive Conveyance of Grace from the Parent to the Child If so
Labours be constant yet he seeks no other reward then Christ's Well done c. being very well contented with that Income for his Subsistence which the Lord affords in the use of his honest and honourable Calling in which also he has been beneficial to many and a great Blessing to the Poor so that by his Faithfulnoss and Usefulness in his Spirituals and Temporals he is well reported of amongst all It would be a great Happiness both to the Church of Christ and Common-Wealth if the number of such Worthys were every where increased And yet I fear that this good Man in these his Faithful endeavours to reduce Christian Practice to Primitive Institution though done with all Mildness and much Demonstration will meet with hard Usage from that sort of Men which in every Age have chiefly sought what would please Man and have still quarrelled at all endeavours towards Reformation Witness those hardships which the Faithful met with from the Papists for many Generations for their Nonconformity to their Inventions and those difficulties that obstructed the Reception of the great Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone in the Mediator How dear did it cost many of the Ancients before it could be obtained that the People should receive the Lord's Supper in both Kinds which the Papists still deny to them How long was it before the Disciples of Augustine and Innocent the First would give over that Practice of giving the Lord's Supper in a Spoon to Children assoon as they were Baptized which held as Maldonate affirms about 600 Years And to this Day How many are contending for the Cross in Baptism For which thing though very Un-scriptural yet some of the deep Wits of that Way do form a Plea but by mistaken and very invalid Consequences And many of the Wise and Learned of the Church of England are of Opinion That unless it be granted that the Church has a Liberty from Christ to alter or add Ceremonies at her discretion they know no Authority for the Baptizing of Infants or the Sprinkling of Water upon their Faces to be accounted Baptism for few deny but that the ancient way was by going into the Water and Plunging under Water Nay our Disciplinarians that have made strong Pleas for Reformation in many things must and do confess that their strongest Plea for Infant Baptism is drawn from a very remote Consequence even as far off from the Command of Christ or the Practice of the Apostles as that they ground it on the First Jewish Ordinance Commanded unto Abraham and his Posterity viz. Circumcision which was never intended to be of any value after the time of Christ's Reformation Heb. 9. 10. And is it not to be lamented that after so many Years search no better Footing should be found for the Practising a New Testament Sacrament than an Old Testament Jewish Institution May not such men as will infer that Holy Orders should be Hereditary and that the Work of the Ministry should be Intailed upon their Posterity because it was anciently settled upon the Children of Levi besides whom none might Minister in the Sanctuary And why may not Infants by a clearer Consequence partake of the Table of the Lord assoon as they are able to Eat and Drink it it being taken for granted by Paedobaptists that the Supper comes â—n the room of the Passover and that all in the Family that were capable to Eat Flesh might Eat it Exod. 12. 4. Nay any Strangers in their Families were not excluded that we Read of that might be present at the Passover And thus we might Instance in many things It is not the business of this Author to prove the Baptism of Believers for that is a thing that was never yet denied or oppos'd by any that Plead for Infants right to it For they confess That to Baptize Believers is a clear and unquestionable Truth agreeing most plainly with the precept of the Lord Jesus and Practice of the Apostles But the Controversie is whether Infants of Believers or others have a Scriptural right to it or not And here thou shalt find every Point from whence any Plea is deduced to prove the right of Infants to that Ordinance answered with such Evidence of Scripture Demonstration and with so much Faithfulness that unless thou hast no Conscience towards these things it must beget in thee at least some new Considerations about the Point if not a better Opinion of that despised People that make Conscience not to admit any to Baptism but Professed Believers The Circumcision of Children was not left doubtful to the Jews but they had full Direction in the Case both for the Subject and the Part to be Circumcised the time and manner also Was there such care in that time and in such a Point about a thing that was to end with the Jewish Church Law and Priest-hood and yet no care taken by the Lord Jesus to give future Ages Light in Infant Baptism in case it were His Mind it should be Practised I could never yet meet with the Man that could pretend to know at what time Children should or ought to be Baptized supposing they had a right to it In Ancient time it was Administred but twice in the Year and since that appointed to be upon some Festival But I find now all do act at Pleasure none among us regarding the Day of Circumcision viz. the eighth Day though some in Cyprian's time would limit it to that Day when the practice began first to be Introduced by some few Persons out of a conceit of its Absolute Necessity to Salvation from a mistake of John 3. 5. But some now hasten it sooner some defer it to a Fortnight some three Weeks a Month and more And several of the Eastern Churches to this very day Baptize not until the 40th day after they are born and then give them the Supper also as some approved Authors report So that all for the most part order the time as may best suit with their other Aim of managing it with State Pomp and Honour and the presence of such Friends as may be absent to make it the more gainful and splendid Now if no time can be set exactly why should they be censured who out of Conscience defer to communicate so Holy an Ordinance to their Children till they are taught in the Faith of Christ and profess to believe it with their Heart Must it not seem strange I say to any Man that reads with what care the Lord gave charge concerning the Circumcising of Children as well as Men giving them the very Circumstance of time as aforesaid on which it should be performed and which Moses injoyned to Israel which was part of his Faithfulness in his House that yet we should think it is the Mind of the Lord Jesus who was most faithful in his own House that little Children should be Baptized and not so much as once express it by Himself or Apostles We find Women and Children
