Gen. 12.3 and elsewhere But yet this Promise which the Apostle deduceth from these Words must likewise be contained in this Covenant and so those Words must be also a Part of it though spoken at another time Because Circumcision that was the Token of this Covenant was a Seal to Abraham of this Promise Rom. 4.11 And he received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised Which must be founded on the Promise so that that Promise likewise belongs to this Covenant and therefore is sealed by it And this Covenant as delivered to Abraham the Apostle tells us also was confirmed in Christ Gal. 3.17 and therefore can be no other than the Gospel or New Covenant Yea and the Promise of divine Assistance for fulfilling the Conditions of the Covenant was contained also in the same Covenant with Abraham For so we find it was understood by the Church formerly Mic. 7.19 20. He will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast their Sins into the Depth of the Sea Thou wilt perform the Truth unto Jacob and the Mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn to our Fathers from the Days of old Which must needs have Respect to God's Oath and Covenant with Abraham And so also the Apostle reckons that God's sending his Son Christ to bless them and to turn them from their Iniquities was a great Instance of the Accomplishment of the Covenant that God made with Abraham Acts 3.25 26. For the great Design of God in this Covenant at first as appears by the first Call that was given him Gen. 12.1 was to separate him and his Family and Seed from the rest of the Nations which were fallen into the vilest Idolatry and to preserve Religion and the Worship of the true God in his Family And the Promise of the Messiah in whom the Covenant is founded had this Design in it Luke 1.72 73 74 75. The Oath that he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life So that the Covenant with Abraham was a Church-Covenant and contained in it all the Terms and Design that belonged to such a Covenant and was made with all the Family of Abraham in which his Infant-seed was also comprehended and were to partake of the Promises and Privileges that appertained to it It belonged to all his Family in the external Dispensation of it and none were excluded from the Benefits of it that did not exclude themselves by their own actual Unbelief and Disobedience to the Terms of it And Circumcision was a Seal of it to all with whom it was made as the visible Church of God and to the Infant-seed of Abraham as Parts or Members thereof For Sacraments or Signs are not appointed to the Church Invisible for who shall judg then to whom they are to be administred but to the Church as Visible Thus having cleared up the Nature of the Abrahamical Covenant which God made with him and his Seed even in their Infant-state I shall now go forward and shall observe how God hath shewn the same gracious Respects to Infants in the Progress of his Dispensations towards the Jewish People And thus we find afterwards that the whole Body of the Jewish People in Jacob's Line amongst whom Children also were contained are collectively stiled by God himself his Son Exod. 4.22 23. Say unto Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord Israel is my Son even my First-born And I say unto thee Let my Son go that he may serve me Thus God speaks of them before they were formed into a Political Commonwealth only because he had chosen and called them out of the Nations to be a peculiar People to himself And in this Appellation their little ones were comprehended as appears because they were of the Number of those that were to go also For Pharaoh would have let the Men of Israel go but not their little ones Exod. 10.10 But we will go saith Moses with our Young and with our Old ver 9. So that the whole Body of Israel including little ones also was God's Son for God had chosen and called all the Seed of Israel to be his Covenant-People And therefore thus also Moses afterwards enters and engages all into Covenant with God one as well as another taking in the little ones likewise Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Ye stand this Day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the Men of Israel your little ones your Wives and the Stranger that is in thy Camp from the Hewer of thy Wood to the Drawer of thy Water that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God and into his Oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this Day that he may establish thee to Day for a People unto himself and that he may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy Fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. So that this was but the renewing of the Abrahamical Covenant with the People as appears by the latter Clause of it running in the same Terms for the Accomplishment of the Promise and Oath made to Abraham and his Seed Deut. 3â— â— And in the next Chapter the Grace signified by Circumcision is there promised to Parents and Children to enable them to perform the Terms of it And it being promised to both it imports that the Covenant which Circumcision sealed belongs to both For the Lord thy God will circumcise thine Heart and the Heart of thy Seed And after this again even when the People were fallen off also to the Worship of other Gods yet retaining still the Acknowledgment of the God of Israel though they joined others with him God challengeth and owns their Children for his Ezek. 16.20 21. Thou hast taken thy Sons and thy Daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou sacrificed thou hast slain my Children and delivered them to cause them to pass through the Fire Now it was upon this Account viz. by virtue of God's choosing and calling the Seed of Abraham and separating them from the rest of the World to the Knowledg and Worship of the true God that they were stiled his peculiar People and Children and not upon a mere Political Account or upon the Account of other carnal and temporal Respects For in this manner we find Moses speaking to them Deut 14.1 2. Ye are the Children of the Lord your God and therefore are not to follow or comport with the Customs and Practices of the Heathen For thou art an holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People to himself above all the Nations that are upon the Earth And so chap. 7.6 For thou art an
