Light Broke Forth in Wales Expelling Darkness, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
In Anſwer to Mr. Owen's 10th Chapter and 7th Argument viz. that the Infants of the Faithful, as ſuch, ought to be baptized, becauſe they can partake of thoſe things prefigured in Baptiſm.
TAke Mr. Owen's 7th Argument which runs thus, viz. If the Children of the Faithful can partake of the Bleſſings figured in Baptiſm, they ought to be Partakers of Baptiſm alſo; if the inviſible Grace belongeth unto them, the viſible Sign cannot be denied unto them, &c.
Anſw. If we ſhould grant that the Children of the Faithful, as ſuch, can and do partake of the Bleſſings figured in Baptiſm; yet it doth not follow they ought to be baptized, because there is no Precept or Example for it in the New Teſtament.
For may not I argue thus, viz. If the Children of the Faithful can partake of the Bleſſing prefigured in the Lord's-Supper they ought to partake of the Lord's Supper; if the inviſible Grace belongs to them, the viſible Sign cannot be denied unto them? This Argument is therefore as forcible to bring our Children to the Lord's Table as it is to Baptiſm.
Baptiſm ſignifies three things, which (you ſay) little Children can partake of.
1ſt. (You ſay) it ſignifies Remiſſion of Sins through the Virtue of the Blood of Chriſt, Mark 1. 4. Acts 2. 3, 8.
This you ſay belongs to little Children in two manner of ways.
1. They have need of pardoning Grace.
2. Many of them receive Remiſſion of Sin, for many of them that die go to Heaven.
Anſw. 1. Your firſt Argument hath as much in it for the baptizing of Infidels and their Children, as for the Children of Believers, for do not they need pardoning Grace?
2. As to your ſecond Reaſon, Do all the Children of Believers that die go to Heaven? and do none of the Children of Unbelievers go thither? Dare you affirm, that all Unbelievers Children that die are damned? if not, why may they not be baptized as well as the Children of Believers.
3. But do you baptize no Children of Believers but ſuch that die? do not many of them live and prove ungodly when grown up, that you baptize?
Two things you muſt prove, if you ſay any thing here to the purpoſe.
1. That all dying Infants of Believers are elected, and ſo ſhall … ſaved.
2. That all they that go to Heaven, or ſhall be ſaved, …ay, nay ought to have both Baptiſm and the Lord's-Supper adminiſtred to them: Nay, and it follows alſo, that you ought only to baptize thoſe Children of Believers that died, or ſuch that you have ground to believe are elected to Salvation, according to your own Argument. But let me tell you, if you knew what Children of Believers or Unbelievers are elected, yet you ought no more to baptize them, than to give the Lord's-Supper. 'Tis not Election, I tell you again, that gives any a right to Baptiſm, but the poſitive Command of Chriſt: Might not M…lchiſedec or Job have ſaid, our Children do need what was prefigured in Circumciſion, therefore we will circumciſe them? would that have juſtified them if they had preſumed to have done it without God's Command? for the Command and meer poſitive Precept to circumciſe was only given to Abraham, and it only extended to himſelf, and his Male Children, or ſuch that were in his Houſe or Family, or bought with his Money.
Therefore all this arguing of yours is weak and groundless.
In vain therefore is that which you ſay to ſinful Parents, that delivered Corruption to their Children, that they ſhould adminiſter Medicines unto them, and ſo give them the Ordinance of Baptiſm, which Chriſt hath appointed for that end, that they might not fall into the bottomleſs Pi….
Anſw. 1. You muſt prove Chriſt hath appointed Baptiſm for Children, do that and your Work is done.
2. Prove that Baptiſm is the Medicine to cure the Diſeaſe of Original Sin, and to ſave Children (or Adult Perſons either) from falling into the bottomleſs Pi….
You ſeem to frighten Parents into the Belief of your Tradition: Can any thing ſave either young or old from Hell, but the Blood and Merits of Chriſt through the Sanctification of the Spirit? which Baptiſm can be but a Figure of, ('tis not the Medicine) nor is it appointed to any to be a Figure of that, &c. but to Believers only, who certainly have the things ſignified.
2dly. Baptiſm (you ſay) ſignifies the pouring forth of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 2. 38. Tit. 3. 5. and 'tis certain that little Children can receive the Holy Ghost from their Mothers Womb, Luke 1. 15.
Anſw. We deny that Baptiſm ſignifies the pouring of the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures you cite prove no ſuch thing. It ſignifies, as I have ſhewed, the Death, Burial and Reſurrection of Chriſt, with our Death unto Sin, or Mortification of Sin, and riſing again to a new Life.
