Apostle 1 Cor. 7. where he tells us expressely that the children of holy and beleeving parents I if but one of them be a beleever are Holy Else were your children uncleane but now they are holy v. 14. A Text which neither Papist nor Anabaptist can look upon but it will make their eyes dazle In this Text the Papist unlesse he shut his eyes cannot but see that children of beleeving parents may be in a state of salvation though they dye without Baptisme Why because they are to be accounted holy by birth And in this text the Anabaptist if he will not as he said Quaerere festucam seek strawes to put out his owne eyes withall as indeed in this point they doe cannot but see that Infants of beleeving parents are within the Covenant and consequently have a right to the seale of the Covenant and that because they are holy Q. Holy but how holy what are all the Infants of beleeving parents inwardly inherently holy truly sanctified by the Grace and Spirit of Christ and born such A. Not so Herein what ever the Anabaptists hold about originall sinne which most of them deny for that is their doctrine I will not say of all but of many of most of them that no Infants are conceived and borne in originall sin point blank to that of David Ps 51. 5. neither are children of wrath by nature c. we freely acknowledge it that in this there is no difference The childe of a beleever is as well conceived in sinne as any other all being alike sinners by nature and guilty of eternall condemnation In this sense children of beleeving parents are not said to be holy Not but that God may and sometimes doth sanctifie children from and in the wombe as it is said of Ieremy and Iohn the Baptist But that is not the holinesse which the Apostle there speaketh of What then why an outward visible holinesse Herein the Anabaptists most of them and we agree But what outward Holinesse is it whether a Civill or Religious holinesse Here is the difference The Anabaptist to evade the blow of this Text taketh the former way understanding the Apostle there to speake only of a Civill holinesse opposite to a Civill uncleannesse Now are your children holy i. e. say they they are legitimate no bastards Thus generally they construe that place And for countenance of that interpretation they bring that Text of the Prophet Malachy Mal. 2. 15. where the Prophet tells us that at the first God made but one man and one woman joyning them together in marriage viz. that he might seeke a godly seed or holy seed i. e. such as should be borne in lawfull marriage And by that they interpret this Text of the Apostle Now are your children holy i. e. legitimate lawfully begotten not spurious no bastards To this we reply that this interpretation however it must be acknowledged to have some considerable advocates for it both ancient and moderne yet it cannot be the sense of the Apostle in that place We shall not need to spend much time about it The errour will soone appeare if we doe but oppose the parts of the Apostles dis-junction there one against the other Else were your children uncleane but now they are holy That is say they else were they bastards but now they are legitimate Now the former of these is not true viz. that in case the unbeleeving wife were not sanctified by the beleeving husband but both were unbeleevers then their children should be uncleane i. e. Bastards This is not true For the children of Pagans where both parents are Infidels yet being borne in lawfull wedlocke they are no more bastards then the children of Christians are but are as legitimate and as free from civill uncleannesse as any other So that whatever sense be put upon that place of the Prophet Malachy yet this cannot be the sense of the Apostle in this place where he speaketh of a holinesse that was peculiar to beleevers not common to Infidels as well as them The case is cleare to them who will not heere shut their eyes against the light 2. Others there are of them who would elude the force of that place another way They will tell us that Paul in telling them their children were holy he meant no more but that they were sanctified unto them Even as the unbeleeving wife say they is sanctified to the beleeving husband i. e. sanctified to his use even so and no otherwise are their children said to be holy i. e. sanctified to the use of their parents in the duties of relation so as the parents may both own them and keep them and use them as children and that in a Christian and comfortable way A. But to this it is as soone answered as to the former Besides that these children cannot be said to bee sanctified to both parents the one being an unbeleever to whom nothing is pure nothing holy besides that There is a broad difference between being sanctified to the use of one and being holy To a beleever all things are sanctified Every creature of God is goâ—â— for it is sanctified by the Word and Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5. To the pure all things are pure Tit. