prohibited Baptism and in what Place or at what Time We appeal to all the Christian World if this be the sense as is most probable whether the Commission is in the least obscure or more obscurely published for Infants than for those that are adult can be no Exception because no particulars are named Three Thousand Converts are baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Acts 2.38 41. Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Which no whit disagrees from the Command St. Matth. 28.19 Go you therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For the Form of Baptism in those first days of the Holy Gospel of which the New Testament giveth the Story may be considered under a threefold Condition 1. St. John the Baptist baptized in the Name of Messiah or Christ that was then ready to come but that Jesus of Nazareth was he he himself knew not until he had run a great part of his Course And I knew him not St. Joh. 1.31 but that he should be made manifest unto Israel therefore am I come baptizing with water 2. The Holy Disciples baptized the Jews baptizing in the Name of Jesus for this reason because the great Point of Controversie then in the Nation about the Messiah was Whether Jesus of Nazareth were he or no All the Nations acknowledged a Messiah but most of them abominated that Jesus of Nazareth should be thought to be he therefore those that by the preaching of the Holy Gospel came to acknowledge him to be the Messiah were baptized in his Name as the Critical Badge the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Characteristick Mark of their embracing the true Messiah 3. Among the Gentiles where that Question was not on foot they baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost so that the baptizing in the Name of Jesus was but for a season for the setling of the Evidence of his being the Messiah And when that was throughly established then those Gifts ceased for ever It is said Acts 2.44 All that believed were together and had all things common The Children of those that believed must come under the Title of Believers too or they must famish which affords no weak Argument that the Parents Faith is imputed to the Child and if for the use of the Body why not for the service of the Soul by an Argument a minori ad majus from the lesser to the greater For this Community of Goods being for the relief of the Poor the Children Babes and Infants of believing Parents must be taken in under this Expression All that believe or else how did they for support If the Community of Goods reached them as well as their Parents the Title must reach them too The Community of Goods may be considered under these two Animadversions which because it may be useful I hope will not be thought too impertinent a Digression 1. That altho' Persecution as yet for the Holy Gospel had brought none to poverty for the Holy Gospel's sake for if they were poor before they received the Holy Gospel then the Synagogue of which they were provided for them but now they were destitute of that provision they having forsaken the Synagogue or at least the Synagogue them because of their forsaking their Judaism for the Evangelick Church that was now beginning to provide for her Poor it had not only the Synagogue for an Example but would have had it for a Reproach if they had neglected so needful a Duty which that took care for so conconstantly and tenderly 2. This having of all things common therefore was not an Extinction of Propriety and of Meum Tuum as if one rich Man should have as good interest in another rich Man's Estate as himself but it was intended mainly for the relief of the Poor not to bring any that had Estates to voluntary Poverty nor to level Estates as some Fanatick People among us the Fifth-monarchy-men whose Principle is Dominium fundatur in Gratia Power is founded in Grace and so the Saints must have the Riches and Rule the People of the World would perswade the World unto but to relieve those which stood in need for it is said Acts 2.45 that they sold their Possessions and Goods and parted them to all Men as every Man had need and again we are told they laid them down at the Holy Apostles Feet Acts 4.35 and distribution was made unto every Man according as he had need Distribution then I say was made to them that preached the Holy Word for their maintenance and to the Poor for their relief When a Master of a Family was baptized his Children were they never so young were baptized with him and hence the mention of the baptizing whole Housholds Acts. 16.15 And when she was baptized and her houshold she besought us saying If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come into my house and abide there And again Acts 16.33 he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized straitway he and all his They that pleading against Infant-Baptism An Obj. do cavil That it may be there were no Infants in those Families that are mentioned bewray that they little understand the manner of administring Baptism in its first use and therefore to give satisfaction to such of the Antipedobaptists as start this Objection I answer answ The stress of the business lieth not in this Whether it can be proved that there were Infants in those Families where it is recorded whole Housholds were baptized but the truth of the Case is this That in all Families whatsoever were there never so many Infants they were all baptized when their Parents were baptized This was the constant Custom among the Jews for admitting of Proselites and the New Testament giveth so little evidence of the altering this Custom at those first Baptizings under the Holy Gospel that it plainly on the contrary shews the continuance of it when it speaks of the Holy Apostles baptizing whole Housholds CHAP. XVI An Answer to an Objection that would fore-undermine the Sense offered Acts 2.39 NOW that the Sense I have given of Acts 2.39 may be the better secured and confirmed I will endeavour to answer an Objection made against it A. R. in his Tract called The 2d Part of the Vanity and Childishness of Infant-Baptism which may be of some seeming strength until duly weighed and considered and then I hope it will appear to be of no great force and this I find to be started by an Ingenious Antipedobaptist a Man of some Learning And therefore that I may do the Party justice An Obj. I will state the Objection in his own
they are admitted to an Holy Gospel-state by the same Reason as a Child may be admitted to a Worldly Inheritance by Guardians who undertake for certain Conditions the Child must perform when he arriveth at years of Discretion and for Faith that the Child hath in the right of his Parent because the Parents Faith giveth him a Title to the Covenant and so by consequence to the Sign of it Baptism beside that Faith may be thus imputed from some Instances in the Holy Gospel we see where we find that Christ makes the Parents Faith necessary to the recovery of the sick Child But there is no necessity of saying â—ny more to this there being a much larger Answer in the Book And now I have but one Account more to give of what I delivered before I come to my main Argument and that I am willing to transcribe because it will the better prepare the way to those Holy Scripture-Proofs I have offered in the Book for evidencing the necessity of Infant-Baptism Preaching at the Festival of the Nativity of the Holy Jesus on that Text Isai VII 14. Therefore the Lord of Hosts shall give you a Sign behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel I had an Occasion to quote St. Matth. XXVIII 19 20. Go you therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observ all things whatsoever I have commanded you And Lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Amen I thus addressed my self to my People I beg leave to give you the tru Sens of this Text that you may not be seduced from any important Truth of the Christian Religion And this I am willing to do because the Antipaedobaptists do so much triumph in and boast thereof as if it contained an unanswerable Argument against Infant-Baptism but I will evidently shew it hath no force for their purpose And now I will clearly evince and make out That this Text they so much insist on hath nothing in it against our Principles And this I will do by shewing what the Coherence of this Text they think so much for them is and the Design of Christ's Commission to his Blessed Disciples in these Words which is the only proper way of coming to the knowledge of their tru Sens whereby you may understand this place doth not in the least countenance their erroneous Principle Their Argument is because it is said in the Commission Teach before they Baptize Now how could Men understand a Religion that could not be known but by Revelation before they had a knowledge of the Revelation That being the only way of making a discovery and therefore it was necessary the Holy Apostles Commission should be so worded that they might by their Instructions preach to the Heathen World that Holy Doctrin the Blessed Jesus came from Heaven to reveal and which could not be known but by such a Publication For it is impossible that Men could be made Partakers of the sign of the Covenant till they owned and were admitted into the Covenant For as the Covenant supposeth some Promise on God's part so it engages to some Service on ours and we have no Reason to expect the Priviledg if we will not undergo the Service So that with relation to the Context and the Design of the Commission which as I have insinuated is the only way of coming to the knowledge of their tru meaning the Sens is plainly this All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Go you therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them i. e. seeing so great Power is delivered to me by the Father I impart to you so much of that Power as is fit to be communicated and as is necessary for the Message I send you on and the business I have entrusted you with which is to travel all the World and instruct all Nations in the Holy Doctrine I came from the Mansions of Glory to acquaint you with Now that this is the tru Sens appears from the following Words of the next Verse Teaching them to observ all things whatever I have commanded you and then encouraging them with hopes that Success should never be wanting to the diligent performance of their Duty And Lo I am with you always even to the end of the World Amen Now I do not at all question but if the Law had been as extensive a Dispensation as the Holy Gospel Moses their Legislator would have given such a Commission to Twelve Elders of the Twelve Tribes of Israel as our dear Saviour gave his Blessed Apostles and said Go teach all Nations Circumcising them But because the Law was confined to Judea and the Jews God's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his peculiar People therefore that could not be done But supposing it might have been I say such a Commission would have been no Argument against the Circumcising the Jewish Children and by a rational consequence this Commission of Christ to his Blessed Disciples can be no Argument against