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A42248
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The grounds of infant-baptism briefly explained
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1693
(1693)
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Wing G2138C; ESTC R222580
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20,167
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16
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everlasting gracious Covenant and of pardon of Sin Justification Adoption and Eternal Life as an absolute and free Gift in Christ And though only the Male-Infants were Circumcised yet as to all Fundamental Blessings of the Covenant the case of Males and Females was the same And though Circumcision be long since abolished yet the Doctrine thereof is not abolished it is truly Evangelical and of perpetual use to the Church Militant unto the end of the 1 Pet. 3. 21. World Again it is plain that Baptism is a Figure The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us This is equivalent to a Sign Seal and Token of Salvation according to the New Covenant in Christ's Blood For it is certain that the Salvation of Souls is not save by the New Covenant in Christ's Blood Now seeing that Baptism is a Divine Figure such as doth save the Soul it must needs be a Sign Seal and Token of God's everlasting Covenant in Christ with every Believer whereby is Salvation And Christ's Commission to his Apostles as is before shewed being to get all Persons into Covenant with God through Christ and then to baptize them and it being manifest that the Infants of Christian Parents are in Covenant with God through Christ it followeth unavoidably that they are to be Baptized and admitted to Baptism as the Seal and Token of God's Covenant coming in the room of Circumcision § X. The Adversaries of Infant-Baptism from Dr. Lightfoot alledge That Their Confession of Faith p. 118 c. the forecited Scripture Rom. 4. 11. is not exactly translated and conceive the Sence of it to be this And he received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith which was to be in the Uncircumcision Which was to be I say not which had been not that which Abraham had whilst he was yet Uncircumcised but that which his Uncircumcised Seed should have that is the Gentiles who in time to come should imitate the Faith of Abraham This they earnestly desire may be seriously â—â—ighed Now supposing but not granting this Sence of the words it overthrows their forenamed Position that nothing but the Indwelling of the Spirit is the Seal of God's Covenant with every Believer for here they plainly grant another Seal viz. Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith in us Gentiles and consequently of God's Covenant with us But the truth is that the foresaid Sence of the words from Dr. Lightfoot contradicts itself and the Grounds of Religion For it supposes Believing Gentiles to be Imitators of the Faith of Abraham and yet saving Faith in us Gentiles to differ in kind from the Faith of Abraham which is very Absurd and Atheological For how can we imitate the Faith of Abraham if his Faith and ours be two contrary kinds There may be degrees of saving Faith but two kinds of saving Faith there cannot be from the Fall of Adam to the End of the World Abraham was saved by the Grace of Christ as purposed to be Mediator through Faith and the Saints now are saved by the Grace of Christ as already Mediator through the same kind of Faith So that if Circumcision was a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith in time to be in us Gentiles of necessity it could not but be a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which Abraham had before he was Circumcised because his Faith then and our Faith now as to Eternal Salvation are for substance one and the same kind Hence he is stiled the Father of all them that believe though Rom. 4. 11. they be not circumcised § XI The Wisdom of God speaking by the Apostle Peter thought this abundantly sufficient to silence and stop the Mouths of all Gain-sayers Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Act. 10. 47. holy Ghost as well as we Now though receiving the Holy Ghost may include both principal and subservient Gifts and Blessings yet it cannot be thought to exclude those which are principal and supream but rather they above all other are included as most excellent and necessary viz. Pardon of Sin Justification Adoption Regeneration a State of Salvation The foresaid Interrogation doth plainly declare this to be the Mind and Will of Christ and the true meaning of that Grand Commission Go and teach all Nations baptizing them c. that none be excluded from Baptism that have received the Holy Ghost so as to be in a State of Salvation And therefore if according to the Rules of wise and conscientious Charity in the due mean between too much Rigour and too much Laxness we have just grounds to judge that the Infants of Christian Parents be in a State of Salvation we may apply the foresaid Interrogation concerning them Can any Man forbid Water that these Infants of Christian Parents should not be Baptized who in the judgment of Charity are beloved of God Pardoned Adopted Regenerate Partakers of the Holy Ghost so as to be in a State of Salvation as well as their Parents and grown Bellevers § XII It cannot be thought that we should be bound infallibly to know the Hearts of others for if we must not baptize but upon those grounds we must baptize none at all not grown Persons themselves Of necessity there must be a Standard of Admission to Baptism and it must be plain universal serving for all Persons in all Places at all Times immovably fixed by God otherwise there will be endless Dispute Uncertainty and Contention about it Infallible insight into and knowledge of others Hearts and Consciences inwardly belongs only to God and is to us impossible and altogether unnecessary Therefore Christian Charity in the Breasts of God's Ministers avoiding the two extreams of Rigour and Licentiousness is appointed by Christ to judge discern decide and determine who are and who are not to be reputed Saints Christians in Covenant with God through Christ in a State of Salvation and consequently fit for Baptism and to be washed in the Laver of Regeneration For can any man forbid water that all such should not be baptized This Standard is plainly Divine if you go from it you know not where to fix § XIII That well known place in the Gospel Mark 10. 13. c. is abundantly enough for the Regulation of our charitable Judgment and judicious Charity in this point being so full clear and pregnant For Christ readily received such Infants as were brought unto him for his Blessing was much displeased with those that would have hindered them from being brought unto him he took them up in his Arms that his Hands upon them and blessed them and commanded saying Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Now though Christ be not corporally present on Earth as sometime he was for to have Infants brought unto him for his Blessing Grace and Favour yet he is spiritually
