The Estate of Children of Church Members and their Right to Baptism, Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 3

The Estate of Children of Church Members and their Right to Baptism · Treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 3

p. 168CHAP. III. Sect. I. Touching the Explication of Matth. 28. 19, 20. and Marke 16. according to our oppoſites.

HAving laid downe ſuch concluſions as make way: let us now addreſſe our ſelves to ſome further conſiderations of Pedobaptiſme it ſelf, according as other Scripture grounds hold it forth.

And firſt becauſe, Matth. 28. is much controverted, let us try whether it make more for us then againſt us therein, and withall take in the conſideration of Marke 16. 16. which our oppoſites p. 169pleno & uno ore cry up as quite overthrowing our doctrine of Pedobaptiſme. And herein I am content that they ſhould ſpeake. Firſt, Mr. Blackwood maketh the commiſſion to be even for the very order of the words ſo exact, that Miniſters, as commiſſioners muſt ſtick to them: and giveth reaſons to prove the very order of the words to bee morall in both places: and brings Mark. 16. for his proofe, that without all diſtinction of Churches gathering, or gathered, thus it muſt bee: beleeving in Chriſt muſt proceed baptiſme; this hee maketh his ſecond argument, and the ſame alſo his fourth, onelyonly varying the words a little, but the proofe is, Mark 16. 16. to which, Acts 8. 12. 37. is added for proofe: from which proofes alſo of Act. 8. 12, &c. he rayſeth his ſixth argument, ſo that all thoſe three arguments together, alſo with his eighth and laſt they all turne upon one hinge, and have all one bottome. A. R. hee alſo explaineth the ſame, in the ſame way applying Marke 16. as an explication of Matth. 28. the Scriptures, ſaith he, hold forth that Diſciples, that is, beleevers onelyonly ſhould bee baptized: ſo Mr. B. upon Marke 16. onelyonly beleevers are to bee baptized, and unbeleevers by that affirmation are forbidden.

And further to prove the ſame, the word foreign, Matth. 28. is urged by Hen. Den, A. R. and Mr. B. as in reference to Diſciples, not foreign in reference to foreign the nations. Beſides, in that Chriſt added [teaching] them; as if the perſons to bee baptized are preſently to bee taught, and ſo not Infants. And that alſo preaching is to goe before baptiſme upon the ſame ground. And as by that plaine and well grounded treatiſe is added: that baptizing into the name of the Father, &c. that is, invocating the name of the Father, Sonne and Spirit, bringing Acts 22. for their proofe, Paul is bid to bee baptized, calling upon the name of the Lord: now Infants cannot call upon the Lord when to bee baptized.

Now let us conſider the weight of what hath been ſaid.

1. For the order of the words as morall, in Matthew, becauſe alſo in Marke, and ſo morall in both; for ſaith Mr. B. it reacheth to the worlds end, it was Chriſts laſt commiſſion, and it were abſurd to thinke a man baptized before preached to, and ſo baptized into hee knowes not what. And indeed this is urged as an argument diſtinctly againſt Pedobaptiſme; becauſe children underſtand not the myſteries of Baptiſme: and what hath God to doe with ſuch as know him not, nor what hee offers them, or doth for them, &c? Whence I. S. urgeth it as an abſurditie that wee will have p. 170children baptized which know nothing of it, and ſo muſt build their faith upon humane teſtimony. We ſhall now anſwer to theſe particularly.

SECT. II.

1. THen ſome things in this order of Chriſt were perpetuall, as that preaching the Goſpel ſhould goe before Baptiſme, that baptiſme is to bee adminiſtred by ſuch as preach: that diſcipled in-churched perſons, are to bee baptized: that in founding Churches, the firſt members are to bee viſible profeſſors of the faith in reference to Church eſtate: that baptiſme is with water to bee applyed to the perſons baptized, and that into the name of the Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt. Yet non ſequitur, that all which here Chriſt held forth, is ſo ſtrictly to bee attended to the end of the world, as that which is to indure to the end of the world, or that what in Matthew and Marke hee propoundeth it is preſidentiall in all Church caſes of perſons to bee baptized, as alike, and that without diſtinction of Churches then, or now, gathering or to bee gathered. There is a commiſſion given to Elders or Churches, as here was to miniſters, James 5. 14. that they are to pray over the ſicke, and to anoint them with oyle: wee muſt now then without all diſtinction of times or Churches doe ſo too by Mr. Blackwoods argument; wee muſt ſtick to Scripture commiſſion of the Lord; as this was by his ſpirit, according as the other was viva voce.

And let our oppoſites that urge Matthew and Marke, as preſidentiall to all Churches and times, attend what is ſaid in Marke 16. 16, 17, 18. if Marke 16. be the rule to us what perſons ſhould bee baptized onelyonly, ſcil. beleevers, then few are to bee now baptized, but ſuch whoſe beleeving is attended with ſignes, that can caſt out devills, ſpeake with ſtrange tongues, take up Serpents, drinke deadly poyſon without hurt, or if any other are yet at leaſt ſome amongſt the baptized beleevers now as well as then, will have ſuch miraculous gifts. For Chriſt ſpeaking of ſome of thoſe baptized beleevers, at leaſt, albeit not of all, for all had not then gifts of miracles, and tongues, 1 Cor. 12. ſaith, theſe ſignes ſhall follow them that beleeve, &c. Marke 16. 17. and it was one continued ſpeech, and touching ſome of the perſons ſpoken of, verſ. 15, 16. hence Mr. B. will never deny, unleſſe his reaſon faile him, but that ſuch kind of perſons were proper to bee found in thoſe firſt Churches, and times of firſt foundings of Churches amongſt the heathen nations, p. 171And therefore, will hee nill hee, muſt he make a diſtinction of firſt Churches gathered, amongſt ſuch as never heard of Chriſt, and other Chriſtian Churches in theſe dayes.

Secondly, bee it that it was Chriſts laſt commiſſion, yet it ſufficiently appeares already that what he here held forth in this gracious order about Gentile Churches, it was not therefore morall, and applyable to all times; no ſuch ſignes now following any beleeving baptized members of Churches as did then. And if that very order of Chriſts laſt words were ſo morall, and ſtrictly to bee obſerved: why doe the Evangeliſts, and Paul ſo vary in expreſſions, of thoſe laſt words of Chriſts order touching the Lords Supper? Matthew expreſſeth the Sacramentall actions of Chriſt, about the bread and cup, to bee as they were eating, Matth. 26. 26, 27. and ſo Marke, Chap. 14. 22, 23. but Luke and Paul ſay hee tooke the cup after ſupper, Luke 22. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 25. Matthew, Luke and Paul make the Sacramentall promiſe, to bee uttered before the Diſciples dranke, even whilſt Chriſt gave order for their drinking: but Marke mentions the promiſe, This is my blood of the Teſtament, &c. as ſpoken after they had all drunke of the cup, Marke 14. 23, 24. Luke addeth to what Matthew and Marke ſay, This is my body which is given for you: Paul otherwiſe, which is broken for you: Matthew, Marke and Luke ſay of the bread, that Chriſt gave it to them; yet Paul, which affirmeth what hee had received, and did deliver accordingly to the Church of Corinth as from the Lord, he leaveth out that act of giving the bread; Matthew and Marke ſay as much expreſly of the giving of the cup to them, which Paul omitteth. Matthew and Marke expreſſe that thus: This is my blood of the New Teſtament, which Luke and Paul expreſſe thus, This is the New Teſtament in my blood: Matthew and Marke ſay, which was ſhed for many, Luke which is ſhed for you; Paul wholly omitteth it. Luke addeth in mention of the bread, Doe this in remembrance of mee; but not in mention of the cup; Matthew and Marke omit that paſſage in both, Paul addeth it to both, and addeth that in the latter, as oft as yee drinke it. What varietie is here, additions, omiſſions, variations, &c. in the mention of Chriſts laſt commiſſion about the other Sacrament? ſurely, Mr. B. and others will confeſſe, that if it had beene ſo morall, and invariable, becauſe Chriſts laſt commiſſion, holy men inſpired, would not, had not, could not have ſo placed them, before, or after one another, ſomething before, as mentioned by one, ſomething ſet p. 172after the ſame words, by another analogie of faith, and comparing Scriptures with Scriptures, muſt regulate in ſuch things here, and in this Sacramentall order, and ſo in the other.

And becauſe ſo much is put in order of phraſe, and words to conclude thence, without compare thereof with other Scriptures; the order of things in acting, becauſe in thoſe two places, ſuch in order of uttering, and expreſſing, I would argue hence. If becauſe beleeving is ſet before baptizing, none is to bee baptized, but ſuch as beleeve, then becauſe being baptized is in the ſame place, Marke 16. 16. ſet before being ſaved, therefore no beleevers are ſaved but ſuch as are baptized, and ſo baptiſme is abſolutely neceſſary to ſalvation, and a man may bee a true beleever, but for want of baptiſme, which yet was the caſe of ſome of old which were martyrd, may bee damned: yea then ſince Chriſt when preaching, Marke 1. 15. ſaying, Repent, and beleeve the Goſpel, it muſt bee concluded it is in the order of things acted, as uttered, that repentance goeth before faith, and that a man actually may repent, before hee actually beleeveth the Goſpel; and ſo Rom. 10. 9. If thou ſhalt confeſſe with thy mouth, is placed before the other, if thou ſhalt beleeve with thine heart. Ergo, a man may make a ſaving confeſſion of Chriſt, before hee ſavingly beleeve with the heart: yea if the place it ſelfe in Marke, muſt bee ſo cloſely ſtuck to, without comparing it with the Scriptures of the old Teſtament which were then when Marke writ, the onelyonly Scriptures, beſides Matthews Goſpel, exiſting, it would follow in the reaſon of perſons then living, that the Goſpel muſt bee preached to Dogs, and Cats, Fowles and Fiſhes, &c. ſince it's expreſly ſaid, Preach to every creature.

Thirdly, I demand of Mr. B. whether it bee abſurd to ſay the Goſpel is preached to little ones, which underſtand not what is ſaid, if ſo, then what thinkes hee of that ſpeech of Chriſt in the preſence of the little ones which hee uttered concerning them, Of ſuch is the kingdome of God; and, hee that receiveth not the kingdome of God as a little child, &c. was this Goſpel, or not? ſurely yes to Mr. B. it is ſo which holdeth that Chriſt ſpake it of their intereſt in glory it ſelfe: here was then Goſpel preached to little ones, to Infants, yet not abſurdly. Hee dares not ſay that was not Goſpel which Moſes on Gods behalfe uttered, Deut. 30. 6. as hath been ſhewed, yet ſpoken to little ones then preſent, Deut. 27. 14. and that was ſuch, Act. 2. 38, 39. to ſo many as might bee preſent, as well as touching ſo many as were abſent. Zacharies ſpeech, ſpoken as p. 173to his babe Luke 1. And thou child ſhalt bee called the Prophet of the moſt high, &c. it was Goſpel preached to a babe.

But to come to the core of the objection, as if abſurd to bee baptized unto one knoweth not what; or as others, when one underſtands not the myſteries of ſuch an Evangelicall act and ordinance; I anſwer, Iſaacs circumciſion was an Evangelicall ordinance as a ſigne of Gods covenant of grace with him, and to confirme the promiſe of God, to bee a God to him, ſcil. to fulfill ſuch promiſes as Luke 1. 73, 74, 75. and hee to walk in his father Abrahams footſteps, &c. as ſome acknowledge it did ſignifie ſanctification of the ſpirit, juſtification by Chriſts blood, and faith in him as to come, &c. and ſo of an Evangelicall nature, if to any, to him who was the child of promiſe: yet did not hee then underſtand theſe things; did God then in injoyning his circumciſion ſo young injoyne an abſurditie? ſurely no. Chriſts act in bleſſing thoſe Infants, Marke 10. and Luke 18. as that alſo of his impoſing hands on them, and imbracing them, or taking them into his armes, theſe were no legall, nor ceremoniall, but truely gracious and Evangelicall acts of Chriſt, and very myſterious, yet not abſurd, becauſe they knew not, nor underſtood what hee did for them, in bleſſing of them; Peter underſtood not at preſent that Evangelicall act of Chriſt, in waſhing of his feet, yet muſt it bee done, or it had beene worſe for him, John 13. 7. 9. 12. will Mr. B. challenge this act alſo upon the former grounds to bee abſurd? As for that whim of I. S. I ſay wee lay not foundations of building faith upon humane teſtimony more then they of old, in holding out the Doctrine of circumciſion, Infants circumciſed knew not more that they were circumciſed in way of an ordinance, then children now doe of their baptiſme, when they come to bee growne up, both ſorts know it as it is teſtified to them by others. Yea but there was a viſible mark to bee ſeene, which is not in baptiſme; grant it ſo, yet how knew they that it was not given them in ludibrium by enemies, or unto ſome falſe God, and worſhip, by ſome Idolatrous Prieſts, amongſt whom they might bee as captives, and they could not know that it was adminiſtred to them in a Church way and according to Gods rules but by hear-ſay by friends, or parents? And therefore in the maine of knowing both, as ordinances adminiſtred upon them, they are one.

Fourthly, Diſciples onelyonly, that is beleevers, are to bee baptized, according to Marke 16. 16. the affirmative including the negative, p. 174therefore not Infants. Let us examine this principle and principall ground worke of our oppoſites.

