that Abraham was a father of many Nations and so was Noah and that not onely according to the flesh but also spiritually He was a father of many Nations according to the flesh because he was the father of Abraham * See Luk. 3. who was the father of many nations according to the flesh Spiritually Noah was the heire of Justice and Abrahams father as Abraham is sayd to be our father and the father of all those who walke in his steps And seeing that Christ came of Abraham and Abraham of Noah therefore Christ came of Noah so that it may be sayd in this respect of Noah as of Abraham that in his seed which is Christ all the Nations of the earth are blessed Further you say * Pag. 18. at lin 24. A. R. Therefore although the Covenant and promises were made to Abraham and his seed yet the consequence will not follow that the covenant is likewise made with all beleevers and their seed for beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence nor any other save onely Abraham to whom and his seed the covenant and promises are made Ans That the covenant and promises were made to Abraham and his seed you cannot denie that the Proselytes and their seed were heires of the same covenant as well as Abraham and his seed the Scriptures are cleare Gen. 17.9.12 Exod. 12.48 Isa 56. So when Zacheus beleeved and so became the sonne of Abraham he had the same priviledges which Abraham had namely that the same time salvation was come to his house * Luk. 19 8 9. Therefore seeing that he was the sonne of Abraham his infants were in the covenant of Abraham And this is according to what the Apostle sayth Gal. 4.28 Now wee brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise if now the brethren are as Isaac was then their Infants are as Isaacs infants were and are to have the same priviledges of the covenant as Isaacs infants had But the former is true from the Apostles Testimony and therefore the latter is true also And therefore Baptisme being one of the priviledges of the covenant of God which they are as capable of as of circumcision they ought to be baptized as Isaacs infants were to be circumcised And seeing the same Covenant which was made with Abraham was made with Isaac and his seed and that beleevers are as Isaac was the children of promise The consequence then that the covenant is likewise made unto all beleeving parents and their holy seed is very true Whereas you tell us that Beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence nor any other save onely Abraham I tell you that if Abraham had not been a beleever he could not have been the seed much lesse a father spiritually unto those who walke in his steps neither could Isaac the childe of promise have been as he was 2. Though Christ is the root of David * Rev. 5.5 yet he is also the off-spring of David * Rev. 22.16 so is he the root and the off-spring the father * Joh. 8.58 and the sonne of Abraham * Mat. 1.1 so that Abraham was Christs seed spiritually as all the Proselytes were and in this respect Abraham is our brother But you tell us Beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence save onely Abraham but you should know that Noah was Abrahams father both spiritually and temporally and a beleever and so were the holy Patriarkes before him therefore they were the seed and yet wee will not say they were the onely seed in the largest extent for I thinke that all the Saints which are or have been are not yet the onely seed for there are no doubt many yet to come Now if by the onely seed and the seed onely you mean that God never accepted of any seed but such as they were spiritually I grant the same that such are the seed indeed and in truth and such a one was Isaac in his infancie and such are the Infants of beleevers now as those infants which Christ took up in his armes Mar. 10.16 and layd his hands upon and blessed And though the infants are not fathers but faithfull children of the faithfull yet they have the blessing of Abraham which lighted upon Isaac in his infancie and those that are blessed with faithfull Abraham are the seed of Abraham and children of the promise but the infants of beleevers are blessed with faithfull Abraham therefore they are the children of the promise Moreover You should not be ignorant that Enoch Noah Sâ—m Abraham Isaac and divers others were fathers spiritually But you would have Abraham to be the onely father for you say None of them is a father in the Gospel sence save onely Abraham so that you exclude all beleevers from the beginning unto this present yea to the end of the world from being fathers any of them in the Gospel sence But you should know that all beleeving fathers who have holy children are fathers in the Gospel sence and as they are holy so are their infants who have no more childreÌ„ then Isaac had in his infancie yet seeing they are heires of the Covenant which was made with Abraham they have his blessing So Paul termeth the children of beleevers holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 and so Peter sayth The promise is unto you and to your children c. which implyeth fathers and surely I thinke this is Gospel sence * Act. â— 39 if not Gospel it selfe Further you say Wherefore to affirme that every beleever hath now the same Covenant and promises made to him and his seed A. R. Pag. 18. at lin 30. as Abraham had to him and his seed is very absurd and is all one as to say that now every beleever by his beleeving doth immediately become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham To which I answer as before that beleevers are in the same Covenant and therefore both they their seed have the same priviledges of the Covenant as the Proselytes and their seed had in former time And you should know that Abraham was not the father of Noah but Noah was the father of Abraham and he was before Abraham and therefore was not onely the father of Abraham but also the father of all beleevers after him spiritually Now though Abraham was not the father of so many beleevers as Noah was father of yet Abraham had the same priviledges in respect of the new covenant as Noah had Abraham sojourned in the land of Canan as a stranger but his seed did inherite it yet the promise of salvation was equally made both to him and his seed as it is to us and our seed So Jacob though he was not the father of so many beleevers w câ— Abraham was father of yet had
he the same priviledges in respect of the new covenant as Abraham had I will not say that Abraham had the same outward temporall priviledges which Noah had for Noah was the father of all Nations according to the flesh though not the father of Caine or those before him neither will I say that Jacob or Isaac had the same outward temporall priviledges in every respect as Abraham had for Abraham was the father of the Ismaelites and Edomitâ—s after the flesh And yet this doth not prove that every beleever upon his beleeving doth become a father of the faithfull no more then Isaac who was a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham And seeing your demand * Lin. 35. Where any seed are if all be fathers is grounded upon an if or supposition that all are fathers let it be a supposition still and so upon this ground when you bring suppâ—sâ—tions without distinctions builded upon your own imaginationâ— and prosecuted with such groundlesse cavillations you may expect that your building will fall to the ground as this doth Lin. 36 37 38 39. To your affirmation That their seed and their seeds-seed are all members of the Church and to be accounted faithfull and so to be all fathers of the faithfull as well as Abraham from generation to generation to the worlds end I answer That the infants of the faithfull are all members of the Church and they are not to be accounted unfaithfull though they die in their infancie And seeing Gods kingdome belongeth unto them though they have no children â—or are fathers of the faithfull 〈◊〉 Abrahams was yet they have the same precious priviledges as Abrahams infants had So that they are to be esteemed now tâ— be the sons of God and yet it is not manifested whaâ— they shall be when their terrestriall bodies being made like the glorious body of their sweet Saviour shall 〈◊〉 celestially in the kingdome of Eterniâ—â—â— Next you would make us beleeve that you will expresse your selfe more plainly Lin. 40. and in the intrim you promise this truth That there is now no difference between any circumcision or uncircumcision Pag. 19. lin 1 2. Jew or Gentile bond or free male or female but all are one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 And to this I answer that Gal. 3.28 doth not prove that you have performed what you promised and called a truth for as you have layd it downe it is an untruth namely that there is no difference between any Circumcision or uncircumcision c. In this you have done evill and in fathering it upon the Apostle Paul you have done worse for Paul is no patron of this opinion it was no part of his doctrine that there is no difference between any Circumcision or uncircumcision c. But he putteth a manifest difference between Circumcision of the heart and Circumcision of the flesh as also between Jew and Jew namely he that is a Jew outwardly onely Rom 2.28 29. and he that is a Jew inwardly as also he putteth a difference between Gentile and Gentile namely an unbeleeving Gentile and a beleeving Gentile So that Paul maketh the beleeving Gentiles and the beleeving Jewes all one in Christ and not beleevers and unbeleevers all one in Christ for he applieth his speech to the Saints onely So that it appeareth you have quitemistaken the Apostle yea there is no Scripture which will beare you out in this your absurd affirmation And now I will come to what you call your plaine expression which is that If every beleever by his beleeving doth become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham A. R. Pag. 19. at lin 3. then it must be at the very instant of his beleeving that he doth become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham and if so where then will be any children to all these fathers for none can be children before they be faithfull and also at the same instant cease to be chilâ—â—en and become fathers which implyes a flat contradiction and then how â—an Abraham himselfe be father of all beleevers Rom. 4.11 12. Answ Who doth affirme that every beleever doth immediately become a father That which you say implyeth a flat contradiction Pag 19. lin 7. I thinke is builded but upon a supposition of your owne Isaacs fatherhood made him not cease to be Abrahams child no more then our fatherhood doth make us cease to be his Children as if they should affirme that beleevers upon