words of the Commission not to add to it nor diminish from it on paâ— of being cast out of his Favour and incuring his Wrath and Curse durst you do otherwise in any thing under pretence it was his meaning whereas he plainly and fully in his Commission expressed in the Affirmative how and what you should do in all Matters and Things and forbad you to add thereto Read Rev. 22. 18. For I testify unto every Man that heareth the words of the Prophecy of this Book If any Man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him all the Plagues that are written in this Book Who told you what you say is the sense of our Saviour Can any Man once think since the Commission of Christ is a pure Gospel-Commission and contains meer positive Laws and Rules no ways referring to nor depending on the Law or Command God gave to Abraham that what you say can be true and the Conclusion safe certain and warrantable May not another say with as good Authority that our Saviour commands his Disciples to baptize all Nations both Parents and Children too whether they will or not whether they believe or not whether Jews or Gentiles Turks or Pagans I wonder you are not afraid who take liberty after this sort to sport as it were and play with invert alter and add unto the sacred Commission of the jealous God and great King of Heaven and Earth 1. You confess Christ's Sheep came up from the washing whereof every one bear Twins and there is none barren among them Cant. 6. 6. Let therefore the Lambs say you be washed as they are a great part of the Flock I answer Infants as such by your own words cannot be Christ's Sheep nor Lambs for all his Sheep and Lambs that are washed are fruitful and none are barren among them Are Infants fruitful to Christ Can they bring forth Twins Sir Metaphors go not on all four as we used to say the Lambs of Christ viz. weak and young Christians may be as fruitful in Holiness as Sheep viz. old experienced Christians But how can you prove Baptism washes your Infants from Sin actual Sin they have none Doth it wash away Original Sin dare you say that The antient erring Fathers that brought it in affirmed that Baptism did wash away Original Sin in Infants but do you believe that they spoke Truth in so saying Christ's Lambs you say are capable to be fed by the Word and Sacrament Are Infants capable to hear the Word and partake of the Sacraments If of one of both Sir Christ's Lambs are new born Babes not new born by Natural Generation but by Regeneration as I have shewed You say that the Gentile Church should not come short of the Privileges of the old Jerusalem or Jewish Church and that the desolate hath more Children than she that hath an Husband Gal. 4. 27. and hence affirm if Children of the Christian Church enjoy not the Privilege of their Fathers she hath many less Children than the old Jerusalem-Church had Answ I answer the Gentile Church according to God's gracious Promise may be more than the Jewish was when the Fulness of the Gentiles are come in and yet no Infants Members of it Nay there is ground to believe in the Primitive Times there were more converted among the Gentiles than were amongst the Jews but still I find you harp on the old String i. e. that if the Gospel-Church be not National and enjoy as many outward and external Privileges as the Jewish did her Privileges are less but you consider not the Nature Quality and Glory of the Gospel-Church and wherein her Privileges excel the Legal Church of old Jerusalem You say when Christ commandeth to teach all Nations before baptized and after that their baptizing his meaning is teach and baptize to plant the Church and baptize and teach to continue the Church planted among the Gentiles Answ 1. I am grieved to think how bold you are in asserting that to be Christ's meaning which you affirm which can no ways be gathered from his Commission but 't is directly contrary to the express words thereof and also to the Nature of the Gospel-Church's Constitution But you affirm what you please and prove nothing 2. It appears by your words the Gospel-Church in its first Constitution or first planting was by Regeneration consisting only of believing Men and Women baptized on the Profession of their Faith or after they were made Disciples but after its first Constitution or first Plantation it was to consist of the Fleshly or Carnal Seed and so made National yea and to be made up of whole Nations Pray Sir since the great Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. proves nothing of this nor hath the Lord Jesus given out another Commission to nullify his first What ground have you to affirm so presumptuously any such thing Dare you add and diminish to God's Word nay alter Christ's last Will and Testament in his grand Commission Tremble at the thoughts of what you endeavour to do Sir the New Testament about Church-Constitution c. is a perfect Rule to the End of the World and as the first Gospel-Church after Christ's Ascension at Jerusalem was constituted so ought all Churches to be constituted and so to continue unto the second coming of Christ The Ordinances are to be kept as to the Subject and Mode of Administration as they were first delivered to the Saints See 1 Cor. 11. 