1. Then it ſeemes Scripture Diſciples of Chriſt are onelyonly ſuch beleevers, as Marke 16. 16. ſpeaketh of, and ſuch beleevers onelyonly, as that verſe mentions are to be baptized: which I deny. Firſt, the beleever mentioned, Marke 16. 16. is one that ſhall ſurely bee ſaved and not condemned, as the oppoſition ſheweth, but neither is every one which is called a Diſciple ſuch a one, witneſſe that, John 6. 66. and Act. 20. 30. no true beleevers can ſo fatally bee rent away as members cruelly torne from the body, as the Greek word foreign ſignifieth, they were but externally in the body of Chriſt, not efficaciouſly. Mr. B. ſaith, a Diſciple is in Engliſh a Scholler: yea but all that are Schollers at ſchoole come not to good: nor do they effectually learne what they are taught.

Secondly, if Marke 16. 16. bee the rule of baptizing, then none are by rule to bee baptized, but ſuch as ſavingly beleeve, for of ſuch a one hee ſpeaketh, in oppoſition to ſuch a one as is damned. And then the Apoſtles which baptized ſo many, John 4. 1, 2. whereof ſundry, Chap. 6. 66. proved apoſtates, and came no more at Chriſt, breake rule, as alſo did John in baptizing ſundry of the multitude amongſt whom hee knew, were many chaffy hypocrites, Matth. 3. 9, 10, 11, 12. but of that more elſe where.

And whereas Mr. B. challengeth us, to ſhew an Example of one baptized without faith. It's evident many a one was baptized beſides ſuch a one, as beleeving, and being baptized ſhould bee ſaved, as Marke hath it: many a baptized perſon being never ſaved, as ſundry of them, John 4. and 6. compared; yea if hee meane it of ſome ſpeciall perſonall confeſſing of faith in Chriſt, it was propounded to them as a future thing, which afterwards rather they were to attend, Act. 19. 4. John ſaid to them that they ſhould beleeve in him which was to come after him, and of thoſe ſcribes, and no mention of ſo much as their confeſſing of ſinnes before their baptiſme, John ſharply reproved them, &c. and minded them what they ſhould doe afterward, bring forth fruits of repentance, &c. Matth. 3. 7. 8, 9, 10. and yet hee expreſly ſaith, hee doth baptize them, &c. I indeed, ſaith he, baptize you, &c. but as Mr. B. urgeth us in that matter of ſhewing any baptized without faith, the Scripture ſaith hee is ſilent, ſo ſay I here, the Scripture is ſilent touching theſe Scribes confeſſion of faith, and in Act. 16. 15, 16. the Scripture which ſaith Lydia's houſhold was baptized; ſaith not that p. 175any more beleeved but Lydia; and becauſe this example is diverſly controverted, I ſhall indeavour to cleare it, as for, and not againſt us, the ſtory is ſo exactly in all the circumſtances of it, ſet downe, that as I wonder of that evaſion, that wee are to ſeeke the explication of this, by that other diſtinct ſtory, as diſtinctly and independently ſet downe from this, as this from that. The holy Ghoſt is exact in ſetting downe many particular paſſages in mentioning the occaſion of this here expreſſed from Acts 16. 6. to 14. and in the particular circumſtances of this paſſage of the firſt ſucceſſe of Pauls miniſtery at Philippi. The perſon wrought upon is deſcribed: ſhee was no meere Pagan, but a worſhipper of God before, albeit not one that beleeved in Chriſt Jeſus as the promiſed Meſſias, which then was the great article of faith, and full of difficultie to bee beleeved, in all likelihood a Jew, or one of the beſt ſort of proſelytes venturing hard for Religions ſake, they were not allowed the libertie of a Synagogue at Philippi: as in ſome other places under the Romiſh juriſdiction: but they withdrew to a remote place, from ordinary concourſe & view: and though Sabbath ſolemnities were loathſome to the Romans there, yet ſhee, with ſome other women adventure to ſpend the time in Prayer. Thither Paul repaires, and amongſt them all ſhee is wrought upon, and no other mentioned: God opened her heart that ſhee attended, &c. if any of her houſhould too, had beene then, or preſently after that, brought home to Chriſt; the holy Ghoſt ſo exact in the circumſtances of this ſtory, as in that other afterwards of the Jaylour; it's very unlikely that he would have omitted the ſame here, more then in the other place. Yea after ſhee and her houſhold were baptized, the Text expreſly ſaith, If yee have judged mee, not if yee have judged them alſo faithfull come into my houſe. If there bee but one ſeeming example for rebaptizing, and neither rule nor example to colour that wreſted ſenſe of Acts 19. 4, 5, 6. that muſt be currant and warrant, for that innovation, and we upbraided, if there were but one example ſo good for Paedobaptiſme, as that for rebaptizing they will yeeld the cauſe to us, and ſo may wee to them, if this bee not fuller for us, then that for them. Yea but ſaith Mr. B. would you baptize a Turke in his Maſters faith? and what of that? therefore here were none baptized but beleevers unleſſe that bee granted? Non ſequitur: is it not rule for us herein to make uſe of a Synecdoche, as well as you, when wee urge you with families baptized, and ſo children in them? you tell us it is a Synecdoche, of the whole put for the p. 176part: the whole were baptized, that is, the growne part capable of being preached unto in the houſe, Acts 16. 31, 32, 33, 34. Yea but here was none preached to of this houſe that is mentioned but Lydia only, yet the houſhold baptized, that is ſay we a part thereof by a Synecdoche, even that part w^ch might moſt properly be baptized in her right more then in their owne, as were her children. For ſo houſe in Scripture is oftentimes uſed for children of ſuch, or ſuch a perſon onelyonly, as Judg 9. 16. 18. dealing ill with Gideons houſe that day, is expounded to bee murdering of his 60. ſonnes: ſo the poore widow, and her houſe, that ſhee was providing for, and which after lived of that meale and oyle, was but the widow and her ſonne, 1 King. 17. 12, 13, 15. compared: Davids houſe which at that time was not ſo orient, 2 Sam. 23. 5. was but his children, many whereof proved badly, and came to ſad ends, witneſſe Abſaloms, Ammons act and end, &c. If Noah onelyonly beleeving, and upright, yet all the reſt with him are typically baptized for that ground, Come thou, and thy houſe, even wife, ſonnes, and ſonnes wives, and all into the Arke; For thee, not, for them have I found righteous, Gen. 7. 1. with 1 Pet. 3. 21. if Abraham alone bee a beleever, yet hee and his have the ſame ſeale, of the righteouſneſſe of faith of the covenant, Gen. 17. Rom. 4. if the growne Iſraelites have faith, it furthers that extraordinary baptiſme in the Sea. Leſſe then this herein is not to bee denied; yea but the rule is plaine otherwiſe, Matth. 28. 19. Marke 16. therefore the Apoſtles did baptize none, but beleevers and Diſciples: Nay verily by their leave I conclude that that reſtriction of that word Diſciple onelyonly to one, that is an actuall beleever in Chriſt, was never there intended, in Matth. 28. nor was that in Mark. 16. ever intended to bee a rule of baptizing perſons, excluding every other perſon, then ſuch a one as there is mentioned from being baptized: and I further adde to that; that it pointeth out what a kind of perſon ſhall bee ſaved, rather then bee baptized. Wherefore it is not ſaid, hee that ſhall bee baptized, hee muſt beleeve: but, hee that doth beleeve and is baptized ſhall bee ſaved: hence contrâ, hee ſaith not, hee that beleeveth not, ſhall not bee baptized, but rather ſhall bee damned, or not ſaved. If children bee excluded from baptiſme, becauſe of the former clauſe, hee that beleeveth, and is baptized, they muſt bee excluded ſalvation, becauſe of the latter clauſe, hee that beleeveth not ſhall bee damned: will not our oppoſites themſelves ſay, that the latter clauſe is taken de adultis, and not as any rule of excluſion p. 177of Infants from ſalvation; and I ſay as much in that other, as no rule thereby to exclude Infants from baptiſme, it is the ſame in Act. 2. 38, 39. if Infants becauſe not beleeving, and effectually called, are excluded the promiſe, then by the ſame reaſon excluded remiſſion of ſins promiſed: yea ſalvation promiſed to them that cal upon God, v. 21. & if not therefore excluded theſe, why therefore excluded baptiſme, in defect of actuall faith? if the promiſe of juſtification, & ſalvation, be not denied, which are the ſignats for want of actuall faith & repentance, why is baptiſme the ſigne denied them? is the ſigne more then thoſe things ſignified? is not faith and repentance more ſimply required to ſalvation, Luke 13. 5. Heb. 11. 6. then to baptiſme? As for what C. B. addeth that that, Gal. 3. 27. excludeth Infants: I deny it, if that be taken, as if each baptized perſon had really & effectually put on Chriſt: then none of the Galatian members had bin ſuch, as Gal. 3. 3, 4, 5. and 4. 11. 19. 21, 22. and 5. 3, 4, 5. he ſpeakes thus in a Sacramentall ſenſe, as 1 Cor. 10. 4. 6. Heb. 10. 29. and ſuch like, and ſo each Infant too Sacramentally puts on Chriſt, are buried with Chriſt, Rom. 6. 3. that is that which is viſibly ſigned and ſealed thereby, and that is the doctrine of the viſible word of the Sacrament, holding forth what baptized perſons are called upon as they are capable to attend: hence the baptiſme of John is the doctrine thereof: hence the doctrine of baptiſme, Heb. 6. 1, 2. but ſpecially holding forth what they may expect from God; ſo Deut. 10. 16. and Jer. 4. circumciſion, called upon them for heart circumciſion, as capable of improving it, and incourageth them what to expect, eſpecially that way from God, Deut. 30. 6. Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27, 28, &c.

As for what C. B. addeth touching the rule of baptizing, from Act. 2. 38, 39. albeit the place hath had its diſtinct conſideration, yet I ſhall here adde a word of anſwer to this which is C. B. his third argument, that if this bee a rule, then none are to bee baptized, but ſuch as truely repent. For to no ſeeming, and viſible repentance did Peter then exhort them, but to true and ſaving repentance, all will grant: and then unleſſe wee know mens hearts, and principles, their confeſſion of ſinnes cannot ſatisfie us when wee are to baptize them, as being doubtfull, and not certaine, that the rule is fulfilled in that our act, and wee muſt either doe things doubtfully, and adventure to tranſgreſſe rule, yea oft breake rule, as by this argument John did, Matth. 3. 11, 12. and Philip, Acts 8. Yea but they profeſſed it: ſuppoſe they did, that was not that which Peter ſaith, make confeſſion of or profeſſe your repentance, p. 178and bee baptized, but repent and be baptized; therefore if that be laid downe as the rule by which men muſt, or elſe muſt not be baptized; hee that is baptized otherwiſe, hee was never regularly baptized, as poſſibly it's the caſe of many in your churches. That which John Spilsbury hath this way I find not in the reſt: hee maketh uſe of John 3. 5. as a repeale of the Law of circumciſing of Infants, and as the new law of admiſſion, &c. but if that waſhing of water bee meant of baptiſme, it will then bee of as abſolute neceſſitie to bee externally baptized, as to bee regenerate, both, if ſpoken of two ſeverall things, being made as one in point of neceſſitie: nor let any ſay that ordinarily it is ſo that none elſe are ſaved: For Chriſts ſerious ſpeaking, yea proteſting, ſhewes hee intends more, yea more then a ſuppoſed neglect, or contempt of baptiſme, but ſimply thus, verily, verily, unleſſe, &c. according to verſ. 3. he had to like effect ſpoken, and taking the kingdome here, for a particular viſible Church, not that of glory, which hath no ordinances, 1 Cor. 15. 24. and 13. 8, 9, 10. how ſtands this with his principles, that a man firſt bee diſcipled and inchurched ere baptized, when as rather hee muſt bee from this ground firſt waſhed with water, or baptized ere hee can bee in; yea ſo much as ſee a viſible Church, and ſo baptiſme is rather the forme of the Church, then the covenant of grace, as I. B. elſewhere affirmeth, and reaſon ſuggeſteth a Church firſt to bee, ere Church ſeales to bee adminiſtred to, or by it: nor need this bee urged in this ſenſe upon Nicodemus, as the way of his entrance into Gods kingdome, of a true viſible Church. For of ſuch a Church was hee already a member, even of the Jewes Church: yea if thus meant, then not onelyonly unregenerate perſons ſhould not bee of viſible Churches; but it is not poſſible that they can get into them: for Chriſt ſaith, verily, and unleſſe, &c. hee cannot, no hee ſhould not, or ordinarily hee doth not enter into the kingdome of God.

As for what was ſaid of preaching the Goſpel, to goe before baptiſme, wee hold it, wee preach it, the doctrine of the covenant is firſt opened, and then ſealed: wee hold forth to parents that Goſpel covenant of Abraham as to them, and their children, and the Apoſtles did as much, Acts 2. 38, 39. Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8. they preaching the Goſpel, wherein all ſorts of nationall creatures were concerned, they held forth that of Gods mind of grace, to that ſpecies of Infants of Goſpelled Gentiles, and ſo by the Goſpel they as well as the other ſort of adult Gentiles came to partake of the p. 179promiſe, in the initiatory ſeale at leaſt, Epheſ. 3. 6. and what Goſpel they held out in the audible word preached, that they ſealed by the viſible word of baptiſme.

