The Estate of Children of Church Members and their Right to Baptism, Treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 6
SECT. VI.
Concluſ. 5. THat Chriſt is in Scripture conſidered as head of the viſible Church in which are many members of Chriſt the head in that reſpect, which prove unſound, as well as in other reſpects, hee is conſidered as head of the viſible Church, wherein are none but elect ones: And when Gal. 3. 16. it's ſaid, to Abraham and to his ſeed, which is Chriſt, were the promiſes made, it's not meant of Chriſt perſonall, as if the promiſes, as that of pardon of ſinne, &c. were made to Chriſt perſonally conſidered: or the promiſes were firſt made to Abraham and unto Chriſt perſonall, as the Text hath it.
Promiſes were made to Abraham and to his ſeed Chriſt. Nay Chriſt perſonally conſidered is rather Abrahams ſeed, not to, but in which the promiſes are confirmed, Gal. 3. 17. with 16. But rather of Chriſt with his body the Church, whether of Gentiles or Jewes, Gal. 3. 14. which though many perſonally yet make but one ſeed, and not many ſeeds, being all one in Chriſt the head of the Church, Verſe 16. 28. compared, like as Gen. 3. 15. the ſeed of Eve, is Chriſt with his members in and with him, So 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. the name of Chriſt is not aſcribed to the head the Lord Jeſus without his body the Church: or to the Church of Jewes and Gentiles without him the head, but collectively conſidered. Quaeritur, whether this in Gal. 3. and 1 Cor. 12. be ſpoken of the viſible or inviſible Church. I anſwer, to me it ſeemes that the places admit of the conſideration of the Church as viſible. Firſt, in that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of all the Galatian Church-members as well as others, as one in Chriſt, Gal. 3. 28. Now were all thoſe members elected, will any ſay? I ſuppoſe not, yet all are one in Chriſt their head. Secondly, in that hee ſpeakes of them all as Sacramentally one with Chriſt in baptiſme, Gal. 3. 27, 28. compared, ſo 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. Now albeit, the ſpirit bee the cauſe of the internall and ſaving union with Chriſt, in all which are united: As Eccleſiaſtically all the Corinthian members were judged to bee; yet indeed and in truth there were many of them not approved to God, 1 Cor. 11. 18, 19. compared. But in both places the Apoſtle conſidering them as a baptized Caecus: intimateth the conſideration thereof as a viſible, and not as an inviſible Church: Baptiſme being the ſeale committed to the viſible Church by her officers to bee diſpenſed, and not to the inviſible Church which hath no Officers in it, as ſuch. And baptiſme being by the Church adminiſtred to perſons as viſible, and not as inviſible members of the Church. Thirdly, in that Chriſt hath head-like influences into the officers and members, many whereof are not ſavingly joyned to him. Fourthly, in that it is the Church wherein hee hath ſet diverſitie of Church-officers, which are not ſet in the inviſible, but viſible Church: that Church being not inviſible but viſible where Church-officers are ſet and choſen, and act. From this conſideration it followeth, that albeit a mans owne perſonall faith uniteth him to Chriſt, in reſpect of ſaving and inviſible union, yet the profeſſion and confeſſion of faith before and in a viſible Church, in reference to viſible communion therewith, this doth unite a perſon to Chriſt as head of the viſible Church; whether the party bee ſincere or no. Hence alſo a Parent, making profeſſion of faith in the covenant of grace, as inveſted with Church-covenant in reference to his children it doth unite them alſo to Chriſt, as head of the viſible Church ſo farre, as to give right to ſolemne imitation of them, into the fellowſhip of the Church in circumciſion as of old, or baptiſme as now. Parents acts in this caſe being in the face of the vi…ble Church, their childrens acts, as the places quoted, Deut. 26. 17, 18. and 29. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16, 16, 17 declared. Whence contrariwiſe, the parents neglect of ci…cumciſion of a babe, not capable of perſonall neglect, was c…unted the childs neglect, the uncircumciſed manchild, whoſe fleſh of his foreskin is not circumciſed [that ſoule ſhall bee cut off …rom his people [Hee] hath broken my covenant. And as in other caſes the Lord Chriſt who required perſonall faith in growne ones to their cure, yet in caſe of children is contented, that their parents beleeve on their behalfe, John 4. Marke 9. from verſe 12. to 18. ſo Matth. 15. 