A BRIEF DEFENCE OF Infant-Baptism WITH AN APPENDIX Wherein is shewed that it is not necessary that Baptism should be administred by Dipping By JOHN OLLYFFE Rector of Almer in the County of Dorset LONDON Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard and are to be sold by John Woolfryes Bookseller in Blandford MDCXCIV TO THE READER THE following Treatise is the Substance of some Discourses which I delivered in my Parish-Church for the Establishment of my Hearers in the present Truth which I now publish partly for their sakes to put them in remembrance thereof and that they may have something still by them to oppose to the restless and importunate Insinuations of those that are of the other Perswasion And partly in hopes that it may be of some Vse to others that either need or desire Settlement or Information herein If it shall fall into the Hands of any of those of the other way I only desire this of them that they will endeavour to read it with as little Prejudice as they can For I can assure them that I have no mind either to deceive or to be deceived But as I have learned and am perswaded of the Truth as it is in Jesus so do I desire to speak and preach and live If any shall think that this had been a Province fitter for others to have undertaken I shall readily join with them in the same Opinion But yet I shall add this that I have some Reasons to incline me to do as I have done And I doubt not but to find Excuse at least among all those that are truly candid and sincere Lovers of Truth If thou receivest Reader any Benefit thereby give God the Praise and pray for me JOHN OLLYFFE A Brief Defence of Infant-Baptism THAT I may proceed with all imaginable Plainness in this Matter I shall first set down what I have to say by way of Argument for it which I shall endeavour to clear up and confirm and then I shall afterwards endeavour to remove the Objections that are most commonly made and most usually rais'd against it To begin with the first That which I have to say by way of Argument in the Defence of Infant-Baptism is this viz. They that are to be owned and received by us as the Children of God and his Peculiar and Covenant-People and Members of the Church of Christ to whom the promised Blessings of the Covenant do belong ought to be baptized But there are some young Children or Infants who are to be received and owned by us as the Children of God and his Peculiar and Covenant-People and Members of the Church of Christ to whom the promised Blessings of the Covenant do belong Therefore there are some young Children or Infants who ought to be baptized For the clearing and confirming of this Argument two things are to be made out and confirmed I. That there are some young Children or Infants who are to be owned and received by us as the Children of God and his Peculiar and Covenant-People and Members of the Church of Christ to whom the promised Blessings of the Covenant do belong II. That being to be so owned and received by us they are therefore to be baptized I. That there are some young Children or Infants who are to be owned and received by us as the Children of God and his Peculiar and Covenant-People and Members of the Church of Christ to whom the promised Blessings of the Covenant do belong For there are some young Children or Infants that have been so received and reckoned and declared by God himself for his peculiar and Covenant-People and Children and Members of his Church and this their Church-Membership and Relation to him as his peculiar Covenant-People and Children hath never been abolish'd or taken away by him but is still continued and rather confirmed to some young Children or Infants still therefore there are some young Children or Infants that are likewise still to be owned and received by us for such 1. I say that some young Children or Infants have been owned and received and declared by God for his Children and Members of his Church and have been reckoned and taken by him into the Number of his peculiar Covenant-People By the Church of God I mean that Body and Number of Persons which God hath chosen and called and set apart in a separate manner from the rest of the World to be brought nearer to himself in Relation and learning the true Religion in order to the partaking of those spiritual and eternal Blessings by Christ which he hath promised in the Covenant of Grace And they that are of the Number of or do belong to this Body or Society of Persons I call the Members of the Church as being Parts or Members of this Body And these being such as God is pleased to take into a nearer and more appropriate Relation to himself than he doth others are therefore also called his Children or Covenant-People and he is their Father and Head So that to be a Child of God and Member of his Church and of the Number of his peculiar Covenant-People is all one that is doth denote one and the same Person Now I say that some young Children or Infants have been of the Number of those that have been thus chosen and taken by God into this near Relation to himself as his Covenant-People and Children so that he hath had a peculiar and separate Respect to them as well as to their Parents and other adult Persons in another and distinguishing manner from what he hath had to the other People of the World and this his Respect to them he hath openly declared and testified that others in like manner might accordingly own and receive them Such hath been the Grace and Goodness of God to choose and take the Infants of such as he hath called into a near Covenant-Relation to himself that they might partake also of the Blessings of the same Covenant It is to be observed from the Beginning that the Seed of those who have been God's Covenant-People have been likewise owned and taken by God into Covenant with him and so have continued in that State till by their own Wickedness and Apostacy they have fallen from it and so have been discovenanted or rejected by God And the whole Current and Harmony of Scripture sheweth that ever since there was a visible Church on Earth Propositions concerning the Subject of Baptism c. by a Synod at Boston p. 12. the Children thereof have by the Lord 's Appointment been a Part thereof Eve the Mother of all Living hath a Promise made Gen. 3.15 not only of Christ the Head-seed but through him also of a Church-seed to proceed from her in a continued lineal Succession which should continually be at visible Enmity with and stand at a Distance and be separated from the Seed of the Serpent Under that Promise made to Eve and her Seed the Children of Adam
keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him It was with Abraham as a Believer and true Worshipper of God that God treated and made this Covenant and so took his Children also into that near Relation to himself when the Children of the Heathen were neglected as their Fathers were And so this Blessing in like manner was to be continued to his Children and Posterity to successive Generations as Believers or Children of Abraham's Faith still continuing to believe in and worship the God of Abraham In this Respect God promised to be their God and the God of their Seed upon condition that they keep his Covenant and his Statutes But if they refused to do so they were to be cut off and to have no Part or Inheritance in God or the Blessings of his Covenant neither they nor their Seed But on the other side they that were not of the natural Seed of Abraham but were bought with his Money or were born of Gentile Parents in his House they being brought into this near Capacity to be instructed and brought up in the true Religion were likewise to share in this Covenant and to partake of the same spiritual Privileges with the natural Seed of Abraham and were to be reckoned and numbred with them as the People and Children of God and God promised to be their God likewise as well as of Abraham's natural Seed And so also afterwards all those Gentiles that were at any time proselyted and brought over to the Faith and Religion of Abraham were with their Children admitted to the same Privileges So that it appears that it was with Abraham only as the Father of the Faithful and consequently with all those that are the Children of the Faith of Abraham was this Covenant made that God would be their God and the God of their Seed though they are not Abraham's Children or Seed according to the Flesh by natural Generation The Covenant was made with Abraham and all his spiritual Seed and not with his Seed meerly according to the Flesh The Apostle hath cleared this to us Rom. 9.6 7 8. Not as though the Word or Promise of God hath taken none effect because he will reject and cast off those that were descended of Abraham for their Unbelief and rejecting the Gospel to whom you think that the Promises were made For they are not all the true Israel of God to whom the Promise belongs which are descended of Israel neither because they are the Seed of Abraham by natural Generation only are they all Children of God's Covenant but in Israel shall thy Seed be called and chosen to whom the Covenant and Promises shall belong That is All they which are the Children of the Flesh as proceeding from Abraham only by natural Generation these meerly as such are not the Children of God that he reckons amongst his Covenant-People but the Children of the Promise only as Isaac was that is that are Abraham's spiritual Seed are accounted for the Seed that God took into that near Covenant-relation to himself and these he will own still in the same Capacity as ever both they and their Seed And therefore the Covenant of God to Abraham and his Seed stands firm against all the vain Objections of the unbelieving Jews From this Discourse of the Apostle then it followeth that it was not with the Nation of the Jews only as being that natural Seed of Abraham that the Covenant was made and that the Adoption did belong to them and to their Seed but it was and is a Benefit belonging to all Believers as the Children of Abraham's Faith that did or ever should join themselves to the People of the God of Abraham All such are still an holy and peculiar People to God both they and their Seed till they cut themselves off by their own actual Rebellion and Apostacy as the Jews did in our Saviour's and the Apostles times by their not receiving him that was sent of God The same spiritual Privileges do belong to all believing Parents and to their Seed and Family or those they become Guardians or Tutors to to bring them up in the true Religion now in the Gospel-Ministration as did belong to the Children and Family of Jewish Believers formerly This appears yet further by the Apostle's Discourse Acts 2.39 For the Promise or Covenant for these are Terms that do mutually infer each other is unto you and to your Children Compare Acts 3.25 Gal. 3.16 17 18 29. Rom. 4.16 Heb. 6.17 upon your Faith and also to all the Gentiles that are afar off Yet even as many as the Lord our God shall call to the receiving and owning of the same Faith and so consequently to their Children and Seed also as well as unto your selves Here the old Grant to them and to their Seed is declared to be continued and so by Consequence to the Offspring of all those that should hereafter believe But this Matter may be rendred yet more clear from several Passages in the Apostle's Discourse in Rom. 11. for it appears there by the Apostle that the Jewish and Christian Church are radically and fundamentally the same Church the same Stock and Root and the same Terms and Conditions of Church-membership or Dischurching do belong to both Nor is the Christian Church any new Constitution distinct from the Jewish nor is the way of Church-membership in it any other now than what was before The Laws are indeed altered in many things but in this Matter there is no Alteration there is the same Covenant and the same Church and the Church is still constituted of Abraham's spiritual Seed as it was before so that the same Church-members also keep their Place in it as there did then And consequently as Infants or little Children of Believers were Members of it before their Parents became Christian so they continue to be still after they became so And so the Children of all Gentile Believers for the future For consider ver 17. the believing Gentiles are but grafted in amongst them and with them partake of the same spiritual Privileges and ver 20. it is because of Vnbelief that any of the Branches are broken off and they that believe are always in it So that the Church is the same and still remains without any Discontinuance or Dissolution of it only Unbelievers are broken off from it and others that believe are grafted in their room It is the same Olive-tree or the same Church still but some of the Branches are broken off sc the unbelieving Jews and others that is believing Gentiles are grafted in And none are shut out but only through Unbelief They that believe continue still of it and so also their Children in the same manner as before they having no Unbelief of their own by which they should be broken off nor yet any imputed to them from their Parents they being Believers And ver
