say must be judged to be as a true Saint is till he be discovered to us for though God know the heart yet wee doe not though he see invisibly we cannot We must judge of invisible things by visible demonstrations Some men may creep in and make a faire shew outwardly for a while yea and a great while and yet be hypocrites but tell they are discovered to be evill what man can poynt them out and say from his own knowledge that they are not under the new covenant A persoÌ„ that offers to joyn himself to a particular Church of Christ and not only by his verball confession but by his life and conversation apeareth unto them to be an out-side Christian they knowing nothing by him but good if they refuse him it is their sinne though all which he doth outwardly is fained A humane creature though he have the wisdom knowledg of Angels yet can he not know what is in man none I say knoweth this but only the man Christ wherefore it is apparent that though none are by us to be esteemed spiritually holy but those that are outwardly in the same new covenant in which the visible Church is yet all the members therein ought so to be estemed till they are seen to degenerate And moreover I would have you to know that God doth not only accept of our inward performances but of our very words yea of all externall holy performances in his worship and service if they be done according to his will so David saith Lâ—â— the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight * Psal 19.14 So that though all our worship and service unto God ought to be spirituall and done in spirit and in truth yet God hath not bound us to doe it only internally Holinesse both inward and outward is accepted of God and not externally also yea for as much as he hath made us bodies as well as soules and spirits therefore he doth require outward performances of us as well as inward * Mat. 28.20 Rev. 1.3.11 Zach. 14.16 17 18 19. Luke 22.19 20 but when his saints are not capable God then doth accept of them neverthelesse and imputeth Christ righteousnesse unto them notwithstanding their naturall weaknesse Let them while they are capable keep themselves unsported and doe that which God requireth and then when they are no more capable to know or do any spirituall action they are still not only knowne of God 1 Cor. 5.3 6.1 2 3 4 5 20. 16.1.2 Act. 1.26 2.42 Iam 2.18 but beloved of Christ and sanctified by the holy Sprit for though they cannot apprehend Gods working in them yet God can tell how he worketh in them and saveth them by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse * Ps 3 2.2 Rom. 4.6 And after this manner doth God worke in the Infants of beleevers So long as they are not capable he doth not require them to act but to suffer as holy infants in former time suffered not only the administration of his passive ordinance * Gen. 17.14 23 Ios 5.3.7.8 of circomcision but also death * Ex. 1.22 Act. 7.19 1 Sam. 22.19 A. R. Pag. 4. l. 13. to l. 24. it selfe for his sake from the hands of Gods enimies But your inference from your foregoing reasons is That if beleevers childeren be in the covenant and have this true holinesse then all the childeren of beleeving parents must be saved as well old childeren as young for age doth not make them cease from being their childeren But all the childeren of beleevers are not saved no not of faithfull Abraham himselfe according to that known sentence of the Prophet Isaiah 10.21 Repeated by Saint Paul Romans 9.27 Though the number of the childeren of Israel be as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant of them shall be saved Therefore the childeren of beleevers are not in the covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptized To which I Ans That beleevers children are in the covenant is true but that all the childeren of all beleevers are in the covenant is not true but all their holy infants are and ought so to be judged accounted euen in the state of salvation as wel as the greatest verball professors of the faith of Christ and all these infants of beleeving parents that live till they come to yeares of discretion are still to be acounted holy and spirituall except they apostate Now though the Scripture declareth that a remnant shall be saved yet we are directed by the rule of Gods Word to judge that beleeving parents and their seed that doe not degenerate are of this remnant But the childeren of beleevers in their infancie have not power actually to degenerate from the righteous steps of their holy parents But ould childeren may possibly So Ishmael when he was an infant was not a mocker neither was Cain in his infancie a murtherer but when they came to yeares and acted these wickednesses they were for the same cast out the one from communion with the familie of Adam * Gen. 4.11.14.16 the other from the familie of Abraham * Gen. 21.9.10 And as you reason here against beleevers infants being in the new Covenant because you know not absolutely whether they shall be saved So you may reason against the parents themselves though they are members of the visible Church and also as well plead against every verball professor that is a visible member of the same body Thus All you which seem to be beleevers are a people which have indeed taken upon you the profession of the great name of God and have given up your selves unto him to walke in all his wayes and say you have taken hold of Gods Covenant and have covenanted together to become an entire body City House Temple Garden Vineyard c. unto God whom you suppose to be your builder and planter c. So you thinke your selves to be his holy people his bride by marriage his peculiar treasure in covenant with him c But alas you are much deceived you thinke your selves to be in a holy and happie estate in Covenant with God and that you have right to his Ordinances but it is not so For then it will follow That if you beleevers members of this visible Church be in the Covenant and have this true holinesse then every member of you must be saved as well old as young c. But all the members of the visible Church are not saved no not of the Christian Church in the Apostles time for divers of them perished as Judas Iscareot one of the Lambs 12 Apostles and Simon Magus Therfore though you profess faith you are not in the Covenant now on foot nor ought to be baptised If this be a good and sufficient ground or reason to prove the parents not to be in the new Covenant nor to be baptized then the same reason
Covenant no more then the infants of Abraham to whom the Lord spake saying I will be thy God and the God of thy seed c. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations e Gen. 17.10 By all this it appeareth that wee have no ground to deny that the Scripture speaketh of their children in Covenant neither are we to dreame that the promise appertaineth to all sorts or is visibly made equally to visible beleevers and visible unbeleevers also for though in Gods secret account visible unbeleevers may be accounted as visible beleevers are and have the promise reserved for them by God in the secret intention and unalterable resolution of his sacred Majestie who will afterward manifest it visibly to appertaine unto them in his appointed time yet these unbeleevers the mean while in our account and in their own account are not to be esteemed heires of the promise or elect vessels of mercy so long as they are not in the Covenant for none are to be esteemed as the children of life but those that are visibly in Jesus Christ for whose sake life is promised to those that choose life and also to their seed f Deut. 29.2 Secondly you say If they were in the Covenant Pag. 3. line 6. by having this promise made to them then were they of the new Covenant and Church of the Gospel for there were no other people to be accounted in Covenant with God save those which be of this Church but those were not of this Church but they were afterwards added thereunto as appeares ver 41. and therefore were not of it before and consequently notwithstanding the promise being so to them and their children yet neither they nor their children were of the Covenant nor Church untill they did beleeve although they were Jewes and so the children of faithfull Abraham Ans Here I think you are mistaken for you would inferre that these were not in the new Covenant before they were baptized and added to the particular Church but then by the same rule wee may think thâ—t the Apostles baptized and admitted into Church-fellowship 〈…〉 those who were out of the new Covenant and that those Converts mentioned in Act. 2.39 were out of the new Covenant when they haâ— gladly received the Word for as touching their Baptisme and audition to the Church the Scripture denoteth the same as distinct from the rest which went before But you should know 〈…〉 that none ought to be baptized before they are in Covenant with God Wherefore if these aforesaid were not in Covenant with God before they were baptized and added as aforesaid then they were first added and were afterward baptized and afterward entered into Covenant with God which disorderly proceeding is not according to the Rule of Jesus Christ. 〈…〉 Moreover If it be admitted that persons must be first added to the particular Church before they are to be baptized which thing I dare not affirme But suppose it were so yet I say it cannot be proved that persons are not in the new Covenant till they are joyned to the particular Church for all those that are out of the new Covenant are not fit matter for it But that these Converts mentioned in Act. 2. were in the new Covenant before they were baptizâ—d is apparent by their conversion and repentance and that the blessed promise of God in the free pardon of their sinnes was rightly applyed unto them and their seed and this is the new Covenant That God will be our God See Gen. 17.7 Rev. 21.3 and wee shall be his people and that he will be mercifull unto us in forgiving us all our iniquities c. Heb. 8.10 11 12. And so David sayth O blâ—ssâ—d is he whose transgrâ—ssion is pardoned and whose sinne is covered O blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne * Psal 32.1 2. And Paul explaineth it to be a Righteousnesse imputed without workes Rom. 4.6 And that this righteousnes of faith is visibly imputed to the infants of beleevers as hath been heretofore is cleare from Act. 2.39 compared with other Scriptures and therefore I conclude they are beleevers imputatively and in the new Covenant and ought to be baptized Now that persons are in the promise or new Covenant visibly before they have faith I suppose no well informed Christian will affirme But to say that true visible beleevers though unbaptized are not in the new Covenant till they be baptized and added as before specified it sheweth a great deale of ignorance at the best in him that so affirmeth NExt you say Their second Argument is from those places which speakâ— of baptizing whole housholds To which I answer It is certaine that divers places of Scripture speake of baptizing whole housholds And it would argue weaknes and presumption in us to affirme that there were no infants in those familiâ—s except wee could prove the same which if there were none it maketh nothing against the baptizing of infants I hope we are not ignorant at least wee are admonished not to be ignorant that God baptized the children of Israel in the Sea 1 Cor. 10 1 2. in which act he really declared who are the right subjects of Baptisme namely Beleeving parents and their infants with them Jewes and Prosolytes such as were the right subjects of Circumcision * Gen. 7.9.14 Exod. 12.48 49. And if wee doe discreetly weigh the great and generall Commission of Jesus Christ given when he ascended upon high it will give great light to this point for it declareth that all Nations were commanded to be made Disciples and those that were made Disciples of Christ he commanded to be baptized so soone as it appeared that the Application of the Gospel appertained unto them Goe sayth Christ teach all Nations baptizing them c * Mat. 28.18 Goe yee into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and he that beleeveth not shall be damned * Mar. 16.15 16. Now I hope you will not denie infants to be part of the Nations or to be part of the number of Creatures spoken of here for whom an immortall state is prepared for it is a sure truth that they are reasonable creatures and comprehended in these words Every Creature Consider then how that the purest infants of the holiest parents are by nature the children of wrath Conceived in sinne and brought forth in iniquitie and have Originall sinne cleaving unto them till their change come I mean till the time of their death or dissolution and are by nature enemies against God so deeply stained with sinne that nothing in the world is effectuall to clense them therefrom * Psal 49 7 8 9. but the crimson bloud of their crucified Saviour naturall corruption from their conception Rev. 1.5 is inherent in them and cannot be subdued but by the