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pure but not Holy This cannot be said of all creatures that they should be holy holy in themselves as here it is said of the children of beleeving parents who are said to be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely sanctificati but sancti not only sanctified to the use of the parent but holy holy in themselves Q. But what holinesse then is it that that the Apostle here meanes A. Why briefly It must be a Federall holinesse the holinesse of the Covenant So Calvin Beza P. Martyr Paraeus and almost the whole streame of Protestant Expositors carry it As for Papists indeed they here joyne hands with the Anabaptist Not induring to hear of the holinesse of Children holinesse by birth because that being admitted their absolute necessity of Baptisme whereof they are rigid and cruell patrons must fall to the ground But amongst Protestant Interpreters it is generally received And that not without good warrant from the word which usually calleth them holy who are borne under a holy Covenant The Covenant it self is holy so called by Zacharias in that place prealleadged 1. Luke 72. And so are they which are borne under it Thus were the Iewes holy Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God Ye have it often repeated in that book of Deuteronomy i. e. under a holy Covenant And in this respect they were all alike holy It is that which Corah and his company tell Moses and Aaron All the Congregation is holy every one of them A truth in it selfe though not as they intended it They were all holy in
heretofore fastened in the head of this Sisera by the Masters of the Assemblies The first whereof is that which I have already laid downe in the description of baptisme where I make the subject of baptisme to bee persons that are in covenant From hence we argue that if children of beleeving parents be within the Covenant then they may be baptized But they are within the Covenant Therefore they may be baptized The former of these is evident and I thinke it will not be denyed To whomsoever the covenant it selfe belongeth to them belongeth this seale of the Covenant Abrahams posterity being in Covenant they were to receive the seale of the Covenant viz. the signe of circumcision Thus Christians the spirituall seed of faithfull Abraham being in Covenant with God they are capable of baptisme this initiall seale which sealeth up unto them and testifieth unto others their entrance into Covenant The maine difference here betwixt us and the Anabaptist will lye about the second of these viz. Whether Infants of beleeving parents be in Covenant or no This they deny alleadging that the Covenant being a Covenant of Grace it doth not runne along with the blood it is not transmitted from the parent to the childe neither is it intayled upon any family any kindred No That which is borne of the flesh is flesh say they As for children they are all alike borne children of wrath neither are the children of beleeving parents herein priviledged There is no difference saith the Apostle for all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God No difference here between the children of Christians and Pagans Beleevers and Infidels the one is no more in Covenant then the other by nature Neither are men brought into Covenant by naturall generation but by spirituall Regeneration They must first be borne againe otherwise they have nothing to doe with the Covenant Thus they But with what truth it will appeare by these two or three arguments Children of beleeving parents are within the covenant What else in the first place meanes that of the Apostle St. Peter in that knowne place Act. 2. where he telleth those new Converts that The promise was to them and to their children v. 39. and thereupon inviteth them to come and be baptized as you have it in the verse foregoing The promise is unto you and to your children For the explicating of that Text and for the vindicating of it from the cavills and evasions of our Adversaries I shall open and unfold unto you these two things 1. What is there meant by the Promise and secondly what by their Children 1. For the former of these we finde the An abaptists nibling at it some of them referring it to the words immediately foregoing viz. The receiving of the Holy Ghost This is the promise say they here spoken of viz. of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit But against them the evidence is cleare The Promise here spoken of is the great Promise of the Gospel called here by way of emphasis The Promise viz. the promise of Remission of sinnes which he willeth them to seeke in by and thorough Christ This promise he here holdeth forth unto them and for the bearing up of their drooping dejected spirits he tells them that that Promise belonged to them and their children Not the promise of the Holy Ghost in those extraordinary gifts which was peculiar to that age and to some peculiar persons therein not common to all that were baptized into the name of Iesus Christ But what is here meant by their Children To this the Anabaptist answers not Children in age young Infants Who then Why either children by regeneration So Calvin tels us some of them expound the word there in a metaphoricall sense purposely to evade and elude the force of it Or else as the greatest part of them carry iâ— children by succession their posterity that should come after them being come to yeares of discretion So they alleadge the word Children to be often used in Scripture Act. 3. 25. Ye are the children of the Prophets Act. 13. 