as to his Members and Proselytes of his Kingdom and that for this Cause he kindly treated them thus as if on purpose because he foresaw how little Regard would be had to them in this latter Age of the Church And thus again Luke 9.48 He took a Child and set him by him and said unto them Whosoever shall receive this this individual Child in my Name receiveth me But how can little Children be received in Christ's Name if they belong not visibly to him and to his Church If they must be received in Christ's Name so that whosoever receiveth them may be said to receive Christ they must be spiritually related to Christ as those are that are of his Body the Church And this receiving them into the Church must needs be the most proper way of receiving them in Christ's Name as those that are spiritually related to him By all this that hath been said we may plainly see the like Continuance of God's gracious Respect to little ones as ever without the least Abatement or Alteration thereof so that being once chosen and called and esteemed by God as his Children and peculiar People as well as any of the Adult are and so being reckoned therefore as Members of his Church and as having a share in the Covenant as others we must conclude from these continued Indications of his Favour and Kindness to them that they stand in the same Relation to him still and accordingly we are so to own and receive them II. I now proceed to that which was in the second Place proposed for the strengthning of our Argument viz. that Infants or little Children being to be owned and reckoned by us as the Children of God and Members of the Church of Christ to whom the promised Blessings of the Covenant belong they are therefore to be baptized The Rightfulness and Reasonableness of which Consequence I shall now endeavour to make out 1. From the Nature and Ends of Baptism which is appointed by Christ to be the Ordinance of Initiation into the visible Church to be the Badg and Character of the Children of God and of the Members of the Church of Christ and for a solemn Dedication and Engagement of them to the Service of God and for the sealing of the promised Blessings to them Now God having shewn such Respect to little Children as to choose and call them out from the rest of the World and to take them into his own Family and to reckon them amongst his People together with others that are adult may we not reasonably infer that when there is a visible Badg or Ceremony appointed by God by which others that are called by him should be known and distinguish'd from the other People of the World and have the Promises of the Covenant confirmed to them that little Children partaking of the same Favour and Respect with them should have the same visible Badg or Character likewise put upon them that is put upon the rest of his People that they may be visibly owned and received as his in like manner with them and so there may be Care taken about their Education in the true Religion and in the Knowledg and Service of that God to whom they are so solemnly dedicated Baptism being a Mark or Rite appointed by God to this purpose surely it is highly reasonable that Infants should be baptized as well as others seeing they are chosen and called to this Dignity and Privilege of being the Sons of God and Members of his Church and Partakers of the Blessings of the Covenant as well as others are Our Saviour appointed that all his Disciples should be baptized in his Name and thereby solemnly dedicated and engaged to his Service Mat. 28. Go disciple all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. Now to be Disciples or Children of God or of the Church of Christ are all Terms that are equivalent in Signification or do mutually infer one another And therefore by the foregoing Discourse Children will come into the Number And when our Saviour hath appointed little Children to be brought unto him and to be received in his Name Matth. 19.13 14. How can we otherwise conclude but they ought to be baptized when Baptism is a sacred Rite appointed by him for such a solemn receiving of those that do belong to him And how can we better express our selves than in the Words of the Office of Baptism that seeing our Saviour hath shewn such Affection to them as to imbrace them in his Arms and to lay his Hands upon them and bless them doubt ye not therefore but earnestly believe that he favourably allows this charitable Work of ours in bringing Infants to his holy Baptism And if when they are brought to us to this End we should refuse to receive them we might well look for his Displeasure and Censure as those were rebuked and blamed by him then that would have kept them from him The Apostle argues with the Jews to bring them to be baptized that the Promise or Covenant did belong to them and to their Children and so also to the Gentiles that were then afar off when they should be called and so consequently to their Children Acts 2.38 39. Repent saith he of your crucifying the Lord of Life which must needs include or suppose a precedent Faith in him repent for Remission of this and other Sins which shall then be forgiven to you and be baptized for the sealing of this Remission and ye shall partake of the Gift of the Holy Ghost likewise for the farther sanctifying of you and the enabling you to perform what ye are called unto For you are God's Covenant-People to whom the Promise is made and to your Children likewise and believing Gentiles when they shall be called into the Church and their Children also And then they shall partake of your Privileges so that as you are baptized for the Sealing and Confirmation of them so shall your Children too This Argument to them both with respect to themselves and little ones must needs be of great Force Repentance must go before in them that had thus grievously sinned before they could partake of the Benefits of the Covenant or have them sealed to them in Baptism but upon their Repentance and Faith the Covenant is confirmed to them and to their Children likewise and so by Baptism might be sealed to them and to their Children also 2. The Justice and Reasonableness of the Baptism of Infants upon the Grounds aforesaid may appear from the Analogy of the Administration of Circumcision to little Infants among the Jews which was the first Token of the Covenant that God appointed upon the very same Ground and Consideration as may be seen Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee And ver 9. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore
of speaking with Tongues and thereby magnifying God which the Apostle acquiesced in as an Evidence of God's distinguishing Respect to them Now forasmuch as it also appears though by other Evidence as hath been shewn that little Children in like manner owned and respected by God as it appears that these were by this that was extraordinary How can any Man then forbid Water that they should not be baptized For seeing God hath given them the like Gift as he did unto them who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ what are we that we should withstand God If the Evidence of their Sonship and Relation to God be as certain and firm though not in the same way why should they not then likewise be baptized for the like Reason For the Gift of the Spirit it self was for their Admission or Entrance into the Body or Church of Christ as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body And this being a Means and Evidence of their Admission into this Body to this therefore the Baptism with Water was annex'd as the visible Token or Ceremony thereof on the Churches Part. Now forasmuch as it appears that Children are likewise of the Body of Christ there is same Reason that they should be baptized as well as those that were so who were by the Spirit baptized into this Body For it appears likewise by the Apostle elsewhere that Baptism doth belong in common to all those that are of Christ's Body and upon that very Account of their being so so that as it doth belong to others that are of this Body so likewise it doth to Infants as being of the same Body Eph. 4.4 For there is one Body the one holy Catholick Church of Christ one Spirit that by his Gifts and Graces moves quickens and rules it one heavenly Inheritance to the Hope of which they are called that are of this Body one Lord that governs it one Doctrine of Faith for the Rule of it one Baptism for a sacramental Admission into it one God and Father of all who owns and receives the Members thereof as his Children So that all that are of the Body of Christ as Children are are to be baptized that they may be owned to be of the Number and may be distinguish'd from all others that are not So that as in the Old Testament those within the Church are expressed by Circumcised and those without by the Vncircumcised See Rom. 3.30 ch 15.8 Eph. 2.11 Judg. 14.3 Jer. 9.25 26. so by Proportion those within the Church as some Infants are are to be baptized and so to be reckoned of the Church and they who are not baptized to be accounted as out of the Church Even Faith it self is to bring us into the Relation of the Children of God as the Apostle intimates Gal. 3.26 For ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus So that we may reasonably conclude that it was upon their Faith as the Means and Evidence of their Adoption that Believers themselves were baptized And forasmuch as it appears that little Children do partake of the Divine Adoption without Faith as well as if they had Faith there is the same Reasons for their being baptized as there was for the baptizing of those that did partake of the Adoption through Faith the Reason why they were baptized being their partaking of the Adoption of which Faith was the Means and Evidence and Baptism it self was but for the sealing of this Adoption to them and of the Covenant that God makes with them and for the visible intitling them to the Blessings thereof 4. There may at least a probable Argument be taken for the Baptism of Infants from the Account that we have of the baptizing of whole Housholds of all those that are spoken of by Name that are said to have had Housholds when once the Master or Mistress of the Family were baptized When the Master or Mistress of the Family were called and owned by God and brought into the Church it seems that all theirs were received likewise who did not reject the Counsel of God against themselves as Infants could not do It hath been observed Mr. W. A's Address to the N. C. that there are but nine in Scripture mentioned by Name to have been baptized besides our Saviour viz. Simon Magus the Eunuch St. Paul Cornelius Lydia the Jailor Crispus Gaius and Stephanus Among these whether Simon Magus had any Houshold is not mentioned But the Eunuch was baptized on the Road and so had none there St. Paul was not married and it is certain had no Houshold where he was baptized And whether Gaius had any when he was baptized is uncertain But for all the other five whose Housholds are mentioned it is likewise express'd or may be clearly inferred that their Housholds were baptized with them As Cornelius and his Houshold Acts 10. Lydia and her Houshold Acts 16.15 The Jailor and his ver 33. Crispus and his Acts 18.8 And the Houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1.16 For God is pleased to have Respect to the Houses of those that are his and do believe in him as our Saviour said of Zaccheus Luke 19.9 This Day is Salvation come to this House For the Seed of the Righteous is blessed Psal 37.26 Now the baptizing of whole Housholds muâ—â— needs import the baptizing of all within the House And it is strange if in aâ—l these Housholds there should be no Person under Years of Consent to testify or profess their own Faith And if when Abraham and his Houshold were circumcised his Infants were likewise comprehended so when the Housholds of all those Persons are mentioned to be baptized that are said to have had Housholds why should we not as well conclude that their Infants likewise were baptized with them as being comprehended in the same Appellation And this need not seem strange when we find how quickly and readily the Apostles baptized many Persons upon the smallest Expression of Consent to the Faith of Christ being willing to give all kind of Encouragement to their coming into the Church of Christ when they had the least probable Hope of their future persisting therein as we see in their baptizing Simon Magus and the Jailor and his Houshold the same Night and many thousands the same Day that they first express'd their Consent And therefore I say it need not seem strange that they should baptize the Infants likewise or those that were under the Age of Consent in these Housholds seeing they might conceive as fair a Probability of their imbracing and professing the Christian Religion afterwards by Means of their Parents Care in their Education because they use to bring up their Children in the same Religion they profess themselves But for a further Confirmation of this and of the Use and Practice of Infant-Baptism in the time of our Saviour and the Apostles there are two considerable Points of History taken notice of
