Conference Answ If Baptism belong but to one Infant it is enough to confute them who deny it to all becaus they are Infants 2. And if it belong to som Infants why not to all for who shall judg which are elected and which are not It concerns not us to know who are and who are not Elected becaus the Sacraments do belong to the Elect not as Elect but as visible members and Professors upon which account S. Peter baptized Simon Magus And Abraham by God's appointment circumcised Ismaël though a reprobate Esau and all the children of the flesh were circumcised 3. Lastly by your reason Men of years should not bee baptized becaus wee cannot tell whether they bee Elected or not Object 2 But where have you any Example of children baptized Answ There is no need of example when wee have the Doctrine of the holie Ghost for it which is of greater Autoritie and force then bare Example Howbeit the practise of the Apostles may go for an Example their baptizing of whole housholds is an Example of baptizing all within the hous old and yong that are not excepted Even as under the name of Abraham's houshold are comprehended his Infants Abraham and his houshold were circumcised so the Jailor and his houshold were baptized the phrase is the same the case the same and why not the persons Object 3 Yea but the Scripture saies Go Teach and Baptize and they that gladly received the Word were baptized and again they were baptized confessing their sins therefore men must bee capable of teaching of Faith and repentance before they bee baptized Answ T is true When wee first bring the Gospel to a People they must bee first Taught confess their Faith and their Repentance and then bee baptized But it as true that when the Parents have received the Faith and are baptized their children also are taken into Covenant Thus Abraham was first taught and then circumcised But his Infants were first circumcised and then taught This one Error doth much bemist your understandings you conceiv that the Covenant take's in onely actual Believers That is indeed a part of the Covenant but not the whole extent of it as hath been proved For as wee by deeds do purchase and convey Lands holden in Leas or Copie to our children yea to children which shall bee born as well as to them that bee already born and though our children at that age knew not what their Fathers did for them yet when they come to age they claim those Lands by virtue of the Land-Lord's Grant and Seal annexed paying their Rents and doing their covenanted Services and Homage So doth the great Land-Lord of Heaven put both us and our children into the Copie of Heaven and confirms it by Seal of Baptism And when our children com to have Faith they may claim the good things covenanted by virtue of God's Grant and Covenant made with their Fathers they performing the conditions of their Father's Covenant From Scripture I proceed to som Reasons for Infant-Baptism Reasons 1 Infants are capable of the thing signified in Baptism viz. of the blood of sprinkling therefore of Baptism it self If they have the thing signed which is the greater why should they bee debarred the Sign which is the less It cannot bee denied them upon any just ground of Faith or Reason Object Yes Say they becaus Infants have not Faith nor Repentance Answ You must add 1. that have not Faith nor ever will com to have Faith 2. You must add that they have not Faith nor any other means of applying Christ's blood els your exception is not sufficient In men of years it is applied by the Spirit of God and by Faith in Infants by the Spirit alone which is given unto them It is the Application of Christ's righteousness that justifieth us not our Act of apprehending it the thing applied not our Act of applying God by his Spirit in Infants doth all things on our part which Faith should do Joh. 3.8 the wind bloweth where it listeth thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is everie one that is born after the spirit i. e. As the power of God is seen in the wind moving the aër so it is in the changing and renewing of us though the manner bee bid from us Thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child Eccles 11.5 Thus much wee know from Christ's own mouth that Infants are blessed for hee blessed them Mar. 10.16 Shall wee denie it becaus wee know not the manner how they are blessed Or shall wee deny them to bee reasonable creatures becaus wee cannot discern in them the use of reason Or shall wee deny them to bee sinners becaus they know not what the Law is nor what the transgression of the Law is Wee need not trouble our selvs about the manner how Christ's righteousness is applied to them seeing God is as gracious to apply unto them the righteousness of the second Adam as in justice hee did the sin and condemnation of the first Adam 2. That Exception about Faith and Repentance is no more a barr against the Baptism of Infants then against the Circumcision of Infants forasmuch as in Circumcision were required all the same qualifications which you say are required to Baptism viz. the inward Circumcision of the heart Little children must bee brought unto Christ and none forbid them and by Baptism they do com unto him where the Minister in Christ's stead receiveth them and blesseth them and the Lord sealeth up unto them their receiving