the Lord imputeth righteousnes unto them without workes * Rom. 4.6 as hath been proved before * See pag. 3.4.6 to pag. 14. See pag. 15 16 17. Wherefore wee may safely conclude that all those infants which were then in these families or any other if they were the infants of one or both beleeving parents the application of the Gospel belonged unto them and therefore the Apostles in preaching life and salvation and applying the promises unto the parents did also apply the promises unto their infants according to the practise of God himselfe who did not visibly seperate between the beleeving parents and their infants but graciously accepted of them in his Covenant And when he preached the Gospel to the parents never did exclude but ever did include their infants with them And to the intent that all bâ—leeving parents might be incouraged to trust in him and relie upon him for the accomplishment of his gracious promises which he made unto them and their Infants The holy and blessed God repeated the same divers times yea and sundry times at one and the same instant as in Gen. 17. I will sayth God to Abraham make my Covenant between me and thee and thou shalt be a father of a multitude of Nations c * Gen. 17.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. See also ver 19.21 And 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 againe he sayth I will be their God Note here how often in this one place and at this one time he repeateth his Covenant hereby to take away all doubts and suspicious objections which might happen through Sathans temptations to arise in the hearts of any of his pâ—ople against the large extent and sufficiency of the same Covenant he bindeth it up with weighty words and sentences of great consequence yea and for further confirmation of his peoples faith in beleeving the firmenesse of his promises and the largenesse of his Covenant he annexed a visible signe and seale thereof to the intent that they might not forget his Covenant And as beleeving Gentiles and their infants were taken into Covenant with God then so they were to submit unto his ordinances amongst which this same Circumcision the signe of his Covenant * Gen. 17.11 and seale of the righteousnesse of faith * Rom. 4.11 was one which was given unto them to observe throughout their generations for this see Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. And in Exod. 12.48 49. The Lord there declareth unto his people Israel saying And when a stranger shall sojourne with thee and will keep the Passeover to the Lord let all his males be circumâ—ised and then let him come neer and keep it and he shall be as one that is borne in the Land for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof One law shall be to him that is home-borne and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you By this wee may see that the Proselytes and their seed had equall precious priviledges with the Jewes and their seed And so the Jewes infants and the infants of beleeving Gentiles then were not as those who were without God in the world but were joynt-heires of the same precious promises they had visible right by vertue of the Covenant to all the ordinances of God then present or now to come and were to be partakers thereof as they had capabilitie to receive the same even according to the requiring of the Scripture There is much then to be considered in this that the infants of beleevers were admitted to be members of the visible Church and to receive the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith together with other priviledges before Christ was manifested in the flesh for Jesus Christ came not to take any priviledges from them but gave them as great if not greater in stead thereof Let us not thinke that he came into the world to take from them the types and to bereave them both of substances and types But rather let us conclude that for as much as the Sonne of God whose delight was with the sonnes of men * Prov. 8.31 before he was made the sonne of man is wisdome and truth it selfe he came not to deceive the least members of his beloved Spouse of the least happines or blâ—ssednesse which they formerly by right recâ—ived and enjoyed from him Now it was a blessednessâ— unto Gods peop e for the Lord to gave unto them outward visible signes for the confirmation of their faith But Circumcision of Infants was an outward visible sigâ—e given unâ—o his people from God for the confiâ—mation â—f their faith * Gâ—n â—7 11 Râ—m â— 11 Therefore it was a blessednessâ— unto them to enjoy it amongst other blessings and blessed priviledges It beâ—ng then a blessâ—dnes for the infants of beleevers to be admitted mâ—mbers of Gods visible Church and so to have by vertue of his Covenant a visible right to all Gods ordinances and to partake of them according as they were capable I mean in respect of a naturall capabilitie if the same privilâ—dges are not granted by God to the gâ—neratioâ— of the faithfull now it seemeth that God unloadeth his people of the blessings which he hath formerly bestowed upon them which to affirme is contrary to the Scripture Psal 68.19 where David speaking of the gifts which Christ should give unto the Râ—belliâ—us sayth Bl ssed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with blâ—ssings even the God of our salvation Selah Seeing then that it was such a blessâ—dnessâ— for the beleeving parents to have their infants in Gods Covenant with themselves and to receive the signe thereof for confirmation of their faith and seeing that God daily loadeth his people with blâ—ssings then surely it cannot reasonably be imagined that God hath unloaded his people of these excellent blessings for as much as he is alwayes one and the same Seeing then that beleeving Jewes and Gentiles and their infants joyntly had this blessednes they have the same blessednes now their priviledges are not lessened by the comming of Christ for he came not for any such intent and purpose but he came to confirm the promises made with the fathers therefore was Jesus Christ a Minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God and so to confirme the promises made with the fathers * Rom. 15.8 9 10 11 12. by fuâ—filling them So all the promises in him are yea and Amen And this was done also that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mâ—rciâ— as it is written For this cause I will confesse to thee among thâ— Gentiles and â—â—ng unto thy Name And again he sayth Rejoyce yeâ— Gâ—â—tiles with his people And againe Praise Jehovah all yee Gentiles Laud him all yee pâ—â—ple for his mercy is mightie towards us and the faithfulnâ—sse of Jehovaâ— eâ—â—ureth for ever Psal 117. And againe
Esayâ—s sayth There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reigne oâ—er the Gentiles and in him shall the Gentiles trust And David saith in Psal 22 28 29 31. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turne to Jehovah and all families of the Heathens shall do worship before thâ—e for to Jehoâ—ah partaines the kingdâ—me and he is Ruler among the Naâ—ions c. A sâ—ed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord fâ—r a generation Observe how the Scriptures here doe set forth the excellent benâ—fits which appertain to aâ—â— the Saints in generall and to the holy families in particular under the flourishing time of the Gospel Here is great occasion for the â—aints to glorifiâ— to magnifie to confesse to praise and to laud the great God of heaven and earth who hath so far magnified his word so strongly confirmed his promises made unto the fathers and hath so largely extended his Gospel-priâ—iledges unto them and to their seed Their seed are in the blessing It shall sayth David be accounted unto the Lord for a generation Weigh these sentences and compare the same with Gen. 17 10 where the Lord sayd unto Abraham Thou shalt keepe my Covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations And so it is sayd here in Psal 22. that a seed shall serve him Now to serve him indeed is to keep his Covenant and those that keep his Covenant are obedient to his lawes and ordinances which he prescribeth And as Abraham and his seed then were accounted of before the Lord so are the beleeving Gentiles their seed now they are counted before the Lord for a generation for time was when they were not accounted before the Lord for a generation no reckoning was made of the Nations they were without Christ Eph. 2.11 12. being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world mistake me not I doe not say that the beleeving Gentiles or Proselytes or their infants were without Christ or without God in the world when God took them in his Covenant be it far from me so to thinke for these visible Saints were no further off then the beleeving Jewes * See Gen. 17.10 11 12 13 14. Exod. 12.48 But the Apostle declareth that such aliens as were then without God in the world Now God of his rich mercy hath called them unto him by repentance and now God calling them his people who were not his people and mâ—king them of Lyons Lambs bringing them into subjection to his lawes and to the obedience of his faith they are holy and spirituall 1 Cor. 7.14 and accounted as precious as Abraham and his infants were for these Gentiles who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2.13 14. And he hath accepted of them joyntly into his service giving them the blessing of Abraham a Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8.14 and his posteritie accounting of them before him as a holy generation b Psal 22.30 1 Cor. 7.14 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 1.5 6. Isa 19.18 c. Whereas before they were visibly of no account of no estimation in the sight of God or his people But God of his rich mercy made them rich yea in generall equally rich with the Jewes in respect both of externall and internall precious priviledges The same God over all sayth the Apostle is rich unto all that call upon him c Rom 20.12 Rev. 22.14 their riches are not lessened or diminished one jot they are equailized with the riches of the Jewes let them be bond or free male or female they are all one in Christ d Gal. 3.28 Abrahams seed like Zacheus e Ver. 29. Luk. 19. and heires according to promise f Gal. 3.29 fellow-heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise by the Gospel g Eph 3.6 The children of the promisâ— as Isaac was h Gal 4 28. Blessed with their faithfull father Abraham i Gal. 3.9 grafted into the same stocke and olive tree and root from whence the unbeleeving Jewes for unbeliefe were cut off k Rom. 11.19 20 21 22 23 24. and these beleevers the Apostle concludeth are blessed by God the Father with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ l Eph. 1.3 and therefore I see no reason why the beleeving parents now though Gentiles should not have the like precious priviledges for their seed in infancie as their brethren and Countrimen had in former time for their seed m Gen. 17.11 12 13. Exod. 12.48 in infancie Yea considering that the infants of beleevers now are able to doe as good great faithfull and acceptable service as the infants of beleevers in the time of the Law and that these are as capable of Baptisme this passive Ordinance as those were of Circumcisioâ— that passive Ordinance which was no more passive then this and was the forerunner of this and both that and this being in one generalâ— institution and one and the same in effect n Col. 2 11 12 we may safely beleeve and justly conclude that the Saints infants ought to be baptized as formerly they were Circumcised yea and for as much as the Apostles themselves speaking generally of baptizing whole housholds o Act. 16.15 1 Cor 1 16.33 never once make mention of the exempting of any of their infants though it be a matter of so great concernment how then shall we reject them And considering that in the Scripture by the speech of an house familie or houshold infants are also implyed therein * Gen. 17.23.9 10.12 30.25.30 45.10 11.18 19 46 5 6 7. Exod. 1.1 Num. 3.15.39 Psal 115.12 13 14. Luk. 19.9 Prov 31.15 1 Tim. 5.8 and seeing Baptisme is come in the roome of Circumcision If infants should not have been baptized as formerly they were circumâ—ised sure the Apostles in speaking generally of baptizing housholds would not without exception of infants have used such tearmes as are set downe in the old and new Testament to include infants Considering that then the Apostles had a just occasion to exclude their infants in expresse words if any such thing should have been done If holy infants should have been thrust out from being members of the visible Church and from having their spirituall priviledges as they have had heretofore Surely we should have found some tittle of it in the New Testament but there is not the least shew of it from whence wee may draw any just consequence for dismissing them from being members of the visible Church of Christ * Mr Spilsbery saith it is a truth that the Church of the New Testament consisteth both of Jewes and Gentiles and admits of all that beleeve and rejects none And for the Gentiles Infants being in the same body as well as the Jews infants this saith he I beleeve both alike For