hereof especially considering that a bit of Flesh was appointed and ordered by God to be cut off by Circumcision when the Child was but eight Days old to the same Intent and Purpose though he understood as little of the meaning of that as Infants do of the meaning of Baptism now for this end 3. Infants are capable of Baptism as it is a Mark or Sign on our part of their Dedication to God and to the Service of Jesus Christ and of their entrance into and coming under a Covenant-Engagement to be the Lord 's for the future even whilst they are under the Age of Consent to concur hereto by any Act of their own As Infants are capable of being entred into a School or College and of wearing a Badg belonging to it in order to future Instruction and Learning though at present they understand nothing of it And as it is usual by Wills and Contracts to bring Infants under an Obligation to perform certain Conditions when they come to Age. This is plain from the Covenant-Engagement that the Seed of Abraham was brought under as well as Abraham himself and received the Sign of Circumcision to confirm this at eight Days old For that Rite laid an Obligation upon them to observe all the Laws of Moses though the Rite was administred to them in their Infancy by the Act of their Parents long enough before they themselves came to Age of Consent Gal. 5.3 For I testify to every Man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Circumcision though primarily the Rite of the Abrahamical Covenant yet being incorporated into the Political Law of Moses also and so was withal an obligatory Rite to the Observance thereof Thus also in like manner Deut. 29.11 The little ones are likewise said to enter into the Covenant with the Lord and into his Oath as well as all the Men of Israel And it hath been ever reckoned that the Parents may lay an Obligation on the Children as Esth 9.27 The Jews ordained and took upon them and upon their Seed and upon all such as joined themselves unto them so as it should not fail that they would keep the Feasts of Purim And thus Hanna dedicated Samuel to the Service of the Lord from the time of his weaning 1 Sam. 1.28 And Samson was a Nazarite from the Womb Judg. 13.15 And the Covenant was made between David and Jonathan both for themselves and their Seed 1 Sam. 20.42 And the Covenant that Joshua and the Men of Israel made with the Gibeonites obliged all their Posterity And thus as hath been said all the Jewish Infants were consecrated and devoted to God by the Rite of Circumcision For Children are look'd upon as Parts of their Parents and what their Parents do for themselves or them especially when they are in their Infant-state and under the Age of Consent themselves is reasonably esteemed as laying an Obligation upon them as if it were done by them when the thing it self is just and reasonable and may be beneficial to them For though we cannot lay a Burden upon others without their own Consent yet we may procure a Favour for them and oblige them to the Performance of certain Conditions for their future Participation thereof when it is for their Benefit to be so obliged Indeed if they will they may afterwards renounce the Obligation but then they must renounce and quit the Benefit too which if it be considerable there is no wise Man that is in his Wits will ever do but will stand to the Obligation under which he is brought for his own Advantage and will esteem it a great Advantage that he was brought under it And now is all this no Benefit They shall be saved without it they will say But what then Is there nothing to be ever esteemed a Benefit but Salvation it self alone Is all this that hath been said of Infant-Baptism no Benefit Is it no Benefit to be enrolled thereby into the Number of God's peculiar People to have the Mark and Badg of his Children and to be reckoned amongst those that he hath called to a Covenant-relation to himself Is it no Benefit to partake of the Rite of visible Admission into the Church of Christ Is this no Privilege no Benefit If the contrary would be a great Evil to be cast out as common and unclean amongst the rest of the World is it not then a Benefit to have the Badg and Mark of an holy Separation to God as the People of his Adoption and Grace Is it no Benefit to partake of the Mark and Seal of the Blessings and Promises of God of the Removal of the Guilt and Death which they were liable to by Adam and of the Promise of the Spirit for their Regeneration and Sanctification whose Assistance therefore to that end they may comfortably hope for and expect from God as they have need of it whether there be any present Operation or Work of the Spirit upon them or no And is it no a Benefit to them that they have a Seal and Assurance of the Forgiveness of all their actual Sins also afterwards upon their Repentance and Return to God As Baptism is a Benefit to grown Persons as it is a Sign and Pledg both of present and future Blessings so it is also in the same manner to Infants as being a Seal both of all those Blessings which they have need of or do partake of at present and also of those which they have or may have need of afterwards So that suppose they may be saved without it yet this is a Mark or Seal of their Salvation if they die in their Infant-state and of all the Blessings and Privileges that belong to them now or are to belong to them afterwards if they live according to the Terms of the Gospel just in the same manner as it is to grown Persons So that if upon these Accounts it is a Benefit to grown Persons it is upon the same Account also a Benefit to Infants that is it is a Benefit both to one and the other as far as a Sign or Seal or Pledg can be a Benefit And lastly Is it not a Benefit to partake of that Ordinance that is a Mark or Note of their early Consecration and Devotedness to God and to the Service of Christ whereby they are brought betimes into a Covenant-Engagement to be his For that this is so hath been proved and accordingly God so looks upon them and thereupon there is to be all Care taken about their Christian Education that they may be instructed and brought up in the Knowledg of those things which belong to the People and Children of God And this will be useful to them as an Argument to prevail with them to live to God betimes as they grow up because of the Oath and Covenant that they are so early entred into and engaged in This Consideration indeed doth not affect them immediately whilst they are in