their beleeving at the same instant cease to be children and become fathers And then upon this you aske how Abraham himselfe can then be father of all beleevers Which interrogation of yours implyeth rather a flat contradiction of the Scriptures of God as if Abraham was not both sonne and father 1. A sonne of Noah he was as wee are the sonnes of Abraham by faith in Christ 2. A father of the faithfull he was also So that Abraham was both a sonne and a father You doe not explaine your selfe * Lin. 9. when you aske how Abraham himselfe then can be father of all beleevers for you may know that Noah was father of more beleevers then Abraham Noah himselfe was a beleever before Abraham And if Abraham was not his father then he was not a father of all beleevers who went before him But it may be you meane by all beleevers all that came after Abraham and walked in his steps for if you mean by all belâ—evers all that ever have been are or shall be then by your owne ground there were no beleevers before Abraham was a father or else you must confesse that Abraham was not a father of them But theâ—e were beleevers before Abraham was borne and bâ—leevers there were and are after him therefore Abraham was and is both a father of some beleevers and a childe of other beleevers as wee are the children of him if wee derogate not from his steps and are the fathers of our posteritie after the flesh who doe not aberate from Gods commandements Next you say Or how can the promise be sure unto all the seed if beleevers childrâ—n be the seed for they will not affirme that all their children are saved But this is affirmed of all the seed to whom the promise is made Rom. 4.16 Heb. 6.16 17. Ans You thinke if beleevers children be the seed the promise cannot be sure to all the seed and why is this your reason is for th y will affirme that all their children are not saved But if this be a sufficient reason to prove infants not to be in the promise then it will prove that their parents are not in the promise nor any other and so upon this ground you must baptize none at all nor judge any to be in the promise though they professe faith never so much sith that many who are members and make a verball profession and ought to be baptized by Christs rule fall back like Judas
the Lord imputeth righteousnes unto them without workes * Rom. 4.6 as hath been proved before * See pag. 3.4.6 to pag. 14. See pag. 15 16 17. Wherefore wee may safely conclude that all those infants which were then in these families or any other if they were the infants of one or both beleeving parents the application of the Gospel belonged unto them and therefore the Apostles in preaching life and salvation and applying the promises unto the parents did also apply the promises unto their infants according to the practise of God himselfe who did not visibly seperate between the beleeving parents and their infants but graciously accepted of them in his Covenant And when he preached the Gospel to the parents never did exclude but ever did include their infants with them And to the intent that all bâ—leeving parents might be incouraged to trust in him and relie upon him for the accomplishment of his gracious promises which he made unto them and their Infants The holy and blessed God repeated the same divers times yea and sundry times at one and the same instant as in Gen. 17. I will sayth God to Abraham make my Covenant between me and thee and thou shalt be a father of a multitude of Nations c * Gen. 17.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. See also ver 19.21 And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant To be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee and againe he sayth I will be their God Note here how often in this one place and at this one time he repeateth his Covenant hereby to take away all doubts and suspicious objections which might happen through Sathans temptations to arise in the hearts of any of his pâ—ople against the large extent and sufficiency of the same Covenant he bindeth it up with weighty words and sentences of great consequence yea and for further confirmation of his peoples faith in beleeving the firmenesse of his promises and the largenesse of his Covenant he annexed a visible signe and seale thereof to the intent that they might not forget his Covenant And as beleeving Gentiles and their infants were taken into Covenant with God then so they were to submit unto his ordinances amongst which this same Circumcision the signe of his Covenant * Gen. 17.11 and seale of the righteousnesse of faith * Rom. 4.11 was one which was given unto them to observe throughout their generations for this see Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. And in Exod. 12.48 49. The Lord there declareth unto his people Israel saying And when a stranger shall sojourne with thee and will keep the Passeover to the Lord let all his males be circumâ—ised and then let him come neer and keep it and he shall be as one that is borne in the Land for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof One law shall be to him that is home-borne and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you By this wee may see that the Proselytes and their seed had equall precious priviledges with the Jewes and their seed And so the Jewes infants and the infants of beleeving Gentiles then were not as those who were without God in the world but were joynt-heires of the same precious promises they had visible right by vertue of the Covenant to all the ordinances of God then present or now to come and were to be partakers thereof as they had capabilitie to receive the same even according to the requiring of the Scripture There is much then to be considered in this that the infants of beleevers were admitted to be members of the visible Church and to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith together with other priviledges before Christ was manifested in the flesh for Jesus Christ came not to take any priviledges from them but gave them as great if not greater in stead thereof Let us not thinke that he came into the world to take from them the types and to bereave them both of substances and types But rather let us conclude that for as much as the Sonne of God whose delight was with the sonnes of men * Prov. 8.31 before he was made the sonne of man is wisdome and truth it selfe he came not to deceive the least members of his beloved Spouse of the least happines or blâ—ssednesse which they formerly by right recâ—ived and enjoyed from him Now it was a blessednessâ— unto Gods peop e for the Lord to gave unto them outward visible signes for the confirmation of their faith But Circumcision of Infants was an outward visible sigâ—e given unâ—o his people from God for the confiâ—mation â—f their faith * Gâ—n â—7 11 Râ—m â— 11 Therefore it was a blessednessâ— unto them to enjoy it amongst other blessings and blessed priviledges It beâ—ng then a blessâ—dnes for the infants of beleevers to be admitted mâ—mbers of Gods visible Church and so to have by vertue of his Covenant a visible right to all Gods ordinances and to partake of them according as they were capable I mean in respect of a naturall capabilitie if the same privilâ—dges are not granted by God to the gâ—neratioâ— of the faithfull now it seemeth that God unloadeth his people of the blessings which he hath formerly bestowed upon them which to affirme is contrary to the Scripture Psal 68.19 where David speaking of the gifts which Christ should give unto the Râ—belliâ—us sayth Bl ssed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with blâ—ssings even the God of our salvation Selah Seeing then that it was such a blessâ—dnessâ— for the beleeving parents to have their infants in Gods Covenant with themselves and to receive the signe thereof for confirmation of their faith and seeing that God daily loadeth his people with blâ—ssings then surely it cannot reasonably be imagined that God hath unloaded his people of these excellent blessings for as much as he is alwayes one and the same Seeing then that beleeving Jewes and Gentiles and their infants joyntly had this blessednes they have the same blessednes now their priviledges are not lessened by the comming of Christ for he came not for any such intent and purpose but he came to confirm the promises made with the fathers therefore was Jesus Christ a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God and so to confirme the promises made with the fathers * Rom. 15.8 9 10 11 12. by fuâ—filling them So all the promises in him are yea and Amen And this was done also that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mâ—rciâ— as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among thâ— Gentiles and â—â—ng unto thy Name And again he sayth Rejoyce yeâ— Gâ—â—tiles with his people And againe Praise Jehovah all yee Gentiles Laud him all yee pâ—â—ple for his mercy is mightie towards us and the faithfulnâ—sse of Jehovaâ— eâ—â—ureth for ever Psal 117. And againe
Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. And hence you say thus they reason As the Covenant and promises were made to Abraham being a faithfull man and his seed and thereupon all his seed were circumcised in the time of the Law so the same Covenant and promises are made to them being beleevers and their seed And therefore their seed may now upon the same ground be baptized Ans You have set downe an argument on your opposites part but you have not declared in particular whose it is whether you mean that the Seperates or those some others or other Churches which you specifie in your first part and the beginning of this your second part are the Authors hereof But whosoever the Authors are you call this their maine argument and it may be you count it so because it is generally layd downe and undistinguished and I tell you though the matter may be the Seperates yet the forme is not but rather your own for it is Anabaptisticall to infer that because the covenant and promises were made to Abrahams seed before the Law that thereupon all his seed were circumcised in the time of the Law if by all you mean all his seed by generation after the flesh for then it will follow that all Ismaelites and Edomites were circumcised and all other Apostates of Abrahams seed by generation besides the rest of his seed But wee doe affirme and will prove that as Abraham had no command to Circumcise all Nations or seeds or any Apostate whatsoever though the off-spring of his body but those that were the seed in covenant with God * Gen. 17.11 so the Saints of God which continued in that estate wherein God had set Abraham were to circumcise none but such as they were yea in