particularly mentioned by the Apostle upon very small Occasions as in Acts 21. 5. where the taking notice of Children is of very little moment and yet where we have an Account who should be Baptized as in Christ's Commission and of those Multitudes that in many places were Baptized Is it not strange that no Child should be mentioned if such had been or were to have been Baptized The Apostle took care in Acts 8. 12. to Record that the Multitude then Baptized were both Men and Women If Cbildren had been then Baptized surely the Holy Spirit would not have omitted that one Word Children And so Acts 5. 14. We have mention of Multitudes added to the Church and express'd particularly both Women 〈…〉 Now if their Children had been taken in with them would not the Holy Spirit have mentioned it whilst he foresaw of what need it would be in future Ages to warrant his People to do the like The Holy Scriptures therefore being wholly silent in the point of little Childrens Admittance and nothing found for it in either Precept or President what may more clearly be inferred But to conclude that the Baptism of little Children is more of Man than of God or wholly of Man and not of God I could never yet learn what material Benefit an Infant received by Baptism It cannot be a bringing them into Covenant with God because it is upon Supposition that they are in Covenant by vertue of their believing Parents one or both that a Plea is made for their Baptism The most that can be said or pretended to is that it brings them into Christ's visible Flock But alas what Priviledge is this whilst the Child is there but as one asleep Nay when this Child comes to Understanding it must not partake of any other Benefits in that Church more than one Unbaptized may do until it comes to Confession of Faith and Repentance and receive Confirmation and this Child after Baptism as it grows up is Preach'd to as much as any other as in a state of Nature and consequently the Child of Wrath and never like to come into the presence of God with comfort without Regeneration or actual Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by all which it appears That the Priviledges pretended to are but Nominal and without any substance of Reallity What then is this noise of Priviledges made with Rhetorical Flourishes but a meer Shadow and Pretence to keep up an Opinion for an Unscriptural Practice in the Favour of the People who are ready to be led to any thing by their Guides As for Infants being the Subjects of Christian Baptism it deserves to be well considered who gave command for it either God or Man And for the manner of Baptizing by sprinkling Water on the Face only by whose Direction was it And where is the Scripture from whence any Probability may be found that that part should be sprinkled more than any other Why not the Breast as a sign of the Hearts being sprinkled from an evil Conscience Or the Arms that should manage the Shield Or the Feet in token of being shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace Or rather that part that of old was appointed to be circumcised in token of Regeneration I know 't is frequently urged by the Poedobaptists to those of the contrary Perswasion Where do you find that Children are at any time or in any place forbidden Christian Baptism Which is a strange kind of Plea The very Jews were never in their greatest Apostacy so corrupt in their reasoning that ever I heard of It was enough that they practiced what they were commanded Is the Text of no force or quite forgotten which tells us That secret things belong to God but revealed things to us Would he have Infants Baptized before Faith and not Reveal it I could wish therefore that all empty Pleas on either side were put away and careful Attendance given to things weighty and material The changes that have been seen in the Opinions of men as times have varied in these late years may justly put every considerate man upon the conscionable search after what is the very Mind of Christ in the Holy Scriptures and not to take any thing upon anothers credit whilst that Word is made intelligible and unto which we may have all free Recourse I know there are some prophane ones that will take a Liberty to question the Truth of the Holy Scriptures but yet that should not afright good men from searching after the very mind of the Spirit in them if our Fathers had not done so we had abode in the depth of Antichristian Darkness I wonder that those that plead for the Right of the Seed of Believers to Christian Baptism from Circumcision do not as earnestly plead for a right for the Unbelieving Wife from the right of the Husband and for the Servants also whatever they be since such were not only admitted but commanded to be Circumcised Why are not our American Planters that buy multitudes of Negro's required to baptize them as fast as they buy them and their Children born in their Plantations Methinks it should clearly follow from the same way of arguing But to conclude What is Abraham to us We must make our claim to Holy Things by a right to Christ as being begotten by him who is the great and only Head of the New Covenant and prove Infants Right to him or Descent from him or else all will be found as Dung and Dross I shall not detain thee longer being not to dispute but to glance at things from beholding at large in this Treatise this great Point particularly handled and if thou art but as serious and Impartial in reading it as the Author whose Pardon I crave for adding this without his Knowledge I verily believe was in writing it thou wilt not think thy money nor labour lost Now the God of Truth and Peace that hath made his very mind communicable to us through his dear Son give us all Light therein and willing minds to obey him So Prays Thy Faithful Friend M. E. THE PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader I Do now Present Thee with a New Treatise of Baptism wherein that of Believers is Asserted to be the only true Christian Baptism by way of Opposition to that of Infants Which I hope thou wilt find in the Ensuing Discourse to be Demonstrated and with Scripture Evidence to be cleared up notwithstanding the many plausible Arguments or Objections which are usually urged for the support of the contrary Practice In the Compiling of which after having Humbly and Earnestly Implored the Divine Assistance I do confess that I have been much beholding to the pious Industry and laborious Travels of others that have trodden the same Path and have gone before me treating upon the same Subject from whom I have been supplied with many of the Materials in point of Argument which this present Discourse is furnish'd with I know it will be objected