Infant-Baptism because it is directed only to those that were not in Covenant and had not the least Instruction in that Holy Doctrin that was now revealed For they that were in Covenant had a Power of transmitting their Title and Interest in the Covenant to their Children and it is not only uncharitable but irreligious to believe that because the Holy Gospel was a more extensiv Dispensation than the Law it was not as merciful an one For our Adversaries allow and from Evidence of Revelation are forced Children under the Law were admitted into Covenant and then by Parity of Reason why may they not under the Holy Gospel I am certain St. Paul who I believe understood Religion much better than any of them saith so in express Words for he maketh Children holy as soon as born tho' but one of the Parents were a Christian as I hope I have made unanswerably appear from 1 Cor. VII 14. For the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the unbelieving Wife is sanctified by the Husband else were your Children unclean but now are they holy and if so they must have a Right to the Sign that conveyeth the Privileges of the Covenant because they actually have a Right to the Covenant by their Birth And this may answer a seemingly strong Objection of the Antipaedobaptists Obj. That it is unreasonable to admit those into Covenant that are not capable of understanding the Terms But not to say this Objection is a Reflection on the Righteousness of God's Dispensations which I might do and prove it It is a sufficient Answer to this their great Objection Answ That this Method of Dispensation is reasonable because according to the Laws of Heaven and Earth too For all that understand Instituted Religion own God did by Circumcision admit Children into Covenant under the Law And St. Paul saith He that is
with our Adversaries I will give them two Concessions which I think is all they can reasonably ask 1. We will allow that St. Peter designed to support their Spirits as to their Infants upon their outcry when the Roman President declared himself innocent of the Blood of that just Person St. Matth. xxvij 25. upon which they exclaimed His Blood be upon us and upon our Children 2. We will allow that it is not impossible but that by Children here may be understood adult Persons yet in the words are several particulars so clear as will be strong enough to defend our Orthodox Principle 1. That the Promise here offered to them and their Children was the New Dispensation the Holy Jesus was Author of and the same Dispensation which tho' in obscurer terms and times had been declared to the Father of the Faithful which Dispensation also included Father and Son 2. That except St. Peter did in this Promise include their Children they had not been strongly supported under the Curse they wished for themselves and their Offspring upon supposition they should depart this World before actual Repentance 3. They had no reason to believe their Infants included in the Promise except they had been qualified for the Sign and Sacrament under the New Dispensation as they were of the Sign of the Old Covenant for all visible Confirmation is by Seal and by this account we may understand the full sense of what is said Ver. 41. And the same day were added to them about three thousand Souls viz. Masters of Families becoming Christians Infants and all in their House according to the Terms of the Covenant and Usage of the Jews were admitted and received to Baptism otherwise how should three thousand Souls be particularly taught for it is not probable that St. Peter's Sermon did reach the ears of all that were there present and moreover as our Adversaries would perswade us they must every one be treated with and spoken to which was morally impossible for so few Apostles as may probably be conjectured to be there and in so short a time as we may reasonably suppose they stayed where they were But to all this our Adversaries gainsay because the Text tells us not An Obj. they and their Children were receiv'd to Baptism but they only that gladly receiv'd his Word Answ To which I make this return 1. This Text doth not so evidently conclude the thing done that Children were then receiv'd to Baptism tho' it may properly enough infer it from what hath been offered in the general Account as their Title to it by force of their being adopted into Covenant by virtue of their Parents Faith 2. That the Infants were receiv'd to Baptism is not specified becauset here was no necessity for doing that which might be reasonably supposed 3. Because the Covenant for substance was the same with that delivered to Abraham of old time the Administration made the sole distinction 4. There being three thousand Souls added to the Church they could not be admitted Members thereof without Baptism and this being all done in one day it is not in the least probable they could all be adult Men or if they were it is as highly improbable so few as the Holy Apostles then were could have time which our Adversaries think necessary to treat with and discourse every person 5. Because all is not expressed in Holy Writ that was tranfacted and when an Historical Account is rehearsed some Particulars are inserted not named in the prior or former Declaration As for instance In the Story of the Holy Apostle of the Gentiles his miraculous Call is taken notice of three times and his being baptized more than once and yet in the second Relation concerning his Baptism there is something added to the first Account Acts xxij 16. Arise and be baptized and wash away they sins calling on the