this respect the infants of the Proselytes were preferred before the infants of the Apostate seed of Abraham and therefore you may see that wee are far from affirming that any Apostate that sprung from the loynes of Abraham was much lesse that all were to be circumcised for Apostates whether they were of Abrahams loynes or not they were all visibly in a bad condition and not to have the signe or seale of Gods covenant put upon them And those who were not Apostates whether Jewes or Proselytes they were all visibly in a good condition and were to have the signe and seale of Gods covenant administred upon them and were different and quite contrary to the Apostates By true Iewes and Proselytes and true Christians I mean visible Saints Therefore to keep to the matter in hand the Argument for the Infants of beleevers lieth thus That as all the infants of the true Jewes and Proselytes were to have the seale of Gods covenant put upon them then so all the infants of those who are true Christians ought to have the seale of Gods Covenant put upon them now See Gal. 3.17 18. and compare herewith the words of Peter Act. 2.39 The promise is unto you to your children c. And seeing the Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ foure hundred and thirtie yeares before the Law and was established with Abraham and all his seed who did not degenerate and thereupon they were all to be sealed unto him as his peculiar treasure with that signe or token of his covenant which he had appointed then It followeth that now the same covenant is confirmed of God in Christ and made sure unto all faithfull parents and all their seed who doe not degenerate and therefore they may all be sealed unto God as his peculiar treasure with the signe or token of his covenant which he hath appointed now It followeth also that Baptisme being the seale of one and the same Covenant which Circumcision was a seale of it ought to be administred upon the infants of beleevers now as circumcision was formerly because that the infants of beleevers being formerly in the new Covenant of which Circumcision was a signe are not rent out of it by the coming of Christ but confirmed in it for Christ is no changeling and therefore Baptisme being now the seale of the same Covenant it admitteth of the same subjects and it being not more particular but more generall then Circumcision and to be administred upon male and female it appertaineth to the Infants of beleevers both male and female And this is according to that teaching Oracle which God did in the cloud and in the sea in which the whole body of the Israelites were baptized both male and female Pag. 18. But you say That neither Abraham nor his seed were circumcised because the Covenant was made with hâ—m and your reason is because the Covenant was made with him above twentie yeares before Circumcision was instituted And yet all this time neither Abraham nor his seed were circumcised neither had he or any of his seed ever been circumcised for his being in the covenant had not the Lord afterwards expresly commanded the same To which I answer that though they were not circumcised so soone as they were in the covenant neither commanded to be circumcised then yet if Abraham had not been in the covenant neither he nor his infants could have received the ordinance of Circumcision the signe of the covenant according to Gods appointment See Gen. 17. But beleevers and their seed that came after were not to omit circumcision for if they did they brake the covenant Exod. 4.24 25 26. Now Abraham his seed by vertue of Gods covenant were bound to yeeld obedience to God and to walke in all his wayes as God revealed himselfe unto them So that when once Circumcision was instituted it was not to be omitted Next * Pag. 18. at lin 17. you say Nor was that covenant made with Abraham and his seed A. R. meerly for his being a faithfull man for then should it have been made with Noah being a faithfull man but for his being such a faithfull man whom the Lord pleased to choose and set out as a patterne to all beleevers Rom. 4.23 24. and to be a father of many Nations Rom. 4 17 18. And in whose seed all the Nations in the world should be blessed Act. 5.25 13.23 to wit in Christ who was to come of his flesh Ans The same new covenant that was made with Abraham was made also with Noah wherefore as Abraham is called the father of many Nations so Noah is called the heire of justice which is by faith Heb. 11.7 Such a faithfull man as Abraham was such a faithfull man was Noah yea chosen of God and a patterne to all beleevers which should come after him Now whereas you say that the Lord was pleased to choose Abraham and set him out as a patterne to all beleevers I suppose you meane all those beleevers which came after him not those that were dead before he was borne So Noah was a patterne to Abraham not Abraham a patterne to Noah And it is sure
unto them as it was unto Abraham And so it was with the Proselytes their seed as with the Jewes and their seed And though this be a most evident truth yet you say it may in no wise be granted that the Covenant is made with all beleevers as with Abraham yea though they have the like spirituall priviledges as Abraham had yet you resolve not to grant it and it is not materiall whether you grant it or no. Now that they are all fathers as Abraham was I will not take upon mee to prove but this I know that they are in the same covenant and have the same spirituall priviledges which Abraham had As for your affirmatton that all these are the seed and the onely seed and children of Abraham For explanation I answer as before that if Noah was Abrahams father Abraham was not his father and therefore Abraham was not the father of all those beleevers that were before he was borne for Noah Abrahams father was a beleever And to this agrees your owne words for you say beleevers are the seed yea all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the onely seed and the seed onely and therefore you may see that Abraham though he were a father yet he was part of the seed for I thinke you will not deny him to be a beleever Whereas you say that if it were otherwise then must they be comprehended Gen. 17.7 8. under the tearme thee and then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke were very irrationall I answer That this which you have sayd will not stand with reason for you should know that if the covenant did appertaine to Abrahams sâ—ed in no wise as to Abraham then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke would be very irrationall indeed And the like wee may say concerning Peters application of the promise unto beleevers and their children that if it is bound up onely in the parents then Peter might have rested at those expressions concerning the parents particular persons and onely have sayd thus Act. 2.39 the promise is unto you and not have added these words and to your children Abundance of testimonies of sacred Scripture might be cited where the seed and generation of the faithfull are declared to be in the promise with their parents but this may suffice which hath been spoken that wee may not exclude the holy off-spring and blessed issue of the blessed but whensoever wee happen upon any such place of Scripture where the seed is said to be in the blessing with the parents especially considering that the Scripture affecteth brevitie wee ought then to mind that if the blessing be bound up from the infants in the parents then the words are in vaine and supâ—rfluous where their children seed off-spring and issue are mentioned But seeing that the promise to the seed is not vaine nor superfluous nor ever was it is irrationall to thinke that God is not the same God in extending his grace and mercy to the seed of beleevers as to themselves Next you say Lin. 32. Put the case it be granted them to be fathers as they doe desire to be like to Abraham then must they be fathers of onely such as beleeve and not untill they beleeve for according to the tenor of this new Covenant and in the Gospel sense Abraham himselfe is father of none other nor otherwise Ans Though in some respects we desire to be fathers as Abraham was yet far be it from us to desire to be fathers as he was in every respect You shall not father such a thing upon us Wee desire to be fathers as Abraham was though not in every respect and it is lawfull for us so to do yea our duty not only to desire it but to strive to imitate Abraham in instructing our families and teaching them the way of life according as every one of them is capable to receive instruction But though some of our children doe degenerate as some of Abrahams children did yet it maketh not the promise uneffectuall to the rest no more then it did to the rest of the children of Abraham who wâ—s a father of them in the Gospel sence as wee are fathers of theâ—e our children who abide in our righteous steps And wee are fathers of our own infants otherwise then wee are of the unbeleeving Jewes and Turkes for ours wee know are in the covâ—nant but the other wee know are not untill they doe beleeve But whâ—n they doe beleeve then have they as great priviledges for their infants as Isaac had for his infants And these are as those were and therefore as it was warrantable for those to be sealed then so is it warrantabâ—e fâ—r these to be sealed now But hence you affirme That Publicans and Harlots may be the seed A. R. and have as much right to Baptismâ— as any beleevers seed or as any of Abrahams owne naturall seed for all and every of these must first repent and then be baptized Act. 2.38 Ans If this be forcible against beleevers infants it is of force against themselves and if such a reason could have bin strong against Abrahams infants then against Abraham himselfe for the Heathens then might become converts as well as now Moreover I tell you that it is not to the poynt for us to look what persons may be or may have right unto but what persons are or must be judged to be and what they have right unto and therefore this position of yours is very impertinently brought against Infants right to the covenant or Baptisme especially considering that the infants of beleevers are neither publicans nor harlots nor to be ranked with them or their infants till the publicans and harlots cease to be so and God create in them a new spirit as he doth in the infants of the faithfull and so circumcise their hearts and make them new creatures and give them the same blessing which Christ gave unto the Israelites inâ—ants whom he took up in his armes and imposed his hands upon and blessed Whereas you further adde that Vpon the same tearmes may any yea the most wicked in the world and their seed be baptized Ans It is true that the infants of those who are penitent and in Gods covenant though they were formerly wicked are to be baptized as well as their parents But note this that Baptisme is a confirmation of their being in Covenant as Circumcision was to Abraham and his infants and to the Proselytes and their infants Touching your reason for this which you annex * Pag. 20. at lin 4. to wit that the partition wall is now broken down and that the Gospel knows no difference between any but is to be preached to every creature in the world and so you cite Mar. 16.15 16 Mat. 28.19 Gal 6.15 8.29 I answer That though the former