that the present Work is needless unless any thing further be produced than hath been by others already Urged and argued in this present Controversie By way of Answer unto which I have two things to offer First That though very much hath been already said by others that have Laboured in the same Province and that with that clearness of Evidence and Scripture Demonstration by way of Opposition unto Infant Sprinkling as cannot be refuted unless another Canon or Scripture Oracle can be produced for the Justification thereof than we have yet met with yet those several Works of their having their several Excellencies and some of them being Voluminous I judged it no needless or unprofitable Labour to Collect the Sum or Substance of what hath been already said in this Respect and to present it to thy View in one Intire Piece and that with as much Succinctness and Brevity as the Matter would well require The Second is this That peradventure thou may'st find upon a due Perusal of the ensuing Discourse an Improvement of several Considerable Scriptures and Arguments to this purpose in the present Essay that hath not yet been made publick that I know of by any other hand and in particular among diverse others as to what concerns the true Nature and Difference betwixt the two Covenants that of Works and that of Grace Wherein I think I have plainly proved that the Covenant which God made with Israel at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. That made with the same People in the Land of Moab Deut. 29. As also the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7. 8. 9. Whereon so much stress is laid for the support of Infants Baptism were all of them no other than three several Repetitions of the Covenant of Works and that as contra-distinct or essentially different from the Covenant of Grace and consequently now Repealed Which I have the rather taken the pains distinctly to prove because upon this Hypothesis or Supposition that these were Gospel Covenants differing from the New Covenant only in the manner of Administration the greatest part of the most plausible Arguments for the support of Infants Baptism are founded But if I have substantially proved that neither of these forementioned Covenants were Gospel Covenants reaching Gentile Believers and their Seed but Essentially different therefrom and consequently now repealed no wonder if I have made an answerable Improvement thereof by way of Opposition to the forementioned Practice The Design therefore and Scope of the following Treatise Beside what concerns the Nature and Difference betwixt the two Covenants the true Knowledge and Understanding whereof is indeed of highest Importance to us is with all Humility to endeavour the Rectification of that which I cannot but apprehend to have been amiss and the promoting of that which I cannot but Judge to have been greatly defective among many that are right dear and precious in the sight of GOD And that is among other things in respect of the Purity of that Divine Worship which as the Servants of Christ we are obliged to offer up to Him in a due Susception and Administration of that Sacred and Solemn Ordinance of Baptism we are now contending about My Reasons why I so think I have now given you in this present Discourse And certainly the Purity of Divine Appointments is worthy pleading for it hath been the subject matter of many Prayers and should be of our joynt Endeavours We Read in the Prophecy of Zechary of a Candlestick all of Gold Zec. 4. 2. 3. And he said unto me What seest thou And I said I have looked and behold a Candlestick all of Gold with a Bowl upon the top of it and the Seven Lamps thereon and Seven Pipes to the Seven Lamps which were upon the top thereof and two Olive Trees by it one upon the right side of the Bowl and the other upon the left side thereof And Verse 12. I answered again and said unto him What be these two Olive Branches which through the two Golden Pipes empty the Golden Oyl out of themselves By the concurring consent of all Interpreters I suppose by this Candlestick all of Godl here spoken of we are to understand that pure Church State which God hath promised to erect unto Himself in Gospel Times And certainly that must be a blessed Day and a glorious Priviledge when we shall come to have a Candlestick all of Gold A Candlestick that hath a Golden Bowl Golden Lamps and Golden Pipes for the reception and conveyance of the Golden Oyl Will it not be a singular Favour to be the Children of that Church All whose Members are Golden Members whose Ministers and Ordinances also are All of Gold for the conveyance of the Golden Oyl of the Heavenly Blessing to the Comfort Enlightning and Satisfastion of the whole But alas So it is that for the most part of those that call themselves or that pretend to be the true Churches of Christ at this day in the World they are far from being a Candlestick all of Gold whether in respect of their Constitution and Ministry or in respect of that Purity of Ordinances which God requires For whilst men do content themselves rather as it were with Leaden Pipes that is with Ordinances of an Humane Invention the Golden Pipes or Ordinances of God's Appointment are thereby neglected and made void And then no wonder if such a Church have also many Leaden Members or such as are unsuitable unto the Gospel Characters All of Gold being rather ignorant prophane and scandalous who coming in or being admitted at the wrong Door are there suffered also to continue to the hardning and Soul ruine of themselves which is the case of Millions who without Christ's Appointment having been Sprinkled or as they call it Christned in their Infancy as having by vertue of their Natural Birth an Interest in the Covenant of Grace are Induced thereby to reckon themselves good Christians and in a State of Salvation without looking after the New Birth or being acquainted with the Mystery of the Spirit of Regeneration It is no way to be doubted but that where there is a pure Church there are pure Ordinances The Pipes are all of Gold as well as the Church or Candlestick it self that is it hath only such Ordinances as have the stamp of Heaven upon them even the things which Christ hath commanded and those observed as he hath commanded and not otherwise And it is equally as clear that where those Golden Pipes are wanting or where the purity of Gospel Ordinances is neglected and Pipes of a baser Alloy are substituted in the Room of those of Christ's Appointment and those also mis-applied about wrong Subjects there can be no true Church much less can it pretend to that Purity that Christ expects There can be no true Church but what hath a Golden Constitution Golden Lamps and Golden Pipes for the Conveyance of the Golden Oyl And if you say that you have not been