2. Now I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you Therefore in direct Opposition to what you say in the close of your sixth Chapter I affirm from the Authority of Christ's Commission and from the nature of the Constitution of the Gospel-Church that as Teaching went before Baptizing for the planting of the Church in the Primitive Time so Teaching is to go before Baptizing in planting and continuing of the Church unto the End of the World and that the Teaching that is mentioned in order of Words in the Commission after Baptizing doth not refer to Infants of Believers or any other Infants but as Mr Baxter observes to such baptized Believers who after they were baptized ought to be taught all other things in the School of Christ which he commanded his Disciples to observe and to which if they thus act he subjoined his gracious Promise Lo I am with you always to the End of the World Mat. 28. 20. CHAP. IX In Answer to Mr. James Owen's seventh Chapter proving that the Children of the Faithful ought not to be baptized because they are said to be holy wherein 1 Cor. 7. 14. is examined and clearly explained with the sense of many learned Men both Pedo-baptists and others on the said Text. MR. James Owen thus begins in his seventh Chapter viz. If the Children of the Faithful are holy then Baptism appertaineth unto them for all confess that Holiness gives Right to Baptism if they allow
Bodies of your Vows O shew them the Mercy of God! the Church of God is willing to receive them O rent them not from the Mystical Body of which they are Members See pag. Answ You Godly Parents take heed what Doctrine you receive you cannot cast your Infants out of the Invisible and Mystical Body of Christ if they are in it nor cast them out of the Covenant of Salvation No no that 's not in the Power of Mortals We cannot receive them or bring them into the Covenant of Salvation nor make them Members of Christ's Invisible and Mystical Body None can do that but God himself Christ himself 't is preposterous Stuff strange Doctrine this poor Man troubles you with Good Men may in some things be blinded and misled Try his Doctrine search the Scriptures take nothing upon trust without trial As to your bringing of your Children into the Visible Church so as to be Members thereof and to have right to the holy Sacraments they must come in at the Door of Regeneration not by Generation even at the same Door you came in at if you are true Members thereof and O therefore pray for your Children they are dear to you bring them up in the Fear of God command them to seek after the Knowledg of their Natural State and to know and believe in Jesus Christ and set them a good Example I know not what better Counsel to give you concerning your Children Secondly To you that are Unbelievers who have Children Do not fear the State of those dear Babes of yours that die in Infancy you have no cause to doubt of their Happiness but your Children may be saved that die in their Infancy as well as the Infants of faithful and godly Parents Also the Infants of Godly People are no more holy than yours if your Marriage was good and lawful for Marriage is honourable in all it belongs to Unbelievers and is God's holy Ordinance to them as well as 't is to Believers But O let it be your Care and chief Business to get true Faith in Jesus Christ for Matrimonial Sanctification in your selves or the Holiness of Legitimation in your Children will add nothing to yours or their Salvation but till you and your Off-spring do believe and are spiritually holy and sanctified by the Blood of Christ through Faith of the Operation of God neither you nor they have any right to the Sign which is Baptism for as we deny the Infants of Believers as such have any right to Baptism so be sure your Children have no right thereto yet the Promise is to you and your Children or Off-spring whenever the Lord is pleased to call either you or your Children by the preaching of the Word c. CHAP. X. Proving in Opposition to what Mr. James Owen saith that Children have no right to be baptized altho Christ blessed them MR. Owen quotes Mark 10. 13 14 15 16. And 〈◊〉 brought little Children to him that he should touch them that he would put his Hand upon them and pray Mat. 19. 13. And his Disciples rebuked those that brought them but when Jesus saw it he was displeased and said Suffer little Children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven c. Saith Mr. Owen Let us consider in this remarkable Scripture who were those that were brought to the Lord Jesus the Text says they were little Children suchas were taken up in Arms as we translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore saith he it being evident that those Children brought as it is probable by the Godly Parents unto Christ were very little they themselves were not of Age to come unto him nor profess Faith in him 2. Why were they brought to Christ that he should put his Hands on them and pray They that brought them to Christ did believe they could receive a Blessing by laying of Hands and Prayers of Christ altho the little Children understood not at present what Christ had done to them As saith he Parents brought their Children to â—hrist to bless them so do we bring them to Christ by Baptism to receive a Blessing Why cannot they receive a Blessing from him now as in the days of his Flesh Are his Bowels straitned towards them Answ What doth this prove touching the Lawfulness of Infant-Baptism we acknowledg and readily grant that they were little Children that were brought to Christ and that he 〈◊〉 his Hands upon them and blessed them but is this a Warrant for us to Baptize our little Children You say As those Parents brought their Children to Christ to bless them so do you bring them to Christ by Baptism Answ. And with shame you may speak it unless you had Authority to Christ so to do Who hath required this thing 〈◊〉 our Hands May you not as the Ancient Fathers did by the sâ—me Argument bring little Children to the Lord Jeâ—us by bringing them to the holy Sacrament of the Lord's â—upper Also you have as much ground from God's Word to do that as to bring them to the Sacrament of Baptism No doubt they were brought to Christ to be healed of some Bodily Distemper for the Lord blessed and healed Diseases by laying his Hand on the Sick and we all know that they are capable of that Blessing 〈◊〉 not of the holy Sacraments which alâ—ne belong to Adult Persons that believe and are able to examine themselves True Christ's Bowels are not straitnâ—d now he is in Heavan to young or old but what oâ— thâ—… Wisdom did not lead him to baptize little Children and he knows how to let out his Bowels towards them without your reaching him Will you direct the Almighty or have Christ to bless an Human Invention Were iâ— his Appointment he would no doubt bless it to little Children but that you will never be able to prove and it argues you have a bad Caâ—se in hand in that you make use of such Childish Arguments to prove it and bring Texts so remote from the Business You say Christ prayed for them whom the Father had given him John 17. 9. and if the Children of the Faithful not of the World but are Christ's we should suffer them to come to him and receive his Mark which is Baptism Answ 1. Are all the Infants of Believers given unto Christ and so not of this World Do you believe it Sir all that the Father hath given to Christ shall come unto him and every Soul of them shall be saved Now do all the Children of the Faithful come to Christ and shall they all be saved or are you not to be rebuked and sharply reproved for what you write to blind the Eyes and deceive the Children of the Faithful to make them think their State is good and safe when perhaps they are in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity Had not Abraham an Ishmael Isaac an Esau and David an Absalom O and what ungodly Persons do daily
still proceed from the Loins of Godly Parents And how gracious do many Children of wicked Parents prove when grown up 2. You know not whether these little Children were the Children of Godly Parents or not nor who they were that brought them to Christ their Parents might be ungodly as far as we know and yet some of their Relations Kindred or Neighbours might believe that Christ would bless them and heal them therefore they might bring them to Christ 3. You say Baptism is Christ's Mark but I have shewed the foolishness of that Assertion Baptism is not distinguishing Mark that God's Children have on them but his Mark and Seal is his holy Spirit and his holy Nature or Image stampt upon the Soul 4. You say that Christ was very angry with his Disciples for forbidding little Children to come unto him Reply From hence we may gather it was not the Command of their Master that they should be baptized or come that way unto him for if it had besure the faithful Disciples of our Lord would not have once attempted to forbid them to be brought to Christ Moreover it is thought the Reason why the Disciples forbid them to bring little Children to our blessed Lord might be left by their crying they might disturb him for that we see little Children in a Croud of People are subject to do But you insist to shew what great Bowels Christ manifested to these little Children and fain would have it because he knew they were in God's Covenant c. Answ By this you seem to intimate that all Infants are in Covenant with God for I say again you cannot prove that these little Children were Children of faithful and holy Persons However I will add here what I have said in Answer to Mr. Burkitt on this Argument to which or any other of my Answers he hath not attempted to give any Reply but as I am inform'd is resolved to let it rest in silence and write no more on the Subject Take his Argument from this Text which is in substance the same that you further insist on about Christ's Bowels and Love to those little Children If Infants saith he be capable of Christ's Blessing on Earth and of his Presence in Heaven if they be Subjects of his Kingdom of Grace and Heirs of his Kingdom of Glory then they have an undoubted right to the Privilege of Subjects among which the Seal of the Covenant is not the least Answ 1. We answer and argue thus to the first part of the Proposition viz. In many of the Jews and others who were ungodly Persons were capable of Christ's Blessings i. e. of being healed of their Bodily Diseases they were Subjects of Baptism Is this sound arguing What farther Blessing Christ vouchsafed to Infants when he laid his Hands upon them we know not for that was the way Christ took oftentimes in the healing the Sick and so blessed many Persons that never were baptized as we read of 2. We as I have before told you do deny Infants are Subjects of the Visible Church therefore if by the Kingdom of Grace any intend not that they beat the Air Alas such â—o arguing beg and prove not besides it doth not follow I say again tho Infants may be Heirs of the Kingdom of Glory therefore they have an undoubted right to the Privileges of the Subjects of God's Church for then it would follow they have right to one Privilege as well as to another and are to have Fellowship with the Saints