all almost are baptized in their Infancy and thereby admitted Church-Members they are therefore so still esteemed and so the Churches of the Pedobaptists are overloaded with such Persons which defile their Communions Answ But what are there no such Persons to be found among those of the other Perswasion I heartily wish indeed for the Honour of our holy Master and the Credit of his Religion that there were no such either among them or us or those of any other Denomination But this is not to be expected in this imperfect State of the Christian Church Matth. 13.47 which is as a Net cast into the Sea that receives of every kind where good and bad are mix'd together and so we must expect it will be till the End of the World when the Angels shall come forth and sever the Wicked from among the Just But let us not blame that for this which is not to be blamed It is not to be laid to the Charge of Baptism either in Infancy or in Age nor to that in Infancy more than to that at Age. For if once the Baptism of adult Persons were the general Fashion and as commonly received and as much encouraged as Infant-Baptism now is I doubt not but the Church would be as full of Hypocrites then and carnal Gospellers for any thing that Baptism at Age would do more to prevent it than Infant-Baptism now doth For it is no great Matter to make such a Confession of Faith as may serve turn for Baptism and if once it were Mens Interest to do so it would be easily enough gone through As for so many profane Persons which they say are in the Church by reason of Infant-Baptism because so many are look'd upon of the Church that were once baptized and these are for the most part bad I answer However that be yet Infant-Baptism is not to be blamed for it but generally it is the want of Care in Parents and Godfathers about the Instruction and Education of Children that have been baptized and want of Discipline in the Church to expel those that are profane out of it when they once become scan dalous in it It is not Infant-Baptism that is to be blamed for that is a proper Means rather to make Persons good and that betimes That will do its Part well if it be rightly adverted to when they grow up to Understanding by Reflection upon it and full as well as if Baptism were administred at Age. This tends to continue and help forward the Conveyance of Religion down to after-Generations by laying a strict Engagement upon Children to be good betimes and upon Parents to educate them and bring them up well in order to it so that there might be still a young Nursery of tender Plants growing up in the Vineyard of the Lord. And to say otherwise is a Refiection upon the Wisdom of the Jewish Church in admitting the Children of Proselytes together with their Parents yea and of the Wisdom of the holy God himself who loves the Purity and Glory of the Church certainly more than any of us can do and knoweth best what most tends to further it who himself ordered the Token of his Covenant to be applied to Children at eight Days old For according to this Opinion it had been much better to have let it alone till all had come to Age. And the same Censure will lie upon the Jewish Church for admitting of Members then in their Infant-state as much as it can now upon the Churches of the Pedobaptists But let not us go to teach God or instruct him what Means are best to promote the Churches Purity I can make no doubt but Infant-Baptism is as great an Advantage to the Church now as Infant-Circumcision was then in all the spiritual Respects of it or as the Baptism then of Proselytes Infants was But if there be other Ordinances and Duties neglected which God hath appointed which should be for the procuring of a pure Church or for the cleansing of it when it is impure it is the Neglect of those Ordinances and Duties that is the true Reason of that Impurity in the Church and not the keeping up of that Ordinance which rather helps towards its Purification as well as admits into the Communion of it They of the other way when profane Persons are at any time found among them don't blame their Baptism at Age for it as if that were the Reason of their Badness which would rather tend to make them good and if these Persons continue still in their Church no doubt it is the Churches Neglect and not the Fault of their Baptism And so if profane Persons be sound in the Church wherein the Members are admitted by Infant-Baptism let not Infant-Baptism be blamed for that but the Neglect of those other Ordinances and Duties that should tend to promote the Churches Purity Object 5. Why may not the Lord's Supper be administred to Infants as well as Baptism that being as well a Seal of the Covenant as Baptism is and was likewise administred to them in some of the first Ages of the Church Answ If the Lord's Supper should be administred to Infants it could be of no other Use to them than Baptism is viz. to be a visible Badg or Mark of their being owned and received by us as the Children of God and Members of the Church of Christ and a Seal of the Blessings of the Covenant and of their Communion therein These things are sufficiently confirmed to them by the Ordinance of Baptism and the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper could be of no further use to them than what this comes to And therefore the Administration of the Lord's-Supper to them would be supervacaneous and needless because it can do no more for them than Baptism doth Nor is the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper so fit and proper to be administred to them for the Ends aforesaid as Baptism is Because Baptism is a Sacrament or Ordinance particularly designed or appointed for this purpose to be for their visible Initiation or Insition into the Church of Christ and is therefore to be administred to all the Members of it as a Token or Sign of their being the Children of God and Members of Christ and so to seal to them the Blessings of the Covenant and to engage them on their part to the performance of the Conditions And Infants being capable of all these Ends and Uses of it which are the chief Ends of Baptism it is therefore proper and fit to be administred to them Whereas the Lord's-Supper is a Sacrament of Growth or Perfection for the strengthening and refreshing of our Souls and for our Growth and Progress in Grace which is promoted and furthered by an Act of Reflection on our parts upon the Death of Christ and the Benefits that he hath purchased thereby and is to be a thankful Memorial or for solemn Thanksgiving to Christ for this great Grace and Love of his that he hath