Fiftly, to that ſtraine touching the particle foreign as not in reference to foreign becauſe of the maſculine gender, and foreign of the neuter: if C. B. A. L. and Hen. Den had ſearched Scriptures, they would have found this enallage, or change of gender, very frequent, Rev. 2. 26, 27. and 19. 15. it is foreign with foreign, ſee Acts 15. 17. and 26. 17. ſee more of the like Acts 21. 25. Epheſ. 2. 11. and 4. 17. maſculines joyned with foreign: and I would aske A. R. and the reſt, whether when it's ſaid in the neuter gender, before him ſhall bee gathered foreign all nations, with the maſculine annexed, and hee ſhall ſeparate them one from another foreign, hath not foreign reference to foreign? if not, then it ſeemes ſome nations ſhall bee gathered at the laſt day, which ſhall not bee ſeparated one from the other; if it have reference to it, then foreign [them] in the maſculine here in Matth. 28. may very well have reference to the nations albeit in the neuter gender.

Sixtly, to that argument raiſed hence from what is added: teaching them, that is, preſently teaching them, &c. & ſo not Infants, it is not cogent: As much is ſaid in effect of Abraham preſently after hee had circumciſed the males in his houſe, and before Iſaac was borne and circumciſed, that hee would command his children, and his houſhold after him, and they ſhall keepe the way of the Lord: yet none will conclude that therefore, no children of his houſhold ſervants were already circumciſed, and that Iſaac and others ſhould not bee circumciſed; in that Abraham will take this courſe with all of his family: Are the baptized Gentiles to bee taught the commands of God, that they may doe them? ſo are the proſelyted perſons circumciſed, and others alſo circumciſed to bee alſo taught. Yea Infants circumciſed notwithſtanding that part of Gods counſell, touching ſuch teaching; yea but Infants circumciſed were not capable of teaching: true, nor are ours which are baptized, yet both to bee taught, and ſo are, and were, according as capable thereof; and the Text in Matth. 28. 19. evinceth, that it is not a preſent teaching them that are there mentioned ſimply, but ſecundum quid, ſcil. according as the baptized perſons were capable of being taught, otherwiſe it muſt bee concluded, that they were preſently to bee all and each of them taught the whole mind of Chriſt, and then it will follow that that could preſently be done, p. 182by the diſpenſers of the word, which is impoſſible, and likewiſe that the hearers were preſently capable of all points of the doctrine of Chriſt, which is moſt unlikely; Chriſt himſelfe did not take ſuch a courſe with his owne Apoſtles, nor were they capable of it, John 16. 12. Yea by the leave of the objectors; ſince they were to hold forth by this ſolemne injunction of Chriſt, whatſoever Chriſt had commanded indefinitely which were not meerely perſonall commands; they muſt amongſt other ſuch commands of his, hold forth the doctrine of his touching the intereſt of the little ones, of pious minded perſons preſſing after, and priſing of his bleſſing of their children. The kingdome is of ſuch, not meerely of thoſe very perſons, or babes, but of others, of like parents, &c. and his ſolemne command upon that ground of their intereſt in Gods kingdome, that his Apoſtles ſhould not hinder them, but ſuffer the approach of ſuch unto him in any externall way, whereof they are capable, and for which they are fit, as many of our Divines have pleaded thence, that they are for baptiſme.

Seventhly, to that argument from the expoſition of baptizing into the name of the Father, &c. ſcil. in invocating his name, as Paul was bid to doe, Act. 22. to this I ſay, if Paul was bid to doe ſo, yet doth not that prove that that injunction was ever intended to bee the explication of being baptized into Chriſts name, that is, being baptized ſo, as then perſonally, and actually to call upon his name into which the perſon was baptized; when Paul in 1 Cor. 1. 13. ſaith, were yee baptized into the name of Paul, will it thus bee expounded, that is, when you were baptized, did you call upon Pauls name? if any doe ſo, it is new light, as they call it. For I never yet heard of that explication of it, albeit of others; but if that bee the rule that the perſons baptized muſt make their prayers perſonally and particularly to God, when they are baptized: then did thoſe women of Samaria, Acts 8. make their perſonall prayers before the publique aſſembly, which I ſuppoſe none will affirme, and if they will not, then the rule of baptiſme was not attended by Philip, which were as abſurd, or that was no rule mentioned: nor was it poſſible that thoſe 3000. baptized in one day, ſhould ariſe each of them, and call upon the name of the Lord as they were baptized. Some would bee longer in prayer, if others would bee ſhort, and who would limit or confine them juſt to ſuch an expence of time, and no more: and if Peter would have parcelled out the time for that end amongſt them, yet he wanted much time, for all and each of them to ariſe, and call thus on Gods name.

p. 183SECT. III.

THe coaſt being thus cleared I may I hope now paſſe on the more freely from interruption to what I intend concerning Matth. 28. And firſt I ſay in the generall, the ſtrict of th…ſe words had reference to the inchurching of the firſt Gentiles: and ſo Marks relation which our oppoſites make parallel herewith evinceth: as Marke 16. 17, 18. doth ſhew, unleſſe any will ſay thoſe ſignes and miracles endured ever ſince as of uſe in particular viſible Churches; and ſo now hold, and will hold to the worlds end. Secondly, I ſay, this had reference in the generall, to the Jewiſh nation, that when as they onelyonly were of the viſible ſchoole, and under the doctrine, & diſcipline of Chriſt the Prophet of his Church as ſpeaking by his ſpirit in their Prophets, and Teachers, and as acting in the Church guides and officers by ſome influence of his authoritie, &c. now not one nation and people, but all nations, the partition wall being broken downe, are to bee called unto the fellowſhip of the promiſe or covenant, and the initiatory ſeale of it; Acts 1. 38, 39. not as formerly circumciſion, but baptiſme, not males onelyonly, but without diſtinction of ſexes, not of ſuch a ſtrict day, and age, as eight dayes old, but indefinitely whether elder or younger, but that our oppoſites make bold to goe ſo farre as to ſay, not now, Infants, but onelyonly adult perſons, they were beſt be on better grounds then yet I ſee leſt the rebuke of Chriſt light on them alſo, ſo far forth to hinder the approach of beleevers Infants to him; nor will their rule of beleevers, Ergo, onelyonly ſuch, hold; as before we ſhewed: or that of the affirmative including the negative; no more then the affirmative, Hee that calls on the name of the Lord ſhall bee ſaved, or, Hee that labours muſt not eate, includeth each its negative, that hee which calleth not on Gods name, as no Infant doth, or hee that laboureth not, as no Infant can, ſhall not bee ſaved or eate, and ſo all Infants muſt periſh, and famiſh. And when I ſay it hath reference to the Jewiſh nation, I intend it onelyonly thus far; that looke as none but covenant, and inchurched parents and their children were initiatorily ſealed then by circumciſion, ſo no others are now in ordinary Church adminiſtration to bee baptized then the inchurched parts in and of the nations. Thirdly, I ſay, Chriſt prefacing that ground to this commiſſion, ſcil. his ſoveraigne power over not his generall kingdome of the world, but over his ſpeciall kingdome of his Church, eſpecially that, which is or ſhall bee in the whole earth; hee intendeth the execution of this commiſſion p. 182duplicate page p. 183duplicate page p. 182to have reference to all ſuch as may at leaſt externally bee brought under that eſtate and account of members in that his kingdome, according to their ſeverall capacities of either, or both the branches of the particulars in the commiſſion. Fourthly, Diſcipling I take in a Scripture latitude: by nations diſcipled, I underſtand not all the numericall and individuall perſons in every nation where the Goſpel commeth, but the ſpecificall parts of the nations, ſcil. all ſorts of perſons in that nation, albeit not all, and every perſon of each ſort.

SECT. IIII.

THeſe things premiſed, whereas Anabaptiſts doe affirme, that no Infants but adult perſons onelyonly are to bee baptized according to any rule of Chriſt; I ſay that that ſort of perſons, ſcil. the Infants of inchurched beleevers are to bee baptized, as well as that ſort of perſons, ſcil. Adult perſons making perſonall and particular profeſſion and confeſſion of their faith, &c. and that from the force of Matth. 28. 19, 20. My reaſons are,

Firſt, Taken from the ſubject to bee diſcipled, and baptized, by commiſſion, ſcil. all nations, and therefore at leaſt all the ſpecificall parts of the nations, all ſorts of perſons in the nations, but not all of every ſort. If it bee denied that neither all individuall perſons, nor yet ſo much as all ſorts of perſons, ſcil. ſome little ones, and babes male and female, as well as ſome adult perſons of both ſexes: I would know why the collective nations are mentioned under that title of nations rather then under that of growne perſons of the nations: when God, Gen. 12. promiſeth that all nations ſhall bee bleſſed in Chriſt, all ſorts of perſons, albeit not all of every kind are included, elſe I cannot ſee how any Infants can bee ſaved, unleſſe either ſome are ſaved which are not bleſſed in Chriſt, or if bleſſed in Chriſt, yet ſuch as God never promiſed ſhould bee bleſſed in Chriſt: and if ſo, they have a mediator of Chriſt to them, but ſuch an one as is not in reſpect to them, a mediator of the new covenant, yea and ſo have Chriſt, a Savour to them, to whom hee is not a covenant, as Eſay phraſeth it: Chap. 42. and 49. ſo every man for every ſort of men, Heb. 2. 9. and all men, for all ſorts of men, Rom. 5. 18. which are not ſimply all but many rather, verſ. 16. compared: ſo the world for all ſorts of perſons in it, 1 John 2. 2. how uſuall an acceptation, and why ſhould it here in matters of leſſe moment be ſcrupled?

p. 183Secondly, taken from the nature of the commiſſion, ſcil. a charge of Church diſpenſation of the Goſpel, or diſpenſing of it with Church reference, Marke 16. 15. it is Goſpel they are to preach, and this being Goſpel, that children of inchurched covenant parents, were to bee with them alſo taken into the fellowſhip of the covenant, and people of God, externally intereſted in it, as was proved before: and the initiatory ſcale being a branch of the Goſpel, as well as the promiſe, as baptiſme is reckoned, Luke 3. 34. 5, 6. compared with Marke 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. ſuch Infants federall intereſt in the Church, and initiatory Church ſeale muſt needs bee included.

Thirdly, from the latitude of the Church reference to which this commiſſion relateth, albeit with ſome different reſpects had to thoſe times and ages following, according as then the Miniſters were extraordinary, and Apoſtolicall, and thoſe ſucceeding were to bee ordinary Paſtours, Teachers: and withall with various reſpects had to the firſt foundation, members ſtrictly conſidered, as ſuch, and others: now that latitude it appeares was ſuch, as tooke in all the viſible Churches throughout the world, unto the worlds end: From which if ſuch Infants bee excluded, an actuall and priviledged intereſt, they are excluded, as was proved in ordinary courſe from ſalvation: there being ordinarily none ſaved, but ſuch as are in the viſible Church, or ſome viſible Churches in the world. And if not excluded an actuall intereſt in ſome viſible Church or other, in the earth; why are they excluded baptiſme which is here given to diſtinguiſh the inchurched parts of the world, from all other, as well as to ratifie and ſeale up the covenant to them; there is no time ſet now to limit them to ſuch a day as of old to the eighth, that that ſhould ſuſpend their jus ad rem, which they had as Abrahams ſeed, ſo ſoone as borne, from being elicited till the injoyned day.

Fourthly, from that latitude of the nation diſciple which taketh in ſuch Infants as well as others, and conſequently they are reached in the commiſſion of being baptized: For Diſciples are to be baptized, as our oppoſites confeſſe. For proofe of their diſcipleſhip I argue thus. All thoſe to whom the thing ſignified by a diſciple as explained in any place of Scripture, is appliable, they are Scipture Diſciples: but the former is true of ſuch Infants, ergo the latter. The Major is evident, in that in reaſon ſignificant names cannot bee denied to perſons to whom the thing ſignified is granted. p. 186And the ſpirit of wiſedome would not in any place expound the name by the thing: if that thing it ſelfe did not give ground worke, to bee ſo named. If any reply, that it ſufficeth not to have the thing ſignified by the name in one place, unleſſe withall, the p…ty bee qualified with the ſignified thing in another: as for in…ce, in many Scriptures it ſignifieth a beleever, &c. this muſt bee … in too: to this I anſwer.

…irſt, I ſpeake of ſignifications of the name, as explained by the … Ghoſt himſelfe, and if any will refuſe that they preſume to … holy Ghoſt to expound his owne words.