and Houshold of God as well as Baptism Mr. Burkitt argues further thus viz. Those whom Christ invites to him and are received by him his Ministers may not refuse nor put from them But Infant â—re by Christ invited to him and were received by him therefore the Ministers of Christ may not ought not durst not refuse them into Communion with them Take my Answer Answ 1. Christ invited Multitudes to come unto him and he received them so far as to feed them with Barley-Loaves and Fishes and to the Blessing of healing them of their Bodily Distempers But may his Ministers therefore receive all such into their Communion 2. In the days of Christ when he was upon Earth there were many who are said to come unto him whom he might receive into his Presence and Company yet his Ministers might not baptize them nor receive them into their spiritual Communion nor indeed you dare not so receive infants I mean into your Communion of the Lord's-Supper We read of some Pharisees and Lawyers that came to Christ and he received them into his Company who it appears came to tempt him Also the Sadduces are said to come unto him who said there was no Resurrection may Christ's Ministers baptize such and receive them into their Communion Therefore in Opposition to what Mr. Burkitt says in his Book I affirm there were then other ordinary ways of coming to Christ than by Admission into his Church Christ invited the worst of Sinners unto him who nevertheless did not receive him Therefore there are some who must be excluded whom Jesus Christ graciously inviteth Mr. Burkitt's Appeal for Proof of this Argument to St. Mark 10. 3. Suffer little Children to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven doth not his Business they do not belong to the Kingdom of Grace i. e. the Church for if they did belong to that or were of the Visible Church as such then he need not by Baptism make them belong to it If Christ owns them Subjects or Members of his Visible Church then Pedo-baptists need not add them thereto by Baptism For if as they are the Seed of Believers they are already fide foederis not only in Covenant with God but also belong unto his Kingdom or Church upon Earth all the World may see that Mr. Burkitt goes about to give them that very Right or Privilege which they had before and without Baptism Doth Christ saith he take Children into his Arms and shall his Church cast them out of her Imbraces Answ May I not argue thus i. e. Doth Christ receive all Persons into his Arms of Mercy to heal their Bodily Distempers of which perhaps some were wicked and ungodly And shall the Church refuse to receive all such into her Imbraces Besides all those pretended Consequences make no more for Infants to be baptized than for their receiving the Lord's-Supper and all other Privileges that belong as well as Baptism to Adult Persons who believe or are Disciples Does Christ says he own them for Subjects in his Kingdom and shall we allow them no better standing than in the Devil's Kingdom Answ Does Christ own Infants to be Subjects of his Kingdom and yet did not baptize them for that he did not and shall we attempt to baptize them as if we were wiser than he I must again turn the Edg of the Sword upon this Man If little Children were brought to Christ and he did not baptize them
granted Case among all Christians that a Profession is thus necessary the Apostles and Antient Church admitted none without it Pag. 17 21. Again he says Pag. 24. We find when John Baptist set up his Ministry he caused the People to confess their Sins And whereas some say that John baptized them that he calleth a Generation of Vipers I answer saith he we will believe that when they prove it It seems rather that he put them back as to those Acts 2. 37. Saith he It is plain that they made an open Profession if you consider 1. That they were openly told the Doctrine which they must be baptized into if they did consent 2. It is said they that received the Word were baptized 3. It is as certain therefore that they first testified their glad reception of the Word 4. VVe may not imagine that Peter was God or knew the Hearts of those thousands and therefore he must know it by their Profession that they gladly received the VVord 5. Their own Mouths cry out for advice in order to their Salvation 6. It had been absurd for the Apostles to attempt to baptize Men that had not first professed their Consent 7. The Scripture saith he gives us not the full Historical Narration of all that was said in such Cases but of so much as was necessary 8. The Institution and Nature of the Ordinance tells us that Baptism could not be adminisired without a Profession to the Adult for they were to be baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Therefore were to profess that they believed in the Father Son and Holy Ghost c. Pag. 25. 9. The constant practice of the universal Church hath given us by infallible Tradition as full assurance of the order of Baptism and in particular of an express Profession and Covenant then made as of any Point that by the Hand of the Church can be received Pag. 26. 