into his favor and grace for his own mercies sake without any merit of ours Reason 2 Christ confirmed the Covenant made unto the Fathers Rom. 15.8 Hee bettered it and no way worsted it And when hee commanded a new Seal to bee set in stead of Circumcision hee did it without altering the substance of the Covenant in the least degree but now the very substance of the Covenant would bee altered to the wors if som persons formerly received into Grace should by Christ bee excluded yea and Believers children are in wors condition then in the Jewish Church which to affirm were not onely derogatorie to Christ's Grace but against Scripture it self which saith Ephes 3.6 that the Gentiles are Fellow-heirs with the Jews and of the same bodie and partakers of his Promise in the Gospel of which they are not partakers nor Fellow-heirs if so great a part of the Gentiles as their children should bee excluded The Infants of Jews and Proselyts at the coming of Christ had interest and right to the Covenant of Grace And if that right bee taken away then their condition after Christ is wors then before Shall they bee loosers by becoming Christians This no sober man will affirm Neither is this a complaining against God but against them who would exclude whom the Lord hath not
any gift manifesting the Spirit is bestowed on any man it is to this one end for the prosit of all Chap. 12.7 Secondly Note that these gifts were diversly distributed not given all to one nor any one gift to all 1 Cor. 12 10. but to one was given to speak with Tongues to another Miracles to another Prophecie And every one might exercise his own gift but not anothers Hee that had the gift of Miracles might do his Miracle but not go about to speak with Tongues and hee that spake with Tongues might not attempt to heal nor to Prophecie God gave not all these gifts to one but one to one another to another vers 11. dividing in parts to every man as hee will Prophecie was a chief gift extraordinarily inspired as was the gift of Tongues or healing and the Prophets were they 1 Cor. 14.3 which by a special and extraordinarie gift interpreted Prophetical Scriptures to edification and consolation Now Paul beeing to regulate this gift saith yee may all prophecie one by one i. e. all that bee Prophets all that have a matter revealed to them vers 30. if any thing bee revealed to another that sitteth by c. All 1 Cor. 12 29. such may take their turns in Prophecying not any one els for at Corinth all were not Prophets This then ' is the plain meaning of that place as hee that had not the gift of Tongues or of healing might not attempt to heal or to speak with Tongues so hee that had not the gift of prophecie might not undertake to exercise it Thirdly Becaus our men take these Prophets to bee ordinarie gifted Christians and so their practices imitable 1 Cor. 14. I shall by three reasons prove the contrary viz. That prophecying in that place was an extraordinarie and not a standing ordinarie gift in the Church Reason 1 1. Becaus S. Paul saie's of them that they had som special matters revealed to them of a sudden whilst another was prophecying they Concl. 3 onely sitting by and not using the help or operation of any facultie of their own as their wit memorie reading they spake by divine inspiration like the old Prophets Reason 2 2. And accordingly wee finde them in a rank and order of men set with the Apostles above the most eminent Gifted Christians 1 Cor. 12.28 first Apostles secondarily Prophets And as the Apostles so they had their knowledg of the mysterie of christ by revelation as Paul witnesseth Ephes 3.5 as it is now revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Prophecie therefore was no standing gift and Prophets were not ordinarie gifted believers but a rank of men in Office above Pastors Reason 3 3. All these gifts 1 Cor. 14 were of the same nature for the manner of their Donation and for their continuance i. e. to last for a time onely wherefore seeing the gift of Tongues and Miracles is ceased the gift of Prophecie is also ceased for this was given in the same manner and placed among the extraordinarie gifts 1 Cor. 12.10 whereupon I conclude that the Prophecying in the Corinthians is no pattern for the practice of our gifted Speakers who I presume have not the face to take the place of Prophets next to the Apostles above Evangelists and Pastors Nor to affirm that they have their knowledg by revelation for then what need they plead their parts or gifts seeing Inspiration or Revelation is not a facultie of the minde and seeing the gift or prophecie is ceased it is now a gross taking of the name to counterfeit it as also it is to imitate the miraculous works of Christ and his Apostles Object If they had been inspired they could not bee subject to the judging of others seeing they could not then err But the Text saies that the spirit of those Prophets is subject unto the Prophets therefore they were but ordinarie men 1 Cor. 14.29.32 Answ This Argument follow 's not becaus the Apostles were inspired and could not err yet they submitted their Doctrine to trial Act. 17.11 And becaus Satan ean transform himself into an Angel of Light and his ministers as the Ministers of Christ 2 Pet. 2.1 1 Joh. 4.1 and becaus as there were fals Prophets of old so there shall