Esayâ—s sayth There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reigne oâ—er the Gentiles and in him shall the Gentiles trust And David saith in Psal 22 28 29 31. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turne to Jehovah and all families of the Heathens shall do worship before thâ—e for to Jehoâ—ah partaines the kingdâ—me and he is Ruler among the Naâ—ions c. A sâ—ed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord fâ—r a generation Observe how the Scriptures here doe set forth the excellent benâ—fits which appertain to aâ—â— the Saints in generall and to the holy families in particular under the flourishing time of the Gospel Here is great occasion for the â—aints to glorifiâ— to magnifie to confesse to praise and to laud the great God of heaven and earth who hath so far magnified his word so strongly confirmed his promises made unto the fathers and hath so largely extended his Gospel-priâ—iledges unto them and to their seed Their seed are in the blessing It shall sayth David be accounted unto the Lord for a generation Weigh these sentences and compare the same with Gen. 17 10 where the Lord sayd unto Abraham Thou shalt keepe my Covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations And so it is sayd here in Psal 22. that a seed shall serve him Now to serve him indeed is to keep his Covenant and those that keep his Covenant are obedient to his lawes and ordinances which he prescribeth And as Abraham and his seed then were accounted of before the Lord so are the beleeving Gentiles their seed now they are counted before the Lord for a generation for time was when they were not accounted before the Lord for a generation no reckoning was made of the Nations they were without Christ Eph. 2.11 12. being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world mistake me not I doe not say that the beleeving Gentiles or Proselytes or their infants were without Christ or without God in the world when God took them in his Covenant be it far from me so to thinke for these visible Saints were no further off then the beleeving Jewes * See Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. Exod. 12.48 But the Apostle declareth that such aliens as were then without God in the world Now God of his rich mercy hath called them unto him by repentance and now God calling them his people who were not his people and mâ—king them of Lyons Lambs bringing them into subjection to his lawes and to the obedience of his faith they are holy and spirituall 1 Cor. 7.14 and accounted as precious as Abraham and his infants were for these Gentiles who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2.13 14. And he hath accepted of them joyntly into his service giving them the blessing of Abraham a Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8.14 and his posteritie accounting of them before him as a holy generation b Psal 22.30 1 Cor. 7.14 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.5 6. Isa 19.18 c. Whereas before they were visibly of no account of no estimation in the sight of God or his people But God of his rich mercy made them rich yea in generall equally rich with the Jewes in respect both of externall and internall precious priviledges The same God over all sayth the Apostle is rich unto all that call upon him c Rom 20.12 Rev. 22.14 their riches are not lessened or diminished one jot they are equailized with the riches of the Jewes let them be bond or free male or female they are all one in Christ d Gal. 3.28 Abrahams seed like Zacheus e Ver. 29. Luk. 19. and heires according to promise f Gal. 3.29 fellow-heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise by the Gospel g Eph 3.6 The children of the promisâ— as Isaac was h Gal 4 28. Blessed with their faithfull father Abraham i Gal. 3.9 grafted into the same stocke and olive tree and root from whence the unbeleeving Jewes for unbeliefe were cut off k Rom. 11.19 20 21 22 23 24. and these beleevers the Apostle concludeth are blessed by God the Father with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ l Eph. 1.3 and therefore I see no reason why the beleeving parents now though Gentiles should not have the like precious priviledges for their seed in infancie as their brethren and Countrimen had in former time for their seed m Gen. 17.11 12 13. Exod. 12.48 in infancie Yea considering that the infants of beleevers now are able to doe as good great faithfull and acceptable service as the infants of beleevers in the time of the Law and that these are as capable of Baptisme this passive Ordinance as those were of Circumcisioâ— that passive Ordinance which was no more passive then this and was the forerunner of this and both that and this being in one generalâ— institution and one and the same in effect n Col. 2 11 12 we may safely beleeve and justly conclude that the Saints infants ought to be baptized as formerly they were Circumcised yea and for as much as the Apostles themselves speaking generally of baptizing whole housholds o Act. 16.15 1 Cor 1 16.33 never once make mention of the exempting of any of their infants though it be a matter of so great concernment how then shall we reject them And considering that in the Scripture by the speech of an house familie or houshold infants are also implyed therein * Gen. 17.23.9 10.12 30.25.30 45.10 11.18 19 46 5 6 7. Exod. 1.1 Num. 3.15.39 Psal 115.12 13 14. Luk. 19.9 Prov 31.15 1 Tim. 5.8 and seeing Baptisme is come in the roome of Circumcision If infants should not have been baptized as formerly they were circumâ—ised sure the Apostles in speaking generally of baptizing housholds would not without exception of infants have used such tearmes as are set downe in the old and new Testament to include infants Considering that then the Apostles had a just occasion to exclude their infants in expresse words if any such thing should have been done If holy infants should have been thrust out from being members of the visible Church and from having their spirituall priviledges as they have had heretofore Surely we should have found some tittle of it in the New Testament but there is not the least shew of it from whence wee may draw any just consequence for dismissing them from being members of the visible Church of Christ * Mr Spilsbery saith it is a truth that the Church of the New Testament consisteth both of Jewes and Gentiles and admits of all that beleeve and rejects none And for the Gentiles Infants being in the same body as well as the Jews infants this saith he I beleeve both alike For
circumcision of the flesh was to teach them it being the signe k Gen 17.11 and seal l Rom. 4 11. Col. 2.11 12. of the righteousnesse of faith as baptisme is now And this you may minde also that though the rebellious seed of Abraham according to the flesh were rejected m Esay 2.6.9 yet the strangers that joyned to the Lord were still received n Esay 56.3 4 5 6 7 8. wherefore this is a plain evidence that they stood by the grace and life of God and Christ and circumcision of the heart for the cause why God rejected some of the circumcised seed of Abraham according to the flesh was because they were uncircumcised in heart o Ier. 9.25 26. and therefore the Lord threatned to visite them and did visit them with the uncircumcised in flesh Wherefore it appeareth that without faith and circumcision of the heart they could not stand at all And the Scripture saith that the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off for unbeliefe and that those that stand doe stand by faith and therefore are admonished not to be high minded but fear p Rom. 11.20 and take heed q v 21. and continue in the beautifulnesse of God r v. 22. and that the unbeleeving Jewes also if they abide not in unbeliefe shall be grafted in again Å¿ v. 23. Wherefore it appeareth that as unbeliefe was the cause why the unbeleeving Jewes were cut off from the olive tree whereon they were so unbeliefe was the bar which kept them off for if they abide not in unbeliefe they shall be grafted in again and this proveth that their standing was never to be otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart Neither are we to thinke that the giving of the Law at mount Sinai or the ceremonies which the Jewes then had to lead them to Christ or any of Gods Oracles being committed unto them or any persons groundlesse departing from the State doth argue that the constitution of the same Church was as you would have it taken to be Neither did their circumcision of the flesh argue that they stood not by faith and circumcision of the heart no more then the outward baptisme doth now argue that the Saints now stand not by faith and the inward baptisme of the heart and spirit but meerly upon nature and baptisme of the flesh But you should know that as it is not possible to please God now without faith * Heb. 11.6 no more was it then * Psal 50.18 In the time of the Law God abhorred his own Ordinances if they were not done in faith * Isa 1.13 14. And as faith gave Abraham the denomination of Gods friend the righteousnesse of which faith Circumcision was a seal * Rom. 4.11 so none were ever esteemed as the holy people the sonnes and daughters and friends of God but those that were made nigh unto him by the promise of Christ and by faith and circumcision of the heart And you should know that the Jewes had not outward spirituall holinesse visibly imputed unto them meerly because they were the children of Abraham but because Abraham their Father and they his children were the children of God and their childrens children were in Covenant and so they were the children of the promise as Isaack was and blessed with their Father Abraham And this may further appeare unto you because when any of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh did degenerate their rejection was not for or because that they were the children of Abraham but because they had taken upon them the image of Satan and so degenerated from the steps of Abraham and thereby became the children of Belial And as we may say concerning these Hebrews