of Promise * Eph. 2.12 But the Infants of beleevers who were members of the Church of the Jewes were not aliens from the Common wealth of Israel * Gen. 17.7 Deut. 29.10 11 12 13 14 15.18 Exod. 12.48 49. nor without hope nor without God in the world Therefore such holy Infants were not then without Christ neither were they strangers from the covenants of promise Now for as much as the Infants of beleevers were not without Christ nor aliens from the Common wealth of Israel nor strangers from the Covenants of promise nor without hope nor without God in the world They were such as were made nigh by the bloud of Christ See Eph 2.13 whose bloud was then to be shed and is powred out for them and therefore we may safely conclude that the holy infants are not loosers by his coming And therefore seeing the New Covenant is not abolished it evidently appeareth that the Infants of beleevers now are in the new Covenant because the Infants of beleevers were in the same New Covenant before And this agreeth with the words of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your children uncleane but now are they holy for the Apostle there speaketh to beleevers and of a holinesse in relation to their faith and to the covenant they were in And though you said the old Covenant is abolished yet you grant that the New covenant is not abolished but remaineth Wherefore you must of necessitie be driven to grant also that the infants of beleevers are in the new Covenant because they were of it before and the New covenant remaineth permanent Thus having taken away the foundation of your Arguments which you brought against holy Infants being in the Covenant you may justly expect that all which is builded upon the same sandy foundation will fall to the ground Pag. 4. li. 37. Your next words are these which follow There being the new covenant now on foote which is a covenant of grace and salvation and which brings certaine salvation to all those that rightly enter into it and which is onely by faith Hence it is said Act. 2.47 That the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Ans That the new Covenant is now on foot and that it is the covenant of grace and salvation and brings it to all those which rightly enter into it in deed and in truth is not by me denied And that the enterance is onely by faith is very true But mind this that there is an externall right and an internall right We finite creatures must judge of the trâ—e by the fruit a Mat. 12.33 Luke 6.44 of the faith by the workes b Jam. 2.18 19 Judas had no internall right for he was a devill c Joh. 6.70 71 inwardly yet he had an externall right for he was a Saint outwardly d Act. 1.17 But so long as he was not known to be a wicked man but still made a great outward shew of holinesse they were to judge him righteous But when he manifested evill fruits of treachery and hypocrisie then they were to alter their former charitable opinion of him And though he had not onely an outward Saintship but also an Apostle-ship and a Deaconship before yet when he Apostated that man who was before to be accounted a Saint and an Angel on earth was afterward to be esteemed as a devill And so the like may be said concerning other wicked men Psal 41.9 10. Psal 69.25 26 27 28. Set thou in office over him the wicked one saith holy David * Psal 109.6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. and let the Adversary stand at his right hand When he shall be judged let him be condemned and let his prayer become sinne Let his dayes be few and another take his office Act. 1.20 Let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow Let his children be continually vagabonds and begge Let them seeke their bread also out of their desolate places Let the extortioner catch all that he hath and let the stranger spoyle his labour Let there be none to extend mercy unto him neither let there be any to favour his fatherlesse-children Let his posteritie be appointed to cutting off in the generation next after let his name be wiped out Let the iniquitie of his fathers be remembred of Jehovah and let not the sinne of his mother be wiped out Let them be before Jehovah continually that he may cut off the memorie of them from the earth c. Now that the Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved is certaine but here we are to note that this Church in Jerusalem was a visible particular Church And that as far as men could judge all those were to be saved that in outward appearance were rightly added to the same or to any other particular Church of the same constitution And though the Lord added to his Church daily such as should be saved yet wee are not to determine that all that joyned to a particular Church were saved yea though they were added rightly according to order in an externall way Judas was of the visible Church yea of that Church whereof these were members and yet wee will not say that he is saved Persons may be saved which are of no visible particular Church And persons may be of a true visible particular Church of Christ and yet Apostate and not be saved any more then Judas who fell finally as other reprobates doe though never so eminent in the Church Howbeit we will not say that any fall away from the grace of Gods secret election but from an outward sanctification it is possible that elected persons may for a time fall yet not without great sinne no more then the temporary falling away of the incestuous person in the Church of Corinth and others also which the Scripture maketh mention of who were the deare Saints of God yet for a time fell from their stedfastnesse But now I will examine your reasons what they are whereby you say * Pag. 4. lin 41 Pag. 5. lin 1 2 That the holinesse of children here is not meant of any holinesse in relation to any Church-covenant First say you * Pag. 5. lin 3. to lin 9. That which is an effect of regeneration is not brought to passe by generation though the parents be holy but to be of the covenant or kingdome is the proper effect of regeneration Joh. 3.3 without which none can see it much lesse be of it or enter into it therefore it cannot be brought to passe by generation though the parents are holy Ans That regeneration is brought to passe by generation I will not affirme The infants of beleevers are regenerated before they are borne this you cannot justly deny for Jeremie and John Baptist were sanctified in the wombe and the priviledges of beleevers are alike precious Not that it commeth by the
outward Baptisme therefore by consequence he was visibly in the Covenant even outwardly and externally He was an elected Saint so far as men could or were to judg then at that present time though his heart was not upright in the sight of God and therefore he was not of Gods Kingdome nor in the new Covenant in Gods secret account nor regenerated no more then Judas Iscariot though the Apostles themselves esteemed never so highly of him But the Infants of beleevers are visibly in the Covenant And wee are to judge all that are in the Covenant visibly to be elected regenerated sanctified heires of righteousnesse children of God and of his heavenly Kingdome till they appeare unto us either by some visible demonstration of their owne or evident manifestation of others or testification of Gods not to be that which before wee were to judge them to be O minde this well that Secret things belong unto the Lord our God Deut. 29.29 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever Secondly say you * Pag. 5. lin 9. to lin 19. Contradictions cannot be the effect of one and the selfe-same Covenant in one and the selfe-same respect but for one parent to be a beleever that is of the Church when the other parent is not to produce a holy seed that is in the Covenant 1 Cor. 7.14 And for the other parents to be one a Jew and the other a Babylonian the one a member of the Church the other not to produce an unholy seed that is out of the Covenant and to be put away both wife and all borne by her as Ezra 10.3 you say is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect Therefore it cannot be the effect of one and the selfe-same Covenant Ans That is a contradiction which is opposed to a contrary thing as light is to darknesse And that is an effect which floweth from a Cause or ground The ground why God gave Abraham the signe and seale of his righteousnesse was Abrahams faith in beleeving Gods Covenant For Abraham had first the Covenant and faith to lay hold upon it and afterward the seale thereof The ground why Abraham did administer Circumcision Gods holy signe and seale of the righteousnesse of his faith was faith in beleeving the firmenesse of Gods promise Rom. 4.11 and the effectuall power and efficacie of the Ordinance of Circumcision which Circumcision had the denomination of the Covenant it self * Gen. 17.10 because it was a signe thereof * Ver. 11. I say Abrahams action of Circumcision was done in faith otherwise it had been sinne unto him * Rom. 14.23 But he added unto his faith this vertue this effect of the New covenant to yeeld obedience unto God in performance of this holy Ordinance upon his infants according to Gods appointment Baptisme being come in the roome of Circumcision though it be more generall yet it hath an equivolence with Circumcision Col. 2.11 12. Wherefore it being not contradictory thereunto but sealing up one and the same Covenant of life As Circumcision was to be administred upon the infants of beleevers in former time so Baptime is to be administred upon the infants of beleevers now Now though every contradiction argueth a difference yet every difference maketh not a contradiction But to restraine or lessen the priviledges of the Saints under the Gospel is not onely to make one Covenant contradictory to another but also the New covenant contradictory to it selfe which is not of a fading nature but of a flourishing nature and hath flourished and doth flourish more under the Gospel then it did under the Law Wherefore if you doe conceive that 1 Cor. 7.14 is of a lesser extent then Ezra 10.3 you are mistaken but if you will say 1 Cor. 7.14 is of a larger extent Wherefore have you brought Ezra 10.3 to unfold it Except it be to prove forcibly hereby against your selfe how that all beleevers infants generally of what Nation soever have greater priviledges now since Christs death then they have had heretofore As for the second part of your Argument considering that it wanteth explanation one way and proofe another way it will not stand you in any stead to prove what you would have it prove to wit that the holinesse spoken of 1 Cor. 7.14 is not a holinesse in relation to