10. And it was in those days a more notorious Profession to be so Baptized and to joyn in the Holy Assemblies then now it is when the Profession of Christianity did hazard Mens Liberties Estates and Lives to be openly then Baptized upon covenanting with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost c. Moreover saith he it is said of all that were Baptized being then at Age that they first believed and how could the Baptizers know that they believed but by their Profession pag. 26. Yea 't is said of Simon Magus that he believed and was baptized which though he might really have some historical Faith yet implyeth that he openly professed more then he indeed had or else he had scarce been baptized which hath caused Interpreters to judge that by Faith is meant a profession of Faith And if so then sure a profession of Faith is still necessary p. 27. Yea saith he Christ in his Commission directeth his Apostles to make Disciples and then baptize them promising that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved And who can tell whether a Man be a Disciple a Believer or an Infidel but by his Profession How was it known but by their Profession that the Samaritans believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ before they were baptized Acts 8 12. Phillip caused the Eunuch to profess before he would baptize him that he believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God c. Saul had more then a bare Profession before baptized Acts 9. 15 17. Also Cornelius and his Company had more then a Profession for they had the Holy Ghost poured on them speaking with Tongues And it was such a Gift of the Spirit that caused the Apostle to conclude that God had granted the Gentiles Repentance unto Life Acts 11. 8. The Converted Gentiles Acts 13. 48. shewed their belief and gladness p. 27. Gods Order is to the Adult saith he first to send Preachers to proclaim the Gospel and when by that Men are brought so far as to profess or manifest their Eyes are opened and that they are turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God then they must be baptized for the remission of Sins As their Sins are not forgiven them till they are converted Mark 4. 12. so they must not be baptized till they profess themselves converted seeing to the Church none esse and none apparere is all one Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ is the summ of that preaching that makes Disciples Acts 20. 21. and therefore both these must by profession seem to be received before any at Age are baptized p. 30. 31. If as many as are baptized are baptized into his death and are buried with him by baptism into his Death that like as Christ was raised from the Dead then we should walk in newness of Life Then no doubt but such as were baptized did first profess this Mortification and consent to be buried and revived with Christ and to live to him in newness of Life Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6. For Paul was never so much for Opus Operatum above the Papists as to think that the baptizing of an Infidel might effect these high and excellent things and he that professeth not Faith nor never did is to the Church an Infidel In our baptism we put off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ being buried with him and rising with him through Faith quickned with him and having all our Trespasses forgiven Col. 3. 11 12 13. And will any Man saith he yea will Paul ascribe all this to those that did not profess the things signified or the necessary Condition Will baptism in the Judgment of a wise Man do all this for an Infidel let me add or to an Infant or one saith he that professeth not to be a Christian Baptism is said to save us 1 Pet. 3 21. and therefore they that will be baptized must profess the qualifications necessary to the saved p. 32. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are put into the Churches Hands and they that are loosed on Earth are loosed in Heaven if the Keys do not err and therefore pastors of the Church must absolve none by Baptism that do not by profession seem absolvable in Heaven they must profess to have the old Man Crucified with Christ that the Bodie of Sin be destroyed that henceforth they might not serve Sin Rom. 6. 5 6 7 8. As many as have been baptized into Christ saith he have put on Christ Jesus and are Abrahams Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. 27 28. This speaks the Apostle of the probability grounded on a credible Profession and therefore it is clear that the profession was presupposed that might support this charitable Judgment Our baptism is the solemnizing of our Marriage with Christ And it s a new and strang kind of Marriage where there is no profession of Consent The baptized are in Scripture
at all and so cast off and renounce their Infants Rautism that they hereby become guilty of Perjury and must be Damned for he speaks not of those sins forbidden in God's Word but the violation of this baptismal Covenant which he saith is Perjury and the Damning Sin and Root of all Sin O! what want of Charity is here in these Men and what New and strange Doctrine do they Teach 2. Train up your Children in the fear of God and set them a good example and pray for them and over them and give them good Instruction godly Counsel and Admonition And see that you neglect not to Catechise them daily that so they may understand early the main Grounds and Principles of Religion but dread to Baptize them in Infancy or before they believe and have the inward and Spiritual Grace signified in true Baptism You have had it proved from God's Word that there is no Ground nor Authority from thence to baptize Infants and know 't is not in the power of Man by external Rite to bring Children into the Covenant of Grace nor to make them Members of his Visible Church neither Baptism nor the Lords Supper are Bread for Infants but for Christ's New Born Babes 1 Pet. 2. 