What tho the Promiſe is made to Chriſt and his Seed in Iſa. 44. 3. & 59. 11. Are Infants of Believers, as ſuch, the Seed of Chriſt, and in the Covenant of Grace?
The Promiſe of pouring forth of the Spirit is only made to Believers, and to ſuch of their Seed that believe, or to all the Elect of God: Prove that Infants of Believers, as ſuch, in the Goſpel-days received the Holy Spirit; God can, 'tis true, give his Spirit to a Babe in the Womb, and may be to one or two Babes he might do it; ſo he once alſo opened the Mouth of an Aſs, muſt all Aſſes therefore ſpeak with Man's Voice? You ſay,
3dly. Baptiſm ſignifies Regeneration; and 'tis poſſible (ſay you) that Children may be regenerated: What can hinder the unſpeakable Grace of God's working upon their Hearts? Jeremiah was ſanctified in his Mother's Womb.
Anſw. I anſwer, Pagans and Infidels may be regenerated 'tis poſſible, what can hinder God's working upon their Hearts? Nay, and 'tis probable too God will do it when he affords the Goſpel to them, and when they are regenerated let them be baptized; when they have the thing ſignified, let them have the Sign alſo.
Mr. Baxter ſaith, Baptiſm is a … of preſent, not future Regeneration; Baptiſm was not appointed of Chriſt to be a Sign of that which might, or might not be in the true Subject of it hereafter, but of that Regeneration that was certainly wrought in the Perſon before baptized: If thou believest (if thou haſt true Faith, or art a converted Man) thou …ſt, Acts 8. not if that hereafter thou mayſt be a Believer, …ut if thou art now one that doſt believe.
(You ſay) God can easily give holy Qualities to the Souls of Children: Cannot God reſtore his own Image to little Children? I do not ſay, all the Children of the Faithful receive the Grace of Regeneration in their Infancy, it is evident to the contrary, many of them being wicked; but on the other hand, the Work of Grace appeareth very early day by day in others of them.
Anſw. If this he ſo, your Cauſe is gone: How? Are not all the infants of Believers regenerated, and in Covenant with God? Why then do you baptize all, even ſuch that have not the thing ſignified when baptized, nor ever after till they die? Worthy Britains! ſee here Mr. Owen does acknowledg that the Infants of Believers, as ſuch, are not in Covenant, for all that are in the Covenant of Grace and have a right to the Seal of it are regenerated; alas, what is the Seal but a Seal of Regeneration, and ſo of eternal Salvation! Epheſ. 1. 13, 14. Chap. 4. 30.
But (you ſay) In others Regeneration appears very early, day by day, that is in ſome little Children.
Anſw. 2. But are not ſome Children of ungodly Parents as early wrought upon and born again as the Children of the godly, why then may not their Children alſo be baptized? You ſay Mr. Eliot in his Book called, Tears of Repentance, ſpeaks of two Indian Children who were converted before three Years old: Sir, theſe were not the Children of Godly Parents.
3. Admit that to be true, and that God ſometimes doth regenerate Children at three or four Years of Age.
Such Children I can baptize by the Authority of Chriſt's Commiſſion, or by Virtue of his holy Precept, and none but ſuch Children that do believe have any right thereunto. You ſay Solomon was very young when the Lord loved him.
Anſw. No doubt but the Lord loved his Elect before they were born, even from Everlaſting, but what of this? yet when they are called and regenerated, and not till then, they ought to be baptized.
In a word, that which renders Perſons capable of Baptiſm are the Prerequiſites of Baptiſm, or thoſe things that are required by Chriſt to be in the true Subjects thereof, which are Faith and the Profeſſion of it, or Faith and Repentance. You may be capable of being made a Justice of Peace, but you muſt not exerciſe that Office without a lawful Commiſſion: So let our Children be capable of what they will or may, yet without a Warrant from God's Word they ought not to be admitted to Baptiſm, the Lord's Supper, nor to any other Goſpel-Ordinance.
God can give ſacred Habits and Qualities to a Child we deny not, but till he doth it you are not to give them the Signs of thoſe gracious Qualities; and if there be no viſible Signs or Demonſtrations of thoſe ſacred Qualities in ſuch Infants you baptize that render them Believers, 'tis at beſt but a mock Baptiſm.
Object. If we knew that little children are regenerated, we would baptize them This is your Objection againſt your ſelf, as if we argued thus.
Anſw. No, Sir, you miſtake us; if we did know little Infants were regenerate, which is impoſſible for us to know … I doubt not but that thoſe Infants that go to Heaven are made holy in ſome ſecret way unknown to us, becauſe no unclean …ng can enter into Heaven) yet we durſt not baptize them, becauſe we want Authority to do it.