Name of the Lord declaring the Scope and Design of Baptism as well as how necessary it was and it is probable had there been reason to rehearse this Account related Acts ij as there was of St. Paul's other matters possibly this of admitting Infants to Baptism had been inserted 6. By way of Retortion to return their own Argument upon them because Women are not named neither in the Commission St. Matth. xxviij 19. nor Acts ij 41. to be baptized both being rendred by the Greek in the Masculine Gender I may therefore according to their way of arguing urge because it is not declared in the Sacred Text that they who gladly received the Word with their Wives were baptized I might therefore according to their manner of disputing say no Women had as yet received Baptism for it was after this time that we read in Samaria Women were baptized by St. Philip. Acts viij 12. So that tho' the Design of the Covenant be known yet not always declared in Holy Writ and the baptizing of Infants may verily be believed to be of this kind CHAP. X. The Sense of St. Matth. xxviij 19. strengthned by an Exposition of 1 Cor. vij 14. THE second place is that of St. Paul the Holy Apostle of the Uncircumcision or the Gentile World 1 Corinth vij 14. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy This place of St. Paul is a strong confirmation of the Sense and a clear conviction of the truth of the Interpretation I have given of the first Text of the last quoted place of St. Peter St. Paul was a Pharisee the most learned and strictest Sect among the Jews and was so well instructed in the Christian Religion that he himself saith he was not a whit behind any the best and most knowing of the Holy Apostles and for the encouragement of the Pagan World to embrace Christianity he publickly declares and assures them that the believing Paganish Husband or Wise should have a Power and Priviledge to transmit and convey their Faith to their Seed so that their Children after such a conversion of the Parent should be capable of a Federal or Covenant-Holiness which should be of such efficacy and vertue as to impute and make over to them a Right to the Covenant and then by the Seal of Baptism to be receiv'd into the Church admitted to the favour of God and made Heirs of Heaven by virtue of their Membership in the Covenant of Grace Thus we plainly see by the Testimony of Holy Scripture and by the Evidence of Reason a Reason so infallible and unerring that it is conducted by the Light of Divine Revelation what is the plain natural and proper sense of the Holy Jesus's Commission to his Blessed Disciples St. Matth. xxviij 9. Go teach all Nations baptizing them So that he who shall from a mistaken sense of that place of Holy Scripture deny Baptism unto Infants hinders the Propagation and Progress of Christian Religion makes the
Covenant of Grace less beneficial and extensive than the Covenant of Works and so consequently doth not allow as great Benefits Priviledges and Immunities to the Covenant of Grace which he doth to the Covenant of Works all which are the dangerous Consequences of Antipedobaptism as I hope I have sufficiently proved and convincingly made out and in the evincing or proving this Argument I have plainly shewed that we have the proper meaning of three Texts of Holy Scripture which I think to any Man of sense is as clear a Proof and as powerful an Evidence to engage our belief to the truth of any Doctrin propounded to us as if we had brought the positive and express Words of Holy Scripture which is as strong a conviction as any Man can with the least shew of reason desire So that if the true sense of the Holy Jesus's Commission to his Blessed Disciples be duly considered and that no other meaning can tolerably be put upon them being backt with the Authority of two other places of Holy Scripture and a threefold Cord is not easily broken no Antipedobaptist that is a Man of sense will hereafter press for a positive and direct place of Holy Writ because he hath no reason to expect a Tautology in Sacred Scripture to please an Humour or serve an Interest and because he will thereby weaken his Cause and then have great reason to be ashamed of if not repent for the Injury he doth his Principles and he will see the vanity of demanding express words for a confutation when he hath plain sense against him for the Holy Scriptures are to be expounded and interpreted by their Sense and not by their Sound by their Spiritual Meaning and not by the bare Words Syllables and Letters for they are best understood by their proper Design and Purport or a true Relation to their Coherence and Connexion with what preceeds and follows after And now give me leave to offer one thing that will confirm the sense of the Texts I have delivered and will also further shew how unreasonable and absurd weak and trifling the Antipedobaptists are for being so peremptory and positive in demanding an express place of Holy Scripture for the baptizing of Infants and this I will endeavour to evince from Customs among the Jews well known to all learned Men. Three things were required by the Jews to make a Male Proselyte of Righteousness Circumcision a kind of Purfication by Water which was an Allusion to Baptism and Oblation which was commonly two Turtles or Pidgeons To a Female Purification by Water and Oblation Now because the Jews since their Dispersion have neither Altar nor Sacrifice they say For the Male Circumcision and Purification by Water are sufficient For the Female Only Purification by Water In David's time they tell us many Thousands were