More Proofs of Infants Church Membership and Right to Baptism, Letters 1 · Section 47,48
SECT. XLVII, XLVIII.
R. B. AS the war is here proclaimed, and the General or chief Commander conſtituted, ſo next here is a natural enmity put into the whole ſeed of the woman, or humane race, againſt the whole ſeed of the Serpent that then was, or the Diabolical nature. This is plain both in the Text, and in the experience of the fulfilling of it. As in the inſtrumental ſerpent, it is the whole ſerpentine nature, that hath an enmity to the humane nature, and the whole humane nature to the ſerpentine nature; they being venemous to us, and we abhorring them as venemous, and as ſuch as our lives are in danger of: ſo is it the whole humane nature that is at enmity to the Diabolical nature. Vide Muſcul. Calvin. Luther. in locum. All men have naturally as great an abhorrence of the Devil, as of a ſerpent, they apprehend him to be their enemy, they abhor the very name and remembrance of him: If they do but dream of him, it terrifieth them, they are afraid of ſeeing him in any apparition. If they know any temptation to be from him, ſo far they diſlike it and abhor it, though for the thing preſented they may cheriſh it. This is not ſpecial ſaving grace, but this is a great advantage to the work of ſpecial grace, and to our more effectual reſiſting of temptations, and entertaining the help that is offered us againſt them, when our very natures have an enmity to the diabolical nature: we now look on him as having the power of death, as Gods executioner and our deſtroyer and malicious adverſary. And if there be any Witch or other wicked perſon that hath contracted ſuch familiarity and amity with him, as that this natural enmity is thereby overcome, that proveth not that it was not naturally there, but that they by greater wickedneſs are grown ſo far unnatural. 5. As this enmity is eſtabliſhed in the nature of mankind againſt the diabolical nature, ſo is there a further enmity legally proclaimed againſt the diabolical pravity, malignity and works. Vide Paraeum in locum. God will put an enmity by his laws (both natural and poſitive) making it the duty of mankind to take Satan for their enemy; to reſiſt, and uſe him as an enemy, and fight againſt him and abhor his works, and ſo to liſt themſelves under the General that fighteth againſt him, to take his colours, and to be of his Army: And this being ſpoken of the common world of mankind, and not only of the elect (for it is not they only that are obliged to this hoſtility and warfare) belongeth to each one according to their capacities: and therefore Infants being at the Parents diſpoſe, it is they that are to liſt them in this Army againſt the enemy of mankind, of which more anon. 6. A third and higher enmity is yet here comprehended, and that is an habitual or diſpoſitive enmity againſt the diabolical malignity, pravity and works, which may be called [natural] as it is the bent or byas of our new nature. This God giveth only to his choſen, and not to all. And it containeth not only their conſent to liſt themſelves in his army againſt Satan, but ſpecially and properly a hatred to him as the Prince of unrighteouſneſs, and a cordial reſolution to fight againſt him and his works univerſally, to the death, with a complacency in God and his ſervice and ſouldiers. Here take a ſhort proſpect of the myſterious bleſſed Trinity. As God is one in three, and in his entity hath unity, verity and goodneſs, and in his bleſſed nature hath poſſe, ſcire, velle, power, wiſdom and love, ſo as from theſe is he related both to his created and redeemed rational creatures, as abſolute proprietary, as ſoveraign ruler, and as moſt gracious benefactor: As Lord of our nature he hath put the foreſaid enmity between the humane nature and the Diabolical: As ſoveraign Ruler, he hath by legiſlation impoſed on us a further enmity as our duty, that we ſhould be liſted in his army, profeſs open hoſtility againſt Satan, and … againſt him to the death. As Benefactor, he giveth ſpecial grace to do this, to his choſen. As he is Lord of all ſo the firſt is done on the natures of all: As he is Rector of all, but not by the ſame Laws (as to poſitives) ſo he obligeth all to this hoſtility, but not all as he doth thoſe that hear the Goſpel: As he is Benefactor he doth with his own as he liſt, and makes a difference. If any ſay that it is the ſame enmity that is here ſaid to be put in all, and therefore the ſame perſons in which it is put. I anſwer, 1. There is no proof of either. A general command or promiſe to a community, may ſignifie a difference of duties or gifts to that community, though that difference be not expreſſed: For the nature of the ſubject may prove it. And, 2. Experience of the fulfilling of this promiſe or covenant, proves the difference before mentioned. And it is well known, 1. That Moſes is ſo conciſe in the Hiſtory of theſe matters. 