so we may say concerning the Heathens when any of the Gentiles or Heathens became Prosolites their childeren that were at yeares of discretion were not to be circumcised unlesse they were willing to enter into covenant with God and to take upon them the Lords yoake and fight under his banner Howbeit whether they were circumcised or not they were still the Prosolytes children according to the flesh But concerning the infants of the Prosolytes there was no questioning of them they were to be circumcised being in the covenant with their parents and yet not circumcised because they were their childeren by nature but because they were in the same covenant with their holy parents and so they were the childeren of God by his free Grace And the Scripture doth evidently declare that none were to be admitted into the Church of the Jewes but believing Hebrews and Prosolytes and their holy seed By all this it apeareth that the members of the Jewes state had a spirituall holinesse upon them and stood no otherwise but by faith and circumcision of the heart And were not as those who were neither beleeving Jewes nor Prosolytes Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world without Christ and strangers from the covenants of promise But the Church of the Jewes the Lorâ—s peculiar people were made nigh unto God by the blooâ— of Jesus Christ which was then to be shed and is now shed for the remission of their sins and their reconciliation to God the father and his blessed spirit And whereas you say that the state or Church of the Jews is abollished I tell you I am not bound to beleeve that God abollished his Chuâ—ch state whereof David Solomon Hezekias Josias and the holy Prophets and righteous men were members such a Church at the constitution whereof there was no prophane person to be admitted or any root beating gall or wormwood to be suffered but if you thinke that God changed the state in the daies of the Messias his manifestation in the flesh and made it more glorious Even as the Moone is said to be changed when shee hath run her course but remaineth still the same Moone though more glorious then before this I would rather beleeve then that And touching your speech of the abolishing of the other things If you mean an abolishing of all the beggarly rudiments taking away the Elimentish part of some Ordinances and planting other materialls in stead thereof then I grant it But be sure that you stick to this that Christ came not to deceive the Infants of beleeving parents to take away the substance of the Ordinances but rather the yoakes which cleaved thereunto which circumstantiall things he nayled to his Crosse in token that those who rightly and truely enjoyed them before were now benefited without them and were to have through a generall distribution an equall proportionable share and right to whatsoever came in stead thereof Now let us consider that if the infants of beleevers members of the Church of the Jews were not then aliens from the Common wealth of Israel nor without hope nor without God in the world They were not then without Christ neither were they Strangers from the Covenants
Cloud and in the Sea not long after the Israelites came out of the Land of Aegypt But it was before the Law was given in Mount Sinai many hundred yeares before Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh and therefore your new account is too short a weapon to undermine Gods holy administration of Baptisme upon his Redeemed ones 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Such as the Israelites were whom he brought out of the Land of Aegypt and baptised in the Cloud and in the Sea Further you cite more humane Authors to speak your pleasure against the baptisme of infants as if it were thrust upon the world * Pag 8. lin 37. under colour and pretence foysted * Pag. 9 li. 1 2. in say you like all other Antichristian devices have their cloakes and holy pretences I answer These are rude words and words that wee may rather admire at then imbrace considering what little ground you have to speake them and how violently you have wringed them from humane testimony builded also upon mistakings of humane Authors Have you no more feare of God in you then upon such sleight grounds so publickly to breake out and that in such unseemly tearmes against the Baptisme of Infants Gods holy and blessed Ordinance Now surely you are not to be justified but condemned in your presuming thus to affirme what you cannot prove and labouring sacrilegiously to take away the visible badge of Christianitie from Christian Infants Consider what a dangerous thing it is to diminish from Gods Word Rev. 22.19 He that taketh away therefrom God shall take away his part out of the booke of life c. And with this consider also what ground you have had for your evill perswasion unjust calumniation and sinfull affirmation You should know that the Baptisme of Infants was not brought into the world by man much lesse was it thrust upon the world under colour and pretence and Antichristian-like foysted in as you unjustly affirme but God in his love and mercy and bountifull liberalitie brought it into the world amongst other priviledges for his Elects sake did not thrust it upoÌ„ the world as you speake but ordained it in an orderly way to be imposed upon his Church and People whose visible holinesse gave them right unto it And he did not bring it under colour and pretence as the Anabaptists doe their Baptisme in administring Baptisme upon People and then telling them it is right and afterward that it is wrong and that they must therefore be baptized againe by them in another manner and so after they have been baptized by them againe and againe they after a while are restlesse againe and unsatisfied because he who baptized them was unbaptized himselfe upon their own grounds Nor can they beleeve there is any baptized rightly in the world And so they know not upon their owne grounds what to doe or how to practise any Ordinance of the New Testament These their Baptismes I may say are rather to be accounted as thrustings colourable pretences and foystings and the like then the Baptisme of holy Infants which was brought into the world by the Wonderfull Counseller whose mightie power is to be magnified in all his noble acts who saved Noah and his familie in the Arke when all the world of unbeleevers both yong old perished with the Floud a Gen. 7. Which figure answereth the baptisme that now is b 1 Pet. 3.20 21. who baptized the Children of Israel in the Cloud and in the Sea c 1 Cor. 10.1 2. When Pharoah and his Hâ—st were overwhelmed with the mighty waters d Exod. 14.28 who according to his blessed promise e Deut. 18.15 made unto his People sent his blessed Sonne Jesus Christ our Emanuel * Mat. 1. 2. into the world to beare our sinnes and to suffer death for us and put an end to our iniquities Who was buried and rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures f 1 Cor. 15.4 And at his Ascension into the bosome of his blessed Father he gave Commission to his Disciples to teach all Nations g Mat. 28.19 and to preach the Gospel to every creature h Mar. 16.15 16. and to baptize those who were to be esteemed in the state of salvation Who when his earthly tabernacle dwelt amongst us declared that the kingdome of heaven consisteth of such holy infants * Luke 18.17 for whom he prayed earnestly i Joh. 17.20 21 24. upoÌ„ whom he layd his own holy hands k Mat. 19.15 pronouncing them blessed with his owne mouth l Mar. 10.16 Wherefore you shew your selfe very ignorant and exceeding presumptuous that dare with open face in the view of the world so far to deny Christ in a manner as to say that his Ordinance of Baptisme administred upon holy Infants is such a thing which by a supposed helpe of fraile man you have declared it to be Consider further how that although all these Antient Fathers whom you have cited were on your side And though you should cite many more in Antiquitie far surpassing the other yet all is vaine which you doe yea properly vanitie without the Scripture and as it is to no edification so it will give no satisfaction or information to the â—oubting soul or make any thing for strengthening your errour though it may harden you and other seduced in it but it will be a means rather to adde griefe and vexation to your spiâ—it at the day when you must give up your account for all your idle words vaine actions hard speeches when it will be little available to sly to these mountaines to hide you from the wrath of the Lambe whose word shall judge these fathers whom you have cited by which they shall be justified or condemned when they shall not judge it or condemne it as Hereticks formerly have done but be judged by it I have not told you that Auxertius one of the Arians Sectaries with his adherents who denied the persons in the blessed Trinitiâ— and deniâ—d the Godhead of Jesus Christ was one of the first that denied the baptisme of Infants And that Pelagius the Heriticke was a patron of this opinion of yours Whom Augustine and others of the Antient Fathers have opposed by the Scriptures and condemned for heresie as justly they might for then it may be you would say that Augustine was an Hereticke himselfe as well as the rest and therefore the citing of him or any such as he was can make nothing for our present purpose in cleeâ—ing the case in coÌ„troversie for indeed after this manner did Mr. Smith the Anabaptist answer Mr. Clifton who was his opposite and overthrew his errours But indeed I desire that all things may be tryed by the touchstone of the Word of God which is the onely rule for every divine action which directeth us to hold fast that which is good and to judge of persons and causes accordingly Thâ—rfore I desire