Put to come to your Anſwer.
That (ſay you) cannot be certainly known of the Adult, therefore by this Objection none can be baptized. 'Tis ſufficient in this caſe, that the Promiſe of God belongs to the Infant… of the Faithful: They are Members of the viſible Church through which the Line of G… Election runneth, Rom. 9. 4, 5. & Chap. 11. 7.
Answ. 1. … anſwer, tho we cannot, as the apoſtles could not, certainly or in… know who were truly regenerated, or are true Believers, yet they baptized none but ſuch in whom they ſaw ſuch Signs of Grace, that made them in Charity to believe, or hope they were Believers; they made a … and … eſſion of their Faith: but in little …bes there appear no Signs of Grace, nor can they make any Confession of their Faith; where there is no Knowledg, there can be no F…
2. And whereas you ſay they are Members of the viſible Church under the Goſpel, it is falſe, the Goſpel-Church doth … conſiſt of whole Nations and Families, as did the Jewiſh Church under the Law in a natural way. The Goſpel Church is a Spiritual Houſe, not conſiſting of Babes in a way of Generation, … of Spiritual Babes in a way of R…, … …. 2. 5, 6.
3. Nor doth the Promiſe run to any but to them whom the …ord ſhall cal, Acts 2 39, even to Jews and their … that are called, and ſo to the … that ſometimes were a…ar off; Epheſ. 2.
4. As touching Election, 'tis ſtrange to me that you ſhould affirm, that that runneth in the Fleſhly Line of Believers and their Seed, as ſuch, and cite that Text to prove it, Rom. 9. 4, 5. in which St. Paul proves directly the contrary, …. e. Not as tho the Word of God hath taken none Effect; for they are not all Iſrael that are of Iſrael; ver. 6. Neither becauſe they are the Seed of Abraham are they Children: but in Iſaac ſhall thy Seed be called; ver. 7. That is, they which are the Children of the Fleſh, theſe are not the Children of God: but the Children of the Promiſe are counted for the Seed; ver. 8.
Sir, tho the Covenants and Promiſes did belong to the Iſraelires, yet you may ſee how the Apoſtle doth explain it, even to none but to the Elect, or only to ſuch that God by his Spirit, through the Power and Virtue of the Promiſe, ſhould regenerate and cell by his Grace.
Therefore in Oppoſition to what you ſay, none were accounted Abraham's Seed and Children of the Promiſe, but ſuch that were in Chriſt, Gal. 3. …lt.
(You ſay) all the Children of the Faithful are under the Promiſe, but God adminiſtreth the Grace of the Promiſes to the Elect only, and to many of them in their Infancy. But becauſe we know not upon whom the Election falleth, it is the Will of God that we ſhould baptize all that are under the Promiſe.
Anſw. 1. If all the Children of the Faithful are under the Promiſe, they are all elected, becauſe the Promiſe, to whomſoever 'tis made, is ſure to all the Seed; ſee Rom. 4. 16. If it be the natural Seed, as ſuch, 'tis ſure to all them, and not one of the Seed of Believers ſhall periſh; but if it be meant only of the true ſpiritual Seed, then 'tis ſure only to them; for thoſe to whom the promiſe is made 'tis confirmed unto by the Word and Oath of God, that ſo the Heirs of the Promiſe might have ſtrong Conſolation; Heb. 6. 18. Therefore thoſe to whom the Promiſe belongs, the Grace therefore or Bleſſing of that Promiſe God will beſtow upon, or elſe his Promiſe is made void and of none Effect. Prove that there are any who are under the Promiſe, or are Children of the Promiſe, and yet God doth not adminiſter the Grace of the Promiſe unto them; are any the Children of the Promiſe and not elected?
2. But whereas you ſay the Grace of the Promiſe is given to ſome in Inſancy, we deny it, except to ſuch that die in Infancy; and do you diſprove us if you can. But,
3. The worſt of all comes at laſt. Sir, where is it written what you ſo boldly affirm, viz. Becauſe you know not upon when the Election falleth, it is the Will of God that you ſhould baptize all that are under the Promiſe? And you affirm that all the Children of Believers are under the Promiſe. I argue thus, If it be God's Will that all the Children of the Faithful ſhould be baptized, it is revealed in his Word; but this is not revealed in his Word, no nor that any one of them whilſt Infants ought to be baptized, therefore 'tis not his Will they ſhould.
4. May not we by your Argument baptize Unbelievers in whom no Grace appears, becauſe we do not know how the Election runs? they may be under the Promiſe and in the Election as far as we know. What a prepoſterous way of arguing is this of yours? But no more to your 10th Chapter, and 7th Argument for your Childrens Baptiſm.