added to the Church without Circumcision by Purification only Hence we may observe that a kind of Admission by Water into the Church was long in use among the Jews tho' it were not Sacramental till the Blessed Jesus's Institution therefore it may seem to be used by them because they looked for it as a Sacrament at the coming of the Messiah as is evident by their coming to St. John the Baptist not so much scrupling his Baptism as his Authority by what Power he baptized St. John i. 25. And they asked him and said unto him Why baptizest thou then if thou be not that Christ nor Elias nor that Prophet By which three different words they meant the Messiah because he was well known to the Jews by those Terms or Phrases to be foresignified so that had he owned himself for such they would not have doubted his Commission but Christ being plainly proved the Messiah he was Lord of the Sacrament as well as of the Sabbath and so had a sufficient Power to institute a New Sacrament and so substituted Baptism in the room of Circumcision which whosoever believes not to be as extensive as the other is so irrational as to make the holy Jesus not so merciful a Legislator as Moses which shews the unreasonableness and absurdity of demanding an express Text of holy Scripture for Infant Baptism which was the Truth to be cleared and I hope is sufficiently made apparent and manifest CHAP. XI Some general Observations upon the Sense and Expositions delivered LET me now offer some general Observations upon the Sense and Expositions of those Texts I have brought for the Proof hereof and I will begin with the Observation of Chemnitius in his Plea he makes against the Antipedobaptists of Germany * Ego sane qui simplicitatem amo etiamsi nec intelligam nec explicare possim quomodo Infantes qui Baptizantur credant judico tamen suffitire firmissima illa testimonia explicata Infantes esse Abaptizandos neque enim ab illis propterea discedendum etsi non possim vel intelligere velexplicare quomedo credant Infames Chemnit Exam. Conc. Trid. part 2. Tit. de Baptismo ad Canon 13. I do so truly love Simplicity and Truth that altho' I cannot tell how Children who are baptized believe yet I judge the Testimonies from Holy Scripture above-named most strong Evidences and a sufficient Proof for this Christian Practice neither ought Christians to depart from this Truth tho' I cannot understand or explain how Children believe In some things we should take St. Paul's Advice And become Fools that we may be wise 1 Cor. iij. 18. Obedience being more acceptable than burnt Offerings 1 Sam. xv 22. And we should offer up our Understandings to divine Revelation where there is clear Reason to submit to it Faith is the wisest and most well-pleasing Service we can offer to God Nescire ea quae docere non vult Magister maximus erudita est inscitia not to know those things our great Master would have us ignorant of is if I may so speak without a Solecism a learned Ignorance But prais'd be Heaven I have yet met with no Arguments of the Adversaries so strong as to need such an Apology or Plea We find not any Accusation laid to the Charge of Christianity by the Jewish or Pagan World upon this Account which certainly would have been done by some of the Enemies of our holy Religion if the Jewish Believer had not enjoyed the same Immunities when Christian that he did before Or if the first Planters of Christianity had preached the same Doctrin the Antipedobaptists do now how would the Enemies of our holy Religion have declamed against us and declared the Doctrin they preached was not the same Covenant God offered to the Father of the Faithful and the People of Israel because that included Father and Son as to the Covenant and the Sign that conveyed the Benefits of the Covenant An Obj. Now because the Antipedobaptists call upon us for an Example of any baptized in a gathered Church without Faith and that herein the holy Scripture is silent Answ To which I
of the Soul I mean Sin And is it not as reasonable that seeing the Guilt of another's Sin is imputed to us to make us miserable the Faith of another should be conveyed and made over to us to qualifie and fit us for a participation in such an Ordinance as should procure our Pardon and deliver us from our Guilt and thereby make us Happy which is done by being washed in the Laver of Baptism which is called by St. Paul Titus 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Washing or Laver of Regeneration And this is a proper Term it being rational that we who have the imputation of our Fore-fathers guilt should have an imputation of our Fathers faith to bathe us in that Fonntain that was set open to wash away the defilement of such an imputed Guilt and Uncleanness And that there is reason for such an Imputation may appear from the relation Children have to their Father which is that of Members with the Head and of Parts with the Whole the Father and Son both in Holy Writ and Customary Usage upon some Accounts being taken for one Hereupon the Covenant made with the Proto-plast or first Man was transmitted unto his Posterity and the Deluge or Noah's Flood the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah the perishing of the Rebels in the gainsaying of Core St. Jude 11. included Infants as well as the adult and full-grown Now Reason as well as Religion in this matter requireth help for Children for if the Son be reckoned one with his Father and so obnoxious to punishment without any acting by the consent of his own will solely by the transmission of his Father's guilt certainly then when