26. Men and brethren Children of the stock of Abraham Thus would they have the word here understood You and your Children i. e. say they the lineally descended sons of Abraham men and women of full age A. But to this cavill of theirs we reply The word Children there must be taken literally and properly and be understood of Infants Children in age For proofe of this I finde the scope and drift of the place brought in by some which seemeth I confesse to favour this construction But in as much as I find that variously carried according to divers apprehensions of it I shall passe it by fastening upon that which I conceive to be more demonstrative and convincing I take it from the words themselves Wherein we may take notice of three severall ranks or conditions of persons to whom the Apostle here affirmes this promise to belong 1. The Iewes themselves there present 2. Their Children 3. Those which were a far off But who were they Q. Who were those a far off The opening of that clause will conduce much to the clearing of the former Them which are a far off This I know Expositors generally both Protestant and Papist understand of the Gentiles who were then afar off at a great distance from the Iew in point of Religion For countenance of this exposition they bring in that known place of the Apostle Eph. 2. 17. where speaking of the Iews Gentiles he describeth each by a Periphrasis the one a people a far off the other neer The Gentiles before the comming of Christ they were a far off Ye who somtimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ 13. of that 2. Eph. Thus they expound Peter by Paul generally looking upon these texts in 2. Ephes as a Comment upon that in the 2. of the Acts. But herein I find Mr. Beza dissenting from them and that as I conceive not without good ground and warrant By those a far off in that place saith he cannot be understood the Gentiles Why not Take a double reason for it each convincing 1. The calling of the Gentiles was as yet in a great part a mysterie to Peter himself A secret which was not yet clearly unfolded unto him So much we may collect from that vision presented to him Act. 10. whereby taking away the difference betwixt the cleane beasts and uncleane bidding him slay and eat c. The Lord taught him not to put a difference betwixt Iew and Gentile So as it is evident Peter was not so well instructed in this mysterie before as that he should tell the Iewes so expresly that the promise belonged as well to the Gentiles as to them 2. Suppose Peter had understood this mysterie yet was this no fit time to have preached and
disciples repelling these Infants and rebuking those which brought them ibid. The third of our Saviours rebuking his Disciples inviting imbracing and blessing these Infants v. 14 15 16. wee shall looke upon them severally Begin with the first the act of those devout persons which brought these children wherein diverse particulars offer themselves to our consideration As 1. who brought them 2 whom they brought 3. to whom they brought them 4. to what end they brought them A word of each I. Who brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the text They brought who they were none of the Evangelists expressed Most probably the Parents the Mothers of these children They brought them which they did out of a tender and motherly affection which they bare unto their children desiring their good their welfare they brought them II. And whom did they bring Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Evangelist pueros puerulos children young children So our translation renders it and such they were Not children growen up as some of the Anabaptists would willingly have it but Infants 1. So St Luke expresly calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Infants sucking children 2. So much also is implyed in the first word of the text they brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adferebant non adduceâ—ant They brought them not led them not led them by the hand but brought them in their armes Thus they brought them 3. And after the same manner Christ received and embraced them Hee tooke them in his armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Evangelist ulnis amplexus even as mothers doe their children All evidencing and clearing the condition of the persons that were brought They were Children Babes Infants III. And to whom did they bring them Vnto him unto Christ Thus others before had brought diverse aged persons unto him who had received benefit by him And thereupon these tender mothers they doe as much for their children they bring them to Christ IV. And to what end did they bring them That hee might touch them saith our Evangelist that he might put his hands upon them and pray saith St. Matthew that is that by laying his hands upon them hee might blesse them Such benedictions Parents were anciently wont to seek for their children and children for themselves Thus did Jacob and Esau each seek a blessing at the hands of their father Isack And thus did Joseph seek a blessing for his two sons Ephraim and Manasses bringing them to his father Jacob that he might lay his hands upon them and blesse them i. e. pray for them and in the name of God pronounce a blessing upon them Such a blessing it seemeth the people of God were frequently wont to seek for their children at the hands of those whom they apprehended to be indued with propheticall and extraordinarie spirits And thus these mothers looking upon Christ as a Prophet a great Prophet the great Prophet they bring their Infants unto him that they might receive a benediction from him The words being thus briefly opened we may take up a double observation from them 1. That Infants are subjects capable of benefit by Christ 2. That it is the best office that Parents can performe unto their Children to bring them unto Christ Breifly of each Infants are subjects capable of benefit by Christ So much certainely these devout persons who here brought these children to him apprehended and believed Wherefore else should they