2. And that the myſterie of grace was to be opened by degrees, and ſo but darkly at the firſt, that it is no wonder if we find the whole ſumm of the Goſpel here coucht up in ſo narrow a room, and if each particular be not largely laid open before our eyes. 7. That we may certainly know that this promiſe ſpeaks not only of the enmity that Chriſt himſelf ſhould have to Satan, and doth not engage a General without an army, God doth here expreſly mention the woman her ſelf, ſaying [I will put enmity between thee and the woman] ſo that as ſhe ſtood in a threefold reſpect; ſhe is here her ſelf poſſeſſed with this threefold enmity. 1. As ſhe is the root of humane nature, from whence all mankind …, ſhe is poſſeſt with the natural enmity … diabolical nature, and this to be naturally conveyed or propagated. 2. As ſhe was the root of the great Republick of the world, or that rational ſociety which God as Rector would ſapientially govern, and her ſelf with her husband (who no doubt was alſo included in the promiſe) were the whole then exiſtent race of mankind, ſo did ſhe receive a legal enmity of obligation, which ſhe was traditionally to deliver down to all her poſterity, being her ſelf hereby obliged to liſt her ſelf and all her Infant progeny in the Redeemers army, againſt the proclaimed enemy, and to teach her poſterity to do the like: For thus obligatory precepts muſt be brought down. 3. As ſhe was one of the choſen favourites of God, ſhe received the habitual enmity of ſanctification: And this is not in her power to propagate, though ſhe may uſe ſome means that are appointed thereto, and whether a promiſe of any ſuch thing be made to her ſeed on the uſe of ſuch means, I will not now ſtand to diſcuſs. 8. It is not all that are poſſeſſed with the natural enmity againſt the Devil himſelf that are the Church of Chriſt: For this is but a common preparative which is in all: Nor is it all that are obliged to the further enmity againſt the works of Satan: But all that on that obligation are duely liſted in Chriſts army againſt Satan (by the obliged perſon) are viſible members: and all that are by ſanctification at an hearty enmity (habitual or actual) with the Kingdom of Satan, are members of the Church called myſtical or inviſible. This I put as granted. 9. Thoſe that violate this fundamental obligation, and to their natural pravity ſhall add a fighting againſt Chriſt and his Kingdom for Satan and his Kingdom, are become themſelves the ſeed of the Serpent. And though they had the natural enmity with the reſt of mankind in general againſt Satan, yet have they therewithal the habitual enmity againſt Chriſt. This much I ſuppoſe as out of controverſie. But whether alſo the firſt original corrupted nature it ſelf (before any ſin againſt recovering grace) did contain an habitual enmity againſt the Kingdom of the Redeemer? Or whether the ſins of later Parents may propagate this as an additional corruption in our nature, I will not now ſtand to diſcuſs. Only as to our preſent buſineſs, it is certain that the general natural enmity to Satan, may conſiſt with an habitual friendſhip to his ways and cauſe. And though as men they may have the firſt common advantage of nature, and as ſubjects de jure may be under the common obligation, yea, and as liſted in Chriſts army may have many of its priviledges; yet for the enmity of diſpoſition to Chriſt, they may be under a greater curſe. 10. As it is certain, that it is not only Chriſt himſelf that is here made the object of this promiſe, and is here called [the ſeed of the woman,] (as is before proved, and may be more, and is commonly granted;) ſo it is to be noted, that thoſe others in whom this enmity is put, are called here [the ſeed of the woman,] and not the ſeed of Chriſt (though the chief of them are his ſeed.) And ſo though the promiſe is made to none but the womans ſeed, and no exception put in againſt Infants, or any age of all her ſeed: Till you can prove that Infants are none of her ſeed, we muſt take this fundamental promiſe to extend to Infants, and that very plainly, without uſing any violence with the Text.
11. Some learned men do uſe no contemptible arguments to prove further, That the ſanctifying enmity is here promiſed to the ſeed of the woman as her ſeed (I mean thoſe that go the way of Dr. Ward, Mr. Bedford, &c.) that is, that as the two former ſorts of enmity are put into all the ſeed of the woman (as is explained) ſo the ſpiritual holy enmity promiſed to her ſeed as ſhe is a believer. 12. And ſome learned men do accordingly conclude, that the impiety of Parents may do much to hinder their children from that bleſſing more than by original ſin they were hindred, and therefore their faith may further them. Of which though much may be ſaid, I ſhall ſay no more, becauſe I will not ſtand on things ſo much queſtioned.
M. T. This tedious diſcourſe of Mr. B. is indeed ſerpentive—
Reply. They that need a Reply to any thing here ſaid, ſhall have none from me.