1 2 3 5. not for your Children as such but such only that are the true Children of God who are born of the Spirit 3. Do not go about directly nor indirectly to deceive your Children by making them believe they are in a good condition by reason they are the Seed of believing Parents and Baptized as these Men call Sprinkling and so that way made Christians and so from hence perhaps look for no further or other work of Grace or regeneration but think they by this pretended baptism are the Children of God Members of Christ and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven when 't is in Truth no such thing nor have you any cause to doubt but that your Infants who die tho' not baptized are happy as appears from what we have said neither be you so ignorant to believe that baptism can save your Infants or the Adult either nor let poor Children cry out against their ungodly Parents as some of these pedo-baptists intimate they may do Pray see what Mr. Burkitt saith in his Book page 62. Before your Children are born make sure as much as in you lieth that they may be born within the Covenant and under the promise by your being in Covenant with God Your selves see that the Lord be your God in Covenant with you and then you may comfortably hope he will be the God of your Seed Answ This Doctrine implys that 't is in the power of Men and Women to bring their Children into the Covenant of Grace and as also it denotes that the Children of believers are not Born Children of Wrath by Nature for are those that are born in the Covenant of Grace born Children of Wrath O ye Parents know that you may be in Covenant and your Children never in it whilst they live nay die out of Covenant as doubtless many Children of the Faithful do Nor hath God made any such Covenant with any believer and their Natural Seed as such as he made with Abraham who was the Father of all that believe but so are not you nor I tho' we are believers and in Covenant with God and walk in Abrahams Steps Those that are in the Electiof Grace of your Seed never fear but God will in due time bring into the Covenant of Grace and give all the Covenant Blessings and Priviledges but if any of them are not comprehended in the Election of Grace their being born of your Loyns will not cannot bring them into the Covenant of Grace nor give them a right to the Seal thereof viz. the holy Spirit nor can baptism bring any into it which is only an outward Sign of our being in that Covenant or of that divine and spiritual Grace we received before we were baptized as I have proved Your business and your Childrens also is to make your own Election sure by special and effectual calling 'T is not the first birth but the second that brings either you or your Children into the Covenant of Grace so that we and they may have God to be our God by way of special Interest But mark Mr. Burkitts next words page 62. O! were but Infants capable of knowledge how much would they dread being born of wicked Parents make it your endeavour before your Children are born to sanctifie your poor Children this is done by prayer c. 1. Answ This is enough to set the Children against their ungodly Parents nay to hate them in their Hearts Alas the Children of wicked Parents I see not but they may be in as good a Condition as many Children of believers tho' I doubt not but God doth let out his infinite Grace generally more to the seed of the Faithful when grown up then to others but God will not certainly destroy poor Children for the fault and unbelief of their Parents Therefore as your begetting them in the first birth tho' gracious cannot save them so your begetting them tho' wicked cannot damn or destroy them There is no reason saith Mr. Perkins that the wickedness of the Parents should prejudice the Children in things pertaining to eternal Life Perkins on Gal. 3. p. 264. 2. However if it be as Mr. Burkitt and Mr. Owen say that when believers are in Covenant their Children are in Covenant also Doubtless they are in a safe condition whether baptized or not that doth not bring them into Covenant 3. But may not this Doctrine of theirs put a just rebuke upon unbelievers or ungoly persons for once attempting to Marry and beget Childre that are in such a sad condition by reason their Parents were not in Covenant with God ought they nay may they lawfully Marry this being consider'd and such dreadful effects following upon their poor Babes besides how far doth this Covenant blessing and priviledge extend If my Grand Father was in Covenant tho' my Father and I too are wicked and ungodly Persons are not we still in Covenant with God The Covenant of Peculiarity God made with Abraham viz. that of Circumcision extended not only to his immediate Seed or Off-Spring but to all his Natural Seed successively in their Generations untill Christ came and put an end to that external Covenant and Covenant Right CHAP. XXV Containing several Queries for Mr. Owen to answer since the Athenian Society have not done it who some time since did attempt it Sir I Having wrote a few Queries lately about Infant Baptism for the Athenian Society to answer upon their bold Challenge and since they are too hard for them to do it having said nothing at all to the purpose I shall expect to see them answered by you when you answer this reply to your Book I shall not trouble you with all but only with a few of them Query 1. Whether the