22. to 29. ſo is it in the caſe of this externall Church benefit. Albeit, the juſt onelyonly live an effectuall life of grace, and attaine the vertue of the ſeale by their owne faith, yet that hindreth not, but a child may attaine, as it were a Church-life, and pertake of the viſible intereſt and uſe of that initiating Church-ſeale, by his parents covenant and Church faith, or that faith which is ſuch to the Church. Nor yet doe wee hereby eſtabliſh (as ſome ſay) a meriting faith, no more then we make viſibilitie of perſonall faith, to merit perſonall right to baptiſme, &c. But rather the parents profeſſing to apply the covenant as made to him and his, there doth reſult a parentall as well as a perſonall right. Such weight there is in the covenant applyed, as by vertue of the covenant of grace inveſted with Church-covenant thus profeſſedly applyed, there doth ariſe ſuch a union, as of the parent, ſo of the child (quoad homines) unto Chriſt, as head of the viſible Church. And looke as the covenant laid hold upon, by the lively faith of gracious parents, as made with reſpect to their children hath mighty force to effect very gratious things in the elect ſeed, yea albeit dying young, as ſundry of thoſe elect ones of Abrahams race did, Rom. 9. 6. yea ſo as to make their outward waſhings to become effectuall in Chriſt to an inward clenſing, Epheſ. 5. 25, 26. yea ſo as to bring in and bring home many of ſuch covenant children. Whence thoſe revolters beloved for their covenant fathers ſake, as ſuch, Rom. 11. 28. and hence made as a ground of their returne, verſe 15, 16. So is there ſuch validitie in the covenant inveſted with Church-covenant, albeit but unworthily ofttimes held forth by the parents, which doth beget upon the children an externall filiall relation unto God, and to his ſpouſe the viſible Church; whence that reſpect of children of God and his Church, by vertue of that Eſpouſall covenant, Ezek. 16. 8. Even in the children of Idolatrous members, verſe 20, 21. 23. Great is the force of this way of the covenant ſo clothed. Albeit many unworthy members are girt up in it, to hold them and theirs in externall Church-communion, Jer. 13. 11. untill either that Church bee divorced from God, or the particular members disfranchiſed by ſome Church cenſure, of ſuch a Church-covenant priviledge. This conſideration with the former mentioned in that firſt concluſion, may alſo ſatisfie M. B. that our doctrine touching Infants covenant and Church-right to baptiſme doth not neceſſarily produce, either that abſurdity of a ſtate of grace and remiſſion of ſinnes before calling, or of birth grace (as J. I. hath it) conveyed from parent to child: underſtanding it of grace abſolute and grace in them and not of grace upon them, or relative grace. And if of grace upon them, yet if underſtanding what hee ſaith as meant of juſtification and ſaving adoption, and not of externall adoption and covenant adminiſtration, the former they convey not, as neither doth a free Deniſon his perſonall gifts of wiſedome, &c. the later hee may; not as a man barely, but with this reduplication, conſidered as a parent in covenant and Church and ſpirituall citie eſtate; for ſo by vertue of the covenant hee is in, together with the profeſſed parentall application and challenge of it, as to him and his, hee may convey ſuch an externall right formerly mentioned. Nor is that abſurditie ours, that wee make ſuch viſible members of Chriſts church before calling, for if hee meane it of effectuall calling; he, if inviſible Church fellowſhip will come under that abſurditie too; unleſſe hee could wholly exclude hypocrites from viſible Churches, or ſuppoſe ſuch a Church where neither are nor can come any falſe brethren. If hee intendeth it of externall calling, ſo viſible beleevers and in churched parents Infants, are with and in their parents call, to the externall fellowſhip of Church-covenant, implicitely called with them. As before they were a farre off together from covenant and Church, ſo now are they made nigh together th…s farre. Of the like nature is that imaginary abſurditie, of entailing grace to generation not to regeneration or of upholding a nationall Church; hee knowes wee in New-England which hold the one, yet doe not maintaine the other in the uſuall ſenſe of a nationall Church. And this which hath been here ſaid alſo may anſwer that of I. S. that Infants have not union with Chriſt, as not having faith, and therefore may not have any communion in Church-ordinances; if hee intend it of ſaving faith, his ſequele is weake, ſince many which doe not ſavingly beleeve are in reſpect of their in-being in the viſible Church, to which alſo Chriſt is head, in Chriſt as the head of that body, in which they are viſible members, whence alſo that John 15. 2. But to ſpeake to the propoſition it ſelfe, I ſay Infants without actuall faith, are of Chriſts body the Church, of which more afterwards, and ſo in Chriſt as the head of the viſible Church. Their parents profeſſed application of the covenant with reference to them, as well as to themſelves, they are together with themſelves Eccleſiaſtically one with Chriſt as the head of the viſible Church.