…ly, if wee may not reſt in one, or other ſuch a place, but … another way, why not another to that, and ſo ano… … …arroweth yet more the ſignification then that did: yea why … …ke in all ſuch places where in any ſenſe it is mentioned? where … wee ſtop? and ſo that expoſition of a diſciple, Luke 14. 26. muſt bee taken in as requiſite to, according, as Hen. Den. urgeth it, a…d th…n Judas and Demas, and divers others, which forſooke Chriſt, never hating their owne lives for his ſake, could not bee his diſciples, yet they were ſo: and ſo doth the holy Ghoſt call Judas, and many others, John 6. yea many that never beleeved in Chriſt himſelfe, but did after a ſort approve his doctrine, and followed him, albeit for baſe ends, &c. yet theſe were diſciples and baptized as ſuch, John 4. 12. It's ſpoken of diſciples of Chriſt in the Phariſees ſenſe, ſcil. perſons addicted to his doctrine, &c. as Diſciples of John, of Moſes, &c. ſignifie, and not of perſons beleeving in him or them, John 9. When they asked ſo oft touching Chriſt as if they pretended to deſire to learne of him, &c. ſaith the blind man to thoſe Phariſees, Will yee alſo bee his Diſciples or Schollers, &c. verſ. 27, 28. Bee thou his diſciple, ſay they &c. not meaning that either ſhould beleeve in him; thoſe many Diſciples never beleeved that heavenly doctrine of his, John 6. yet called Diſciples, verſ. 66. Yea if the latitude of the ſignification of a Scripture diſciple, muſt all meet in one, to make a compleat definition: then Diſciples muſt bee Apoſtles, becauſe ſome were ſo called which were ſuch. The names of the 12. Diſciples, Matthew 10. 1. and the names of the 12. Apoſtles, verſ. 2. are one, ſee more, Matth. 28. 16. The eleven Diſciples, (i. e.) Apoſtles. It is then enough to attribute that name Diſciple to any, to whom the reaſon and explication of that name, any where in Scripture mentioned, is by the Spirit of God applyed: wee neede not feare to follow p. 185ſuch a leader, and ſpeake after him, the minor then is to bee proved; that ſuch a ſignified thing by that name Diſciple is appliable to ſuch little ones mentioned. For proofe hereof I muſt take up that wherein I perceive I am prevented by others; yet ſhall not deſiſt to ſpeake the ſame thing in ſubſtance with them; one to whom drinke or water is given, in Matth. 10. 42. in the name of a Diſciple, is expounded by the Spirit, Matth. 9. 41. to be one, to whom it is given in the name of one belonging to Chriſt. Whence I argue. All ſuch as belong to Chriſt externally, they are externally his Diſciples: ſuch Infants mentioned, belong to Chriſt externally: therefore they are externally Chriſts Diſciples. And the ſame deſcription of a Diſciple which ſhall bee ſaved holds thus, ſuch as ſavingly belong to Chriſt are Diſciples which ſhall bee ſaved; but it's not needfull to goe ſo farre in this caſe: To the ſaving intereſt and efficacy of Baptiſme, it is required that one ſavingly belong to Chriſt, and bee a Diſciple ſavingly in that ſenſe: but to the externall and Church intereſt in the uſe of the ſeale, it's not of neceſſitie, for then none ought to bee baptized, but ſuch as are in a ſaving eſtate, which to us is a ſecret, and ſo no ordinary proceeding in mans Court; yea the very place ſpeakes of the caſe: as one that giveth drinke to another, becauſe to him and in his judgement, hee is a Diſciple; for infallibly hee doth not know him, but taketh him rather to bee ſuch a one; and therefore refreſheth him. The major therefore of the Syllogiſme is in ſubſtance the very Text, the minor is evident, ſuch as externally belong to the Church of which Chriſt is the the head, they doe externally belong to Chriſt, &c. hence to bee in his Church by externall profeſſion and to bee in him, are put for one, John 15. 2 now that ſuch Infants belong to that Church wee formerly proved, in proving both that they belonged to Chriſts viſible Church and kingdome, and that he was head thereof alſo. Mr. B. frameth two anſwers to a like objection hence, his firſt wee have already diſproved, ſcil. that Infants alſo belong to Chriſt in reſpect of viſible and Church conſtitution, which hee denyeth. His ſecond is as impertinent, hee ſaith Chriſt ſpeakes in Matthew and Marke of Adult perſons: true: I never intended to urge it otherwiſe; but my argument runs, that the ſignification and reaſon of the name of Diſciple there given, though to growne perſons, yet ſince what is there in that Scripture applied to ſuch; is alſo appliable to ſuch Infants alſo, therefore they are Scripture Diſciples. So Acts 11. 26. the name Diſciples and Chriſtians are p. 186made Synomyna, in way of diſtinction from Pagans not of the Church; alike to what is here intended for diſtinction ſake from the reſt of the Pagan world, amongſt which ſince the breaking down of the partition wall, I hope Anabaptiſts will adviſe better how they place beleeving Gentiles Babes, unleſſe they will leave a piece of the old wall ſtanding. Diſcipled perſons in the Text as in reference to baptizing, implyeth perſons externally in the Covenant of grace, unleſſe our oppoſites thinke other then ſuch ſhould bee baptized. Alſo perſons in the viſible Church are baptized, unleſſe they thinke perſons out of any viſible Church fellowſhip may bee in ordinary diſpenſation baptized: for which extraordinary calls and caſes our times meddle not, nor have not, as of old there were ſome, which yet impeach not our rule of the Church ſeales given to the Church, for her uſe and by her preaching Elders to bee diſpenſed; he then is diſcipled for Baptiſme, which is inchurched, which is in the Schoole of Chriſt and in peculiar fellowſhip with the other Schollers there, and in ſpeciall relation to Chriſt the Teacher of his Church; yea ſuch as to whom in ſome ſenſe hee preacheth Goſpell, as to thoſe Babes in Luke; and howſoever hee teacheth the loweſt formes, as I may call them, that ſort of perſons in his Church, that is ſome ſuch, he ſo promiſeth to teach them inwardly, that hee doth ſo appeare in ſaved Church children; yea ſo hee may teach Indian Papouſes now too. I anſwer, if wee ſpeake of his abſolute power, hee can doe more then he ever will, as to make many other worlds, &c. but to ſpeake of his ordinate and regulate power, ſo hee can doe but what hee willeth to doe, what his ſecret will is, not for us, Deut. 29. but according to his revealed will, wee may ſay that thoſe children being eſtranged actually from the Covenant and Church they are actually without God and Chriſt, and hope, but beleevers Infants externall eſtate is eccleſiaſtically of another nature. So much for clearing Matth. 28. and confirmation of Paedobaptiſme thence.

SECT. V.

A Second Argument is this. All thoſe which are the Church ſeed of Abraham they are to bee baptized. Infants of inchurched beleevers are the Church ſeed of Abraham, ergo are to bee baptized. The major is not denied I thinke by our oppoſites; but if it bee Gal. 3. 16, 17. 27, 28, 29. proveth that all ſuch were baptized in Apoſtolicall Churches, and therefore are to bee in ours. The p. 187minor hath beene formerly proved in the concluſions touching federall intereſt, and is evident by the Apoſtles argument: if Chriſts, then Abrahams ſeed. Whence I argue, All ſuch as are Chriſts or belong to Chriſt, they are Abrahams ſeed: Such Infants belong to Chriſt, ergo, they are Abrahams ſeed. The Major is true both waies, ſuch as ſavingly and efficaciouſly belong to Chriſt, they are ſo farre alſo Abrahams elect ſeed, ſuch as eccleſiaſtically are Chriſts, in which ſenſe the Apoſtle here ſpeakes of it, as hath been proved, they are ſo farre alſo Abrahams Church ſeed. The Minor is true of the ſpecies of ſuch Infants, if taken in an efficacious way of ſaving intereſt: that ſort of perſons as well as the other of adult perſons are ſuch; elſe none of them could ever bee ſaved: unleſſe ſome are ſaved which neither belong to Chriſt nor are elect; either of which would bee abſurd to affirme, but that is a ſecret, wee are to looke to viſibilitie thereof as the rule of diſpenſation of Church ordinances. If therefore taken in an eccleſiaſticall ſenſe as here it is, as was proved, ſo all ſuch Infants doe belong to Chriſt as hath beene proved, and conſequently are eccleſiaſtically Abrahams Church ſeed.

SECT. VI.

A Third argument is taken from Acts 2. 38, 39. thus. Thoſe to whom appertaineth any principall ground upon which any of the Apoſtles have moved and encouraged growne ones to bee baptized, they are according to Apoſtolicall encouragement virtually given to bee baptized. But to the Infants mentioned doth appertaine the forenamed ground, therefore there is virtually an Apoſtolicall encouragement for them alſo to bee baptized. The Major is undeniable, unleſſe any ſuppoſe that any of the Apoſtles as Apoſtles, as here Peter is conſidered, ſhould give an inſufficient ground to any thing unto which they encouraged others. For to give a chiefe ground of encouraging and putting any upon this or that which will not univerſally hold where the ſame ground was to bee found, it is to give an inſufficient ground. If a Paſtor miniſterially urge a member thus, Brother looke you, watch over your brethren, &c. for you are a brother, if this bee not cogent with any other brother as a brother unto the like watch, it is an inſufficient principle and groundworke, ſo here in the caſe mentioned, none will doubt but it was a ſufficient groundworke to enforce the former as a dutie ſcil. their repentance to whom hee ſpake; and why not of the like force in the other? yea and ſo you will p. 188ſay it is where both are joyned. Nay verily it muſt bee of force, if ſufficient, to enforce either apart: if both bee diſtinct duties as reaſon will evince, and this be the common enforcing reaſon to both, it muſt hold as well in either of them conſidered apart, as in both of them joyntly taken. And I would know if the Apoſtle had from ſuch a ground of the promiſe urged one already baptized to repent onelyonly, had it not beene ſufficient? or ſuppoſe hee had to deale with one that in his judgement had repented already: urging him onelyonly to bee baptized, becauſe the promiſe belonged to him, had not this been of ſufficient force thereunto? no rationall perſon I thinke will deny it. The minor will appeare by declaring the groundwork upon which the Apoſtle urged them to bee baptized. Now this was the onelyonly ground upon which Peter urged them as to the former dutie of repenting, ſo to the later of being baptized: For the promiſe is, or belongs to you, ſcil. the promiſe of grace, of remiſſion of ſinnes, &c. as before was cleared. Yea but repentance is called ſo too from them on this ground, and that Infants are not capable of; To this wee have formerly anſwered, why it was meete to require as we doe, ſome teſtimony of repentance in offenſive members of a corrupt Church, albeit a true viſible Church as was that of the Jewes, if they will bee fixed members of purer Churches, as was that Church of Chriſtians, verſ 41. and as members thereof partake of the ſeales; yet wee doe not expect the ſame of their children too, under no ſuch actuall ſcandall, but baptize them in their confeſſing parents right alſo. Beſides it appeareth before that it was a ſufficient ground on which to urge the baptiſme of ſuch or ſuch a perſon as conſidered in it ſelfe apart.

Now that the groundworke, ſcil. intereſt externall at leaſt, was that intereſt of thoſe perſons not yet ſavingly wrought upon in the promiſe of grace that appertaineth to ſuch Infants of inchurched and externally covenant parents, it appeareth in this very Scripture, the perſons ſpoken to were members of that true viſible Church of the Jewes viſibly in the covenant as wee proved; the perſons ſpoken of alſo were their owne naturall children, as was likewiſe proved, and of them alſo Peter avoweth even after Chriſts aſcenſion, and in reference to participation in the ſeale of baptiſme in a Church of Chriſtians: That the promiſe [is to your children] ſo that the concluſion followeth that the baptiſme of ſuch children is virtually called upon as well as of adult perſons.

p. 189SECT. VII.

Object. YEa but the Jewes children were not then baptized, Acts 2.

Anſw. It's more then ſuch as ſo ſpeake can prove from the Text.