any Church-Covenant Indeed if you had set it downe thus That for one parent to be a beleever and the other an unbeleever to produce a holy seed in covenant and the same parents remaining in the same estate without alteration to bring forth an unholy seed and out of the Covenant is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect Or thus For one parent to be a beleever and another parent to be an unbeleever to produce a holy seed And for the like parents in the same respects to produce an unholy seed is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respect If you had reasoned thus and so proved it then you had done somewhat like to your undertakings but in speaking generally of parents in covenant and out of covenant without noting in particular the difference that was between these sanctified unbeleeving wives mentioned in 1 Cor. 7.14 and those unbeleeving wives mentioned in Ezra 10.3 who were not then sanctified to beleevers for that purpose you even loose your selfe But you say it is a contradiction in one and the selfe-same respects and have not explaned nor declared what it is a contradiction of whether of the New covenant or of the old covenant or of both covenants Therefore declare plainly what covenant you thinke this divorcement in Ezra to be an effect of Was it an effect of the New covenant or of the old you may know that neither covenants did allow them to marry those cursed persons You ought also to minde that one Israelite might be divorced from another Israelite in the time of the Law and this precept was granted and written them by Moses Deut. 24.1 for the hardnes of their hearts Mat. 10.5 But this in Ezra 10. was not a bare grant but an absolute command not barely permitted or granted unto them for the hardnesse of their hearts there is more in it then so For those wicked persons in whom they formerly took delight they were forceably to put away it was not left to their libertie whether they would put them away or no but it was an injunction layd upon them under penaltie of Gods curse for they perceived Gods heavie wrath was hanging over their heads ready to seaze upon them unlesse there were some speedy redresse And it evidently appeareth that you have not well read or considered the Scripture for if you had you would soone have seen a great and weightie reason pressing these sonnes of God to put away these daughters of men and those unholy children borne of them for they in uniting themselvs thus unto them had made thēselves
Exod. 12.48 Baptisme is to us as Circumcisâ—on was to the Jewes directed by the infallible rule of Gods Word which rule was never yet abrogated therefore it standeth in force and is not a vaine tradition and seeing God himselfe administred Baptisme upon infants before the Law was given in Mount Sinai how dare you say it is not of God Next after this you cast your eye upon an Author A. R. whom you * See Pag 7. lin 25 26. call A lâ—arned and able Author of our times whose expression you say you cannot but take notice of Ans It may be you call him learned and able because as you say he confesseth himselfe unconvinced of the lawfulnesse of the Baptisme of infants by demonstration of Scripture for it And yet he taketh the Baptisme of infants to be one of the most reverend generall and uncontrouled traditions which the Church hath and which he would no lesse doubt of then the Creed to be Apostolicall And upon this beliefe and confession of his you Paraphrase * In lin 31. to Pag. 8. saying No more would I doubt thereof if I could be convinced by any demonstration of Scripture for it But seeing demonstration of Scripture neither to us is nor by him can be produced for it I doe and must remaine still unconvinced with him and must needs take it to be a meere humane device To which I answer That the doubting conscience cannot be satisfied unlesse God doe it by his Word or Spirit but if the Lord doe open your eyes and give you sight to apprehend and comprehend this light then in it you shall see clearly this truth even the lawfulnesse of the Baptisme of holy infants But if God doe not by his Spirit open your heart the tongue of men and Angels cannot convince you but you must still remaine unconvinced But how can you expect that this Author whom you call Mr. Daniel Rogers should produce Scripture for the Baptisme of Infants while he is as he saith himself unconvinced of it by demonstratioÌ„ of Scripture except you did expect that he should have played the hypocrite so have gon against his Conscience you should know that Whatsoever is not of faith is sin And it doth not argue as you infer that because no demonstration of Scripture is brought by him that therefore none at all is brought to you by those who are convinced of it by the authoritie of Scripture This cannot be true which you affirme considering the many Scriptures which you acknowledge have been alledged for to prove the Baptisme of infants The demonstration whereof hath been sufficiently shewed unto you and therefore if you take it not for satisfaction you may remaine unsatisfied and still unconvinced though convicted with your alledged Author and take it or rather mistake it as you esteem it for a meere humane device But further you say A. R. Pag. 8. Nor is this Author alone in deeming the Baptisme of infants a traditions for many of the Ancients with him have so declared it Origen calleth it a Ceremony or Tradition of the Church In Levit. hom 8. in Epist ad Rom. lib. 5. Augustine calleth it a Common Custome of the Church De baptismo contra Dona. lib. 4. cap. 23. Et de Genesi ad literam lib. 10. cap. 23. To which I say that things may be traditionall and câ—mmonly and customarily practised and yet have sufficient ground and warrant in the Scripture Origen But in citing Origen you doe not tell us what he sayth in the same Epistle to wit that the Church received Baptisme of infants from the Apostles Augustine And in citing Augustine you doe not declare what he sayth in contra Donatist lib. 4. cap. 23 24. that the Baptisme of Infants was not derived from the authoritie of man or Counsels but from the tradition or doctrine of the Apostles But next of all you say Erasmus * Lin. 9 lib. 4. de Ratione Concio sayth that they are not to be condemned that doubt whether Childrens Baptisme were ordained by the Apostles c. To which I answer No more will I condemne those who in weaknesse doe doubt of the Baptisme of Infants but rather pittie them and pray for them and labour as the Apostle biddeth us concerning those that are fallen through infirmitie To restore them with the spirit of meeknesse But when their sinne cometh to such a height The obstinate though ignorant are to be rejected when they reject the truth that they resist the truth and run on wilfully and blasphemously with a leaprous headines and that against the Scripture and the very light and law of reason and will not heare good Counsell nor receive wholsome instruction then they are not to be borne with but condemned Whereas you say further that Ekius * Lin. 12. calleth the Baptisme of Infants a Commandement and ordinance of man In Echiridion I answer You should know that it is a Commandement and ordinance of God In the Scripture Whereas you produce the Papists * Lin. 15. and the Authoritie of Counsells * Lin. 23 to jump with you and your first learned Author cited by you against the Baptisme of Infants to prove it not to be warranted in the Word but grounded upon tradition and not upon the Scripture I answer It evidently appeareth that these your erronious conceptions and peremptory conclusions are builded upon a sandy foundation I pray you tell me How can they beleeve a thing by Scripture that judge the Fathers above the Scripture And as you thus bring humane unsufficient Testimony to prove the Baptisme of Infants to be a humane invention so you doe the like in labouring to make knowne the time when it was invented a meere dreame and vaine conceipt of your owne a thing farre above your reach And you would by your humane Authors beare your Auditors in hand as if the Baptisme of infants were invented some hundreds of yeares after Christ which is neither certaine probable nor possible and yet you cite other humane Authors for it whose historicall relations as you have set them downe have no bottom upon truth and therfore are to no purpose against the Baptisme of holy Infants And therefore your citing them maketh nothing for your purpose neither But you ought rather in this to mount above humane testimony and leave these your two cited Authors to reconcile themselves Goe to the Law and to the Testimony * Isa 8.29 for whatsoever is not according to that hath no light in it and there see what time the baptisme of infants was administred I thinke that Circumcision of infaÌ„ts was not invented nor administred before the Baptisme of infants As for the time of the invention thereof I will not intermeddle or take upon me to determine at this time forasmuch as it is sufficient for us to know that God is the Author and instituter of it the administration whereof was in the
to be godly or holy neither from 1 Cor. 7.14 nor from any other Scripture In consideration whereof it doth appeare that there is a reall difference between the infants of the godly and the infants of the wickâ—d and that the holinesse which differenceth them is a spirituall holinesse For in respect of legitimaciâ— some of the infants of unbeleevers had the preheminence when some of the infants of beleevers had it not and yet the infants of beleevers whether legitimate as Isaac or illegitimate as Pharez were in respect of their religious sanctification the onely infants whom God accepted of visibly in his Covenant But as for the others which were out of the Covenant God rejected them whether they were legitimate or illegitimate So then it appeareth that it is the holy Covenant which demonstrateth the children of beleevers to be holy and members of the visible Church as the holy infants were in formed time By this you may see how you are deceived both in mistaking and mis-construing the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.14 and misunderstanding and perverting the words of the Prophet Mal. 2.14 15. Your next words are these In the same sense is the Apostle to be taken Heb. 13 4. where he saith Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge If Marriage be honourable in all and the Bed undefiled then the issue of that Bed must needs be undefiled that is cleane and holy as â—n the other side the issue of all unlawfull conjunctions are uncleane illegitimate and Bastards Now this holinesse and unholinesse of Children proceedeth not from the holinesse or unholinesse of the Parents But from the lawfull or unlawfull conjunction of the Parents in the begetting of their Children for the Apostle in this place speakes of all men universally That the Apostle speaketh of all men universally in Heb. 13.4 when he saith that Marriage is honourable amongst all is in a sense true but that he speaketh of all men universally in Cor. 7.14 is not true in any sense for the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 7.14 speaking to the members of the Church of that which principally concerned them he groundeth his speech concerning the holinesse of children and sanctification of the unbeleever to that use upon the faith of one of the parents that if one of the parents be a beleever though the other parent be an unbeleever the Children are holy that is to say they are under the holy Covenant And so it necessarily implyeth that if neither parents are beleevers the children are unholy that is they are not born holy nor under the holy Covenant For it was faith that made the beleevers yâ—â—k-mate to be so sanctified to him as the Apostle speaketh Because he was a beleever the Infidell was sanctified to him For to an unbeleever shee could not be sanctified but unto a beleever And therfore the children of those beleevers were holy because one of the parents was a beleever and this faith so sanctifying the unbeleeving yoak-mates to this end and use made the children holy which cannot be sayd of an infant whose parents are neither of them beleevers though his parents were honourably married and the bed undefiled in his procreation but he is unholy