bee fals teachers among you for this caus wee are commanded to trie their spirits ie the Doctrines propounded under the name of the spirits instiration And to prevent dilusions in this kind God gave a gift of discerning of spirits whereby to know a true Prophet from a fals which spake for his own spirit yea the Prophets themselvs had a spirit of judging vers 29. And Conclus 3 therefore it was ordained that the Doctrine of every Prophet should bee subject to the Examination of other Prophets who ought to judg by the Rule of God's Word whether that which was spoken were by the motion of God's Spirit or by a spirit meerly humane and this was no disparagement to those Prophets to have their Doctrine and Interpretations judged by others endued with the same Spirit Nam etsi bomo spiritualis à nemine judicatur tamen qui à nemine judicatur judicatur à spiritu Dei These Prophets were greater then the Ordinarie Pastors and Doctors yet inferior to the Apostles and Prophets which were the Pen-men of holy Scripture Lect. Apoer To. 1. l. 34 p. 300 301 305. as that learned Dr Rainolds hath observed they had indeed gifts and inspirations more then ordinarie for opening of Scriptures but not the Spirit so incessantly assisting them as they had that wrote the Scrptures Nathan though a Prophet yet hee had not the spirit incessantly speaking in him hee spake out of his own humane judgment and reason 2 Sam. 7.31 when hee had David to build the Temple so did Samuel judg concerning Eliab the eldest son of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.6 7. Meminisse oportet saith Dr Rainolds dona spiritûs secundùm mensuram hominibus distributa esse cùm insint in ill is primitiae quidem Spiritûs Sancti unà etiam inesse reliquias spiritûs humani Nemo autem novit quae sunt hominis nisi spiritus hominis Nec quispiam novit quae sunt Dei nisi Spiritus Dei Itaque quae tradunt viri Dei Prophetae hi de quibus loquimur profecta esse possunt ab humano spiritu qui adhue etiam in illis est idcirco doctrinam suam submittere debem fratrum suorum examini judicio neque enim omnia semper Deus servis suis revelat sed id quisque potest aliquando dicere quòd Elizeus cùm adipsum Shunamitis accederet hoc Jehova celavit me neque indicavit mihi ibi p 305. If their Doctrine may bee judged 2 King 4 27. it may bee refused as beeing possibly subject to error not when they speak by Inspiration but becaus 't is possible they might speak by a humane spirit or by a fals spirit and that could
not bee known but by examination therefore the Apostle will have those Prophets Teaching submitted to the judgment of others that have the spirit of Prophecie that so by the harmonie and consent of their Doctrines the unitie of the spirit by which they all speak 1 Cor. 14.37 may bee evidenced and approved Now this could not befal the Pen-men of holy Scripture who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost and not of their own spirits at any time when they preach't or writ any part of Scripture Whatsoëver the Apostles preached or wrote it is of Divine Autoritie becaus they wrote it Conclus 3 Object 4 Som be so inconsiderate as to plead for their pattern and warrant Christ's making Preachers of Fishermen why therefore may not Tradsmen preach Answ Nothing can make more directly against you 1. Christ called them from their Trades to an higher imploiment to bee Fishers of men and they left their Trades to do this Work But you say keep on your Trades and preach too 2. Christ who is the Autor of the Ministerie of New Testament Called them trained them up in his School as Disciples then hee Ordained Twelv that they should bee with him that hee might send them to preach Mark 3.14 But you preach without any such Calling Training up Ordaining or sending 3. Christ sent them out two and two to preach and gave them power to heal the sick cleans the Leapers rais the dead cast out Divels Christ enabled them for the work which hee sent them about But you have no such mission nor new abilities Here is the difference between Christ and men hee doe's not finde men fit but make's them fit and so send 's them But wee must finde them fit or els not send them Neither must any run before they bee sent Jer. 23.21 I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran c. These are the chief Arguments for preaching without Ordination for farther satisfaction wherein and of all Mr Chillenden's Objections I refer the Reader to that acute solid short Treatise entituled Church-members set in joint written by Filodexter Transylvanus and I the rather recommend that Treatise becaus my people have grounded their Opinion and Practice upon Mr Chillenden's Book The second Question WHether Baptism belong's and bee rightly administred to Infants of Christian Parents in the New Testament Affir Baptism is the first visible Act of God's Grace whereby hee doth receiv us into his favor and familie And the first visible means whereby hee doth apply to us by Word Sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ for remission of sins Now the Question is to whom this Seal of mercie doth belong Anabaptists have sundrie pretences to scorn and deride Infant baptism in their account the Baptism of Infants is no Baptism becaus according to Christ's Institution as they conceiv true Baptism doth alwaies