No, will ſome ſay, but it is not. For they that gladly received the word, ſaith the Text, were baptized, verſ. 41. And they continued in the Apoſtles Doctrine, and fellowſhip, and breaking of bread and prayers, verſ. 42. and 44. All that beleeved had all things common, 44. and ſold their poſſeſſions, &c. verſ. 45. and continued daily in the Temple, &c. verſ. 46. which are not appliable to Infants. And what then? therefore other things there mentioned were not ſo too? non ſequitur; what more uſuall in Scripture then to ſpeake of things in a collective way of perſons which are not all and each of them appliable to all and each particular perſon of that company, but by a Synecdoche ſome things are ſpoken of the whole wholly, but others are onelyonly appliable to ſome parts of that whole. It's ſaid in this place all that beleeved were together, and had all thing common, and ſold their poſſeſſions, verſ. 44, 45. will any take this of the whole company in all the parts of it? all were not capable of ſuch an act applied to all, as not all having poſſeſſions to ſell, for ſome were in need rather of ſupply from others, verſ. 45. It is therefore a Synecdoche ſo in the other, ſo all are ſaid to continue in the Apoſtles doctrine and prayers, &c. as before this Infants were not capable of, and therein it is as in the other Synecdochicall, for of other things mentioned they were capable, and they were appliable to them, they had things in common too, and had ſupplies of clothing or food, &c. according to their need; unleſſe any will ſay, that theſe perſons ſpoken of had no children needing ſuch ſupplies as well as themſelves, or elſe if they had, yet their needs were not ſupplied, ſo when they all eate their meate in ſeverall houſes, &c. what were the children ſhut out of doores if they had any, or had none of thoſe families any children in them? Suppoſe they could not eate meate with ſuch ſingleneſſe of heart, yet were they not of them that did eate their meate and were refreſhed with them: there were doubtleſſe ſome hypocrites in heart amongſt them, and they could not eate with them with a ſingle heart, but were rather ſpots in their feaſts of charitie, as Judes phraſe is, Jude 12. yet by a Synecdoche, all did eate with heart ſingleneſſe, in that ſome which were capable of the p. 190act doing, did ſo among them, all added were ſuch as ſhould bee ſaved too by a Synecdoche, and in a Church ſenſe; yea their Infants ſome of them were ſuch really, and all of them in an externall and eccleſiaſticall reſpect of covenant and Church intereſt: they were capable of that adjunct, albeit not of ſome others, ſo were they capable of being added to the viſible Church of Chriſtians, as they were of that true viſible Church of the Jewes before. And as all the Infants of covenant and inchurched Parents which ſtand right in the Church, are alſo in that right inchoatively members of that Church, albeit not perfectly. And inchoative actuall memberſhip of a true viſible Church, doth externally inright to the initiatory Church and Covenant ſeale of baptiſme; of which two theſe members children were enrighted, as well as others then preſent. And for further clearing of this way of application of ſome common acts to an aſſembly where are children, which are not appliable to the whole company, wholly, ſee Acts 21. 5. bringing on the Apoſtle and his company is appliable to all thoſe of Epheſus, men, women and children, but that act of praying not ſo properly appliable to the little ones, but rather to the growne perſons preſent. Weeping and ſwearing is applyed to the whole company aſſembled, whereof many were children, Ezra 10. 1. 5. compared, yet proper to the growne part; albeit the other of being aſſembled before the houſe of God, &c. were common, as that ſinne confeſſed on the behalfe of the whole aſſembly, verſ. 2. was underſtood of the whole figuratively. In reſpect of that part of the aſſembly which had ſo ſinned, which were not the children as is evident; no nor all the growne ones, but ſome onelyonly amongſt them, as verſ. 18. 23, 24, 25. declare, ſo Deut. 31. 11, 12. men women, and children muſt bee all gathered to have the Law read in their hearing, that they may heare and learne, and feare the Lord, and obſerve all the words of his Law: it is all applyed to all indefinitely, yet ſenſe and reaſon tells us, that ſundry of the children were neither capable then of ſuch obſerving of all Gods words, no nor ſo much as hearing the words read at that time in ſuch ſort, as thereby at preſent to bee ſtirred up to feare or obey the Lord, but ſome things onelyonly are appliable to the whole aſſembly wholly, other things now mentioned to the whole at preſent onelyonly, in reſpect of the growne part, and to the others no other th…n as involved in any ſuch acts of their parents at moſt, ſo Joel … 14. …. ſolemne aſſembly of all the inhabitants of the land, is to … convented for faſting, p. 191ſo chap. 2. 1. againe repeated, and ver. 15, 16, 17. inſtance is given in the ſucklings, as to bee a part of that aſſembly for that end, and the maine dutie verſ. 13, 14 is laid forth as required of them all, which are called to this ſolemne faſt, ſcil. not meerely to abſtaine from food, or to expreſſe ſorrow by rending their garments, but to rend their hearts by godly compunction and ſorrow, &c. all will yeeld that ſuch things are not properly applyable to ſucklings, but to ſome of the aſſembly: nor yet will any in reaſon exclude Infants from being of that Church aſſembly, for ſuch Church uſe according as they were capable of any thing mentioned, albeit not capable of all mentioned, Jer. 43. 4. 6, 7, diſobedience to Gods voyce is applied to all the people, yet not properly verified in all the children which were of that people and company, Deut. 29. 1. All Iſrael is ſaid to have ſeene thoſe wonders in Egypt, and yet many of them that were then growne, it being 40. yeares after their comming out thence, verſ. 5. never ſaw the ſame, much leſſe did the little ones, which were a part of that aſſembly, verſ. 14. yet who will conclude, becauſe little ones were not Iſrael ſeeing the…e wonders, that therefore they were not Iſrael entring into Covenant, verſ. 11, 12. and marke the phraſe applied to the little ones, that they alſo entred into covenant with God, ibid. as well as God is ſaid to make his covenant with them, verſ. 14, 15. this was a covenant of grace, as hath been proved, ſo that Hen. Dens notion holds not concerning God being in a ſenſe in covenant with Infants, but they may not bee ſaid to enter into covenant with him, that by the way. To returne to that in hand; nations baptized, Matth. 28. are to bee taught to obſerve Chriſts commandements, but non ſequitur that Infants are no part of the Churches in the nation to bee baptized; ſo here, Infants beleeve not actually, &c. non ſequitur, ergo, not to bee added to the Church in a ſolemne way of initiation to Church eſtate inchoatively by externall baptiſme. Both may ſtand together and have their truth of the whole in ſome things wholly, wherein they are capable as of Church eſtate and baptiſme, in others true of the whole in reſpect of ſome part thereof as actuall beleeving. To like purpoſe C. B. argueth weakely in his ſixth argument, that the whole citie was baptized men and women mentioned, not their children too, as if therefore excluded; I may as well argue from Gen. 14. 11, 12. That thoſe Kings tooke all the goods of Sodome and Lot, ergo, they tooke no people beſides contrary to verſ. 16. or if they did take people and p. 192women, yet not children too. And if Lot were firſt taken and then redeemed by Abraham with others, yet not ergo his children or daughters, or if then under the notion of women, yet not a word of children, wherefore either they were left behind in the Citie without their Parents when they were taken, or if taken with the Cities and perſons, yet not brought backe againe, which would bee abſurd to affirme.

Secondly, ſuppoſe the beleeving Jewes children were not juſt at that time baptized, when their Parents were thus ſolemnly admitted to that Church of Chriſtians, yet non ſequitur that they were not baptized afterwards. When members are ſolemnly admitted to compleat and fixed memberſhip in our Churches, wee baptize not oft times their little ones the firſt day of that their admittance, yet doe it afterwards as occaſion is offered, and their deſire thereof ſignified.

SECT. VIII.

YEa but neither then nor in any other Text in the Acts is it ever mentioned, that any children of any beleeving Jewes were baptized. A. Non ſequitur that therefore they were never baptized. Many things of great weight were done by Chriſt, and ſo by his Apoſtles which were not recorded: yet not therefore never acted by them, John 20. 30, 31. of which ſee more before touching conſequences of Scripture. But doe our oppoſites indeed conclude, that none of the beleeving Jewes children were ever baptized by Apoſtolicall approbation? Is it imaginable that among ſo many thouſand beleeving Jewes, at leaſt eccleſiaſtically, ſuch which are ſo moved and touched in the caſe of their childrens being not circumciſed and ſealed that way to the covenant, that it would not much more ſtartle them to ſuppoſe ſuch a tenet or practiſe as to deny them to bee ſealed any way by initiatory ſealing at all, as neither by circumciſion, ſo not by baptiſme. Are they ſo ready to move contentions in that point, Acts 22. 21. and upon but a ſuppoſed deniall of it, and are they no way moved ſo much as to put the caſe, & ſtate the queſtion to be ſatisfied from the old Teſtament, for no other Scripture was then extant, why their Infants w^ch were ever uſed to bee reckoned in Abrahams covenants, & ſo ſealed thereto by the ſeale then only in uſe, but now they are either wholly excluded any Church intereſt and any covenant intereſt actually; or if owned yet as ſuch, yet why denied of that w^ch is now the initiatory p. 193ſeale of ſuch intereſt in the covenant. Yea doth Peter expreſly mind them of the intereſt of their children as well as themſelves in the promiſe, wiſhing them therefore to be baptized; and this occaſioned no ſtirring of queſtions and caſes why on the ſame ground their children muſt not be alſo baptized? other contentions about other things are mentioned, and other differences in points controvertible in thoſe times, as Acts 11. 2, 3. and 15. 1. 2. &c. and 21. 11. and 6. 1, 2. and 15. 38, 39. and Gal. 2. 11. Surely then either the beleeving Jewes which when worſe men had that priviledge of their childrens covenant and Church eſtate and right to the initiatory ſeale: the caſe is ſo ſoone altered with them, that they thinke it no matter of ſcruple to call the deniall and omiſſion of it into queſtion, or to aſſay to deſire ſatisfaction in it for matter of judgement and practiſe in the caſe, or if ſtarting it, why is not ſo great a controverſie mentioned as ſtarted by ſome at leaſt, that could not ſo wholly forget their childrens good when ſolicitous about their owne, and when ſo gladly accepting Peters word, eſpecially the gladding word of promiſe, which was the joyfulleſt word hee ſpake as belonging to them, and to their children: yea when accepting ſo gladly that injoyned dutie upon the ground of baptiſme? ſurely controverſies of farre leſſe weight are not paſſed over in ſilence, witneſſe that Acts. 6. 1. and 15. 38, 39. and Gal. 2. 11. and 21, 22, &c. mee thinkes to common reaſon and rationall heads and hearts as well as gracious. It ſhould bee rather concluded as a matter out of queſtion, and that no ſuch new diſtance and difference was put of parents in covenant and Church eſtate, but not now the children as formerly; of parents to bee ſealed by the initiatory Church and covenant ſeale unto Church and covenant fellowſhip, but not now their children as formerly.

SECT. IX.

A Fourth argument followeth, ſcil. In that the Infants of covenant inchurched parents which were externally intereſted in the covenant of grace, as inveſted with the covenant of a politicall viſible Church, to whom the Seales were appointed, they were ſealed as they were in bodily reſpect capable to bee ſealed in that initiatory way of circumciſing, therefore Infants now according to their capacitie in bodily reſpects of the like initiatory appointed ſeale, are to bee ſealed in the initiatory way of baptizing. For clearer proceeding in the argument, I ſhall lay downe a few propoſitions. p. 194Firſt, that the old teſtament is avowed by the holy Ghoſt in the new, to containe all things neceſſary for faith and practiſe for ſubſtance; and that ſo fully, that a miniſter of the Goſpell, ordinary or extraordinary, might bee furniſhed thence with groundworke and generall rules, upon and according to which to proceed, in holding forth any thing neceſſary to bee beleeved, or practiſed. Of the Scriptures of the old Teſtament is that full teſtimony, 2 Tim. 3. 14, 15. See Cartwright in locum, ſee Luke 16. 29. 31. Secondly, that the Apoſtles in all other things uſed to hold forth Goſpel ſervices with analogy to legall Types, Rites, and Sacrifices, &c. teſtimonies are plentifull for it. Thirdly, that it was the Apoſtles uſe to hold forth and confirme things of moſt weight from the old Teſtament, Act. 2. from the 14. to 41. and 3. 22. to the end, and 4. 10, 11. 24. to 29. and 8. 12. 25. 35, 36. compared with Eſay 52. 15. and 53. 1, &c. So Acts 21. 38, 39. old Teſtament grounds, yea from the promiſe are given them for baptiſme it ſelf in the new; yea for the diſpenſation of all the Goſpel ordinances unto the Gentiles, as thereof capable, Acts 13. 46, 47, 48, &c. Either then they had no ground, or if any, they urged them not, which is contrary to thoſe places, or if any, they urged them from the old Teſtament then onelyonly extant, to eſtabliſh their practiſes. Fourthly, that Chriſt himſelfe gave them patterne in this way of proofe. Fiftly, that the people with whom they had firſtly to doe, were beleeving Jewes in that way, and they were zealous for the old Teſtament in the generall. Sixtly, that the ancients of the primitive Churches have rarely, if at all denyed the comming of baptiſme in circumciſions ſtead. Seventhly, that where a commandement of God doth injoyne any one thing upon ſuch a ground, there the command doth require all things w^ch are of the ſame nature, as helpefull to the ſame thing; as the Commandement, Thou ſhalt not kill, forbids anger alſo as tending to the ſame end, ſcil, to murder, and as well forbidding ſtriking, raſh ſpeaking, &c. on the ſame ground, as tending to murder: yea but Chriſt expreſly forbids it. Anſwer, Chriſt doth not put any thing thus upon the commandement which was not virtually in it before; hee urged it, but not legiſlatively, as then making a law in ſuch particulars; but, declaratively, as expounding that law and reducing particulars to their generall heads of commandment. Yea but there was his ſanction thereof in that reducing: True, but when explained, yet ſo as things in the commands before, onelyonly then clearely underſtood to p. 195be ſo; ſo here, looke as God commanding Abraham circumciſion in the fleſh for that end and on that ground, that it might be an initiatory ſeale or Sacramentall ſigne of the covenant, ſo alſo in the ſame doth hee virtually command baptiſme with water, as being of the ſame nature, ſcil. ſuch as fulfilleth that end, ſcil. initiatorily to ſeale the covenant, therefore albeit circumciſion ceaſe, yet the commandement thereof reacheth and partly authoriſeth that baptiſme in the application of it to Infants for that end, as of old to thoſe Infants for that end. Baptiſme is a ſigne I ſay of the covenant, and therefore either naturall, and then any waſhing uninſtituted had ſufficed this way, but that ſuch waſhing of water ſhould bee that ſigne needed an inſtitution, and being inſtituted, it is now of the old uſe to ſeale initiatorily the covenant to adult or Infant externally initiated in it. Yea but Chriſts inſtitution gave a riſe both to the ſigne that baptiſme ſhould bee that, and that ſuch and ſuch perſons ſhould be ſigned with it, therefore not the command of circumciſion gave riſe ſo much as to the application of that ſigne, to ſuch or ſuch perſons. Anſwer: it followeth not, that Chriſts inſtitution gave warrant therein, therefore not the commandment of circumciſion, ſince both conſent in the maine ground of both, ſcil. that wee ſhall apply our ſelves to the uſe of ſuch ſignes as hee ſhall appoint, and that in both ſhould bee the ſame moralls or ſpiritualls ſignified, the Lord knowing that wee needed ſome ſolemne externall way of ſignification of his mind of grace, by ſome ſigne, as well as they did. Eighthly, as none may adde to, ſo neither may any detract from any words of Gods grace, wherein hee hath expreſſed himſelfe, unleſſe hee himſelfe repeale the ſame: hee once would have his covenant of grace to bee to the whole Church and Church ſeed, and once would have it initiatorily ſealed on them; hee hath repealed the way of ſealing, but the covenant hee hath not, the extent of it to parent and child hee hath not, the ordinary diſpenſation of it in, and from, and by the viſible Church hee hath not: the ſealing uſe of an initiatory covenant and Church ſeale hee hath not: the things mainely to bee ſealed even covenant and Church right. at leaſt externall and the like, both of inchurched covenant parents and children, hee hath not, as in former concluſions hath been ſhewed.

SECT. X.