ungodly and out of the Covenant neither of his parents being holy nor any of them sanctified then in themselves nor sanctified in by or to a beleever for producing a holy seed spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 But you goe on still and say that A. R. Pag. 11. li. 34. It seems that the holines here of the children ariseth not from the faith or holines of the parents but meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in begetting their Children * Lin. 38. It is even so Ans Is it even so How is it even so Doth the holines of the holy children spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 arise meerly from the lawfull marriage c How prove you this Who revealed this unto you Belike you thinke your bare affirmation it is even so is sufficient proofe It may be you will say that Pharez and Zarah were ungodly and unholy Gen. 38.16 17 24 25 26 29 30. and out of the Covenant because their parents had not lawfull marriage at their conjunction in begetting of them And also that Davids illegitimate Infant was ungodly and unholy out of the covenant because he was not lawfully married to Bersheba 2 Sam. 11.4 5. before he had begotten him For surely if the godlines holinesse of the Infants of the faithfull arise meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in their begetting then all the infants of the faithfull whose parents have not lawfull marriage in their begetting are not holy nor godly But seeing the infants of the world whose parents were married to each other in their begetting were though born legitimate yet not borne holy that is to say not under the holy Covenant And seeing that Davids infant was in the Covenant though he was illegitimate 2 Sam. 11.27 12.16 17.23 which thing might be sayd of other illegitimated Infants of the Church then It plainly argueth that there is a great gulfe between the holy infants of the Church spoken of in 1 Cor. 7.14 and the infants of the world whose parents are ungodly and out of the Covenant And also it is clearly seen that you fowly misse it in saying that the holinesse ariseth meerly from the lawfull marriage and conjunction of the parents in begetting their children In all which speeches you still crosse your selfe in what you have set downe in the fourth Page of your Booke * See A.R. his second Book pag. 4. where you enter upon this particular concerning 1 Cor. 7.14 For there you affirme in opposing Infants holinesse First That there is now but one Covenant on foot c. Secondly That there is but one manner of entering and being therein And thirdly That there is but one holinesse now acceptable with God c. Consider what you sayd there and that which the Apostle declareth here in 1 Cor. 7 14. That the children of beleevers are holy now under the Gospel Now are they holy sayth he and so judge your selfe in reason whether you doe not wrong the Scripture and your selfe also unreasonably in making this one holinesse to be a meer legitimacie proceeding meerly from the parents lawfull conjunction in matrimony But let us see what further reasons you can give for maintenance of this your opinion For the question or doubt was only whether they might put away A. R. Pag. 11. lin 38 or depart from their unbeleeving yoak-mates the which the Apostle answers that they ought not to put them away and he implies this reason because they were lawfully married unto them according to Gods ordinance Ans Here you grant that the Apostle saith the beleevers ought not to put away their unbeleeving yoak-mates This maketh directly against
your selfe in answering them when you say * Pag. 13. lin 10 11 12 13 14. That Examination in respect of the Supper is required onely of men of yeares not of infants who are not able to performe it Further you tell us That if your Author nor memory faile you Children were admitted as well to the Supper as to Baptisme for many yeares in time past and over against in the margent of the page * Page 13. at lin 15. you name Parker on the Crosse Ans Indeed you may suspect your memory if you take your imagination to be your memory And you may expect that your Author can stand you in little stead in opposing the Baptisme of Infants A good object may faile a bad subject and so your Author may faile you especially he being neither an Author nor upholder of your errour which you labour by all meanes to uphold Next you say A. R. Lin. 17 18 19 And why not to the one as well as to the other seeing the same reasons are alike in both and will center into one if fully prosecuted I Answer This is but a begging of the Question I have told you why not to the one as well as to the other Because they are capable of the one in respect of a naturall capabilitie but not of the other And therefore I deny that the reasons are alike in both or will center into one though never so fully prosecuted Wheras you further oppose infants Baptisme saying that * Pag 13. li. 21 22. no Infant is required by God in Scripture to beleeve or to repent or to be baptized by any man c. The Infants of beleevers are not impenitent I Answer That this your speech is ambiguous and abominable and you may know that we stand not for the Baptizing of Infidells or those in whose hearts wee cannot rightly judge the foundation of repentance to be layd For God hath not required such to be baptized no more then he did command such to be circumcised in the time of the Law And you should know that faith is the gift of God so also is repentance and though the Saints of God are not required to manifest their faith and repentance actually so long as they cannot act yet for to say that therefore they have not faith and râ—pâ—ntance or that wee are not to judge them to have the gifts and graces of the Spirit because they cannot act is a meer idle toy and frivolous foppery But if you will say that though the infants of beleevers cannot manifest faith and repentance no more then Isaac could who was a childe of promise in his infancie yet they are to be judged to have faith and repentance notwithstanding Then you will agree with us in this truth But if you will say you deny it and will not assent unto it and that therefore the infants of beleevers ought not to be baptized Then I tell you you have your answer long agoe Christian Infants sayth Mr. Ainsworth * In his Censure upon the Anabaâ—tists Dia â—g pa. 70. lin 19. Have the grace they speakâ—â—f repentance faith regeneration c. Though not actually or by way of declaration to others yet they have through the worke of the Spirit the seed and beginning of faith virtually and by way of inclination so that they aâ—e not wholly destitute of faith regeneration c. though it be a thing hid and unknowne unto us after what manner the Lord worketh these in them Eâ—cles 11.5 Which Mr. Ainsworth doth further prove thus * In the same page lin 27. to page 71. If Infants naturally are some wayes capable of Adams sinne and so of unbeliefe disobedience transgression c. Then Christian Infants supernaturally and by grace are some wayes capable of Christs righteousnesse and so of faith obedience sanctification c. But Infants are capable of the former evills by Adam therefore they are capable of the later good things by Christ That they are capable â—f the former he proved in his treating of originall sinne from divers Scriptures as Psal 51. John 3. Rom. 5. c. The consequence to wit that infants are capable of the later good things by Christ he proveth thus * See his book page 71. lin 8. First Because the first Adam was a figure of the second Adam Christ So that as the sinne of the first Adam his fault disobedience and death for it came on all his Children both by imputation and infection or corruption of nature So the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ cometh on all his Children both by imputation and renewing of nature unto life and salvation as the Apostle compareth them Rom. 5.12.15 16 17 18 19.21 Secondly Because Infants being by Adam sinners Children of wrath c. mâ—st be borne againe of the Spirit or else they cannot see the kingdome of God Joh. 3.3.5 6. But the Christian Infants dying in infancie shall see the kingdome of God and not be damned as the Adversaries grant * The old Anabaptists doe graÌ„t that childreÌ„ dying in their infanciâ— shall see the Kingdom of God But some now that stand against the Baptisme of Infants say They are all in the state of damnation Others that withstand Infants Baptisme say They know not how to judge of them But I say by the Scripture Wee are to judge the infants of beleevers to be in the state of salvation â—nd those of them that die in their infancie are not damned but saved And as for other Infants even the infants of the wicked we have nothing to doe to judge them within but without Therefore by Christs doctrine they are borne againe of the Spirit and so must needs in some measure have repentance faith and holines without which there is no regeneration Againe That Infants have the faith and love of God in them And regeneration in their measure is thus proved They to whom God giveth the signe and seale of righteousnesse by faith and of regeneration they have faith and regeneration for God giveth no lying figne he sealeth no vaine or false Covenants But God gave to Infants Circumcision which was the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and regeneration Gen. 17.12 Rom. 4.11 2.28 29. Colos 2.11 Therefore Infants had and consequently now have faith and regeneration though not in the crop of harvest by declaration yet in the bud and beginnings of all Christian graces They that deny this reason must either make God the Author of a lying signe and seale of the Covenant to Abraham and his Infants or they must hold that infants had those graces then but not now both which are wicked and absurd to affirme Or they must say that Circumcision was not the signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith and then they openly contradict thâ— Scripture Rom. 4.11 Moreover As the Apostle in Rom. 5. compareth our naturall estate in Adam and our spirituall estate in Christ so may
and full of wisdome and abound in sense you would heare hâ—m patiently and partly if not fully approve of his speech But if he should draw a consequence from his former words and say that therefore he meaneth your arguments are evill and full of foolishnesse and abound with nonsence and that in saying such arguments were good he doth not mean that your argumeÌ„ts are good at all nor such as yours in such a respect but in respect of such or such a thing Would not you begin to wonder at him and to count him a madman an idiote a foole or a lyar or one that setteth himselfe on set purpose to cavill or quarrell Apply this to your selfe for even so is your owne argument or objection here against Infants And therefore I hope I may tell you without giving you any occasion of offence that as your vindication unto that person before specified would be that your Arguments are such as those which are so answerable to them that they are such and that therefore his arguing can make nothing against your Arguments So I in answer to you may say that the infants which Christ tooke up in his armes are the same with those who are so answerable to them that they are such for reason teacheth us to know that those infants then in Christs armes are such as they then were not otherwise then they then were and so now reason teacheth us that reasonable creatures are as like unto themselves as those to whom they are compared and that those to whom they are compared rightly are not more like themselves then themselves are like themselves and therefore apply all this to our present purpose and then wee may see the unreasonablenessâ— and perversenesse crookednesse and foolishnesse of those who will so wrest Christs words as if when he sayth Of such is the kingdome of heaven he meaneth not them but excludeth them and such as them and onely includeth some others who are for qualifications like them And therefore now Mr. A. R. I challenge you and all that take your part in opposing Infants to bring me one instance in all the Scripture where persons are spoken of and where it is sayd of such that the persons with whom they are compared to whom such a thing is applyed are not included or comprehended in the