not by reason of their unbelief that is because they would not believe that the Old Covenant and all the Priviledges thereof were ended and the Substance come the Lord Jesus who was the true Antitype and Substance of all these Shadows So that thus then the Jews were then broken off by Vnbelief And thou and thine O! Gentile Believer must stand by Faith Mark it thou standest by Faith not by Virtue of any Birth Priviledge whatsoever but thy standing is by Faith yet not thy Seed by thy Faith but thou thy self by thine and they by their own Faith is that by which thou standing and not thy Seed hast right to stand in the Church and not they But if thy Seed have Faith and thou hast none they have right to stand in the Church and thou shalt be Excluded Most certain it is that under the Law the Natural Seed or Progeny of Abraham were all Holy with an External Ceremonial or Typical Holiness and consequently they were then all admitted to an External Participation of Church Priviledges But remarkable to this purpose is that passage of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the Flesh It seems then that heretofore there had been a knowledge taken of Persons after the Flesh And 't is plain there was that because the Jews were of the Natural or Fleshly Seed of Abraham they were therefore all of them admitted to the Priviledge of an External Church-membership while others were Exempted But we see the Apostle resolves henceforth to disclaim any such Cognisance of them or any others upon the Account of a meer Fleshly Descent And to this very purpose immediately subjoins in the following Verse Therefore if any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature Old things are past away all things are become New A new Church State and new Ordinances a new Seed and a new way of Introduction unto the Participation of the Priviledge of Church-membership under the Gospel Dispensation Now nothing but a New Creature will serve the turn for God expects that they that Worship him now do Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth The Priviledge of being admitted into God's House and to stand before His Presence in the Actual Celebration of Gospel Ordinances being now Entailed only upon the Spiritual Seed even such who as lively Stones are built up a Spiritual House a Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1. Pet. 2. 3. 4. Or such at least as make a visible Profession thereof And therefore when this New and more Spiritual Dispensation was now about actually to be Introduced into the World John who was the Harbinger of it gives sufficient notice thereof and to this purpose deals plainly with the Jews the Pharisees and the Sadduces that came to be Baptized of him And tells them upon this Account Mat. 3. 9. Think not to say within your Selves We have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham And now also the Axe is laid unto tho Root of the Trees therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire It cannot be denied but that they had Abraham to their Father as much now as before only the terms of their standing in the Church were now changed So that now every Tree of whatsoever Natural Stock or External Production that bringeth not forth good Fruit must be hewn down And the Reason is rendered for that Now the Ax is laid unto the Root of the Trees Mark it Now 't is so It was not so before The Ax was never 'till now laid at the Root of the Trees which must needs be understood in reference to that Birth Priviledge before spoken of which they had so long boasted of as the whole Context shews But now God is resolved to make other manner of Work of it under the Gospel Dispensation than he did before Now the Root of the Trees must belevelled at A bare natural Descent or Extraction from a Religious Root will not now serve turn as in times past it did to give any right or title to Church Priviledges Whereas therefore Mr. Allen doth endeavour to demonstrate that the Jewish Church was as Pure and Spiritual in its Frame and Constitution as that of the Gospel it doth from hence most plainly appear that there is a vast difference between them in respect of the manner of their Constitution or the terms upon which the Members of either were to be admitted And as there is no particular Person in the World whether before or since that can pretend unto the like Priviledge or Prerogative as Abraham had to be the Father of the Faithful whose Natural Seed also were dignified with many External Priviledges So the Dispensation being now changed and the Priviledges that once belonged unto Abraham's Natural Seed being now Repealed or rather expired There is therefore no just claim that hence-forth can be duly made unto any other of a like signification under the Gospel by the Natural Posterity of any Believer whatsoever but such alone as are found actually bearing and bringing forth the same Fruits of Faith and Holiness that Abraham did or such at least as make a visible Profession of the same As for the latter part of Mr Allen's Discourse Wherein he labours to prove the Lawfulness of Imposing other Ceremonies in the Management of God's Worship beside what himself hath appointed In order to the Refutation of this Assertion of his there needs no more to be done than attentively to give heed unto the Words of the Commission given by Christ to his Apostles and in them unto all true Church Guides or Governours unto the end of the World to this purpose as it is Recorded Mat. 28. 19. 20. Go Teach all Nations c. Teaching them to Observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you and lo I am with you alway c. Where we are to Note that he saith not that they should teach them to Observe all things in the matters of his Worship which the Church Governours should hereafter Judge Decent or Convenient But whatsoever I have Comanded that is either by himself or his Apostles Which words must of necessity be Exclusive of all humane Inventions or Additions to the Worship of God For that he hath frequently discovered his severest Displeasure against his People of Old for their Presumption in adding those things to His Worship which He Commanded not A Lively Instance whereof we have in the Case of Nadab and Abihu in their Offering up of strange Fire Lev. 10. 1 2 3 The Punishment Inflicted on whom was not for doing what was Expresly forbidden but for their Presumption in doing that which God had not Commanded In Matters purely Civil 't is true We are to Submit to Every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's Sake and that even in such things as are
