performance of their duty to God's bringing upon them the Good promised viz. with reference to their Children That the Lord may bring upon him what be hath spoken of him as if God could not keeping exactly to the terms of the Covenant vouchsafe the Good promised to Children unless that Parents be faithful in the performance of their duty towards them It seems at least very probable to infer an absolute necessity of Parents performance of their duty in order to God's giving them the Good promised in pursuance of the Promise made to them on the behalf of their Children however this must be said that Childrens forfeiture of their Covenant-state and all the Good annexed thereunto is greatly hazarded by Parents failing therein It 's true God may extend Mercy to them and answerably supply the neglect of Parents by the vouchsafement of tother means as he doth to others born of unbelieving Parents unto whom he is under no obligation by vertue of any peculiar Promise made to them But it may seem that Parents neglect of their duty dischargeth God from that obligation the is under by his Promise made to them on the behalf of their Children and that must needs extremely hazard their ever injoying the Good of the Covenant Now surely if any thing will cause sorrow or allay the joy of believing Parents at that day against which joy is sowen for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart this will do it to miss their Children in that day of Triumph and that through their own desault in point of duty towards them Let me say Is all the Good of the Covenant of so small a value as that a sond affectio shall supersede the discharge of your duty towards your Children Or is everlasting separation from the presence of God and the glory of his Power so small a matter as that rather than you will put your selves to a little pains or impose any difficulty upon your Children you will hazard that Will their roaring in Hell be a less evil than their crying under the smart of the Rod Alas what do Parents think of Heaven or Hell that they will hazard their Childrens loss of the one and undergoing the other upon such trivial accounts 2. Consider what excellent incouragements you have to a vigorous faithful and consciencious performance of your duty towards them which is the other thing remarkable in the forementioned Scripture viz. the issue and fruit of the discharge of your duty They shall keep the way of the Lord implying at least the usual concurrence of a blessing from God with the discharge of your duty and concurrence of the Sapirit to make the means used effectual God would not assert the efficacy of the means but upon a supposition of his concurrence with them by his own Spirit and Blessing It may possibly seem strange to some should I say whether ever any of the Seed of the Righteous apostatize from the ways of God and thereby forfeit their Covenant-state but upon a failure in Parents in the due discharge of their duty is a question of more difficult determination than is usually apprehended or appears at the first proposal of it But besides the incouragement you have from this Scripture how much more means have you subserving the conversion of your Children than others who either are unbelievers themselves or deny their Childrens Covenant-interest have how many Motives have you to press upon them what incouragements to preopose to them and consequently what ground have you to hope for success that you shall not labour in vain These things I had sometimes intended to have inlarged upon but for some reasons I shall contract You may be sufficiently furnished with incouragements from what hath been already said And therefore 3. Consider how great a good your Childrens conversion will be to your selves as well as unto them Doth not the comfort of your lives depend much upon the welfare of your Children will it not highly advance your comfort to be able to live in the World as in a strange Land as Heirs your selves and as seeing your Children Joynt-heirs with you of an everlasting ingheritance in Heaven would it not be your joy to see the Kingdom of Christ upheld his Church continued and propagated by those that proceed out of your own loyns Besides converting Grace will make them useful and serviceable unto you both in temporals and spirituals See Philemon 11. Will it not doubly strengthen your weak hands and feeble knees when old age comes to have them strengthned and supported by the gracious words of your own Children And surely seeing Mothers have usually most need of comfort from their Children they should be peculiarly careful to perform their duty towards them CHAP. XI The fourth grand Question proposed The improvement that the Seed of Believers may and ought to make of their Covenant state as ratified by the Application of the Token of the Covenant opened in four particulars That great Question how long the Covenant-state of the Seed of Believers is continued to them upon their Parents account answered so far as is necessary to prevent such fears as either Parents or Children are subject to as to the forfeiture of their Covenant-state in their Child-hood Quest 4. WHat use and improvement may and ought the Seed of Believers make of the Token of the Couenant applyed to them in their Infancy as they grow up to years of Maturity Answ The use and improvement they may and ought to make of it is great and of unspeakable advantage to them To instance in some few particulars 1. They may and ought to improve it as a help to their understandings that they may better and more clearly apprehend and conceive of the means and way through and by which they have the pardon of sin peace with God and must come to the actual injoyment of Salvation which as the Seed of such Parents they were born Heirs unto which are the Blood of Christ as applyed to them for the purging away the guilt of sin and the Spirit of Christ as granted for the renovation of their natures The Sacraments or Seals of the Covenant present to the eye what the Word presents to the ear and they are for the mutual illustration the one of the other Now as this way and these means are considerable under different notions so they are shadowed and represented by different symbols or signs The Blood of Christ as purging away the guilt of sin was represented in Circumsion as to be shed but it is represented in Baptism as already shed and applyed to the party baptized The body of sin was represented in Circumcision under the notion of a superfluity to be amputed and cut off 'T is represented in Baptism under the notion of a defilement or pollution which is removed by washing But the use of the one and the other in general was and is the same namely to represent to the mind that way and