have brought them had they not apprehended them to have been subjects capable of benefit by him And surely such they are capable and that not onely of temporall but of spirituall benefit viz. of Remission of sinnes of Regeneration Justification Sanctification Glorification But how can this be saith the Anabaptist seeing that Infants doe not actually believe They cannot lay hold upon Christ by faith how then shall they receive any benefit by him To this I answer Though they cannot lay hold upon Christ yet Christ can lay hold upon them Though they cannot touch him yet hee can touch them And this is sufficient Marke the Text They brought children unto Christ that hee should touch them Not that they should touch him but that hee should touch them Christ can and often doth touch them by a veriuall contract communicating spirituall benedictions and blessings unto them who are not able to touch him I meane actually to beleive on him This is the case of Infants they are not sensible of the need they have of Christ neither can they seek a blessing for themselves they cannot by an actuall faith lay hold upon him yet is this no impediment unto them For all this Christ may and often doth communicate himselfe unto them apprehending them thongh not apprehended by them In adultis in persons come to yeares of discretion and to the use of reason both these meet together even a mutuall apprehension the one resulting from the other Believers they apprehend Christ and they are apprehended of Christ This is that which Paul desireth for himselfe Phil. 3. I follow after saith he if I may apprehend that for which I am also apprehended of Jesus Christ Paul was apprehended of Christ viz. by his free grace accepting of him and his desire is that he might more and more apprehend Gods love and favour in Christ viz. by faith and experience Thus doe Christians when they are come to yeares of discretion apprehend Christ then they touch him as that Woman in the Gospell did who came and touched the hemme of his Garment drawing vertue from him by her faith Thus indeed Infants cannot apprehend him they cannot touch him In the meane time it is enough that they are apprehended of Christ touched by him So were these Infants here in the Text. They brought Children unto Christ that he should touch them Appli Stand noâ— then to reason with flesh and bloud about the manner of Christs comming and communicating himselfe and his grace unto Infants This doth the Anabaptist and because sense and reason cannot resolve his doubt viz. How Baptisme should be made effectuall unto Infants seeing they doe not actually believe therefore he will not believe lieve that it can bee any wayes beneficiall to them what is this but to take up Thomas his Resolution Unlesse I shall see the print of the nayles and put my fingers into them c. I will not believe These Women or who ever they were that brought these Children unto Christ they were of another minde They knew not which way vertue should go out from Jesus Christ unto their Infants yet they bring them render them unto him only desiring that hee would touch them which if hee would vouchsafe to doe they doubt not but their Infants should bee the better for it Surely what ever flesh and bloud carnall sense and reason which are no competent judges in divine and spirituall mysteries may suggest The Sacrament of Baptisme is
that were in the first Adam dyed in him so all that are in the second Adam Christ shall bee quickned in him Or all that are made alive they are made alive in Christ and by Christ Freed from eternall death by his merit from spirituall death by his Spirit from temporall death by his Power I am the Way the Truth and the Life No life but in by and through the second Adam Christ So as if Infants ever come to eternall life they must come by and through Christ as well as others There being no name by which Salvation can be expected but only the name of Iesus Christ But how can Infants have any interest in Christ or receive any benefit by him when as they cannot come unto him This our blessed Saviour saith all that his Father hath given him must do and shall do All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me c. Now what is it to come unto Christ Why to believe on him So our Saviour himselfe explaineth it vers 35. He that commeth unto mee shall never hunger and he that believeth on mee shall never thirst The latter explaines the former To come unto Christ is to believe on him Now this Infants cannot doe How then can they be said to have any interest in Christ or receive any benefit by him Answ To this it is answered diversly Some in the first place conceive that in this case the faith of the Parents is sufficient Hereby the children of believers say they are brought unto Christ even as these children here they were brought unto Christ in the armes of their Parents so are Infants say they brought home unto Christ in the armes of their Parents faith laying hold upon the Covenant of grace both for themselves and their children Secondly Others conceive that even Infants are subjects capable of faith if not of actuall yet of habiâ—â—all faith Germen fidei a seed of faith the Spirit of God working in them promodulo according to their capacities Hereof I have spoken more fully heretofore Thirdly For the present in the third place let it bee sufficient that some of them are given unto Christ in Gods eternall Election And being given unto him they shall come unto him one way or other All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me