not only to the Father but to the Children yea to all his Family And the Father of the Family did not only give Himself but all his Children and even his Servants all His to GOD to take his Sign upon them and so it must be now To which We Reply that it is indeed the unspeakable Blessedness of the Believing Gentiles to be Graffed in upon such a Stock not upon the Legal Branch but upon the Root Olive which affordeth all the Nourishment that either the Jews had or the Gentiles have that Root Olive being no other than Christ Himself who was given for a Covenant of the People and a Light to Lighten the Gentiles The Gospel of whose Grace was indeed Preached to Abraham 430 Years at least before the Law was given But what then Doth it therefore follow that the Believing Gentiles are put into that very State of things as under Circumcision Where is that Scripture that affirms it Evident it is that though Circumcision was in use before as well as under the Law and though Jesus Christ Himself is by the Apostle Stiled the Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made unto the Fathers yet as it cannot be denied but that it was adopted into the Legal Family And that it was also adopted unto the Nature and Quality of the Legal Dispensation So it is as evident that it is now Abolished And we can meet with no one Text in all the New Testament that tells us that Baptism is appointed to have the same Place and Vse in the Church of God that Circumcision had but rather much to the contrary as hath been already proved And it being manifest that the External Administration of the Covenant is changed to what it was in Abraham's Time it plainly follows that there is an Alteration of the Rule that must direct us in our Practice in that Respect Obj. 2. If this Interpretation hold good there would be a very great Change in the Extent of the Covenant narrower under the Gospel than it was under the Law and yet no notice in all the Book of God given of such a Change We Reply First That the Covenant of Grace hath one and the same Extent before under and since the Law in Respect of the Substance of it or considered singly in its self as hath been already declared In Respect of the Administration of it indeed it is Changedble and hath been often Changed Secondly we say that the Administration under the Gospel is not narrower than that under the Law because it admits not Infants Baptism The Administration under the Law was Circumscribed to a little Land and a small People the Bounds of the other are stretched from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth That was restrained to the Seed and Family of Abraham the other extends to the Seed and Family of Christ That had its Existence but 2000 Years upon an Occasional Temporary Principle the other is suited to Answer a Principle existing from Everlasting to Everlasting That Administration was the Shadow Figure and Example the other the Substance That was the Handmaid the other the Mistress And if the Case be thus between these two Administrations can we Reasonably Charge the Gospel Administration with more narrowness than the Law because of the Discontinuance of the Birth-Priviledge Thirdly Although the Grace of the Gospel be extended far beyond the Grace under the Law yet as to Persons the Children of the Gospel are formed to so strict and refined a Qualification that in that Respect we grant that the Law had a Latitude beyond the Gospel But yet with this Mark that the Indulgence of the Law was one of the great Imperfections which the Gospel came to Reform Mat. 3. 10 11 12. And of this Change the Book of God doth give abundant Notice Gen. 21. 10. Cast out the Bond-woman and her Son c. Shortly after the Institution of the Ordinance of Circumcision for the Priviledge of the Seed according to the Flesh The Lord brings forth a Prophetical Instance in the very Family of Abraham wherein this great Change of Church Priviledge was revealed viz. That it was to be taken from the Carnal Seed and that it should be given to the Seed according to Grace under the Gospel Administration And to put that matter out of Question we have the unvailing of this Prophetical Instance to the very same purpose in Gal. 4. 30. So also Isa 14. 1. Sing O Barren thou that bearest not What she was the Apostle tells us Gal. 4. 26 27. ver 5. Thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel At ver 13. We have the Refined Qualification of her Children and People And all thy Children shall be Taught of the Lord Where we have a Prophetical Description of the Gospel Church State which the People of a Fleshly Extraction only from the most sanctified Saints cannot possible compare unto It must therefore necessarily be understood of another Seed even of a Seed begotten of God by the Word of Truth Jam. 1. 18. the Gospel People And this was a fair Notice given of the Change in Question to wit narrower as to the Qualifications of the Persons but more extended in Grace Another fair warning for the Fleshly Seed is Isa 65. 15. For the Lord God shall slay thee and call his People by another Name In all which we find plain notice given of the Change of the Old Administration which gloried in the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh and as plainly foretelling the Cessation of that Propagation to give place to the New Administration and the true Seed of Abraham the Seed according to the Spirit And indeed the Change of the Administration necessarily removes the fleshly Seed because it hath a standing by no other Right than what it had under that Covenant As for the New Testament it every where abounds with Evidence to the Proof hereof as appears from the several Scriptures that have in part been already opened and discussed in the former part of this Discourse Wherein it hath been proved that though Infants were comprehended with their Parents in the Jewish Church yet none but such as are capable of making an Actual Profession of Faith and Repentance with some competent Measure of Fruitfulness answerable thereunto are to be admitted to the Priviledge of Church-Membership under the Gospel To this purpose we are told Mat. 3. 7. That when many of the Pharisees and Sadduces came to be Baptized of John Though their being of the Natural Seed of Abraham was a sufficient ground why they should be Circumcised yet it was no sufficient ground why they should be Baptized And therefore their Birth-Priviledge notwithstanding John rejects them as a Generation of Vipers and bids them bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance 'T is true those that John had now to deal with were Men at