Iscariot and Simon Magus But you should rather have questioned thus according to truth how can the promise be sure to all the seed if beleevers infants be not in the promise And surely wee are not to argue so perversly and foolishly that because some beleevers children are not saved since they rent themselves out of the promise that therefore no beleevers children oâ— that their infants are not in the state of salvation and that the promise appertaineth not unto them for this will not stand with true sense or reason nor with the Apostles Testimonie when he sayth Rom. 3.1 2 3. That the Jewes advantage was much every manner of way and that the unbeliefe of some did not make the faith of God without effect So that the Apostle himselfe answereth your objection for the promise is still suâ—e unto all that abide in Gods Covenant And seeing the infants of beleeving parents doe abide in Gods covenant they are part of all the holy seed and therefore it evidently appeareth that the promise appertaineth unto them as hath been proved before and this doth as really appertaine unto them as to those who professe faith and those that deny this doe in a manner make the faith of God of none effect and so make the Author thereof a lyar But let such despisers of the children of promise wonder and perish without the promise rather then that the Infants which God hath given to beleeving parents should not be counted for the seed within the promise But next you say Now then if the promise be sure unto all the seed unto whom it is made A. R. and all beleevers and onely all beleevers the promise is sure to Then all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the seed unto whom the promise is made and then none of Abrahams own naturall seed nor the naturall seed of any other in the world are to be accounted the seed unto whom the promise and covenant is made untill they beleeve Rom. 9.7 8. Rom. 4.13 14 Gal. 3 7.9 Ans It is a sure truth that the promise is sure to all the seed to whom it is made and it is made to the faithfull and their seed that doe not degenerate from their steps But their Infants cannot justly be said to degenerate from the steps of their holy parents who continue in their righteousnesse Therefore they are holy and in the Covenant and are the children of Abraham And seeing you have granted that all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the seed uâ—to whom the promise is made then all those to whom the promise is made are the seed and so are beleevers but the promise was made unto Abrahams infants as well as to others God said unto Abraham that he would be theâ—r God and for confirmation of his Covenant he ordained that the infants should have the signe of his covenant Gen. 17. the seale of the righteousnesse of his faith in their infancie And the like may be sayd concerning the Proselytes and their infants for God was a God unto them all both male and female bond and free And the like may be sayd now concerning beleevers and their infants for Christs love is not lessened since he manifested himselfe in the flesh He is the same as he was and will be the same as he is in this respect and therefore seeing wee have not one tittle of Scripture for debarring our infants of the priviledges which formerly appertained to the infants of the faithfull wee ought not so to shut up the kingdom of heaven against them but ought to beleeve that the blessing of Abraham belongeth to them as well as to the infants of old for it is a sure truth that the promise is sure unto them and therefore the seale of the promise must be imposed upon them Now whereas you say that none are to be accounted the seed till they doe beleeve If by beliefe you mean beliefe by manifestation actually in their own persons What is this but an arguing against Isaac in his infancie and a shutting him out in your conceptions from being then a childe of promise and a shutting out of others also who were as holy as he yet could not manifest faith actually in their own persons no more then he could in his infancie And so if you mean that none are the seed untill they do professe faith as it appeareth you do is not this to make voyd the promise of God in shutting out all Abrahams infants and the infants of all other beleevers and thus through their sides to strike at Christ who was once an infant like them Now the thing which you should mind but doe not is that the Covenant was established with Abraham and his seed everlastingly with his infants as well as others And as wee may say concerning Abraham and his infants so wee may say concerning the Proselytes and their infants and the like may be sayd for beleevers and their infants now whom you can never prove to be out of Covenant till they appear to be seeds and then do your best but so long as they are not degenerated but remaine the seed they are to be accounted holy and within the promises and covenant of the Gospel And as for the holy infants I know not how they can be charged with unbeliefe or disobedience against any of Gods Commandements any more then their holy parents to whom the Lord hath testified saying that he sheweth mercy to thousands of generations of those that love him and keepe his Commandements Next you say A. R. Pag. 19. lin 21. This then being a most evident truth it may in no wise be granted that the covenant is made with all beleevers as with Abraham or that the promise is made unto all these as unto Abraham or that all these are fathers as Abraham for all these are the seed and the only seed and children of Abraham And those to whom the covenant and promises doe onely belong under the tearme seed Ans These your words doe imply that Abraham was not any part of the seed and that the covenant was not made unto him as he was a beleever but meerly as he was a father But when God made his Covenant with him He did not say I will be thy God meerly as thou art a father and the God of thy seed meerly as they are thy seed and of thy seeds-seed meerly as they are thy seeds-seed but he testifieth that he will be the God of him and them though he and they should increase to many persons yet he would be a God unto them all as he was a God unto him God was a God unto Isaac and he was a God unto Abraham and he could be no more unto him What could Abraham have more then God a greater reward he could not have then the reward that exceeded all rewards Now God hath covenanted with his people that he will be their God and therefore it appeareth that the covenant is
the ordinance of Circumcision and the right subjects thereof As all those doe who affirme that all the infants in the world from Adam to Abraham might have been circumcised if God had instituted Circumâ—ision then But this is to bring in the feed of Caine with the seed of Seth the infants of the idolatrous Heathens with the infants of Abraham and so to make a compounded mixture in the Lords Church which he alwayes laboured to keep from pollution by sequesterating them from the vile Furthermore You make answer to a position * Lin. 26. which is that God gaâ—e to infants Circumcision which was a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 And we know God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth a Covenant to any persons that are not therein Therefore infants are in the Covenant have faith and regeneration and so ought to be baptized now as well as circumcised then To this your answer is * Lin. 32. That it is true that God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are in the Covenant when they are not therein To which I reply That I like it well that you will now confesse this truth But it appeareth by your following words * Lin. 12 13 14. that you take for granted a thing which you have not proved as if God declared and made knowne unto Abraham that Ishmael was not in the Covenant before he was circumcised And you cite Gen. 17.18 19 20 21. Which Scripture maketh nothing for your purpose for if you will say God established his Covenant onely with Isaac and none other and all the rest were out of the Covenant then it will follow that the rest of Abrahams children which Abraham had by Keturah yea and the Proselytes and their children were out of the Covenant by your ground But you should consider that God in establishing his Covenant with Isaac and setting him out for a singular person did give Isaac the preheminence as Sem had above Japhet * Gen. 9.27 and Judah Jacobs fourth sonne over his eleven brethren * Gen. 49.8 9 10 11 12. And God establishing the Covenant with Isaac as the root did establish it unto all those who were of the true Religion as the branches but if any departed from Isaacs banner they deprived themselves of Isaacs blessing Now for as much as it was the minde of God that Ishmael should be circumcised * Master Spilsbery granteth that Ishmael and Esau were by God commanded to bee Circumcised as well as any of the rest of Abrahams seed Gen. 17.10.13 See his Treat of Bap. pag. 7. lin 3 4 5 So Iscariot and Magus were commanded to be baptized as well as Peter and Paul and that circumcision was the signs and seale of the righteousnesse of faith It confirmeth it that in the account of man he was then to be judged worthy of it even righteous and in Gods covenant for God is not by your owne confession the author of a lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are not in the Covenant when they are not therein Now this is in respect of visibilitie * And so Mr. Spilsbery further granteth That though such were rejected as were not elected this made not the promise of God of none effect to those who stood firme in the Covenant by grace in Christ Jesus as branches in their root pag. 17. lin 21 22. for Simon Magus had Baptisme the outward visible seale of the Covenant and yet we cannot say that he was ever in Gods secret account in the Covenant But secret things belong to God And till God declared unto Abraham that Ishmael was not in the Covenant though he promised to give Isaac never so many priviledges yet Abraham was not to judge Ishmael to be out of the Covenant any moâ—e then others of his houshold till God had directed him so to judge Againe I suppose that Ishmael being come to yeares of discretion it was sacriledge in him to usurp the ordinance and a sinne in Abraham to impose the same upon him except he were in the Covenant so farre as men were to judge of which Covenant this by your own confession was no lying signe Now though Infants were not capable to resist or refuse to be circumcised yet those of elder yeares could and Ishmael was thirteen yeares of age when he was circumcised Therefore Ishmael submitting according as he and the rest of Abrahams familie were taught who were at yeares of discretion was to be esteemed to be in the Covenant Moreover That the children who were â—ircumcised according to Gods appointment were visibly in the Covenant before they were circumcised is apparent by Gen. 17. ver 14. God sayth The uncircumcised man childe whose flesh of his fâ—re-skin is not circumcised that soule shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Which doth plainly argue that he was in the Covenant before else how could he breake that which he never had And Abrahams children then could not be sayd to be rent out of the Covenant which they were never in or rent froÌ„ a people who were never theirs but we may rather conclude that as Gods covenant was their covenant Gods people their people so God was their God as he had testified himselfe to be * And also I will be their God That is sayth Mr. Spilsbery their God whom they shall beleeve and obey upon whom they shall depend for the performance of all that I have promised unto them by which faith and obedience they shall acknowledge me to be their God See Spils Treat Bap. pag. 12. before they were circumcised circumcision was added as a signe for sealing or confirming of the same thing signified thereby But wheras God himself calleth circumcision his Covenant a Gen. 17.10 meaning expresly a signe of it b Ver. 11. and Paul calleth it a seale of the righteousnes of faith c Rom. 4.11 you say It was not by God ordained nor by Abraham understood to be to the persons circumcised a seale of their being in Covenant and much lesse of their being in the faith or regenerated * See A. R. Pag 21. l. 37 38 39. so by this it seemeth that you would make the words of Paul and of God himselfe to be false for you openly contradict them both as also that which you granted before namely that God giveth no lying signe nor sealeth to any persons that they are in the Covenant when they are not therein Next you say that Gen. 17.11 and Rom. 4.11 See A. R. must be understood * Pag. 22. that the circumcision which Abraham received both upon himselfe and seed was to him and them a signe and seale that righteousnesse should be not by the law or circumcision in the flesh but by the faith which Abraham had when he was yet uncircumcised That he should be the father of