presuppose actual belief in the receivers and is otherwise no Baptism therefore they rebaptize Others allow of Infant-baptism they esteem it as an Ordinance which Christ hath instituted in special love and favor to his people onely they restrain this priviledg to the Infants of Parents who joyn themselvs in Church-Covenant to som particular Congregation My debate is with the former who deny all Infant-baptism the which if it be proved to belong to any Infants it is enough for my purpose and the same Arguments which prove it to belong to Infants of this or that Congregation do prove it to belong to the whole visible Church and their Infants it being a vain pride and great presumption to make new conditions of Church-membership which God hath not made and to ascribe to the inventions of men a power to supersede the Ordinances of God to cast both us and our Infants out of the Covenant us that were baptized into that one bodie if wee subscribe not to their Articles and our children becaus wee subscribe not thus making voide the Commandment of god by the commandments and Ordinances of men I the rather force my self to speak somthing of this beaten point becaus there bee three yong heathens in my Parish and three others dead out of the Covenant through their Parents frowardness Now for the convincing and satisfying if it may bee of theirs and other poor peoples judgments in the present Controversie I shall content my self with five Arguments the first will depend upon a clear positive Answer to another question viz. Quest Did God make the Covenant of grace onely with actual Believers or with them and their Infant-seed Did God take into Covenant the Parents with their children or the Parents onely Answ Not the Parents onely but with them their Infant-seed this is the express Tenor of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 between God and Abraham between mee and thee and thy seed to bee a God unto you What seed meaneth hee his Infant-seed vers 12. Hee that is eight daies old whether it bee a child of thy loines or of a stranger a proselyte which is not of thy seed this Covenant was first made with Abraham Gen. 12.3 wherein God promised that in his seed shall all the Nations of the Earth bee blessed Of God's Covenint i. e. in Christ And it was renewed with the Sign of Circumcision added unto it Gen. 17 7 12. Wherein observ three things 1. That the Covenant made with Abraham was the Gospel-Covenant wherein blessedness was promised in and through Christ the promised Seed for God preached the Gospel to Abraham when hee said In thy seed shall all Nations bee blessed as S. Paul reasoneth Gal. 3.8 the which Covenant seeing it was 430 years before the Law and not disanulled by the coming of the Law it was to endure till the Seed should com to whom the promiss was made vers 17.19 and consequently to the end of the World becaus Christ came to establish the Covenant made to the Fathers Rom. 15.8 and after Christ no more changes to bee expected 2. Note that the Persons with whom that Gospel-Covenant was made were Abraham and his Infant-seed and all Nations even us Englishmen and our Infant-seed as appear's Gen. 17.4.12 My Covenant is with thee and with thy seed in their Generations and with the stranger that is not thy seed all of them must bee Circumcised Compared with Rom. 15.8 15. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumcision i. e. of the Jews for the truth of God to confirm the promises of the Covenant made unto the Fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie beeing made partakers with them of the same promises according as it is written Rejoice yee Gentiles with his People c. Now this Covenant of promises made with the Fathers Christ should not confirm but clip and curtail it if so great a part as all our Infants bee left out and excluded But if God take our Infants into Covenant who shall dare to exclude them 3. Note when God at first gave
our studies 2 Tim. 2.4 Paul saie's wee must not intangle our selvs in worldly imploiments But you say a man may follow a Trade all the week Vers 15. and yet preach the Lord's day True after a wilde fashion but not like a workman that need not bee ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth Answ 3 To the third part of the objection I say it is a mere deluding of people to set the Spirit of God against God's means in and by which his Spirit doth usually work The Spirit is it which worketh effectually in the ministerie of us all Gal. 2.8 the sufficiencie and efficiencie is not of us but of God but yet the Spirit worketh by such Gifts as himself bestoweth 1 Cor. 12.4 There bee diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and by the right use of those Gifts the Spirit doth work to the edifying of the Churches For the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withall i.e. Whosoëver hath any Gift manifesting the miraculous power of the Spirit it is given not for ostentation or to bee admired but for this onely end for the profit of all vers 7. Now the Gifts then given to profit the Church withall in the way of instruction are reckoned up six 1. Sapientia wisdom to applie Christian Doctrine to Practice and Use of believers 2. Scientia a knowledg of Principles and deep points of Religion 3. Prophecie i.e. a Gift to expound the