present in the Assemblies of his Saints and with his Ministers in the right Dispensation of Baptism according to his Word alway Rev. 2. 1. Mat. 18. 20. 28. 19 20. even unto the end of the World But Christian Charity binds us to judge all the Infants of Christian Parents whilst they are Infants to be in a State of Salvation till being grown up they manifest the contrary Who can doubt but that the Infants of godly Parents are as dear to God as beloved by Christ as holy as fit for Heaven as much in a State of Salvation as Simon Magus as multitudes more such grown Persons baptized by the Apostles and as many baptized by the Opposers of Infant Baptism Can any Man forbid Water that the Infants of pious Parents should not be baptized which belong to the Kingdom of God as well as their Parents § XIV There is difference between the Doctrine of Baptism and Baptism Heb. 6. 1 2. 1 Cor. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 3.21 itself as between Morals and Rituals between Substance and Ceremony between Mercy and Sacrifice between Principal and Appendix For Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel The Doctrine of Baptism is the Doctrine of the New Covenant of which Baptism is a Divine Sign Seal and Token The Sum of it is this That all Men are reducible to Two the First and the Second Adam and all such as descend from the First Adam by Natural Generation are conceived and born in Sin 1 Cor. 15 45.47 Joh. 3 3 5. Gal. 3. 21. Act. 4. 12. Rom. 8. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 2. from the Guilt whereof they cannot be saved and set free without supernatural Regeneration through the Grace of Christ the Second Adam and all such as God from everlasting did fore-know would by his special Grace in Christ be Regenerate and have Spiritual Life in their Souls them he did predestinate to eternal Salvation This Doctrine of Baptism is the Foundation of true Religion the Marrow of the Scripture the Sum of Practical Truth and the Compendium of Divinity But Baptism as distinct from the Doctrine thereof is but a Divine Figure Ceremony or Token annexed to the Gospel or New Covenant a Ritual Ordinance the Contempt whereof is perllous but Infants are not capable of contemning it § XV. There are Three sorts of Blessings and Favours vouchsafed by God to Fallen Man some common to Christians and Heathens some not common to us and Heathens and yet common to good and bad Christians some peculiar to God's Elect. Of the First sort are Rain and fruitful Seasons having our Hearts filled with Food and Gladness Magistracy Civil Order and the necessary Supports of Humane Society whereby the worst on Earth are in better case than the Devils and damned Ones in Hell and are capable of being saved by God's Grace in such sort as our first Parents and the Angels which fell were capable of Perseverance Of the Second sort are the Word and Sacraments being born of Christian Parents Education in the Christian Religion and Communion in external Ordinances and Priviledges common to Isaac and Ishmael to Jacob and Esau to Peter and Judas to Paul and Simon Magus to Elect and Non-Elect Christians suitably to their Age and Capacities Of the Third sort are Regeneration Adoption Pardon of Sin Justification Perseverance Eternal Life these are peculiar to God's Elect and not common to them and others And then doth God Elect Persons in Christ when according to his own Eternal Purpose and Fore-knowledge he doth for the sake of Christ and his meritorious Cross and Intercession without all precedent Merit of their own by his Gospel-work in them Divine Faith and thereby pardons their Sins and seals them with his Holy Spirit and so sets them apart for himself and of Dead in Sin the Slaves of Satan and Reprobate to every Good Work makes them alive unto Righteousness the Children of God his Elect Ones a peculiar People to himself Thus the Death of Christ is the meritorious cause of our Election to Salvation but not of God's Eternal Purpose to Elect us for Divine Purpose to Elect and Election itself are clearly distinct as Cause and Effect as Antecedent and Consequent and may in no wise be confounded § XVI I conceive that all the Three forementioned sorts of Blessings and Favours are proper Fruits and Effects of Christ's meritorious Cross and Passion though they are not all equally so but most eminently and principally the Third sort peculiar to the Elect and the other as subservient For Christ is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe and whom he saves he saves by the merit of his Cross God doth not now Govern the 1 Tim. 4. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Heb. 2.9 World barely as Creator before Adam's Fall but as Redeemer in and through Christ unto whom all Power is given in Heaven and Earth and his Kingdom ruleth over all both Angels and Men for the everlasting Good of all Militant Saints and in order to carrying on the Great Work of Redemption by Faith in all such as belong to the Election of Grace And therefore whatsoever Blessings and Mercies whether common or special any of fallen Mankind partake of subsequently to Creation and Permission of Original Sin they are proper Fruits and Effects of Christ's Death And wherein Col. 1. 20. Eph. 1. â—0 21.22 23. Phil. 2. 8 9 10. 〈◊〉 28. 18 19. Jâ—m 5 â—2 23 2â— Hâ—b 9. 1â— Rev. 5. 9 1â— 13. any Intellectual Creatures whether Angels or Men are capable of being serviceable to God and to Christ our Mediator in promoting the Work of Redemption they are bound to serve to the utmost of their power and Christ may be said to have purchased their Service with his Blood and to have right thereto by the Merit of his Cross For in purchasing Eternal Redemption which is the principal end he must needs be supposed inclusively to purchase all the necessary helps and means requisite and conducing thereto Et qui adimit medium dirimit finem § XVII Concerning Heathen Parents the Scripture plainly declares That for the present they are without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth Eph. 2. 12. of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world We cannot think that the Infants of such are in Covenant with God As of old it was rightly said Salvation is of the Jews so now it is rightly said That Salvation is of the Christians Joh. 4. 22. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved But we cannot say that the Infants of Heathen Parents are added to the Church Act. 2. 47. While the Jews continued in the Faith of Abraham their Infants were the natural branches and partaked of the root and fatniss of the Olive-tree Gal. 2. 15. Rom. 9.4 11. from 16. to 25. Act. 2. 39. Isa 44. 3. to them and their