Age and such also as were exceedingly Debauched and Vitious in their Conversations But then it must be withal considered that we Read of none at Age that were rejected upon any such Account from Corcumcision which is a clear Argument of the Change of the Administration and that the terms of Admission into the Gospel-Church were far stricter now than they were before And to take off their former Plea he deals therefore plainly with them upon that Account And tells them ver 9. Think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father for God is able of Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham And now also the Ax is laid unto the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down which hath been already explained to be clearly Exclusive of a meer Carnal Seed or a Seed barely after the Flesh in respect of Gospel Church Ordinances For upon that Account the Ax is here said to be laid unto the Root of the Trees And as plainly doth the Spirit of God by the Apostle give us an Account of the Exclusion of the Fleshly Seed in that respect when he tells us as he doth 2 Cor. 5. 16 17. Wherefore henceforth know we no Man after the Flesh c. For if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Old things are past away all things are become New which hath been already distinctly explained to the same purpose Together with Rom. 11. 17. 24. Where he tells us that the Natural Branches are broken off And that the Gentiles have their Standing in the Church only by Faith And no where doth the New-Testament Countenance that conceit that our Posterity have any Right of standing as Members of the Christian Church by Vertue of our Faith But we our selves must stand by our Faith and they if they have any by their own Otherwise they are of course excluded The Natural Branches being now broken off and no others in their Room barely as such according to Gospel Rule to be admitted to Gospel Ordinances But against this it is Objected That as the same Church continued under the Gospel which did exist or was in being before So the very same Church Members kept their places and standing in it which were of it before except such as were broken off by Vnbelief which must not say you be understood in Reference to the Little Children of the Believing Jews unless it can be made out that their Little Children were guilty also of the same Sin of Vnbelief upon the Account of which others were thus broken off To this we Reply First that as it is Evident that the Children of the Vnbelieving Jews are to this day together with their Parents broken off and unchurched which can be upon no other Account than because of the Personal Vnbelief both of the Parents and Children For they have both of them Believing Abraham to their Father as much now as before So it is as Evident that the same Sin of Vnbelief was as justly Chargeable upon the Children of those of them that did believe until wrought upon as their Parents were by the Preaching of the Word And by Reason hereof it was that all sorts of Little Children as well as those at Age that were destitute of actual Faith were now to be broken off from the Gospel Church For though 't is true the Children of the Believing Jews and the Children of the Vnbelieving Jews also were upon the bare Account of their Relation to Abraham only by the Express Command of God under the former Administration admitted to a State of Church Membership their Vnbelief notwithstanding For whether they were Believers or no was not at all any Matter of Enquiry in Respect either of the Parents or the Children as to a State of Church-Membership then yet as hath been already proved the Case is now altered A New Law and a New Church-State in Respect of the External Administration thereof was now to take place in the World So that the terms of their former standing in the Church would not suffice for their standing now For nothing short of Actual Faith and Repentance or an External Profession thereof could be now sufficient which Qualifications not being to be found in Young Infants whether those of Believers or those of Vnbelievers they were therefore both broken off as well the one as the other of them Secondly In this Respect therefore it ought to be duly considered that the Holy Scripture doth conclude us all by Nature to be in a state of Vnbelief and Children of wrath as well as others and such we continue from our Infancy 'till converted and wrought upon by the Grace of the Gospel A vain thing it is therefore to pretend unto a Faith wrought in us from our Natural Birth as the Seed of Believers For Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. As the ordinary means by which it is wrought in us And this way of Conveyance little Infants as well those of Believers as those of Vnbelievers being uncapable of they are therefore all of them till then to be reckoned as the Scripture concludes them in a state of Vnbelief Rom. 11. 32. And this being the true state of the Case No wonder if the Children of Believers as well as others were broken off from the Olive Tree the Church the terms of standing therein being now altered as hath been declared Mr. Allen indeed also tells us that since the Jewish Infants were under the former Administration at the Call Election and Appointment of God admitted with their Parents as Visible Members of the Jewish Church And since the Gifts and Callings of God are without Repentance Rom. 11. 29. We have Reason therefore to conclude that the Infants of Christian Parents have the same Right to a Visible Church-Membership now as theirs had then But then Mr. Allen should have considered that though the Gifts and Callings of God are indeed without Repentance in respect of the Inward Substance of the Covenant of Grace Or of an Invisible Membership in the Invisible Church yet it doth not therefore follow that they are without Repentance in Respect of an External Membership in the Visible Church but are and were Repealable as by sad Experience it is found to be too true by the main Body of the Jewish Nation Children and all who by Reason of their Vnbelief are actually and undeniably both Parents and Children also un-Church'd broken off and rejected to this very day True it is as the Apostle also tells us if they abide not still in Vnbelief they shall be graffed in again And he there also tells us God is both able and willing so to do But then we must also remember that as they and their Children were both broken off because of Vnbelief upon which very Account they do both still continue broken off to this very day So therefore as a Just and a Necessary