faithful as also that God is able to bless and make effectual his own Institutions to those ends and purposes they are appointed to in subserviency to mans freedom from that wrath If Parents did not believe their Children were under the guilt of fin and the threatnings declaring and denouncing Wrath against them as under that guilt why should they put them under the Wings of Christ by a solemn dedieation of them to him for the securing them from Wrath And of they did not believe Christ to be a sure Refuge and that the Promises in him are true and faithful to what purpose should they put them under his Wings or carry them under the Covert of the Promises And if they did not believe that the Application of the Token of the Covenant was appointed in some kind of subserviency to their freedom from Wrath at least as growing up unto years of Maturity and that God is able to bless and make effectual that Institution for the use and end he hath appointed it why should they mind it or take any care about it Who will flee himself or carry his Children to a Refuge unless he apprehend some danger who will make that a Refuge to himself or his that he apprehends not safety in who will take any course for the securing himself or his under any refuge that he doth not apprehend will be effectual for that end Hence I say Parents by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Seed do visibly and practically profess their Faith in and Belief of the Truth Faithfulness and Power of God It is said of Moses Heb. 11.28 Through Faith he kept the Passover ad the sprinkling of Blood lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them believing the threatnings denounced against Egypt concerning the destruction of their first-born and believing the promises made to themselves concerning their own freedom from that Plague upon their sprinkling the blood of the Paschal Lamb upon the posts of their doors he keeps the Passover and sprinkleth or takes care that the blood of the Paschal Lamb be sprinkled upon their door posts accordingly And as he did this through Faith so his doing it was a visible and practical profession of his Faith Pari fide nobis circa Sacramenta est opus saith Pareus As there is a need of the like Faith so the like Faith is visibly and practically professed by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers and this greatly redounds to the glory of God This is mentioned as a peculiar discovery of the excellency of Moses his Faith implying that much or as our Lord Christ speaks a great Faith is required unto and discovered by his observation of that Institution And let me say did Parents act in the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Infant-seed from so pure a Principle of Faith as they ought to do and did they act their Faith as they ought with reference to the Token as applyed to them their Faith would be found to have a very excellency in it they might be well renowned for the excellency of their Faith Now at the greater rate of excellency Faith acts the more is God honoured and glorified thereby see Rom 4.19 and 20. From what hath been said we may evidently see what a direct yea how great a reference the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of Believers hath to the glory of God and from that reference it hath to his glory it is in part that he requires it 3. The third and last reason of this Institution respecting God may be its reâ—erence and subserviency to the supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ The supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of our Lord Christ here in the World is greatly subserved hereby Look for what end and purpose the Covenant was extended to the Seed both of Abraham and of all his Spiritual Seed See Mr. Carter his Abraham's Covenant opened pag. 36. and so on with reference and in subserviency to the same ends and purposes is the Token of the Covenant to be applyed to them Now one end of the extensiveness of the Covenant is the multiplication of the Seed of Abraham in order to the supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of Christ and answerably the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them hath a direct reference and subserviency to that end What reference and subserviency it hath to that end will appear more hereafter But let that suffice for the first Head of Reasons of God's appointing the Token of the Covenant to be applyed unto the Infant-seed of his People viz. Such as respect God himself CHAP. II The Reasons of God's ordaining the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People respecting the Parent from three Reasons now assigned 1. The advantages arising therefrom to their Faith Howgreatly their Faith is advantaged thereby shewed 2. It is for the advantage of their Joy and Comfort in their Children 3. It is that God may thereby lay greater Obligations upon them to endeavour the Conversion of their Children and their Personal Embracement of the Covenant as growing up to years of Maturity Thy variety of Obligations lying upon Paedo-Baptists so to do above