the Father is one of the Faithful they ought so far to be reckoned one with him as upon that account to receive some advantage and so to be allowed an Imputation of the Father's Faith which may render them fit for a reception of the Benefits of the Covenant and the Seal that ensures them Hereupon the Covenant given to Abraham is the same with that transacted with Adam Gen 17.7 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 unto thy seed after thee But here the Antipedobaptists object An Obj. That this Covenant is not the Holy Gospel-Covenant but the Jewish Covenant made with Abraham because it is said a Covenant between me and thy Seed and this Covenant to continue to him and his Seed after him and that in their Generations i.e. in the Generations begotten by his Seed I have thus strongly stated the Objection that the Antipedobaptists may see I deal fairly with them and give their Argument all the strength it can have and possibly more than some of them would or could afford it Answ But for Answer hereunto if you will allow St. Paul to understand this Text which I believe he did as well and better than any Antipedobaptist in England he in express terms makes this Covenant with Abraham to be the Holy Gospel it self and then it must needs be the Holy Gospel-Covenant Gal. 3.8 and the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying Gen. 12. ◠in thee shall all Nations be blessed which is a Quotation from the Book of Genesis which must needs be more extensive than the Covenant to Abraham and his carnal Seed the Posterity of the Jews which was so small a part that it could not include all the Families of the Earth and comprehend all Nations And therefore Abraham's Covenant must certainly be the same with the Holy Gospel-Covenant because it was that which was to be published to all the World and take in all Mankind But if any Antipedobaptist shall object and say An Obj. The Covenant made with Abraham when Circumcision was instituted is not the same with the Gospel St. Paul mentions in his forecited Epistle because that is a Quotation from Gen. xij 3. To which I answer It is the same Covenant because God saith I will establish my Covenant between me and thee so that it plainly signifies it was the Confirmation of a former Covenant not the Institution of a new one and that this is true may appear by the Coherence for it is said but three Verses before As for me behold my Covenant is with thee and thou shalt be a Father of many Nations or as the Original and the Margin of the Bible hath it Gen. xvij 4. Thou shalt be Father of a multitude of Nations which Abraham could not be as a Father of the Jewish People Jewry being so small a Continent of the Earth and so little a Part of the World that it could not comprehend a multitude of Nations So that by virtue of this Covenant Abraham was to be considered as the Father of all Christians as well as Jews being the Holy Jesus that was to be an Universal Saviour for the whole World proceeded and came forth from his Loins Hereupon we may strongly press home St. Rom. v. 12. Paul's Argument and say Because the Blessed Jesus and his Holy Dispensation convey a greater measure of Divine Assistance and promise higher Rewards than the Protoplast's or first Adam's Fall did Evil and Punishment If the Parents Guilt be transmitted unto Father and Son for Death and Condemnation both shall have interest in the favour of the Holy Jesus the first unto Justification and Life the second so far as to take him into the Covenant and consequently by the sign thereof to give him a right and title unto the Benefits and Advantages of the Covenant So that we may declare the Holy Apostle's words and say Acts x. 47. Can any forbid Water that these should not be baptized Which St. Peter spoke not only because the Gift of the Holy Ghost was fallen upon them but because that Gift was a Proof of their Title to the Covenant and if by any different method a Man can prove his Title to the Covenant he hath a Right to the Sign that ensures the Benefits thereof And therefore being the Holy Gospel-Covenant now preached is the same with that made unto Abraham is there not a true consequential Implication that the same Priviledge is now to be enjoyed that was under the former old Oeconomy or Dispensation viz. That upon the account of the Faith of the Principal of the House each of that House that did not contradict or gainsay was included and by Sign admitted in Covenant And if this be not allowed Christian Doctrin will be very hard and there may seem a sort of Impeachment to lye against the Divine Justice for by the Protoplast's or first Man's Fall Sin imputed was enough to damn the Child and shall not the Father's Faith in the Blessed Jesus and his New Dispensation be available so far as to put him into a state of salvation Now
