3. And immediately I was in the spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven and one sat on the throne And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne in sight like unto an emerald This was Christ whom God gave to be a Light unto the Gentiles and a Covenant of the People Isa 49.8 And the Rain-bow round about the Throne is an Allusion unto the Token of Noah's Covenant which is a Token of Mercy and Grace and the various providential Dispensations of God towards his Covenant-People and the various Gifts and Graces of the Spirit for the full accomplishment of all the Promises of the Covenant both to Jew and Gentile especially about the Latter-day Glory in calling and converting the Jews with the Fulness of the Gentiles when God will set Christ his King upon his Holy Hill in Zion and make all his Enemies his Foot-stool Psal 2.6 Psal 110.1 Which is Typified in that aforesaid Rev. 4.2 3. 2. We have Noah's Covenant recited in the Gospel by way of clear Expression in 1 Pet. 3. when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a preparing wherein few that is eight souls were saved by water The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us c. Here are Six things to be observed from these Texts aforesaid 1. Here is Noah's Covenant and the Token thereof brought down and joined to the Gospel-Dispensation and the Ordinance of Baptism which is the Initiating Seal of the Covenant in the room of Circumcision is also joined to it 2. As the Waters that drowned the Old World were Waters of Mercy to Noah and his Family because they bore up the Ark and saved them so Christ who is a Lyon of Judgment to the Ungodly is a Lamb of Mercy to his People and is the Ark of God wherein all the Elect of God are which is born up by the Power of God by the Waters of Regeneration unto Salvation of which Water Baptism is a Figure Titus 3.4 5. 3. As the Waters that were aspersed upon the Ark was a Token of Mercy and Grace to Noah and his Seed so is Water-baptism to Believers and all their Seed which is the Figure thereof Now how can this be a like Figure to the Dispensation of God towards Noah and all his Seed if our Children are excluded from Baptism the Figure thereof 4. This also points out unto us the subjects of Baptism as well as the Mode thereof 1. The Subjects of Baptism For as Noah and all his Children were in the Ark so all Believers and their Seed are in Covenant and ought to have the Figure of Noah's Preservation namely Baptism administred unto them in their Infancy For though all Noah's Seed were not eternally saved yet they were all in Covenant until Ham sinned himself out of it neither do I believe that all are saved or shall be saved that are baptized for Judas and Simon Magus and many others were baptized 2. It gives good Authority for sprinkling or pouring Water in Baptism for dipping or plunging is more like a punishment of Criminals than the solemnizing of Gods Holy Ordinance of Baptism It is a nearer Representation or Figure of Gods Wrath upon the Old World than of Grace and Mercy in the Covenant God made with Abraham and his Seed the blessing of which is devolved upon us Gentiles and our Children Gen. 12.3 Acts 3. Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities 5. As the Old ungodly World were all immersed and dipped in Wrath and Judgment so proud Pharaoh and all his Host were plunged and destroyed when he pursued Israel into the Red Sea but Israel passed through safely and were but sprinkled and so were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. 6. And Lastly By all these things God hath plainly demonstrated unto us that his Covenant Love and Grace is the same now as it was ever both to Believers and their Seed it is unchangable even like God himself that made it 3. Mr. K. saith in p. 25. The Covenant of Works was primarily made with Adam yet another Addition or Ministration of it was given on Mount Sinai and to that Covenant I did there prove Circumcision did appertain But how Mr. K. can make these things hang together I know not for Circumcision was Instituted 430 Years before the Ceremonial Law was given upon Mount Sinai and the Moral Law was from Adam's Time for Cain was Excommunicated for breaking the Moral Law But if the Moral Law was abrogated when the Ceremonial Law was then hath Mr. K. gained a Point for he saith the Substance of his other Arguments are in this and to prove it to be a Additional Ministration to the Covenant of Works saith he The Man that doth those things shall live in them Which latter is true in it self for there is no Salvation to be had without Moral Righteousness though not for it and so he lives in it in sincere Obedience though not in perfect Obedience for the latter is in Christs Obedience and tho' a Man in doing these things lives in them yet he is not justified by his own Obedience to the Moral Law but he is justified by Christs personal perfect Obedience both active and passive to the Law and Justice of God but by the Deeds of the Law no Flesh can be Justified in the sight of God Pray mind what the Apostle saith in Gal. 3.17 21. And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul that it should make the promise of none effect 2. Here is to be observed that the Everlasting Covenant God confirmed with Abraham of which Circumcision was a Token is called the Promise and the Sinai Covenant is called the Law but saith the Apostle in ver 21. Is the law then against the promises of God God forbid for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been by the law Ver. 11. But that no man is justisted the law in the sight of God it is evident for The just shall live by faith 3. The Apostle doth clearly prove that the Sinai Covenant of Obedience to the Moral Law is still in force in Rom. 7.7 12. What shall we say then Is the law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust except the law had said Thou shalt not covet Wherefore the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and