what Anti-Paedo-Baptists can apprehend themselves to ly under opened How much greater ground of hope for success in their endeavours Paedo-Baptists have than Anti-Pedo-Baptists according to their Principle can have shewed The third Head of Reasons viz. Such as respect the Seed of Believers mentioned THe second Head of Reasons viz. Such as respect the Parents to whose Seed the Token is to be applyed and thus these four Reasons lie obvious 1. First it is for the advantge of their Faith to be acted with reference to their Seed by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Seed they have a visible Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant and Promises thereof as extended and made to them And that we may more fully discover what advantage the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers is to their Faith to be acted with reference to them we many observe that the Promises of the Covernant respecting the Seed of Believers are considerable two wayes 1. The Promises respecting the Seed of Believers are made to Parents with reference to and on the behalf of their Seed 2. They are made to the Seed themselves as descended from such Parents 1. The Promises respecting the Seed of Believers are firstly and primarily made to their Parents and are particular branches of the Covenant estableshed with them The Covenant confists in more Promises than one or is comprehenfive of several distinct Promises some of which only concern Believers themselves or contain some good to be enjoye only by themselves in their own persons other respect theirs though the Promises are firstly
their Children than others have or do take in theirs But now the Covenant as entred with Believers extending to and taking in their Children with them and that as sealed and confirmed by an outward and visible Sign or Token both to them and their Seed is a precious ground of hope to them concernign their Children and may if not wholly yet in a great measure relieve them under that sorrow and grief that other wise would arise from the consideration of their Iost states by Nature Now they may rationally rejoyce and take comfort in them as will appear more fully hereafter To have had a bare promise belonging ot their Children would have conduced greatly to their comfort and joy in them but to have the Promises confirmed and that such various ways must need s greatly surther their joy and comfort And God is willing that his People should have the full joy and comfort of the Mercies and Elessings he gives them and in particular of their Children they being to be reckoned among the choisest of those Mercies and Blessings This made Isaac and Jacob the one his own child the other his grand-child so gract comforts to Abraham viz. that he could look upon them as Heirs with him of the same Promise Could Parents only look upon their Children as children of Wrath alas what comfort or joy could they take in them But now seeing them Heirs of the same Promises with themselves and these Promises alike sealed and confirmed to them as to themselves now they may rationally rejoyce and take comfort in them and that may be one reason why God hath not only extended his Coventant but appointed the Application of the Token thereof to them that they many have solid comfort and joy in them 3. God may have appointed the Applicatio of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People that he might thereby lay a greater obligation upon them and more effectually provoke them to a diligent use of all those means and a vigorous performance of all those duties himself hath directed them to subservient to their Childrens embracement of the Covenant and giving themselves up to him according to the tenour thereof as they grow up to years of maturity The multiplication of the Seed of Abraham and thereby the supportation and increase of the Kingdom of Christ the reductio of faln Man from the power of sin and Satan unto himself and thereby delivering them from the Wrath to come and bringing them to eternal happiness and blessedness to the praise of his own Grace are the great ends of God both in extending the Covenant to the Seed of his People and ordaining the Application of the Token thereof unto them the attainment of all which ends is greatly subserved by the Application of the Token of the Covenant as thereby Parents become under a greater obligation to bring them up as the Apostle speaks in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This I shall the rather infist upon because the late Author whose Treatise hath been afore examined hath seen meet upon what grounds he declares not to charge our Practice of Infant-Baptism as laying a foundation to Ignorance and Profaneness though himself a little after as was there observed sufficiently insinuates or rather plainly confesseth the injustice and unreasonableness of that charge and whether our Judgment and Practice or our opposers be thore justly chargeable with that mischief shall now God willing be inquired into only premising these two things 1. First That that cannot with any shew of reason be charged upon any Practice or Doctrine as a mischief attending the one or the other which is noly consequential of some particular mistakes of particular persons owning that doctrine or walking in such a Practice Let it be granted as I shall not deny but some Paedo-Baptists have faln into and maintained such gross mistakes about the uses and ends of Baptism as have a too evident tendency to further Ignorance and Profaneness among those that profess the Christian Doctrine Yet two things may be observed 1. That they are only the mistakes of some particular men that can be justly charged to be of that tendency 2. That those mistakes respect Baptism in general and not as applyed to Infants rather then to grown persons And what an unrighteous charge that is when that is imputed to the practice of Infant-Baptism