the uncircumcision declaring that Abraham received not circumcision before hee had this blessednesse wherefore he calleth Circumcision a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had before he was circumcised which importeth that all those who were circumcised then according to Gods appointment were in visibilitie blessed before and had this righteousnesse before even as all those who are baptized according to Gods appointment are righteous before and have in visible account the same blessing which those had who were circumcised according to the revealed will of God And he goeth on in the 13 14 15. verses and there telleth us who are the right heires And in the 16th verse he sayth that the promise is sure to all the seed not to that onely which is of the law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all And he further sheweth that this promise so shall thy seed be and that Abrahams beleeving Gods promise was imputed unto him for righteousnesse and was not written for his sake alone but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if wee beleeve on God Touching the other Scripture Rom. 9.6 7 8. Isaac was no mocker though he were mocked no persecuter though persecuted in his infancie which you alledge to prove your former position concerning the different constitutions of the Church of the Jewes and of the Church of the Gentiles it maketh nothing for your purpose neither but directly against you for there wee may see that though all are not Israel which are of Israel yet the Word of God taketh effect according to that in Rom. 3.3 Ishmaels mocking of Isaac did not argue that Isaac was also a mocker Isaac remained still a childe of promise though an Infant But if it be true as you would infer that the state was a state of bondmen and that an heire or Lord differed nothing from a servant of sinne and if it were constituted and stood meerly upon nature and circumcision of the flesh and not by faith and circumcision of the heart it argueth that the Word of God is without effect that all were Israel that were of Israel all mockers with Ishmael prophane persons with Esau c. which to thinke is very erronious for the word of God hath taken effect to retaine the holy Infants and cast out visible prophane persons and therefore the state wherein they were was a state of free-men God was well pleased with them and accepted of their sacrifices and promised unto them remission of their sinnes through Jesus Christ who was then to come and is now come Therefore I would have you to banish such evill thoughts out of your minde as if they had a false corrupt or carnall and not a spirituall constitution Againe consider That Church upon whom holy Baptisme was rightly administred was holy and spirituall But holy Baptisme was rightly administred upon the Church of Israel 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Psa 77.16 17 Therefore they were a holy spirituall Church as well as wee But peradventure you will say you mean that in their Apostacie they pleased not God and therefore their Church-state which they were in formerly had a carnall constitution and was not spirituall To which I answer That the like you may say concerning the Churches now which you acknowledge to be spirituall But you should consider that many are called but few are chosen Gods garden may have some plants therein which possibly may degenerate from their kinde and become wilde yet the garden is still the Lords but the husband-men ought when they discover such to weed them out So corruptions began to spring in the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 7.11 and they cut downe the tender fruits thereof in time And God threatned the members of some of the Churches of Asia 〈◊〉 Rev. 2. 3. to execute judgement upon them if repentance prevented him not As for Coll. 2.11 which you have cited that the Church of Collossia was circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ This implyeth not but that the Jewes and Proselytes before Christs coming had circumcision of the flesh as an outward signe unto them that the Lord would circumcise their hearts and the hearts of their seed to love him more and more according to his gracious promise And seeing that the Apostle maketh circumcision heer the same in effect with our Baptisme it plainly argueth that as infants in former time were to receive circumcision so infants now in their infancie are to receive Baptisme the seale of the same covenant Whereas you say That was a state of bond men * Lin. 23. wherein an heire differed nothing from a servant this not of servants * Lin. 28. but of sonnes and free-men I suppose you mean by bond-men those who were bound-servants to Sathan and by free-men those who were set free by Christ In this respect then you have not done well in saying that such a one that was made free in this spirituall respect differed nothing from those who were visibly bond-slaves of Sathan Then it seemes Isaac differed nothing from a mocker nor the Proselytes infants from Heathens and Infidels And if you mean by servants those who are wicked in the Church I say they were to be cast out as they manifested evill fruits for though they were in the house a while and were as children yet they manifesting themselves afterwards to be servants of sinne were no longer to abide but those who are not servants of sinne are now as they were then to abide for ever therein so Ishmael was in covenant with Isaac and was circumcised but when he manifested fruits of unholinesse out he was cast And why was this Gen. 21.9 10. Not because he was Abrahams sonne according to the flesh but because he manifested himselfe afterward to be a servant of sinne and so degenerated from the righteous steps of Abraham Now you ought to know See before in this Treatise pag. 29 30 31 32 33 147 148 149. that the Church of the Jewes was constituted of free-men and there was not one sinner to be suffered in that church but when he was discovered either he must repent or be cut off therefore it plainly argueth that visible wicked persons bond-slaves of Sathan were not to be the matter of that Church in the first constitution they were such who in all outward appearance were not alliens from Gods covenants or promises or strangers to God but were such whom he knew and owned and such whom he would acknowledge as in the kingdome of grace heer so in the kingdome of glory hereafter It may be you thinke thus That if the Church of Israel were constituted of free-men why then were many of them manifested afterwards to be wicked Corah and his company a congregation of Rebels from whom Moses and the rest were commanded to
their seed in their infancie to have such dignitie by vertue of Gods covenant to be circumcised The Gospel of Christ being every jot as glorious as it hath been is also as effectuall and powerfull now to dignifie beleevers and their infants with the ordinance of Baptisme and that by vertue of Gods covenant unto which is annexed Christs institution which is very generall yea more generall then circumcision was of old And surely if the infants of beleevers had that power as to become the children of God in their infancie fellow heires with the Saints in light as Isaac was and all those like him were and to be coe-heires with Jesus Christ of the everlasting inheritance kingdome and glory and that before Christs resurrection Then the infants of beleevers borne after Christs resurrection have the like priviledges But the first is true from the grounds before layd from their right to the covenant their being in the covenant c. and the unchangeablenesse of the Angel of the covenant Therefore the latter that holy infants are still in the covenant is true also And this hath been sufficiently proved before Touching your Exhortation how wee should bewaile the great Apâ—stacie c. I say as the Saints of old did bewaile the great Apostacie of the Israelites both in faith and worship Isa 2.6 who were replenished from the East and were south-sayers like the Philistians and pleased themselves in the children of strangers So wee ought to bewaile this Apostacie of these now Wee have cause to bewaile their ignorance who pretend holinesse to God and make a verball profession drawing neer unto God with their mouthes like the Apostate Israelites when their hearts are far from him pleading for the baptizing of those Infants whose parents are neither of them beleevers causing the holy signe to be administred upon their infants in that idolatrous estate in the partaking whereof they have no right any more then the seed of those Apostates of the Israelites had right to circumcision in former time But yet though the Infants were circumcised in that Idolatrous estate the Prophets worke was to call them to repentance and if they returned the manner of their circumcision being repented of it was as effectuall unto them as if they had received it in an excellent and holy manner So those who are baptized in their infancie in the state of Apostacie at their conversion are not to be baptized againe but to repent of the evill of the manner and not cast away Gods holy institution but still retaine it and make a holy use of it yet they ought not to Idolize it by preferring it before that which is greater Though the Temple Rev. 2.1 2. and the Altar and the worshippers were to be measured yet the Court without was to