HItherto that knowne and much controverted place, Col. 2. hath reference; the Coloſſian Church and members of it, as the p. 196Apoſtle urgeth againſt the circumciſion teachers, are as compleat in Chriſt without circumciſion, as ever any other Church or the members of it, yea as even the beſt of them were with circumciſion; that is the propoſition hee layeth downe, Col. 2. verſ. 10. if they had objected Abrahams, and Iſaacs, and Jacobs, and Davids compleatneſſe in covenant reſpects and Church reſpects: Gentile Churches and members are as compleat in the ſubſtantiall, and moſt materiall parts or branches of it, had the one a covenant and Church bleſſing and heritage as to them, ſo to their children; ſo are theſe compleat that way too; if the ratification thereof by a ſolemne covenant and Church initiatory ſeale bee the great thing they have to boaſt of; theſe are compleat in Chriſt in that reſpect too: Chriſt hath not left his Churches and the members of them without ſuch covenant priviledges, nor without a ſolemne way of initiatory ſealing thereto and ratifying thereof: whether as Churches or as members of it in particular, or as ſuch members who have children to partake thereof with them; doe the falſe Apoſtles then urge againſt them their incompleatneſſe without circumciſion? It's anſwered in the generall, v. 10. they are compleat in Chriſt; how? as fulfilling the types which were in any Jewiſh ceremonies onelyonly? no verily, not onelyonly ſo; albeit firſtly and principally ſo; for Chriſt nailed them on his croſſe, and tooke them away, as ſuch, by his death. And what need then any Church ordinances at all? wee have all in Chriſt might ſome ſay, as 1 Cor. 1. I am for Chriſt, I care not for Paul nor Apollos, nor Cephas, nor for their diſpenſation of the word or ſeale of the covenant, I have enough in Chriſt; ſuch a ſpawne of our ſeekers there was in thoſe times, v. 12. Yea but the Lord Jeſus in wiſedome and faithfulfulneſſe will have his Church and people to bee graced and perfect as of old they were in ſubſtantialls of the ſame Church ordinances and the like. The beautie of the Church was perfect through that Church comelineſſe, which God did in this reſpect put upon them, Ezek. 16. 14. not a comelineſſe of outward poſſeſſions, in a temporall land, in temporall juriſdictions, kingdomes, cities: what had the Church, quà Church, and as in covenant with God, as his covenant Spouſe, to doe with them? nay the heathen might vye with them, for as good land, as large poſſeſſions, territories, riches, honours, dominions, &c. yea but not for Church ordinances; hee dealt not ſo with any nation beſides, Pſal. 147. 19, 20. Chriſt had as mediator and as a Prieſt compleated all ceremonious p. 197types: yea, but as Prophet hee will have it held forth and cleared by that diſpenſation of the Goſpel, and as King of the Church hee will have all alſo exhibited in ſuch a way, and by ſuch evangelicall meanes, 2 Tim. 1. 10. the Word and the Seales, they are parts of the Goſpel in the diſpenſation of them and by them all is brought to light: yea by them as by pipes is Chriſts fulneſſe conveyed as head of his viſible body the Church outwardly, as it is by his ſpirit to his elect inwardly, Zach. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14. Col. 2. 19. hence the Church hath ſuch officers given it, whoſe proper work it is to exhibit and communicate ſuch things as tend to make them every way compleat, Ephe. 4. 11, 12, 13. wee are compleat in Chriſt, as the ſignatum, but yet in baptiſme too as the ſigne. Yea but regeneration and ſanctification, both in reſpect of mortifying and quickning grace, &c. ſignified by circumciſion, is conferred on us by Chriſt. And ſo it was of old in him, in whom, Ezek. 36. 25, 26, 27. and Deut. 30. 6. was yea, and amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. and by his Spirit as hee held all forth then in the miniſtry of the Prophets of old, 1 Pet. 3. 18, 19, 20. ſo hee exhibited the ſame to his elect among them; yet then hee had covenant and Church Symbols to confirme the ſame and inſtrumentally to convey the ſame, and ſo now, Epheſ. 5. 25, 26. As by the word of covenant, as the principall inſtrument, and the Spirit maketh baptiſme it ſelfe to become efficacious: ſo by waſhing too hee ſanctifyeth his Church both as that whereby hee ratifyeth it ſo to their faith that they have the more ſtrength of hold and influence for that end; and as that which he bleſſeth as one ordinary meane alſo, in reſpect of the word of promiſe; to which baptiſmall waſhing is annexed as the Seale. Sanctifying and purging is the ſignatum and end: waſhing with water through the word, is the ordinary Seale, and meane; whence here, in Col. 2. 10. when hee had laid downe that theſis, he declareth it by two inſtances: partly in that wee are circumciſed by the circumciſion of Chriſt, which is the fulfilling of the type, v. 11. partly by applying the benefits of the circumciſion of Chriſt, to them and theirs, by the like, or an equall ordinance to that of circumciſion which the Jewes injoyed, to wit, of baptiſme; elſe were not the Church and Saints now as compleat as thoſe of old; which as they had virtually all fulfilled in Chriſt to their faith, Act. 15. 11. and 26. 6, 7. Heb. 13. 8. Revel. 13. 8. Heb. 12. 1, 2, 3. So had they withall ſealing ordinances, applying the ſpirituall circumciſion of Chriſt to them and theirs. And ſo Aretius, which p. 198maketh Chriſt the perfect organon of our ſalvation, without any other equall externall cauſe joyned with him, in that reſpect it was by him alone, that all was fulfilled, Col. 1. 19, 20. and by himſelfe he did that worke, Heb. 1. 3. yet in point of externall application, hee denieth not any thing wee ſay; for in the ſame place in his notes upon Coloſ. 2. within foure or five lines, hee addeth it as an obſerveable thing from the place, that baptiſme comes in the ſtead of circumciſion, as is evident in that the Apoſtle calleth it the circumciſion of Chriſt; ſcil. in a Sacramentall way: under the name of the ſigne in whoſe ſtead baptiſme is ſet, comprehending the ſpirituall thing ſignified by a metonymy, as the covenant, ſcil. the Sacramentall ſigne of it, Gen. 17. 11. 13. Act. 7. 8. the teſtament, ſcil. the viſible ſeale of it, 1 Cor. 11. 25. So his body and blood, ibid. the Sacramentall communion of it, 1 Cor. 10. 16, 17. or communion of it in a Sacramentall ſenſe. So that the Apoſtles anſwer is full to prove the uſeleſneſſe of circumciſion, which the falſe Apoſtles would have intruded upon them as neceſſary to the Gentile Churches, Gal. 1. 6, 7, 8, 9. and 4. 21. and 5. 11. Acts 15. 24, & 24. 25. It was a generall falſe doctrine troubling all the Gentile Churches, ibid. but it's now uſeleſſe in reſpect of the maine thing ſignified, Chriſt to come, who hath fulfilled it as ceremonious and in reſpect of the externall ſigne, and meane of application of Chriſt, ſcil. circumciſion ſupplied by baptiſme: whence Gentile Philippians as well as Paul a Jew are of the circumciſion, Phil. 3. 3. Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob were inwardly circumciſed, ſo are they at leaſt eccleſiaſtically judged to bee, they were externally circumciſed: ſo are they in their baptiſme, ergo, now circumciſion is wholly uſeleſſe. Yea but what is this to Infants? the Apoſtle directs his ſpeech to growne ones: Suppoſe he did, yet this ſpeech is of, and reacheth to their children as well. Elſe therein had they not beene ſo compleat, as thoſe formerly which had a covenant made with, and externally ſealed both to them and theirs: yea the ſealing of the covenant, as wee have ſhewed, by baptizing of ſuch as have children, is not ſo compleat in ordinary diſpenſations, unleſſe as occaſion is offered the ſame bee ſealed initiatorily on their children, according to their outward capacitie of the externall ſigne. The whole covenant is as well ſealed on Abrahams ſeed, as on himſelfe, and not wholly ſealed on either, without other, as not wholly made with the parent, but with reſpect to the other. It were elſe to cut off a great part of Abrahams Church ſeed, & ſo make Church p. 199parents more imperfect, but eſpecially unto the falſe teachers argument, the anſwer was not elſe ſo full. Be it that Chriſt is the Antitype of circumciſion now: So hee was to the faith of them of old. Bee it that Gentiles are inwardly circumciſed, ſo were they of old: yea bee it that inchurched parents are externally circumciſed in their externall baptiſme actually, and ſo circumciſion is ſo far uſeleſſe to that ſort of growne perſons: yet what is this to the other ſort of perſons, which uſed, yea they moſtly, to bee circumciſed; and it was their parents dutie to indeavour their circumciſion as well as their owne. If now there bee no ſuch perſons to bee externally circumciſed alſo in baptiſme, and that their parents are under no tie in that reſpect, then at leaſt circumciſion in reſpect of them may bee uſefull and neceſſary, there being no initiatory ſigne appointed for them. To ſay they have the internall circumciſion, our oppoſites will deny, and if they have had ſundry elect Infants of Abrahams ſeed of old. To ſay they are antitypically circumciſed in Chriſt, our oppoſites will not affirme of all the Churches chilches children, and if onelyonly of ſome, as much was virtually in Chriſt to come for the elect Jewiſh babes, yea for thoſe parents and children belonging to grace before ever circumciſion was of uſe; to ſay they are externally circumciſed in their parents baptiſme, as much might have been ſaid that way if rightly ſaid of the Jewiſh children in their parents circumciſion: yet they were actually circumſed alſo. The Apoſtle argueth of a compleatneſſe in Chriſt with reference to baptiſme, which is therefore here named, as an outward meane whereby inchurched Gentiles, eſpecially, come ordinarily to have communion with Chriſt, and to bee compleat in him, yea and as an outward way of holding forth manifeſting, and proving the uſeleſneſſe of circumciſion to them, for it is an anſwer to circumciſion teachers as Mr. Blackwood rightly hath it, unleſſe therefore our oppoſites will exclude them all Church intereſt contrary to what wee have proved: or that they would have beleevers children denied of one initiatory outward meane of communion with Chriſt, whence that of baptizing into his name; (or covenant followſhip) unleſſe alſo they would have us want one Apoſtolicall way of arguing to prove the uſeleſneſſe of circumciſion to all ſorts of perſons, which uſed perſonally to bee circumciſed of old, or unleſſe they will deny that baptiſme is of the ſame ſpirituall uſe, as circumciſion was, ſcil. to bee a Sacramentall ſigne, or ſeale of the covenant, and the viſible intereſt of perſons in it; p. 200which Hen. Den denyeth, but others doe not, and if they doe wee have formerly proved the contrary, I ſee not how the force of Gal. 2. 10, 11, 12. will bee avoided in this point of Paedobaptiſme.

SECT. XI.