which may only possibly ensue from the mistakes of some particular men and those respecting the Baptism of Infants no more then the Baptism of grown persons is obvious to all Such Doctrines and Practices as indeed lay the strongest obligations upon men to their duty either towards God or Man may through the mistakes of some about them seem not only to countenance the neglect of that duty but be taken to give an absolute discharge from it yea to incourage to the direct contrary fins and impieties To give instances is superfluous But to charge such Doctrines or Practices with the mischief of laying a soundation to such fins and impieties against which they most strongly oblige which only through the mstakes of men about them have been improved by some to such an ill purpose is most irrational and absurd 2. It must also be premised that mens living in the neglect of their duty or in sinsand impieties lying opposite thereunto is no safe rule according to which to judge of the tendency of their avowed Judgments and Practices Thus to make the actions or carriages of some owning the Doctrine and Practice of Infant-Baptism towards their Children the rule according to which they judge of the tendency of that D ctrine and Practice is not only unsafe but altogether unreasonable 'T is possible that some that own that Doctrine and Practice may not understand how great an obligation lyes upon them thereby to the unmost care and diligence in the education of their Children And it is alike possible that others that do understand that obligation may greatly neglect that duty they know themselves obliged to And let me say I cannot but think that there are few of our opposers will be very forward to have the actions and carriages of Parents towards their Children made the Tecmerion or test of the soundness or unsoundness of their or our Judgment and Practice neither will they be willing that the controversie shall be determined by that rule It is too notorious that some have prosessedly declared their judgments to be against Catechizing and the likewayes of instructing Children in the Mysteries of the Gospel and against an authorative requiring them so much as to use and attend upon the means appointed by God for the working of Grace in the hearts of Men as well as against the Baptism of Infants And how evident a foundation is laid thereby to Ignorance and Profaneness is not difficult to apprehend neither dare any of our opposers as I suppose affirm that the generality of Anti-Paedo-Baptists go beyond the generality of
eternal life to themselves as the Psalmist Psalm 16. so Psalm 37.24 So the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.8 So again eternal lite is laid hold on by ardency of affection and desire by possessing our selves of the first fruits of it c. Now to lay hold on eternal life these or the like ways puts lise into Believers endeavours so to fight this good fight of Faith as thereby to come to the full injoyment of that life in Heaven When a man hath got any hold of any good for himself or his he will strive and tug hard rather than part with it Now I say Believers have some hold of the Grace and blessings of the Covenant for their Children they see their Children have some hold through the extent of the Covenant to them hence they must needs be more effectually ingaged and provoked to greater diligence in the use of means that their Children may come to the actual injoyment of that Grace those blessings and priviledges than they would be had not either themselves or Children any such hold of that Grace and those blessings and benefits 4. There is the goodness love and kindness of God in extending his Covenant to their Seed and vouchsafing the ratification and confirmation of it by the Application of the Token thereof unto them as a strong obligation upon and motive to Parents to use their utmost diligence in order to their Childrens imbracement of the Covenant and giving up themselves to God as his People as thereby the Kingdom of Christ may be inlarged and his Interest promoted in the World The love and kindness of God how or which way soever exprest either towards themselves or theirs is greatly obliging to sincere Believers to endeavour to their utmost power the promotion of the Interest and inlargement of the Kingdom of Christ in the World Love is of a constraining nature it hath a compulsive force and power in it We love him because he loved us first saith John Love begets and excites love and love is industrious and laborious hence we read of the labour of love 1 Thess 1.3 The Apostle gives it as the great reason of their so zealous preaching the Gospel that to some they seemed to be beside themselves viz. because the love of Christ did constrain them 2 Cor. 5.14 15. It is true the love that God hath exprest towards a Believer in the things he hath done for and the good he hath vouchsafed to himself as personally considered in and by Christ may and ought to have a constraining force upon him to live to him and answerably to endeavour to his utmost power according to the capacity wherein he stands to promote the Interest and Kingdom of Christ in the World But yet God's extending his Covenant to their Seed and confirming it by the Application of the Token thereof unto them must rationally greatly add to the compulsive force and efficacy that his love hath upon them and that for a twofold reason 1. Because his love to themselves is greatly heightned thereby To all he hath done for and vouchsafed to themselves there is the addition of that Grace vouchsafed unto theirs and the greater the love of God is and appears to be to a Believer the areater efficacy and power it hath to excite his love unto God and constrain him to lay out himself for the advantage of the Interest and Kingdom of Christ in the World 2. Because God's making the Seed of Believers partakers of the same Grace and Goodness vouchsafed to