More Proofs of Infants Church Membership and Right to Baptism, Letters 1 · Section 19,20,21
SECT. XIX, XX, XXI.
R. B. HAving thus explained the terms, I prove the propoſition. If Infants Church-memberſhip with the priviledges thereof were a benefit conferred, which ſome had right to or in, then was there ſome grant, covenant, or promiſe, by which this right was conferred: But the antecedent is moſt certain: Ergo, ſo is the conſequent. I ſuppoſe you will not deny that it was a benefit to be the covenanted people of God, to have the Lord engaged to be their God, and to take them for his people, to be brought ſo near him, and to be ſeparated from the common and unclean, from the world, and from the ſtrangers to the Covenant of promiſes, that live as without God in the world, and without hope.
If it were asked what benefit had the Circumciſion? I ſuppoſe you would ſay, much every way.
If Infant Church-memberſhip were no benefit, then they that had it, were not (when they came to age or their Parents in the mean time) obliged to any thankfulneſs for it. But they were obliged to be thankful for it. Ergo, it was a benefit.
Mr. T. Denyeth not the benefit; but denyeth [that this is to be Viſible members formally or connexively, for they may have all this benefit who are not viſible Church-members: viz. ſome believing Saints that are dumb.
Reply. Mark Reader, what an iſſue our Controverſies with theſe men come to? [Men may be the covenanted people of God, and have the Lord engaged to be their God and to take them for his people, and be ſeparated from the common and unclean, from the world, from ſtrangers to the Covenant, &c. and yet be no viſible Church-members] with them! Doth a dumb man ſignifie his conſent to the Covenant by any ſigns or not? If he do, that is viſible covenanting. If not, how is he one of theſe covenanting and ſeparated people? And do you think that Mr. T. knew not that I talk to him of viſible covenanting and ſeparation, and not only of a ſecret unexpreſſed heart-conſent: What will make a Church-member then with ſuch men?
He next ſaith that [To be the circumciſion is not all one as to be viſible Church-members; Cornelius and his houſe were viſible Church-members, yet not the circumciſion].
Reply. Reader, doſt thou not marvail to find him ſo plead for me againſt himſelf, or ſpeak nothing to the caſe? To be circumciſed then, or baptized now, is not all one as to be viſible Church-members: But ſure all the Circumciſed were, and all the Baptized are, inveſted in viſible memberſhip? Is it not ſo? And if Cornelius and more of the uncircumciſed alſo were members, you ſee it was not inſeparable from Circumciſion. And whom is this againſt, me or him?
He addeth [nor were the benefits, Rom. 3.1, 2. (the oracles of God, &c.) conferred to them as viſible Church-members: For then all viſible Church-members had been partakers of them].
Reply. But it was to them as members of the Jewiſh viſible Church: And if you plead for the extent of the Church to others alſo, I thank you for it.
When I ſay [Infant Church-memberſhip was a benefit] He ſaith [Viſible Church-memberſhip ſimply notes only a ſtate, by which was a benefit.]
Reply. Only, is an excluſive term: Reader, by this thou maiſt perceive the myſtery of making Church-members by a tranſeunt fact, without a Law or promiſe. It is no benefit with theſe men, but a ſtate by which was a benefit. Either they or I then know not at all what Church-memberſhip is: And are not all our Volumes wiſely written to trouble the world, about that Subject that we are not agreed what it is, and about a term which we agree not of the ſenſe of? I take a viſible Church-member to be a viſible member of Chriſt as Head of the Church and of his Church as viſible? To be a Member is to be a Part: It is therefore as the member of a Family, School, Kingdom, a related part! And is it no benefit in it ſelf beſides the conſequents to be viſibly united and related to Chriſt and his body? to be relatively a member of the Houſhold of God? Sure were it but for the excluſion of the miſerie of the contrary ſtate, and for the Honour of it, ſuch a Relation to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, and the Church, is ſome little benefit: (and great to me.)
And whether he and Major Danvers and ſuch others ſhould make ſuch a vehement ſtir about it as they do, if it be no benefit, let it be conſidered.