VVHereas therefore divers things are brought to invalidate any binding reference to circumciſion, if it bee intended of any type to the ſubſtantialls of it, and in it, or any forcible analogy in divers materiall things deduced thence, wee deny the cogency of ſuch arguments, as when Mr. B. tells us of a many differences betweene baptiſme and circumciſion, and ſo I. S. the like, and Hen. Den the like, it will not thence follow, ergo, in nothing alike ſtill, that one as the other is a ſeale of the covenant, that one as the other diſtinguiſheth the viſible members of the Church from Pagans: and this followeth not, and wee aſſay not to make the proportion runne of foure feet, as the proverbe is, nor to prove proportion in ſundry circumſtantialls, peculiar to that ordinance. It ſufficeth us that they agree in their common author, Sacramentall nature and end. They are both inſtitutions of God, Sacramentall initiatory ſignes in their natures, to bee applied to perſons of all ſorts, as they are outwardly capable thereof, which are viſibly intereſted in covenant, &c. albeit in their particular manner of adminiſtration, and the circumſtances of time, place, ſex, nation, member of the body, &c. they differ; ſucceſſors are not ſucceſſors if every way the ſame if no way different; yet I would not create differences as ſome do, which never were. As firſt, that the circumciſed Babes did eate the Paſſeover: when yet the Law to all that came thither, ſtrangers or Iſraelites was one, ſcil. to keepe it to the Lord, with ſpirituall reſpects to Gods ends and rules, as Exod. 12. 48, 49. to bee in heart prepared as well as to bee ceremonially cleane, 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19, 20. the children in that family celebration of it, asked not what meane [wee] by this ſervice, as if they actually partooke thereof, but what meane [yee] by it, Exod. 12. 26. or if ſuch children capable of inſtruction, were admitted as ſome authors have thought, yet not Babes which could not goe up to the Temple, Deut. 6. 16, 17. Nor doth the mention of the houſe, or congregation, which ſome who will not allow us that latitude of like plea urge, as keeping it, evince it; but is an uſuall Synecdoche: ſuch roſt, parched meate and ſoure hearbes, &c. Exod. 12. were too harſh to goe downe with ſuch Babes, Numb. 9. 3. p. 201they in the Wilderneſſe kept the paſſeover according to all the rites of it, yet none will ſay the uncircumciſed males therein; for circumciſion was not uſed in the Wilderneſſe, Joſh. 5. did eate contrary to expreſſe rule, no uncircumciſed perſon ſhall eate. Secondly, that circumciſion ſealed Canaan, as if that were all Gods covenant mentioned, Gen. 17. 7, 8. 11. 13. but of this formerly. Or thirdly, that reprobates as well as elect were then ſealed, as if none but elect are now ſealed: as for Eſau and Iſhmael, in what ſenſe they by extraordinary revelation to this or that perſon being diſcovered and yet after ſealed, how it might bee and was, as was that of Judas to Chriſt adminiſtring the Supper and ſop, a knowne devill, yet admitted, &c. and no croſſing of ordinary rule; we formerly ſpake to it. Fourthly, circumciſion bound, ſay ſome, to the law; What, not I hope in the rigour of it, and as the ſubſtance of the covenant of workes made with Adam? was Abraham and Iſaac, &c. bound thus thereby, and not rather to it as to an holy rule of life? and ſo are wee, yea by our baptiſme, Rom. 2. 25. if any will Idolize circumciſion or baptiſme to make it ex opere operato availeable to ſalvation, they then legalize it, and if that way they looke for life, they muſt keepe the whole Law, or elſe they periſh. For in this legall ſenſe they urged circumciſion, Gal. 5. 3. a… that by which to bee juſtified, verſ. 4. As for the eſſentiall difference ſuppoſed by Mr. B. in the covenant, Gen. 17. 7. wee have formerly diſproved that: that alſo is an imaginary difference of Mr. B. that circumciſion gave right to the Church, and that of I. S. It brought them into covenant; when it confirmed rather a precedaneous right in both, and ſeales of God uſe not to bee appointed to bee put to blankes but to the covenant, and that was with Church reference as before. Whence that Gen. 17. 7. 8. 11. nor was this any meere outward covenant ſealed, but the very covenant of ſaving grace (as ſome expreſſe it) even that, I will bee a God to them, or as I. S. hath it, fulfill my promiſe to them, naming Luke 1. 73, 74, 75. and of the nature it was on both the ſeedes, if I may uſe his phraſes, even elect or reprobate: nor was there no faith required in adultis as Abraham and proſelytes. Yea all ſorts were thereby bound to, and called upon to indeavour after faith in Chriſt, a new heart, power of godlineſſe, &c. hence Deut. 10. 16. and Jer. 4. 4. and Rom. 2. 25. 29. and 3. 30. Nor doth circumciſion as it was given to Abraham belong to another covenant, but as it was given by Moſes, Levit. 12. 3. betweene which Chriſt diſtinguiſheth, John 7. 22. p. 202Nor doth the father of the families hand in circumciſion, when as now it is the miniſter of the Goſpell which baptizeth, argue that baptiſme belongs to another Prieſthood: as long as both of them belonged; that to the ordinary appointed Miniſter for this time, and this to the ordinary and appointed Miniſter now. Nor will it follow, that the forementioned obliging reference had to circumciſion will bring on us a yoak inſufferable, Acts 15. 10. unleſſe wee urged circumciſion it ſelfe, in the very ſymbole and manner of adminiſtring of it, in ſuch ſort, as urged by thoſe legaliſts, as neceſſary to ſalvation, and as a worke by which perſons are to expect to bee juſtified, Gal. 5. 3, 4. which none will challenge us for: nay even circumciſion it ſelfe was not that yoake, as Gods inſtituted ſeale of his covenant; even diſſenting brethren ſome of them (for ſuch I ſhould call ſome of them) acknowledge as much in effect, but to urge it on the Gentiles or on their children, as ſimply neceſſary to ſalvation, Acts 15. 1. and adding therewith a neceſſitie to keepe the whole law, verſ. 5. 24. this was that yoake verſ. 10. without which both the choyce Jews of old, & thoſe at that time, and conſequently others of the Gentiles might bee ſaved, as Peter acknowledgeth, verſ. 11. As much may bee ſaid to the objections made againſt this way of arguing from circumciſion, as if there may as well follow other analogies of Prieſts and their garments, &c. It followeth not unleſſe wee make analogy every way parallel, which we decry. So when it is urged that circumciſion don away in Chriſt is an handwriting, is enmity againſt us, is an unprofitable rudiment, is a partition wall, proper to the Jewes, overthroweth Chriſtian libertie, is that without which wee are in Chriſt compleat, &c. and therefore not binding; it is true of circumciſion as urged in a legall way, hence Gal. 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c. and in reſpect of it ceremoniouſly conſidered in the proper way of adminiſtring it, but if conſidered in the generall nature of it as an initiatory ſeale of the covenant of grace, ſo it was not againſt them, nor unprofitable, &c. and wee Gentiles that are compleat without circumciſion in the ſymboll and circumſtantials, yet are not ſo without the ſubſtantials of it in baptiſme, which is of like nature and uſe ſo farre forth as before was proved. As for the grand objection againſt this and againſt the whole doctrine of Paedobaptiſme, ſcil. That we have no command for baptizing Infants as they had for circumciſing of them, nor have wee any example of it: wee have in the former concluſions given anſwer thereunto, and even p. 203in injoyning that initiatory ſeale of the covenant as made with ſuch perſons, God did virtually injoyne the application of ſuch an initiatory ſeale as hee ſhould appoint to ſeale his covenant to perſons externally in it, which ſhould bee declared to be of like nature and of like uſe in the maine, as was ſhewed.

SECT. XII.

ANd beſides former Scriptures opened, as Matth. 28. Acts 2. Gal. 3. Act. 16. 14, 15, &c. wherein this objection is taken off, wee may adde other virtuall commands and examples thereunto. When God in Acts 10. preſents the preſent outlawry eſtate of the Gentiles, from Covenant and Church, according to Eph. 2. 11, 12. but now to be eaten; or ſuch as were to bee taken into fellowſhip, not barely civill, but ſacred: as the iſſue of baptizing ſome of them ſhewed in the end of the chapter in reference to this Goſpel and Covenant or cleanſed eſtate; what God hath cleanſed, (ſpeaking of it as already in actuall exiſtence, becauſe as ſure as if already, God calling things which are not, as if they were) I ſay in reference to this eſtate of Gods externall owning of them at leaſt, Peter is commanded not to count them uncleane. Acts 10. 15. Now to count them uncleane, or prophane, is to count them ſtrangers from all Covenant-fellowſhip with the people of God, &c. All ſorts of beaſts, little and great, dogs and whelps, gentiles parents and child, as the Cannanitiſh woman and her daughter are called, Mat. 7. and Mat. 15. Whom God ſhall cleanſe, are not to bee counted common. If God therefore make an holy Covenant with ſuch as wee have proved, if Chriſt himſelfe affirme ſuch like, even ſuch babes as are of ſuch parents, and are devoted to Chriſt to bee of his kingdome or Church: if hee take them within his juriſdiction as Prince of his people, as was propheſied; hee will take the outlawry Jewes, &c. Ezek. 37. Surely hee ſo farre forth cleanſeth them, and ſevereth them from the reſt of the outlawry Pagan world, as hee doth the Infants of inchurched beleevers, as wee have proved: verily the Apoſtles are charged not to carry it towards the cleanſed creatures of this ſort, as if uncleane, by refuſing to admit them to ſuch religious priviledged fellowſhip as they are outwardly capable of, and conſequently not to refuſe them from baptiſme, the initiatory Seale of that fellowſhip. So Ezek. 47. 22, 23. which all will confeſſe, and Scripture evidence will cleare, hath reference to theſe times after Chriſts incarnation, the p. 204ſtrangers or proſelyted Gentiles, with their children where ever they are caſt amongſt the tribes, even the Churches of the Chriſtian Jewes in the latter dayes, they all by the charge of God, muſt have lo… and inheritance with them in Canaan; What in the earthly Canaan meerely? verily there is no cauſe of ſuch a limitation: even with our oppoſites Canaan is typicall alſo, typed out Goſpell mercies covenant bleſſings, and priviledges, Heb. 3. and 4. 1, 2, 3, &c. Surely then it's the charge of God in reference to the cho…ce dayes of Goſpel Churches, that where godly ſtrangers are caſt, and deſire to fix and to incorporate themſelves as into one people to injoy one and the ſame ſpirituall poſſeſſions, and manſions under one and the ſame ſpirituall government of their Prince, that ſuch ſtrangers together with their children ſhould bee joynt inheritors with the Churches, in the Churches heritage of the fellowſhip of ſuch ordinances, or priviledges, as they are ſeverally capable of, as at leaſt they are of the initiatory ſeale of baptiſme. And if others which hold with I. S. againſt us in this point, are of his minde, his p…inciples will further adminiſter anſwer to that objection; he citeth Ezek. 16. 8. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10 Gal. 3. 18, 19. Heb. 6. 17. Deut. 26. 15, 16, 17. Deut. 29. 12, 13. Rom. 9. 8. with Gal 4. 28 by which it appeareth (ſaith hee) that it is the promiſe or covenant of grace which produceth a Chriſtian and giveth him a being in ſuch an eſtate of grace as in Church fellowſhip, and afterwards hee uſeth arguments to prove the covenant of grace to bee the forme of the Church, &c. which how it will ſtand with other things elſewhere held forth by him and ſome of his minde is conſiderable. As firſt, that the command of God was the onelyonly ground of circumciſion, confeſſed to bee the ſeale of the covenant; yea but the Jewes had Church fellowſhip in their circumciſion, all will yeeld as being a Church ordinance, and then the command of God gave them not alone a being in that fellowſhip ſince, ex conceſſis, the covenant of grace which was ever the forme of the Church, &c. it's ſaid it gave them ſuch a being. Secondly, that the covenant wherein the Jew Church was intereſted, was not a covenant of grace, yet this author produceth, Ezek. 16. 8. Deut. 26. 16, 17, 18. Deut. 29. 12, 13. to prove that this covenant of grace was the forme of the Church, and that by this argument amongſt others, becauſe it was ever ſo. Surely this Church of old was a true viſible Church, to which theſe places have reference, and yet the whole body of the people are ſpoken of, as the places declare: p. 205So then the covenant made with them, by this authors grounds was the covenant of grace. Thirdly, that the little ones of the Jewes were not in the covenant of grace; yea but whence then had they that Church being and right to that Church fellowſhip in the ſeale of circumciſion? whence called that covenant Churches children? Ezek. 16. 8. 20, 21. 23. whence elſe are they of that number which were to enter into that covenant? Deut. 29. 11, 12. Albeit the author politiquely leaveth out that v. 11. in citing the place, which is here produced to prove the covenant of grace to bee the forme of the Church, and that which giveth one a Church being, and as hee argueth that to be the forme of the Church, becauſe it was of old ſo: ſo ſay I of the covenant of grace as inveſted with Church covenant: that which was of old the forme of the Church, giving being to Church memberſhip and fellowſhip in Church ordinances, the ſame is now ſuch; but the covenant as made with reſpect to parents and children was of old the forme of the Church giving being to ſuch, ſcil. in circumciſion, as of parents ſo of children, therefore the ſame is now in ſuch ſort the forme of the Church to give a Church being to parents and children in reſpect of Church fellowſhip in baptiſme, and ſo I conclude againſt that. Fourthly, that children of perſons viſibly in covenant with God and his Church have no right to baptiſme; when yet as hath been proved they have intereſt in the ſame covenant, and ſo conſequently by this very principle laid downe unto this Church initiatory ſeale of baptiſme. Yea but Infants have not the law written in their hearts, and ſo it's a ſeale to a blank: A. No more had they of old, no not Infant Iſaac, nor thoſe, Deut. 24. 11. with 30. 6. they are not therefore ſuch as have not the covenant made to them, becauſe they have not ſuch a power of grace actually in their hearts; that is the execution of Gods covenant, which oft times is long after, but the very foreign Berith or covenant it ſelfe is the promiſe of it, Deut. 29. 11. 14, 15. and 30. 6. compared: hence that promiſe called the covenant as being the moſt ſubſtantiall part of it, ibid. and Gen. 17. 6, 7. 11. 13. they are preſent actuall ſubjects of the promiſe of future grace, I will circumciſe their hearts, I will bee a God to them, &c. and that initiatory ſeale is to this eſpecially, Gen. 17. 7. 11. 13. Acts 13. 8. So are not Turkes and Pagans children, in foro eccleſiae; beſides Judas and Ananias his baptiſme was in Gods inſtitution, and in reſpect of the Church court, and their Church right no ſeale to a blank; p. 206albeit Gods Law was never written in their hearts, and they ſhall finde it to their coſt, both Goſpell words and ſeales will worke one way, if not a ſavour of life, then of death; the cup in the Lords Supper is to all Sacramentally the teſtament or a viſible ſeale of the very covenant of grace in Chriſts blood, 1 Cor. 11. 25. yet ſome drinke of that cup unworthily, and becauſe it is Sacramentally of that nature, thence are they guilty of Chriſts blood, ver. 27. 80. circumciſion on all ſorts was Sacramentally the Covenant of grace, albeit not ſavingly and efficaciouſly ſuch, Gen. 17. 7. 11. 13. as before was proved.

SECT. XIII.

AS for that objection of ſuppoſed abſurdities, of making Chriſts body to conſiſt of dead members; forcing Chriſts ſpouſe upon him, deſtroying Gods Church, holding people in blindneſſe, bringing reproach upon religion, filling conſciences with ſcruples, making men reſt in their baptiſme, &c. I anſwer, they follow not exnatura rei, from the initiatory ſealing of Infants with the Church ſeale; for if ſo, then without diſtinction of times or Churches, &c. it muſt univerſally hold: and ſo reflects upon the wiſedome and faithfulneſſe of God, who once at leaſt ordered ſuch a thing, ſcil. putting the appointed ſeale of his covenant, circumciſion, to ſuch Infants, they were members of the viſible body of Chriſt, a true viſible Church, &c. yet God did not thereby deſtroy his Temple, force a Spouſe on Chriſt, fill his Church with dead and rotten members, hold people in blindneſſe, lay a foundation of perſons reſting in their circumciſion, kill them with ſcruples by it, or deſtroy the markes of a true viſible Church: which are according to Mr. B's. profeſſion, and the initiatory ſeale of the covenant, (then circumciſion) now baptiſme: and ſo Mr. B. his ninth argument is anſwered; his ſecond, third, fourth, ſixth and eight argument hath been elſewhere anſwered, his ſeventh argument from a miſtaken expoſition of Acts 19 is elſewhere anſwered in what is briefly ſpoken to that place, his tenth argument from the taking up of Paedobaptiſme from corrupt principles, is abundantly anſwered in the whole diſcourſe; wherein better principles are held forth, and if any hold it out upon weake and unwarrantable grounds, it weakens not a good cauſe in it ſelfe, that it is ill handled. His laſt argument from univerſall practiſe to the contrary, is elſewhere anſwered, and amongſt p. 207others, the practiſe in baptizing Lydia's houſe is one exception; nor doth that which Mr. B. would pretend as an argument to the contrary, evince what hee would have, they are not ſaid to bee the brethren of the houſe, which Paul there comforted, Acts 16. ult. doth Mr. B. which would make all the jaylors houſhold to bee actually beleevers, thinke, that they attended not Paul and Silas from priſon? for hee was now to depart the citie, and haſted out of the jaylors houſe by the comming of the Magiſtrates thither for that end, verſ. 39. ſo that there was no opportunitie before to utter what they had to ſay at parting, but another houſe as that of Lydia in their way out of the citie, is a fitter place for that purpoſe, there therefore they make a little pauſe for that end; after which they departed.