two great Acts viz. To Preach Teach and Baptize And we may say in the same place That whoever are outwardly Taught or do but hear the Gospel though they walk never so contrary must be Baptized For the Commission is Teach and Baptize Nothing of the Parties Entertainment of it is mentioned in this 28 Mat. nor of the qualification of the Subject with any distinguishing Character If they say This doth not hold forth all the Institutions in every particular as they must grant then we may compare other Scriptures with this to make out the full Institution as these 〈◊〉 Infants are mentioned so much Gracious Consideration◠as hath been formerly express'd § To this we Reply That notwithstanding all the Confidence which Mr. Sidenham here expresseth both the Qualification of the Subjects of Baptism as also the manner or form of Baptizing are sufficiently set forth unto us in the present Institution For First If we enquire after the Subject It is plain by this Commission that none are to be Baptized but such as are Taught so as to be Discipled into the true Faith and Profession of Christianity Go Teach all Nations Baptizing them c. Infants being uncapable of being thus Taught or Disciped they are therefore Excluded But all others that so hear the Gospel as to understand it Believe it and be Discipled by it are according to this Commission to be Baptized But whereas Mr. Sidenham tells us That whosoever are outwardly Taught or do but hear the Gospel though they walk never so contrary must be Baptized inasmuch as in the Commission Mat. 28. nothing of the Parties entertainment of it is there mentioned With what shadow of Truth could Mr. Sidenham utter such a Sentence When he could not but know that as according to that very Institution Mat. 28. Such as are Discipled by the Preaching of the Gospel are there appointed to be Baptized Go Teach all Nations c. That is as your selves have acknowledged Disciple all Nations Baptizing them So in that parallel place Mark 16. 16. which is but a rehearsal of the same Commission by another of the Holy Pen Men our Saviour there tells us He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be Saved Plainly shewing that those that are to be Baptized must be such as so hear the Gospel as to give a Believing entertainment to it He had said before Go Preach the Gospel to every Greature And then it immediately follows He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be Saved And if here be not a plain notice given of the qualification of such as are to be admitted to Baptism Let such Judge whose Eyes are open Secondly if we enquire after the manner or form of Baptizing the very Word it self is plainly significant of Christ's Mind and Meaning therein Go Teach all Nations Baptizing them that is let them be dipt or plunged under Water which is the native Sense and signification of the Greek Word which we Translate Baptize as hath been already proved So that whatever Mr. Sidenham tells us the Commission which Christ gave to his Apostles concerning Baptism doth afford sufficient Direction both in respect of the qualification of the Subject as also in reference to the manner of the Administration thereof § 3. As for the rest of the Arguments made use of by Mr. Sidenham for the support of Infants Baptism from the Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham from Acts 2. 39. From Col. 2. 11 12. From the Analogy between Circumcision and Infants Baptism From the Baptizing of the several Housholds mentioned in the New Testament As also concerning the Signification and Vse of the Word Baptism Enough hath been already said in the first and second Parts of this Discourse for the Refutation of them which needs not here to be repeated Only there are two Arguments in Mr. Allen's Treatise before mentioned which were then omitted but must now be Answered SECT VII § 1. THE first hath Referrence to those several Titles of a Holy and peculiar People which are frequently in the Scripture given to the whole Body of the Jewish Nation Church and People from whence he infers that there is no such difference as we affirm there is between the Old and the New Testament Churches For saith he If those terms are frequently given in the Epistles to Church Members now the same Epethites are frequently given to the Members of the Jewish Church And therefore there is no such Difference as is Imagined in the Constitution of either of them they being both alike Spiritual § 2. To this we Answer First If there be no difference between the Old and New Testament Churches in respect of the Constitution of either of them but that there was the same Purity Holiness and Spirituality in the one as in the other Then what needed or wherein consisted that Reformation which the Apostle tells us was to take place in the Gospel day Heb. 9. 8 9 10. The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing which was a Figure for the time then present In which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers Washings and Carnal Ordinances Imposed on them until the time of Reformation Plainly Intimating that there were many things faulty among them and many things defective also which were to be Reformed Rectified and Supplied when the Day-light of the Gospel was to break upon them And upon this account not only doth the Spirit of God find fault with the Covenant it self which they were then under which therefore was now to be done away and a new One to take place Heb. 8. 7 8 13. But for this Reason also was the Seed to be changed The Carnal Seed being rejected and only the Spiritual Seed of Abraham admitted as Members of the Gopsel Church A plain notice of which Change is given by John the Baptist the Harbinger of the Gospel Dispensation Mat. 3. 7 8 9 10. Think not saith he to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that GOD is able even of these Stones to raise up Children unto Abraham And now also the Axe is laid unto the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down Plainly requiring a personal and actual Fruitfulness in all the Members of this new Church state which is exclusive not only of all those that are such as the Pharisees and Sadduces were whom he was now speaking to who were a Generation of Vipers and were actually debauch'd in their Conversations but of all such also as were either neglective or are uncapable as is the Case of Infants of actual Fruitfulness in the Paths of Righteousness § 3. So that when you tell us that the Legal and Gospel Church are alike