that the Promise is imputed to the Children may appear Because 1. The first thing in every sort is the Rule for the rest that are consequent upon it but to Abraham as the prime Guardian the Holy Gospel-Covenant was given and the Sign of it applied to Infants hereupon the same must be to all that believe and their Off-spring For all that believe shall inherit the Promise and be Heirs as well as the Father of the faithful This St. Paul speaketh clearly in express words Gal. iij. 29. And if you be Christ's then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise 2. That which was granted to Abraham was not a particular Priviledge to him alone or to his People the Jews but it was the Holy Gospel-Covenant that all Nations were to be interested in and concerned with what it was to Abraham it was to be unto the whole Race of Mankind and therefore called a Covenant of Grace as may appear by the forequoted place of the Holy Apostle St. 8. Paul and from St. Matthew we are assured St. Matth. viij 2. that the Heathen World shall sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven as equal unto Abraham Eph. ij 19. because they are fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Now the Covenant made with Abraham included Father and Son as I have I hope proved and upon this account possibly it might be the Holy Jesus called the Chief of the Publicans a Son of Abraham St. Luke xix 9. and so consequently a Son of God for it was usual to call the People that worshipped any God the Children of that God whether the God they worshipped were true or false Mal. ij 2. Now that there is a necessity of Baptism this Consideration may prove it That Children as soon as born by reason of Adam's transgression are under the Sentence of Death and Damnation except secured from it even while Children if they dye without according to any outward means yet revealed they cannot ordinarily be happy and except this be cleared the Fathers can have little comfort in them Now there is no other Method appointed by Heaven for the Pardoning and Purging of Guilt but the Blood of Jesus and the Covenant that Blood gives a Title unto and there is no other external Medium or Means discovered to us by God to make this Blood so efficacious as to procure us pardon and peace but only the being baptized St. Paul tells us that those that are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into his Death Rom. vj 3. So that if we are not cleansed by this external Baptism supposing the neglect to be with our own consent which cannot be the condition of Children we have no interest in his Merits When we thus declare we intend only the external common appointed Means of Salvation The Holy Ordinance of Baptism is the Instrument that sues out and purchases through Christ's Blood a Pardon to our selves and our Infants How far Heaven extends its Mercy to those that are without Means and cannot use them is a Mystery hid from us and known only unto God But now to return to a more particular defence of Acts ij 39. Besides this particular and express Gift of the Holy Ghost was only in the infancy of the Church and then that Gift was indispensably necessary to enable the Blessed Apostles to perform the Holy Jesus's Commission which he gave to them presently after his Miraculous Resurrection and not long before his Illustrious Ascension unto the Mansions of Glory which was to teach and publish his Holy Gospel to all Nations which they could not do without this Gift of Tongues because they knowing no more than their own Native Language had been Barbarians to a great part of the Gentile World and therefore could not have spoken so intelligibly as to be understood and this appears by the effusion of the Holy Ghost on the first Jewish Converts in this Chapter and upon those of the Gentile World as appears eight Chapters after this Acts x. 46. they heard them speak with Tongues and magnifie God which Children were incapable of not being arrived to the use of Reason or Speech which might be for the greater encouragement of the Gentiles because the Holy Gospel-state assures a more plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit than the weaker Oeconomy or Dispensation of the Law Besides seeing the Antipedobaptists object and say Infants are excluded from Baptism by this Text An Obj. because this Gift refers to Sons and Daughters mentioned Verse 17. To which I do answer Answ I may say Children are not excluded for a like reason because Sons and Daughters may in reason be supposed to mean more adult and full-grown persons and because this Promise referring to the Gift of Tongues could not belong unto Children capable of Baptism for they had not the use of Speech Infused Habits must suppose the Subject capable of them or by the Infusion render them so as in this Instance of the Gift of Tongues when it is supernaturally infused it must either suppose the Subject predisposed with understanding or must make him so by that Infusion Now we read no where that this Gift of Tongues was bestowed but it found the Subject predisposed with understanding for upon all on whom this Gift was conferred it is said they spake with Tongues Acts ij 4 6 8 11. x. 46. i. e. in different Languages which we never yet read or heard any Infant-Children did which evidences beyond denial to you and to your Children must be meant of Sons and Daughters that were adult and of full-grown Years Lastly I may urge this descent of the Holy Ghost was the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and of Fire prophecied of and foresignified by S. John the Baptist St. Matth. iij. 2. St. Luke iij. 16. and that he who was Praecursor Christi the Fore-runner of the Messiah should be the Minister of and dispense and deal forth to the World and this may appear true because when St. Luke describes this Advent or Coming of the Holy Ghost he tells us he descended in cloven Tongues like as of Fire i. e. having a resemblance like unto Fire Acts ij 3. St. Mark 1.8 and this St. Mark calls expresly the Baptism of the Holy Ghost And this doth not vacate or make void the other Baptism of Water because St. Peter makes it the assurance of the Messiah's Baptism Acts ij 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost An Obj. And tho' it is objected and said by the Antipedobaptists answ that the Gentiles had this Gift before Baptism Yet in answer hereunto they had the Grace of Faith that qualified them for Baptism because the Holy Ghost fell upon all them that heard the Word i. e. by Faith embraced and received it and