be cast out and not to be measured because it was given to the Gentiles Againe Whereas you speak of the abrogation of the state of the Jewes I say This hath been answered fully before you should still minde that Jesus Christ came not to undermine or overthrow his kingdome though it was taken out of the hands of the unbeleeving Jewes and given unto another people whom Christ testified would bring forth fruits of it Againe Whereas you speak of the casting off of Israel according to the flesh I answer That none were cast off meerly because they were Israelites according to the flesh and though some were cut off yet others remained on and in that state where the Gentiles by faith were planted and placed as some of the Jewes through unbeliefe were cut off supplanted and displaced So the Ap stle Paul sayth the Jewes some of them not all of them were cut off because of unbeliefe and the beleeving Gentiles grafted in their stead As for those that beleeved their priviledges and prerogatives were still as great and as large both to them and their seed as they were before And the like may be sayd concerning the Proselytes And so your other question is resolved concerning the bringing in of us Gentiles and our seed as acceptable on Gods Altar And whereas you question againe A. R. Whether the parents Jew and Gentile must needs be borne againe of the Spirit and onely by faith become the seed of Abraham and heires according to promise Gal. 3.7.29 Rom. 4.11 12. And shall their children become the same seed by nature I answer The birth of the Spirit is very necessary both to young and old without which they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven And I would have you to know that I plead not that the children of the faithfull become heires of the promise by nature but by the free grace of God which passeth all understanding which is as sufficient for beleevers and their children now as formerly And these interrogations of yours are answered at large you having mentioned the same things before Againe You say A. R. Pag. 30. lin 2. to lin 10. Neither can any shew any one such promise to any beleever in all the whole world and his seed as was and is to Abraham and his seed who is therefore the father of us all to wit of all beleevers and onely of beleevers Jew and Gentile father and childe c. Rom. 4.16 and therefore it is faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed but the promise is sure onely to beleevers Therefore beleevers onely are the seed of Abraham to whom the promise and ordinance of the new Testament doe properly appertaine To which I answer That this hath been answered before already It hath been proved sufficiently that the same covenant which was made with Abraham and his seed is made to beleevers and their seed it being a perpetuall covenant the heires of it are perpetuall heires even such to whom the promises doe appertaine as well as unto their deare brethren of old who are departed in the same faith and this heavenly order the old Law which was given at Mount Sinai could not disanull And I hope there is no reasonable man but will condescend unto this that all those who were to receive the signe and sâ—ale of the righteousnesse of faith were visibly holy and faithfull but the Infants of beleevers were by Gods appointment to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith therefore the Infants of beleevers were then as they are now visibly holy and faithfull And Christian Infants are as capable every way of the seale now as the Infants of the Jewes Gods holy ones were capable of the seale in former time Therefore the Baptisme of the New Testament doth properly appertaine unto such and therefore the administration of Baptisme upon them doth not overthrow the least part of the Gospel of Christ or any thing of his much lesse the whole as you in your following words most falsly speake and therefore the minor of your following argument being so small that there is no
all those of many Nations which should afterwards beleeve and that as faith was imputed unto him for righteousnesse even so likewise it should be imputed to all beleevers whatsoever whether they were circumcised or not And that all these are and were to be the onely hâ—ires and true seed to whom the everlasting covenant and promises of life are assuredly made and doe properly and undoubtedly appertaine ver 3.11.12 13 14.16 17 18.22 23 24. And therefore you say Circumcision never was nor is any rule for baptizing Ans That the Circumcision which Abraham received was received by him is true but that the circumcision of his seed was received by him wanteth explanation it would stand more with reason to say that Abraham administred it upon his seed and that his seed received it then to say that Abraham received the circumcision of his seed upon himselfe Abraham received his owne circumcision upon himselfe and his seed received their circumcision upon themselves and so it was to each of them a signe and seale not that it was divers sorts of circumcisions because it was administred upon divers parties but the same ordinance of circumcision which Abraham received upon himselfe in particular the same ordinance of circumcision his infants received upon themselves in particular also And if you did but well consider the Texts Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 you might see that it was a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith which went before circumcision Consider moreover what benefit the infants of beleevers which died in their infancie had by it for if you will say that it was a signe and seale of that righteousnesse which they never were partakers of or for ought we know shall never be then your owne confâ—ssion will come against you * Pag. 21. lin 31 32. where you grant that God giveth no lying signe c. Now circumcision was a true signe of that righteousnesse which they had received formerly and for confirmation of the covenant which had been made to them before and to be further and further manifested and continued to them This is cleare from Gen. 17.11.14 Rom. 4.11 as hath been shewed before And therfore you may see that I plead not that that righteousnesse came by the Law or Circumcision for they were righteous before otherwise they could not have been capable of the seale of righteousnesse The righteousnesse sealed was a righteousnessâ— before the seale was fixed And this righteousnessâ— was imputed unto them all both young and old great and small infants and aged persons It was unto them a signe and seale of righteousnesse yea unto the Infants as well as others And this righteousnesse which it sealed was not the righteousnesse of the Law Deut. 30.12 but the righteousnesse of faith and the righteousnesse of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend up into heaven Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 10. that iâ— to bring Christ downe from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ againe from the dead But what sayth it the Word is nigh thee c. Wherefore it appeareth that you have not done well in inferring from the promises that circumcision is no rule for baptizing you ought rather to have concluded that it is a rule for baptizing seeing that circumcision was a Gospel seale that the Baptisme which Christ hath instituted is one and the same with it a signe of the same thing a seale of the same Covenant And therefore though circumcision is not the onelâ— â—ule for baptizing yet it is a rule which the Saints of God may strengthen themselves withall in the administration of Baptisme upon their infants Consider further What circumcision sealed to the infants of beleevers that died in their infancie what good it did doe them either it did them good or hurt It was a wound or hurt in respect of their bodies but it did not hurt their soules therfore it was some benefit to them for if it should not then God gave a thing to hurt their bodies and to doe no good to their soules The land of Canaan it sealed not unto them for they never lived to enjoy it A fleshly fatherhood it sealed not unto them for they died in infancie What did it seale then Did it seale nothing Wee will not say so they being the infants of those whose sinnes were forgiven and they being such which could not act and therefore not commit actuall sinne Surely when all commeth to all wee must confesse that this sealed unto them some spirituall thing for they having received the wound and incision and dying in their infancie it appeareth that it sealed not unto them a naturall life therefore it sealed unto them a spirituall life and a spirituall place wherein they shall enjoy that spirituall life which place is the heavenly land of Canaan God did not ayme at the hurt of the infants when he commanded them to be circumcised but at their good Wherefore this very hurt of their bodies did demonstrate some good thing which weighed downe all their former hurt And therefore seeing that infants received benefit spiritually by circumcision that benefit came from God God gave it to the fathers before Moses was borne almost foure hundred yeares * Christ said to the Jewes Moses therfore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Fathers See Iohn 7.22 And he never intended to take away this beneficiall ordinance from the infants but to plant as great a one in stead thereof and make it sure to them yea as sure as the promise Otherwise Christ should be lesse faithfull in his house then Moses for Moses was so faithfull that he durst not nay would not presume to lay such sacrilegious hands upon Circumcision Gods holy iâ—stitution as to bereave infants of circumcision and disanull it by his old law which came long after it yea the Apostle expressely declareth that the Law could not disanull the covenant and wee know it did not disanull the signe and seale of that covenant neither did Christ ever disanull it or bereave holy infants of the benefit of it but did take off the old garment and put on a new I mean changed onely the circumstantiall part of the signe of his covenant but the substance remained still though under another element And as a man which hath one day one manner of apparrell another time another sute of apparrell of another colour and more excellent then the former is still the same man though in another habite so the ordinances of Christ which are equivolent one with the other are the same though the latter excell the former So the seventh day was the same with the first day of the weeke as it was a Sabbath though not as it was the seventh day yet as wee may take a ground for the keeping of a Sabbath from the old Testament leaving out the circumstance not tying our selves to the