Spiritual We say not For it is plain there was no such Inquisition concerning the good or bad qualities the Fruitfulness or Unfruitfulness of the Members of the former Church in 〈◊〉 to Admission thereinto It was enough barely to be of Abraham's Seed or Family to be so esteemed But now saith John the Axe is laid unto the Root of the Trees And they must all be hewn down under the Gospel that have nothing else to pretend unto but that of a Godly Parentage which plainly excludes Infants as well as all other unfruitful Branches from the Gospel Church And to this same purpose is it that he doth further assure them ver 12. That Jesus Christ was now resolved with the Gospel Fan to Purge thoroghly the Floor of the Gospel Church and to gather the Wheat into His Garner Under the Law and before also even in Abrahmam's time the Chaff and the Wheat remained together unsevered but now the Fan must go to Work We read of no such Fanning Work in the former Church state And to what purpose is it else that Christ told the Woman of Samaria as he doth Jo. 4. 23. The Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth For the Father seeketh such to Worship Him Which plainly sheweth that God expecteth now greater Purity Exactness and Spirituality in such as were to approach His Presence in the Celebration of Gospel Worship And indeed of this the whole fifth of Mat. is a sufficient and convincing Proof giving clear evidence concerning the refinedness and spirituality of the Gospel Administration above and beyond that of the Law For then saith our Saviour it was thus and thus but I am come to tell you a New Doctrine and do call you up to greater Purity and Strictness § 4. Secondly We Answer That that Holiness which was ascribed unto the whole Body of the Jewish Nation was a Typical Ceremonial Holiness and was no other than was ascribed to the whole Land City Temple Altar and divers other things and is therefore now Abolished For if all things under the Law were but a Figure and Shadow of good things to come then such was the Holiness of the Jewish Nation and People also Now this the Apostle in the 9th and 10th Chapters to the Hebrews proves at large shewing that all things under the Law all the Priviledges of the Old Covenà nt with all the Perquisites Dependancies and Appurtenances thereunto belonging are called by such Names as make them evidently appear to be Typical As First they are called a Figure Heb. 9. 9. Which was a Figure for the time then present So verse 24. For Christ is not Entered into the Holy Place made with Hands which are the Figures of the true Secondly They are called a Pattern Heb. 9. 23. It was necessary that the Pattern of things in the Heavens c. Thirdly They are called a Shadow Heb. 10. 1. For the Law having a Shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the thing◠c. Now the Holiness of the Jewish Nation being an Appurtenance belonging to the Law or the Old Covenant It was but a Figure Pattern or Shadow of all good things to come and was therefore Typical and is now Abolished And if we will know what the Holiness of the Jewish Nation did serve to Typifie or Represent unto us It is evident that as it Typified the Holiness of Christ himself So of all Abraham's Spiritual Seed who are made Holy by Believing in Christ § 5. The Time of Reformation therefore spoken of in the forementioned Scripture Heb. 9. 8 9 10. being come wherein those Imperfect Gifts and Sacrifices with all those Carnal Ordinances which were for a Season Imposed on the Jewish Nation were to be done away and the Gospel-Church taking place in the Room thereof It cannot rationally be supposed but the one doth far exceed the other at least in Purity and Inward Glory For by how much Christ hath now obtained a more excellent Ministry than that of Moses and by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Covenant Which is Established upon better Promises as the Apostle affirmes Heb. 8. 6. By so much of necessity must the gospell Church exceed in lustre beauty Refinedness and Spirituality the former Administration SECT VIII THE Second Argument in Mr. Allen's Book remaining to be Answered is this That all Persons and so little Children that were of the Legal Church must needs in one Respect or other have been Persons of a Religious or Spiritual Consideration And this considered saith he I know not upon what better to place the Visible Church-Membership of Infants or to Attribute it to than God's Electing and Calling them to his People and their Parents Dedicating and Devoting them to God and his Service And the Scripture useth to reckon little Children as having begun to do this or that when they are but placed in Circumstances that will bring them to it Actually in the Issue And thus the Children of the Kohathites of a Month Old were numbred with their Fathers as with them keeping the charge of the Sanctuary when they were but in a way of being trained up to it And for the same Reason little Children were said to enter into Covenant with God when their Parents did so Deut. 29. 11 12 § 2. To this we Answer First By granting that it was in a Religious Consideration that Children were then Admitted Members of the Legal Church But yet it doth not therefore follow that they are to be admitted Members of the Gospel-Church for the Reasons before rendered The Terms of Admission into that being far more strict and Spiritual than were those under the Law Secondly Whereas he tells us That the Reason of their Admission into the Legal Church was God's Electing and Calling them to that Priviledge This we also grant But then we also say that though the Call and Election of God in Reference to the Inward Substance of the Covenant of Grace or to an Invisible Membership in the Invisible Church is Invariable It doth not follow that the Gifts and Callings of God in Reference to External Membership are therefore also Invariable or Irrevokable as is afterward by Mr. Allen Asserted and unto which we have already in the Second Part of this Discourse given a sufficient Answer For we find by undeniable Evidence that those External Gifts and Priviledges that the Natural Posterity of Abraham were once Invested with are now Rescinded Repealed and Repented of and it cannot be affirmed that in any Religious Capacity whatsoever they are now at all owned by God as his Church and People as once they were neither Parents nor Children But for the most part remain broken off and Unchurched to this Day And if you say That they and their Children being broken off We and our Children are Ingraffed in their Room This is that which remains to be proved and indeed the