them makes it alike reasonable that they as they grow up to years of maturity should live to him as they themselves desire to do There is a meetness and fitness that those that partake of the Grace and Goodness of God should live to him And Parents seeing their Children made partakers of the same Grace and Goodness of God that themselves do partake of have the same Covenant extended to them that is entred with themselves and that ratified and confirmed to them the same way as it is ratified and confirmed to themselves they must needs judge it alike reasonable and meet that theirs should live unto God as well as themselves Hence they must needs be more effectually stirred up and provokt to use their utmost endeavours that they may so do So that I say the Love Grace and Good ness of God in extending his Covenant to the Seed of his People and ratifying and confirming it by the Application of the Token thereof to them is a very great obligation upon and may and ought to be improved as a powerful motive by them to provoke and ingage themselves to the utmost diligence in using all means that their Children may personally imbrace the Covenant and give up themselves to God as his People as they grow up to years of maturity as thereby the Interest of Christ is promoted and his Kingdom inlarged And yet further there are three things the consideration of which may and will still heighten and increase the constraining efficacy and force that the Love Grace and Goodness of God hath upon the hearts of believing Parents to move and provoke them to the afore-mentioned diligence 1. That it is the Interest of their Redeemer that is promoted and his Kingdom that is inlarged thereby 2. That God hath extended his Covenant and appointed the Application of the Token thereof the Seed of Believers with reference to this very end viz. the increase and inlargement of the Kingdom of Christ in the World and that in pursuance of that promise made to him that he should have the Heathen for his Inheritance and the utmost ends of the earth for his Possession 3. That they are their own Children those that came out of their own bowels towards whom they are to use the means in order to the ends mentioned The Love and Goodness of God hath a constraining power upon the hearts of Believers to do his will however revealed or whatever reference their doing of it hath But when the things whereabout his will is revealed relate to the promotion of the Interest and inlargement of the Kingdom of their Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ and the increase and inlargement of his Kingdom was designed by his expressing his love and goodness to them in the ways he hath done and they are their Children the fruit of their own bodies that are the objects of their duty which in obedience to the will of God they are to perrorm surely now the Love Grace and Goodness of God must needs have the greatest efficacy and power in it to engage yea constrain them to a vigorous and diligent performance of that their duty 5. There is the aggravation that the sin of the Seed of Believers in not accepting of the Covenant and performing the conditions of it receives from their precedent Covenant-state further to oblige and provoke Parents who own that their Covenant-state and have applyed the Token of the Covenant on the account thereof to
endeavour to the utmost of their power that they may accept of and perform the conditions of it Not to accept of the Covenant but on the other hand to reject it is a greater sin in those that have a precedent interest in it than in those that have no such interest It was a greater sin in Esan to despise his Birth-right and Blessing then the bare not taking hold of the Covenant was to those that had no such birth-priviledg To despise or reject a good granted is more than the bare not receiving any good offered Now Parents considering how greatly the sin of their Children will be aggravated in case they perform not the conditions of but on the other hand reject the Covenant and consequently that their condemnation will be greater than the condemnation of others must needs strongly oblige and more effectually provoke them to greater diligence in the discharge of their duty towards them in order to the preventing their rejection and on the other hand in order to their accepting and performing the conditions of the Covenant 6. There is the reference that Parents faithful discharge of their duty towards their Children hath to their Childrens preservation in their Covenant-state and consequenly injoying the full good and benefit thereof as they grow up to years of maturity as a farther obligation upon and motive to provoke them thereunto God hath taken the Seed of Believers into Covenant with himself as they are their Seed and continues their Covenant-state during their Infancy on the account of their Parents Faith But when they grow up to years of maturity the condition of their continuance in that Covenant-state and consequently in joying the blessings of the Covenant is devolved upon themselves they must in their own persons imbrace and take hold of the Covenant and perform the conditions of it which that they may do God requires their Parents to teach them his way and command them to walk in it which duty of Parents in teaching and commanding their Children is the first and most proper means appointed of God in order to their personal imbracement and taking hold of his Covenant and hence in case Parents fail in the discharge of their duty their Children are deprived of the first and most proper means subservient to their prefervation in their Covenant-state And though it may seem hard to say that God will not vouchsafe other means and bless them to the attaining of that end yet this I must say there is more depending upon Parents discharge of their duty than most are aware of and that God will vouchsafe other means and bless them to