of That it would please thee good Lord to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived The sense of which is That all Separatists from the Holy Catholic or any Orthodox National Church that is a true Part or sound Member thereof may return home unto Christ's Fold and be received into the Bosom of the Holy Church and cannot be thought without breach of Charity to have the prospect of any other purpose but the Everlasting Happiness and Welfare of Mens Immortal Souls I say that we should ever entertain a thought of persecuting killing or damning those that differ from us while they profess the Holy Name of the Blessed Jesus Our Mind is the same with St. Ignatius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Ignat. that Holy Martyr to soften the sharp Humour by tender and skilful Applications of the Gentle Word like pouring Oyl into the Samaritan's Wounds I mean to heal by Embrocation or the most tender Methods and not by Scarifications and Caustics to use the Chirurgion's Term of Art and I do esteem it my Obligation to deprecate that deceitful Prosperity that should be strong enough to breath into the Spirits of persons any higher measure of sharpness in the Fathers Vid. Dr. Hammond's Query of Infant-Baptism Pag. 312. or Sons of the Holy Church than what I now believe to be a powerful Engagement to bring Men to the Church THE END A PRAYER used by the Author after the publick Preaching and Delivery of these Discourses O THou holy ever-blessed and illuminating Spirit the Fountain of Wisdom who was sent by God the Father and promised by God the Son to conduct and guide Men into all necessary Truth who wouldest not the Destruction of any of the Sons of Men but art really and truly desirous that all Persons should come unto the saving Knowledge of thy revealed Will and hast formerly Commissionated peculiar Messengers and at last didst send the beloved Son of thy Bosom to reduce all People from dangerous Mistakes and Errors and to lead them into the Paths of divine Truth that at the end of their days they may arrive at and be placed in the Mansions of Glory and Happiness above to live an immortal and never-dying Life with thee the best of Beings Give thy Blessing we humbly beseech thee unto these Discourses and render them serviceable unto those excellent Purposes unto which they are sincerely intended Prepare and qualify the Spirits of those that have or shall hear them to embrace whatsoever is discovered in them according to thy revealed Will with a Spirit of Love and Meekness Mollify and soften all obdurate hardned Souls all callous brawny Consciences that are seared as it were with an hot Iron enlighten the dark-sighted that they may discover and understand thine holy Will when it shall be powerfully offered unto them and give them the Assistance of thy divine Grace and the Aids of thine holy Spirit to live according to such Convictions Take away from all Men Conceitedness and strong Prepossessions secular Interests and fond Humours or whatsoever may put the least stop unto the Operations and Workings of thy divine Spirit in the Proposal of thine holy Will unto the Sons of Men and make these Discourses useful unto such as know and are acquainted with thine heavenly Doctrin unto the Conviction of those that scruple the Truth and are therefore unwilling to own and acknowledge it and unto the recovery of such as are apostatized and fallen therefrom and if thou shouldest be so merciful unto me as to make me the unworthiest of thy Servants in the least measure an Instrument for the advancing thine Honour and thy Churches good by curing our Divisions and reducing any wandring straying Sinner from the Error of his Way deliver me from any Tumours or Swellings of Spirit any undecent Exaltation of Thought or Mind any assuming or taking the least thing unto my self and grant I may ascribe and return all Laud and Praise to thee who art the Fountain of Light and the Author of Truth and that I may acknowledge that the Improvement as well as the Talent proceeds from thee who art the Giver of every good and every perfect Gift Grant these Requests for the Merits and Mediation of thy dear Son who is not only the Way and the Life but also that bright Day-star who by his irradiating Beams lightens every Man that comes into the World even our only merciful Saviour and most powerful Redeemer the Holy Jesus Amen Now to God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost be given and paid all Honour and Glory as is most due from Angels and Men henceforth and for evermore Amen FINIS Errata Corrigenda IN the Preface Pag. 15. Marg. Lin. 7 8. read P. 103 104. P. 24. l. 7. r. been P. 53. l. 11. r. hit P. 60. l. 26. r. Roast P. 62. l. 8. r. Man In the Contents Pag. 5. Lin. 8 9. read Schecinah In the Book Pag. 3. Marg. Lin. 18. dele sine P. 17. l. 4. r. as are not P. 35. Marg. l. 22. r. cavit P. 50. l. 25. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 58. l. 3. del of P. 70. l. 20. r. prevails P. 75. Marg. l. 25. a Baptizari in P. 80. l. 14. r. Harmoniously P. 91. l. 3. del fore and in the same line r. offered for P. 92. l. 27. r. were P. 93. Marg. l. 4 5. r. 48. 53. P. 94. Marg. l. 3. r. 46 47. P. 100. Marg. l. 4. r. 94. P. 120. Marg. l. 16. r. instituto P. 127. l. ult r. Antipadobaptistic P. 133. l. 3 4. r. Obstacle P. 136. l. 21. del they P. 138. l. 15. del the.