holy People unto the Lord thy God the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special People unto himself above all the People that are upon the Face of the Earth Which are the Appellations that are likewise given to the Members of the Christian Church in the New-Testament-Times by the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praises of him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light which in time past were not a People but are now the People of God So that these Titles being given to the Jews import their like Covenent-relation to God in a Church-sense as they here belong to Christians in the same Sense Now the whole Body of the People of the Jews being called by God into this holy Covenant-relation to himself are stiled by the Prophet Israel his called Isa 48.12 And as thus he chose and called them so he chose their Seed after them Deut. 4.37 The great Design of this Election and Call of God being to preserve pure Religion among them which was extinguish'd in the rest of the World and therefore he took and adopted their Seed likewise to be as a Nursery to the Vineyard of the Church And therefore as the Psalmist saith Psal 78.5 He established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel which he commanded our Fathers that they should make known unto their Children that the Generation to come might know them even the Children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their Children According to Deut. 4.9 and chap. 6.7 the great Care and Design of God being to raise up an holy People to himself among the Nations to preserve the true Religion in the World and it being of great Import to this to have Children and little ones well educated and brought up in the Belief and Owning and Worship of the true God he therefore ordered them a visible Admission or Partnership and Membership in his Church that they might be also owned and received as his People and Children that their Parents and Guardians might be obliged to take the more Care of their Education for the promoting the great End of the Covenant Thus the Adoption and the Promises as the Apostle tells us Rom. 9.4 pertained to all Israel amongst whom the young Children also were included they being all God's Chosen and Called and so continued till they were rejected and cut off through their own actual Apostacy and Rebellion against God and then they were discovenanted both they and the Children of those that were guilty of this Apostacy But for others that continue still in a profess'd Adhesion to God and persist in the Profession of the true Religion this their Church-state and Covenant-relation to God as his peculiar People is continued still both to them and their Seed and was never taken off from either unto this Day Which is the second thing I am now to come to shew 2. I say that this Adoption of the Infants or young Children of his Covenant-People into this near Relation to himself as the Children of God and so their Partnership or Membership in the visible Church of God was never abolish'd or taken away by God but is still continued and rather confirmed For how indeed can it be imagined or supposed that now in the Gospel-Administration which is an Administration wherein there is a greater Extensiveness and Enlargement of God's gracious Respect to the World in respect of spiritual Privileges and Mercies than there was before that his Goodness and gracious Respect should be more restrained in reference to Infants and young Children than it was formerly For the Infants of Jews and Proselytes formerly were taken into the Number of God's Covenant-People and Children and had the Seal of the Covenant applied to them for the Confirmation thereof And if this Privilege and Benefit should be now taken away their Condition after Christ would be worse than before and they should be Losers by the World 's becoming Christian This one would think none should ever imagine Neither when we speak thus do we complain against God but against them who would exclude whom the Lord hath not excluded For we do not find that ever God hath repented of any Grace or Favour that he hath shewed to the little ones of his Covenant-People in respect of their being to be reckoned of his Church But in those Prophecies which we find in the Old Testament concerning the future Discoveries and Declarations of his Favour we find that there was the same Grace and Kindness foretold and intended to be shewn to the Children as to the Parents So that in this manner the Church should be propagated from Parents to Children and so the true Religion preserved in this way as the most proper means for it Thus in that Prophecy which hath relation to the Calling of the Jews in Gospel-times as appears by the Apostle's quoting some part of it to that purpose Rom. 11.26 viz. Isa 59.20 As for me this is my Covenant saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever And so in like manner it is a Prophecy of Gospel times Isa 44.3 I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty and Floods upon the dry Ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my Blessing upon thy Offspring And they shall spring up as among the Grass as Willows by the Water-Courses And Ezek. 47.22 The Tenour and Intendment of God's Favour to little ones is always the same as it ever was in reference to their being of his Church and People nor is there the least Indication of any Design of the Dissolution or Alteration thereof For first for clearing of this Matter let us consider that when God first shewed this Respect to Abraham and his Infant-seed to take them near to himself as his peculiar People God's Election and Call of them to this peculiar Covenant-relation to himself as his Children and People and so his giving them a Partnership or Membership in the Abrahamical Church was not with Respect merely to their Proceeding by natural Generation from Abraham but from Abraham as a Believer and Worshipper of the true God there being a fair Prospect upon this Account that Abraham would take care to train them up and educate them in the true Religion Whereas the Children of Heathens where there was no such Prospect had no such regard shewn them by God This seems to be much upon God's Heart as we may express it in his treating with Abraham and giving of him those great Promises Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall