Infant Baptism Vindicated, Postscript – Publishers advertisement
A POSTSCRIPT.
THE foregoing Anſwer to Mr. Grantham ſhould have been publiſhed ſoon after its Date, 1687. with Mr. Firmin's, if his had not been out before he expected; and it is at the deſire of ſome Friends, that now it cometh forth.
He intimateth, p. 9. that Salah, Heber, &c. lived after Gen. 17. and were not circumciſed, nor had Obligation to Circumciſion.
But this is more than he knows, ſeeing ſo little is revealed to us of the way of their Worſhip in that Day. And it ſeemeth to be falſe, becauſe Abraham then was declared the Father of many Nations, v. 5. And ſo Believers of other Nations were then his Seed, and obliged, if ſome lawful Impediment hindred not.
However, this is certain, that believing Gentiles in Goſpel-Times are graffed into, or intereſted in the ſame Covenant that was made with Abraham, Gen. 17. and his Seed; the ſame Olive which the Jews were broken off from, Rom. 11. 11, to 27. And as of old they were circumciſed, not merely by virtue of a Command, but as a Token of the Covenant, Gen. 17. 14. hence all under that Covenant that could, were to ſubmit to it, and that as a Mark of Diſtinction; for they were diſtinguiſhed from others by Circumciſion: Even ſo it is now as to Baptiſm.
And whereas Mr. Grantham denieth that the Covenant, Gen. 17. is a Goſpel-Covenant, or a Covenant of Grace,
This is his groſs Errour; for the Apoſtle proveth Juſtification in Goſpel-Times to be by Grace from this Covenant with Abraham, Rom. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 16, 17.
This is the very Ground which his Argument is built upon, viz. That we under the Goſpel are juſtified in the ſame way that Abraham was, and therefore by Grace: By the Promiſe, and not by the Law. If this could be denied, all his Arguing were vain and falſe.
Now that Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17. which Circumciſion did belong to, is that which his Argument is bottomed upon, as is evident, Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace.—How doth he prove that? V. 17. As it is written, I have made thee a Father of many Nations—Now it is very obſervable, that this is quoted cut of Gen. 17. 4, 5. and it is no where elſe in foregoing Editions of the Covenant: It is not found in Gen. 12. nor in Gen. 15. therefore that, Gen. 17. was a Goſpel-Covenant, and not ceaſed.
Doth Mr. Grantham think that the Apoſtle would ſeek to prove our Juſtification by an abrogated Covenant, and a legal one too, as he would have this be?
I might prove it a Goſpel-Covenant from his calling Circumciſion a Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith, Rom. 4. 11. and there is no Syllable in the Inſtitution, declaring it to be of one Uſe to Abraham, and of another to other Perſons.
Alſo, From his ſetting this Promiſe to Abraham, in oppoſition to the Law, Rom. 4. 13, 14. it is contradiſtinguiſhed from that, as elſewhere, Gal. 3. 17. This evidenceth it to be a Covenant of Grace, and ſtill in force; and if for Juſtification, then alſo for External Privileges to the Subjects of it.
And once more from Gen. 17. 7, 8. where twice he promiſeth to be [their God] which is the great Bleſſing of the new Covenant, Heb 8. 10.
What is objected to make it a legal Covenant, as that Circumciſion made Men Debtors to the whole Law, &c. is vain.
For either it ſpeaketh of it in the Senſe of the Falſe Prophets, who urge Circumciſion—for Juſtification and Salvation: And thus if Men ſhould urge any Duty, even Baptiſm, upon ſuch a legal Ground, it would make them Debtors to the whole Law. Or it imports, that neither Circumciſion, nor any Works of the Law, do profit, unleſs all be performed; for the Law promiſed nothing but upon perfect Obedience, Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 10. 5.
As to Gen. 3. 15. It maketh no mention of Infants, much leſs of all of them. What Share they have in a Promiſe, muſt be deduced from other Texts, not from this. Will he ſay, that [Seed] and [Infants,] or [all Infants,] are ſynonymous? Here no more is ſaid of all Infants being the Seed of the Woman, than of ſome of them being the Seed of the Serpent.
I ſhall only add, that if Mr. Grantham ſhould reply ſo as I be convinced that the ſubſtance of what I have here written be not Truth, then I intend a Retractation: But if I be ſilent, it may be concluded that I do not account him worth the Anſwering.
A Catalogue of Books, Printed for, and are to be Sold by Edward Giles, Bookseller in Norwich, near the Market-Place.
SEveral Diſcourſes concerning Actual Providence.
A Word in Seaſon.
Defenſive Armour againſt four of Satan's moſt fiery Darts.
Sermons upon the whole 1ſt and 2d Chapter of Canticles.
Thirteen Sermons upon ſeveral uſeful Subjects. All publiſhed by John Collings. D. D. of Norwich.
The Way of the Spirit in bringing Souls to Chriſt.
The Glory of Chriſt ſet forth, with the Neceſſity of Faith: In ſeveral Sermons. Both by Mr. Thomas Allen, late Paſtor of a Church at Norwich.
Enoch's Walk with God and Chriſt, a Chriſtian's Gain. By Mr. Timothy Armitage, late Miniſter at Norwich.
A Diſcourſe of the Preciouſneſs of Chriſt, and of the Preciouſneſs of Faith.
Precious Promiſes the Portion of Overcomers.
Sermons on five ſeveral uſeful Subjects. All by Mr. John Longher, Miniſter in Norfolk.
The Saint's Ebenezer. By Mr. Francis Engliſh, late Miniſter in Norwich.
Directions to ſpell Engliſh right.
The Hiſtory of the Proteſtant Reformation, as it was begun by Luther.
The dead Saints ſpeaking: Being a Sermon preached upon the Death of Mr. Newcomb, of Deadham in Eſſex.
The Engliſh Presbyterian.
The Miracles of Chriſt.
The ordinary Matter of Prayer, drawn into Queſtions and Anſwers.
Two Treatiſes: The firſt, Of Rejoycing in the Lord Jeſus in all Caſes and Conditions. The ſecond, Of a Chriſtian's Hope in Heaven, and Freedom from Condemnation by Chriſt. Both by Mr. Robert Aſty late Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt in Norwich.
Obedience to Magiſtrates: Recommended in a Sermon preached September the 9th, 1683. being the Thankſgiving-Day for His Majeſty's Deliverance. By Jonathan Clapham, Rector of Wramplingham in Norfolk.
A Preſent for Youth, and an Example for the Aged: Two Diſcourſes; one, Of Spiritual Bleſſings; the other, That God hath an high Account of the leaſt Grace in the Saints. By Mr. John Cromwell, late Paſtor of a Church of Chriſt in Norwich.
Infant-Baptiſm of Chriſt's Appointment. By Mr. Samuel Petto, Miniſter of the Goſpel in Sudbury in Suffolk.
Of the Converſion of Sinners to God, in Chriſt; the Neceſſity, Nature, Means and Signs of it: With a Concluding Speech to the Unconverted.
An Anſwer to Mr. Thomas Grantham's Book, called A Dialogue between the Baptiſt and Presbyterian. Both by Martin Finch, Paſtor of a Church of Chriſt in Norwich.
Sincerity: Or, The Upright Man's Walk to Heaven: Delivered in ſeveral Sermons in the Pariſh-Church of St. Michael, in Long-ſtratten, in Norfolk. By James Oldfield, late Miniſter there.
Alexipharmacon Spirituale: Being a Defenſative againſt the Poiſon and Sting of Death: Or, The Great Expedient how to make the Bed of the Grave ſo eaſie, that we may lie down in Peace, and take our Reſt. By Samuel Snowden, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Newton in Norfolk.
Chriſt ſet forth: In ſeveral Sermons upon the 17th Chapter to the Hebrews. By Mr. Robert Ottee, late Paſtor to a Congregation in Beckles in Suffolk.
Sacramental Diſcourſes on ſeveral ſelect Subjects. To which is added, A Diſcourſe of the Life of Faith. By Chriſtopher Amarett, Miniſter of the Goſpel in Norfolk.
A Diſcovery of Audacious Inſolence againſt the Doctrine of the Church of England, vented in a malicious Pamphlet, publiſhed againſt the Presbyterians, by Thomas Grantham: Together with a Poem thereon. And a Poſtſcript, wherein ſome of the Citizens of Norwich are more particularly concerned and cautioned.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Petto, Infant Baptism Vindicated (1691)