SECT. XIIII.

ANd to adde here to conſideration of 1 Cor. 10. 1, 2. which to mee hath been long of validitie to prove this practiſe of Paedobaptiſme as then in uſe, nor can I yet bee removed from thoſe thoughts, the Apoſtles ſcope there was to take downe their pride in priviledges, and reſting ſecure in ordinances, &c. by ſhewing them the hazard to which they lay open, notwithſtanding, if they provoked God, by an argument from a like example of Church members intereſted not meerely in ordinary, but extraordinary priviledges, yet by reaſon of ſuch provocation comming to a ſad end; and thus lyeth the Apoſtles argument: Where there are like priviledges of grace, there (if abuſed) will bee like puniſhments inflicted: but with you and with them of old are like priviledges of grace: ergo, if alike abuſed, there will follow like puniſhments. And becauſe they might glory in thoſe peculiar Church ordinances of the ſeales, which yet they were ſo apt to abuſe, hee ſingles out parallels to them, and therein doth not take inſtance from the ordinary Sacraments of the Jewes, but from two extraordinary ones: wherein, if in any thing, they might ſeeme to bee priviledged above others. Now if there were no parallel in that materiall buſineſſe of the childrens baptiſme in Corinth Church; a great part of the Apoſtles ſcope of urging them from a ground of paritie of priviledges failed; nay this had been a good argument to have taken downe their pride another way, ſcil. that the members of that Church had their children with them, in a glorious manner baptized in the cloud and ſea, yet God dealt ſo with them in p. 208his judgements, and you Corinthians that have nothing any way parallel to ſuch a baptiſme of your children, doe you thinke to eſcape?

Object. 1. But you will ſay there is no proportion betwixt them, in that this was no Sacrament at all, but an extraordinary providence.

Anſw. An ordinary Sacrament it was not, but a Sacrament it was though extraordinary.

SECT. XV.

FIrſt, in that the other of the Manna and rock was not elſe ſpirituall meat and drinke, and Chriſt to many of them really; it was then Sacramentally ſo, or no way to them. Secondly, why elſe doth the Apoſtle ſingle out but theſe two; to the one giving the name of baptiſme, to the other of ſpirituall meat and drinke and Chriſt agreeable to that mentioned in the end of this argument? verſ. 16, 17. Thirdly, why elſe doth hee having mentioned their being under the cloud verſ. 1. come over it againe, verſ. 2. and adde the name of baptiſme to it? It were a tautology if intending it of a bare providence. Fourthly, elſe the Apoſtle had much failed in his ſcope of deterring the members of this Church, conſidered as ſuch, from Church ſinnes and wantonneſſe under and againſt Church priviledges. Fiftly, elſe why is not the ſame aſcribed to all the reſt, to the mixt multitude which were with them, yea to the very beaſts? for all ſhared in this as a providence, all paſſed thorough the Sea with them, &c. yet none but the Church have this aſcribed to them; All our fathers were under the cloud and baptized, &c. the Church fathers to Paul and Gentile Church members (as ſuch) were thoſe Jew Church members: whether parents or children; the very babes, as then, yet in reſpect of after ages of the Church, to whom afterwards they were Inſtruments to convey Church truths and bleſſings, they were fathers; Paul ſpake this to the brethren of the Church, yet not excluding the ſiſters, but including them in his admonition and argument; but it's uſuall, that Church admonitions and Epiſtles doe runne in the name of the brethren, as being principall actors in all Church matters, and hence alſo, albeit the females of the Jew Church as ſuch bee by proportion included in this matter of Church priviledge, yet hee nameth onelyonly the males; but onelyonly members of the Church did ſhare in it in that reſpect. p. 209Sixtly, hence alſo the phraſe, baptized into Moſes, not perſonally but miniſterially conſidered in his doctrine; hee gave them from God both a precept for it and a promiſe encouraging to it: or into Moſes typically conſidered, as a type of Chriſt, Act. 3. 22.

Object. 2. Was not this onelyonly a type of ſaving preſervation from ſinne, &c.

Anſw. All the Corinthians had no antitype thereof in their baptiſme really, no more then many of them, and in a Sacramentall way, that baptiſme to them was as that to the Corinthians, a viſible ſeale of ſalvation.

Object. 3. Doth hee not ſpeake of a ſameneſſe therein betwixt the Jewes themſelves, and not in reference to the members of the Church of Corinth?

Anſw. The ſcope of the Apoſtle being what was mentioned, will not beare other ſenſe then of comparing them with the Jewes in like priviledge for ſubſtance, to deterre them from like ſinnes, leſt they incurre like puniſhments.

Object. 4. By this argument wee ſet up nationall Churches now.

Anſw. No more followeth hence, ex natura rei, but, as onelyonly Church members according to their ſeverall capacities were ſo priviledged and not others: ſo onelyonly Church members now are to partake of Church Ordinances, wee are to conſider it herein quà Church, which is continuing, and not quà nationall Church, wherein was ſome circumſtantiall peculiaritie which vaniſhed.

Object. 5. You may then pleade for Infants comming to the Lords Supper, ſince all our Fathers did eate of that ſpirituall meat and drinke of the rock, &c.

Anſw. The leaſt male childe of a day old, or two or three houres old at that inſtant (of which there were many ſcores its likely in that numerous Church) were in reſpect of ſucceeding Churches, fathers; yet none will imagine the word (all) to take them in, in the latter: as if they gave them water out of the rock to drink, or Manna cakes to eate ſo young; but a Synecdoche muſt needs bee yeelded therein: So I ſay (all) in the former is taken, for all the fathers ſimply; but in the latter for all Synecdochically: or for all ſuch which were capable of making a ſpirituall uſe thereof.

SECT. XVI.

TO draw to a Concluſion, one argument more uſed by A. R. and which is Mr. B. his firſt argument againſt Paedobaptiſme, p. 210would bee cleared it ſtands thus, the Baptiſme of Chriſt is dipping, the Baptiſme of Infants is not dipping, ergo, the Baptiſme of Infants is not the Baptiſme of Chriſt. Now what hee meaneth by dipping, hee ſheweth in his anſwer to that of waſhing of cups, &c. which ſaith hee is not by ſprinkling but dipping, yea not onelyonly dipping but totall dipping, waſhing all over. The weakneſſe of the Minor we ſhall conſider in the latter end, and beginning with his Major. The Major of this Syllogiſme is fallacious, for baptiſme of Chriſt is waſhing, Epheſ. 5. 25, 26. Heb. 10. 22. 1 Pet. 3. 21. and waſhing is as well by ſprinkling, or powring on of water, yea Chriſts Baptiſme is ſuch a waſhing as is in way of powring out or ſprinkling. Hence Tit. 3. 5. waſhing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghoſt, which hee hath powred out on us, Verſ. 6. Greeke, and in urging their proofe from the difference of the Greeke word foreign from foreign, which ſignifieth ſprinkling properly, Heb. 9. 13. 19 21. they forget how the holy Ghoſt termeth all thoſe divers ſprinklings, Verſ. 10. namely divers foreign which are after named in the followings, Ver. ſcil. ſprinkling the blood of Bulls, &c. Verſ. 10. 13. 19. 21. compared. So then by the interpretation of the holy Ghoſt which is more then a thouſand Authors, baptiſmes are ſprinklings, and ſprinklings are baptiſmes. Hence ſpeaking to the inchurched Hebrews, as alluding to their legall ſprinklings, hee calleth baptiſme, baptiſmes (Heb. 6.) in the plurall number; yet Epheſ. 4. there is but one baptiſme: & it's obſervable how the Author to the Hebrews in ſpeaking of baptiſme alludeth and relateth to their legall baptiſmes or ſprinklings, and therefore calleth them baptiſmes. Now who knoweth not, that children were ſprinkled with that typicall blood as well as others, to note the neceſſitie of the ſprinklings of them alſo with that blood? Yea ſince the Hebrews in Church eſtate; for ſuch they were, witneſſe that Heb. 10. 24, 25. and 13. 17. had ſuch baptiſme amongſt them of perſons ſuitable to the legall baptiſmes with blood, why ſhould not we conclude baptizing of their children too as well as of growne perſons to bee in uſe with them according to the type of that ceremoniall ſprinkling?

A. R. his reaſon makes rather againſt him too, if [foreign] joyned with baptiſme ſignifie [in] and never [with] then baptizing (ſaith hee) muſt bee dipping and not ſprinkling. To which I reply, if [foreign] joyned with baptizing, ſignifie [with] and not [in] then by way of contrary, baptizing is ſprinkling and not dipping: p. 211now in the very places quoted by A. R. foreign put after the word foreign ſignifyeth [with] and not [in] Matth. 3. 11. Hee ſhall baptize you foreign with the holy Ghoſt and with fire, and not in it; which is expounded by Acts 11. 16, 17. the holy Ghoſt fell on them, and Acts 1. 5. compared with 2. 17. it is expounded by powring out of the Spirit; nay Luke in mentioning the very ſigne, leaveth out [foreign] Luke 3. 16. and Acts 11. 16. I baptize you foreign, which (if grammatically rendred) is not [in] but [with] water. Beſides, it's moſt ſuitable to Sacramentall actions: which are ſignes to hold proportion to the thing ſignified; wherefore alſo it is ſo rendered in mentioning the ſignatum; hence mention is made of ſprinkling the Nations by Chriſt, Eſay 52. 15. and of the blood of ſprinkling, Heb. 12. 24. 1 Pet. 1. 2. See more Ezek 35. 25, 26. Eſay 43. 3, 4. Joel 2. with Acts 2. Sprinkling or powring of water moſt fitly expreſſeth the maine thing properly ſignified and ſealed viſibly … baptiſme, ſcil. firſt grace; wherein the Spirit applyeth, not us to the Word, or to Chriſt, (as in dipping the party is applied to the water, and not the water to him) but the Word and Chriſt to us, as firſt in order of nature, 1 Cor. 12. 13.

Object. But baptizing is burying with Chriſt?

Anſw. It is not neceſſary the reſemblance ſhould hold fully unleſſe as none is buried before they are dead, ſo wee ſhould bee firſt dead with Chriſt in baptiſme, and then afterwards buried, which if in baptiſme too, and ſo to be twice baptized; but if the alluſion bee urged, it is for us rather, wee uſe not to bury men by throwing them downe with their faces downeward, as when perſons are dived with their faces under water, but by laying them in with their faces upwards; nor doe wee plunge them into the duſt and earth, but powre and ſprinkle duſt and broken earth upon them. When Chriſt was baptized of John in Jordan it's ſaid hee went downe, &c. but was hee therefore by John dived into the water? Yes ſay you, what in his clothes? then his clothes too were baptized with him, as I may ſay, but how then is it ſaid he came ſtraightway out of the water, Marke 1. 10. and verſ. 1, 2. immediatly the ſpirit drives him into the Wilderneſſe? what in that dung wet caſe as wee ſay, is that probable? Luke ſaith, Chap. 3. 21. when all the people were baptized, hee alſo was baptized: women alſo then were baptized openly, for it was a Church action, and if they were dived were they not ſtript? how improbable is it that they p. 212were ducked in all their clothes, & if they were ſtripped in whole or in part, would Chriſt be preſent at ſuch immodeſt ſpectacles? That women were baptized by John, ſee Matth. 21. 31. 32. compared with Luke 7. 39. and Matth. 3. 4, 5, 6. Nicephorus his ſtory, lib. 13. chap. 19. of the flying of the women naked being beſet with armed men as they were to bee baptized; and that ſad ſtory of a Prieſt defiling of a woman when to bee baptized; beſides the ſad plunges which they were of old put to, when they tooke up this courſe of diving baptized perſons in ſuch ſort, witneſſe that order of the fourth Carthage councell, Can. 4. touching widowes baptizing of women and other like acts mentioned in Juſtinian, beſides the miſchiefe of reſtrayning baptiſme to certaine times of the yeare in cold countries, and ſundry other ſad conſequencies of ſuch a courſe, might bee propounded, but thus much for the Major. The Minor of Mr. Bs. Syllogiſme is weake alſo; ſince ſome which hold paedobaptiſme, yet baptize by dipping; therefore wee ſhall thus retort Mr. Bs. Syllogiſme. Baptiſme by dipping is the baptiſme of Chriſt: but with ſundry Miniſters, baptiſme of Infants is baptiſme by dipping; therefore with them at leaſt, baptiſme of Infants is the baptiſme of Chriſt: ſo contradictory are Mr. Bs. reaſonings to his own principles. And thus much bee ſpoken from the ſolid grounds of Scripture to that part of the controverted caſe touching Infants Baptiſmall Right.

p. 213PART III.