Sin then both these two Ordinances viz. Circumcision and the Passeover were transformed into Baptism and the Lords Supper and whereas the two former did shew the Lords Death to come so the two latter do shew that the Lord is come and hath been offered up a Sacrifice for sin and Baptism is the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith as succeeding Circumcision 4. I challenge Mr. B. K. to prove that ever the believing Jews children were denied the Ordinance of Baptism or that Infant-baptism is any where forbid in the Gospel 5. And Lastly Let him also prove if he can that ever any one Child either of believing Jew or Gentile did stay until he was an Adult Person and then made a confession of his Faith and was baptized for no doubt but there were many thousands of Believers children and Grand-children that were Believers and grown Persons in the Apostles Time whose Parents might be baptized by John at the first Institution of that Ordinance And would it not be very strange if they had not been baptized in their Infancy that we should not read of one that had been baptized when he came to Years of understanding Timothy's Mother and Grandmother were both Believers and he himself an Eminent Saint and he made a great Figure in the Church of Christ and yet we never read of his Baptism but we do of his Circumcision but no doubt but as the latter was in his Manhood so the former was in the time of his Childhood Thus I have proved the Infant-Seed of Believers to be Disciples 2. All the Infant-Seed of Believers are called holy Children 1 Cor. 7.14 Even as the Children of Israel were because they were a Covenant-People and yet all Israel were not saved for with many of them God was not well-pleased neither do I believe that all the Seed of Gospel-Believers will be saved though they are baptized but all that are Elected shall be saved They are holy by vertue of their being in the Covenant with their Parents and as Christ did not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it so neither did he come to Repeal nor Dissolve the Covenant but to confirm it Dan. 9. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself c. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week c. 5. The Infant-Seed of Believers are under the Ministry of the Holy Angels Mat. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven And look back on the 6th verse and you will see that they were Children that believed in Christ Heb. 1. Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation The blessed Angels have the care and conduct of all the Elect of God both in their Lives and at their Deaths Luke 16. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome That was into Eternal Glory and the Angels are as capable of doing Service for an Elect Infant both living and dying as they are for the oldest Saint upon Earth because the Angels are not Acted by any power of the Creatures but by the Power of God therefore the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right to Baptism in which Ordinance all the Subjects are as passive as all the Subjects of Circumcision were and the Children of Believers do make the same passive Figure in the Church now as the Children of the Jews did in the Church under the Law for our Saviour tells us that of such is the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Church 6. And Lastly To crown all the rest Was the sweet compassionate behaviour of our blessed Redeemer towards the Infant-Seed of Believers in Mark 10. And they brought young children unto him that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God And he took them up in his arms put his hands upon them and blessed them 1. Here was no bodily Distemper complained of nor no cure wrought upon their Bodies 2. These Children were the Infant-Seed of Believers For if their Parents had not been reconciled unto Christ they would never have brought their children unto him to be blessed by him 3. As they were Adult Believers that brought them to Christ so were they also which rebuked them that brought them 4. And Lastly Christ did receive them and laid his Hands on them and blessed them and also prayed Thus you see that the sweet carriage and compassionate behaviour of our blessed Redeemer towards these little Infants of believing Parents doth clearly demonstaate unto us that they were in the Covenant and were baptized before they were thus visibly brought unto Christ seeing that he himself laid his hands on them and blessed them for laying on of Hands in the Primitive Time was succedaneous to Baptism Acts 8.12 15 16 17. Thus you see it clearly made out That all the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right to the Ordinance of Baptism and this brings me to take notice of that Query of B. K's viz. What Benefit is it to a Child to be baptized To which I reply So might proud carnal Reason have Queried in the Time of Circumcision What benefit have our Young Infants by being circumcised at Eight Days old But the Apostles Answer is very compatible to Mr. K. Rom. 3.1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew or what profit is there of circumcision Much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Believing Gentiles and their Children are one Body and likewise a holy People 1 Cor. 7.14 And so they have a Federal Right unto the Oracles of God as Israel had of old 3. Baptism is a solemn Dedication of our Children unto God from whom we received them and it must be done by a solemn Act by the Parents consent in an Ordinance of God or else it is but humane Invention therefore if it ought not to be done in that Church Ordinance namely Baptism then I desire to know of those Gentlemen that oppose it what Church Ordinance it must be done in that is more compatible than that of Baptism 4. And Lastly It is the Duty of all Christian Believers to look upon all their Children in their Infancy as Elected of God from all Eternity It is not for us to reprobate any of them in our Minds and say If I knew which of my Children were chosen of God I would dedicate them only unto God in Baptism For that indeed is a secret we ought not to pry into it is Gods Prerogative only to know which of our Childrens Names are written in