word such as well as those who are compared with them In the mean time till you shew such an instance whicâ— thing you can never doe I must still rest in the mind of Christ that he meaneth them as well as any includeth them as well as the rest and doth not exclude them but include them in these words Suffer the little Children to come unto me c. for of such is thâ— kingdomâ— of heaven Fourthly If Christ had sayd Of them â—s the kingdome of heaven and had not sayd Of such is the kingdome c. Then you might have had more colour for to limit and restraine the Scripture as you doe And then you would object thus Yea It is true Christ as he was God knew all things therfore he knowing theÌ„ to be elected saith in particular Of them is the kingdom c. But it doth not follow that therefore such as they are of it and therfore we cannot say that any other beleevers infants are of the kingdome of heaven besides them But heer you may see that this blocketh up your objections considering that Christ sayth Of such is the kingdome c. And that the word such is of a larger extent then the word them and includeth them also as hath been observed before Fifthly If the next words after both in Luk. 18. and Mar. 10. doe confirme the former as you confesse then it still argueth that the reason is invincible and therefore neither you nor all the men in the world can overthrow it It was firme before and it being by your own confession confirmed in the next words after then it is not contradicted there as you have contradicted it here and therfore judge your selfe whether you have not bestowed labour in vaine in thus opposing holy Infants For these Texts doe prove still that as infants are of the kingdome so they are not destitute of the graces of the Spirit without which none are capable Subjects of the Kingdome Wherefore heer is sufficient demonstration of Infants conversion humiliation regeneration and great estimation which they have with Jesus Christ whose word is to be taken and not refused it being spirit and life and truth and so directly opposed to your erronious affirmations that it quite overthroweth your unsound collections in your violent opposition of holy infants Sixthly You speake very untruly and doe abuse and wrong the Scripture exceedingly by inferring from the premises That when Christ sayth Of such is the kingdome of heaven His meaning is not of them nor of such as them in age nor understanding For Christ as he speaketh of them so he meaneth them though he doe not shut out aged persons that are in respect of holinesse such as those holy infants then were or such as these holy infants now are and he meaneth such properly both in yeares understanding as may appeare by the scope of the place where it is sayd that Christ commanded to suffer them to come unto him and declareth the reason namely because they are Subjects of his kingdome for of such is the kingdome of heaven sayth he And when he cometh to teach a further lesson he applyeth it also to persons of yeares that they should learne to receive the kingdome of heaven like them and to be converted and to cast away all pride and to humble themselves All which graces the fruits of regeneration the Infants of beleevers are not destitute of for as much as they are regenerated they have the seed and beginning of all Christian graces as hath been proved before Now that Christ meaneth these infants when he sayth Of such is the kingdome is cleare in the Text and may partly appeare unto you from the former Considerations But for further confirmation of the premises let us minde the scope of the place and examine the Scriptures cited In which is expresly declared First That the Infants were brought unto Christ Luk. 18.15 Secondly The persons intent in bringing them or the reasons why they brought them was that Christ should put his hands on them and pray Mat. 19.13 Thirdly When Jesus saw that the Disciples rebuked those which brought them he was much displeased Mar. 10.13 14. Fourthly And he called them unto him Luk. 18.16 Fifthly Wee are discreetly to observe Christs two-fold charge given unto his Disciples In these words 1. Suffer the little Children to come unto me 2. and forbid them not Mar. 10.14 Mat. 19.14 Sixthly Wee are heedfully to minde the reason which Christ rendereth for this which is expressed in these words For of such is the kingdome of God Mar. 10.14 Luk. 18.16 Seventhly Christs addition or
yet we may conclude that eternall life is theirs and the second death shall have no power over them * Rev. 20.6 they are blessed and happie having part in the first resurrection for theirs is the kingdome of heaven and therefore it appeareth that they are given for an heritage unto Jesus Christ who is the way and the truth the resurrection and the life and their Physician the graces of whose good Spirit which is infused in them they cannot be said to refuse or to reject his kingdome or any of those good things which are distributed unto them If the kingdome of heaven should not appertaine unto the infants of beleeving parents as it hath done heretofore then the Scripture is not fulfilled which sayth that their children shall be as aforetime but the Scripture is true as God himselfe is true and therefore your words cannot be true God took the infants of beleevers into covenant with him formerly and admitted them to be members of his visible Church then and he caused a visible signe * Gen. 17.11 and seale * Rom. 4.11 of his covenant his righteousnesse of faith to be imposed upon them then and he declared from time to time his deare love and his tender affection which he had towards them and therefore they are as holy as they were and shall be as holy as they are Christ is a father * 2 Cor. 6.18 unto the beleeving Gentiles as he was unto the beleeving Jewes and he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever And therefore as the infants of beleeving Jewes * Gen. 17. Gentiles * Exod. 12.48 were received with their beleeving parents into the Church of God in former time So the infants of the beleeving Jewes and Gentiles are received with their beleeving parents into the Church of God now and as the other had Circumcision so these are to have Baptisme it being given to all the members of Christs visible Church * Mat. 28.19 amongst whom they are a part * Mat. 10.14 And this is according to what is written in the Scripture of God for thus sayth the Lord Their children shall be as aforetime and their Congregation shall be established before me c. Jer. 30.20 Wherefore now let us see who can give one instance or tittle of Scripture for the dismission of their membership or for barring them from any spirituall priviledge now under the Gospel which they are capable off and in particular this of Baptisme seeing it is so generally distributed by the Lord of all administrations and appertaineth to all Saints Indeed if Christ Jesus had not been much * Mar. 10.14 displeased with his Disciples for such a thing and if he had not declared that the kingdom of heaven appertaineth to them and had not given a command that they should be admitted unto him or if he had not taken them up in his armes and layd his hands upon them and blessed * Ver. 16. them but had despised these and put them from him and justified his Disciples in their rebuking of them or if he had given the bringers of them a check 〈◊〉 â—5 26 as he did to the Cananitish woman or if he had given the least touch of holy Infants supplantation then you might have had some matter to work upon in this your sacrilegious opposition of holy infants But you have no tittle of Scripture to beare you out all the Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation maketh against you and therefore wee may conclude against you that the Infants of beleevers are now as the Infants of beleevers were in former time even subjects of Gods kingdome a Luke 18.16 members of his Church b Gen. 17. glorious branches young sucking-sprigs of his noble Vine c Psal 80.11 holy plants d 128.3 proceeding from those Olive trees which are planted in the house of the Lord and are said to flourish in the Courts of our God e 92.13 And what man shall root them out without rooting out himselfe Jesus hath honoured them greatly and what shall be done unto those whom the King of heaven delighteth to honour That the Lord Jesus Christ greatly delighteth to honour the Infants of beleevers Mat. 18.2.3 19.13 14 15. Mar. 10.13 14 15 16. Luk. 18.15 16 17. is apparently seen in these Scriptures where Christ Jesus now in the time of the Gospel honoureth them so much by his words and actions And this is that which that heavenly Prophet Isaiah being carried by the holy Spirit of God spake of long before Our God that Father of mercies and God of all comfort and consolation declared prophetically and oraculously by Isaiah the continuation of his truth unto beleevers and their Infants now under the Gospel prophesying of Christ and of Christians Isa 22.21 thus He shall be a father to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem 22. and to the house of Judah And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder so he shall open and none shall shut 23. and he shall shut and none shall open And I will fasten him as a naile in a sure place 24. And he shall be for a glorious throne unto his fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantitie from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of slagons Isa 22.21 22 23 24. First It is here to be observed that Christ Jesus is called here a Father ver 21. He shall be a Father sayth he So in Isa 9.6 he is called the everlasting Father Now he that is a father must be a father of some wheras he is called an everlasting father it sheweth that he is as the Apostle sayth the same yesterday to day for ever * Heb. 13.8 Secondly It is declared to whom he is a father namely to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah Now the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and the house of Judah were the Lords Saints in covenant with him his Church and people of whom he had declared that Christ Jesus their Saviour should come and these Christ Jesus was said to be a father unto even to the Church of the Jewes both young and old parents and children and salvation was said to be of the Jewes a Joh. 4.22 Their advantage was much every manner of way first because the Oracles of God were b Rom. 3.1 2. through Christ coÌ„mitted unto theÌ„ The God of their fathers c Exod. 15.2 was their father d Jer. 31.9 and was as a nursing e Num. 11.12 father unto them And the same God is a father now unto the beleeving Jewes and Gentiles as largely every way as he was then f 2 Cor. 6.18 The same God over all was g Psal 86.5 and is rich