supply the defect of Parents duty is as I judge more than they have warrant to expect However the depriving them of the first and most proper means must needs be extremely hazardous and is usually given as a main reason of so many of the Seed of the Righteous proving wicked And did Parents but understand and seriously consider this how great an obligation must it needs be to them faithfully to discharge their duty towards their Children 7. And lastly There is the dishonour redounding unto God by Childrens rejecting the Covenant and falling off to ways of sin and profaneness yet farther to oblige Parents to a faithful discharge of their duty towards them When men hear the Covenant-interest of the Seed of Believers asserted and see the Token thereof applyed to them and yet after see them to run into the same wayes of sin and ungodliness with the Children of others they are apt to reflect upon God and to charge him with unfaithfulness in his promises or deluding the World with a shew of extending more Grace to Believers than indeed he doth And this very thing viz. the frequent apostacies of the Seed of Believers and their walking in the same ways of impiety with the Children of others though wholly groundlessly yet I conceive is no little stumbling-block in the way of those whose judgment and practice lyes opposite to what hath been pleaded for Now the preventing this dishonour redounding unto God and removing this stumbling-block out of the way of the weak is a strong obligation upon Parents to a faithful performance of their duty towards their Children And the laying these and the like obligations upon Parents to a diligent performance of that their duty towards their Children may be one special reason of God's appointing the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them And by what hath been said we may see how much greater obligations are upon Believers who own their Childrens interest in the Covenant and have the Token thereof applyed to them upon that account and how many motives are improveable by them to provoke and stir up themselves to a faithful discharge of their duty towards them than what are upon or improveable by the contrary minded according to their respective judgments and practices 2. The other enquiry is whether Paedo-Baptists or Anti-Paedo-Baptists according to what they respectively hold with reference to their Children have greater and surer ground to hope and expect that the means used or duties performed by them shall be effectual and successful or whether the means used and duties performed by the one or the other be more likely to prove effectual and successful for the accomplishing the ends aimed at Answ Now for this that the advantages ly on the side of the Paedo-Baptists will be undeniably evident by a double consideration which I shall but as it were mention because they must both be more fully insisted upon in a more proper place 1. Consider that Paedo-Baptists according to what they hold with reference to their Children have vastly more means to use in order to their conversion and imbracement of the Covenant and giving themselves up to God according to the tenour of it then Anti-Paedo-Baptists have they have many more motives arguments and incouragements to propose apply to and press upon their Children than the contrary-minded have And where the means are greater and more effectual in themselves their efficacy and success may according to the ordinary way of God's working upon men be expected to be answerable 2. They have many promises both made to themselves with reference to their Children and housholds and to their Children as under the Covenant and of the visible Church and Kingdom of Christ beyond what the contrary-minded can according to their judgments and principles apply to themselves or theirs whâ—â—â— promises though they should not infallibly secure Grace to all the Seed of Believers how careful soever they may be in the use of means and how faithful soever in the discharge of their duty towards them yet they are vastly greater ground to hope for success than there would be supposing no such promises were made either to Parents or Children But these things shall if the Lord will be more cleared up hereafter Now then let all men judge how unrighteous and unreasonable that charge laid upon Paedo-Baptism
is viz. that it lays a foundation to Ignorance and Profaneness and how much more justly that charge may be laid upon the contrary judgment and practice We see Paedo-Baptists are under vastly greater obligations to a diligent use of means and performance of duty in order to the conversion of their Children and their personal imbracement of the Covenant than the contrary-minded can according to their judgment look upon themselves as under and have vastly more ground to expect that their use of means and performance of duty shall be successful than they have But let that suffice for the reasons of Gods appointing the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People as they respect the Parents to whose Seed that Application is to be made 3. The reasons respecting the Children themselves to whom the Token of the Covenant is to be applyed and thus the great reason is their good benefit and advantage But that brings me to the second grand enquiry From what hath been said we may evidently see that the rationality of this Institution is not only secured to us by the infinit wisdom of God instituting but sufficient reason for it lyes obvious to all serious considerate minds CHAP. III. The second Question proposed A brief Introduction to the Answer of it The first benefit that the Seed of Believers receive by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them declared viz. They have thereby a solemn admission into and Membership in the visible Church Kingdom or Family of Christ An Objection answered The good redounding to them by that their admission and Membership shewed in two Instances 1. They are comprehended in and have an equal benefit with the rest of the Members of the Church by all these prayers put up for the Church in general 2. They are under that special providential care that Christ exerciseth over his Church 3. Questions relating thereunto resolved Quest 2. WHat are the Benefits and advantages arising to the Infant-feed of Believers from the Application of the Tokens of the Covenant to them or what good do they receive thereby Answ That all Ordinances of Divine Original are a signification and signal expression of the good will of God unto men and consequently aim at and tend to the good and benefit of those that are the due and proper subjects of them hath been intimated already and may be alike infallibly concluded from the goodness as their rationality from the wisdom of the Institutor As for that special Ordinance under our present consideration the Apostles answer to much the same question put with respect to Circumcision is applicable to and may be given as a more general solution of the question now put respective to both Circumcision and Baptism as applyed to Infants the advantage they have thereby is much and that every way What that good and advantage is and wherein it doth consist is now to be inquired into and in general or as to the sum and substance of it it 's threefold 1. First They thereby are solemnly admitted into and incorporated in the visible Church Kingdom or Family of Christ and thereupon become to use the Aposltes phrase Fellow-citizens of the Saints and of the Houshold of God That Baptism now is as Circumcision of old was a solemn right for the initiation and admission of all those that are rightful Subjects of it into the visible Church or body of Christ is agreed on on all hands which that the Infants we now speak of are hath been already proved and is now taken for granted which being granted that they have this good and benefit by it will receive a ready acknowledgment from all and indeed that to have a Membership in the Church or to be Fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God is a good or advantage unto men cannot be rationally questioned by any though wherein the good and advantage of it in the case of Infants does consist is not obvious unto all And therefore must now be more throughly searched into and declared But before I proceed to that one objection must be removed out of our way which seems in the judgment of some strongly to oppose Infants injoyment of that priviledge and consequently their right to that Ordinance appointed for the solemn admission of men into it And it is this Object It may be said that it may seem that Infants as such cannot rightfully be admitted into or incorporated in the visible Church or body of Christ or be of his Houshold and Family as visible and that for this reason Because membership in the visible Church Body or Kingdom of Christ does presuppose membership in his invisible Body seeing to be a member of his visible Body is nothing else but visibly to appear to be a real member of his invisible Body that distinction of visible and invisible not being distinctio rei sed tantum nominis only a distinction of one and the same Church à duplici modo unionis communionis cum Christo capite still interno externo so that the Church by these terms of visible and invisible is only distinguished of in regard of a certain adjunct viz. The manner or kind of union and communion that the several members it is constituted of have with Christ the head viz. internal and real or only external or appearing Hence all that are or ought to be received as members of the visible Church they are and ought to be such as visibly appear to have real internal Union and Communion with Christ Now it will be said that Infants as such seem incapable of any such Union and Communion with him or suppose them simply or absolutly capable yet whether any actually have especially which of them in particular have such a Union and Communion with Chist is wholly unknown to us and then how can they be said visibly to appear members of the invisible Body of Christ which they must do in case they have a right to membership in his visible Body Answ In answer to this Objection I would say these three or four things 1. First That the difficulty of resolving some doubts that may arise with reference to persons right to or injoyment of Gospel-priviledges ought not to be pleased for the overthrowing or disanulling their right to them when God hath evidently declared them in his Word to have such a right to or to have had by his own approbation the actual possession and injoyment of them God may have plainly revealed their right and yet more darkly revealed many things relating to that their right Instances would not be wanting would I insist upon them of Gospel-priviledges that the Scriptures evidently declare persons so and so qualified to have a real right to and to have the actual possession and injoyment of and yet doubts of no easie resolution may be raised with reference to their right to them and the way and manner of their coming