If they live to yeares of discretion they shall come unto him as I may say upon their owne feet by an actuall faith In the meane time they are brought unto him by a secret worke of the Spirit working upon their natures in a hidden and mysterious way for the changing and renâ—wâ—â—g of them Herein if we know not the way yet let not us question the thing seeing we have so plaine an expression from the mouth of truth it selfe Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not Applic. A Charge and a Prohibition both so direct against the Anabaptists of the times as if they had been purposely intended against them Whether our blessed Saviour did foresee what errors would spring up in these last times and so intended to make this as a Provision against them I will not say But sure I am a more direct Provision could not have beene made In denying Baptisme unto Infants what doe Anabaptists lesse than the Disciples here did even as much as in them lyeth forbid children to come unto Christ Which act of theirs how distastefull it was to him the first words of this verse expresse Hee was displeased And how contrary to his minde the like practise is in any other the latter words explaine Suffer little children to come unto me forbid them not For of such is the Kingdome of God Passe we now to our Saviours Reason whereby hee convinceth his Disciples of their errour in repulsing these Infants keeping them backe from comming unto him and consequently as much as in them lay debarring them from entring into that Kingdome to which they have as good a right and title as any others For of such is the Kingdome of God The Kingdome of God by way of Explication in phrase of Scripture is three-fold his Kingdome of Power Grace Glory You have them all three put together in that pithy doxologie the close of the Lords Prayer Thine is the Kingdome the Power and the Glory First Gods Kingdome is his Kingdome of Power even the powerfull government which God exerciseth in and over the world and all the Creatures in it all which are subject to his Providence even the least and most contemptible amongst them The Sparrow upon the house top the hayre of our head both of them numbered and ordered This universall Government is Gods Kingdome The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and in his Kingdome ruleth over all Psal 103. viz. his Kingdome of Power Thy Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome saith the Psalmist Psal 148. What Kingdome why his Kingdome of power So he explaines himselfe vers 11. They shall speake of the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy Power Secondly Gods Kingdome is his Kingdome of Grace even that speciall gracious government which hee exerciseth over his Elect whom having Predestinated to Grace and Glory he calleth out of the world to have union aad communion with Jesus Christ the head of this Kingdome guiding and governing them by his Word and Spirit Of this Kingdome we finde frequent mention in the new Testament Seeke first the Kingdome of God saith our blessed Saviour viz. his Kingdome of Grace So the following words explaine it The K ngdome of God and his Righteousnesse viz. Righteousnesse of Iustification and Sanctification wherein this Kingdome of Grace consisteth The Kingdome of God is Righteousnesse saith the Apostle The Kingdome of God is within you faith our Saviour His Kingdome of Grace Thirdly Gods Kingdome is his Kingdome of Glory even that glorious and blessed estate wherin himselfe reigneth and shall reigne with millions of Saints and Angels unto all eternity full of heavenly glory and felicity Of this speaketh our Saviour Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kingdome viz. the Kingdome of Heaven which is the Kingdome of God Know ye not saith the Apostle that the un-righteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God A three-fold Kingdome Quest Now of which of these shall we understand our Saviour here in the Text Answ To this I might answer not of one but of all Take it which way we will we shall finde a truth in it Of such is the Kingdome of God First His Kingdome of power Infants they are subjects of this Kingdome Over them God exerciseth a Providence a speciall providence and that both in the wombe and from the wombe David acknowledgeth both as touching himselfe Thou hast covered mee in my mothers wombe Psal 139. Thou art hee that tooke
mee out of the wombe Psal 22. vers 9. I was cast upon thee from the wombe vers 10. c. It is God that preserveth Infants in the wombe It is hee that bringeth out of the wombe in both which his Power and and Providence are wonderfully manifested And he it is that taketh care of them afterwards providing for them as he doth for other of his Creatures Hee that heareth the young Ravens when they cry much more heareth the cries of poore helplesse Infants God hath heard the voice of the Lad saith the Angel to Hagar concerning her sonne Ishmael Thus the cries of poore Infants come up to heaven prevailing oftentimes for themselves sometimes for others So did the Infants at Nineveh Jonas 4 vers last Thus the Kingdome of Gods power belongeth and reacheth unto Infants A consideration not un-usefull unto Parents in respect of their children But I will not dwell upon it The phrase in the Text though it taketh in this yet it riseth higher Secondly In the second place Infants as they are subjects of Gods kingdom of Power all of them so of his Kingdome of Grace some of them Of such is the Kingdome of God viz. his Kingdom of Grace which consisteth as well of Infants as any others They may be subjects of this Kingdome members of the Church First Of the Church visible So are all the children of believing Parents The Parents themselves being subjects of this Kingdome visible members of this mysticall body such are their children also So the Apostle concludes it Rom. 11. If the root be holy so are the Branches Where by the Root we are to understand the Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob By the Branches the people of the Jewes their lineall off-spring their naturall branches as they are called v. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From which expression it is well collected by some that by the Root in that place cannot be meant Christ as Origen of old and our Anabaptists at this day would have it in as much as Christ hath no such naturall Branches His Branches are all Insititious ingrafted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Branches not by nature but by Grace The Root there is Abraham and other of the Patriarchs the Jewes Progenitors who are so called not in regard of their persons as Calvin well noteth upon it but in regard of the Promise which was made to them and to their seed In respect of that Promise that Root was holy holy in respect of a federall holinesse the holinesse of the Covenant Now the Root being such saith the Apostle such are the Branches Their progenitors being in Covenant such was their Posterity Such were the children of Abraham then and such are the children of believers now The one being holy so is the other Holy not in respect of any inherent quality of holinesse but in respect of outward priviledges and prerogatives of grace grounded upon the Promise made to the faithfull and their seed The former cannot but the latter may and doth descend from Parent unto the childe A wise man doth not alwayes beget a wise sonne communicating his wisdome to his childe But a free-man begets a free man The childe being borne free by vertue of his fathers Charter Thus though inward holinesse is not transmitted from the Parent to the childe yet externall holinesse may federall holines may Thus Iews begat Iews and Christians now beget Christians Who yet are such let that be still taken notice of not by vertue of naturall generation but by vertue of the Covenant the Promise which is made unto the faithfull and their seed Thus the Root being holy so also are the Branches The Parents being in Covenant so are their children to be accounted They are all of them members of the Church visible Secondly I and some of them of the Church Invisible not only belonging to Gods Election of grace but subjects of his Kingdome of grace Such as Christ exerciseth a gracious government upon and in Regenerating Justifying Sanctifying them induing them with his holy Spirit That Christ doth exercise such an operation in and upon some Infants it must not bee denied Two instances are usually brought to prove it the one of Ieremy the other of Iohn the Baptist both which are sayd to bee sanctified in the wombe So was Ieremy Before thou camest out of the wombe I sanctified thee But this I consesse I dare not build upon By Sanctification I take there to be meant only a separation unto a speciall use and service So the next words seeme to expound it I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet unto the Nations That seemeth to 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 spoken of Not any infusion of any 〈◊〉 of grace into his soule that faith Mr. Calvin is nimis argutum the Text will not beare it but onely a designation a setting of him 〈◊〉 unto his propheticall office To wave that The latter is cleere John the Baptist he was sanctified in or from the wombe and that by the secret worke of the Spirit upon his soule The Text is expresse He shall be filled with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe This God did to him The like he can doe for others and no question frequently doth it Communicating his Spirit even to Infants though not in so large a measure as to the Baptist yet in such a measure as may be sufficient for them sufficient to make them and prove them subjects of this Kingdome of God his Kingdome of Grace I Thirdly to give them a right to and interest in his Kingdome of glory That also is the Kingdome of God and of such is the Kingdome A truth which necessarily followes upon the former Being subjects of Gods Kingdome of grace they have also right to his Kingdome of glory He shall give grace and glory Psal 84. Grace as the first-fruits Glory as the full crop the one a pledge a seale and earnest of the other But upon this I will not insist I presume I shall meet with none so uncharitable as to deny or question it Come wee rather to make some Application of this Truth Vse 1. Here is first a Warrant for what the Church of God in all Ages hath practised the Baptizing of Infants This the Church hath done and this it doth I but quo jure saith the Anabaptist what warrant hath it for it why Christs owne warrant who here telleth us that of such is the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Grace and Kingdome of Glory Now being subjects of this Kingdome they have right to the priviledges of subjects amongst which this seale of the Covenant is none of the least Repl. I but saith the Anabaptist we mistake the Text. How so Why the Text doth not say to them belongeth or theirs is the kingdome of God but of such is the kingdome of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning thereby