that Abraham was a father of many Nations and so was Noah and that not onely according to the flesh but also spiritually He was a father of many Nations according to the flesh because he was the father of Abraham * See Luk. 3. who was the father of many nations according to the flesh Spiritually Noah was the heire of Justice and Abrahams father as Abraham is sayd to be our father and the father of all those who walke in his steps And seeing that Christ came of Abraham and Abraham of Noah therefore Christ came of Noah so that it may be sayd in this respect of Noah as of Abraham that in his seed which is Christ all the Nations of the earth are blessed Further you say * Pag. 18. at lin 24. A. R. Therefore although the Covenant and promises were made to Abraham and his seed yet the consequence will not follow that the covenant is likewise made with all beleevers and their seed for beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence nor any other save onely Abraham to whom and his seed the covenant and promises are made Ans That the covenant and promises were made to Abraham and his seed you cannot denie that the Proselytes and their seed were heires of the same covenant as well as Abraham and his seed the Scriptures are cleare Gen. 17.9.12 Exod. 12.48 Isa 56. So when Zacheus beleeved and so became the sonne of Abraham he had the same priviledges which Abraham had namely that the same time salvation was come to his house * Luk. 19 8 9. Therefore seeing that he was the sonne of Abraham his infants were in the covenant of Abraham And this is according to what the Apostle sayth Gal. 4.28 Now wee brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise if now the brethren are as Isaac was then their Infants are as Isaacs infants were and are to have the same priviledges of the covenant as Isaacs infants had But the former is true from the Apostles Testimony and therefore the latter is true also And therefore Baptisme being one of the priviledges of the covenant of God which they are as capable of as of circumcision they ought to be baptized as Isaacs infants were to be circumcised And seeing the same Covenant which was made with Abraham was made with Isaac and his seed and that beleevers are as Isaac was the children of promise The consequence then that the covenant is likewise made unto all beleeving parents and their holy seed is very true Whereas you tell us that Beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence nor any other save onely Abraham I tell you that if Abraham had not been a beleever he could not have been the seed much lesse a father spiritually unto those who walke in his steps neither could Isaac the childe of promise have been as he was 2. Though Christ is the root of David * Rev. 5.5 yet he is also the off-spring of David * Rev. 22.16 so is he the root and the off-spring the father * Joh. 8.58 and the sonne of Abraham * Mat. 1.1 so that Abraham was Christs seed spiritually as all the Proselytes were and in this respect Abraham is our brother But you tell us Beleevers onely are the seed and the seed onely and none of them a father in the Gospel sence save onely Abraham but you should know that Noah was Abrahams father both spiritually and temporally and a beleever and so were the holy Patriarkes before him therefore they were the seed and yet wee will not say they were the onely seed in the largest extent for I thinke that all the Saints which are or have been are not yet the onely seed for there are no doubt many yet to come Now if by the onely seed and the seed onely you mean that God never accepted of any seed but such as they were spiritually I grant the same that such are the seed indeed and in truth and such a one was Isaac in his infancie and such are the Infants of beleevers now as those infants which Christ took up in his armes Mar. 10.16 and layd his hands upon and blessed And though the infants are not fathers but faithfull children of the faithfull yet they have the blessing of Abraham which lighted upon Isaac in his infancie and those that are blessed with faithfull Abraham are the seed of Abraham and children of the promise but the infants of beleevers are blessed with faithfull Abraham therefore they are the children of the promise Moreover You should not be ignorant that Enoch Noah Sâ—m Abraham Isaac and divers others were fathers spiritually But you would have Abraham to be the onely father for you say None of them is a father in the Gospel sence save onely Abraham so that you exclude all beleevers from the beginning unto this present yea to the end of the world from being fathers any of them in the Gospel sence But you should know that all beleeving fathers who have holy children are fathers in the Gospel sence and as they are holy so are their infants who have no more childreÌ„ then Isaac had in his infancie yet seeing they are heires of the Covenant which was made with Abraham they have his blessing So Paul termeth the children of beleevers holy * 1 Cor. 7.14 and so Peter sayth The promise is unto you and to your children c. which implyeth fathers and surely I thinke this is Gospel sence * Act. â— 39 if not Gospel it selfe Further you say Wherefore to affirme that every beleever hath now the same Covenant and promises made to him and his seed A. R. Pag. 18. at lin 30. as Abraham had to him and his seed is very absurd and is all one as to say that now every beleever by his beleeving doth immediately become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham To which I answer as before that beleevers are in the same Covenant and therefore both they their seed have the same priviledges of the Covenant as the Proselytes and their seed had in former time And you should know that Abraham was not the father of Noah but Noah was the father of Abraham and he was before Abraham and therefore was not onely the father of Abraham but also the father of all beleevers after him spiritually Now though Abraham was not the father of so many beleevers as Noah was father of yet Abraham had the same priviledges in respect of the new covenant as Noah had Abraham sojourned in the land of Canan as a stranger but his seed did inherite it yet the promise of salvation was equally made both to him and his seed as it is to us and our seed So Jacob though he was not the father of so many beleevers w câ— Abraham was father of yet had
unto them as it was unto Abraham And so it was with the Proselytes their seed as with the Jewes and their seed And though this be a most evident truth yet you say it may in no wise be granted that the Covenant is made with all beleevers as with Abraham yea though they have the like spirituall priviledges as Abraham had yet you resolve not to grant it and it is not materiall whether you grant it or no. Now that they are all fathers as Abraham was I will not take upon mee to prove but this I know that they are in the same covenant and have the same spirituall priviledges which Abraham had As for your affirmatton that all these are the seed and the onely seed and children of Abraham For explanation I answer as before that if Noah was Abrahams father Abraham was not his father and therefore Abraham was not the father of all those beleevers that were before he was borne for Noah Abrahams father was a beleever And to this agrees your owne words for you say beleevers are the seed yea all beleevers and onely all beleevers are the onely seed and the seed onely and therefore you may see that Abraham though he were a father yet he was part of the seed for I thinke you will not deny him to be a beleever Whereas you say that if it were otherwise then must they be comprehended Gen. 17.7 8. under the tearme thee and then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke were very irrationall I answer That this which you have sayd will not stand with reason for you should know that if the covenant did appertaine to Abrahams sâ—ed in no wise as to Abraham then the rest of the phrase to wit and to thy seed would be in vaine and superfluous which to thinke would be very irrationall indeed And the like wee may say concerning Peters application of the promise unto beleevers and their children that if it is bound up onely in the parents then Peter might have rested at those expressions concerning the parents particular persons and onely have sayd thus Act. 2.39 the promise is unto you and not have added these words and to your children Abundance of testimonies of sacred Scripture might be cited where the seed and generation of the faithfull are declared to be in the promise with their parents but this may suffice which hath been spoken that wee may not exclude the holy off-spring and blessed issue of the blessed but whensoever wee happen upon any such place of Scripture where the seed is said to be in the blessing with the parents especially considering that the Scripture affecteth brevitie wee ought then to mind that if the blessing be bound up from the infants in the parents then the words are in vaine and supâ—rfluous where their children seed off-spring and issue are mentioned But seeing that the promise to the seed is not vaine nor superfluous nor ever was it is irrationall to thinke that God is not the same God in extending his grace and mercy to the seed of beleevers as to themselves Next you say Lin. 32. Put the case it be granted them to be fathers as they doe desire to be like to Abraham then must they be fathers of onely such as beleeve and not untill they beleeve for according to the tenor of this new Covenant and in the Gospel sense Abraham himselfe is father of none other nor otherwise Ans Though in some respects we desire to be fathers as Abraham was yet far be it from us to desire to be fathers as he was in every respect You shall not father such a thing upon us Wee desire to be fathers as Abraham was though not in every respect and it is lawfull for us so to do yea our duty not only to desire it but to strive to imitate Abraham in instructing our families and teaching them the way of life according as every one of them is capable to receive instruction But though some of our children doe degenerate as some of Abrahams children did yet it maketh not the promise uneffectuall to the rest no more then it did to the rest of the children of Abraham who wâ—s a father of them in the Gospel sence as wee are fathers of theâ—e our children who abide in our righteous steps And wee are fathers of our own infants otherwise then wee are of the unbeleeving Jewes and Turkes for ours wee know are in the covâ—nant but the other wee know are not untill they doe beleeve But whâ—n they doe beleeve then have they as great priviledges for their infants as Isaac had for his infants And these are as those were and therefore as it was warrantable for those to be sealed then so is it warrantabâ—e fâ—r these to be sealed now But hence you affirme That Publicans and Harlots may be the seed A. R. and have as much right to Baptismâ— as any beleevers seed or as any of Abrahams owne naturall seed for all and every of these must first repent and then be baptized Act. 2.38 Ans If this be forcible against beleevers infants it is of force against themselves and if such a reason could have bin strong against Abrahams infants then against Abraham himselfe for the Heathens then might become converts as well as now Moreover I tell you that it is not to the poynt for us to look what persons may be or may have right unto but what persons are or must be judged to be and what they have right unto and therefore this position of yours is very impertinently brought against Infants right to the covenant or Baptisme especially considering that the infants of beleevers are neither publicans nor harlots nor to be ranked with them or their infants till the publicans and harlots cease to be so and God create in them a new spirit as he doth in the infants of the faithfull and so circumcise their hearts and make them new creatures and give them the same blessing which Christ gave unto the Israelites inâ—ants whom he took up in his armes and imposed his hands upon and blessed Whereas you further adde that Vpon the same tearmes may any yea the most wicked in the world and their seed be baptized Ans It is true that the infants of those who are penitent and in Gods covenant though they were formerly wicked are to be baptized as well as their parents But note this that Baptisme is a confirmation of their being in Covenant as Circumcision was to Abraham and his infants and to the Proselytes and their infants Touching your reason for this which you annex * Pag. 20. at lin 4. to wit that the partition wall is now broken down and that the Gospel knows no difference between any but is to be preached to every creature in the world and so you cite Mar. 16.15 16 Mat. 28.19 Gal 6.15 8.29 I answer That though the former