prophecies and secret things of Scripture 4. Discerning of spirits viz fanatick and counterfeit inspirations from true 5. Divers kindes of tongues that all Nations and languages might hear and understand the Gospel 6. Interpretation of tongues wherewith others did speak and wherein the Scripture is written These Gifts of the Spirit are useful and profitable for the Church they were miraculous for the manner of coming by them but the Doctrine taught was the same which was before revealed These Gifts may either bee acquired or infused At first they were infused immediately both for the honor of the Gospel and the speedier spreading of it Afterwards they are continued for the good of the Church by the Help of studie or praier Even as the Gift of Healing is now continued by the studie and Art of Physick without the Gifts of wisdom science and tongues wee can never soundly nor fruitfully make known the mysteries of Scripture and hee that by studie and praier doe's attain the use of any of these Gifts in preaching hee preacheth by the Spirit if the Things which wee preach bee the things Conclus 2 which the Spirit hath revealed in the written word and the Gifts by which wee preach bee the Gifts of the Spirit then whether the means by which wee com by those Gifts bee extraordinarie as by inspiration or ordinarie as by studie and praier the matter is the same Wee preach by the Spirit i.e. by the illumination and guidance of the Spirit leading us into the truth which himself hath revealed Wee pretend not yea wee detest all pretensions of new and immediate inspirations whereby the holie Ghost is made the Autor of disorder and confusion or a cloak for ignorance non-sence and Heresie Conclus 2 Our second Conclusion in Answer to the second Question in this viz. Ordination of ministers by imposition of hands of the Presbyterie for the Administration of the Word and Sacraments is an Ordinance of Christ in the New Testament The work of the ministerie is an Office and Calling as you have heard and Ordination is Christ's Ordinance whereby fit and approved persons are set apart and Commissioned for the execution of that Office in the Name and with the Autoritie of Jesus Christ Droved 1. by example The weight of the Controversie lieth upon this Conclusion which is directly proved 1. By example Wee finde in the New Testament four descents of men sent and ordained 1. Christ himself was sent of his Father 2. The Apostles were sent and ordained by Christ Mark 3.14 3. The Apostles sent and ordained Timothie and others of their own time 4. And they that lived in the Apostles times did in like manner ordain others to survive and do the Office of Ministers when they were dead and this succession of Ministers is to last to the end of the world 1. Christ was sent and had his Commission from his Father Joh. 20.21 22 23. My Father hath sent mee Christ himself was sent and Autuorized to preach els hee had not not taken that honor to himself Heb. 5.4 5. 2d. Descent Christ send 's the Apostles As my Father sent mee so sent I you there 's their Commission hee committed the ministerie to their execution which himself had received viz. a power to Preach and Baptize to binde and loos Job 20.23 with Matth. 28.19 Go yee therefore Teach all Nations and Baptize them The Man Christ could do nothing but by Commission from the Father nor the Apostles except Christ had given them Commission both Christ and his Apostles were solemnly inaugurated into their Office of Teaching Conclus 2 3d Descent The Apostles ordained Timothie and others of their own time 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands and the hands of the presbyterie 1 Tim. 4.14 By Gift there is meant that Ghostly power or Office which Timothie received at his ordination by the laying on of the Apostles hands in the presence and with the consent of the presbyterie who joined with Paul in that action Again wee finde Paul and Barnabas ordaining Elders in every Church where they went Acts 14.23 4th Descent Timothie and Titus did ordain others as theniselvs had been ordained and that by the Apostle's own appointment Tit. 1.5 for this caus was Titus left in Crete that hee should ordain Elders in every Citie So likewise Timothie is directed how to lay on hands not suddenly but with good advisedness 1 Tim. 5.22 As Timothie was entrusted with the word of Christ so Hee must commit the same trust to faithful men able to teach others also that so there may bee a succession of Teachers 2 Tim. 2.2 Thus yee have recorded in Scripture four descents 1. Christ 2. His Apostles 3. Timothie and Titus 4. Elders at Creet and Ephesus and other Churches where the Gospel was planted all sent and ordained the two later by ordination in the ordinarie way thus the Apostles in their own Practice admitted men into the ministerie and thus they appointed for succeeding times And can any think that Ordination ended with that Age Is there not the same caus necessitie use and reason for it in after Ages as in the first times of the Church when there were as yet extraordinarie Gifts stirring in the Church which are now ceased and therefore the more need of a standing ministerie Secondly 2 From Scripture-Rules This Conclusion is proved by Scripture Rules and Precepts given touching Ordination and the manner thereof