Believers therefore it constitutes the same Union between Christ and others viz. their Infant-seed it being equally and alike established with them as it is with Believers themselves This argument carries its evidence with the same clearness as the former For though it is true the conditions of the Covenant as established with adult Believers differ from the conditions of it as established with Infants yet that hinders not but that the Union constituted between Christ and them is one and the same with that constituted between him and adult Believers In as much as the Covenant accepts of the Parents Faith as the condition of the Child's admission thereinto as will as the Faith of grown Persons for their own admission thereinto now it is the Covenant as absolutely considered and not as requiring such and such conditions that constitutes this kind of Union between Christ and men be they adult or Infants neither can that higher kind of Union viz. Physical that Believers have with Christ be pleaded as a prejudice to Infants injoyment of this lower kind of Union with him seing neither the antecedent operations or consequent indwelling of the Spirit in the soul whereby that higher kind of Union is effected are any otherwise necessary to this lower kind of Union which I call Political or merely relative than the performance of the conditions of the Covenant by the adult and the Promises of the Covenant appertaining to them having personally performed them make so to be when the conditions of the Covenant may be truly and really performed without such operations of the Spirit as in the case of Infants they may and there is no promise of the indwelling presence of the Spirit as is also their case there a political Union may be really constituted and yet no higher Union granted so that Infants have a real Political Union with Christ is evident and indeed to grant them an interest in the Covenant and yet deny them such a Union would be absolutely contradictory What Objections carry any appearance of opposition against what hath been now granted yea asserted shall be considered hereafter This I say at present that the Infant-seed of Believers may be granted yea must be affirmed to have a true and real Political or relative Union with Christ the Head of the Church which as it gives them a right to membership so is a sufficient warrant for their admission into the actual possession of that their right in the Church Kingdom or Family of Christ as visible here upon earth neither are we concerned as I conceive to inquire or determine how far or in what sense they may be said by vertue of this Union to be Members of the Church or Body of Christ as invisible seing our judgment and practice relating unto them have divine revelation for their ground and rule This objection being removed out of our way I shall now proceed to inquire what good benefit or advantage the Infant-seed of Believers have by their membership in the visible Church Body or Kingdom of Christ and it may be reduced to these three heads 1. First which I shall but touch upon they as Members of the visible Church are comprehended in and have the benefit of those prayers that are continually made for the whole Israel of God or the Church of God in general as it is the duty of Believers in their more general Assemblies so of each particular Believer to make known their requests unto God for themselves or on his own behalf by prayer supplication with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4. So to pray for Jerusalem or the Church of God in general pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psal 122.6 By Jerusalem we are to understand the Church of God in general and as this is the duty of Believers so that love both to Christ the head and to the whole Body of which each in particular is a Member that is the inseparable effect of regeneration obliges and constrains them to the performance of it hence it is but seldom but sincere Saints especially in their more solemn addresses unto God 〈◊〉 leave some 〈…〉 in the Psalmist Psal 51.18 So in the Apostle Gal. 1.16 Though the one was only making application to God for relief in a particular case the other leaving his valedictory benediction with those he had written to yet Zion or the Israel of God shall not be forgotten by the one or the other Hence there is as I may so speak a stock of Prayers not treasury of Merits continually treasuring up for the Church of God in which the Infant-seed of Believers have their interest and share and this is no small benefit to have so many thousands whom the Lord hath appointed as his remembrancers daily putting him in mind of his Covenant and Promises as made with and to his Church whereof they are Members as well as of the Covenant and Promises made with and to them in special as the Seed of such Parents and this if duly considered might yield great comfort to believing Parents that theirs as well as themselves are dayly presented before the Throne of Grace by so many who are under the promise of having the ear of God open to them 2. And rather being Members of the visible Church Kingdom or Family of our Lord Christ they have a joynt interest with all other members in that special providential care that he exercises over his own house That the work of providence is put into the hand of Christ by the Father is evident as from variety of other Scriptures so in special from that John 5.22 where Christ himself tells us that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son yet not so as to cease to work himself for the Father works in and by the Son but that the work of Providence is put into the hand of the Son is evident and this work of Providence or providential care of Christ is twofold 1. First more general and so it extends to the utmost bounds and limits of the creation of God no creature that received its being from God but it is under providence as administred by Christ as all things are made by him so by him do all things consist 2. Secondly more special and thus the Church is the proper object of the special providential care of Christ therefore he is said by way of Emphasis to be the keeper of Israel Psal 121.4 He that keepeth Israel or as the words may be read he that is keeping Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as we have here the special object of divine Providence viz. Israel that is the Church so the exactness and speciality of that providential care exercised towards or over that object intimated partly in the word keepeth or keeping that is carefully and diligently keeping * Curam solicitudinem diligentiam connotat more fully declared in the following words neither slumbreth nor sleepeth a man though he fall not