yet wee must not therefore neglect the substances of them considering that they are not taken away by the alterations changing or taking away of the circumstances The Passeover the Lords Supper were all one in substance though they differed in circumstances the Baptisme of John and the Baptisme of Christ were one though they differed in some circumstances And the like may be instanced in divers other ordinances which are equivolent and sutable each to other And therefore it will hold in Circumcision and Baptisme And so this still pleadeth the divine right which Infants have to the seale now as they had to the seale then * See this treatise pag. 121. at lin 7. Now that which is not onely permitted or allowed but commanded it is both right and equall it should be observed Deut. 12.32 But God commanded the outward seale of his Covenant of grace to be imposed upon the infants of his people Gen 17.11 12 13. Rom. 4.11 This commandement in respect of the substance of it was never yet abrogated or disanulled Therefore it is in the substance of it still to be continued and it is both right and equall it should be observed Next you say Here they say * Lin. 35. Wee have another institution to baptize all Nations A. R. Mat. 28.19 But heer you should observe that wee stand not for the baptizing of all Nations but as they appeare unto us by the rule of the Word to be Disciples Secondly Though this be generall in respect of the subjects yet it is a particular institution to baptize as Abrahams was to circumcise And now let us heare your answer Then they ought to observe that institution A. R. which is first to make Disciples and then to baptize them so made for so is the institution and no otherwise * Lin. 37. To which I reply That we do observe that institution We plead not for the Baptizing of those who are not Disciples no more then that any were formerly to be circumcised who were not Disciples for the institution of circumcision and of Baptisme is one and the same though the circumstances in the severall acts are different as I shewed before and infants are as capable to be Disciples now as they were formerly and you cannot justly deny that the infants of beleevers are Disciples Now though none were to take a ground for Circumcision from the institution of Baptisme If Christs Commission for Baptisme doth not concerne infants at all but aged persons as some men dreame then his dayes are dayes of famine not of food times of poverty not of plenty of leannes not of faâ—â—s Now wee ought to note that the glory of the first â—ommission is included in the second if then the second be lesse generall then the first have swallowed up the former and yet n t increased but diminished then it is like Pharoahs 7 leane eares of corne and 7 lâ—ane kine which swallowed up the fat ones But Christs â—oÌ„mission is much laâ—ger thâ—n that given to Abraham and therefore the dreame that infants aâ—e not in the laâ—ter as well as in the former is false yet from Circumcision they might take a ground for Baptisme not to enlarge the institution of Christ for Baptisme as if it were lesse generall then the institution of Circumcision but to shew the largenesse of Circumcision that thereby wee may confute those that doe seeke to make Baptisme in reference to the subjects more streiter or lesse generall then circumcision for circumcision was acted upon the male infants in which you confessed the female infants were included And I know not how any can withâ—ut sacriledge rob or deprive both the infants of the male female kinde of these holy things which are so largely distributed since Christs manifestation in the flesh for considering that infants were once to be commanded to be sealed in their infancie and are not forbidden in the Scripture they ought to be sealed But it was once â—ommanded that the infants of beleevers should be sealed in their infaâ—ciâ— and is no where forbidden in the Scripture therefore the seale of the Covenant ought to be imposed upon them in their infancie And seeing you have â—cknowledged that the females were included * See A. R. pag. 5. lin 24. in Circumcision oâ— in the circumcised males therefore your objection against the positioâ— * Pag. 21. by wâ—y of answer that Abraham was not forbidden to circumcise his fâ—malâ—s is to no purpose unlesse it be to contradict yâ—ur selfe for seeing you have granted the fâ—males to be included they were not excâ—uded theâ—efore your comparison heer of the males of Abrahams â—â—astâ— as his camâ—ls and asses * Lin. 7. with Abrahams infants either male or female is not equall no more then that of the Bartholomew-babies which you formerly shewed in pag 16. But still it appeareth that our position * Pag. 20 l. 40. being builded upon a right foundation remaineth permanent for it cannot be shewed either by expresse command or necessary consequence that God hath forbidden the baptizing of holy Infants Moreover Whereas you labour to seeke out what they mean that affirme Lin. 13. Infants now â—re as capable of Baptisme with all its significations as infants then were of circumcision Ans I thinke they intend that the infants have not onely a capablenesse but also a right to receive the ordinance of Baptisme as the infants of beleevers had not onely a capablenesse but also a right to the ordinance of Circumcision And I suppose if you seek to prove that the infants of beleevers were more capable of Circumcision and had more right unto it then the infants of beleevers are now capable of Baptisme or have right unto it now you will loose all your labour But you in your answer * Pag. 21. lin 19. doe affirme that so all infants in the world are capable of Baptisme and so all infants from Adam to Abraham were capable of Circumcision And next you demand of them why these were not circumcised You say They will say because Circumcision was not then commanded but as soone as it was commanded it was done But I tell you for answer That to affi me that as soone as Circumcision was commanded to be done upon some infants it was done or to be done upon all infants It is an untruth as this demand Lin. 20. is your owne so I doubt not but the answer * Lin. 21. compared with lin 19 20. thereunto is yours also for your tenets leadeth you to this that Abraham might circumcise any Apâ—state he would so that he brought them in his house though they neither feared God nor reverenced man I will not say this is childish but I am sure it is foolish and brutish to have such unreverend thoughts of the ordinance of Circumcision But I suppose that Abraham could beâ—ter understand the minde of God then those who labour so to debase
the distillation of the spirit of giddinesse into the hearts of their hearers that they walke indeed as you speak * Lin. 33. in a circular Maze And so by confounding Law and Gospel have laboured to bring you or rather detaine you in bondage to sinne See A. R. pag. 26. at lin 10. Next You would make us beleeve that you desire that the doctrine of free grace by Jesus Christ might be set forth distinctly in its native luster and the spiritualitie thereof in its fulnesse of beautie and glory clearly layd open Which is indeed a thing to be desired both in the continuance and encrease thereof But alas little doe you thinke as I in charitie judge how all your labour in this Treatise tendeth to the darkening obscuring eclipsing restraining and limitting of the doctrine of free grace by Jesus Christ the distinct displaying of whose native luster though it be never so often done or the spiritualitie thereof in its fulnesse of beautie and glory never so clearly layd open before you yet you cannot see it clearly indeed so long as you thus hudwinke the eyes of your charitie and present the blessed babes of beleeving parents unto you and your selfe unto them in such beastly shapes as you have don throughout your discourse coÌ„cerning them You talk freely of free grace as if it were excellent in your eyes and that you desire to be satisfied with the fulnes of the beautie thereof But in the mean while you would not have us thinke that any part thereof belongeth to the holy infants But surely as I sayd before * See before in this Treatise pag. 82. it is well they are not at your finding for if they were it seemeth that you would Dives-like not admit them the least crum which falleth from your Table But our sweet Saviour Jesus Christ who was once an infant and is and alwayes was the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth hath free grace enough in store for them and hath displayed the same excellently in its native luster as is frequently manifested in the Scripture of God Which thing no doubt you will perceive when once God openeth your eyes to see how the covenant of mercy is made with beleeving parents and their seed that he will be their God and will accept of them in Christ binding them to do nothing above their abilitie And this free grace of God ariseth from his loving kindnesse or good will which he hath unto them and alwayes had which kinde mind moved him to look upon them with the eye of pittie and so to take such his chosen ones to himselfe And this grace may well be said to be free and why Because it proceedeth not from workes but from the love of God in Christ Jesus The love which is in God is that which moveth God who is love to love Because He loved thy fathers Deut. 4.37 Gen. 17.7 8. therefore He chose their seed So the covenant of free grace runs thus I will be the God of thee and of thy seed after thee And he bindeth the holy infants to no action or any thing which they cannot doe but giveth them the true blessednesse without works And therefore though you talke never so long of free grace and tosse it never so often in your mouth yet it is no freedome for you but bondage unto you so long as you doe by with-standing holy infants as it were snatch their bread out of their mouths The ground whereof is your unbeliefe because you perswade your selfe that the holy infants are not visibly in the state of salvation till they actually and verbally expresse faith As if the beleevers infants dying in their infancie were not saved by Christs righteousnesse imputed unto them without workes And your own errours you mention which like hypocrites twinnes doe smile and weep stand and fall together may be justly fathered upon those who bâ—râ—e out the infants from the said priviledges which Christ hath bequeathed unto them as they are selected unto him As for the gay Clergie which you mention Pag. 25. meaning those of the Church of England as I suppose which you now run upon as you did at the latter end of your first book though it be to little purpose for as much as it doth not concerne our poynt in hand yet I will tell you what I know and have found by experience that they are faine to betake themselves to Anabaptisticall Arguments both for the maintenance of their state and retaining of evill persons therein which indeed ariseth from their grosse mistake of the Historie of the Scripture thinking as you doe that the Church of the Jewes was constituted meerly upon nature and carnalitie and the like stuffe never considering that God from the beginning of the world alwayes constituted his Church onely of such persons who in all visible account were faithfull and holy And still provided a way and means to purge the Church from corruptions Moreover The parties formerly specified in maintenance of their state have also a fond erronious conceipt that because they have some of Gods ordinances therefore they are a true Church not considering that Gods ordinances may be in a false state as in Jeroboams whorish Church as hath been observed formerly ** See the Answer to A. R. first part Hereupon they are forceably driven either to confesse the Church of Rome to be a true Church or else to maintaine that an unbaptizâ—d person may baptize Now if they stand to denie the baptisme in the Church of Rome they denie their owne Baptisme which they received successively from thence which if they doe as upon your grounds they are driven thereunto then how doe you thinke they will raise baptisme except an unbaptized person baptize another Thus you may see into what streits they wrap and ensnare themselves in taking up such groundlesse Arguments as you bring and all to justifie themselves in their own way and to avoyd and withstand the way of Seperation which is the onely way of God Whereas you bring in the disorders in worship government which you say the Papists have brought in I tell you this is a varying from the matter in hand yet I say we ought to learne by the same to avoyd them and all those who seek to ruinate the foundation of Christian Religion by casting darke shadowes upon the heavenly beautiâ— and glorious excellencie of Christs Kingly Priestly and Propheticall office and eclipse his Mediatorship as if it were lesse then it was before he was manifested in the flesh As if he who hath all power both in heaven and in earth hath not given so much authoritie as generally and universally to make Disciples and baptize them as the Saints of old had to make Disciples and circumcise them Surely seeing Christ is as faithfull in his house as Moses As the Gospel of Christ in former time was so effectuall and powerfull as to cause Proselytes and