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah and she and he and her house did eat many days Here was the Woman and the Prophet and her House that was her Son did eat many days for she had no more in her Family as in the 12th Verse Heb. 11. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house c. That was himself Wife and Children Gen. 6.1 7. So that it is impossible Children could be excluded if they had any because the word Houshold includes them but it would be very strange if there were no children in all those baptized Families that are mentioned in the Gospel only occasionally for no doubt but there were many thousands of Housholds more that were baptized in the Apostles Time which they had not the same occasion to mention in particular which we do not read of 4. And Lastly Though all the Infant-Seed of Believers are Holy Children in Scripture account yet they are not all savingly sanctified neither is Water-baptism it self such an Ordinance as to convey or infuse Grace and Holiness into the Subject baptized so as to unite them to Christ by Regeneration No that is the Work of the Holy Ghost alone in the Baptism by Fire Indeed this I do believe that God may nay many times doth while the external Sign of Regeneration and Sanctification is applying without work the thing signified by his holy Spirit internally within Thus you see here are clear Examples of Infant-Baptism and good Authority for it unless it can be proved that there were no Children in all these Nations that Christ commissioned his Apostles to preach the Gospel unto 3. It is clear that all the Infant-Seed of Believers have a Right unto the Ordinance of Baptism in their Infancy from the peculiar Promises of God made unto them above all other Children in the World 1. God hath promised to be their God Gen. 17.7 Psal 112.2 His seed shall be mighty upon the earth The generation of the upright shall be blessed Psal 102.28 The children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee And in Isa 29.23 Isa 44.3 Isa 65.22 Act. 2.29 Here you see are Precious Promises made to the Children of Believers to be fulfilled and accomplished in Gospel-times and is it rational to conceive that God would not allow them the Ordinance of Baptism that is now the Seal or Token of the Covenant wherein all these Promises are contained which God hath made to the Seed of Believers Therefore all the Children of Believers ought to be baptized in their Infancy 4. We may infer that the Infant Seed of Believers have a Right to Baptism from the Renowned Titles that are given them First they are called Disciples Acts 15.1 10. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved They did not say After the manner of Abraham No for they were zealous of the Ceremonial Law These Men came from Judea where John had been baptizing all that came to him ver 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear But it may be Objected Those were Adult believing Gentiles Which in part is true but it was to their Children principally for they which taught them that they themselves must be circumcised did also teach them that their Children must be circumcised and that the Jews Children must be circumcised likewise as doth clearly appear from Acts 21. Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous of the law And they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their children c. Pray when was this that the Apostle did thus teach the People Why do but look back into Acts 15. and you will find it was when the Men came down from Judea and preached up Circumcision and were such Zealots for the Law of Moses as that they told the People they could not be saved without keeping of it So that it is clear that these Children in Acts 11. were of the number of those Disciples in Acts 15.10 And therefore the Infant-Seed of Believers are Disciples and ought to be baptized as being in Christs Commission Matth. 28.19 20. Now a little by way of Query and Expostulation 1. Is it any ways likely that the believing Jews would have been brought off from circumcising their Children without an Ordinance that was equivalent or better in the room of it Especially if we do but consider how hard a Task the Apostles had to bring them off from it for they thought they should be damned if they did neglect it Acts 15.1 2. If we do but consider what a great Esteem the Jews hath for the Ordinance of Baptism which may be measured by the Question our Saviour put to those Great Men when they came to him to question his Authority in Mark 11. 29 30. They did not dare to say that John's Baptism was of Men for fear that the People would have stoned them 3. If it were such a dangerous thing for those Priests Scribes and Elders to have denied John's Baptism to be of divine Authority what a dangerous thing would it have been for any Man to have Asserted that all their Children had been cast out of Abraham's Covenant or to have opened their Mouths against Infant-baptism seeing the Apostles had so much adoe to bring them off from Circumcision which was the Seal or Token of the Covenant and did Typifie our Saviours bloody Baptism namely his Death and Sufferings 1. It was a bloody Ordinance Exod. 4.25 26. So was Christs Sufferings Luke 12.50 2. It was a painful Ordinance so was Christs Sufferings 3. It was an Ordinance wherein all the Subjects were passive so was Christ in his bloody Baptism 4. It was an Ordinance of Incision or cutting off the Flesh so was the Sufferings of Christ Dan. 9.26 After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off but not for himself 5. And Lastly The Male Children were only to be circumcised which did Typifie that Christ our Redeemer must be a Man and that of sorrow and the Pascal Lamb did Type out the same It must be a male of the flock without blemish so must Christ be a Male of the Flock or Tribe of Judah without sin But the Females must not be circumcised because they could not make a True Figure of Christ our Passeover which was sacrificed for us But the Females have the Ordinance of Child-bearing which is the True Figure of Regeneration without which there could have been no Circumcision 2. When Christ the Antitype came in the Flesh and was offered up a Sacrificeâ— for